Development of Causal Connectives in Italian L1 and L2 Student Writing: A Comparison of Argumentative Texts from Lower and Upper Secondary School

In this article, we investigate the explicit signalling of causal relations by means of causal connectives in Italian student writing. We compare four groups of students divided by their language background (L1 or L2 writers) and developmental stage (lower vs. upper secondary school) to see whether writers with different backgrounds develop similarly between year 8 and year 12 of schooling. In particular, we analyse number, ratio and diversity of causal connectives together with lexical sophistication and range of these items. We furthermore inspect the causal connectives used within the groups qualitatively and observe over- and underuse of specific connectives using correspondence analysis. Our study represents the first of this kind on Italian and one of the few that observes development over a longer time interval on both L1 and L2 students. It shows similar trends as previous studies on connective use in general, while providing a closer look at a specific type of connectives thought to be integral for argumentative writing

Structure, bonding and ionic mobility in Na–V–P–O glasses for energy storage applications

Na-V-P-O glasses are promising materials for sodium ion batteries, and yet a thorough understanding of their atomic scale behavior has so far been elusive. In this work we leverage structural and electrochemical experiments with first-principles and large-scale machine learning-accelerated molecular dynamics to elucidate quantitatively the interplay among structure, bonding, and ion mobility on space and time scales of unprecedented extensions. We unravel the existence of a broad V coordination distribution together with heterogeneous Na-ion mobility featuring percolation channels. Our results are instrumental in the search for NVP glass optimization for electrochemical applications

Citizenship, Math and Gender: Exploring Immigrant Students' Choice of Majors

This study examines the impact of host-country citizenship on immigrant students' choice of academic majors, using data from an Italian university and incorporating characteristics of students' countries of origin. The analysis focuses on enrolment in fields of study categorized by mathematical content. The findings reveal three main points: First, obtaining citizenship reduces the likelihood of choosing math-related disciplines; second, this effect is more pronounced among women, further widening the gender gap in math-intensive fields; and third, these gaps are larger among students from more gender-equal countries but are less affected by the acquisition of citizenship. These results are supported by matching techniques, two-stage least squares, and robustness and sensitivity analyses. Given that math-intensive fields are linked to higher earning potential, the findings suggest that investment in mathematical skills may serve as a safeguard against labour market risks—a necessity that lessens upon acquiring citizenship, especially for women. Although this shift could adversely affect future earnings, it also contributes to a more even distribution of students across disciplines, potentially enhancing diversity in occupations where immigrants are traditionally under-represented.This study examines the impact of host-country citizenship on immigrant students' choice of academic majors, using data from an Italian university and incorporating characteristics of students' countries of origin. The analysis focuses on enrolment in fields of study categorized by mathematical content. The findings reveal three main points: First, obtaining citizenship reduces the likelihood of choosing math-related disciplines; second, this effect is more pronounced among women, further widening the gender gap in math-intensive fields; and third, these gaps are larger among students from more gender-equal countries but are less affected by the acquisition of citizenship. These results are supported by matching techniques, two-stage least squares, and robustness and sensitivity analyses. Given that math-intensive fields are linked to higher earning potential, the findings suggest that investment in mathematical skills may serve as a safeguard against labour market risks-a necessity that lessens upon acquiring citizenship, especially for women. Although this shift could adversely affect future earnings, it also contributes to a more even distribution of students across disciplines, potentially enhancing diversity in occupations where immigrants are traditionally under-represented

International multistakeholder consensus statement on post-publication integrity issues in randomized clinical trials by Cairo Consensus Group

The number of retractions of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) following post-publication allegations of misconduct is increasing. To address this issue, we aimed to establish an international multistakeholder consensus on post-publication integrity concerns related to RCTs. After prospective registration (https://osf.io/njksm), we assembled a multidisciplinary stakeholder group comprising 48 participants from 18 countries across six continents, recruited using a curated list of journal editors and snowballing. An underpinning evidence synthesis collated 89 articles related to post-publication integrity concerns. Integrity statements related to RCTs created were subjected to anonymized two-round Delphi survey. A hybrid face-to-face-online consensus development meeting was convened to consolidate the consensus. The response rates of the two Delphi survey rounds were 65% (31/48) and 67% (32/ 48), respectively. There were 101 and 41 statements in the first and second Delphi rounds, respectively. After the two Delphi rounds and the consensus development meeting, consensus was achieved on 104 statements consolidated to 84 after merging, editing, and removing duplicates. This set of statements included general aspects (n = 9), journal instructions (n = 14), editorial and peer review (n = 7), correspondence and complaints (n = 4), investigations for integrity concerns (n = 16), decisions and sanctions (n = 9), critical appraisal guidance (n = 1), systematic reviews of RCTs (n = 8), and research recommendations (n = 16). In conclusion, this international multistakeholder consensus statement aimed to underpin policies for preventing post-publication integrity concerns in RCT publications and assist in improving investigations of misconduct allegations