COVID-19 has overwhelmed health systems around the world. A molecule within blood that may contribute to COVID-19 progression is a protein called angiostatin. Angiostatin under healthy conditions maintains blood vessels in a normal state. However, it can be overproduced during inflammation and COVID-19 may increase its levels predisposing some people to severe disease. In this study, we aim to determine whether angiostatin is elevated in the blood of COVID-19 patients vs. non-infected individuals. If so, blood angiostatin levels could be used as an indicator of COVID-19 progression, as well as a new drug target to decrease COVID-19 severity. Therefore, we are seeking COVID-19-negative participants to serve as control group within our study.

Rimegepant is approved to treat migraine in adults but has not been studied in adolescents. The purpose of this study is to see if rimegepant is effective and safe for adolescents with chronic migraine. Participants will receive one of 2 treatments: rimegepant or placebo. The study medication is given as a tablet taken every other day. Participants and the study doctor will not know whether they are receiving rimegepant or placebo in the first 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, all participants will receive rimegepant. Participants will track their headaches daily in an eDiary. There are 7 visits in the first part of the study and 12 visits in the second part. These include questionnaires, bloodwork, and ECG.

Patients on the waiting list for kidney transplantation are at risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). Current standard of care strategy is that patients without any symptoms will have routine test to determine if they have heart diseases. However, this current screening strategy is not evidence based, has substantial known and potential harms, and is very costly. The purpose of the study is designed to determine which strategy (regular screening or screening only in the presence of symptoms) is more effective in preventing heart attacks in kidney transplant candidates.

Patients with severe respiratory failure who are placed on ECMO (extracorporeal life support) will be followed to determine survival and neurologic outcome at one year later, and whether these outcomes are different from a matched group of children not placed on ECMO.

Small gaps in the intestinal wall ("tight junctions") allow water and nutrients to pass through, while blocking the passage of harmful substances. When these gaps become loose, the gut becomes permeable ("leaky gut"). This may allow bacteria or toxins to pass into the bloodstream leading to inflammation. We do not know yet what triggers Crohn’s disease; however we know that environmental factors (as diet) may change the gut microbes (“dysbiosis”) and when combined with “leaky gut” this can initiate chronic inflammation in susceptible people. During this study we will assess if prebiotics (dietary fibers like oligofructose-enriched inulin) and “Low n-6 PUFA diet” can effectively reduce "leaky gut" and thus lower the risk for Crohn’s.

Strategies and treatments to decrease the risks faced by older people with frailty having surgery are urgently needed but have not been widely developed or studied. The strongest findings suggest that exercise before surgery may improve older people’s ability to walk and stand after surgery and lower rates of complications. We propose to study a home-based exercise program compared to usual care. Using a randomized trial design performed across fourteen different hospitals, we will evaluate whether participating in this home-based exercise program, which we already know can be performed by older people with frailty, leads to lower levels of patient-reported disability and complication rates after surgery.

ALS is a disabling, rapidly progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is heterogeneous meaning that each person’s disease is different. Not only is this variability in symptoms poorly understood, but it can make diagnosis and treatment difficult. The Comprehensive Analysis Platform To Understand, Remedy and Eliminate ALS (CAPTURE ALS) is a national platform that will collect, store, analyze and disseminate large amounts of data (e.g. clinical and MRI data) and biosamples from patients with ALS and healthy controls. These data and biosamples will be securely shared with researchers across the world to help understand the causes of ALS, the variability that exists between patients and help identify new treatments.

Platelets are cells that stop bleeding when an injury occurs. However, platelets can also form clots that obstruct the blood vessels of the heart leading to a heart attack. Recently it has been discovered that different platelet subtypes exist based on the ability to produce a molecule called nitric oxide (NO). These different platelet subtypes have different roles in initiating and limiting how big a blood clot can grow. We want to compare the amount of NO producing platelets in patients who have recently suffered a heart attack to control healthy participants and are seeking a single 20 ml blood sample from healthy participants.

People receiving hemodialysis (HD) often experience muscle weakness, low physical function, and delayed wound healing. This may be partly due to poor blood and oxygen flow to the legs during dialysis. This study will use a safe, non-invasive device called near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to measure changes in leg muscle oxygen levels at different points during dialysis. We will also test how the muscles respond to light exercise (cycling), leg movements, and brief blood flow changes. This small, proof-of-concept study will help us understand if dialysis reduces leg oxygenation and whether exercise during dialysis can improve it.

Pituitary tumors are a type of brain tumors. Large pituitary tumors can cause headaches and eye problems. Unbalance of hormones by pituitary tumors can cause several complications, such as diabetes, obesity, etc. As there are limited treatment options, we need new treatment options. Our data from mouse and rat pituitary tumor cells suggest some molecules and signals as possible treatment targets. As these cells do not fully mimic human cells, we will use pituitary tumor cells from patients. We will examine the effects of inhibition of the target molecules on cell functions, such as cell growth, hormone production, in cultured human pituitary tumor cells. Findings will lead to the establishment of new treatment options for pituitary tumors.