Los Angeles, CA Paid Clinical Trials

Herlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa (H-JEB), an incurable, fatal, inherited skin disease, is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the LAMA3, LAMB3 or LAMC2 genes, resulting in loss of laminin 332 and poor epidermal-dermal adherence. Eighty percent of H-JEB patients have LAMB3 mutations and about 95% of these are nonsense mutations. The investigators recently demonstrated that gentamicin readily induced nonsense mutation readthrough and produced full-length laminin beta3 in several nonsense mutations tested. Importantly, the gentamicin-induced laminin beta3 restored laminin 332 assembly, secretion, and deposition into the dermal-epidermal junction (DEJ). Newly induced laminin 332 reversed abnormal H-JEB cellular phenotypes. Herein, the investigators propose the first clinical trial of gentamicin (by topical and intravenous administration) in JEB patients with nonsense mutations. The milestones will include restored laminin 332 and hemidesmosomes at the DEJ, improved wound closure, and the absence of significant gentamicin side effects. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a fetoscopic surgical technique for antenatal correction of fetal myelomeningocele. Two surgical approaches will be utilized. The percutaneous approach will be offered to participants with a posterior placenta. The laparotomy/uterine exteriorization approach will be offered to participants regardless of placental location. Read Less

Surgery is currently the only potentially curative treatment modality for localized retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS). Available studies regarding oncologic outcomes are mainly retrospective in nature, and RPS are recognized as a rare disease. Therefore, prospective analysis of high quality data is a top priority. Primary Objectives of this study are: to prospectively collect standardized clinical data and radiological and pathological material from primary RPS patients treated with surgery at reference centers. patient outcome will be evaluated in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), crude cumulative incidence (CCI) of local recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM). Secondary Objectives: to estimate the efficacy and safety of surgical treatment, including extended surgical approach to primary RPS; to prospectively evaluate the impact of multimodality therapy, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy; to identify clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics that may influence the oncological outcome or may be used as predictors of LR/DM/OS. These may be important biomarkers of disease; to utilize collected pathological material for research collaborations. Read Less

The objective of this study is to evaluate the procedural and clinical outcomes of patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Read Less

To identify demographic, clinical, genetic, immunologic and/or microbial (i.e., fecal stream characterization) risk factors that influence the likelihood of development of the HAEC phenotype in children who carry the diagnosis of HD. The newly formed HAEC Collaborative Research Group (HCRG) will utilize the 4 participating centers in the current consortia and recruit additional centers to enroll children diagnosed with Hirschsprung disease. 1a: To recruit 200 patients with Hirschsprung disease without HAEC. 1b: To recruit 200 patients with Hirschsprung disease and HAEC using standardized diagnostic criteria by collaborating with participating members of the HAEC Collaborative Research Group[1]. 1c: To collect clinical and demographic information from well-characterized HD patients both with and without HAEC. 1d: To collect samples blood for DNA for genome wide association study (GWAS) by high throughput SNP technology and mutational analysis of known HSCR genes. 1e: To collect serum samples at the time of recruitment in a subset cohort (n=50 HD only, n=50 HD + HAEC) for serological immune markers known for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including ANCA, ASCA, OMPC, I2, and CBir1 and any newly identified markers. 1f: To collect and store fresh fecal specimens for future evaluation by molecular methodologies to determine relative proportions of enteric microflora in a subset cohort (n=50 HD only, n=50 HD + HAEC) of children (<18 years). 1g: To establish a Centralized Data Coordinating Center for data collection, data quality and detailed data analyses (CSMC) and tissue bank (CSMC) to facilitate specimen analysis for this study. The HAEC risk factor identification will be completed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Genetic association will be studied for each SNP in the GWAS together with all other potential risk factors. Further analysis will be carried out to evaluate multiple SNPs/genes simultaneously. Read Less