Heat Detection

This research aims to monitor core body temperature in patients experiencing out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) during transport and upon arrival at the hospital. The study observes how environmental temperature and measures to prevent hypothermia affect these patients. It follows guidelines from the European Resuscitation Council to ensure standard resuscitation methods are applied. During the study, an esophageal temperature probe is inserted at the scene while resuscitation is ongoing to measure core temperature. Environmental factors such as weather, altitude, patient activity, and hypothermia protection like clothing are also recorded. Temperature measurements continue during transport and upon the patient's arrival at the hospital. Participants will be monitored throughout resuscitation and transport, with data collected on body temperature, environmental conditions, and resuscitation details. Researchers will track the core temperature at hospital arrival and during return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), as well as other factors like resuscitation time and use of mechanical chest compression devices. The study collects data over about one year, focusing on temperature and resuscitation outcomes.

Researchers are studying how extreme heat affects older females aged 65 to 85 years, focusing on their ability to lose heat compared to males. This study aims to understand when heat stress becomes too great for their bodies to handle, known as the limit of compensability, and how this relates to risks of heat-related illness. The research will assess physical, psychological, and cognitive responses to different heat conditions using a ramping protocol and fixed heat exposures. Participants will undergo five trials, starting with a humidity-ramp protocol where they rest in warm conditions (42°C, 28% humidity) and then experience gradual increases in humidity until a critical point is reached. Subsequent trials expose participants to fixed humidity levels set around this critical point, including levels below, above, and a control thermo-neutral condition. Each fixed exposure lasts up to 9 hours with water provided to reduce dehydration risk. The order of the fixed exposures is randomized after completing the ramping protocol. During the study, researchers will monitor core temperature changes, heart rate, sweat rate, thermal comfort, mood, and environmental symptoms. They will track how quickly body temperature rises and measure cumulative strain under different heat conditions. The study also evaluates how many participants can complete each exposure and assesses psychological and cognitive effects. Participation involves repeated visits over the study period, with continuous monitoring to understand heat tolerance in older females better.

Researchers are evaluating the use of local thermotherapy as a treatment to help control mild-to-moderate COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This virus is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus responsible for a global pandemic with varying fatality rates. Raising the temperature on affected areas may inhibit viral replication by producing small interfering RNAs that block viral transcription. Thermotherapy has been previously used to target RNA viruses, cancer cells, and parasitic infections, which supports its potential use against COVID-19 to reduce viral load and aid the immune response. The study compares two groups: one receiving usual hospital care plus an electric heat pad applied to the chest for 90 minutes twice daily over 5 days, and the other receiving usual hospital care alone. The heat pad raises the skin temperature to 40-42 0C, a range expected to facilitate virus elimination without causing discomfort. The electric cushion is a commercially available device widely used for muscle pain and arthritis treatment. Participants will undergo evaluations over 28 days to monitor disease progression and other health outcomes such as mortality, time to severe or critical COVID-19, hospitalization duration, oxygen requirement, and adverse events. Clinical status will be assessed using scales like the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS-2), and safety and tolerance of the thermotherapy will be tracked. The trial is randomized and open-label, with follow-up visits occurring at multiple time points during and after the treatment period.

This research aims to improve the care of patients undergoing surgery and anesthesia by monitoring and reducing side effects such as nausea, severe pain, anxiety, stress, postoperative delirium (POD), and neurocognitive dysfunctions. These issues can lead to long-term cognitive problems, lower quality of life, and higher mortality. The Safe Brain Initiative (SBI) collects high-quality routine data to help healthcare providers understand and reduce these adverse effects, supporting patient-centered and precision care. The SBI platform includes 18 core, non-invasive recommendations designed to detect and prevent adverse outcomes during perioperative care. SBI-Muda focuses on improving operating room efficiency, reducing delirium, and enhancing patient-reported outcomes by providing detailed feedback on hospital metrics like surgery timing and recovery durations. SBI-Us collects anonymous feedback from healthcare staff and patients to benchmark and improve the quality of care from both perspectives. Participants aged 18 and older will be involved in this observational study, during which data on patient well-being, side effects, and postoperative delirium will be collected. Healthcare professionals will receive systematic feedback to guide care improvements. The study measures include postoperative delirium and patient-reported outcomes throughout the perioperative period. Participation may last through the surgical and immediate recovery phases, with continuous quality improvement efforts ongoing.

Researchers are studying how wearing the hijab, a Muslim dress covering the head, neck, and chest while leaving the face uncovered, affects heat loss during exercise in young women. The study focuses on dry and evaporative heat exchange during moderate-intensity intermittent exercise performed in hot, dry conditions of 40°C and 15% relative humidity. This research explores whether the hijab impacts body temperature and comfort during physical activity. Participants will complete two exercise sessions in a controlled environment. First, they rest for 30 minutes in a comfortable setting wearing cotton clothing, then enter a chamber kept at 40°C. They perform two 30-minute bouts of moderate exercise, separated by a 15-minute rest and followed by a 60-minute recovery. One group wears a hijab over their cotton clothing during exercise, while the other group exercises without a hijab. During the study, participants will be monitored for various measures including evaporative and dry heat loss, total heat loss, body heat storage, core and skin temperatures, heart rate, and sensations such as perceived exertion, thermal comfort, and thirst. These assessments occur at the end of the 60-minute exercise period. The total involvement covers resting, exercise, rest breaks, and recovery periods to fully understand heat exchange under these conditions.

Researchers are evaluating the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in the head and face area, focusing on whether superficial needling combined with electroacupuncture offers advantages in relieving pain, improving mood, sleep quality, and overall quality of life. The study also explores the use of infrared thermography to objectively assess treatment effects and aims to establish clinical standards for this acupuncture approach. Patients with head and face PHN who meet specific criteria are enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. Participants are assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group receives cluster needle shallow stabbing combined with electroacupuncture treatments lasting 60 minutes each, administered every other day, three times a week, for a total of 12 treatments over 4 weeks. The control group takes oral pregabalin capsules at a dose of 150 mg twice daily for 4 weeks. The study monitors both groups before treatment, immediately after the first treatment, and at multiple follow-up points extending to 2 months after treatment ends. During the study, participants undergo evaluations of pain severity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at baseline, 2 weeks, 1 month, and during follow-ups at 1 and 2 months post-treatment. Secondary assessments include depression scales, sleep quality indexes, and quality of life surveys administered at the same intervals. Infrared thermography is used to correlate facial temperature changes with clinical symptoms. Safety and treatment effects are closely monitored throughout the study period, with total participation lasting several months including follow-up.