Houston, TX Paid Clinical Trials

Participants are being asked to participate in a research study conducted by Shih-Chiao Tseng, PT, Ph.D. at Texas Woman's University. This research study is to determine whether low-intensive brain stimulation can enhance learning of a leg movement task. The investigators also want to know if brain stimulation can improve the nerve function and walking performance. Our goal is to understand any relationship between brain stimulation and overall movement control improvement. Participants have been invited to join this research if they have had a stroke before or they are healthy adults aged 21 years or older. Research evidence shows stroke can induce permanent brain damage and therefore may cause a person to have trouble learning a new task. This in turn may significantly impact the recovery of motor function in stroke survivors. In addition, the investigators also want to know how a healthy person learns this new leg task and see if her/his learning pattern differs from a stroke survivor. This study comprises two phases: Phase I study investigates short-term effects of brain stimulation on leg skill learning and only requires two visits to TWU. The total time commitment for Phase I study will be about 6.5 hours, 3.5 hours on the first visit and three hours on the second visit; Phase II study is an expanded version of Phase I study to investigate long-term effects of brain stimulation on leg skill learning and requires to complete 12 visits of exercise training paired with brain stimulation over a four-week period and additional one visit for follow-up test. The total time commitment for Phase II study will be about 20 hours, a total of 18 hours for 12 exercise training sessions and two hours for a follow-up test. The investigators hypothesize that people with chronic stroke will show a slower rate of acquiring this leg skill as compared to healthy adults. The investigators also hypothesize that co-applying brain stimulation with 12 sessions of exercise training will enhance skill learning of this leg task for people with chronic stroke and this 12-session exercise program may exert beneficial influences on the nerve function and leg muscle activation, and consequentially improve motor control for walking. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to assemble a multicenter prospective cohort of patients with enterococcal bloodstream infections (BSIs) to provide data on outcomes of patients with enterococcal BSIs for sample size calculations for future trials, as well as to characterize enterococcal isolates causing BSIs in order to comprehensively dissect the molecular epidemiology of infecting organisms for future studies. Read Less

The PHA Registry (PHAR) is a national study about people who have pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). PHAR collects information from people with PAH and CTEPH who are cared for in participating PHA-accredited Pulmonary Hypertension Care Centers throughout the U.S. PHAR will determine how people with PAH and CTEPH are evaluated, tested, and treated, and will observe how well these participants do. The goal is to see if people with PH are treated according to recommended guidelines, and to see if there are certain factors that can lead to better or worse outcomes. PHAR will include information about people with PAH and CTEPH in the U.S. who are seen at participating PHA-accredited PH Care Centers. PHAR contains data about patient care and outcomes. Specifically, data in the PHAR includes information on diagnosis; clinical status; socioeconomic status; diagnosis test results; body size; treatment information; interest in participating in clinical trials; family health and social history; and information about smoking, alcohol, or drug use. Participants are followed over time, and provide updates such as changes in therapy, how often participants need to go to the hospital, and survival. Such information may help healthcare providers provide better care. Read Less

While advancements in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) have improved image quality, it is unclear how these improvements are connected to the clinical evaluation of individuals with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this large prospective registry revolves around 4 key principles: 1) utilize CMR to gain additional pathophysiologic insights into cardiovascular disease, 2) understand how CMR compares to alternative cardiovascular diagnostic modalities, 3) determine how CMR affects clinical management decisions, and 4) establish a link between CMR findings and long term prognosis in patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease. The ultimate aim is to utilize CMR to improve patient outcomes. CMR techniques to be studies include function, fibrosis, and flow. Focus areas include valvular heart disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, and vascular disease. Read Less

To develop a tissue bank library for patients with parathyroid disease who have undergone surgery and/or biopsy, and/or who may undergo surgical intervention at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center or outside centers, and/or all patients seen through the Parathyroid Center at participating sites, whether or not the patients undergo treatment for their disease. The tissue bank will contain both normal parathyroid tissue and diseased tissue, and will provide a resource for the ongoing study of parathyroid disease and management. Read Less

The goal of this data review study is to collect data to learn more about thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal disease. Read Less

The Primary objective of this study is to determine whether patients who receive sugammadex immediately after tracheal extubation will exhibit a decrease in the incidence of postoperative residual paralysis and an associated decrease in the incidence of postoperative respiratory depression (which can precede critical respiratory events, CRE). The Secondary objectives are to: a) determine whether patients receiving sugammadex will have a normal TOF ratio (>0.90) indicative of full neuromuscular recovery in the PACU; and b) to improve patient safety by documenting whether postoperative respiratory depression (decreased MV below 80% and 40% of predicted MV as assessed by a Respiratory Volume Monitor) is due to opioid administration vs. postoperative residual neuromuscular block (by comparing postoperative VAS scores and total opioid administered). Read Less

Objectives: The aim of the present study is to assess the significance of metabolomics and genetics in diagnosing and survival evaluation for pNET in the periodic follow-up of MEN1 patients. Aim 1: To evaluate the relationship of serum global metabolic profiles with subsequent development of aggressive PNET and evaluate patients survival in a nested case-control study of MEN1 patients who have developed aggressive PNETs (cases) and MEN1 patients who have developed non-aggressive PNETs (controls). Aim 2: Validate the top serum metabolites identified from Aim 1 in MEN1 patients who have developed aggressive PNETs and MEN1 patients who have developed non-aggressive PNETs, using a targeted metabolomics approach. Aim 3: Prospectively identify the potential miRNA biomarkers of serum with miRNA sequencing in MEN1 patients who have developed aggressive PNETs (cases) and MEN1 patients who have developed non-aggressive PNETs (controls). Aim 4: Validate the potential miRNA biomarkers identified from Aim 1 in MEN1 patients who have developed aggressive PNETs and in MEN1 patients who have developed non-aggressive PNETs, using a targeted qRT-PCR approach (in serums), as well as to see the relationship of potential miRNA biomarkers with patients survival. Read Less

With this study, the investigators plan to review the clinical, epidemiology, pathology, and endoscopic features of colon serrated lesions as well as outcome of endoscopic resection of these lesions. The findings will help us define the natural history of colon serrated lesions, develop techniques for endoscopic management of patients with serrated lesions, and identity areas for improvement. The data will be used for continuing quality improvement and presenting our outcomes at academic meetings and publishing our results in peer reviewed journals. Read Less

With this study, the investigators plan to review the performance of colonoscopic resection of large (> 1 cm) and flat lesions in the colon. The findings will help us define the role of colonoscopic resection of colon polyps and flat lesions and identity areas for improvement. The data will be used for continuing quality improvement and presenting our outcomes at academic meetings and publishing our results in peer reviewed journals. Read Less

The goal of this study is to collect blood samples from the umbilical cords of newborn babies, as soon as they are delivered, and to place these samples in the MD Anderson Cord Blood Bank. Your sample may be included in the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) which is part of the CW Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. The NCBI is a federally-supported program to assist in the collection of cord blood. Cord blood will be made available to patients through The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). These samples may then be offered to MD Anderson and other institutions for patients who need a bone marrow transplant and do not have a donor. The MD Anderson Cord Blood Bank will have the rights to release cord blood units to these institutions around the world according to established bone marrow transplant donor criteria, for a fee to cover costs. Cord blood samples that are collected and then do not meet the clinical requirements for patient use may also be used at MD Anderson or other institutions either for research or for quality purposes to improve cord blood banking procedures. If not suitable for patient use or for research purposes, the cord blood unit may be thrown away. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to conduct a Phase I - II clinical trial to extend preclinical studies involving in situ HSV-tk + Valacyclovir gene therapy in combination with brachytherapy for recurrent prostate cancer. This will provide a novel therapeutic approach to prostate cancer and hopefully impact on the development of metastatic disease and the control of preexisting metastasis. Read Less