All clinical trials

Fatigue is consistently rated as the top symptomatic complaint for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently, the MS Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), a subsection of the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life (MSQoL), is the clinical standard used by neurologists for monitoring and tracking fatigue in individuals with MS. However, fatigue is multidimensional phenomenon and subjective measures have had poor or limited relationships with functional status. While previous study has focused on contributing factors to fatigue such as sleep disorders and diminished cortical excitability, this line of inquiry has neglected the role of muscle structure and function on fatigue in every day functional tasks. An alternative approach is to assess quantitative fatigue using anaerobic testing methods. However, more knowledge is needed to understand the role that quantitative fatigue plays in self-reported fatigue measures and function of daily activities. Our purpose is to determine the association between quantitative fatigue tests with performance-based measures of mobility and self-reported health-related quality of life. Our secondary goal is to understand how the intrinsic properties of muscle tissue influence muscle performance in Veterans with MS.

Spleen Deficiency Syndrome(SDS)is a widely researched issue, but due to the limitations of the research methods, the scientific mechanism of SDS is biased and not comprehensive. SDS would be researched in this project deeply and systematically with modern life-scientific methods. Based on the previous work, the participants, with SDS, suffering from Qi deficiency syndrome--chronic superficial gastritis--chronic atrophic gastritis--gastric cancer would be included, and the corresponding research would be conducted at the molecular-cell-gastric tissue level, and at the same time, systematical biological database of SDS would be built by systematical biological methods, such as pioneered SPARS sequencing technology created in our research group, proteomics and metabonomics. Under the above work, the investigators would conduct data mining and molecular network analysis, and then verify the key functions. By analyzing the systematical biological features of syndrome and its relationships with constitution and disease, this study would provide a new basis for objective reality of syndrome, and also offer a crucial premise of revealing biological basis for syndrome correctly, which is of important theoretical and practical significance.

The overall objective of the research is to identify the prevalence and incidence of BPPV and the impact on balance problems, fall risk and inactivity in frail elderly. The investigators will demonstrate the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in this patient group.

The study aims to evaluate the current methods of surgical treatment for Congenital Pseudarthrosis of tibia(CPT) in children and their results respectively.

In critically ill patients, the small bowel permeability is increased, leading to bacterial translocation, and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Plasma citrulline is a validated biomarker of functional enterocyte mass. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a part of Gram negative bacteria, and plasma LPS concentration is a biomarker of bacterial translocation. The link between plasma citrulline and LPS in the critically ill is unknown. Investigators hypothesize that patients presenting with low plasma citrulline concentration, with presumed altered small bowel function, would have an increased phenomenon of bacterial translocation, and increased plasma LPS concentration. Investigators aimed to evaluate the link between plasma citrulline and LPS concentrations in critically ill patients at the time of ICU admission.

To evaluate feasibility of photoplethysmography (PPG) of pulmonary arteries in adults children and neonates and to compare normal controls to premature newborns suffering from patent ductus arteriosus and neonates suffering from pulmonary hypertension.

In April 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that a class-wide risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for all extended-release (ER) and long-acting (LA) opioid medications was necessary to support national efforts to reduce serious adverse outcomes resulting from opioid abuse. This study will evaluate trends before and after the ER/LA REMS implementation for changes in mortality rates associated with prescription opioids utilizing state medical examiner databases from multiple states. Databases from 2005 through the most recent year available will be obtained.

Malnutrition in oncologic patients has a negative impact on post- surgical recovery, survival and quality of life. The etiology of malnutrition in cancer patients is multifactorial, therefore, the nutritional assessment should be carried out by different parameters. The objective of this study is to investigate the association and prognostic value of five distinct methods of nutritional assessment (molecular, body composition, functional, anthropometric and subjective) in relation to postoperative complications and short-term survival in patients with cancer. Regarding the molecular parameter, mtor signaling pathwayon will be assessed in rectus muscle samples, harvested in the moment of the operation. Body composition was assessed by computed tomography (CT) and bioelectrical impedance test was conducted to evaluate the phase angle. Handgrip strength was used to determine functionality. The percentage of weight loss in relation to usual weight was the anthropometric parameter used. Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) was used to provide the nutritional diagnosis. Postoperative complications were classified according to the Dindo and Clavien classification. Overall time survival was the period between the first assessment of the patients until death or end of follow-up. Chi-square test, t test, Kaplan-Meier method and the Log Rank test and regression analysis will be used (p <0.05).

The patients admitted in hospital who had midline catheter inserted in upper limb are followed-up for the presence of complications related to catheter introductions. The symptoms and signs of upper limb thrombosis are recorded. The diagnosis is confirmed by sonography examination. In the selected group of asymptomatic patients sonography examination is done 8 to 10 days after cathether insertion in order to detect the incidence of the asymptomatic thrombosis

According to the most recent guidelines, total-body imaging techniques are an indispensable element in the staging and post-treatment re-evaluation in patients with lymphoma. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) is the gold-standard for the assessment of the disease in these patients. The use of alternative methods, without radiation, such as whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), could be a valid alternative; this would result an advantage, considering the young age of the majority of patients at diagnosis and the need to undergo to serial assessments. The recent introduction of combined PET total body MRI (PET/MRI) offers the possibility to integrate morphological information with the high resolution of MRI with the metabolic activity of PET, through the uptake of FDG, for a more accurate definition of the extent of disease in patients with lymphoma.