Sampling method development and optimization in view of human hand odor analysis by thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Forensic profiling of human odor is challenging and would be useful to support information provided by dogs in courts of justice. Analyses of volatile compounds constitutive of human odor are commonly performed with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. All developed methods and sampling prototypes have to be easy to use in the field by crime scene investigators.

The usefulness of holding in the management of congenital heart disease.

Background: In our Pediatric Cardiology Unit we have implemented a number of specific interventions in order to support parents and their children who have congenital heart disease. We paid particular attention about how communicating the diagnosis and how supporting psychologically the parents.

Methods: In order to check the validity of these interventions we used the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to analyze and compare the anxiety levels of 380 parents of already established patients here in the hospital to the anxiety levels of 240 parents of children seen in our unit for the first time (for screening or evaluating anomalous symptoms).