The Question of Descriptors for Academic Writing in European Language Framework: a Critical View

Since the 1960s, with the influx of a great number of students, both native and non-native, with little experience in formal academic discourse, universities in the English-speaking world have become increasingly aware of the need to offer specific instruction in writing skills. This situation required a clearer definition of what the characteristics of this particular type of writing might be (Grabe & Kaplan 1996) and it became apparent that many of the existing teaching materials concentrated overly on normative, grammatical considerations and not on a broader perspective based on discursive competence. Therefore, since the 1990s, there has been more emphasis on the analysis of the rhetorical conventions of various genres, including cross-linguistic comparisons (Connor 1995; Flowerdew 2000; Hyland 2002; Neff et al. 2004; Neff and Dafouz 2008).Because of the utilization of English as a “lingua franca” in the global community (Gnutzman and Intemann 2005) and the growth of student exchange programs within Europe, it has become progressively evident that both students and teachers require a clear set of guidelines, such as those provided by the EU framework descriptors for various areas of linguistic competency. But, as the difficulties experienced by non-native writers of academic English are very genre specific and appear to be largely independent of purely linguistic competency (many native novice writers also find academic writing problematic), the EU descriptors for academic work are too broad for the type of writing that our students must carry out in tertiary institutions.While much work is clearly being done within universities and colleges to address the prototypical academic writing skills in English, it would be helpful for all concerned if more specific guidelines could be shared. Thus, one major aim of this study is to draw up a series of structural and rhetorical descriptors and evaluate our students’ written production before and after using them in order to test their relevance for our syllabus and perhaps for use by a wider audience in the future

Coronal and heliospheric magnetic flux circulation and its relation to open solar flux evolution

Solar cycle 24 is notable for three features that can be found in previous cycles but which have been unusually prominent: (1) sunspot activity was considerably greater in the northern/southern hemisphere during the rising/declining phase; (2) accumulation of Open Solar Flux (OSF) during the rising phase was modest, but rapid in the early declining phase; (3) the Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS) tilt showed large fluctuations. We show these features had a major influence on the progression of the cycle. All flux emergence causes a rise then a fall in OSF, but only OSF with footpoints in opposing hemispheres progresses the solar cycle via the evolution of the polar fields. Emergence in one hemisphere, or symmetric emergence without some form of footpoint exchange across the heliographic equator, causes poleward-migrating fields of both polarities in one or both (respectively) hemispheres which temporarily enhance OSF but do not advance the polar field cycle. The heliospheric field observed near Mercury and Earth reflects the asymmetries in emergence. Using magnetograms, we find evidence that the poleward magnetic flux transport (of both polarities) is modulated by the HCS tilt, revealing an effect on OSF loss rate. The declining phase rise in OSF was caused by strong emergence in the southern hemisphere with an anomalously low HCS tilt. This implies the recent fall in the southern polar field will be sustained and that the peak OSF has limited implications for the polar field at the next sunspot minimum and hence for the amplitude of cycle 25

The landscape of Saturn’s internal magnetic field from the Cassini Grand Finale

The Cassini mission entered the Grand Finale phase in April 2017 and executed 22.5 highly inclined, close-in orbits around Saturn before diving into the planet on September 15th 2017. Here we present our analysis of the Cassini Grand Finale magnetometer (MAG) dataset, focusing on Saturn’s internal magnetic field. These measurements demonstrate that Saturn’s internal magnetic field is exceptionally axisymmetric, with a dipole tilt less than 0.007 degrees (25.2 arcsecs). Saturn’s magnetic equator was directly measured to be shifted northward by ∼0.0468 ± 0.00043 (1σ) R_S, 2820 ± 26 km, at cylindrical radial distances between 1.034 and 1.069 R_S from the spin-axis. Although almost perfectly axisymmetric, Saturn’s internal magnetic field exhibits features on many characteristic length scales in the latitudinal direction. Examining B_r at the a = 0.75 R_S, c = 0.6993 R_S isobaric surface, the degree 4 to 11 contributions correspond to latitudinally banded magnetic perturbations with characteristic width ∼15∘, similar to that of the off-equatorial zonal jets observed in the atmosphere of Saturn. Saturn’s internal magnetic field beyond 60∘, in particular the small-scale features, are less well constrained by the available measurements, mainly due to incomplete spatial coverage in the polar region. Magnetic fields associated with the ionospheric Hall currents were estimated and found to contribute less than 2.5 nT to Gauss coefficients beyond degree 3. The magneto-disk field features orbit-to-orbit variations between 12 nT and 15.4 nT along the close-in part of Grand Finale orbits, offering an opportunity to measure the electromagnetic induction response from the interior of Saturn. A stably stratified layer thicker than 2500 km likely exists above Saturn’s deep dynamo to filter out the non-axisymmetric internal magnetic field. A heat transport mechanism other than pure conduction, e.g. double diffusive convection, must be operating within this layer to be compatible with Saturn’s observed luminosity. The latitudinally banded magnetic perturbations likely arise from a shallow secondary dynamo action with latitudinally banded differential rotation in the semi-conducting layer

Testing socioeconomic status and family socialization hypotheses of alcohol use in young people: A causal mediation analysis

Introduction: The effect of socioeconomic status on adolescent substance abuse may be mediated by family socialization practices. However, traditional mediation analysis using a product or difference method is susceptible to bias when assumptions are not addressed. We aimed to use a potential outcomes framework to assess assumptions of exposure‐mediator interaction and of no confounding of the results. Method: We revisited a traditional mediation analysis with a multiple mediator causal mediation approach using data from 17,761 Norwegian young people (13–18 years), 51% female. Data were collected through a print questionnaire. Socioeconomic status was operationalized as parental education and employment status (employed or receiving welfare); drinking behavior as the frequency of alcohol consumption and frequency of intoxication in the past year; and socialization practices as general parenting measures, alcohol‐related parental permissiveness, and parent drinking behavior. Results: There was no consistent evidence of exposure‐mediator interaction. Formal sensitivity analysis of mediator‐outcome confounding was not possible in the multiple mediator model, and this analysis supported the hypothesis that socioeconomic status effects on adolescent substance abuse are fully mediated by family socialization practices, with apparently stronger effects in younger age groups observed in plots. Conclusion: We found that the effect of socioeconomic status on adolescent substance abuse was fully mediated by family socialization practices. While our analysis provides more rigorous support for causal inferences than past work, we could not completely rule out the possibility of unmeasured confounding

Probability of sepsis after infection consultations in primary care in the United Kingdom in 2002-17:population-based cohort study and decision analytic model

BackgroundEfforts to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescribing have coincided with increasing awareness of sepsis. We aimed to estimate the probability of sepsis following infection consultations in primary care when antibiotics were or were not prescribed.Methods and findingsWe conducted a cohort study including all registered patients at 706 general practices in the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink, with 66.2 million person-years of follow-up from 2002 to 2017. There were 35,244 first episodes of sepsis (17,886, 51%, female; median age 71 years, interquartile range 57-82 years). Consultations for respiratory tract infection (RTI), skin or urinary tract infection (UTI), and antibiotic prescriptions were exposures. A Bayesian decision tree was used to estimate the probability (95% uncertainty intervals [UIs]) of sepsis following an infection consultation. Age, gender, and frailty were evaluated as association modifiers. The probability of sepsis was lower if an antibiotic was prescribed, but the number of antibiotic prescriptions required to prevent one episode of sepsis (number needed to treat [NNT]) decreased with age. At 0-4 years old, the NNT was 29,773 (95% UI 18,458-71,091) in boys and 27,014 (16,739-65,709) in girls; over 85 years old, NNT was 262 (236-293) in men and 385 (352-421) in women. Frailty was associated with greater risk of sepsis and lower NNT. For severely frail patients aged 55-64 years, the NNT was 247 (156-459) in men and 343 (234-556) in women. At all ages, the probability of sepsis was greatest for UTI, followed by skin infection, followed by RTI. At 65-74 years, the NNT following RTI was 1,257 (1,112-1,434) in men and 2,278 (1,966-2,686) in women; the NNT following skin infection was 503 (398-646) in men and 784 (602-1,051) in women; following UTI, the NNT was 121 (102-145) in men and 284 (241-342) in women. NNT values were generally smaller for the period from 2014 to 2017, when sepsis was diagnosed more frequently. Lack of random allocation to antibiotic therapy might have biased estimates; patients may sometimes experience sepsis or receive antibiotic prescriptions without these being recorded in primary care; recording of sepsis has increased over the study period.ConclusionsThese stratified estimates of risk help to identify groups in which antibiotic prescribing may be more safely reduced. Risks of sepsis and benefits of antibiotics are more substantial among older adults, persons with more advanced frailty, or following UTIs

X-rays Studies of the Solar System

X-ray observatories contribute fundamental advances in Solar System studies by probing Sun-object interactions, developing planet and satellite surface composition maps, probing global magnetospheric dynamics, and tracking astrochemical reactions. Despite these crucial results, the technological limitations of current X-ray instruments hinder the overall scope and impact for broader scientific application of X-ray observations both now and in the coming decade. Implementation of modern advances in X-ray optics will provide improvements in effective area, spatial resolution, and spectral resolution for future instruments. These improvements will usher in a truly transformative era of Solar System science through the study of X-ray emission.Comment: White paper submitted to Astro2020, the Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Surve

Management evaluation of metastasis in the brain (MEMBRAIN)—a United Kingdom and Ireland prospective, multicenter observational study

Background:In recent years an increasing number of patients with cerebral metastasis (CM) have been referred to the neuro-oncology multidisciplinary team (NMDT). Our aim was to obtain a national picture of CM referrals to assess referral volume and quality and factors affecting NMDT decision making. Methods:A prospective multicenter cohort study including all adult patients referred to NMDT with 1 or more CM was conducted. Data were collected in neurosurgical units from November 2017 to February 2018. Demographics, primary disease, KPS, imaging, and treatment recommendation were entered into an online database. Results:A total of 1048 patients were analyzed from 24 neurosurgical units. Median age was 65 years (range, 21-93 years) with a median number of 3 referrals (range, 1-17 referrals) per NMDT. The most common primary malignancies were lung (36.5%, n = 383), breast (18.4%, n = 193), and melanoma (12.0%, n = 126). A total of 51.6% (n = 541) of the referrals were for a solitary metastasis and resulted in specialist intervention being offered in 67.5% (n = 365) of cases. A total of 38.2% (n = 186) of patients being referred with multiple CMs were offered specialist treatment. NMDT decision making was associated with number of CMs, age, KPS, primary disease status, and extent of extracranial disease (univariate logistic regression, P < .001) as well as sentinel location and tumor histology (P < .05). A delay in reaching an NMDT decision was identified in 18.6% (n = 195) of cases. Conclusions:This study demonstrates a changing landscape of metastasis management in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including a trend away from adjuvant whole-brain radiotherapy and specialist intervention being offered to a significant proportion of patients with multiple CMs. Poor quality or incomplete referrals cause delay in NMDT decision making

Sexual Size Dimorphism and Body Condition in the Australasian Gannet

Funding: The research was financially supported by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment. Acknowledgments We thank the Victorian Marine Science Consortium, Sea All Dolphin Swim, Parks Victoria, and the Point Danger Management Committee for logistical support. We are grateful for the assistance of the many field volunteers involved in the study.Peer reviewedPublisher PD