Environmental Exposure Disorder

This research aims to understand how eosinophils, a type of white blood cell, become activated and their role in immune responses. Eosinophil counts often increase due to allergies, asthma, parasitic infections, autoimmune conditions, or rarely, tumors. Elevated eosinophil levels, called eosinophilia, usually cause no symptoms but can sometimes lead to swelling, itching, allergic lung problems, heart disease, or nerve damage. Participants with eosinophil counts over 750ml or abnormal eosinophil buildup in skin or tissues, aged 1 to 100 years, will undergo clinical evaluations including medical history, exams, and blood tests. Additional testing may include studies of eyes, lungs, skin, bone marrow, nerves, or heart depending on symptoms and age. This is an observational study without experimental treatments patients needing therapy will get standard care. Some participants may also undergo bone marrow biopsy, genetic testing, or leukapheresis for adults for research purposes. During the study, participants will donate blood samples for laboratory studies and may have annual follow-ups with exams and blood tests to track eosinophil levels and condition changes. Researchers will collect samples like blood, bone marrow, tissue, and body fluids to study disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and treatment responses. The study will monitor clinical and immunological responses to therapy and evaluate family members to explore genetic causes of eosinophilia. The main goal is to better understand eosinophilic disorders and improve diagnosis and treatment options.

This research focuses on the community of Martinsville, Indiana, where groundwater is contaminated with volatile organic compounds, mainly tetrachloroethylene PCE and trichloroethylene TCE. These chemicals have also been found in indoor air in some buildings, raising concerns about their impact on residents health. The study aims to better understand the effects of low-level exposure to these compounds and to support the community in deciding on actions to reduce risks. Participants will receive an educational campaign designed to encourage involvement in environmental testing, particularly indoor air testing. The study involves measuring contamination levels in residents and their homes, assessing community concerns, studying effects on visual and neurocognitive functions, and comparing cancer rates locally to wider areas. The campaign and study results will help design targeted efforts to lower exposure. During the study, researchers will track changes in residents concerns about contamination, awareness of chemical exposure, and willingness to have their homes tested over several years. Assessments will include surveys and environmental testing to monitor exposure and health impacts. The study is led by Purdue University and will run through May 2028, involving adults living in Martinsville.

This research aims to understand how co-existing health conditions, medical history, and allergy tests affect the results of allergen provocation tests in children. The study includes children from birth up to 18 years old who are being investigated for allergies to foods or antibiotics. It is a prospective observational study conducted at the Hans Christian Andersen Childrens Hospital. Participants undergo oral provocation tests where small, increasing amounts of allergens are given to assess allergic reactions. The allergens studied include antibiotics and a variety of common food allergens such as milk, egg, peanut, hazelnut, sesame, wheat, various nuts, soy, fish, shellfish, and poppy seed. Each child is assigned to a group based on the specific allergen they are being tested for. During the study, data on demographics, co-existing conditions, symptoms, skin prick tests, specific IgE levels, and details from the provocation tests are collected and entered into a database. Researchers will assess the relationship between allergy test results and provocation outcomes over a five-year period. Children will be monitored through these evaluations to better understand allergy responses and test effectiveness.

Researchers are studying how exposure to ultrafine particulate matter PM0.1 and noise pollution affects the risk of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders in adults aged 45 to 64 living in Kaunas City. The study combines an observational survey of about 1,000 residents with a clinical trial involving 180 participants who show early signs of metabolic syndrome. The goal is to see if these environmental factors increase health risks and whether lifestyle changes can help reduce them. In the clinical trial, participants are randomly assigned to one of three groups a control group maintaining their usual habits, a group encouraged to take daily 30-minute brisk walks in green spaces, and a group following a Mediterranean diet with dietary counseling. The interventions last for 7 days, during which physical activity is tracked with wristband sensors, and dietary intake is supervised. Participants visit the clinic twice, on Day 1 and Day 8, for health measurements and blood sample collection. Participants complete health and lifestyle questionnaires, wear wristband sensors to monitor activity, heart rate, and sleep, and undergo clinical assessments including blood pressure, waist circumference, body composition, and blood tests for metabolic and inflammatory markers. Researchers analyze these data to understand the impact of environmental exposure and lifestyle changes on cardiovascular and metabolic health. The studys findings aim to guide public health strategies to reduce disease risks related to pollution and lifestyle.

This research aims to evaluate whether child life services can improve the experience of children and their caregivers during skin prick testing, a common diagnostic procedure for allergies. It focuses on whether these services can reduce childrens pain and improve their cooperation, as well as lower caregivers anxiety and increase their satisfaction compared to standard care. Participants will receive either standard care or child life services during their skin prick test. The standard care includes preparation, monitoring, and education by nurses. The child life services group receives this plus additional support from a Child Life Specialist who provides emotional support, distraction, and explanations throughout the procedure. During the study, researchers will assess childrens pain using three different pain scales and observe their procedural compliance. They will also measure the duration of the procedure, interruptions, caregiver anxiety, and caregiver satisfaction shortly after the test. The trial will monitor these outcomes to understand how child life services may affect both children and caregivers.

Researchers are conducting a study to support the Ramapough Nation of northern New Jersey by advancing traditional farming practices and strategies that promote sustainable food systems. The study aims to address local food insecurity, nutritional deficiencies, prevent disease, and promote health. It also assesses environmental contamination levels, individual toxicant burdens, micronutrient status, and health conditions among Ramapough Tribal members aged 18 to 80 years. The intervention involves providing the tribe with nutrition-rich foods and recipes for healthy cooking, building on an 11-year Tribal-academic partnership. This includes working with the Ramapough-leased Munsee Three Sisters Medicinal farm, which grows produce on clean soil to support healthy plant production and restore soil health. The approach incorporates community-based citizen science to test soil, plants, and surface water in areas where residents live, recreate, and attend church. Participants will complete in-person or online surveys about demographics, health, food intake, nutrition, food security, and psychosocial stressors. Core body measurements such as height, weight, body mass index, body circumference, and blood pressure will be taken at enrollment. Researchers will collect urine and blood samples to measure individual contaminant burdens and micronutrient levels. The study will measure the proportion of individuals with heavy metals in home water and biospecimens, micronutrient deficiencies, and health disorders over an average of two years to inform health promotion and community action.

Extreme heat events pose a serious health risk in Canada, particularly highlighted by the 2021 heat wave that caused over 600 deaths. Most heat-related fatalities occur indoors and are preventable. This trial evaluates whether sending tailored digital health messages from primary care providers to their patients can encourage protective behaviors against heat-related illnesses. The study also aims to enhance collaboration between primary care and public health to improve community resilience and reduce health disparities related to extreme heat. The study is a cluster randomized controlled trial involving primary care practices in Eastern Ontario. Patients in the intervention group will receive personalized digital messages encouraging heat safety behaviors, such as creating heat safety plans and forming social support groups, along with alerts during heat advisories. The control group will receive digital messages unrelated to heat waves. Messages are sent via email or text, in English or French. The trial will follow participants for up to two years to assess behavioral changes and heat-related health impacts. Participants will be adults registered with participating primary care providers who have had recent visits and can receive digital messages. Data collection includes patient surveys, electronic medical records, and health administrative data to measure behavior changes and healthcare use during heat events. Researchers will assess awareness, preparedness, and health outcomes related to heat exposure. The study also monitors engagement with messages and aims to develop scalable heat adaptation strategies for vulnerable populations.

Researchers are studying how well the multi-modal large model GPT-4o can evaluate the safety of home environments for older adults living in Beijing communities. The study focuses on older adults aged 65 and above, examining different areas of their homes to identify potential safety concerns. A professional occupational therapist will also participate to compare the evaluations provided by GPT-4o with those of a human expert. Participants will have photos taken of seven specific areas in their homes, including pathways or entrances, hallways, stairs or steps, living rooms, kitchens, restrooms, and bedrooms. These photos will then be assessed using the Home Environment Assessment scale by both GPT-4o and a professional occupational therapist. The therapist who is not involved in the initial evaluation will analyze and compare the results and recommendations from both evaluations to identify any significant differences. Throughout the study, participants will be involved in providing access to their home environments for photography. Researchers will collect data through the photos and assessments, focusing on the safety and modification suggestions for the home setting. The main outcome measure is the Home Environment Assessment Scale, which will be completed on a single day. The study aims to provide insights into the accuracy and usefulness of GPT-4o in assessing home safety for the elderly, with monitoring continuing until the studys end in October 2025.

Cancer of the stomach and oesophagus ranks among the worlds top five cancers, with poor survival rates due to late presentation and non-specific early symptoms. Researchers are evaluating a non-invasive breath test that detects volatile organic compounds VOCs produced by these cancers and associated bacteria. The study aims to improve this tests accuracy by investigating if consuming simple metabolic substrates can increase VOC production from tumors and their bacteria. The study involves two components AROMA 1 and BIORESOURCE. AROMA 1 will recruit 648 patients divided into three groups oesophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and control patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Participants will provide breath samples before and after consuming a standard nutrient drink, with samples analyzed using advanced mass spectrometry techniques. BIORESOURCE will collect biosamples including breath, urine, saliva, blood, tissue, and gastric contents from 335 patients for in-depth analysis such as volatalomics, metabonomics, microbiome, transcriptomics, and cell culture studies. Participants will undergo breath sampling at baseline and shortly after the nutrient drink consumption. Biosamples collected in BIORESOURCE will support multi-omic analyses to study VOC production mechanisms. Researchers will measure the efficacy of the nutrient drink in stimulating VOCs in breath over 18 months, along with profiling metabolites and bacteria from various samples. The study includes safety monitoring and will last up to October 2025, with participants followed through treatment-naive stages and control evaluations.

Radiotherapy-Induced Oropharyngeal Mucositis RIOM is a common and distressing side effect experienced by patients with head and neck tumors during radiotherapy. This study aims to explore the use of exhaled breathomicsspecifically analyzing volatile organic compounds VOCsto diagnose and predict RIOM. The goal is to develop a non-invasive and early detection model that could help improve symptom management and personalize treatment for affected patients. The study involves collecting breath samples from patients with confirmed head and neck tumors who are undergoing radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. These samples will be analyzed using breath detection technology to identify specific VOCs that may serve as biomarkers for RIOM. The research will focus on validating this diagnostic and predictive model throughout the treatment period. Participants will be monitored for different grades of oral mucositis caused by radiotherapy, with assessments lasting up to one year. The study will record the onset and duration of mucositis symptoms. Researchers will evaluate the breath samples alongside clinical observations to understand the relationship between VOCs and mucositis severity. This observational study does not involve treatment changes but focuses on detailed data collection and follow-up.