37 research outputs found
Elementary Public School Teachersâ Coping Mechanisms Used During the COVID-19 Pandemic in North Texas: A Phenomenological Study
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe elementary public school teachersâ experiences coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Lazarus and Folkmanâs transactional model of stress and coping theory, the study answered the central research question: How do elementary public school teachers describe their experiences coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic? The sub-questions addressed: What psychological, physical, and emotional mechanisms are elementary public school teachers using to cope with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic? Purposeful sampling and maximum variation sampling were used to select 14 elementary public school teachersâ who experienced teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The setting of the study was North Texas Independent School District. The data collection methods used included participant journaling, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. The data was analyzed using Moustakasâs data analysis which began with epochĂ©, then transcendental-phenomenological reduction, imaginative variation, and synthesis of composite textural and composite descriptions. Two themes were identified through data analysis which included teacher stress and teacher coping mechanisms. Findings indicated that teachers had faced much adversity during the COVID-19 pandemic in ways such as students, technology, and instruction; however, they have been resilient throughout the pandemic. Psychological, physical, and emotional coping mechanisms have helped teachers cope with their stress. Implications for research suggested that helping teachers find adequate outlets to cope with their stress could be effective. Recommendations for future research are provided
First radial velocity results from the MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA)
The MINiature Exoplanet Radial Velocity Array (MINERVA) is a dedicated
observatory of four 0.7m robotic telescopes fiber-fed to a KiwiSpec
spectrograph. The MINERVA mission is to discover super-Earths in the habitable
zones of nearby stars. This can be accomplished with MINERVA's unique
combination of high precision and high cadence over long time periods. In this
work, we detail changes to the MINERVA facility that have occurred since our
previous paper. We then describe MINERVA's robotic control software, the
process by which we perform 1D spectral extraction, and our forward modeling
Doppler pipeline. In the process of improving our forward modeling procedure,
we found that our spectrograph's intrinsic instrumental profile is stable for
at least nine months. Because of that, we characterized our instrumental
profile with a time-independent, cubic spline function based on the profile in
the cross dispersion direction, with which we achieved a radial velocity
precision similar to using a conventional "sum-of-Gaussians" instrumental
profile: 1.8 m s over 1.5 months on the RV standard star HD 122064.
Therefore, we conclude that the instrumental profile need not be perfectly
accurate as long as it is stable. In addition, we observed 51 Peg and our
results are consistent with the literature, confirming our spectrograph and
Doppler pipeline are producing accurate and precise radial velocities.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, submitted to PASP, Peer-Reviewed and Accepte
KELT-25 b and KELT-26 b: A Hot Jupiter and a Substellar Companion Transiting Young A Stars Observed by TESS
We present the discoveries of KELT-25 b (TIC 65412605, TOI-626.01) and KELT-26 b (TIC 160708862, TOI-1337.01), two transiting companions orbiting relatively bright, early A stars. The transit signals were initially detected by the KELT survey and subsequently confirmed by Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry. KELT-25 b is on a 4.40 day orbit around the V = 9.66 star CD-24 5016 (Teff=8280-180+440 K, M â = 2.18-0.11+0.12 M oË), while KELT-26 b is on a 3.34 day orbit around the V = 9.95 star HD 134004 (Teff = 8640-240+500 K, M â = 1.93-0.16+0.14 M oË), which is likely an Am star. We have confirmed the substellar nature of both companions through detailed characterization of each system using ground-based and TESS photometry, radial velocity measurements, Doppler tomography, and high-resolution imaging. For KELT-25, we determine a companion radius of R P = 1.64-0.043+0.039 R J and a 3Ï upper limit on the companion\u27s mass of âŒ64 M J. For KELT-26 b, we infer a planetary mass and radius of M P = 1.41-0.51+0.43MJ and R P = 1.94-0.058+0.060 R J. From Doppler tomographic observations, we find KELT-26 b to reside in a highly misaligned orbit. This conclusion is weakly corroborated by a subtle asymmetry in the transit light curve from the TESS data. KELT-25 b appears to be in a well-aligned, prograde orbit, and the system is likely a member of the cluster Theia 449
TESS delivers its first Earth-sized planet and a warm sub-Neptune
The future of exoplanet science is bright, as TESS once again demonstrates
with the discovery of its longest-period confirmed planet to date. We hereby
present HD 21749b (TOI 186.01), a sub-Neptune in a 36-day orbit around a bright
(V = 8.1) nearby (16 pc) K4.5 dwarf. TESS measures HD21749b to be
2.61 , and combined archival and follow-up
precision radial velocity data put the mass of the planet at
. HD 21749b contributes to the TESS Level 1
Science Requirement of providing 50 transiting planets smaller than 4
with measured masses. Furthermore, we report the discovery of HD
21749c (TOI 186.02), the first Earth-sized () planet from TESS. The HD21749 system is a prime target for
comparative studies of planetary composition and architecture in multi-planet
systems.Comment: Published in ApJ Letters; 5 figures, 1 tabl
Updated Guidance Regarding The Risk ofAllergic Reactions to COVID-19 Vaccines and Recommended Evaluation and Management: A GRADE Assessment, and International Consensus Approach
This guidance updates 2021 GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) recommendations regarding immediate allergic reactions following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and addresses revaccinating individuals with first-dose allergic reactions and allergy testing to determine revaccination outcomes. Recent meta-analyses assessed the incidence of severe allergic reactions to initial COVID-19 vaccination, risk of mRNA-COVID-19 revaccination after an initial reaction, and diagnostic accuracy of COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine excipient testing in predicting reactions. GRADE methods informed rating the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendations. A modified Delphi panel consisting of experts in allergy, anaphylaxis, vaccinology, infectious diseases, emergency medicine, and primary care from Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States formed the recommendations. We recommend vaccination for persons without COVID-19 vaccine excipient allergy and revaccination after a prior immediate allergic reaction. We suggest against \u3e 15-minute postvaccination observation. We recommend against mRNA vaccine or excipient skin testing to predict outcomes. We suggest revaccination of persons with an immediate allergic reaction to the mRNA vaccine or excipients be performed by a person with vaccine allergy expertise in a properly equipped setting. We suggest against premedication, split-dosing, or special precautions because of a comorbid allergic history
Another Shipment of Six Short-Period Giant Planets from TESS
We present the discovery and characterization of six short-period, transiting
giant planets from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) --
TOI-1811 (TIC 376524552), TOI-2025 (TIC 394050135), TOI-2145 (TIC 88992642),
TOI-2152 (TIC 395393265), TOI-2154 (TIC 428787891), & TOI-2497 (TIC 97568467).
All six planets orbit bright host stars (8.9 <G< 11.8, 7.7 <K< 10.1). Using a
combination of time-series photometric and spectroscopic follow-up observations
from the TESS Follow-up Observing Program (TFOP) Working Group, we have
determined that the planets are Jovian-sized (R = 1.00-1.45 R),
have masses ranging from 0.92 to 5.35 M, and orbit F, G, and K stars
(4753 T 7360 K). We detect a significant orbital eccentricity
for the three longest-period systems in our sample: TOI-2025 b (P = 8.872 days,
= ), TOI-2145 b (P = 10.261 days, =
), and TOI-2497 b (P = 10.656 days, =
). TOI-2145 b and TOI-2497 b both orbit subgiant host
stars (3.8 g 4.0), but these planets show no sign of inflation
despite very high levels of irradiation. The lack of inflation may be explained
by the high mass of the planets; M (TOI-2145
b) and M (TOI-2497 b). These six new discoveries
contribute to the larger community effort to use {\it TESS} to create a
magnitude-complete, self-consistent sample of giant planets with
well-determined parameters for future detailed studies.Comment: 20 Pages, 6 Figures, 8 Tables, Accepted by MNRA