UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science

Mental contamination-an internal experience of dirtiness evoked in the absence of physical contact with an external source-has been linked to the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following exposure to sexual abuse or assault (Adams et al., 2014; Badour et al., 2013; Brake et al., 2017). Mental contamination has been associated with greater PTSD severity (Rachman et al., 2015) and higher elevations in specific PTSD symptom clusters (particularly those of intrusive reexperiencing, negative cognitions/mood, and arousal/reactivity; Brake et al., 2019; Fergus & Bardeen, 2016). Additionally, trauma-related mental contamination has been linked to a number of negative posttraumatic emotions such as shame, guilt, disgust, and anger (Fairbrother & Rachman, 2004; Radomsky & Elliott, 2009) Despite clear and consistent links between mental contamination and problematic posttraumatic outcomes following sexual trauma, there is a dearth of research investigating how existing or promising new interventions for PTSD impact mental contamination. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an efficacious and effective 12-session manualized cognitive-behavioral intervention for PTSD that is considered a gold-standard empirically-supported treatment for PTSD that is recommended by the American Psychological Association (APA, 2017). In addition to PTSD symptom improvement, CPT has also demonstrated benefit for improving feelings of shame and guilt, which are often seen among individuals with trauma-related mental contamination (Nishith et al., 2005; Resick et al., 2002, 2008). Cognitive reappraisal, a primary technique employed in CPT, involves challenging one's view of an emotionally-eliciting situation to alter its emotional impact (Gross & John, 2003). However, some investigators have suggested that cognitive reappraisal may be less effective in targeting moral emotions such as shame, guilt, and self-disgust that are based on an individual's standards and virtues (Finlay, 2015). Self-compassion (SC; i.e., self-directed care and kindness; forgiveness; and feelings of common humanity; Neff, 2003) has been proposed as an alternative method for addressing trauma-related shame and preliminary evidence suggests a 6-session self-compassion intervention may have benefit for reducing both PTSD symptoms and trauma-related shame (Au et al., 2017). Given the centrality of shame, guilt, and self-disgust to the experience of mental contamination, and the fact that mental contamination often arises in response to experiences involving moral violation or betrayal (Millar et al., 2016; Rachman, 2010), a SC intervention for PTSD may also offer promise as a standalone or adjunctive intervention for reducing trauma-related mental contamination. A test of these interventions for their impact on reducing trauma-related mental contamination is needed. The current study will use Single Case Experimental Design to isolate and evaluate the effects of CPT and SC in reducing both PTSD symptoms and trauma-related mental contamination among individuals with PTSD resulting from sexual trauma. Aims: 1) explore whether participants demonstrate reductions in mental contamination and PTSD symptoms in response to 12-sessions of CPT or 6-sessions of a SC intervention; 2) evaluate whether presentation of either treatment first yields differences in symptom reduction for PTSD and/or mental contamination symptoms; 3) evaluate whether the addition of the alternative module will enhance reductions in PTSD symptoms and mental contamination; 4) evaluate if such reductions are maintained during follow-up. Visual inspection analysis and statistical methods will be used to draw conclusions regarding the effects of the interventions on PTSD symptoms and mental contamination.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2020

open study

Prospective, randomized, open-label, international, multi-center clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the AccuCinch Ventricular Restoration System in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2020

open study

This clinical trial will help us learn more about how to best care for babies with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome, also called NOWS. Babies with NOWS often have tremors, a hard time sleeping, excessive crying, and trouble feeding. Some babies that have NOWS need medicine. Doctors have two ways of providing medicine that are widely used today: 1. Scheduled opioid taper approach. The baby gets medicine at regular times. As symptoms get better, the amount of medicine the baby gets decreases until the baby no longer needs medicine. This is called a medicine taper. 2. Symptom-based approach. The baby will only get medicine when they show signs of NOWS, instead of at regular times. If the baby is showing no signs of NOWS, no medicine will be given. We are doing the OPTimize NOW study to figure out the best way to give medicine to babies with NOWS.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

The overarching goal of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative Lung Cancer Survivorship Care program is to reduce the burden of lung cancer by offering an innovative survivorship care approach that improves lung cancer quality of life, overcomes lung cancer stigma, and helps survivors engage with care. The project involves a two-group parallel randomized clinical trial comparing the impact of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative Lung Cancer Survivorship Care program (KLCLCSC) among lung cancer survivors (N=300) against an enhanced usual care condition (bibliotherapy+assessment) on quality of life outcomes.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2024

open study

Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) will be used in an open label, single agent, multicenter, study for patients with neuroblastoma in remission. In this study subjects will receive 730 Days of oral difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) at a dose of 750 mg/m2 ± 250 mg/m2 BID (strata 1, 2, 3, and 4) OR 2500 mg/m2 BID (stratum 1B) on each day of study. This study will focus on the use of DFMO in high risk neuroblastoma patients that are in remission as a strategy to prevent recurrence.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2016

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate speed high intensity interval training (HIIT) walking program following an orthopedic trauma.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

Rosacea is a common skin disorder which causes facial redness and inflammation in about 16 million Americans, from an unknown cause. Many triggers of rosacea symptoms are stressors that affect the sympathetic ("fight or flight") portion of the nervous system, and a recent pilot study suggests there is sympathetic dysfunction in rosacea. This project will benefit patients, clinicians, and basic scientists by increasing our understanding of sympathetic nervous system involvement in rosacea symptoms in order to develop improved treatments for patients with rosacea.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2019

open study

The REACH study is for people with CF who do not take cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators. The goal of the REACH study is to collect research data, including health data and specimens, from people with CF who do not take CFTR modulators. This data may be used to inform CF research, help design CF clinical trials and support the development of new treatments for people with CF who do not take CFTR modulators. Another goal of this study is to learn about research involvement for people with CF who do not take CFTR modulators, engage them in research, and give them an opportunity to learn about what is involved in participating in a CF research study.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

A vast majority (75-85%) of ankle sprain patients treated in emergency departments (ED) receive pain medication and are not referred for physical rehabilitation. Therefore, purpose of this study is to increase access to the standard of care for an ankle sprain by provide patients with physical rehabilitation delivered through telehealth. The purpose of this study includes compare a 2-week telehealth intervention to the usual care for treating 1) subjective function; 2) physical impairments; 3) medication consumption; and 4) patient-perceived barriers. The central hypothesis is participants receiving the 2-week telehealth intervention will 1) have less pain and disability; 2) improve balance and ankle range of motion; 3) consume less medication; and 4) reports positive feedback compared to the usual care group.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2021

open study

This is a single center, prospective cohort study of pregnant patients at high risk for spontaneous preterm birth: patient's with history of spontaneous preterm birth, patient's with a short cervix and patient's symptomatic for preterm birth will be included. A control cohort of nulliparous patients without a short cervix will be recruited to provide baseline data. Plan to enroll 240 patients identified through our ultrasound unit with goal of 60 patients in each group.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

The goal of this feasibility study is to use family units as support to promote nutrition and physical activity of individuals with type 2 diabetes. The main question it aims to answer is: • How does the family structure impact the health of its members living with type 2 diabetes? Participants will be asked to; - Tell us about their access to food sources and places in the community to engage in physical activity. - A nutrition and physical activity plan will be developed for participants and their families to use for 6 months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

This trial will evaluate a multilevel intervention (STAR model) that combines mobile health (mHealth) hearing screening tools with telemedicine technology for specialty care access in rural Kentucky schools. An initial version of the model was used in rural Alaska where telemedicine-based specialty referral improved both proportion of children receiving follow-up and time to follow-up. The refined STAR model will utilize an enhanced mHealth screening protocol that includes tympanometry for the detection of middle ear disease. The STAR model will also include a specialty telemedicine referral process in schools for children who refer school screening.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2022

open study

The main goal of the study is to assess the long-term safety of eptinezumab on children and adolescents ages 6 to 17 with chronic or episodic migraine.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2021

open study

The AIM HIGHer Clinical Trial will evaluate the safety and efficacy of Cardiac Contractility Modulation (CCM) therapy in patients with heart failure with LVEF ≥40% and ≤70%.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

Peritoneal carcinomatosis from advanced gastro-intestinal malignancy has historically been associated with poor overall survival (≤ 12 months) with few treatment options. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS), which involves removal of all macroscopic tumor nodules, combined with direct administration of heated intra-peritoneal (IP) chemotherapy (HIPEC) to the affected peritoneal surfaces, has been shown to be an effective treatment option that extends overall survival among certain cases of peritoneal carcinomatosis. IP chemotherapy allows delivery of a high dose of cytostatic drug directly onto the peritoneal surfaces at risk for microscopic residual disease while systemic exposure remains limited. Additionally, hyperthermia is known to enhance the cytotoxicity of several agents (including Mitomycin C) and improves the depth of peritoneal penetration. This trial will be a randomized phase 2 comparison of flat dose versus weight-based dose Mitomycin C. The hypothesis of this study is that HIPEC weight-based dosing may result in similarly effective peritoneal Mitomycin C concentrations with less systemic absorption and potential systemic toxicity, compared with the HIPEC flat dosing approach in patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2021

open study

This trial will evaluate whether the immune-sensitizing effects of immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab) and radiation with or without a PARP-inhibitor (Olaparib) will increase the effects of immunotherapy in men with high-risk localized prostate cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2023

open study

Imatinib can lead to long recurrence free survival in patients diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST); however side effects can significantly hinder quality of life for our patients. This study will use therapeutic drug monitoring to improve quality of life and symptoms and assess how many patients maintain therapeutic levels. Free drug levels and pharmokinetics of imatinib will also be monitored.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

Appalachian Kentuckians in Martin and Letcher Counties are grappling with a health-threatening drinking water crisis arising from exposures to disinfection by-products (DBPs). DBPs include trihalomethanes (THMs), haloacetic acids (HAAs), chlorate, and other compounds that have been associated with a variety of adverse health effects, including increased risk of bladder cancer and cardiovascular birth defects. This study implements a multi-stakeholder, multi-method approach to improve understanding of, characterize spatial and temporal variations in, and reduce exposure to DBPs in these Appalachian Kentucky counties.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

This study will evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of tirabrutinib monotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory PCNSL (Part A), and tirabrutinib in combination with one of two different high dose methotrexate based regimens (methotrexate/ temozolomide/rituximab or rituximab/methotrexate/procarbazine/ vincristine) as first line therapy in patients with newly diagnosed, treatment naïve PCNSL (Part B)

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2021

open study

The proposed study is a multi-center, prospective randomized controlled trial comparing current standard of care treatment to the SEXTANT treatment protocol in patients with Type III open fractures of the tibia and IIIB fractures of the ankle and hindfoot.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2021

open study

The Goal of this study is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and clinical responses following implantation of DSP-1083. Study enrolls both male and female patients in 2 cohorts.This study will be held in approximately 5-6 study sites in North America

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

This study aims to estimate the recurrence-free survival rates in women with endometrial cancer treated with selective versus sentinel node surgical staging. This study will gather information to help determine the best way to evaluate lymph nodes during surgery for endometrial cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The platform protocol is designed to be flexible so that it is suitable for a range of study settings and intervention types. Therefore, the platform protocol provides a general protocol structure that can be shared by multiple interventions and allows comparative analysis across the interventions. For example, objectives, measures, and endpoints are generalized in the platform protocol, but intervention-specific features are detailed in separate appendices. This platform protocol is a prospective, multi-center, multi-arm, randomized controlled platform trial evaluating potential interventions for PASC-mediated sleep disturbances. The hypothesis is that symptoms of sleep and circadian disorders that emerge in patients with PASC can be improved by phenotype-targeted interventions. Specific sleep and circadian disorders addressed in this protocol include sleep-related daytime impairment (referred to as hypersomnia) and complex PASC-related sleep disturbance (reflecting symptoms of insomnia and sleep-wake rhythm disturbance).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if participants treated with the experimental drug cusatuzumab added to venetoclax and azacitidine works to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) compared to venetoclax and azacitidine. Venetoclax and azacitidine are drugs commonly used to treat AML in patients that are unable to receive chemotherapy to treat AML. The main question the clinical trial aims to answer is does cusatuzumab added to venetoclax and azacitidine prolong the length of time participants live compared to venetoclax and azacitidine?

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

The C4 program aims to provide a multi-level intervention program (Patient Level, Healthcare Team and Healthcare System Level) that improves the coordination of care with supportive/ancillary care providers and community services through the use of patient navigation and a digital needs assessment and a closed-loop referral system and improves patient-centered communication and engagement in care through skills training for the healthcare team and provision of culturally appropriate patient educational tools and resources. The program components incorporate three areas that are critical to improving patient-centered care: coordination of care, patient-centered communication and engagement, and psychosocial care and other supportive services.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2024

open study