Clinical Research Directory

Exploring Biomarkers in the Heat and Moisture Exchange Filters

When patients undergo major surgery, they are connected to a ventilator during anesthesia. A heat and moisture exchange filter (HME filter) is routinely placed in the ventilator tubing to ensure that the inhaled air is warm and humidified. Today, HME filters are used routinely in all ventilator treatments. They are typically replaced once a day and discarded as regular waste after use. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether HME filters contain proteins and small biological particles from the patient's exhaled air.

Oral Essential Oils Efficacy in Acute Respiratory Symptoms

The goal of this clinical trial is to explore the impact of a dietary supplement containing essential oils on symptom severity in patients presenting to the ED with respiratory complaints. It will also learn about the safety of this diet supplement. The main question it aims to answer is : • Does Ubiotique lower the severity of symptoms (cough, sputum, fatigue) in patients presenting to the emergency department with respiratory complaints. Researchers will compare drug Ubiotique to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if drug Ubiotique works to reduce symptoms (Cough, sputum, fatigue). Participants will: * Take Ubiotique or a placebo three times per day for ten days * Be phone-called to be followed-up at day 3, 5, and 7post emergency visit * Keep a diary of their symptoms and give a score to the severity of each symptom

Short-Term Health Outcomes of Cooking UFP Exposure

This study examines the short-term respiratory and cognitive effects of exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) generated during typical household cooking. Healthy adults will complete two 6-hour sessions in a controlled exposure chamber at the University of Illinois Chicago: one control day with clean indoor air and one exposure day during which standardized cooking (frying potatoes and grilling beef) is performed by research staff. Participants will not cook or handle food. Lung function will be measured using peak expiratory flow (PEF), and cognitive performance will be assessed using validated tests including the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised and the Processing Speed Index from the WAIS-IV. Airborne particle and gas concentrations in the chamber will be continuously monitored to ensure that exposures remain within levels typical of everyday home cooking. Findings will help characterize acute physiological responses to indoor cooking emissions and inform future research on indoor air quality and potential mitigation strategies.