Brain Health in Youth With Normal Weight, Overweight and Obesity at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)...
Type2 DiabetesType 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Obese11 moreInvestigators propose to study youth across the spectrum of body mass index (BMI) and dysglycemia. This approach will allow investigators to disentangle the relationship of key features of type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk (e.g. obesity) with intermediary physiologic changes (e.g. insulin resistance, inflammation, β-cell dysfunction and dysglycemia) that pose a risk for the brain. Investigators will determine which of these factors are most associated with differences in brain structure and function among groups, over time, and how these effects differ from normal neurodevelopment.
Adipose Tissue and Circulating Markers of Inflammation in GH Deficiency and Changes With GH Therapy...
Growth Hormone DeficiencyIn order to examine the effect of GH on adipose tissue inflammation, this study will examine adipose tissue and serum inflammation in patients with GH deficiency before and after GH therapy. The investigators will also obtain serum samples before and after treatment for adipokines, inflammatory markers and examine macrophages in circulation with regard to their inflammatory state. The investigators will also obtain adipose tissue biopsies from healthy subjects matched to the growth hormone deficiency (GHD) subjects. Adipose tissue specimens will be analyzed for adipose tissue morphology, adipocyte size, adipokine gene expression, and adipose tissue macrophage number.
Bioengineered Penile Tissue Constructs for Irreversibly Damaged Penile Corpora
Urologic DiseasesMale Urogenital Diseases4 moreThe primary objective of this clinical trial is to evaluate the safety of autologous engineered corpora cavernosa + albuginea constructs for treatment of complex penile deformities. Autologous endothelial and smooth muscle cells obtained from enrolled subjects' corpora cavernosa biopsy sample, will be culture expanded in vitro and used to seed decellularized corpora cavernosa + albuginea obtained from cadaveric-donors to create autologous bioengineered corpora cavernosa/albuginea constructs for repair of damaged penile tissues.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) in Inflammation-Resolution Programs of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)...
ARDSCOVID-19To evaluate the safety, toxicity and immunological effects of infusion of allogeneic bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem (stromal) cells (MSCs) and whether this therapy has an influence on the resolution processes in ARDS patients infected with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
SGLT2 Inhibitor Effects on Inflammation and Heart Disease in Obesity Pilot
ObesityPre-diabetesObesity is associated with increased cardiometabolic disease risk due, in part, to heightened chronic inflammation arising from adipose tissue. There are no current targeted therapies to prevent or reverse the chronic inflammation of obesity, and a better understanding of these inflammatory pathways in humans is key to future therapeutic interventions. This project will determine both the anti-inflammatory potential of the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin, and the contribution of adipose inflammation to surrogate measures of cardiovascular disease in a randomized controlled trial of obese patients.
Comprehensive Assessment of Interconnection Between Brain Emotional Activity and Coronary Plaque...
AtherosclerosisCoronary7 moreEmotional stress is associated with future cardiovascular events. However, the biological interconnection between brain emotional neural activity and acute plaque instability is not fully understood. Optical coherence tomography-Fluorescence Lifetime (OCT-FLIM) dual modal intravascular imaging is a novel technique that enables comprehensive assessment of structural and biochemical characteristics of coronary atheroma and estimates the level of plaque instability. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT) enables simultaneous estimation of multi-system activities including emotional stress, arterial inflammation, and hematopoiesis. The present study aims to prospectively investigate mechanistic linkage between coronary plaque instability, stress-associated neurobiological activity, and macrophage hematopoiesis using OCT-FLIM and 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging assessment.
Neuromodulation as an Anti-inflammatory Treatment in SCI
Spinal Cord InjuriesInflammationThe goal of this single-blinded randomized, controlled trial is to assess the impact of 1-hour of active transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) vs sham taVNS on serum biomarkers of the inflammatory reflex and inflammation in individuals with spinal cord injury. The main question it aims to answer is: whether taVNS is a safe and effective anti-inflammatory intervention for individuals with SCI. Participants will perform a single 1-hour bout of the respective taVNS treatment with blood draws prior to treatment, immediately following treatment, and 24 hours following treatment. Changes in biomarkers between the active and sham taVNS conditions will be compared.
Fluorescence-based Detection of Inflammation and Necrosis to Inform Surgical Decision-making and...
Burn WoundThis study investigates fluorescence image-guided surgery to allow precise identification of necrotic tissue both preoperatively and intraoperatively in burn patients. Furthermore, it uses a multi-model approach to elucidate the localization of ICG in inflammation and necrosis to determine how this novel use of a well-known fluorescence marker can be optimized to aid in surgical decision making. This proposal will provide the necessary data to support the design of a larger clinical trial to study the feasibility and efficacy of this technology to improve the precision of necrosis detection and removal and improve wound healing outcomes. Up to 100 participants will be on study for up to approximately 24 days.
Effect of Quercetin in Treatment of Periodontitis
Inflammation GumPeriodontitis is an immune-inflammatory disease affecting the supporting structures of the teeth. It is a disease of multifactorial etiology, with microbial, genetic, environmental and host factors involved, with the release of oxygen-free radicals by the inflammatory cells. Quercetin, have shown potential antimicrobial activity, lowering of inflammatory markers, cholesterol reduction and inhibiting bone loss. However, this data has largely been obtained from in vitro and animal studies, but data from human studies are limited.
Canagliflozin Targeting Vascular Inflammation
Diabetes Type 2Coronary Artery DiseaseCANTOR SING is a pilot single center double blinded randomized study. The investigators will compare the effect of canagliflozin (300 mg daily - intervention arm) vs. placebo (control group) on the FDG aortic uptake in patients with stable CAD (over 60 days post-myocardial infarction) after a 6-month period of treatment. The investigators plan to enroll 8 patients in each arm (total sample size: 16 patients). Primary endpoint is the change in FDG aortic uptake between baseline and 6 months in each arm.