The Impact of Employer-Sponsored Educational Assistance Benefits on Community College Student Outcomes

Studies of community college finance often focus on revenue sources from the state and local government, private foundations, and tuition. While these resources are important, an often-neglected source of revenue is employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits for students. Given the dearth of literature on the benefits of this funding source, especially for community college students, our study shines light on the topic. Specifically, this study reports on the impacts of Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits, on degree-seeking public community college student outcomes based on a propensity score matching analytic strategy. Our results suggest that the majority of two-year public college students (over 90%) do not receive these educational assistance benefits, but those who do have better retention and attainment outcomes than a comparable group that do not. Because we did not find an impact of employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits for more immediate outcomes (such as GPA and total credit hours by the end of students’ first year), the evidence suggests that employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits positively impact longer-term student outcomes rather than more immediate ones. Our findings have potential implications for student aid policies, especially as they relate to improving the awareness, advocacy and availability of employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits and support, as well as encouraging further investment from employers or legislation promoting to promote its use

Implementing Best-Value Procurement for Design–Bid–Build Highway Projects

State departments of transportation (DOTs) have typically used low-bid procurement to deliver design–bid–build (DBB) highway projects. Although low-bid procurement has provided predictable results for state DOTs, it does not always result in the best performance during and after construction. Thus, state DOTs are increasingly using alternative methods such as best-value procurement to ensure project quality and enhance project performance. In essence, best-value procurement incorporates price with other factors to achieve specific project goals. Compared with low-bid procurement, best-value procurement offers several advantages that can include opportunities to improve project quality, promote innovation, and enhance project performance. To date, with a few exceptions, state DOTs have only used best-value procurement for design–build projects. This study explores the procedures and existing practices for implementing best-value procurement in DBB project delivery. Data were collected from a literature review, a survey questionnaire, and case studies. Three best-value DBB projects from the Michigan, New York State, and Oregon DOTs are presented. The research results showed that the use of best-value procurement for DBB project delivery can provide other benefits to state DOTs besides what was found in the literature, such as emphasizing nonprice factors that align with project objectives, reducing risk, and saving cost

Sea state bias in altimeter sea level estimates determined by combining wave model and satellite data

This study documents a method for increasing the precision of satellite-derived sea level measurements. Results are achieved using an enhanced three-dimensional (3-D) sea state bias (SSB) correction model derived from both Jason-1 altimeter ocean observations (i.e., sea state and wind) and estimates of mean wave period from a numerical ocean wave model, NOAA’s WAVEWATCH III. A multiyear evaluation of Jason-1 data indicates sea surface height variance reduction of 1.26 (±0.2) cm2 in comparison to the commonly applied two-parameter SSB model. The improvement is similar for two separate variance reduction metrics and for separate annual data sets spanning 2002–2004. Spatial evaluation of improvement shows skill increase at all latitudes. Results indicate the new model can reduce the total Jason-1 and Jason-2 altimeter range error budgets by 7.5%. In addition to the 2-D (two-dimensional) and 3-D model differences in correcting the range for wavefield variability, mean model regional differences also occur across the globe and indicate a possible 1–2 cm gradient across ocean basins linked to the zonal variation in wave period (short fetch and period in the west, swells and long period in the east). Overall success of this model provides first evidence that operational wave modeling can support improved ocean altimetry. Future efforts will attempt to work within the limits of wave modeling capabilities to maximize their benefit to Jason-1 and Jason-2 SSB correction methods

Drug Interaction Study Of Apixaban With Cyclosporine Or Tacrolimus: Results From A Phase 1, Randomized, Open-Label, Crossover Study In Healthy Volunteers

BACKGROUND Solid organ transplant recipients commonly require anticoagulation. Apixaban (APX) is principally metabolized by CYP3A4, undergoes direct intestinal excretion, and is a substrate to P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP) transporters. We examined the potential drug interaction between cyclosporine (CsA) and tacrolimus (Tac) [combined inhibitors of CYP3A4, P-gp and, BCRP] with APX.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/petposters/1005/thumbnail.jp

Cardiac failure following inadvertent administration of high-dose epinephrine subcutaneously

Our aim is to report the consequences of epinephrine toxicity leading to cardiac failure in a child and the successful management with dopamine and milrinone. A previously healthy 13-year-old girl undergoing a left tympanomastoidectomy was inadvertently administered 10 mL of 1:1000 epinephrine subcutaneously (0.175 mg/kg) on the left post auricular region in lieu of lidocaine. She developed sudden supraventricular tachycardia, hypertension and flash pulmonary edema. She was initially treated with propofol, nitrogycerin and increased peak end-expiratory pressure. Within 4 h, she remained tachycardic, but was hypotensive with an increased central venous pressure. Electrocardiogram and echocardiogram investigations showed ST changes indicative of myocardial ischemia and globally reduced function, respectively. Dopamine infusion was administered, together with milrinone, resulting in a gradual improvement of cardiac function within 3 days. She was transitioned to enalapril and discharged home. This case highlights the clinical features of high dose epinephrine toxicity secondary to iatrogenic subcutaneous overdose followed by hypotension and pulmonary edema as a possible late effect of epinephrine and the successful management of secondary cardiac failure with administration of dopamine, milrinone and enalapril. © 2012 - IOS Press and the authors

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for Long-Term Support: Recent Advances

Considerable progress has been made in component technology, circuitry, and clinical practice related to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). These advances allow prolonged support with fewer complications when compared to the past eras. Long-term support cases were frequently reported with indications including respiratory failure, cardiac failure, bridge to transplantation, extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR), and even ambulatory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. The common complications associated with ECMO, including thrombosis, hemorrhage, nosocomial infection, neurological injury, vessel injury, multiple organ failure and mechanical failure, and the disease process of patients remain limiting factors. In spite of the complications, ECMO remains the only possible option in treatments for patients requiring long-term respiratory or cardiopulmonary support. In this chapter, the recent advances in long-term ECMO support are reviewed. Clinical etiology of patients placed on long-term ECMO support, the various circuit configurations, clinical and technical issues, management aspects, and clinical outcomes are discussed

Direct Simulations of Wind-Driven Breaking Ocean Waves with Data Assimilation

A formulation is developed to assimilate ocean-wave data into the Numerical Flow Analysis (NFA) code. NFA is a Cartesian-based implicit Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) code with Volume of Fluid (VOF) interface capturing. The sequential assimilation of data into NFA permits detailed analysis of ocean-wave physics with higher bandwidths than is possible using either other formulations, such as High-Order Spectral (HOS) methods, or field measurements. A framework is provided for assimilating the wavy and vortical portions of the flow. Nudging is used to assimilate wave data at low wavenumbers, and the wave data at high wavenumbers form naturally through nonlinear interactions, wave breaking, and wind forcing. Similarly, the vertical profiles of the mean vortical flow in the wind and the wind drift are nudged, and the turbulent fluctuations are allowed to form naturally. As a demonstration, the results of a HOS of a JONSWAP wave spectrum are assimilated to study short-crested seas in equilibrium with the wind. Log profiles are assimilated for the mean wind and the mean wind drift. The results of the data assimilations are (1) Windrows form under the action of breaking waves and the formation of swirling jets; (2) The crosswind and cross drift meander; (3) Swirling jets are organized into Langmuir cells in the upper oceanic boundary layer; (4) Swirling jets are organized into wind streaks in the lower atmospheric boundary layer; (5) The length and time scales of the Langmuir cells and the wind streaks increase away from the free surface; (6) Wave growth is very dynamic especially for breaking waves; (7) The effects of the turbulent fluctuations in the upper ocean on wave growth need to be considered together with the turbulent fluctuations in the lower atmosphere; and (8) Extreme events are most likely when waves are not in equilibrium.Comment: 46 pages, 30th Symposium on Naval Hydrodynamics, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 2-7 November 201

A tidal lung simulation to quantify lung heterogeneity with the Inspired Sinewave Test

We have created a lung simulation to quantify lung heterogeneity from the results of the inspired sinewave test (IST). The IST is a lung function test that is non-invasive, non-ionising and does not require patients' cooperation. A tidal lung simulation is developed to assess this test and also a method is proposed to calculate lung heterogeneity from IST results. A sensitivity analysis based on the Morris method and linear regression were applied to verify and to validate the simulation. Additionally, simulated emphysema and pulmonary embolism conditions were created using the simulation to assess the ability of the IST to identify these conditions. Experimental data from five pigs (pre-injured vs injured) were used for validation. This paper contributes to the development of the IST. Firstly, our sensitivity analysis reveals that the IST is highly accurate with an underestimation of about 5% of the simulated values. Sensitivity analysis suggested that both instability in tidal volume and extreme expiratory flow coefficients during the test cause random errors in the IST results. Secondly, the ratios of IST results obtained at two tracer gas oscillation frequencies can identify lung heterogeneity (ELV60/ELV180 and Qp60/Qp180). There was dissimilarity between simulated emphysema and pulmonary embolism (p < 0:0001). In the animal model, the control group had ELV60/ELV180 = 0.58 compared with 0.39 in injured animals (p < 0.0001)