Texas Paid Clinical Trials

To test how two weeks of curcumin supplementation would cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and attach to amyloid beta proteins, to assess the feasibility (safety and bioavailability), and to explore the resulting abundance/composition of gut microbiota. Read Less

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has devastating health consequences. Evidence-based PTSD interventions address the substantial burden of PTSD on the health of individuals and societies; however, several individuals receiving these interventions drop out and not all individuals experience improvement in PTSD symptoms. Moreover, these current PTSD interventions primarily target trauma memories. Notably, growing evidence suggests that PTSD symptoms are related to difficulties in the encoding and retrieving of positive memories as well. Thus, the proposed study will examine effects of and targets underlying a novel PTSD technique focused on narrating and detailing positive memories - Processing of Positive Memories Technique (PPMT). Methodologically, 70 individuals will be randomly assigned to PPMT vs. Supportive Counseling (SC) for this study. The aims of the proposed study include (1) examining PPMT's effects on PTSD symptom severity and stress systems' dysregulation (i.e., awakening salivary alpha amylase [sAA] and cortisol); (2) examining mechanisms underlying PPMT's effects; and (3) refining PPMT. It is hypothesized that the PPMT arm will report greater decreases in PTSD severity and sAA/cortisol ratios. Further, it is hypothesized that PPMT-related improved affect will mediate the association between study arm (PPMT vs. SC) and changes in PTSD severity. Lastly, feedback will be obtained from study participants on PPMT's feasibility, format, and content to refine PPMT. The proposed study may contribute preliminary evidence on the potential significance of targeting positive memories in PTSD interventions. Read Less

In this study the investigators will quantitate hepatic mitochondrial fluxes in T2D patients with NAFL and NASH before and after 16-weeks treatment with the insulin sensitizer pioglitazone Read Less

This trial is a Phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled multi-site study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of early sirolimus to prevent or delay seizure onset in TSC infants. This study is supported by research funding from the Office of Orphan Products Division (OOPD) of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Read Less

Patients may be considered if the cancer has come back, has not gone away after standard treatment or the patient cannot receive standard treatment. This research study uses special immune system cells called CATCH T cells, a new experimental treatment. The body has different ways of fighting infection and disease. No single way seems perfect for fighting cancers. This research study combines two different ways of fighting cancer: antibodies and T cells. Antibodies are types of proteins that protect the body from infectious diseases and possibly cancer. T cells, also called T lymphocytes, are special infection-fighting blood cells that can kill other cells, including cells infected with viruses and tumor cells. Both antibodies and T cells have been used to treat patients with cancers. They have shown promise, but have not been strong enough to cure most patients. Investigators have found from previous research that we can put a new gene (a tiny part of what makes-up DNA and carriesa person's traits) into T cells that will make them recognize cancer cells and kill them . In the lab, we made several genes called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), from an antibody called GC33. The antibody GC33 recognizes a protein called GPC3 that is found on the hepatocellular carcinoma the patient has. The specific CAR we are making is called GPC3-CAR. To make this CAR more effective, we also added a gene encoding protein called IL15. This protein helps CAR T cells grow better and stay in the blood longer so that they may kill tumors better. The mixture of GPC3-CAR and IL15 killed tumor cells better in the laboratory when compared with CAR T cells that did not have IL 15. This study will test T cells that we have made with CATCH T cells in patients with GPC3-positive solid tumors such as the ones participating in this study. T cells made to carry a gene called iCasp9 can be killed when they encounter a specific drug called AP1903. The investigators will insert the iCasp9 and IL15 together into the T cells using a virus that has been made for this study. The drug (AP1903) is an experimental drug that has been tested in humans with no bad side-effects. The investigators will use this drug to kill the T cells if necessary due to side effects. This study will test T cells genetically engineered with a GPC3-CAR and IL15 (CATCH T cells) in patients with GPC3-positive solid tumors. The CATCH T cells are an investigational product not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The purpose of this study is to find the biggest dose of CATCH T cells that is safe , to see how long they last in the body, to learn what the side effects are and to see if the CATCH T cells will help people with GPC3-positive solid tumors. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to understand how the nervous system communicates to blood vessels to increase blood pressure during stress. The study will also investigate how hypertension and obesity influence the nervous system and vascular function. The study will involve measuring sympathetic nervous system activity and blood flow during common laboratory physiological stress protocols (e.g. hypoxia, exercise), and in response to infusion of drugs that cause vasodilation or vasoconstriction. Read Less

The purpose of this study is learn the effect of gastric bypass surgery and sleeve gastrectomy on glucose metabolism mediated by neural and hormonal factors initiated after eating. Read Less

The overall goal of this project is to understand the mechanisms by which gastric bypass surgery improves glucose metabolism. The central hypothesis guiding this project is that the reconfiguration of intestinal transit with the Roux-en-Y will increase the release of insulinotropic GI hormones, termed incretins that improve insulin secretion and glucose metabolism. The study is divided into three specific aims. To determine the role of incretin hormones on insulin secretion in patients with gastric bypass surgery using intravenous-oral hyperglycemic clamp. To compare incretin effect and glucose tolerance among patient who suffer from hypoglycemia after RYGB and asymptomatic surgical and non-surgical individuals. To quantify the contribution of GLP-1 to incretin effect enhancement following surgery. Read Less

RYGB (roux-en-y gastric bypass) has been reported to reverse type 2 diabetes (T2DM) immediately after surgery before any significant weight loss. In addition, a growing number of patients have been recognized with life-threatening hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia several years following their surgery. While the mechanisms by which RYGB improves glucose metabolism or alters islet cell function in patients after RYGB are not understood, recent studies suggest that increased secretion of GI hormones, primarily glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), as well as alteration in neural activity may contribute to enhanced insulin secretion in general, and to a greater extent in patients with hypoglycemia. The proposed research is designed to address the role of RYGB on insulin secretion by evaluating the contribution of stimulatory factors (neural and GI hormone) on islet cell function and the islet cell responsiveness to the physiologic stimulatory factors, in RYGB patients with and without hypoglycemia and non-operated controls. Read Less

This is a multi-center, sequential cohort, open-label, volume and dose escalation study of the safety, tolerability, and distribution of 186RNL given by convection enhanced delivery to patients with recurrent or progressive malignant glioma after standard surgical, radiation, and/or chemotherapy treatment. The study uses a modified Fibonacci dose escalation, followed by an expansion at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) to determine efficacy. The starting absorbed dose is 1mCi in a volume of 0.660mL. Read Less

To determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of CycloSam®, Samarium-153-DOTMP (Sm-153-DOTMP), a radiopharmaceutical that delivers radiation to the bone when injected, given as a tandemly administered pair of doses to subjects with one or more solid tumor(s) in the bone or metastatic solid tumors to the bone that are visible on bone scan. Read Less

This study will examine how effective caregiver's repositioning strategies are in correcting an infant's deformational cranial shape, as well as the effectiveness of the use of a custom cranial remolding orthosis for treatment of deformational head shapes. Infants with torticollis will be concurrently enrolled in physical therapy treatment until the torticollis is resolved. A normal, unaffected population will be studied to compare typical growth to the growth of infants undergoing active treatment. Read Less