All Clinical Trials

We plan to include children with intestinal failure, a condition where the gut is not functioning properly, leading these children to need central venous catheters (line that goes through the skin into the blood stream) for nutritional support and hydration. Such patients have a very high risk for catheter infection. The study will include placing an agent (sodium bicarbonate) into the central catheter when the catheter is not in use. This is referred to as a lock. The lock would be used daily and removed when patients start their nutritional support and hydration through the catheter. Read Less

Various forms of stress can promote cancer development and growth and negatively impact the immune system's response to tumors. Beta-adrenergic and opioid receptors co-exist in many cells including immune cells and are integral components of the body's response to stress. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that dual blockade of these receptors can decrease tumor growth and modulate the anti-tumor immune response. This clinical trial investigates the safety and potential therapeutic benefits of combining a beta-adrenergic blocker (propranolol) and an opioid receptor antagonist (naltrexone) with immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced melanoma. Read Less

Both mindfulness-based interventions and light physical activity have been shown as effective in reducing the burden of chronic pain. This proposed intervention, mindful walking (MW), is a combination of physical activity and mindfulness-based intervention aimed at reducing pain with a non-pharmacological approach. In MW, mindfulness-based instructions emphasized acknowledging arising thoughts, feelings, and/or emotions without judgment or emotional reaction and to "simply return their attention back to the footstep" sensation whenever such discursive events occur. Furthermore, subjects will be taught that perceived sensory and affective events were "momentary" and "fleeting" and do not require further interpretation or evaluation. Read Less

The goal of this observational study to examine the effects of cooling on balance in persons with Multiple Sclerosis. Persons with Multiple Sclerosis frequently have problems with balance leading to falls and related injuries, as well as avoidance of activities that may challenge balance. Persons with Multiple Sclerosis are also well known to experience worsening of their symptoms when they become too warm, a condition known as thermosensitivity. This suggests that heat may worsen balance and increase falls risk in persons with Multiple Sclerosis. In this study we are examining the effects of wearing a cooling vest on balance performance in persons with MS. The main questions our study aims to answer are: Question 1- Does wearing a cooling vest result in better balance performance in persons with MS when compared to a condition when they are not wearing the vest. Participants will be given a balance test to assess their baseline balance performance. Following the test participants will be randomly assigned to either a cooled or an uncooled condition. In the cooled condition, participants will wear a commercially available cooling vest while pedaling for 20 minutes at their best comfortable pace on a recumbent stationary bicycle. Immediately following the 20 minutes of exercise the vest shall be removed and the balance test repeated. Subjects in the uncooled condition will perform the same task but without wearing the vest. One week later, participants will return and will perform the opposite of what they did the previous week; subjects who were in the cooled group will perform the 20 minute exercise test without the cooling vest and subjects who were uncooled will perform the test with a cooling vest. The same balance test will be performed before and after the exercise bout.The change in the balance scores between the 2 conditions will be compared. Read Less

A descriptive comparative project will be conducted to determine if there is a difference in outcomes for adult patients requiring pericardial reconstruction using CorMatrix compared to Gentrix Read Less

Penetrating injuries comprise roughly 30% of Methodist Health System (MHS) trauma patients. Firearm-related events have become more prevalent in the past few years. Active shooter events, mass casualties, assaults, and homicide are more commonplace which leads to an increase of trauma patients needing management of penetrating injuries. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to evaluate infants ages 0-6 months of age before and after an 8 week developmental and educational "caregiver and baby" interactive program as well as 3 month following the conclusion of the program. The researchers aim to screen and identify developmental delays and the effects of the 8 week program on gross motor development as well as explore parent perceptions of the program. The aim of this study is to assess the physical, social, and emotional outcomes of an interactive group program for infants 0-6 months and their families/caregiver. Read Less

Stomach cancer is the fifth most common digestive cancer and third main cause of death from cancer in the world. Modern management of Gastric cancer involves a multi-disciplinary approach involving surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, gastroenterologists and oncological radiologists. The most common clinical approach to Gastric adenocarcinoma is to begin with staging, which usually involves CT scan/ MRI combined with endoscopic US for more accurate T, N staging. Once the patient is deemed to have locally advanced gastric cancer (T3/T4,N0/+), a staging laparoscopy is recommended to rule out obvious or microscopic peritoneal metastatic disease. Additionally, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is initiated and followed by surgery +/- adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy.This protocol involves the addition of neoadjuvant HIPEC at the time of diagnostic laparoscopy as well as neoadjuvant radiation therapy for improved local and systemic control. The goal of this phase II clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a multi-modality approach to treating patients with locally advanced Gastric cancer by incorporating diagnostic laparoscopy with HIPEC, neo-adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy, followed by surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. The trial aims to assess this multi-modality approach in inducing pathological complete response; decreased rates of disease progression during neoadjuvant therapy; and increased overall, disease-free, and peritoneal disease-free survival. Read Less

To compare two evidence-based treatments, Cognitive Enhancement Therapy (CET) and Social Skills Training (SST) that have been shown in meta-analyses and in our own research to be effective to improve community functioning. The investigators will test the impact of CET and SST on community functioning, with special attention to their relative effectiveness for patients differing in baseline cognitive skills and age. The research uses a cluster design in which different mental health service centers are randomized to one of the two treatments. Read Less

In this study, study investigators will collect embryo culture media on day 5 of vitro fertilization (IVF) culture, prior to vitrification and embryo transfer for testing via Metabolomic screening. Metabolomics is a new, non-invasive method of embryo selection which involves testing discarded embryo culture media for analytes secreted by the developing embryo. These analytes can be used to determine the implantation potential, and ploidy, of the embryo. This study will take place at multiple locations in the United States and Spain. Read Less

The New Jersey Physicians Advisory Group (NJPAG) previously created the Yes You Can...Make Smart Choices! (YYC...MSC!) program with the goal of preventing teen pregnancy and enhancing character development in youth. YYC...MSC! is a fully developed intervention that NJPAG has experience implementing that is grounded in a theoretical framework with promising evidence of effectiveness. However, this intervention has not yet undergone a rigorous evaluation with a control or comparison group. This evaluation aims to conduct a randomized control trial (RCT) to determine the program's effectiveness. This evaluation will focus on the entire PREIS planned intervention, YYC...MSC!. The intervention will be implemented in 13 Newark Public Schools in New Jersey, including Weequahic High School and Newark School of Global Studies. Findings from this study will expand the evidence base on adolescent pregnancy prevention through this innovative program. After the study, findings will be disseminated to encourage program interest, support, and adoption in real-world service systems or communities, including schools. The primary research question is, "What is the effect of the 2-week YYC...MSC! program on 9th grade students in Northeast urban school districts' reports of engaging in sexual intercourse 12-months after the pre-survey compared to those that do not receive the program?" The outcome for the primary research questions is sexual intercourse in the last 3 months and the domain is sexual activity. Read Less

Subcutaneous medications are an integral part of controlled ovarian stimulation protocols for in-vitro fertilization (IVF), but daily or twice daily injections are both physically and emotionally burdensome for patients and their partners. This is a feasibility study to evaluate the use of the Neria Guard™ (Unomedical, Convatec) subcutaneous catheter for ovarian stimulation in IVF. Read Less