FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH ADMINISTRATORS AND INVESTIGATORS IN THE AWARD MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Research administrators work in a variety of organizations, ranging from universities, hospitals, and government research agencies to for-profit corporations and nonprofit institutions. Research administrators actively serve as a principal investigator’s consultant, resource, and authority regarding federal and institutional guidelines and policies related to sponsored programs. They not only carry the responsibility of project award management but also provide guidance and support to investigators. Research administrators and principal investigators interact with each other to coordinate efforts as they work toward a common goal of sponsored project management. While the principal investigator drives the scientific investigation, the research administrator serves as the science project counterpart by managing all other research activities of the grant lifecycle. Therefore, it is critical for research administrators to develop healthy work relationships with investigators during the award management process to avoid losing funding at any point of the project and to create a virtuous circle where communication and collaboration nurture engagement and contribute to the success of the award. This was a single case control research project based on the administration of a one-time survey. The conceptual framework of the survey was based on the work relationship assessment from a survey published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). After HIRB approval, the survey invitation was distributed. After HIRB approval, the survey invitation was distributed. Fifty-seven respondents from the National Council of University Research Administrators’ (NCURA’s) Collaborate initiative participate in this survey. Over 50% of research administrators agreed on respectful work relationships, and 40% of participants agreed on successful practices, tolerating differences in opinions, awareness of individual contributions, and new ideas. However, around 60% of respondents recognized a degree of failure to communicate adequately and properly, a lack of interactions beyond task-related relationships, and the absence of confidence in seeking input from one another

Diffuse interstitial fibrosis assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance is associated with dispersion of ventricular repolarization in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Background Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterized by myocyte hypertrophy, disarray, fibrosis, and increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias. Increased QT dispersion has been reported in patients with HCM, but the underlying mechanisms have not been completely elucidated. In this study, we examined the relationship between diffuse interstitial fibrosis, replacement fibrosis, QTc dispersion and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with HCM. We hypothesized that fibrosis would slow impulse propagation and increase dispersion of ventricular repolarization, resulting in increased QTc dispersion on surface electrocardiogram (ECG) and ventricular arrhythmias. Methods ECG and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) image analyses were performed retrospectively in 112 patients with a clinical diagnosis of HCM. Replacement fibrosis was assessed by measuring late gadolinium (Gd) enhancement (LGE), using a semi-automated threshold technique. Diffuse interstitial fibrosis was assessed by measuring T1 relaxation times after Gd administration, using the Look?Locker sequence. QTc dispersion was measured digitally in the septal/anterior (V1?V4), inferior (II, III, and aVF), and lateral (I, aVL, V5, and V6) lead groups on surface ECG. Results All patients had evidence of asymmetric septal hypertrophy. LGE was evident in 70 (63%) patients; the median T1 relaxation time was 411±38æms. An inverse correlation was observed between T1 relaxation time and QTc dispersion in leads V1?V4 (p\u3c 0.001). Patients with HCM who developed sustained ventricular tachycardia had slightly higher probability of increased QTc dispersion in leads V1?V4 (odds ratio, 1.011 [1.004?1.0178, p=0.003). We found no correlation between presence and percentage of LGE and QTc dispersion. Conclusion Diffuse interstitial fibrosis is associated with increased dispersion of ventricular repolarization in leads, reflecting electrical activity in the hypertrophied septum. Interstitial fibrosis combined with ion channel/gap junction remodeling in the septum could lead to inhomogeneity of ventricular refractoriness, resulting in increased QTc dispersion in leads V1?V4

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCH ADMINISTRATORS AND INVESTIGATORS IN THE AWARD MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Research administrators work in a variety of organizations, ranging from universities, hospitals, and government research agencies to for-profit corporations and nonprofit institutions. Research administrators actively serve as a principal investigator’s consultant, resource, and authority regarding federal and institutional guidelines and policies related to sponsored programs. They not only carry the responsibility of project award management but also provide guidance and support to investigators. Research administrators and principal investigators interact with each other to coordinate efforts as they work toward a common goal of sponsored project management. While the principal investigator drives the scientific investigation, the research administrator serves as the science project counterpart by managing all other research activities of the grant lifecycle. Therefore, it is critical for research administrators to develop healthy work relationships with investigators during the award management process to avoid losing funding at any point of the project and to create a virtuous circle where communication and collaboration nurture engagement and contribute to the success of the award. This was a single case control research project based on the administration of a one-time survey. The conceptual framework of the survey was based on the work relationship assessment from a survey published by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). After HIRB approval, the survey invitation was distributed. After HIRB approval, the survey invitation was distributed. Fifty-seven respondents from the National Council of University Research Administrators’ (NCURA’s) Collaborate initiative participate in this survey. Over 50% of research administrators agreed on respectful work relationships, and 40% of participants agreed on successful practices, tolerating differences in opinions, awareness of individual contributions, and new ideas. However, around 60% of respondents recognized a degree of failure to communicate adequately and properly, a lack of interactions beyond task-related relationships, and the absence of confidence in seeking input from one another

Predictors of Acute Renal Injury Study (PARIS) among HIV-positive individuals: design and methods

Abstract Background Acute kidney injury (AKI), which is common among HIV-positive individuals, may contribute to the excess burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in this patient population; however, conventional clinical methods to detect AKI do not capture kidney injury sufficiently early to prevent irreversible damage. Further, large observational and interventional studies of AKI generally exclude HIV-positive persons in spite of their disproportionate risk. Methods The Predictors of Acute Renal Injury Study (PARIS) is a prospective observational cohort study among HIV-positive individuals established to determine the ability of candidate kidney injury biomarkers to predict future hospitalized clinical AKI, to characterize hospitalized subclinical AKI, and to discern the risk of progressive kidney disease following subclinical and clinical AKI. Among the candidate kidney injury markers, we will select the most promising to translate into a clinically viable, multiplex panel of urinary biomarkers which we will integrate with clinical factors to develop a model prognostic of risks for AKI and subsequent kidney function decline. This study has a targeted enrollment of 2000 participants. The overall follow-up of participants consists of two phases: 1) a 5-year active follow-up phase which involves serial evaluations at enrollment, annual clinic visits, and among participants who are hospitalized during this period, an evaluation at index hospitalization and 3 and 12 months post-hospitalization; and 2) a subsequent passive follow-up phase for the duration that the participant receives medical care at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. Discussions This study will serve as an important resource for future studies of AKI by establishing a repository with both ambulatory and inpatient biospecimens, a resource that is currently lacking in existing HIV clinical cohorts and studies of AKI. Upon completion of this study, the resulting prognostic model which will incorporate results from the multiplex HIV-AKI Risk Pane could serve as a pharmacodynamic endpoint for early phase therapeutic candidates for AKI

The incidence of and risk factors for hospitalized acute kidney injury among people living with HIV on antiretroviral treatment.

ObjectivesThe epidemiology of hospitalized acute kidney injury (AKI) among people living with HIV (PLWH) in the era of modern antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all PLWH is not well characterized. We evaluated the incidence of and risk factors for hospitalized AKI from 2005 to 2015 among PLWH on ART.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of PLWH from the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinical Cohort. We defined hospitalized AKI as a rise of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL in serum creatinine (SCr) within any 48-h period or a 50% increase in SCr from baseline and assessed associations of risk factors with incident AKI using multivariate Cox regression models.ResultsMost participants (75%) were black, 34% were female, and the mean age was 43 years. The incidence of AKI fluctuated annually, peaking at 40 per 1000 person-years (PY) [95% confidence interval (CI) 22-69 per 1000 PY] in 2007, and reached a nadir of 20 per 1000 PY (95% CI 11-34 per 1000 PY) in 2010. There was no significant temporal trend (-3.3% change per year; 95% CI -8.6 to 2.3%; P = 0.24). After multivariable adjustment, characteristics independently associated with AKI included black race [hazard ratio (HR) 2.44; 95% CI 1.42-4.20], hypertension (HR 1.62; 95% CI 1.09-2.38), dipstick proteinuria > 1 (HR 1.86; 95% CI 1.07-3.23), a history of AIDS (HR 1.82; 95% CI 1.29-2.56), CD4 count < 200 cells/µL (HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.02-2.07), and lower serum albumin (HR 1.73 per 1 g/dL decrease; 95% CI 1.02-2.07).ConclusionsIn this contemporary cohort of PLWH, the annual incidence of first AKI fluctuated during the study period. Attention to modifiable AKI risk factors and social determinants of health may further reduce AKI incidence among PLWH