Inflammation

Background: Environmental exposures like pollution, diet, and stress can help cause human diseases, or make them worse. Researchers want to better understand how injury and inflammation are caused by these exposures. They want to collect biological and environmental samples and other data. They may use the samples to measure a range of factors, like hormones, toxins, and chemicals. This will help them improve their studies. Objective: To identify and understand how environmental exposures contribute to human disease. Eligibility: Healthy adults ages 18 and older Design: Participants will be screened with questions about their health history, demographics, and medicines they take. Participants may give blood, hair, stool, saliva, and/or urine samples. They may have a skin punch biopsy to collect skin cells. They may give fingernail or toenail clippings. They may give a sample of exhaled breath. Participants may give a sputum sample. They will inhale a saline mist and cough mucus into a cup. Participants may have their nasal passages brushed, scraped, or washed. Participants may give cheek cell samples. They will swish mouthwash and spit it into a cup. Participants who produce sperm may give samples. Participants may have bronchoscopy to collect fluid. A saline solution will be put into their lung and then suctioned out, washing areas of the lung. Participants may have a pelvic or transvaginal ultrasound. They may have lung function tests. Participants may collect household dust, urine, or stool at home. Participants will complete surveys about their health, diet, and exposures. Participation will last for one or more study visits. Participants may be contacted in the future to take part in other studies. ...

Hyperlipidemia is the main driver of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), both through direct effects and as trigger of the chronic inflammation behind a cardiovascular health-to-disease transition. While lipid-lowering is an effective way to reduce the ASCVD risk, the residual risk remains high. In addition, a substantial proportion of ASCVD events occur in the absence of overt hyperlipidemia. Several lines of evidence ranging from experimental models to population studies and interventional clinical trials support chronic inflammation as the causal residual risk of CVD. The CVD risk-associated lipid classes contain fatty acids that can be liberated and metabolized into both inflammation-promoting as well as inflammation-resolving drivers, providing the rationale for focusing on this balance in the present project. Above all, the omega-3 fatty acid class can resolve inflammation but the potential impact is currently largely underestimated in CVD preventive recommendations. As cardiovascular preventive measures ease the burden placed on the individual, population, and on the health care system, it is critical to raise public awareness for chronic inflammation as a causative and modifiable cardiovascular risk factor and to provide tools for how to control and monitor it. As an alternative to marine sources, principally eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and less docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can be endogenously produced from alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found in plant oils. Secondarily the possibility to increase the consumption of vegetable oil may possibly decrease the environmental impacts of an intensive fishing and consecutive marine system imbalance. The overarching objective of CARE-IN-HEALTH is to assess if PUFAs may contribute to the resolution of the chronic lipid-driven/-regulated vascular inflammation in order to develop and test, in a real-life setting, tools for use in health care and by citizens to stay healthy by an adequate resolution of the chronic inflammation. The primary objective of the present study is to compare the effect on a lipid/inflammation-derived risk score of diets supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) of animal or vegetal origin with a nonenriched diet. The secondary objectives are a) to assess the acceptance of supplementation of diet with animal-derived or plant-derived PUFAs; b) to improve circulating lipid, inflammatory glycemic profile based on serial measurements of circulating biomarkers by means of PUFA supplementation. The inclusion criteria are: Eligible participants will be at moderate to high SCORE2, SCORE2-OP and SCORE2-Diabetes risk level. Non-eligible subjects will be those with: * cardiovascular disease, * established atherosclerotic vascular disease involving the coronary, peripheral, carotid, or aortic territories (identified by computerized tomography (CT) of coronary arteries, MRI, carotid or peripheral ultrasound imaging), * chronic treatment with n-3 PUFA containing products (i.e., Vazkepa) or fibrates, * a condition that interferes with the possibility to follow the dietary intervention, such as fish allergy or being a vegan, * significant liver dysfunction, * participation in another intervention clinical study. Eligible participants will undergo a clinical visit when also a blood sample will be taken at baseline and at 12 weeks follow-up. The main analysis will be performed according to a per protocol approach, therefore only participants compliant with study treatments will be included in the analysis. Primary objective: to compare the effect on a lipid/inflammation-derived risk score, based on circulating molecules, of diets enriched with PUFA of animal or vegetal origin with a non-enriched diet. Secondary objectives: a) to assess the acceptance of supplementation of diet with animal-derived or plant-derived PUFAs; b) to improve circulating lipidic/glycemic inflammatory profile. All 324 participants enrolled in the trial will have blood samples taken twice (at baseline and 12 weeks),

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if using pancreatic stone protein (PSP) test results helps doctors find and treat sepsis earlier in adults with serious burn injuries. The study will also look at whether using PSP is safe and practical in the burn intensive care unit. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does seeing PSP test results help doctors start the right antibiotics sooner? * Does using PSP reduce unnecessary antibiotic use? * Does using PSP improve recovery and other health outcomes? Researchers will compare two groups of patients. One group will receive standard care, and their PSP test results will be hidden from their care team. The other group will receive standard care, but their care team will be able to see the PSP test results and use them to help make treatment decisions. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to one of the two study groups. * Have a small blood sample taken within 24 hours after being admitted to the burn ICU and then once each weekday while they are in the ICU. * Receive the usual care for burn injuries and sepsis throughout the study.

This study aims to better understand 3 crucial questions: 1. Why do some patients experience more severe complications after heart surgery than others? 2. Are there markers on our genetic makeup (called epigenetic modifications) that can predict complications after major surgery? 3. How do epigenetic modifications lead to overactive inflammation that causes harm to patients after heart surgery? Over 270,000 patients undergo major surgery in Scotland each year. Major surgery is associated with increased risk of complications, particularly in older patients with multiple health conditions. Complications are a leading cause of death, delayed recovery, long-term illness and increased healthcare cost to the NHS. Significant complications occur in up to 57% of patients after heart surgery. In response to major surgery, the body stimulates an inflammatory response as part of a complex repair mechanism, however, in some cases inflammation can become exaggerated, becoming harmful and contributing to the development of complications. The investigators believe that a patient's risk of overactive inflammation, which can lead to complications after surgery, is heavily influenced by a patient-specific system of biological markers, layered upon their DNA; a scientific field known as epigenetics. Where a patient's DNA (their 'genetics') may be considered as an instruction manual for each cell's molecular processes, these 'epigenetic' markers work as if someone has highlighted sections of the manual to be read (and actioned). The pattern of these markers on immune system cells can therefore dictate the extent of the inflammatory response, especially after a major insult such as surgery. While the DNA itself cannot be modified, epigenetic markers can be modified, through strategies including diet, exercise, and medication. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the modifiable epigenetic code of key immune-system cells dictates the extent of post-operative inflammation, contributing to organ damage and complications. With patients' permission, the investigators will: 1. Obtain blood samples before and after major heart surgery, to test for epigenetic markers and inflammation. 2. Observe patients after surgery and collect routine data from laboratory tests and patient observations which assess for organ dysfunction and inflammation. 3. Conduct patient questionnaires before and after surgery to assess physical fitness and patient-centred quality of life measures. 4. Analyse patterns between patients who have severe organ dysfunction after surgery and those patients who have minimal organ dysfunction after similar surgery, to better understand which patients are at greatest risk, according to their epigenetic makeup. This study may improve understanding of which patients are likely to suffer organ damage and complications after major surgery, and which patients may have a protective epigenetic makeup which reduces complications. With this knowledge, the investigators aim is that future patients could receive personalised treatment plans before surgery, to modify their epigenetic makeup, reduce harm from complications and improve outcomes for patients. The investigators are not testing any new treatments in this study.

Dietary patterns and physical inactivity common in Western societies have been associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and an increased risk of non-communicable health conditions. Fruits and vegetables contain polyphenols and other bioactive compounds that may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and may influence inflammatory biomarkers. This study will evaluate the effects of increased consumption of a fruit juice on inflammatory biomarkers and exercise capacity in adults with mildly elevated inflammation. Approximately 40 participants will be randomly assigned to consume one of two fruit juice interventions daily for approximately 2 weeks. Changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and exercise capacity, assessed using a 6-minute walk test, will be evaluated before and after the intervention and compared between the two groups.

The Low dose ColchicinE in pAtients with peripheral Artery DiseasE to address residual vascular Risk (LEADER-PAD) trial will evaluate if anti-inflammatory therapy with colchicine will reduce vascular events in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease.

This study will investigate the response of immune cells (neutrophils, monocytes) to various signals in the test tube to determine how they sense the signals in the body and what substances they produce in response to them. It will determine how the cells may, under certain circumstances, contribute to inflammation, and will measure substances in the blood plasma (the liquid, non-cellular part of the blood) that might stimulate white blood cells, in order to understand how the blood responds to possible disease-related conditions. Healthy normal volunteers 18 years of age and older who weigh at least 110 pounds may be eligible for this study. Participants give about 320 milliliters (mL) of blood (about 1 1/3 cups) or less at each donation. They donate no more than once every 8 weeks and no more than six times a year. On some occasions, less than 320 mL of blood may be drawn. The collected blood is separated into its components and specific cells are exposed to substances to examine their response.

This study examines whether two continuous weeks of overnight active temperature regulation (via the Eight Sleep Pod) use affects gut microbiome composition, inflammation, and the body's daily temperature and blood pressure rhythms in postmenopausal women and age-matched men with self-reported poor sleep.

Toddlerhood (ages 2-3) is a critical window when the gut microbiome is still developing and eating habits are being established. Yet, many Canadian toddlers eat diets high in sugar and salt, which may affect long-term health. This study will test whether a MED diet can improve dietary inflammation, gut health, and body composition in toddlers and whether a tailored nutrition education program for parents can help families maintain healthy eating patterns. In this study, toddlers will be randomly assigned to a 3-week MED diet or their usual diet. Families in the MED diet group will receive free meal boxes for the 3 weeks, plus guidance from a nutrition researcher through a structured education program. The standard diet group will continue their regular diet with general nutrition advice. Researchers will collect dietary information, body composition assessments, and stool samples to measure gut microbiome composition and metabolites. This first study of a controlled diet intervention in toddlers, combining behavioral support, high-quality food provision, and advanced gut microbiome analysis, will help understand how early diet shapes lifelong eating habits and health, guiding public health strategies and precision nutrition approaches to prevent chronic disease from early life.

Sleep disturbance has a range of negative effects on psychosocial and biological processes important for academic and social success as well as mental and physical health among adolescents and young adults. Limited, inconsistent, and poor quality sleep lead to anxiety, depressive feelings, loneliness, and fatigue over time. These symptoms, in turn, interfere with the ability to get a good night's rest. Sleep disruption can also upregulate inflammatory processes during the years of adolescence and young adulthood in ways that can create risk for the development of chronic health conditions (e.g., diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease) in later adulthood. Sleep, however, is also a modifiable health behavior, leading many institutions to embark upon efforts to improve the sleep of their students. The challenge is to identify programs and interventions that can simultaneously improve sleep, be delivered at scale, and be easily completed by students. UCLA has developed and validated a group-based mindfulness intervention, Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs), that has demonstrated beneficial effects on sleep in adults and may offer a promising, scalable approach for reducing sleep disturbance and improving associated psychological and biological outcomes in college students. However, this approach requires validation in this population relative to sleep education programs, which increasingly dominate the college landscape. To address this important public health problem, the investigators propose to conduct a single site, two-arm, parallel group randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the validated, group-based, six-week MAPs intervention vs. sleep education, an active time and attention matched control condition, for first and second year undergraduate students who report poor sleep at this critical transition year. The investigators are aiming to enroll approximately 240 participants. Participants will complete questionnaires, provide blood samples for immune analysis and will be provided with wrist actigraphs to wear for 7 days, in order to collect objective measurements of sleep at pre- and post-intervention visits, and at a 3-month follow-up visit. Additional follow-up assessments will take place at 6-month, and 12-month post-intervention to evaluate persistence of effects.

The present study is an investigator initiated, single-centre, prospective, proof-of-concept cohort study aiming to enroll 44 patients with acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) ischemic stroke, involving the right (n=22) and left (n=22) MCA territories and 24 control patients with acute focal neurological symptoms but no evidence of acute brain infarct on DWI-MRI.

Generation Victoria (GenV) is a longitudinal, population-based study of Victorian children and their parents that will bring together data on a wide range of conditions ,exposures and outcomes. GenV blends study-collected, study-enhanced and linked data. It will be multi-purpose, supporting observational, interventional, health services and policy research within the same cohort. It is designed to address physical, mental and social issues experienced during childhood, as well as the antecedents of a wide range of diseases of ageing. It seeks to generate translatable evidence (prediction, prevention, treatments, services) to improve future wellbeing and reduce the future disease burden of children and adults. The GenV Cohort 2020s is open to all children born over a two-year period, and their parents, residing in the state of Victoria Australia. The GenV Cohort 2020s is preceded by an Advance Cohort of children born between 5 Dec 2020 and 3 October 2021, and their parents. This comprises all families recruited at GenV's Vanguard hospital (Joan Kirner Women's and Children's) and at birthing hospitals throughout Victoria as GenV scaled up to commence recruiting for the GenV Cohort 2020s. The Advance Cohort have ongoing and full participation in GenV for their lifetime unless they withdraw but may have less complete data and biosamples.

This protocol is being established to cover the evaluation of patients with inflammatory and/or infectious diseases which are not covered under previously existing protocols. The purpose of such a protocol is that frequently patients are referred to us with either diagnosed or undiagnosed illnesses which would be of interest to our teaching program or which would serve as a source of patients to subsequently be entered into established, ongoing protocol studies. Such patients will be admitted to the protocol and handled according to accepted medical practice of diagnosis and treatment.

There is a lack of understanding of how Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) - meaning the blocking or furring up of the arteries of the heart - starts and progresses in women. In both men and women, CAD is the most common cause of heart attacks, which occur when the blood supply in the heart is interrupted (these are also known medically as 'acute coronary syndromes'). Before the menopause women appear to be protected from CAD; however, after the menopause that protection is lost. Also, those women who do suffer a heart attack have twice the risk of further heart attacks compared to men despite having the same treatment that works well in men. Biological differences between men and women are probably playing an important role in the way CAD develops. However, due to a lack of research there is currently little understanding of how the female body works in this area. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or infection. Importantly it is also involved in the development of CAD. Hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone are also likely to be contributory factors. The investigators think the differences between the way these hormones and inflammation play a part in CAD in both men and women are important, but the role they play is not yet fully understood. In this study the investigators wish to measure the 'markers' of inflammation in the blood of patients attending Barts Heart Centre with chest pain. The investigators will also conduct questionnaires with these patients, to understand their hormone status and how parts of their medical history may be a contributory factor. For patients who have previously attended Barts Heart Centre will will contact them to conduct the questionnaire over the telephone only. The investigators will combine this data with the data that is routinely collected during hospital admission. In this way the investigators hope to understand whether inflammation together with hormone status plays an important role in CAD. Our hope is that through this research the investigators will address an under researched area and find new ways of treating women and men with coronary artery disease.

This clinical trial will study the effects of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), a natural plant extract, on physical and mental health in adult men. Ashwagandha is known for its potential to reduce stress, support hormonal balance and improve sleep and physical performance. The study will explore how taking Ashwagandha for 12 weeks, with resistance training, affects various health markers such as stress hormones, brain function, muscle strength, body composition, sleep quality, and cognitive abilities. Participants will be healthy, non-smoking men aged 25-40, with regular resistance training experience. They will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) weight training + Ashwagandha, (2) weight training + placebo. The study is double-blinded, meaning neither participants nor researchers will know who is receiving Ashwagandha or placebo. Participants will: * Take Ashwagandha or a placebo every day for 12 weeks * Train in the gym three times a week Researchers will assess changes in blood markers (like cortisol, testosterone and BDNF - brain-derived neurotrophic factor), physical performance (muscle strength and endurance), sleep quality, stress perception and cognitive function before and after the 12-week period. The goal is to better understand how Ashwagandha works.

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness of using a freeze-dried wild blueberry powder on cardiometabolic health, cognitive function, and gut microbiota composition in adult women with prediabetes.

The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of wild blueberries on cardiovascular health, cognitive function, and gut microbiota composition in non-Hispanic Black and White adults with elevated blood pressure.

The study purpose is to investigate the hypothesis that in adults with SAH, early neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and high protein supplementation (HPRO) will improve muscle mass, metabolic and inflammatory biomarker profiles, compared to SAH controls receiving standard of care interventions for nutrition and mobilization. The investigators will accomplish this by studying the effects of a high protein (HPRO) nutritional treatment as well as NMES intervention have upon muscle wasting and motor strength acutely after SAH. This will be addressed in a prospective trial of SAH patients receiving HRPO with NMES as compared to age and severity-matched SAH patients undergoing standard of care interventions for nutrition and mobilization. Additionally, the study will investigate the impact HPRO and NMES interventions have upon inflammatory cytokines and markers of energy balance. Results of this study will establish evidence for precision nutrition plus early exercise to mitigate the catabolic and inflammatory state produced by SAH to improve muscle, metabolic, and health recovery outcomes.

Tidal flood disasters in coastal areas cause chronic psychological stress due to economic, social, and residential disruption. Psychological stress is closely linked to systemic inflammatory responses-marked by elevated Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR)-which are associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness interventions, particularly body scan techniques, have been shown to reduce psychological distress and modulate immune responses, but empirical evidence on coastal flood survivors in Indonesia remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a community-based mindfulness body scan intervention on inflammatory biomarkers (MLR, NLR, PLR) and psychological parameters (stress, depression, anxiety, trauma, sleep quality, and resilience) among tidal flood survivors in Sayung, Demak. Participants will undergo baseline blood work and psychometric assessments, receive an 8-day mindfulness body scan intervention, and complete post-intervention evaluations.

Recurrent tidal flooding (rob) in the coastal areas of Sayung District, Demak Regency, poses a continuous environmental threat that inflicts housing damage, economic instability, and prolonged socioeconomic uncertainty on local residents. These chronic stressors frequently trigger significant psychological distress, including elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, while simultaneously activating systemic inflammatory pathways and dysregulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Mindfulness body scan is a structured, non-pharmacological mind-body technique that involves directing non-judgmental attention to physical sensations across the body. Within a psycho-neuro-immunological framework, mindfulness practice is hypothesized to reduce physiological stress responses, promote autonomic nervous system balance, and downregulate pro-inflammatory pathways. This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of a structured 8-day mindfulness body scan intervention on both biological inflammatory markers and psychological outcomes among tidal flood survivors. Participants recruited from Sayung 1 Primary Health Center will be randomly allocated into two groups: 1. Intervention Group: Receives structured 8-day Mindfulness Body Scan training. 2. Control Group: Receives standard health monitoring. All participants will undergo baseline and post-intervention assessments, which include venous blood sampling to analyze key inflammatory and stress biomarkers-Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and Cortisol. In addition, psychometric instruments will evaluate changes in depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, and overall quality of life. The primary objective is to determine whether a short-term mindfulness body scan practice can effectively reduce systemic inflammation and improve post-disaster psychological well-being in coastal communities.

This randomized study will be conducted to compare the effect of a healthy beef-centric diet to a healthy U.S.-style dietary pattern on inflammation and other metabolic health outcomes in a metabolic syndrome and/or pre-diabetic population.

This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of ketorolac in 1,346 patients with Stanford Type A aortic dissection, conducted between 2025 and 2028. Participants will receive either ketorolac (60 mg intramuscularly \[IM\] within 6 hours before surgery and 30 mg im twice daily（at 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM, respectively for two days postoperatively or placebo in addition to standard care. Study outcomes include composite clinical endpoints, postoperative complications, and adverse events, which will be assessed through clinical evaluations, laboratory testing, and imaging studies at predefined intervals up to 90 days. The objective of this trial is to determine whether perioperative administration of ketorolac improves clinical outcomes in this patient population.

Aerobic exercise has emerged as an effective treatment to reduce sport-related concussion symptom severity, yet existing work lacks rigor regarding the precise exercise volume and intensity required to elicit therapeutic effects, how exercise can alter concussion-related pathophysiology, and whether exercise can prevent the development of secondary sequelae. Our objective is to examine if a high dose exercise program (higher volume than currently prescribed at an individualized, safe intensity level) initiated within 21 days of concussion results in faster symptom resolution, altered physiological function, or reduced secondary sequalae. Findings from this research will lead to more rigorous and precise rehabilitation guidelines and improved understanding about how exercise affects neurophysiological function among adolescents with concussion.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether a stress reduction program called Resilience, Stress, and Ethnicity (RiSE) improves well-being, inflammation, and the epigenome in African American (AA) women who have risk factors for heart or metabolic disease. The main question it aims to answer is whether an intervention that integrates cognitive-behavioral strategies focused on the impact that social stress, such as racism, has on the body, racial identity development, and empowerment. Participants will placed in one of the two following groups: * The RiSE program will focus on teaching participants how to reduce their stress levels and will meet online weekly for approximately 2 hours each week for 8 consecutive weeks. * The Health Education program will include education on how to improve general health and will meet online weekly for approximately 2 hours each week for 8 consecutive weeks. Participants will provide saliva to measure cytokines and DNA methylation (DNAm), complete questionnaires, and have blood pressure, heart rate, and weight measured at the following clinic visits: 1. Prior to starting the intervention 2. Mid-way through the intervention (Week 4) 3. End of the intervention (Week 8) 4. Six (6) months after the completion of the intervention

To research and develop new state of the art diagnostic biomarkers on the LumiraDx Platform that are comparable to the approved gold standard reference methods and will radically enhance clinicians and patients ability to monitor health conditions and improve outcomes by delivering the results near patient at the point of care.