View clinical trials related to Disease Susceptibility.
Filter by:Objectives: To evaluate the role of human histo-blood group antigens in susceptibility to Norovirus infections. Description of Study Design: Healthy volunteers with different blood types and low antibody titers to the challenge strain will be challenged orally with a Norovirus in the CCCR inpatient facility. Subjects with resistant (non-secretors) or susceptible (secretors (of either A, B or O blood group)) to the challenge strain will be recruited. The challenge study will be conducted in two groups of twenty, each with approximately ten secretors and ten non-secretors. Three additional subjects per group will serve as alternates in the event that any of the study subjects are unavailable or become ineligible at the time of the inpatient study. Subjects will be monitored daily in the isolation facility for at least five days following this challenge for daily clinical and virological evaluations. Subjects will return to the investigational site for evaluation the day after discharge from the inpatient unit and about 30 days (28-35 days) post challenge. Study Endpoints: Norovirus infection as assessed by viral shedding, seroconversion and clinical illness assessed by the duration and severity of symptoms
Currently, many breast center patients with a positive family history receive information about BRCA testing after breast cancer diagnosis, typically after definitive breast surgery or at a time point that does not allow them to use testing results in making their surgical decision. Diagnostics, decisions and interventions are often out of sequence, resulting in test information not available in time for decisions. Tests are often repeated. Decisions and interventions are delayed, are not understood by breast cancer patients or proceed without the test information, resulting in suboptimal care and resource waste (Donaldson MS. 2005, Katz SJ 2007, IOM 2001). In this study, BRCA testing information will be delivered to patients at the point of breast imaging. For patients that are diagnosed with breast cancer, this provides ample time to use the test results in making their surgical decision, if they elect to be tested. The investigators will work with health care providers to insure family history data are collected at the breast imaging visit, develop a standardized BRCA patient education handout, enlist health care providers to insure the information is delivered to the appropriate patient population, and coordinate scheduling with genetic counseling services to insure patients are promptly seen. The investigators hypothesis is that an intervention of providing patients indicated for genetic/familial risk with timely information and opportunity to access genetic counseling during breast imaging will shift BRCA testing to before definitive breast cancer surgery, for patients with a breast cancer diagnosis, and could impact surgical decisions. The investigators will identify barriers to this intervention from the perspective of patients, physicians, nurses, and genetic counselors. The investigators will then adjust the intervention to overcome the barriers and will test the intervention at the point where genetic/familial risk assessment based on NCCN guidelines is (or should be) conducted at breast imaging. If indicated, patients will be provided information and will be referred to genetic counseling to consider BRCA tests.
This study is valuable for the understanding the role of DNA repair system plays in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and for the development of new therapeutic modality in the future.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in Taiwan. The carcinogen in the environment is a key role in the development of lung cancer, and one of its main resource is tobacco. Activated carcinogens in the organism lead to mutations of crucial oncogenes resulting in tumor development. Genes such as Cytochrome P-450 family, GST (glutathione S-transferase) family, UGT (UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase) family, ERCC-1(excision repair cross-complementing rodent repair deficiency),ERCC-4 and ERCC-5,are encoding antioxidant enzymes or involving in the DNA repair process and the production of some transcription factors. In recent years, many studies have shown the correlation between these genes and the susceptibility of lung cancer. Each gene has a different role in the tumor development pathway. CYP, UGT, GST, NAT2 (N-acetyltransferase 2) and NQO1(NAD(P)H:quinono oxidoreductase 1) involve in the production of antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant enzymes can detoxificate hydrogen peroxide or defense against oxidative stress. However, the genetic polymorphisms may influence the function of detoxification, which cause the increase in the susceptibility of lung cancer. P53 and MDM2 genes play important roles in the production of tumor-suppression proteins and the regulation of transcription factors, which may regulate the growth and the apoptosis of cell cycle and influence the susceptibility of lug cancer. The polymorphisms in ERCC genes may cause the damage in the DNA repair process which might also cause increase in lung cancer susceptibility. The overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor is highly correlated with increasing risk of the non-small cell lung cancers. The overexpression may induce the proliferation of cancer cells and the inhibition of the apatosis. Therefore, in recent years, EGFR has been widely studied as the new target of the drugs and the susceptibility of the lung cancer. In addition,the genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolism channel proteins, like OCT2 (organic cation transporter), ATP7A, ATP7B and ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter may have influence on the metabolism, the efficacy and the toxicity of the drugs.
This study aims to identify genetic causes of adverse events after cardiac surgery, such as atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, renal dysfunction and heart failure. Patients undergoing heart surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Texas Heart Institute are eligible to participate.
Background: - Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a rare fast-growing lung tumor that is associated with other, rare tumor types. Most cases of PPB appear in children younger than 6 years of age. Recently, it has been shown that this condition can be inherited (e.g., mutation of the DICER1 gene). Researchers are studying both clinical and genetic aspects of this newly described condition. They are interested in collecting further medical history and genetic information on individuals and close relatives of individuals who have PPB or other rare associated tumors. Objectives: - To study individuals with a personal or a family history of pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) or other rare tumors that can be associated with PPB (e.g., cystic nephroma, nasal chondromesenchymal hamartoma, ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors, ocular medulloepithelioma). Eligibility: - Individuals who have been diagnosed with PPB and/or PPB-related tumors. - Close blood relatives (e.g., parents, siblings, grandparents) of individuals who have been diagnosed with PPB and/or PPB-related tumors. Design: - Interested participants can enroll or inquire about this study by calling 1-800-518-8474. - Participants will be asked to complete family history and medical history questionnaires. They will complete the questionnaire if they are at least 18 years of age, or another person will complete the questionnaire if the key family member is too young to do so on his or her own. - Participants will be asked to sign a medical record release form to allow researchers to examine detailed medical history information. - Participants may be asked to have a physical examination and imaging studies, provide blood and saliva samples, or provide tumor tissue from prior biopsies or cancer surgeries. - Annually, participants will update the family history and individual information questionnaires to document important changes in medical history, and will also update the medical record release form. Participants may be asked to provide additional cheek lining cells and/or blood samples, as well as tumor tissue from any new or planned biopsies or tumor surgeries. - Treatment will not be provided as part of this protocol....
Background: - Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that causes respiratory tract infections, and is frequently responsible for hospital visits in infants and children. It can also trigger severe breathing problems for individuals who have asthma, but these infections are generally better tolerated in non-asthmatics. Some research suggests that lack of an efficient immune system response in people with asthma may make it difficult for the body to fight the effects of RSV. - Transforming Growth Factor-beta (TGF-[beta]) is a chemical in the body that is more prevalent in the lungs of people with asthma and related respiratory disorders. More information is needed about the effects of TGF-[beta] and whether it makes individuals with asthma more prone to developing RSV. Researchers hope to use this information to determine possible treatments and therapies for individuals with asthma who contract RSV. Objectives: - To determine the possible role of TGF-[beta] in increased asthmatic susceptibility to RSV infection. Eligibility: - Individuals between 18 and 60 years of age who are either healthy nonsmokers or mild asthmatics. Design: - This study involves a screening visit and a study visit. - Participants will be screened with a medical history and physical examination, as well as blood samples and a pulmonary function test. - At the study visit, participants will receive mild anesthetic and have a bronchoscopy, in which researchers insert a bronchoscope through the participant s nose or mouth and into the lungs to examine the lungs and collect lung cells. - Participants will be contacted by a research team member 24 36 hours after the bronchoscopy to ask about any side effects from the procedure....
Research Problem Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world that affects approximately 300 million individuals worldwide. It is characterized by airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction leading to airflow obstruction, however, the triggering factors behind asthma development remains to be elucidated. Genetic risk factors have been suggested to play a central role in asthma development. Twin studies supported a strong genetic component to asthma, especially childhood asthma, with heritability estimates suggesting that 48-70% of asthma risk is attributed to genetic risk factors. Suggestive susceptibility genes have been identified in European and American populations but not yet in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia. Identified genes whether they are polymorphic variants of genes encoding known pathophysiological molecules or novel genes identified by linkage or genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are inconsistent in different populations thereby adding to the need to undertake genetic studies on different ethnic populations and in different countries. Here, the investigators hypothesize that polymorphic variation of novel susceptibility genes form a major risk factor for asthma development, response to treatment and progression in the Saudi population with strong diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications. Research Significance Since the manifestation of complex inflammatory disorders with strong heritability is complex involving genetic and environmental interaction, each ethnically distinct population must be examined to know whether gene-disease association exists in that population. The objectives of this proposal are to discover novel asthma susceptibility genes in the Saudi population. A better understanding of the genetic mechanisms of asthma will enhance our knowledge of its pathophysiology. Asthmatic patients with distinct genotypes respond differently to asthma medications. Therefore, improvements in diagnostics and pharmacogenetics may be the first clinical developments of these extensive studies. This embraces the concept of asthma subphenotypes and stratified medicine where interventions are targeted at those individuals who will best benefit from them with minimal side effects. Physicians looking after asthmatic patients will be able to provide better medical service tailored to those patients, as well as to identify Saudi people at high risk for the development of asthma, especially the more severe forms of the disease. Research Objectives The main objective of our proposal is to identify known and novel asthma susceptibility genes in the Saudi population and to investigate their interaction with clinical, environmental, and inflammatory factors contributing to asthma pathophysiology. Research Methodology In this proposal, the investigators will investigate the genetic factors contributing to asthma susceptibility by determining in Saudi population, the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been previously reported from linkage and GWAS in other populations. Whole genome DNA will also be scanned for novel SNPs of selected "asthma genes" using microarrays. This will enable us to identify new SNPs that contribute to the risk of asthma specifically in the Saudi population. In addition, the investigators will cross-reference all genetic and immunological parameters with the corresponding clinical data in order to elucidate the impact of certain genes, or their products (e.g. cytokines), on the clinical manifestation of asthma.
The purpose of this study is to create new tests to identify biomarkers for ovarian cancer so that a screening test can be developed. For patients who have a diagnosis of ovarian Cancer, researchers will use blood samples before and after treatment to see if disease status can be determined by measuring the amount of biomarker.
This research trial studies the genes biomarkers in children with neuroblastoma. Studying the genes in a child's cancer cells may help doctors improve ways to diagnose and treat children with neuroblastoma.