8 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The goal of this observational study is to find out if Raman Spectroscopy, a type of imaging, can be used to determine the size of skin cancer tumors. The main question it aims to answer is: -Can Raman Spectroscopy help figure out how far a tumor spreads? This study will take measurements using laser light from an experimental, handheld probe by lightly touching the skin.
The LighTouch device shines imperceptible red light into the skin and measures the light that comes back out using the method of Raman Spectroscopy. Some of this light is color shifted and some is not. Using a proprietary numerical recipe, the LighTouch device combines the signals in this remitted light and calculates hematocrit, glucose, protein and potentially other analytes. Thus the LighTouch device produces information without painful physical insult to the patient and can trend changes in these blood analytes in order to predict the need for intervention.
This study is being done to see if a new device, called near-infrared Raman spectroscopy, can provide similar information as that obtained from taking biopsies of the lining of your Barrett's esophagus
Background: In a previous study, children who consumed a high-carotenoid juice over 8 weeks significantly increased skin carotenoid levels as compared to children who consumed a placebo juice. A naturally carotenoid-rich baked product, potentially marketable as a healthy breakfast food alternative, was developed by Utah State University researchers. Objective: To determine the effect and response of a carotenoid-rich baked product on change in skin carotenoid levels among children. Design: A six week randomized controlled trial. Participants/setting: Participants were children age 5-18 during March-June, 2015 living in Cache County, UT (n=46). Intervention: Children were randomly assigned to one of two groups: treatment (n=23) with a high carotenoid baked food or control (n=25) who consumed a baked food with no carotenoids. Children were asked to eat the designated portion of the assigned food once a day for six weeks. Skin carotenoid levels were measured every two weeks by a BioPhotonic scanner and reported in Raman intensity counts. Participants were asked to maintain their diet and completed a food frequency questionnaire at Baseline, Week 3, and Week 6. Uneaten portions of the food were returned to clinic, counted, and recorded. Main outcome measures: Change in skin carotenoid levels as measured in Raman counts over 6 weeks. Statistical analysis performed: Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the group differences in Raman counts.
The purpose of this study is to validate the non-invasive tool, resonance Raman spectroscopy for assessing vegetable and fruit consumption.
This study will evaluate the ease and reliability of Raman scattering spectroscopy, a new technique to measure the amount of the pigment lutein in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. The highest concentrations of lutein are in the center of the retina, called the macula, which is the area most important for fine, detailed vision. The functions of lutein are not fully known. Besides absorbing blue light, it may help protect against abnormal changes in the retina, such as age-related macular degeneration. Until recently, lutein was measured using long, cumbersome, and difficult tests. This study will evaluate a new instrument that provides faster measurements. It will be tested under different conditions, such as wearing or not wearing glasses or contact lenses, or dilating or not dilating the pupil of the eye. Healthy normal volunteers between 20 and 65 years of age may be eligible for this study, which involves two visits to the NIH Clinical Center, as follows: Visit 1 - Screening * Medical history and physical examination, including measurement of vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and breathing rate), and examination of the head and neck, heart and lungs, and arms and legs. * Eye examination, including eye chart test, eye pressure measurement, examination of pupils and eye movements, and examination of the retina (back part of the eye) using a strong light and magnifying lens after dilation of the pupils. * Raman scattering spectroscopy to measure lutein. For this test, the subject looks with one eye at a brief, bright flash of bluish light (similar to a flashbulb light) from a laser. This is repeated several times. Subjects who wear glasses or contact lenses for distance vision will be tested without them and then again with a lens in front of the eye. Subjects who do not wear glasses or contact lenses will be tested before and after dilation of the pupil. * Contrast sensitivity to assess ability to identify an object from the background and to see everyday objects. The subject looks at and identifies a variety of objects of different shapes and sizes. * Color vision to determine the ability to identify different shades of color. The subject arranges a line of colorful discs, similar to checkers, in order of similar shades. Visit 2 - Repeat Spectroscopy Subjects return 1 week after the screening visit for a repeat Raman scattering spectroscopy to evaluate the precision of the measurements.
The purpose of the study is to evaluate an afterschool program to teach nutrition through basic cooking skills. This after school extracurricular program increases the students' confidence, knowledge, and skills for cooking as one of the first steps for dietary improvement. In addition to the life lessons students learn during this class, they gain self-confidence and become self-sufficient culinary experts that are capable of educating their siblings, parents, and social circles. This research project will test the impact this program has on nutritional knowledge, culinary efficacy, and nutritional choices made in and out of the home. The Pink and Dude Chef Afterschool Cooking Program was developed through STRIDE (Science through Translational Research in Diet and Exercise at California Polytechnic state University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, CA. Hypothesis: Middle school students participating in the Pink and Dude Chef afterschool cooking program will increase nutritional knowledge, culinary efficacy, motivation to eat fruits and vegetables, and fruit and vegetable intake compared to an attention control group.
Umbilical artery catheters (UACs) are associated with significant morbidity in preterm neonates however are necessary for the management of this high risk population. UACs have been linked to serious adverse events (SAEs) including arterial thrombosis, necrotizing enterocolitis, limb ischemia, and renal failure. Resonance Raman Spectroscopy (RRS), raman for short, is a technology that utilizes vibrational spectroscopy, rather than absorbance spectroscopy, to determine the oxyhemoglobin concentration in tissues. In this prospective, observational study, daily measurements of StO2 of low birth weight neonates using raman spectroscopy will be correlated with UACs.The study team hypothesizes that raman can detect changes in peripheral tissue oxygenation in the ipsilateral extremity to the UAC and that raman is more sensitive at detecting changes in peripheral tissue oxygenation then common metrics used to monitor neonatal hemodynamics. If successful, this study would demonstrate that raman can be used as an early marker of tissue oxygen deprivation in neonates with UACs and maybe used to guide management in other clinical scenarios where StO2 is affected.