Massachusetts Paid Clinical Trials

Methylphenidate (MPH) is a stimulant, FDA-approved for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is unknown, however, if stimulants would be of benefit for memory and thinking problems due to epilepsy. In this study, participants will be assigned randomly (i.e., by flip of a coin), to a group that takes MPH and a group that takes a placebo (sugar pill). Participants will not know the group to which they have been assigned. Tests of attention and memory will be completed before taking the study pills and at Week 8. All participants will then have the option of taking MPH for the next two months, and attention and memory will be tested again at Week 16. The study will determine whether methylphenidate is helpful for the treatment of attention and memory problems in adults with epilepsy, and whether the medication is safe and beneficial when taken over an extended time period. Read Less

The goal of this study is to conduct a prospective, longitudinal natural history study of children and adults with Angelman Syndrome using investigator-observed and parent-reported outcome measures to obtain data that will be useful for future clinical trials. Read Less

The specific objective of this proposed research is to understand whether deficits in sleep-dependent memory changes reflect age-related changes in sleep, memory, or both. The central hypothesis is that changes in both memory and sleep contribute to age-related changes in sleep-dependent memory processing. To this end, the investigators will investigate changes in learning following intervals of sleep (overnight and nap) and wake in young and older adults. Read Less

While numerous studies have assessed the promising impacts of prehabilitation, there is a lack of prehabilitation research within lower socioeconomic patient populations. Often for prehabilitation studies, patients are heavily involved in full scale exercise and nutrition programs weeks before the scheduled procedure. In underserved populations, programs such as these are often not feasible due to lack of transport, resources, and other barriers to healthcare. The investigators seek to evaluate the effectiveness of inexpensive interventions in lower socioeconomic populations. The investigators hypothesize that barriers to prehabilitation are environmental and that prehabilitation interventions tailored for lower socioeconomic (SES) populations will improve time to discharge, mobility, and in turn, readmission rates. The participants for this clinical trial will be seen four times: initially at the preoperative surgical clinic (6-8 weeks prior to surgery), 1-2 days preop at a pre-procedure clinic, postoperative in the inpatient setting (as soon as the participant is able to ambulate during their hospital stay), and in the postoperative surgical clinic at the postoperative visit. Patients will be within the general surgery, colorectal, and surgical oncology departments at Boston Medical Center (BMC). The anticipated sample size is 60 participants (30 in the intervention/prehabilitation arm and 30 in the control/usual care arm). Participants in the intervention arm will participate in a mobility and step tracking intervention aimed at improving postoperative outcomes. The control group will follow routine standard of care at BMC for preoperative and postoperative care. Read Less

This phase III trial compares the effect of adding tivozanib to standard therapy pembrolizumab versus pembrolizumab alone for the treatment of patients with high-risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Tivozanib is in a class of medications called kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of the abnormal protein that signals tumor cells to multiply. This helps stop the spread of tumor cells. Giving pembrolizumab and tivozanib together may work better than pembrolizumab alone in treating patients with RCC. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to learn about the safety of a new pneumococcal vaccine and how the new pneumococcal vaccine helps to fight against germs in infants when compared to the pneumococcal vaccines that are currently in use, 20vPnC (Prevnar 20®) or another licensed pneumococcal vaccine. To ensure that the new vaccine (PG4) stays stable, it is placed in a liquid mixture of sterile water and other substances (a solution). This study will also test if there is a difference in the safety and immune effects of the new pneumococcal vaccine when it is one type of solution compared to when it is in a different type of solution. The immune response is how the body's cells; tissues and organs work together to protect the body from infection. Blood samples will be used to measure the amount of antibodies produced after the vaccination. Antibodies are proteins that protect you when an unwanted germ enters the body. This will help understand how well the new pneumococcal vaccine works. This vaccine can possibly provide protection against pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal disease includes a variety of infections caused by a specific germ, Streptococcus pneumoniae. This study is seeking participants who are: * male or female infants who are 2 months of age, * infants born at 36 weeks (about 8 and a half months) of pregnancy or later; and, * said to be healthy by the study doctor There are four groups in this study. All participants will be assigned to one of the four groups. All study vaccines will be given as a single shot into the left thigh muscle. Participants in the three groups will have 3 blood samples collected during the 1 and a half years they are in the study. The first 400 participants who enter the study will be assigned to either Group 1 or Group 2. Half the participants in Group 1 and half the participants in Group 2 will receive 4 doses at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age of PG4 mixed in the first solution. The other half of the participants in Groups 1 and 2 will receive 4 doses of 20vPnC (Prevnar 20®) at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age. The main difference between Groups 1 and 2 is that participants in Group 2 will have the first blood sample collected at an earlier time than those in Group 1. Once 400 participants have been assigned to Groups 1 and 2 then 100 new participants will be assigned to Group 3. Half the participants in Group 3 will receive PG4 in the second solution at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age. The other half of the participants in Groups 3 will receive 4 doses of 20vPnC (Prevnar 20®) at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age. Once the 100 participants have been assigned to Group 3 then 300 new participants will be assigned to Group 4. Half the participants in Group 4 will receive PG4 in the first solution at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age. The other half of the participants in Group 4 will receive 4 doses of a licensed pneumococcal comparator vaccine at 2, 4, 6, and 12 to 15 months of age. Participants will take part in this study for about 16 to 19 months (about 1 and a half years). During this time, participants will have 6 study clinic visits and 1 to 2 phone calls. At these study clinic visits, parent(s) or legal guardian(s) will be asked if the participant experienced any side effects. A side effect is an unintentional or unexpected reaction to a vaccine. Read Less

This research study is evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a telehealth palliative care intervention in patients with moderate to severe chronic graft-versus-host disease. Read Less

This is an open label Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) study in which patients will be randomized at the site level to Prospera surveillance or EMB surveillance in a 2:1 ratio (Prospera to EMB) at each site. Subjects will be enrolled into the study while under evaluation for heart transplantation or on the transplant waiting list prior to heart transplantation. All subjects will follow the center's standard of care surveillance schedule from transplant through 4 weeks post-transplantation. EMB during this phase is expected to occur roughly weekly or bi-weekly. Study group assignment will take place at randomization. Subjects will be randomized 30 days (± 10 days) post-transplant to Prospera surveillance versus EMB surveillance in a 2:1 ratio. Rejection surveillance (Prospera Group and EMB Group) will be performed at times corresponding to the institutional standard of care schedule for rejection surveillance. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of barzolvolimab in adults with prurigo nodularis. Read Less

This study seeks to develop the evidence for a sustainable, community-partnered, multi-level health system strategy to improve blood pressure control. Two team-based approaches are being tested: 1) a medical model of remote BP management (RBPM) alone, and 2) RBPM plus a social model with a community health worker (CHW). These 2 strategies are being compared with a standard community screening program with referral to primary care. Read Less

This extension study is being conducted to assess the following objectives through 12 months post-cardiac surgery: * Patient reported outcomes (PRO), using the EQ-5D questionnaire * Clinical outcomes Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Luspatercept when administered at the maximum approved dose in low-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome participants who require red blood cell transfusions. Read Less