RSS 1.0eScholarship@UMassChan
eScholarship@UMassChan is a digital repository for UMass Chan Medical School's research and scholarship, including journal articles, theses, datasets and more. We welcome submissions from our faculty, staff, and students. eScholarship@UMassChan is a service of the Lamar Soutter Library, Worcester, MA, USA.
New! The recording and slides for our webinar "eScholarship@UMassChan: Share UMass Chan Research with the World" are available.
Questions? See the Help menu in the sidebar or contact escholarship@umassmed.edu.
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Recently Published
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Signs and Wonders: Integrating Multiple Systems to Digitize the Deaf Catholic ArchivesThe Archives and Distinctive Collections at the College of the Holy Cross is in the second half of a two-year CLIR "Digitizing Hidden Collections" grant project to preserve and provide access to key components of the Deaf Catholic Archives (DCA). Ideally, digital content would be accessible through both the institutional repository as well as the archival finding aids. Wonder how we did it? The project utilized three systems (Digital Commons, ArchivesSpace and Google) to efficiently upload thousands of items to our repository and link them to their respective finding aids. This presentation will discuss how we worked to build the repository structures and then developed workflows to create and populate an online collection that allows multiple access points for a large, complex, and growing archive. As this work continues, the next phase of the grant will use another tool to create exhibits using our IR, thus facilitating additional access, promotion and outreach efforts. These efforts, as well as the creation of metadata and description, will intentionally include input from members of the Deaf community here at Holy Cross and in partnership with others. Our experience offers suggestions for how to build out a large collection with several structures that require different technical treatments. We have already begun adapting them for other digitization projects. Though we used specific platforms, this presentation will demonstrate how different applications can be harnessed for a large, long-term project.
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Making Migration Less Mysterious: Developing a Migration Plan for ScholarWorks@UMassAmherstIn January 2023, after years of environmental scans, interviews with stakeholders and other IR managers, and platform investigations and pilots, the UMass Amherst Libraries made the decision to migrate its IR from bepress' Digital Commons to a combination of Janeway and Atmire-hosted DSpace 7.x. We all love a good migration presentation, but for most of us, migration remains a mysterious process that's difficult to envision. In this talk, I will walk through my process of creating a migration plan for our rather large and unwieldy IR -- from interviews with IR managers who have been through migration, the beginning stages of data cleanup and standardization, and the fun -- Excel column limits! Items uploaded multiple times!--discoveries made along the way. I will also discuss how the cleanup and discoveries are shaping our IR policies moving forward.
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Increase Discoverability of IR Works by Utilizing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) ToolsThe University of Notre Dame Law School utilizes Digital Commons to maintain its institutional repository, known as NDLScholarship, which is overseen by a small team within the Kresge Law Library at the Law School. Upon conducting a content review of the repository in collaboration with the Bepress consultant, it became evident that the SEO tools and features are overlooked. The new manager initiated a project to enhance the discoverability of the repository's content, leveraging Digital Commons' built-in SEO tools and features. This presentation intends to outline the team's approach, including the methods employed to gather and prioritize metadata, as well as the creation of descriptive page titles and introductory text to be incorporated at various structural levels such as the site homepage, community page, and individual publication items.
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Second Time Is the Charm: A DSpace 7 Migration StoryMembers from Cornell University Library's IT department share lessons learned from two attempts to migrate their DSpace 6.3 repository to the new DSpace 7.6 infrastructure. Learn about performance tuning, customizations, streamlined and secure access, containerization, and more!
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Kwalk: A Simple Program to Crosswalk Metadata for Repository UploadsUniversity of Chicago's Center for Digital Scholarship has been utilizing this program to better edit metadata for batch upload to Knowledge@UChicago. There are plans to share this software in the future as it is platform agnostic and has a potential wide range of use cases. Suppose you need to upload 1,000 items to TIND from a source like Lens.org or PLOS journals. You obtain informal metadata for the items by you or another person creating the spreadsheet from scratch, exporting the data, or web scraping each individual record. You might need to do the following after obtaining the data: Rename all the fields in the from the invented field names to TIND's field names; Add some fields that are missing; Leave out some fields you don't want; Combine several fields into one field; Modify the values of date formats or author names in a programmatic way; Generate syntactically correct upload URLs from a simple filename field. Kwalk is a program that lets us write a simple crosswalk that we can apply to each batch of metadata as we receive it and have multiple crosswalks for multiple projects as we work on them in an intermixed fashion. The program allows us to apply special functions to modify date formats, combine literal and field name text, generate uniform upload URLs, and much more.
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Agility in Changing Institutional Repository PlatformsThe purpose of this presentation is that it is perfectly okay to instill flexibility to change an institutional repository (IR) platform that will improve the (IR) user experience. New to the IR landscape in 2019 this was the first IR at this academic institution. Even with an ambitious focus to make this a shiny IR resource it fell short in its mission. It was time to go back to the drawing board in 2022, post-Covid pandemic, to search the IR landscape for a new generation IR. The goal was to have an abundance of modern features in the IR that would survive past the expiration date of staleness. Agility to change is necessary and making the change in a timely matter can benefit both library users of the IR and the library staff overseeing the IR. After four years with an IR platform the change in 2023 to a new IR platform that became a successful launching pad for new IR experience.
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Surveying and Editing the Metadata of Our Marathon: The Boston Bombing Digital ArchiveIn this talk, I will discuss my experience surveying and editing the metadata of a large crowdsourced public history archive. The Our Marathon collection includes nearly 8,000 items, with materials ranging from letters to collages to oral histories and other first-person accounts collected in the wake of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Along the way, collaborations were established between Northeastern University and the NPR radio station, WBUR, the Boston Globe, and the Boston Public Library. This archive bears some resemblance to other projects that used crowdsourced materials in response to a public trauma, such as the September 11 Digital Archive and the Hurricane Digital Memory Bank relating the experiences of Katrina and Rita. I added to and edited the Metadata Object Description Schema (or MODS) records from this collection, in order to clarify the copyright status, associated names and subjects of these materials, as well as the languages used in certain items, so as to improve discoverability for researchers viewing the collection through Northeastern University Library's Digital Repository Service. One of the biggest issues with these records initially was their lack of standardization and authorities, and in order to address these problems I needed to develop new ways of searching and surveying this collection. In working with this collection, I have realized that it presents some challenges that are perhaps unique to such a large, crowdsourced response to a shared trauma. Because this is a kind of memorial, with a goal of both community building and healing, it is important for users to be able to access this material on their own terms. Yet the large number of items in this collection require organization to allow for meaningful access.
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Approaching Accessibility For Your IRAccessibility standards are commonplace. While this progress is something to be championed, it can leave an institutional repository in a difficult situation. How do you uphold accessibility standards when you are not in creating the materials that are being added to your IR? This session will start by looking at the policy and potentially political considerations, as well as the practical aspects of implementing the policy. How do you implement the standards? What stake-holder buy in do you need? Is there technology that can help? Are you actually able to acquire the technology? Who is going to pay for the technology? Will AI truly save us all? And, because of the inevitable way that things like this usually go, how do you formulate Plans B-D just in case things do not go according to plan/take longer to implement? This presentation is coming from librarians who are currently working through this process and will outline what we've done so that others (hopefully) don't have to experience the same. Commiseration and comments from the audience will be highly encouraged.
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Curating Audiovisual Data in Data RepositoriesThis presentation reviews the practices of curating audiovisual data for submission into data repositories. As part of our Data Curation Network training program, we decided to write a primer on the topic of curating audiovisual data. Audiovisual materials are not a common form of research data in all fields, but is a burgeoning data type especially in the social sciences. Audiovisual data curation processes are not well documented, which motivated us to write a foundational and accessible guide for curators. We interviewed multiple experts in this field in order to learn more about their needs, challenges, and existing procedures. Our hope for this guide and presentation is to encourage further exploration of this fast developing topic. This presentation will cover our investigation of curation workflow, ethical issues, technical concerns, documentation, metadata, and special considerations.
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Rethinking Institutional RepositoriesOver the past twenty years, institutional repositories (IRs) have become commonplace across most colleges and universities. While IRs were originally conceived as a means to collect and disseminate faculty scholarship, in recent years it has become apparent that this may not be the most effective use case for the modern IR. In light of this changing landscape, how should IR managers think about the IR today? This session will provide an overview of the forthcoming book Rethinking Institutional Repositories, published by ACRL, which seeks to answer this question through contributions from IR managers at a wide range of institutions. The session will also briefly highlight several case studies from the book that provide practical suggestions for managing the modern IR, developing innovative projects and use cases for the IR, and using the IR as a means to highlight and showcase diverse voices and viewpoints and to provide an inclusive platform for all members of the community.
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Journey into the Third Dimension: Extending IRs to Support 3D Model DataFor the last 2 years, Florida State University Libraries' Technology and Digital Scholarship department has been exploring ways to incorporate 3D model data into DigiNole, FSU's digital repository built on the open source Islandora 7 platform. In August 2023 we finally reached a major milestone with a publicly viewable demo open for review and testing by internal stakeholders. This represents the culmination of much collaborative work between 3D modeling subject experts and developers, and a lot of hard lessons learned along the way that we are ready to share with others trodding a similar path. Join us for a summary of our journey into the unfamiliar realm of 3D modeling, and learn how you can extend your IR to handle 3D model data as well! This session covers the specific requirements for supporting 3D model data as scholarly research outputs stored in an institutional repository, and is aimed at an audience familiar with standard scholarly content in an institutional repository but with little to no prior knowledge of 3D modeling. Topics covered will include the production and use of scholarly 3D model data by students and faculty, unique metadata elements for 3D model data, how to create a 3D model test suite, tips for integrating a 3D model viewer like the Online 3D Viewer (https://3dviewer.net/) into your repository, an overview of the most popular 3D model file formats, and a discussion about the complexities of building a system that creates a consistent user experience for ingesting and displaying 3D models with surprisingly inconsistent data structures.
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POINT-OF-CARE TECHNOLOGY CLINICIAN-FACING SURVEY Dataset for Sampling of Healthcare Professionals’ Perspective on Point-of-Care Technologies from 2019-2021: a survey of benefits, concerns, and developmentPoint-of-care technology (POCT) plays a vital role in modern healthcare by providing a fast diagnosis, improving patient management, and extending healthcare access to remote and resource-limited areas. The objective of this study was to understand how healthcare professionals in the United States perceived POCTs during 2019-2021 to assess the decision-making process of implementing these newer technologies into everyday practice.
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Charting the Course to Meaningful Community-Academic Research Partnerships: A roadmap and tools to advance heath equity through community partnership on Patient Centered Outcomes Research /Comparative Effectiveness Research (PCOR/CER) StudiesRecent calls to advance pathways towards health equity highlight the need for greater investment in multi-sectoral and community partnerships. Efforts to advance health equity research require meaningful participation of individuals and communities underrepresented in research partnerships. Meaningful participation provides a foundation critical for creating and sustaining the structural changes required to advance health equity. Accordingly, this Roadmap provides an overview of tools that aim to promote the meaningful engagement of individuals underrepresented in research partnerships.
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UMCCTS Newsletter, November 2023This is the November 2023 issue of the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Newsletter containing news and events of interest.
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Cryo-EM structure of the human cardiac myosin filamentPumping of the heart is powered by filaments of the motor protein myosin that pull on actin filaments to generate cardiac contraction. In addition to myosin, the filaments contain cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C), which modulates contractility in response to physiological stimuli, and titin, which functions as a scaffold for filament assembly1. Myosin, cMyBP-C and titin are all subject to mutation, which can lead to heart failure. Despite the central importance of cardiac myosin filaments to life, their molecular structure has remained a mystery for 60 years2. Here we solve the structure of the main (cMyBP-C-containing) region of the human cardiac filament using cryo-electron microscopy. The reconstruction reveals the architecture of titin and cMyBP-C and shows how myosin's motor domains (heads) form three different types of motif (providing functional flexibility), which interact with each other and with titin and cMyBP-C to dictate filament architecture and function. The packing of myosin tails in the filament backbone is also resolved. The structure suggests how cMyBP-C helps to generate the cardiac super-relaxed state3; how titin and cMyBP-C may contribute to length-dependent activation4; and how mutations in myosin and cMyBP-C might disturb interactions, causing disease5,6. The reconstruction resolves past uncertainties and integrates previous data on cardiac muscle structure and function. It provides a new paradigm for interpreting structural, physiological and clinical observations, and for the design of potential therapeutic drugs.
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First pass effect as an independent predictor of functional outcomes in medium vessel occlusions: An analysis of an international multicenter studyIntroduction: First pass effect (FPE), achievement of complete recanalization (mTICI 2c/3) with a single pass, is a significant predictor of favorable outcomes for endovascular treatment (EVT) in large vessel occlusion stroke (LVO). However, data concerning the impact on functional outcomes and predictors of FPE in medium vessel occlusions (MeVO) are scarce. Patients and methods: We conducted an international retrospective study on MeVO cases. Multivariable logistic modeling was used to establish independent predictors of FPE. Clinical and safety outcomes were compared between the two study groups (FPE vs non-FPE) using logistic regression models. Good outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale 0-2 at 3 months. Results: Eight hundred thirty-six patients with a final mTICI ⩾ 2b were included in this analysis. FPE was observed in 302 patients (36.1%). In multivariable analysis, hypertension (aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.10-2.20) and lower baseline NIHSS score (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.93-0.97) were independently associated with an FPE. Good outcomes were more common in the FPE versus non-FPE group (72.8% vs 52.8%), and FPE was independently associated with favorable outcome (aOR 2.20, 95% CI 1.59-3.05). 90-day mortality and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) were significantly lower in the FPE group, 0.43 (95% CI, 0.25-0.72) and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.39-0.77), respectively. Conclusion: Over 2/3 of patients with MeVOs and FPE in our cohort had a favorable outcome at 90 days. FPE is independently associated with favorable outcomes, it may reduce the risk of any intracranial hemorrhage, and 3-month mortality.
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The Impact of a Lifestyle Intervention on Postpartum Cardiometabolic Risk Factors Among Hispanic Women With Abnormal Glucose Tolerance During Pregnancy: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized TrialBackground: Women with abnormal glucose tolerance during pregnancy are at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), with higher rates among Hispanics. However, studies on the impact of lifestyle interventions on postpartum CVD profiles are sparse. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a controlled trial among a subsample of Hispanic women with abnormal glucose tolerance participating in Estudió PARTO (Project Aiming to Reduce Type twO diabetes; mean age = 28.2 y, SD: 5.8) who were randomized to a culturally modified Lifestyle intervention (n = 45) or a comparison Health and Wellness intervention (n = 55). Primary endpoints were biomarkers of cardiovascular risk (lipids, C-reactive protein, fetuin-A, and albumin-to-creatinine ratio) and insulin resistance (fasting insulin, glucose, HbA1c, homeostasis model assessment, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and adiponectin) measured at baseline (6-wk postpartum) and 6 and 12 months. Results: In intent-to-treat analyses, there were no significant differences in changes in biomarkers of CVD risk or insulin resistance over the postpartum year. In prespecified sensitivity analyses, women adherent with the Lifestyle Intervention had more favorable improvements in insulin (intervention effect = -4.87, SE: 1.93, P = .01) and HOMA-IR (intervention effect = -1.15, SE: 0.53, P = .03) compared with the Health and Wellness arm. In pooled analyses, regardless of intervention arm, women with higher postpartum sports/exercise had greater increase in HDL-cholesterol (intervention effect = 6.99, SE: 1.72, P = .0001). Conclusions: In this randomized controlled trial among Hispanic women with abnormal glucose tolerance, we did not observe a significant effect on postpartum biomarkers of CVD risk or insulin resistance. Women adherent to the intervention had more favorable changes in insulin and HOMA-IR.
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Research output of Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences faculty: A visual reviewResearch metrics can be used to demonstrate individual research output but also the research output of a group and their contributions to scientific effort. Traditional research metrics have been limited to publication and citation counts and journal impact measures. New tools allow for a broader perspective and an exploration of public engagement with the inclusion of altmetrics such as mentions in traditional and social media, citations in policy documents, and downloads. Similarly, network analysis of bibliometric data can demonstrate the power of co-authorship and collaboration, as well as reveal trending topics. By using the 2020-2022 research output of current Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences faculty at UMass Chan Medical School, what conclusions can be drawn by seeing all these metrics visually? This poster will display a variety of research metrics and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each.
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Accommodations at Work: What Do I Need to Know?Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities have a right to accommodations if their condition gets in the way of doing what’s called “the essential functions of a job.” Disabilities can include a mental health condition. If you have a disability, accommodations may help you perform the essential functions of the job. You still must do those basic tasks, but “how” you do them may be different with the help of an accommodation. This tip sheet explains what accommodations are, who they apply to and provides examples of workplace accommodations that could be helpful for young adults, and others, with serious mental health conditions.
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Prevalence and predictors of shared decision-making in goals-of-care clinician-family meetings for critically ill neurologic patients: a multi-center mixed-methods studyBackground: Shared decision-making is a joint process where patients, or their surrogates, and clinicians make health choices based on evidence and preferences. We aimed to determine the extent and predictors of shared decision-making for goals-of-care discussions for critically ill neurological patients, which is crucial for patient-goal-concordant care but currently unknown. Methods: We analyzed 72 audio-recorded routine clinician-family meetings during which goals-of-care were discussed from seven US hospitals. These occurred for 67 patients with 72 surrogates and 29 clinicians; one hospital provided 49/72 (68%) of the recordings. Using a previously validated 10-element shared decision-making instrument, we quantified the extent of shared decision-making in each meeting. We measured clinicians' and surrogates' characteristics and prognostic estimates for the patient's hospital survival and 6-month independent function using post-meeting questionnaires. We calculated clinician-family prognostic discordance, defined as ≥ 20% absolute difference between the clinician's and surrogate's estimates. We applied mixed-effects regression to identify independent associations with greater shared decision-making. Results: The median shared decision-making score was 7 (IQR 5-8). Only 6% of meetings contained all 10 shared decision-making elements. The most common elements were "discussing uncertainty"(89%) and "assessing family understanding"(86%); least frequent elements were "assessing the need for input from others"(36%) and "eliciting the context of the decision"(33%). Clinician-family prognostic discordance was present in 60% for hospital survival and 45% for 6-month independent function. Univariate analyses indicated associations between greater shared decision-making and younger clinician age, fewer years in practice, specialty (medical-surgical critical care > internal medicine > neurocritical care > other > trauma surgery), and higher clinician-family prognostic discordance for hospital survival. After adjustment, only higher clinician-family prognostic discordance for hospital survival remained independently associated with greater shared decision-making (p = 0.029). Conclusion: Fewer than 1 in 10 goals-of-care clinician-family meetings for critically ill neurological patients contained all shared decision-making elements. Our findings highlight gaps in shared decision-making. Interventions promoting shared decision-making for high-stakes decisions in these patients may increase patient-value congruent care; future studies should also examine whether they will affect decision quality and surrogates' health outcomes.
