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General chemistry are key gateway courses for many Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors. To improve student outcomes, it is critical both to identify at-risk students and implement evidence-based instructional strategies and interventions. These remain active areas of investigation, with recent literature showing that cognitive, affective and demographic characteristics all contribute as risk factors. Here we report an assessment of demographic characteristics and early-course cognitive measures in predicting student outcomes in first-term general chemistry (GC1), comparing an adaptive learning pre-assessment using ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) with a traditional diagnostic exam. Student performance was evaluated across three sections (345 students) in a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design using a common ACS final exam. We find that ~57% of variance in ACS final exam scores and ~60% of variance in final course grades is related to three predictors: initial ALEKS knowledge check, diagnostic exam score, and predicted first year QPA, an internal metric based upon high school GPA, ACT/SAT scores, and college of admission. While no single metric could identify even one-half of students scoring lowest in the course (i.e. in the bottom 15%, consistent with the percentage of D's, F's and withdrawals in our sections), in combination ~ 80% were identified.

Background: Coracoid process fracture with anterior shoulder instability is a rare presentation. With a coracoid body fracture extending to the tip, a biomechanically stronger Latarjet procedure cannot be performed, instead, a weaker procedure like the Bristow procedure can be done. Here we present a 7-year follow-up where a staged procedure of fixation of the coracoid process followed by an open Latarjet procedure utilizing the healed coracoid. Case presentation: A 35-year-old deep sea fisherman presented to us with recurrent episodes of right shoulder dislocations.Imaging showed a coracoid process fracture [Eyres type 2] with glenoid bone loss of 28 %. Primarily coracoid fracture fixation was done and 3 months post-operatively, an open latarjet was performed. The patient after 7 years is doing well with good stability of the operated shoulder joint. Conclusion: Our purpose in reporting this case is to point out that a Latarjet procedure can still be done in a patient whose coracoid process has fractured through the body with staged fixation of the coracoid fracture and using the same as graft at a later date in a patient with chronic anterior shoulder instability, thus providing the soft tissue and bony construct strength in a young high demand person.

Porous polymers have joined the ranks of light-activated catalysts that split water into hydrogen, a carbon-free alternative to fossil fuels. Their properties are easily tuned--a big plus for the development [...]

We review the literature on the nexus between entrepreneurship and economic growth and investigate the reasons for its inconclusive early findings. We trace them to the evolution of nations from the managed economies to the entrepreneurial economies and various discrepancies, both in the proxies used to measure entrepreneurship as well as in the settings within which this relationship has been explored. We also find that notwithstanding the continued assertion of a lack of empirical evidence on entrepreneurship-led economic growth, post-2004 research on the theme has fairly conclusively established the positivity of this relationship in the developed world and the persisting debate on this issue reflects just a lack of its awareness. We provide a synthesis of findings of the most recent research, discuss the unresolved issues, point to future research directions and analyse the implications of our findings for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]