Implementing and Scaling Multiple Measures Assessment in the Context of COVID-19

State systems have played an increasingly prominent role in encouraging community colleges to implement effective developmental education reforms, and some states have begun to recommend or require multiple measures assessment for placement. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly created opportunities for state systems to facilitate institutional adoption of multiple measures assessment. In spring 2020, as large numbers of colleges across the nation moved to remote learning and work, it was often infeasible to continue offering in-person, proctored placement tests. Institutions sought out new ways to assess and place students. This brief discusses four states—Indiana, Virginia, Texas, and Washington—that supported large-scale changes to placement practices, with greater emphasis on multiple measures. Based on interviews with system leaders and college administrators, faculty, and staff in these states, the authors of the brief present four short case studies that summarize how each state changed its placement policies and supported colleges in reaction to the pandemic. The brief addresses common multiple measures assessment implementation challenges such as facilitating buy-in; providing implementation support; combatting initiative fatigue; and establishing data-informed evaluation processes

Ecological and energy aspects of choice of tail units of sewage waterpurifying schemes at treatment of metal in machine construction technologies

Saving of natural and energy resources at application of thermal technologies of pickling production sewage purifying schemes during metal treatment in machine construction technologies

Transfusion-related acute lung injury: incidence and risk factors.

Transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) is the leading cause of transfusion-related mortality. To determine TRALI incidence by prospective, active surveillance and to identify risk factors by a case-control study, 2 academic medical centers enrolled 89 cases and 164 transfused controls. Recipient risk factors identified by multivariate analysis were higher IL-8 levels, liver surgery, chronic alcohol abuse, shock, higher peak airway pressure while being mechanically ventilated, current smoking, and positive fluid balance. Transfusion risk factors were receipt of plasma or whole blood from female donors (odds ratio = 4.5, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.85-11.2, P = .001), volume of HLA class II antibody with normalized background ratio more than 27.5 (OR = 1.92/100 mL, 95% CI, 1.08-3.4, P = .03), and volume of anti-human neutrophil antigen positive by granulocyte immunofluoresence test (OR = 1.71/100 mL, 95% CI, 1.18-2.5, P = .004). Little or no risk was associated with older red blood cell units, noncognate or weak cognate class II antibody, or class I antibody. Reduced transfusion of plasma from female donors was concurrent with reduced TRALI incidence: 2.57 (95% CI, 1.72-3.86) in 2006 versus 0.81 (95% CI, 0.44-1.49) in 2009 per 10 000 transfused units (P = .002). The identified risk factors provide potential targets for reducing residual TRALI