Clinical trials

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a psychological intervention can increase regular physical activity to help prevent weight regain after metabolic bariatric surgery in adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does the psychological intervention increase physical activity? 2. Does the psychological intervention prevent weight regain? 3. Does the psychological intervention increase internal motivation for physical activity and acceptance of the discomfort that can come with physical activity? Researchers will compare the psychological intervention to an educational intervention to see if the psychological intervention works to increase physical activity and prevent weight regain after metabolic bariatric surgery. Participants will: * Complete 12 months of either the psychological or educational intervention. This includes attending online workshops with a small group of participants, completing brief homework assignments, and having individual telephone calls with a counselor. * Wear a device to measure physical activity, use an electronic scale to measure body weight, and complete questionnaires at home on five separate occasions over an 18-month period

The goal of this randomized, double-blinded, clinical trial is to assess the benefit of administering a Multifidus Cervicis Plane (MCP) block compared to a sham block as a method of postoperative pain control in patients undergoing posterior cervical spine fusion surgery. The main question it aims to answer is if the MCP block group will have reduced maximum pain scores during the first 24 postoperative hours compared to the sham block group. Participants will receive preoperative bilateral MCP blocks on the back of their neck using the standard of care local anesthetic solution that consists of 30 mLs 0.25% Bupivacaine + 0.5 mL (5 mg) preservative-free Dexamethasone + 0.1 mL Epinephrine (MCP block group). Researchers will compare the MCP block to the preoperative sham block which consists of injecting 3 mL of normal saline into the same area (Sham block group) to compare the postoperative pain scores between the groups as a main objective. The secondary objectives are: * Postoperative opioid consumption during hospitalization and at 2 weeks after discharge. * The amount and type of non-opioid analgesics used during hospitalization. * The occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and the use of antiemetics. * Hospital and Post Anesthesia Care Unit length of stay (LOS). * Monitor the safety of the study interventions during hospitalization and readmissions within 30 days of discharge. * Patient satisfaction with pain management and overall satisfaction with the surgery experience.

The goal of this pilot study is to compare single shot rectus sheath blocks of liposomal bupivacaine/bupivacaine mixture to bilateral rectus sheath catheters infused with ropivacaine (standard of care at our facility) in patients undergoing vascular surgery with an open mid-abdominal laparotomy incision. This study will assess the safety and feasibility of this approach compared to standard of care. Participants will receive either a single dose of liposomal bupivacaine/bupivacaine mixture intraoperatively at the end of surgery through bilateral rectus sheath blocks (LB/B group) or the standard of care ropivacaine intraoperatively at the end of surgery through bilateral rectus sheath blocks with the insertion of bilateral RS catheter for continuous ropivacaine infusion plus repeated daily boluses (Catheter group; standard care). They will be assessed for differences in the rate of postoperative complications, resources consumed with each intervention, as well as postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, hospital and PACU length of stay, patient's satisfaction, and quality of recovery, and hospital length of stay.

This study will be a single center, prospective triple blinded randomized controlled study, comparing the use of liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) to regular bupivacaine with adjuncts in bilateral mid-abdominal transverse abdominis plane (TAP) blocks for patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy procedures.

Memory deficits are one of the most consistently observed cognitive effects of marijuana use. There is evidence that some decrements attributable to the primary psychoactive ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), may be attenuated by cannabidiol (CBD). This study will help us learn more about the relationship between THC and CBD consumption with memory processes. A combination of MRI and neuropsychological tests (which are computer and paper/pencil tasks) will be used to measure the neurocognitive and behavioral impacts of THC and CBD use.

The proposed study will replicate target engagement as assessed in the first phase while also determining if it correlates with clinically meaningful improvements in ADHD dysfunction

Hoarding disorder (HD) is characterized by difficulty discarding personal possessions due to significant emotional distress when parting with personal items. This leads to the accumulation of excessive clutter which compromises the normal use of living spaces. In addition to emotional distress, individuals with HD experience significant impairment in physical health. One study found an 11-fold increase in stroke risk, a 10-fold increase in cancer risk, and a 7-fold increase in cardiovascular disease in individuals with HD relative to a general population comparison group. Patients with HD are also more likely to experience obesity and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. The short-term goal of the proposed study is to determine whether a brief exercise intervention improves discarding-related distress and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in individuals with HD relative to a relaxation control condition. Preliminary evidence suggests that BDNF may be associated with greater body mass index and more severe HD symptoms in patients with HD. BDNF is a well-studied growth factor which is involved in neuronal transmission, plasticity, and survival of many neuron systems that have been implicated in psychiatric disorders, including serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine. BDNF has been proposed as a mechanism of exercise interventions for psychiatric disorders, as even one session of exercise has been shown to increase BDNF levels. This study represents an initial first step towards the long-term goal of improving current treatments for HD. This is important because although current cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBT) are effective, only 35% of patients who receive these treatments actually benefit from them. In the proposed pilot study, the investigators will test whether 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise reduces the distress associated with discarding and increases BDNF levels in individuals with HD relative to a relaxation control. The investigators will recruit 22 individuals with a primary diagnosis of HD. They will be randomly assigned to exercise or control. Following the intervention, the investigators will assess BDNF via serum. Participants will complete a standardized discarding task which consists of sorting and discarding personal possessions. The central hypothesis is that those in the exercise condition will demonstrate lower distress during the discarding task and greater BDNF levels as compared to those in the relaxation control condition. Should the hypothesis be confirmed, the investigators will be well poised to conduct large-scale clinical trials testing exercise interventions as adjunctive or alternative treatments to standard CBT.

While there is a lifesaving medication called naloxone that can reverse the deadly effects of opioid overdose, patients often fail to fill the prescription at the pharmacy when it is prescribed. This is particularly concerning and true in those at the highest risk of death-those who end up in the emergency department for opioid overdose. The goal of this study is to compare the impact of different overdose education on naloxone prescription fill rates in opioid users being discharged from our hospital emergency department. You will receive either (a) written education about naloxone through their MyChart account, or (b) a concise one-page handout and 4-minute video clip reviewed with the participant and a support individual (family/friend) prior to discharge.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a 10-wk hybrid Tai Chi (TC) program with in-person classes and online TC videos among 24 physically inactive adults who are seeking metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) in a single-arm trial. The aims are: Aim 1: Feasibility: To evaluate whether TC is feasible, defined as a mean attendance rate of ≥70% in-person TC classes attended. Aim 2: Acceptability: To evaluate whether TC is acceptable, defined as a mean rating of ≥4 across 4 acceptability questionnaire items measured on a 5-point Likert scale (e.g., rate "Tai Chi practice is appealing to me" on a scale from 1 \[completely disagree\] to 5 \[completely agree\]). Participants will complete four individual in-person visits where they will complete study assessments and ten weekly group in-person Tai Chi classes where they will practice Tai Chi with up to 5 other study participants. Additionally, they will be asked to practice Tai Chi at home with the aid of instructional online videos and log their practice.

The objective of this single-blinded randomized controlled interventional clinical trial is to learn about the efficacy and long-term safety of etomidate compared to propofol as an anesthesia induction agent in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The primary aim of this study is to determine whether patients receiving etomidate or propofol exhibit similar requirements for vasopressor or ionotropic agents during both the intraoperative and postoperative periods. To achieve this goal, participants who are scheduled for CABG surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either etomidate or propofol as the principal hypnotic agent. The researchers will then compare the effects of these two anesthesia induction agents on various factors, including the need for hemodynamic support, hemodynamic stability, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and overall hospital length of stay. Additionally, they will assess whether there are disparities in mortality rates and readmission rates within a 6-month timeframe after the surgery. By comparing the outcomes between the two groups, the study aims to provide valuable insights into the potential differences in vasopressor or ionotropic agent requirements between etomidate and propofol. This information can help inform clinical decision-making and potentially optimize anesthesia management strategies for patients undergoing CABG surgery.

The Depuy Synthes Locking Compression Plate (LCP) Variable Angle Patella Plating System is an FDA approved device. The purpose of this study is to see how well the Depuy Synthes LCP Variable Plating System work in fixing a broken kneecap (patella). Depuy says that the device will improve healing when compared to traditional ways of repairing a broken patella. The goal of this randomized control trial is to learn how well the LCP Variable Plating System works to fix a broken patella (kneecap) compared to traditional fixation methods, in male and females, age 18 to 74, with a patellar fracture, and being treated at Hartford HealthCare The Bone and Joint Institute or Hartford Hospital. The main question it aims to answer are: * To understand if the Depuy Synthes LCP Variable Angle Plating System will provide a better way to help patients recover from a broken patella. Participants will evaluated at specific time points: post-op day 1, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 month post-surgery. Participants will be asked to: * Complete surveys at all evaluation timepoints. * Have x-rays(radiographs) taken at the 6 week, 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year timepoints. * Participants will have a passive range of motion tests done at 6 week, 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year timepoints. * Participants would have strength and balance tests done at the 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year timepoints.