Los Angeles, CA Paid Clinical Trials

This phase I trial tests the safety and side effects, and best dose of a vaccine (neoantigen-target ppDC) in treating patients with H3 G34-mutant diffuse hemispheric glioma. Vaccines made from the patient's own white blood cells and peptide-pulsed dendritic cells may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Giving neoantigen-targeted ppDC may be safe, tolerable and/or effective in treating patients with diffuse hemispheric glioma with a H3 G34 mutation. Read Less

The purpose of this investigator-initiated prospective observational cohort study is to establish the new UCLA Perinatal Biospecimen Repository (Perinatal Repository) for collection, storage, and distribution of the human data and biospecimens of the participants with perinatal pathology. The secure and shared high-quality resource of clinical data and biological specimens (Repository Materials), across pregnancy pathology related to research protocols at the Afshar's Lab will be created. Core variables of interest include clinical characteristics and relevant biological samples. Intention to collect perinatal data is aiding the efficiency and effectiveness of de-identified biorepository for pregnancy-at-risk outcome research. The primary aims of the project are: * To design the Case Report Forms (CRFs) for the clinical and biospecimen data. * To create and update the project-specific policies, agreements, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). * To develop the data management system to assure personal health information de-identification, data integrity, participants welfare, and protocol compliance. * To develop and implement a quality management system for the Repository. * To collect and record in the Repository protocol-related clinical information. * To organize a consistent system to bank high-quality biospecimens while protecting participant-donor safety and privacy. * To establish the policies and procedures for Repository Materials dissemination and research collaboration. * To analyze the scientific results of the Repository creation. The secondary aim of the study is to provide a mechanism to store and share for research purposes the de-identified biospecimen and information about participants at risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Read Less

There is a growing sector of modern tobacco-free oral nicotine pouches that are federally regulated as non-medicinal nicotine/tobacco products. While nicotine pouches employ marketing approaches that may attract current tobacco users, such as marketing themes connoting minimal harm, information on the long-term health effects of nicotine pouches is lacking. nicotine pouches may appeal to younger adults because they are available in similar product characteristics (e.g., nicotine concentration, protonated nicotine) that many younger people prefer to use in e-cigarettes. In addition, nicotine pouches may be of particular interest to younger adult e-cigarette users because these products can be used discreetly where vaping is not allowed, which may translate into an increased likelihood of becoming dual users of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Indeed, approximately 15% young adults who used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days were past 30-day nicotine pouch users. Manufacturers of modern nicotine pouches use acid additives to lower pH, which changes nicotine from a free-base to a protonated nicotine, resulting in improved appeal and sensory experience and higher abuse liability. Thus, nicotine concentration and pH in modern nicotine pouches should be focal targets for regulatory policies. Evidence is also lacking on mechanisms mediating differences in product appeal and abuse liability of nicotine pouches across products varying in nicotine concentration and pH level. The scientific objective of this research is to assess the effect of variation in nicotine concentration in nicotine pouches and its interaction effect with pH level on the proximal outcomes of relevance to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation: sensory attributes and product appeal among younger adults who use nicotine pouches in the past 30 days (current dual users of nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes and/or combustible cigarettes will be eligible) and are unmotivated to quit nicotine use. This innovative project proposes to conduct a double-blind within-subject randomized study in which participants (N = 72) will administer nicotine pouches varied by nicotine concentration (e.g., 3 vs 6 mg) and pH (e.g., 8.5 or greater vs. less than 8.5) to achieve the project aim: to evaluate the effects of nicotine concentration and pH on subjective product appeal and sensory attributes of nicotine pouches. The findings of this proposed research will provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with new evidence necessary to inform regulatory restrictions on product characteristics and constituents of nicotine pouches, which may put young adults at risk of using a novel class of oral nicotine products. Read Less

Misalignment of teeth and jaws (also called malocclusion) is a common life altering problem facing many individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI). The presence of Dentinogenesis Imperfecta in teeth of OI individuals makes the use of conventional orthodontics in the form of braces very challenging. Clear aligners are newer form of orthodontic treatment and is less invasive than braces. Therefore, the aim of our study is to evaluate the efficiency and safety of using Invisalign clear aligners for orthodontic treatment in individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. We seek individual with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, with mild to moderate malocclusion and no prior history of orthodontic treatment. This study will be held at three sites - McGill University, University of California Los Angeles and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial research. This study will for the first time, help define guidelines for safe and efficient orthodontic treatment using clear aligners in individuals with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. If successful, this approach can rapidly be implemented into clinical practice, as the Invisalign system is readily available to orthodontists. Read Less

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a group of congenital and heritable bone disorders that currently affects at least 50,000 people in the United States. OI varies in severity from perinatally lethal to mild forms. The majority of cases is caused by a dominant mutation in type I collagen genes (COL1α1 and COL1α2), altering the quantity or quality of type I collagen. Although OI is typically characterized as a disease of the bone, it is perhaps more accurately described as a connective tissue disorder. Type I collagen is a major constituent of lung connective tissue. Respiratory insufficiency is the leading cause of death in patients with OI. Thus, it is important and necessary to understand the etiology of the restrictive pulmonary physiology in the OI population. Read Less

Treponema pallidum is a bacterium that causes the disease syphilis. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the testing performance of two diagnostic molecular techniques \[quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and transcription-mediated amplification (TMA)\] for the detection of Treponema pallidum in maternal and neonatal specimens from participants with the diagnosis of syphilis using the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC's) Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Treatment Guidelines for adult and congenital syphilis. Read Less

The aim of this study is to find out if using a certain kind of mesh can reduce the chances of hiatal hernias coming back after anti-reflux surgery. Participants undergoing antireflux surgery will be assigned to one of two groups, a group that has surgery with mesh, or a group that has surgery without mesh. Read Less

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory disease which often has debilitating and potentially life-threatening consequences. The cause of SLE is unknown and current therapies lack specificity and carry significant side-effects. We previously discovered the depletion of glutathione in lymphocytes of patients with SLE and associated this metabolic change with the elevation of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. This study will titrate to tolerance during an initial 3 month open label period and then subjects will be randomized to one of 2 arms. It was determined by statistical analysis that each group must have 105 subjects. All subjects will be enrolled and evaluated for tolerance of NAC between dosages of 2.4 g/day and 4.8 g/day for 3 months. After A 3-month open-label dose-titration phase, SLE subjects will be randomized into 2 groups of 105 subjects either to continue the tolerated dosage of NAC or switched to equal number of placebo capsules. There will be up to seven study visits per SLE subject, including the screening and wash out visits. Visits 2-6 will be scheduled three months apart. The study will last 13 months with the wash-out visit. Each subject will donate approximately 100 ml of blood for biomarker studies at each visit. Healthy control subjects will donate blood at the same time. They will be matched to the SLE subjects by gender, age within 10 years, and ethnicity. Their blood will be used as reference for biomarker assays. There is a consent form required to participate in the phase II study. Read Less

This a single-center, prospective, exploratory study. Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) scheduled to undergo Lutetium labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen radioligand therapy (LuPSMA RLT) at the West Los Angeles VA (WLA-VA) will be imaged with a baseline F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography 18F-FDG PET/CT and a 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT (18F-DCFPyL (2-(3-{1-carboxy-5-\[(6-18F-fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino\]-pentyl}-ureido)-pentanedioic acid)positron emission tomography/computed tomography , as per standard of care in our institution. All patients further undergo eventual follow-up prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET) after the 2nd, 4th, and 6th LuPSMA RLT cycle. In this prospective study, an18F-Fluciclovine positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( Axumin PET/CT )will be additionally obtained at baseline (pre-LuPSMA RLT), and after the 2nd, 4th, 6th LuPSMA RLT cycles. Axumin PET/CT will be acquired within 7 days from the PSMA PET. This study is open to Veterans only. Read Less

Patients with a primary invasive melanoma are recommended to undergo excision of the primary lesion with a wide margin. There is evidence that less radical margins of excision may be just as safe. This is a randomised controlled trial of 1 cm versus 2 cm margin of excision of the primary lesion for adult patients with stage II primary invasive cutaneous melanomas (AJCC 8th edition) to determine differences in disease-free survival. A reduction in margins is expected to improve patient quality of life. Read Less

The overall goal of the DISCOVERY study is to better understand what factors contribute to changes in cognitive (i.e., thinking and memory) abilities in patients who experienced a stroke. The purpose of the study is to help doctors identify patients at risk for dementia (decline in memory, thinking and other mental abilities that significantly affects daily functioning) after their stroke so that future treatments may be developed to improve outcomes in stroke patients. For this study, a "stroke" is defined as either (1) an acute ischemic stroke (AIS, or blood clot in the brain), (2) an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH, or bleeding in the brain), (3) or an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH, or bleeding around the brain caused by an abnormal bulge in a blood vessel that bursts). The investigators hypothesize that: 1. The size, type and location of the stroke play an important role in recovery of thinking and memory abilities after stroke, and pre-existing indicators of brain health further determine the extent of this recovery. 2. Specific stroke events occurring in individuals with underlying genetic or biological risk factors can cause further declines in brain heath, leading to changes in thinking and memory abilities after stroke. 3. Studying thinking and memory alongside brain imaging and blood samples in patients who have had a stroke allows for earlier identification of declining brain health and development of individualized treatment plans to improve patient outcomes in the future. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of brepocitinib in participants with active, non-anterior (intermediate, posterior, or pan) non-infectious uveitis (NIU). Read Less