Two groups of former athletes (who competed in contact and not-contact sports) will undergo brain and heart assessments. Additionally, blood and urines samples will be collected in order to investigate potential markers of disease.

Patients with Alzheimer Disease and patients with Heart failure (and a control group free from both the previous mentioned conditions) will be evaluated with cardiac and neuropsychological assessments, in order to investigate the relationship between the two conditions. The study consists of two initial visits, and a 4- and 8-year follow-up visit.

The purpose of the study is to generate a bio bank of specimens for research. We will tissue that would otherwise be discarded from clinical or surgical procedure and information from medical records. We will also collect discarded blood, urines and sputum. Collecting samples will help to better understanding the mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases, identify biomarkers for early diagnosis and to predict safety and efficacy of new therapies.

The purpose of the MUSC Pulmonary Biorepository is to collect and store samples linked to medical and other information from individuals with pulmonary disease as well as healthy controls.

In combination with the clinical data and other approved research studies (that may recruit for and/or utilize samples of the biorepository) this sample repository will provide for uniform, longitudinal, complete and accurate data that can be organized and clinically correlated at the time of sample donation, with longitudinal testing possible as part of future study. Samples will be linked to each participant's unique ID, though will be deidentified and coded for use in future research and subsequent publications with pulmonary disease and control patients.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus; SLE), Systemic Sclerosis (scleroderma; SSc) and Systemic Vasculitis (SV) are relatively rare rheumatic diseases that disproportionately impact the African American community, and particularly African American women. The causes of lupus, scleroderma and vasculitis are unknown, but thought to include both genetic and environmental factors. We are enrolling lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis patients, and healthy control subjects. This is not a drug study. The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors that predispose people to develop lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis. Information about medical, social and family history, medications, physical exam findings, and laboratory tests will be collected for analysis. This study will involve approximately 1360 volunteers.

Blood obtained from volunteers will be used as a source of neutrophils and natural killer (NK) cells necessary for an ADCC assay. Cytotox-96 kit from Promega Corporation (Madison, WI) will be used for this assay. This assay involves target cells (e.g cells from the breast cancer cell line SKBR-3), IgG antibodies directed against antigens on the cells, and effector cells (NK cells or neutrophils) from blood donors.