11 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The objective of the current study is to determine the dose at which Fermented Papaya Preparation ( FPP) is able to improve inducible respiratory burst outcomes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and neutrophils of participants. Our investigators have reported that supplementation with standardized fermented papaya preparation (FPP) in mice improves dermal wound healing outcomes. Therefore, based on these observations, the investigators propose to study the dose at which FPP supplementation induces respiratory burst in blood-derived myeloid cells in healthy subjects.
The protocol is to draw peripheral blood from healthy volunteers for in vitro studies. The aims of these in vitro studies are to determine the cellular and intracellular mechanisms by which hypertonic saline and ATP release regulate neutrophil and lymphocyte functions.
One of the most common side effects of a surgical procedure is infection. In order to lower the number of infections that occur after surgery, it is important for physicians to know how medications used during surgery affect the way the body fights infection. Often, when anesthesiologists are helping people go to sleep before surgery they give people medications known as "volatile anesthetics". Volatile anesthetics are medications that can change from a liquid or solid to a gas very easily. Some studies suggest that these types of medications may change the way white blood cells work in the body. Changing the way white blood cells work could possibly increase the person's risk of infection after their surgery or weaken their body's ability to fight infections. The goal of this research study is to learn about how volatile anesthesia medications change the way white blood cells work in people having anesthesia for cardiac procedures. To do this, investigators will examine the function of while blood cells in the laboratory based setting.
Background: Patients who are pre-diabetic or have adult onset (type 2) diabetes have a significantly greater risk of developing heart, blood vessel, or kidney diseases. Recent studies have shown that abnormalities in white blood cell function may increase the chances of developing insulin resistance, the underlying problem in diabetic or pre-diabetic patients. Objectives: To determine levels of insulin sensitivity in selected volunteers. To compare the white blood cells of non-diabetic, pre-diabetic, and type 2 (adult onset) diabetic volunteers to evaluate possible differences in white blood cell function. Eligibility: Individuals between 21 and 60 years of age who (1) are non-diabetic, (2) are pre-diabetic (glucose intolerant or insulin resistant), or (3) have type 2 diabetes that is controlled by diet and/or medications other than insulin. Design: Evaluations before treatment: * Blood tests, including screening procedures for blood-transmitted diseases such as hepatitis B and C, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance tests, and liver and kidney function tests. * Pregnancy tests for women of childbearing age. Two tests will be performed during the study period: * Glucose tolerance test to determine how well the body uses glucose. * Blood drawn to study white blood cells. Participants will be financially compensated for the time spent during the study.
Blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, as well as a fluid portion termed plasma. We primarily study blood platelets, but sometimes we also analyze the blood of patients with red blood cell disorders (such as sickle cell disease), white blood cell disorders, and disorders of the blood clotting factors found in plasma. Blood platelets are small cell fragments that help people stop bleeding after blood vessels are damaged. Some individuals have abnormalities in their blood platelets that result in them not functioning properly. One such disorder is Glanzmann thrombasthenia. Most such patients have a bleeding disorder characterized by nosebleeds, gum bleeding, easy bruising (black and blue marks), heavy menstrual periods in women, and excessive bleeding after surgery or trauma. Our laboratory performs advanced tests of platelet function and platelet biochemistry. If we find evidence that a genetic disorder may be responsible, we analyze the genetic material (DNA and RNA) from the volunteer, and when possible, close family members to identify the precise defect.
The purpose of this research is to learn more about the function of the body's ability to fight infection when the immune response is activated when injury occurs, in the elderly population.
This study will evaluate patients with abnormal immune function that results in recurrent or unusual infections or chronic inflammation. This may include inherited conditions, such as X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (XSCID), chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), and leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD), or conditions resulting from outside factors, such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The information from this study will be used to establish the pattern and pace of change of the disease and to help develop new treatments. The period of observation and study following enrollment in this study may be for up to one year. In addition these studies may provide the medical information needed to determine eligibility for enrollment in other clinical study protocols and more prolonged follow up. Patients of any age with abnormal immune function who have recurrent or unusual infections, whose blood tests show evidence of immune dysfunction, or who have GVHD, XSCID, CGD or LAD may be eligible for this study. Patients' parents, siblings, grandparents, children, aunts, uncles and first cousins of any age also may be included. Healthy normal volunteers between 18 and 85 years of age are recruited as controls. Normal volunteers undergo a physical examination and provide blood, saliva, and urine samples for immune function studies. Patients' family members provide a medical history, have a physical examination, and give blood and urine samples, and possibly a saliva sample. The samples are used for genetic and routine laboratory studies. Investigators may request tissue samples, such as biopsy specimens, previously removed for medical reasons to be sent to NIH for study. Patients undergo the following tests and procedures: 1. Medical history and physical examination. 2. Blood and urine tests, including analysis for genes involved in immune disorders. 3. Buccal smear (in some patients) for genetic studies. This involves scraping the lining of the mouth near the cheek. 4. Specialized tests to evaluate specific conditions in patients who have an immune disorder that might affect lung function, gum infections or eye problems. These may include chest x-ray, CT scan, breathing function test, dental, eye, and hearing examinations. 5. Follow-up visits of patients with immune problems may occur at 6 months and at one year after the first visit (or more frequently if medically required) to include: * Medical history update * Physical examination * Follow-up on abnormal test results and medical treatments initiated at NIH * Collection of blood, saliva, urine, or wound drainage samples for repeat immune function studies * Tissue study of specimens removed for medical reasons at other institutions besides NIH
This study will examine the effects of oral atorvastatin on the linings of blood vessels in patients with sickle cell disease, plus the agent's effect on blood markers of inflammation and blood vessel function. Sickle cell disease is a recessive genetic disorder and the most common genetic disease affecting African Americans. Inherited are abnormal genes that make hemoglobin, the substance within red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body. In the disease, sickle hemoglobin leads to rigidity or hardness of the red cells, causing obstruction in small blood vessels, inflammation, and injury to organs when the flow of blood to them is blocked. Some medications already prescribed for other diseases, such as atorvastatin, which is used for lowering cholesterol levels, can improve blood flow. Patients 18 to 65 years of age who have sickle cell disease, who have not had an acute pain episode within the previous week, and who are not pregnant or lactating may be eligible for this study. They will undergo a complete medical history; physical examination; baseline blood tests; and echocardiogram, in which an ultrasound wand is placed against the chest wall to get images inside the heart and blood vessels. In addition, patients will have blood flow studies. During the procedure, they will lie in an adjustable reclining chair for 5 to 6 hours. There will be 20- to 30-minute rests between specific activities and blood samples will be drawn intermittently for testing. Small tubes will be placed in the artery of the forearm at the inside of the elbow. Normal saline will be infused into one tube. A small pressure cuff will be applied to the wrist and a larger cuff to the upper arm. Both cuffs will be attached to an inflation device. A device like a rubber band, a strain gauge, will be placed around the widest part of the forearm. When the pressure cuffs are inflated, blood will flow into the arm, stretching the gauge proportion to blood flow, and information will be recorded. Then light reflected from the patients' hand and the blood flow in the forearm will be measured. Activity of the genes in the white blood cells will be measured as well. Small amounts of sodium nitroprusside, widely used to reduce blood pressure in people with dangerously high blood pressure, will be injected and blood flow will be measured. Later, small amounts of acetylcholine will be injected. It usually causes blood vessels to expand. After that, small amounts of L-NMMA will be injected. It usually decreases local blood flow by blocking the production of nitric oxide in the cells lining the arm's blood vessels. Then acetylcholine combined with L-NMMA will be injected. After that, oxypurinol, an agent taken by many patients to prevent gout, will be injected. The procedures will be repeated, with oxypurinol given along with each of the agents, and the measurement of blood flow in the forearm will be measured after each drug combination. Afterward, patients will be treated for 4 weeks at home with oral atorvastatin. They will be asked to visit the Clinical Center every 2 weeks for collection of blood samples and an examination. After 4 weeks of taking atorvastatin orally, they will be asked to return to repeat the blood flow studies, but only the first half will be conducted. The part using oxypurinol will not be needed. Regarding some of the blood samples collected during the study, there will be an examination of the genes found in the white blood cells. Specific attention will go to those genes that make proteins for cell-to-cell interaction and inflammation, plus those that cause blood cells to stick to the lining of blood vessels.
The collection of human specimens from both patients and healthy volunteers is necessary for the development of laboratory assays to further basic and clinical research studies. This protocol defines the purposes for which specimens will be collected and establishes general conditions under which sample collection will be performed.
Nitric oxide is important in regulating blood vessel dilation, and consequently, blood flow. This gas is continuously produced by cells that line the blood vessels. It is also transported from the lungs by hemoglobin in red blood cells. This study will examine how this gas regulates blood vessels and blood flow in people with sickle cell anemia. It will also look at a possible benefit of using certain genetic information to compare the white blood cells of people with sickle cell anemia to those without the disease. Patients with sickle cell anemia and healthy normal volunteers 18 to 65 years of age may be eligible for this study. Candidates will be screened with a medical history, cardiovascular physical examination, electrocardiogram and routine blood tests. Participation of volunteers without sickle cell anemia will be limited to a single blood draw for genetic study. Sickle cell disease patients will undergo the following procedures: Patients will lie in a reclining chair during the study. After administration of a local anesthetic, small tubes will be inserted through a needle into the artery and vein of the patient's forearm. These are used to measure blood pressure and draw blood samples during the study. Forearm blood flow will be measured using pressure cuffs placed on the wrist and upper arm, and a strain gauge (a rubber band device) placed around the forearm. When the cuffs are inflated, blood flows into the arm, stretching the strain gauge, and the flow measurement is recorded. A small lamp will be positioned over the hand. Light reflected back from the hand provides information about nitric oxide and hemoglobin in the blood of the skin. A squeezing device called a dynamometer will be used to measure handgrip strength. Baseline blood flow, nitric oxide, hemoglobin, and handgrip will be measured after an infusion of glucose (sugar) and water. These measurements will be repeated at various times before, during and after administration of small doses of the following drugs: * Sodium nitroprusside - causes blood vessels to dilate and increases blood flow to the heart * Acetylcholine - causes blood vessels to dilate and slows heart rate * LNMMA - decreases blood flow by blocking the production of nitric oxide There will be a 20- to 30-minute rest period between injections of the different drugs. When the above tests are completed, the patient will breathe a mixture of room air and nitric oxide for 1 hour through a facemask placed over the face, after which forearm blood flow and light reflected from the hand will be measured. Then the patient will do the handgrip exercise for 5 minutes, after which blood flow and hand lamp measurements will be taken. After a 20-minute rest period (with continued breathing of room air/nitric oxide), L-NMMA will be infused again. The handgrip exercise, blood flow and hand lamp measurements will be repeated. The face mask will then be removed, and the tubes will be removed 20 minutes later. Blood samples will be collected at various times during the 5- to 6-hour study through the tubes in the arm. Some of the blood will be used to look at genes that make proteins involved in cell-to-cell communication, inflammation, and in making red and white blood cells stick to the lining of blood vessels.
Background: - National Institute on Aging researchers are looking at studies that require large numbers of white blood cells for lab use. Standard blood samples do not provide enough white blood cells for these studies. Researchers want to use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells from volunteer donors. This procedure can collect larger amounts of white blood cells and reduce the amount of fluid and other cells that are lost. Objectives: - To use cytapheresis to collect white blood cells for study. Eligibility: - Healthy blood donors at least 18 years of age. Design: * Participants will be screened according to the usual blood donation procedures. * Participants will provide white blood cells through cytapheresis. The blood cells will be collected in a machine that separates the white blood cells from the rest of the blood. The rest of the blood will be returned to the donor. * Participants may have this type of donation every 56 days (six times per year). They will be asked to become a repeat donor. A donation schedule may be set up. * Once a year, participants will have blood tests to continue to be eligible as a donor.