All Clinical Trials

This research study is for Glioblastoma (GBM) patients who will be beginning Optune as part of their clinical care, which is a novel treatment that utilizes - tumor treating fields (TTFields), (aka, electrical therapy), which has shown to improve overall survival in large multi-center trials. As a part of this study, participants will either receive Optune with "standard array mapping" (based on regular contrast enhanced MRI) or an "alternative (more precise) array mapping" based on sophisticated state of the art MRI techniques including "whole brain spectroscopy". Whole brain MRI spectroscopy provides additional metabolic information to map out the full extent of tumor spreading within the brain (far beyond from what is seen on regular MRI), by identifying certain metabolites that are present in cancer cells versus healthy tissue. This study is being performed to show whether alternative array mapping improves treatment outcomes, as opposed to the standard array mapping, by maximizing delivery of TTFields dose, thereby achieving more effective tumor cell killing, decreasing the rate of local recurrence, and improving the overall survival as well as quality of life measures. Read Less

The purpose of this research is to measure alterations in anxiety and brain activity associated with the use of an approved health device called Transauricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation (TaVNS) in distressed persons who work in a health care and distressed healthcare workers in the the Philadelphia, PA region. The Investigators will be using functional magnetic resonance imaging (or fMRI) to measure changes in each subject's brain function during the use of VNS. This study is designed to allow researchers to understand the changes in cerebral (brain) activity that occur when a subject uses VNS. Thus, the primary goal of the proposed study is to evaluate the ability of the TaVNS system to reduce distress and change neurophysiology among health care providers. The Investigators, hypothesize that using the TaVNS device will help reduce distress in individuals. In order to understand the mechanisms of change that occur while using the VNS study, the Investigators have added a substudy of participants who do not experience high levels of distress to evaluate the effects of the functional changes that may occur in the brain while using the TaVNS device. In addition to the primary aims of the overalll study to assess distress in workers while enrolled in a TaVNS program, a subgroup of 50 subjects will undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while using the VNS device to assess the changes in the brain including neurophysiological effects of TaVNS. The goal of this substudy is to observe the changes in the brain while using the TaVNS earbuds in the MRI to increase our understanding of the mechanisms and processing involved while using TaVNS. In this substudy, which is amendment version 3.0, the investigators have increased the number of persons to include 50 subjects who will use the device in the MRI to evaluate the neural processes and cerebral blood flow while using TaVNS. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the proportion of pancreatic patients who experience weight loss and cachexia, and to identify any differences in the genes between patient groups. Read Less

This is an open-label, non-randomized trial that will be conducted at three clinical sites, Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) and University of Bern (UB). Enrollment will be allocated into one of 4 different cohorts depending on the inclusion criteria for each cohort. Cohort 1: Patients scheduled for hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) measurements will subsequently undergo two consecutive SHAPE (subharmonic aided pressure estimation) procedures using different ultrasound contrast agents (Definity \[Lantheus Medical Imaging, N Bilerica, MA, USA\] and Sonazoid \[GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway\] in randomized order) to estimate portal pressures with a Logiq E10 scanner (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA) and determine the reproducibility of the SHAPE algorithm. Cohort 2: Patients identified as having clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) will be monitored by SHAPE with Sonazoid for the duration of this project (18-24 months on average). These subjects will have follow-up ultrasound scans every 6 ± 2 months to check for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (using the Barcelona-Liver Cancer staging system) as well as ascites and at those times a repeat SHAPE examination will be performed. Liver stiffness values will be measured with elastography as well. This cohort will examine if serial SHAPE can accurately predict development of ascites and other liver related events in patients with compensated cirrhosis undergoing routine HCC surveillance in a multi-center setting. Cohort 3: Subjects newly diagnosed with portal hypertension and starting treatment with non-selective β-blockers will be monitored with SHAPE and results compared to elastography measurements of liver stiffness with standard assessments (e.g., serum liver function tests and measurement of spleen size as well as platelet count). This cohort will establish if SHAPE can be used to monitor treatment response in patients identified with portal hypertension. Cohort 4: Patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease scheduled for an endoscopy examination for screening of varices relative to the Baveno VI and the expanded-Baveno VI criteria as well as the AST to Platelet Ratio Index will undergo a SHAPE examination. This cohort will compare the predictive ability of SHAPE for allocating patients with compensated advanced chronic liver disease to screening of varices compared to the current standard of care. Read Less

A phase I dose escalation and pharmacodynamic study of repeated dose stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) administered with concurrent atezolizumab and bevacizumab for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine optimal task design parameters for the measurement of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) effects on cognition. Read Less

The objective of the study is to perform imaging assessments of an early stage magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system on patients using low field magnetic strength. Read Less

This study is being done to find out the best time to start medication for Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in HCV-negative recipients of HCV-positive (HCV D+/R-) kidney transplants. Participants will be randomized into one of two groups: Arm 1 - Prophylaxis: This group will start the HCV medication before transplant and will take a shorter course of HCV medication for 2 weeks. Arm 2 - Transmit and Treat: This group will start the HCV medication after transplant and will take the full course (12 weeks) of HCV medication. Read Less

The overarching purpose of this pilot study is to investigate an increasingly common, but under-researched, practice of employing paraprofessional coaches to improve emerging adults' access to and engagement in evidence-based substance use practices, focusing on the paraprofessional coaches' outcomes and the role of lived experience. Read Less

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure for the treatment of Essential Tremor (ET). A novel approach to current DBS approaches is called coordinated reset DBS (CR-DBS) which uses different patterns of stimulation at lower currents and can address the limitations of traditional DBS that uses continuous high amplitude, high frequency stimulation. This study will evaluate the feasibility, safety and short-term efficacy of thalamic CR-DBS in upper extremity ET. The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and short-term efficacy of thalamic CR- DBS in ET, including the acute (during CR-DBS) and carryover (following DBS cessation) effects, and compare these to those induced by clinically optimized T-DBS. To achieve our goal, a low-risk, two-phase clinical study will be conducted in patients with upper extremity (UE) ET. The first aim is to identify the spatial location and peak frequency of tremor related oscillatory activities in VIM (Phase I). The second aim is to compare the acute effects of thalamic CR-DBS to clinically optimized T-DBS (Phase II). Read Less

Weight gain is disproportionately high among young adults compared to other age groups and of particular concern in the military, which is comprised largely of young adults, as obesity has emerged as a threat to national security. Despite the critical need to address weight gain in young military personnel who can face discharge for failing to meet weight standards, there is currently no evidence-based programs available to them. This study aims to adapt an evidence-based weight gain prevention intervention for delivery in a young adult, active-duty military population using mobile technology to prevent weight gain over 2 years . Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to test how effective and safe it is to use a combination of two medications, relugolix and enzalutamide, in patients with advanced prostate cancer. We want to see if this combination can help improve the chances of curing the cancer and make the patients live longer without the cancer getting worse. The main questions we want to answer in this study are: * Can using relugolix and enzalutamide together help increase the chances of curing high-risk advanced prostate cancer? * Does this combination treatment help patients live longer without their cancer getting worse? Participants in this study will be asked to take relugolix and enzalutamide as part of their cancer treatment. They will also undergo Radiation Therapy or prostatectomy, which are standard treatments for this type of cancer. Read Less