Healthy Paid Clinical Trials in Maryland

Background: The Laboratory of Immune System Biology (LISB) works with other labs at the National Institutes of Health. They study how parts of living things come together to make a whole. LISB designs and improves research tests on human samples like blood and cells. In order to do its work, LISB needs to have a lot of these samples available. Objective: To collect biological specimens to use for designing and improving research tests. Specimens include blood, stool, saliva, and skin/mucosal swabs. Eligibility: Healthy people ages 3-80 Design: Participants will be screened with an interview about their general health and their medical history. They will have a physical exam and blood tests. If the results of the screening are normal, participants will be asked to give one or more of these samples: Blood will be drawn from an arm vein with a needle and syringe. Mucus and skin will be collected by rubbing the area with a cotton swab. The areas may include the top of the tongue, inside the cheek, nostrils, behind the ear, elbow pit, or vagina. Participants will spit into a tube to collect saliva. Participants will pass stool into a plastic container that fits in the toilet under the seat. They will get sampling kits and instructions. Over the next 5 years, if more samples are needed, participants will be contacted to set up another visit to the NIH. These visits will each take about 1 hour. About every 2 years, when participants come to NIH for a visit, extra blood will be collected. It will be tested for HIV and hepatitis B and C. Read Less

This study will collect blood plasma and white blood cells from individuals using a procedure called apheresis. Apheresis is a method of collecting larger quantities of certain blood components that can safely be collected through a simple blood draw. The blood components will be used in laboratory research studies. Patients 18 years of age and older who are currently enrolled in a NIH clinical research protocol may participate in this study. Relatives of patients and normal healthy volunteers will also be enrolled. Individuals will undergo one of the following two apheresis procedures: * Automated pheresis Blood is drawn through a needle placed in an arm vein and circulated through a cell separator machine. The plasma (liquid part of the blood) and white cells are extracted, and the red cells are re-infused into the donor through the same needle or a needle in the other arm. An anticoagulant (medication to prevent blood from clotting) is usually added to the blood while in the machine to prevent it from clotting during processing. * Manual pheresis One unit (1 pint) of blood is drawn through a needle placed in an arm vein, similar to donating a pint of whole blood. The red blood cells, with or without plasma, are separated from the rest of the blood and returned to the donor through the same needle. Manual pheresis will be done only when a person s estimated total blood volume or red cell count is too low to safely permit removal of blood through a pheresis machine. An adult small in size or markedly anemic, for example, may fall into this category. Some of the blood collected through apheresis may be stored for future studies of HIV disease and immune function and for HLA testing, a genetic test of markers of the immune system. Some of the blood may be used to screen for different types of viral liver infections, such as hepatitis A, B, C, D, E, F, or G. Read Less

This study will describe the phenotype (physical and behavioral traits) of overweight and obese people. It will characterize the hormones, metabolism, food preferences, fitness and physical activity levels, sleep patterns and thought processes in people with and without weight problems. Genetic material will be collected for studies of the internal codes that influence body weight. People over 18 years of age from all weight categories (lean, overweight, obese) who are reasonably healthy may be eligible for this study. Participants undergo the following tests and procedures: * Physical exam, electrocardiogram, blood and urine tests, instructions for recording food intake for 7 days * Metabolic studies for menstruating women. * Resting metabolic rate to study how many calories the body burns at rest. * Mixed meal test to measure hormones such as insulin that regulate blood sugar. * Glucose tolerance test to determine how sensitive the body is to insulin. * 24-hour energy expenditure to measure the amount of oxygen breathed in and the amount of carbon dioxide breathed out. * Repeat 24-hour energy expenditure. * Diurnal blood sampling and temperature assessment to study the body s internal clock. * Air-displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod) to measure body composition. * Dual energy x-ray absortiometry (DEXA) to measure body fat and bone density. * Repeat Bod Pod and DEXA. * Anthropometric measurements and bioelectrical impedance to measure height, weight, and circumferences, skinfold thickness, fluid status and percentage body fat. * Bromide dilution to measure the amount of water not in cells in the body. * Doubly labeled water to measure the amount of calories burned in a 7-day period. * 24-hour diet reports. * Endothelial reactivity to measure how the blood vessels stretch or dilate for assessing cardiovascular health. * Treadmill or bicycle exercise capacity test. * Physical activity monitor. * Unicorder to detect any breathing difficulties that may interfere with sleep. * Fat and muscle biopsy to look for variations in gene expression in fat tissue and muscle. * Neurocognitive testing to check memory, decision-making, hand-eye coordination, and reasoning. * Evaluation of mood problems and assess personality type. * Evaluation to assess the quantity and quality of pain experienced. * Taste testing to determine the response to bitter, salty, sweet and sour substances. * Occupational therapy evaluation to explore the subject s adaptations, if any, for performing personal, social or professional activities; the subject s views on his or her weight, body size and shape, and strategies to control weight. Read Less

Background: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is form of non-invasive brain stimulation. It is approved to treat depression. TMS may help decrease drug craving. It is important to understand how TMS affects the brain. Such a better understanding would help to design ways to treat drug addiction. Objectives: To learn how TMS affects the brain when it stimulates an area in the front of the brain. Also, to see how the stimulation affects the area stimulated and other connected areas. Eligibility: Healthy, right-handed adults ages 18-60 who are non-drug users. Design: Participants will be screened under protocol 06-DA-N415. Participants will have at least 3 visits. The first visit will last about 3 hours. All other visits will last up to 6 hours. Participants cannot use drugs or alcohol at least 24 hours before a visit. They cannot have more than half a cup of a caffeinated drink at least 12 hours before a visit. Each visit will include a brief medical history update, urine test for drugs and pregnancy (if female), a breath test for alcohol and smoking, and questionnaires. Participants will have a TMS orientation visit. A wire coil will be placed on the head. An electrical current will pass through the coil to create a magnetic pulse that stimulates the brain. The other visits will include 2 sessions of TMS-MRI. Participants will lie on a table that slides into a cylinder. The TMS coil and the MRI coil will be placed over the head. Pictures will be taken of the brain with and without stimulation. Participants will complete a questionnaire about how they feel before and after each TMS session and in a follow-up call 2-3 weeks after their last session. Read Less

Background: Artificial sweeteners like sucralose are found in many foods and drinks. Sucralose might affect hormones and cause health changes. Objective: To see if sucralose changes how medicines are absorbed and processed, how hormones are secreted, gut bacteria, and how fat cells are metabolized. Eligibility: People ages 18-60 who: * Are black or Hispanic * Weigh more than 110 pounds * Have a body mass index of 25-40 * Do not have a condition that requires drug treatment Design: Participants will be screened with: * Medical history * Physical exam * Blood, heart, and urine tests Participants must not eat or drink anything with artificial sweeteners throughout the study. Over 7 days, Participants will answer questions, and give daily urine samples and 1 stool sample. Participants will repeat these throughout the study. Overnight Visit 1: participants will fast starting the night before. They will get breakfast at the visit. The visit includes: * An IV will be placed in the arm. Participants will get 2 tablets of medicines. Blood will be drawn several times over 24 hours. * A piece of fat tissue may be taken from the abdomen (biopsy). * Participants will have a sweet drink. Blood samples will be taken over 2 hours. Then participants will be randomly assigned to take either a sucralose capsule or placebo. They will take it twice a day for 2 weeks. They will complete two 24-hour food diaries. Overnight Visit 2 repeats Visit 1 except the biopsy. Then participants will take the capsules for another 2 weeks. Overnight Visit 3 repeats Visit 1. Participants may be contacted by phone within 4 weeks after they finish. Read Less

Sub-Study: Phase Triggered Paired Associative Stimulation (PAS) (actively recruiting) Background: -Previous research has shown that the brain s activity changes with changes in brain waves. We can study brain activity with a procedure called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a form of non-invasive brain stimulation. EEG allows for measuring ongoing brain waves. The goal of this study is to optimize TMS delivery by utilizing EEG-triggered TMS. Objectives: -To see if changes in brain waves change the brain and body s response to TMS. Eligibility: -Healthy, right-handed adults age 18-35. Design: * Participants will be screened under another protocol with medical history and physical exam. They may take a pregnancy test. They will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. For MRI, participants lie on a table that slides in and out of a metal tube that takes pictures. with: * Participants will have up to 4 outpatient visits lasting 2-3 hours each (4 outpatient visits). The following procedures may occur at a visit: * Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Participants lie on a table that slides into a machine that takes pictures of the brain. * Electroencephalography (EEG): Small electrodes on the scalp record brain waves. * Electromyography (EMG): Small sticky electrodes on the skin measure muscle activity. * Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): A wire coil is held to the scalp. A brief electrical current passes through the coil and affects brain activity. Main Study: Influence on Plasticity of Brain Temperature (no longer recruiting) Background: - Brain activity changes with changes in body temperature. Brain activity can be studied with a procedure called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Researchers want to cool the brain through the scalp using a cooling cap. They want to see if cooling changes the brain and body s response to TMS. Objectives: - To look at the effects of cooling on the brain. Eligibility: - Right-handed adults age 18-50 who can abstain from caffeine and tobacco. Design: * Participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. They will be asked about alcohol use, smoking, and substance abuse. They may take a pregnancy test. They may have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. For MRI, participants lie on a table that slides in and out of a metal tube that takes pictures. * Participants will have 3 outpatient visits. The following procedures will occur at each visit. * Participants will wear a cooling cap for up to 45 minutes. Cool water will flow through the cap. It will feel like an ice pack in a towel. Their core temperature will be monitored. Their temperature will also be measured under their tongue and on scalp, stomach, forearm, and calf. * Participants will have TMS before and after wearing the cap. A brief electrical current will pass through a wire coil held on their scalp. Electrodes that detect muscle movement will be placed on their hand. They will also have repetitive TMS, which uses repeated magnetic pulses. Their wrist will also receive a shock. Read Less

Background: - National Institute on Aging researchers are looking at studies that require large numbers of white blood cells for lab use. Standard blood samples do not provide enough white blood cells for these studies. Researchers want to use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells from volunteer donors. This procedure can collect larger amounts of white blood cells and reduce the amount of fluid and other cells that are lost. Objectives: - To use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells for study. Eligibility: - Healthy blood donors at least 18 years of age. Design: * Participants will be screened according to the usual blood donation procedures. * Participants will provide white blood cells through cytapheresis. The blood cells will be collected in a machine that separates the white blood cells from the rest of the blood. The rest of the blood will be returned to the donor. * Participants may have this type of donation every 56 days (six times per year). They will be asked to become a repeat donor. A donation schedule may be set up. * Once a year, participants will have blood tests to continue to be eligible as a donor. Read Less

Background: Urothelial cancer is cancer of the bladder, ureter, and urethra. Researchers want to better understand what changes in a person s cells and genes cause this cancer to form. This may help them find new ways to treat it. Objective: - To perform DNA sequencing to help researchers learn the differences between normal tissue and tumor tissue. Also, to learn how molecular changes - including gene changes - might help predict the course of disease and how people respond to therapy. Eligibility: - Adults age 18 and older who have or are suspected of having urothelial cancer or an inherited disorder that raises their risk of getting bladder cancer. Design: * Participants will be screened with a physical exam. Their medical records and tissue samples will be reviewed. * Eligible participants will give tissue blocks of their original tumor. The blocks will be put in a tissue bank. * Participants medical records may be reviewed. * Participants may have a medical history and physical exam. * Participants may have blood and urine tests. They may have imaging scans. They may give urine, blood, and saliva samples. These samples may be used in future research. * If participants need surgery for their cancer, researchers will keep some of the tissue (both tumor and normal tissue). The tissue may be used in future research. * Participants will go back to the Clinical Center in 6 months. They may give saliva, urine, and blood samples. After 6 months, they will be seen by their local doctor for standard post-surgical visits. * Participants will be called every 6 months to give health updates. Read Less

Background: The microbiome is the bacteria and other microorganisms that live inside and on the body. The microbiome is important for our health. Researchers study how the microbiome help people stay healthy. They study how the microbiome affects the body when people get sick. To do this research, they need samples of the microbiome living on the bodies of many people. The purpose of this natural history study is to collect microbiome samples in a repository. These samples will be used for future research. Objective: To collect microbiome samples from the body that can be used for future research. Eligibility: People of any age. Only those older than 3 years will be seen at the NIH clinic. Design: Participants will fill out a questionnaire. Topics will include their medical history and foods they eat. Participants will be asked to give 1 or more of the following: Stool, urine, saliva, vaginal fluid, and breastmilk. These samples can be collected at home and sent to the researchers. Cells from participants cheek, nose, mouth, skin, rectum, and/or vagina. The cells may be collected by rubbing the area with a sterile cotton swab. These procedures can also be done at home. Blood. Blood may be drawn using a needle inserted into a vein in the arm. For young children, blood may be collected by a prick on the heel or finger. Intestinal tissue samples. These may be collected from participants who are having an endoscopy or colonoscopy for other reasons. Skin tissue samples. These may be collected from participants who are having biopsies for other reasons. Read Less

Background: - Studies show that many factors affect children s eating behavior and health. These include sleep, mood, thinking skills, and genetics. Studying children over time may identify children at higher risk for eating-related health concerns. Objective: - To understand how genes and environment influence eating behavior and health over time. Eligibility: - Children ages 8 17 in good general health. Design: * Screening visit 1: Medical history, physical exam, body measurements, and questions. * 14 days: Participants will wear a wrist monitor and answer smartphone prompts about eating and mood. They may give a stool sample. * Screening visit 2: * Body measurements. * Saliva, urine, and blood samples. * Heart tests. * Meals provided (after fasting overnight). * Questionnaires and interview. * Behavior, thinking, and exercise tests. * X-ray of left wrist and full body.\<TAB\> * Some parents may have medical history, physical exam, and questions at screening visits. They may answer questions at the yearly visits. * Participants will have up to 6 yearly visits. They will give a urine sample and body measurements, and repeat the X-rays. They will have questions and behavior and thinking tasks. They may give stool samples. Visits will range from 3 to 8 hours. * Participants may choose to participate in other studies: * Stress and Hormones, 1 visit: While resting, participants will give saliva samples and have their heart monitored. Then they will do math. They will repeat the resting part, then do a computer task. * Brain Imaging, 2 visits: Twice, participants will perform tasks with a magnetic cone on their head then answer questions. Once, they will have an MRI, lying still in a scanner with a coil on their head. * Experiment 3 (sleep/fatigue): Participants will complete 2 additional visits. During these visits, participants will complete a task on the computer for 2 hours, or watch a movie for two hours. After completion of the task/movie, they will answer questions and be provided with food. Participants will be compensated for the time and inconvenience involved with completing study procedures. ... Read Less

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes (vaping) has increased among adolescents over the past decade. Vaping raises many health concerns. People who vape inhale toxic chemicals. Vaping is also linked with mental health issues, such as depression and suicide risk. In one survey, 85% of young adults reported that they used both vaping and tobacco products; the primary reason they cited for using these products was stress. Objective: This natural history study will survey adolescents and their parents about their attitudes toward vaping. Eligibility: People aged 13 to 17, including those who vape; those who once vaped; and those who have never vaped. Parents of people aged 13 to 17 who are known or suspected of vaping are also needed. Design: Participants will take a survey. They will use their own smartphone, computer, or tablet to answer questions. The survey will take about 20 minutes. Their answers will be anonymous. Teenage participants will answer questions on different topics: Vaping habits, such as when and how they vape. Drug use, including nicotine, cannabis, and alcohol. Mood issues, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Social influences on vaping, including perceived attitudes of parents and peers. Other leisure habits, including online gaming and use of social media. Parents will answer similar questions. A phone number and links will be given to participants who need help for suicidal thoughts. Other links will be given to those who want help with parenting resources or aids to quit vaping. Participants may be invited to take part in an 8-week course on mindfulness-based stress reduction. Participants who finish the survey will receive $10. ... Read Less

Background: - Computed Tomography (CT) is a scan that makes detailed pictures of the body. It uses radiation to do that. In 2011, about 85.3 million CT scans were done in the United States. But there is growing concern about the health effects of radiation. There are new and different ways to make CT pictures that use less radiation. Researchers want to learn whether these new methods create images that are similar to images from a traditional CT. Objective: - To learn if new CT imaging methods with less radiation make images that are similar to traditional ways. Eligibility: - Adults 18 years of age and older who are scheduled for a CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis with contrast. Design: * Researchers will review participants medical records to see if they can be in this study. * Participants may have blood drawn from an arm vein by a needle stick. The blood will be used to make sure they can be in this study and that it is safe for them to have contrast. * During the participants CT scan appointment, one extra scan will be done using low radiation methods. * During a CT scan, the participant lies on a table. A large x-ray machine takes pictures of the body. Read Less