
Search Results Within Category "Prevention & Wellness"
The effects of cigarette smoking and alcohol on DNA damage in the oral cavity
The purpose of this study to examine the effects of cigarette smoking and drinking alcohol on the formation of DNA damage in the mouth. The overall goal is to identify DNA damage that may be important to the development of head and neck cancers.
• 21 years of age or older
• Smoke cigarettes daily
• Drink alcohol regularly
• Use other tobacco/nicotine products
Effects of tobacco and nicotine cessation on biomarkers
This study will bank biological samples (cells from mouth, urine, blood, saliva) to investigate the effects of quitting smoking or vaping on different markers in the body.
• 21 years of age or older
• in good health
• smokes cigarettes daily
• willing to abstain from smoking for 15 days
• marijuana use
Ten Thousand Families Study
The purpose of this study is to study the evolution of early life risk factors that may lead to cancer and other conditions. This is a prospective cohort study of families who reside in Minnesota.
• 1st Participant: 18+ living in MN
• Other family members: All ages and must live in MN, ND, SD, IA, or WI
• Participants ages 0-17 must have a parent consent to their participation and assist with study activities
• Unwilling or unable to provide DNA and blood sample
• Does not have at least 1 living family member in MN IA, ND, SD, or WI
DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, PHASE 3 STUDY TO EVALUATE THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF PLOZASIRAN IN ADULTS WITH SEVERE HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIA (SHASTA-3 STUDY) (SHASTA-3)
The purpose of this clinical research study is to look at how safe and effective the study drug, plozasiran, is at lowering triglycerides in people with severe hypertriglyceridemia. Hypertriglyceridemia is a condition where there is too much of a certain kind of fat (called triglycerides) in the blood. In people with severe hypertriglyceridemia, the level of triglycerides is more than 3 times higher than the normal, healthy level. The purpose of this study is to learn how effective the study drug is when given to people with very high triglycerides.
• diagnosis of severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG) with fasting TG levels of ≥ 500 mg/dL
• fasting low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) ≤130 mg/dL
• willing to follow diet counseling and maintain a stable low-fat diet
• on standard of care lipid-lowering medications (exception if medications aren't tolerated)
• see link to clinicaltrials.gov for complete inclusion and exclusion criteria
• Body mass index (BMI) >45kg/m^2
• used any hepatocyte-targeted small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) that targets lipids and/or triglycerides within the past year
• diagnosis of familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) (type 1 Hyperlipoproteinemia)
Targeting Family Meal Quality and Quantity to Reduce Childhood Obesity Using Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI) and Video Feedback
The proposed study is an individual three-arm randomized controlled tiled aimed at utilizing state-of-the-art intervention methods to examine whether increasing the quality and the quantity of family meals reduces childhood obesity.
• Child 5-10 years old
• Have a sibling who lives in the home with the child
• Live in the Metro area
• Speaks English or Spanish
Help Us Help U: Your Voice in Research
The Clinical and Translational Science Institute at the University of Minnesota is asking the public questions to learn how they feel about health research. Health research is when people study a health problem to understand it better. The goal is to help patients and make communities healthier. This study is an anonymous online survey that could take up to 10 minutes. Responses will help shape future studies and improve participant experiences. Click *Visit the Study Website* to take the survey!
• 18 years or older
• Unable to read English
Dissecting the role of acetaldehyde in oral carcinogenesis
The goal of this study is to better understand how drinking alcohol may lead to oral cancers. Acetaldehyde, a chemical formed when the body breaks down alcohol, is believed to play an important role. This study will measure acetaldehyde and DNA damage levels in the mouth of participants after a low dose of alcohol. The levels will be compared between three groups, all having different degrees of risk for developing oral cancer, and with non-drinkers to identify DNA damage that might be important to cancer formation. We also want to understand how alcohol can affect the bacteria in our mouths and how that might impact oral DNA damage.
• Alcohol drinkers of Eastern Asian descent who experiences flushing (reddening or warming of face) when drinking {ages 21 - 45}
• Alcohol drinkers who have Fanconi Anemia {ages 21+}
• Never drinkers {ages 18 - 45}
• Tobacco or nicotine users
Health's Early Roots & Origins (HERO) Study
The way our bodies react to stress when we’re very young can affect our health for the rest of our lives – and this can vary from person to person. The goal of this research project is to learn more about how different children respond to stress and how to best measure stress in children. We are collecting a measure of attention skills and small samples of hair, cheek swabs, and saliva from children in all kinds of communities across the country. Scientists will look at these samples to learn more about how children respond to stress. This study session will last approximately 25-30 minutes.
• children 4 months to 5 years old
• speak English or Spanish
Liver Collection Study
This is a study of individuals older than 18, undergoing abdominal procedures in which the liver is accessible, and are amenable to liver samples being collected during their surgical procedure, with the option to participate in a specialized scan that can provide information on liver health, stiffness, and fat content. This study is trying to figure out how senescent (aging) cells in the liver are related to an individual's health status and better understand the association between these cells and different metabolic diseases.
• Age 18 years or older
• Undergoing abdominal surgical procedure with general anesthesia
• Pregnancy or nursing
• Physician may exclude
Profiling of Adipose Tissue Depots and Immune Correlates
This is a study of individuals older than 18, undergoing abdominal surgery, and are amenable to fat samples being collected during their surgical procedure, with the option to participate in other tests that can provide information on insulin sensitivity and fat distribution. This study is trying to figure out how fat tissue is related to an individual's health status and health conditions, and the analysis of the aging of cells that make up the human body.
• Age 18 years or older
• Undergoing abdominal surgical procedure with general anesthesia
• Pregnancy or nursing
• Exclusion at the discretion of attending physician or Eligibility Committee
Psychology and Health
The goal of this study is to learn more about how people make health-related decisions. Participants will complete two remote visits over Zoom, and answer questions about their beliefs, experiences, and health decisions they have made. They will also complete online computerized tasks. Total participation time is 2-3 hours.
• age 18 to 70 years
• have access to the Internet
• speak fluent English
• unable to speak English
Project SHINE (Sleep Health INitiative for Equity): Culturally informing a sleep extension intervention for African American adults
The purpose of the study is to better understand the experiences of healthy lifestyle behaviors (i.e., sleep and physical activity), and receive feedback on a sleep intervention that aims to improve sleep among African American adults who do not get enough sleep. Sleep is vital to engaging in a healthy lifestyle, living longer, and feeling energized throughout the day. This research will compare a sleep intervention program (“Sleep Intervention Group”) to a healthy homes education program (“Control Group”) to see if there are changes in sleep and physical activity among those in the Sleep Intervention Group. We expect that participants will be in this research study for about 6 weeks.
• not meeting Physical Activity Guidelines
• age range: 21 to 65 years
• body mass index range: 25.0 to 40 kg/m2
• average self-reported habitual sleep duration of ≤6 hours
• self-identify as Black or African American
• self-reported organ-related disorder (COPD, cardiac arrhythmia, gastro-esophageal disorder)
• pregnant or less than 4 months postpartum
• infant living in household less than 1 year old
Development of Tobacco Related Biomarkers
To maintain a biorepository (sample bank) of biological samples from different tobacco users and non-users to investigate how tobacco and nicotine products affect our bodies. The samples will be used by researchers to develop methods to look for biological “markers” (biomarkers), or chemical changes in the body, that occur due to tobacco or nicotine exposure. The goal is to eventually use these biomarkers to improve detection, prevention, and treatment strategies for tobacco-related diseases.
• formerly smoked cigarettes daily
• uses smokeless tobacco
• smokes cigars
• uses nicotine gum, lozenges, patches, nasal spray, pouches, or inhaler
• younger than 21 years old
• smokes or vapes marijuana
Sex differences in the effecTs of brEaking uP sedentary behavior on vascUlar function in Type 2 Diabetes (STEP UP T2D)
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) confers a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly among older adults who tend to be physically inactive. Most studies that have examined the effects of changing sedentary behavior (SB) have focused on young healthy males and prioritized glycemic outcomes. We will look at the effect of 3 different ways of breaking up sitting: 1) 4 hours of prolonged SB, 2) 4 hours of SB broken up by 5 minutes of self-paced walking every hour, and 3) 4 hours of SB with one 20-minute bout of self-paced walking. In addition to examining the overall effects of each condition, differences between men and women will be evaluated.
• men who are 60 years or older
• Type 2 diabetes (hemoglobin A1c 6.5% or more and/or previous diagnosis of type 2 diabetes)
• sedentary for at least 6 hours/day
• willing to abstain from food, caffeine, alcohol and exercise for at least 24 hours, and tobacco/smoking for at least 12 hours prior to each study visit
• able to speak and read English
• Type 1 diabetes
• uncontrolled hypertension (resting systolic greater than 160 or diastolic greater than 110 mmHg)
• starting hormone therapy or changing in hormone therapy (dose/frequency/route of administration) in the previous 3 months
• on renal dialysis
• history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
• evidence of cognitive impairment
• physical impairment or disability that interferes with ability to engage in exercise (severe osteoarthritis, lower extremity amputation [other than toe(s)/partial foot], use of a walker or wheelchair, etc.)
• unstable medical/psychiatric condition that could impact study participation
Save the Bottoms!!!: Assessing the Gay Male Experience with Anal Cancer Prevention Strategies
The purpose of this study is to describe current knowledge and opinions about anal cancer screening among men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as their experience receiving guideline-compliant care aimed at anal cancer risk reduction using a large-scale survey disseminated via social media.
• 18 years of age or older
• AMAB (Assigned Male at Birth)
• Current resident of the U.S.
• Engage in receptive anal intercourse with male partners
• Fluent in English or Spanish
Collaborative Solutions for Breaking Up Sedentary Time in Black Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: The Interrupt T2D Study
Black Americans are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and 2 times more likely to die from T2D than non-Hispanic White Americans. Recent research has shown that sedentary behavior (such as sitting or lying down) have a significant negative impact on health. We are doing a small study with older people who identify as Black or African American and have T2D to look at ways to reduce sedentary behavior. The study will last about 1-2 months for each participant.
• self-identify as Black or African American.
• 55 years and older
• speak and read English.
• self-reported diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D)
• evidence of cognitive impairment that could impact ability to consent and/or participation
• physical impairment or disability that interferes with ability to engage in physical activity such as severe osteoarthritis, lower extremity amputation (other than toe(s) or partial foot), regular use of a walker or wheelchair, etc.
• unstable medical or mental health condition (study staff will review)
teleABLE: Adapting a Behavioral Activation-Based Intervention to Reduce Post-Stroke Sedentary Behavior Using Telehealth (Formative Phase) (teleABLE)
We are exploring ways to increase physical activity after stroke using a web-based rehabilitation program. The purpose of this study is to adapt the Activating Behavior for Lasting Engagement (ABLE) program using video visits so people with stroke can participate from home.
• experienced a stroke in the last 12 months
• currently spend at least 6 hours per day sitting
• access to a device for virtual video visits
Stress Response and Opioid Dysfunction in Nicotine Dependence
This study includes healthy adults between 18-70 years old who are either non-smokers or cigarette smokers interested in quitting. The purpose of this study is to learn more about how people respond to stress and to taking one dose of a widely and safely used drug called naltrexone as well as to learn about how these responses relate to whether or not someone smokes, smoking cessation, and smoking relapse.
• Between 18-70 years old
• generally healthy
• want to quit using tobacco and nicotine
• willing to attend study visits over a period of approximately 4 months (though you may be asked to complete the last visits over a period of up to 1 year)
• have access to an internet-enabled device
• current, uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure)
• current cardiac or other chronic diseases
• current opiate dependence, recent daily opiate use, or use of any narcotic medication
• women who are pregnant
• currently taking Naltrexone