Search Results Within Category "Women's Health"

The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of amiloride on the blood pressure response to walking in PAD patients and healthy controls.

In each visit, you will be asked to walk on a treadmill. You will also be asked to take capsules prior to visit 2 and 3. The capsules for one visit will be a drug called amiloride (10mg, in 2 capsules with 5mg of amiloride in each capsule), which was traditionally used to lower blood pressure. The other capsules will be a placebo (no active medication). A blood sample will be drawn at each visit.

You will receive $25 per hour for your participation in this research study

The proposed overall research aims to establish feasibility of delivering an individually-tailored, behavioral intervention to manage gestational weight gain [GWG] that adapts to the unique needs and challenges of overweight/obese pregnant women [OW/OB-PW] and will utilize control systems engineering to optimize this intervention; in other words, make this intervention manage GWG in OW/OB-PW as effectively and efficiently as possible.

You will be randomized into an intervention or attention control group from ~8 weeks gestation to ~37 weeks gestation with a BMI of 20-45 (>40 with physician consent). You will have 1 pre-intervention session that explains the study procedures and to get you ready for the study. Here you will also complete various measures of demographics, behavioral surveys, etc. Over the course of the study, you will weigh yourself each day, wear an activity monitor and complete various surveys. If you are randomized to the intervention group, you may have healthy eating demonstrations and/or physical activity sessions each week. You will have 1 post-intervention session where you will return your devices, complete a 30-60 minute interview and complete the last of the surveys.

$250

The goal of this study is to understand how babies and their mothers learn to respond to stress during the early years of the baby's life. Participating women complete questionnaires and do a mildly stressful task alone (during pregnancy) or with their babies (at four different times over the first two years of the baby's life) and collect saliva samples that tell us about stress responses, either at home or at one of our lab sites. We aim to use what we learn to better support expecting parents who may be at risk for stress-related health problems and improve their children's resilience to stress throughout life.

Women are asked to participate in six sessions over Zoom and/or at the PACT Center between their 28th week of pregnancy and when their child is 2 years old. During these sessions, which last up to 2 hours each, mothers and babies will 1. participate in mildly stressful tasks (like having the mother leave the room for up to 3 minutes and then return) and games to assess the baby’s emotional and cognitive development 2. provide saliva samples by drooling into a tube (for the mother) or holding a cotton swab in their baby’s mouth to get it wet 3. fill out questionnaires about themselves and their baby 4. take part in clinical interviews that ask about mood and other markers of psychological ill-being

$220

Through in-depth interviews, we examine how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the daily lives and mental well-being of essential workers, as well as their use of social media.

We will conduct a pilot study to test feasibility of an innovative light device and blue-light glasses for promoting better sleep and a novel, smart water bottle for proper hydration. We will also examine women’s sleep and hydration behaviors in relation to their perceptions of pain, and obtain feedback from the participants on the overall patient intervention content to reduce prescription opioid use and promote behavioral pain management strategies after delivery.

Currently recruiting pregnant women who are in their 2nd or 3rd trimester. Attend a pre-session (in person OR remote) to explain the use of the water bottle, lighting devices, activity monitors, and weight scale Use the devices for 22 days and complete surveys in your own home Attend a post-session (in person OR remote) to return devices and participate an interview about the last 22 days

$100

Endometriosis, is a disorder that occurs in women, is when tissue that should be normally found inside the womb is also found in sites outside of the womb. This disorder impairs the function of the endothelium, the cells that line the body’s blood vessels (endothelium). The endothelium helps to control blood flow in healthy vessels. Women with this disorder not only have an increased risk for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, they also have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. They have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, too. With this study, we will learn how endometriosis impairs the lining of blood vessels and increases the risk for disease. We will test two different intervention strategies to reduce long-term cardiovascular disease risk in women with endometriosis.

There will be 3 in person visits, blood draws will occur at all visits. On 2 of the visits blood flow experiments will be conducted. Participants will take oral medications.

390

This study will examine different structural designs of stretchable, skin-like sensors on the surface of human skin for workers.

There will be one in person visit; Subjects will first be asked to sit still for 3 minutes and then move their skin by the research team for another 3 minutes.

This is a voice perception study that asks participants to listen to voices and rate on various attributes such as attractiveness, social status, health, and others.

This study (Mindful Moms) is being done to understand how an 8-week app-based mindfulness program called Calm impacts breastfeeding and maternal well-being. Eligible participants will be asked to complete three online surveys (each survey will take about 20 minutes) and take part in an 8-week app-based mindfulness program. Eligible participants will also be asked to take part in one online interview that will take about 25-30 minutes once the mindfulness program is over.

Participants will take part in one of two groups: A group asked to take part in a free 8-week app-based mindfulness program on their smartphone starting when they are 36 weeks pregnant or 4 weeks after delivery. The program will teach participants about mindfulness and breathing strategies to assist with calming their mind and body. or A group asked to take part in a free 8-week app-based mindfulness program on your smartphone starting 4 weeks or 12 weeks after they deliver. The program will teach participants about mindfulness and breathing strategies to assist with calming their mind and body. Participants will also be asked to complete three online surveys (each survey will take about 20 minutes) and take part in one online interview that will take about 25-30 minutes once the mindfulness program is over.

$130

This proposal is a prospective study in which we will collect both subjective and objective quantitative data from older adults residing in independent living retirement communities, microlongitudinally (~1wk). Comprehensive measures of sleep health, cognition, and movement will be collected at community residences. The first phase of this project will recruit local, State College area adults over 70 residing in independent living facilities (e.g., Foxdale Village and The Village at Penn State). A second phase of data collection will extend to community-based older adults in rural parts of Centre and nearby counties. With this prospective, microlongitudinal information we will evaluate the characteristics of sleep predictive of daytime cognitive and neurobehavioral function and use those conclusions to inform nonpharmacologic, preventative interventions for older adults.

After consent, there will be 6 study visits at either Penn State University Park campus or at the participant's personal residence. Study participation lasts about 1 week. Participants wear non-invasive ambulatory watch-like activity monitors throughout (both day and night) the week. Participants complete electronic surveys and cognitive tests 6 times daily, with additional surveys at study conclusion. Sleep and daytime brain and heart activity are recorded (without video) using non-invasive clinical-type wire sensors applied to the face, head, and chest. Wires are worn on the face, head, and chest throughout the first two study nights. Wires are worn on the head and chest throughout the first two study days. There is not a sleep intervention in this study. We are collecting data about the typical sleep health of older adults and its relation to cognitive health.

$350

The frequency and severity of heat waves has increased in the last decades. Women over 65 are at the most vulnerable to adverse events during these events. This sex difference only occurs in middle aged and older adults suggesting that menopause could play a role in increased risk in the heat for women. It is important to identify the role that the menopause transition plays in the ability to regulate body temperature in aging women. In this study, we will identify the role of estrogen levels in pre and post menopausal women on their ability to tolerate heat.

For this study, you will visit the lab for a screening visit, a maximal exercise test, and 6 experimental sessions. Before each experimental visit, you will swallow a temperature-sensing capsule 1-2 hours prior to arriving. In one type of experiment (passive heat stress), conducted during 2 visits, you will wear a suit with tubing running hot water to warm your body. A small catheter will be placed in your forearm to measure skin blood flow. In the other type of experiment (active heat stress), conducted during 4 visits, you will perform light exercise in heat and humidity on at least two separate days with different heat and humidity conditions. Participants will receive estrogen treatment for a portion of the study.

430

This research aims to study the training knowledge that is essential for drivers to use Advanced Driving Assistant Systems safely and properly and identify the optimal training approaches.

If you participate in the first experiment, you will receive training of the in-vehicle system via videos and manuals, complete a driving task on the driving simulator, and answer questions from questionnaires. If you participate in the second experiment, there will be two visits. In the first visit, you will receive training via watching and interacting with online videos, watching an experimenter operating ADAS at the test track, or practicing the functions of ADAS in a vehicle at the test track. The functions in the training include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and Highway Driving Assist. In the second visit, you will complete a driving task on the driving simulator and answer questions from questionnaires.

$15 for experiment1 $60 for experiment2

This study aims to assess the relations among our daily thought patterns, positive emotions, everyday experiences, and cognitive functioning abilities. Eligible participants will complete a series of online questionnaires, a short 15- to 25-minute psychological interview, and brief cognitive functioning tests at Day 1 and Day 16. All visits will occur via Zoom. In between study visits on Day 1 and Day 16, they will be prompted to complete smartphone-delivered assessments of cognitive functioning, symptoms, and experiences for 14 days, 5 times a day. This is important to inform clinicians and researchers on how best to develop effective digital mental health therapies.

During Day 1, participants will undergo a brief 15- to 25-minute clinical interview over Zoom. After the clinical interview, if participants meet the study eligibility criteria, we will continue with the procedures outlined below. Otherwise, if they are ineligible for the study, we will mention that this study is not suitable for them and provide the contact of mental health treatment services. Eligible participants will then conduct a series of self-report questionnaires and performance-based cognitive functioning tests for the next 35 minutes. Participants will then complete a series of 14-day brief ecological momentary assessments administered on their smartphone five times a day, for 14 days. Last, participants will return for a 35- to 45-minute visit on Day 15 to complete a series of self-report questionnaires and performance-based cognitive functioning tests.

15

This study is being done to answer the following question: Can tomosynthesis mammography, three-dimensional x-ray imaging of the breast, lower your chance of developing life-threatening breast cancer through routine screening compared with digital mammography, two-dimensional x-ray imaging of the breast? We are doing this study because we want to find out which of the two usual approaches to breast cancer screening are better in the early detection of life-threatening breast cancers.

If you decide to take part in this study, you will either get screened for breast cancer with digital mammography every year or two for up to 5 years, or tomosynthesis mammography every year or two for up to 5 years. After you finish the active study screening period, you will return to your normal screening mammography regimen and the study team will check with you and/or your medical records for your health status once a year for at least three years and up to 8 years after enrollment in the study. The date of your enrollment in the study determines the number of years of your participation.

Poor maternal nutrition is linked to poor birth outcomes. Current vitamin and mineral recommendations in pregnancy are based on limited data mostly from animal models and non-pregnant people. This study seeks to improve our understanding of the amounts of vitamins and minerals that are needed during pregnancy, to improve the health of women and newborns, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Nutrients travel around the body in blood, therefore part of the research is to understand how much blood and the watery component of blood (plasma) increases in pregnancy. This is a collaborative study with George Washington University (lead PI is there). The Penn State team will conduct pilot work to establish a method for measuring plasma volume in 2 phases. In phase 1, nonpregnant will be asked to attend one visit and plasma volume will be measured by injecting indocyanine-green (ICG, a green dye) and hydroxyethyl starch (HES, a form of starch) through an IV in the arm. In phase 2, pregnant women will be asked to attend 2 visits that are 4 weeks apart, but only HES (the starch) will be injected. For both phases (1 and 2), blood draws will occur at each visit and other non-invasive measurements will also be taken (e.g. weight, height, blood pressure). Each visit should take less than 2 hours and will be conducted at the Clinical Research Center in Noll Laboratory on the Penn State campus.

In phase 1, nonpregnant will be asked to attend one visit and plasma volume will be measured by injecting indocyanine-green (ICG, a green dye) and hydroxyethyl starch (HES, a form of starch) through an IV in the arm. In phase 2, pregnant women will be asked to attend 2 visits that are 4 weeks apart, but only HES (the starch) will be injected. For both phases (1 and 2), blood draws will occur at each visit and other non-invasive measurements will also be taken (e.g. weight, height, blood pressure). Each visit should take less than 2 hours and will be conducted at the Clinical Research Center in Noll Laboratory on the Penn State campus.

$50 per visit

The purpose of this research study is to understand the health effects of a new oral nicotine pouch, and also to understand if this product can help reduce traditional cigarette smoking. Participants will be asked to reduce their cigarette smoking by at least 50% with the help of the nicotine pouches.

After smoking your usual brand cigarettes for one week, you will be randomly assigned to one of six nicotine pouch groups to use over 16 weeks and asked to reduce your cigarette smoking over that time by at least 50% by using a nicotine pouch in place of your cigarettes. During the 16 weeks, there will be 2 phone call contacts and 4 in-person study contacts. During in-person contacts you will complete study questionnaires and you will be asked to provide urine, exhaled carbon monoxide, mouth cell samples, and other health measurements. You will record your cigarette and nicotine pouch use every day through a daily text message. Lastly, you will be followed up for a last study contact (virtual) 4 weeks later.

$500

The Penn State Personalized Research for Innovation, Discovery, and Education (PRIDE) Program. The aims of the PRIDE Program are to: 1. Create a centralized Biorepository using extra blood obtained from a clinically-ordered, or another IRB approved research protocol initiated blood draw, leftover biospecimens that are removed during medically indicated procedures or a saliva sample from consented participants that do not have clinically ordered blood draws or a medical procedure. 2. Construct a dynamic database of health and related data (via both manual and electronic abstraction) from consented participants. 3. Establish a mechanism for approving use of the banked biospecimens for future research.

The participant will meet with PRIDE Program team member in person to join the study. The participant with supply a saliva sample for the program. There is no compensation for joining the PRIDE Program.

This study will examine different structural designs of stretchable, skin-like sensors on the surface of human skin for construction workplace health monitoring.

There will be one in person visit, you will be asked to sit still for 3 minutes and then move your skin for another 3 minutes.

The CALM Project is looking to learn how different birthing classes prepare child-bearers for parenthood. Participants attend a free birthing class between their 20th and 37th weeks of pregnancy with their partners and fill out three questionnaires during pregnancy and postpartum. Three months after their baby is born, they are video-recorded interacting with their baby in their home and have their brain scanned using MRI. We aim to understand how different childbirth classes support mothers' well-being and bonding with their babies.

Women are asked to 1. complete 3 self-report questionnaires online during pregnancy and after their baby is born (45 minutes each) 2. attend a childbirth preparation class (from a few hours to a 9-week class) 3. participate in 2 in-person sessions (1.5 hours each): a videorecording with their baby in the home and a brain scan using MRI at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.

$160 + free birthing class

The purpose of this study is to investigate psychobiological factors that impact the development and manifestation of eating disorder (ED) pathology in elite male and female athletes before and during their competitive season.

The purpose of this voluntary research study is to assess how changes in stress, cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, and reward delay predict the trajectory of eating disorder behaviors and associated side effects of energy deficiency from the off-season compared to the competitive season. Your participation in this study will last approximately the duration of one season of your sport, specifically 4-weeks of data collection prior to season commencement (baseline), 4-weeks of data collection during peak competition season, and 4-weeks of data collection during off-season. The total time spent in the lab will be approximately 10-14 hours. Procedures will occur three times and measurements will be taken twice following baseline measures (once during the peak competition season, once during off-season), if you agree to do so.

$50

This study is to find out if there are types of early-stage endometrial cancer that require less treatment than the usual approach. Based on laboratory testing of the cancer and the extent of spread at time of surgery. The study doctor may recommend Sub-study A or Sub-study B. Based on this assessment, subjects may receive no therapy (observation) or less therapy (de-escalated therapy) than the subject would have received as part of your usual treatment.

Treatment that will be recommended to the subject will be based on laboratory testing of the cancer and the extent of spread at time of surgery. The study doctor might recommend that the subject participate in Sub-study A or Sub-study B. Based on this assessment, the subject may receive no therapy (observation) or less therapy (de-escalated therapy) than the subject would have received as part of their usual treatment After the subject finishes study treatment, and even if they stop treatment early, the study doctor will continue to follow the subject's condition, watch the subject for side effects and keep track of the subjects health. The subject will be seen after 3 months and 6 months, then every 6 months for 3 years, and then every year after starting the study until the study closes. The subject may be seen more often if subject's study doctor thinks it is necessary.

The purpose of this study is to examine the sexual relationships among heterosexual female college students (ages 18-22) via Qualtrics (a web-based survey). Utilizing latent class analysis with a distal outcome, the proposed cross-sectional study seeks to do the following: Aim 1. Examine the heterogeneity in relationship quality among female college students. Research question 1: Is there a latent class structure that adequately represents the heterogeneity in relationship quality among female undergraduate students participating in penile-vaginal sex? If so, what are the types and their corresponding prevalence? Aim 2. Examine the association between relationship characteristics and latent class membership. Research question 2: Are relationship characteristics (partner type, relationship duration, exclusivity/monogamy, and frequency of sex) predictive of membership in latent classes of relationship quality? Aim 3. Examine the association between latent classes of relationship quality and condom use. Research question 3: Which identified latent class of relationship quality is significantly associated with condom use at last penile-vaginal sex? Please note that the indicators measuring relationship quality will include the following variables: 1) trust, 2) love, 3) passion, 4) commitment, 5) relationship satisfaction, 6) sexual satisfaction, 7) intimacy, and 8) decision-making dominance.

This research aims to learn more about your daily thoughts, behaviors, and their impact on social relationships. We want to understand the different qualities of day-to-day thoughts, how these might affect your mood, and how this may influence how you behave in social interactions. We will first ask you to complete a set of structured questionnaires and a brief 30-minute psychological interview via Zoom. This will be followed by a training session in which you will learn how to use your smartphone to track your social interactions and related daily thoughts and behaviors eight times a day for eight days.

You will undergo an initial assessment visit conducted on Zoom, where you will provide informed consent and undergo screening through a brief 30-minute clinical interview. Based on your responses, we will know if you can participate in the study. If eligible, you will be invited to the second part of the study. If so, during the same session, you will then receive a brief half-hour training session reviewing instructions on using a mobile application to complete daily surveys and then complete a series of online questionnaires. When you leave this session, for the next eight days, you will complete eight (approximately 2-minute) questionnaires daily between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. On the third day, you will attend a compliance check via Zoom to review your progress in the present study.

$20

The purpose of the study is to determine the effects of amiloride on the blood pressure response during exercise, and exercise tolerance in patients with PAD and healthy controls.

There will be 3 in-person visits. You will take a capsule of amiloride or placebo before visits 2 and 3 and blood pressure, heart rate and other physiological measurements will be recorded.

You will receive $25 per hour for your participation in this research study

Endometriosis, is a disorder that occurs in women, is when tissue that should be normally found inside the womb is also found in sites outside of the womb. Endometriosis is a disorder that is associated with systemic inflammation. This disorder impairs the function of the endothelium, the cells that line the body’s blood vessels (endothelium). The endothelium helps to control blood flow in healthy vessels. Women with endometriosis not only have an increased risk for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, they also have an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. With this study, we will learn how systemic inflammation in endometriosis impairs the lining of blood vessels and increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. We will use a short term intervention with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory to examine how inflammation impact endothelial function in women with endometriosis

There will be 4 in person visits, at all visits blood will be drawn. Two of the visits will be experimental visits where we will measure skin blood flow and blood flow in the brachial artery. Participants will be required to take a placebo or the drug salsalate for 4 days prior to each experimental visit.

$450

This study is being conducted to understand what strategies are most successful: 1) in building and retaining a cohort of families from rural communities in Central Pennsylvania with recruitment beginning in pregnancy, infant/toddler age, and preschool age using a cohort sequential design; 2) for collecting clinical and semi-invasive, remote-based biobehavioral measurements to better characterize synergistic factors associated with obesity and substance use in this high risk population; and 3) for identifying points for future intervention, treatment, prevention, and policy efforts to reduce health disparities in maternal-child morbidity and promote positive family processes.

Cohort 1 (Pregnancy Cohort) will follow the assessment schedule as described below: Visit 1 will occur around 16-weeks gestation. You will complete online surveys. The surveys should take 1 hour or less.. Visit 2 will occur around 32-weeks gestation. You will complete online surveys, and a semi-structured health behaviors interview via Zoom. You may also be asked to collect hair and/or nail samples. The visit should take 2 hours or less. Visit 3 will occur around 6 months post-delivery. You will complete online surveys. The surveys should take 1 hour or less. Visit 4 will occur around 12 months post-delivery. You will complete online surveys and a parent-child interaction observation (one session). This visit should take 1 hour or less. Cohort 2 (12 month old child Cohort) will follow the assessment schedule as described below: Visit 1 will occur around 12 months post-delivery. You will complete online surveys, and a parent-child interaction observation (one session). You may also be asked to provide hair and/or nail samples. This visit should take 2 hours or less. Visit 2 will occur around 24 months post-delivery. You will complete online surveys. This visit should take 1 hour or less. Cohort 3 (24 month old child Cohort) will follow the assessment schedule as described below: Visit 1 will occur around 24 months post-delivery. You will complete online surveys. You may also be asked to provide hair and/or nail samples. This visit should take 1 hour or less. Visit 2 will occur around 36 months post-delivery. You will complete online surveys. This visit should take 1 hour or less. All electronic health record data will be extracted at the end of study participation.

$100-200

The purpose of the study is to gain an understanding of students’ experiences in college and their engagement help-seeking and healthy behaviors. Participation in the study involves completing a brief online-survey on Qualtrics, which we anticipate will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

This multi-site consortium research study, entitled the HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study, will prospectively examine human brain, cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional development beginning prenatally through age 10 years. The study will determine the short- and long-term impacts of a variety of potentially harmful as well as protective environmental factors. These include prenatal substance use, mental health, stress, sociodemographics, biological and genetic factors, and parent/child interaction. The overall goal of this study is to understand the neurodevelopmental trajectories of children growing up in diverse environments. A sample of ~7,500 pregnant women will be recruited from 25 sites across the U.S. and they and their liveborn children will be followed for 10 years.

If you agree for you and your child to participate, we will ask you to take part in completing visits from pregnancy through the first 10 years of your child’s life. These visits will take place both in-person and remotely. The length of visits will vary and may last between approximately one to nine hours per visit (which can be broken up into multiple visits). Over the first four years of the study, all study visits will require about 33-37 hours total. This will include interviews, questionnaires and other tests about yourself and your child. We will ask you and your child to wear small devices for a few days to measure heart rate and or movement. We will ask you and your child to provide some biological samples. Because this study is looking at how a child’s brain develops in the first years of life, we will ask that you allow your child to have brain scans and other measures of how your child’s brain is developing. This study is being offered in both State College, PA at the University Park campus and in Hershey, PA at the College of Medicine campus. You may choose to complete this study at either site.

$1,350

The purpose of this research is to take and store blood, urine samples from pregnant women diagnosed by a positive pregnancy test or by ultrasound imaging. The purpose of this study is to determine a better way to diagnose the location and/or viability (chance of survival) of a pregnancy, as compared to current clinical care. Many women are found to be pregnant by a hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) test which detects a hormone that is indicative of pregnancy. However, in early pregnancy, it is often difficult to see the pregnancy by ultrasound, which is called a pregnancy of unknown location (PUL). In early pregnancy, doctors do many tests (including blood tests and ultrasounds) to try to determine how far along the pregnancy is, whether it is healthy, and most importantly whether the pregnancy is growing in the right place. The doctors running this research project are trying to see if there are substances (biomarkers) in the blood or urine of a pregnant woman that can tell whether the pregnancy is a normal, healthy pregnancy, an ectopic pregnancy, or if pregnancy is not viable (miscarriage). To do this, blood and/or urine samples are being collected from women who have a pregnancy of unknown location, an ectopic pregnancy, women who are having a miscarriage, and women with a healthy growing pregnancy. The study will then look at a pre- determined panel of biomarkers that have been shown to be elevated (higher) or decreased (lower) in different types of pregnancy to determine the effectiveness and accuracy of this test in earlier diagnosing the viability and location of early pregnancy.

There will be one visit at the visit participants will be consented and following consenting blood and urine will be collected.

$25.00

To examine women’s self-reported pregnancy hydration behaviors, especially during a global pandemic. This study will also examine other lifestyle behaviors (e.g., weight gain, exercise, eating behaviors, sleep, pain management). It is hypothesized that hydration behaviors will decrease due to lifestyle changes related to the pandemic. Secondary outcomes will also be influenced by hydration behaviors and pandemic lifestyle changes.