Texas A&M University

About: Texas A&M University is a education organization based out in College Station, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Gene. The organization has 72169 authors who have published 164372 publications receiving 5764236 citations.

Flipping the Classroom to Improve Student Performance and Satisfaction

Abstract: This study aimed to determine the effects of a flipped classroom (i.e., reversal of time allotment for lecture and homework) and innovative learning activities on academic success and the satisfaction of nursing students. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare three approaches to learning: traditional lecture only (LO), lecture and lecture capture back-up (LLC), and the flipped classroom approach of lecture capture with innovative classroom activities (LCI). Examination scores were higher for the flipped classroom LCI group (M = 81.89, SD = 5.02) than for both the LLC group (M = 80.70, SD = 4.25), p = 0.003, and the LO group (M = 79.79, SD = 4.51), p < 0.001. Students were less satisfied with the flipped classroom method than with either of the other methods (p < 0.001). Blending new teaching technologies with interactive classroom activities can result in improved learning but not necessarily improved student satisfaction.

Trace Anomalies and the Hawking Effect

Abstract: The general spherically symmetric, static solution of ${\ensuremath{ abla}}_{\ensuremath{ u}}{T}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{ u}} = 0$ in the exterior Schwarzschild metric is expressed in terms of two integration constants and two arbitrary functions, one of which is the trace of ${T}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{ u}}$. One constant is the magnitude of ${T}_{\mathrm{tr}}$ at infinity, and the other is determined if the physically normalized components of ${T}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{ u}}$ are finite on the future horizon. The trace of the stress tensor of a conformally invariant quantum field theory may be nonzero (anomalous), but must be proportional (here) to the Weyl scalar, $48{M}^{2}{r}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$; we fix the coefficient for the scalar field by indirect arguments to be ${(2880{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2})}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. In the two-dimensional analog, the magnitude of the Hawking blackbody effect at infinity is directly proportional to the magnitude of the anomalous trace (a multiple of the curvature scalar); a knowledge of either number completely determines the stress tensor outside a body in the final state of collapse. In four dimensions, one obtains instead a relation constraining the remaining undetermined function, which we choose as ${T}_{\ensuremath{\theta}}^{\ensuremath{\theta}}\ensuremath{-}\frac{{T}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}{4}$. This, plus additional physical and mathematical considerations, leads us to a fairly definite, physically convincing qualitative picture of $〈{T}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{ u}}〉$. Groundwork is laid for explicit calculations of $〈{T}_{\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{ u}}〉$.

Interim Estimates of Vaccine Effectiveness of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccines in Preventing SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Health Care Personnel, First Responders, and Other Essential and Frontline Workers - Eight U.S. Locations, December 2020-March 2021.

Abstract: Messenger RNA (mRNA) BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to be effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in randomized placebo-controlled Phase III trials (1,2); however, the benefits of these vaccines for preventing asymptomatic and symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) infection, particularly when administered in real-world conditions, is less well understood Using prospective cohorts of health care personnel, first responders, and other essential and frontline workers* in eight US locations during December 14, 2020-March 13, 2021, CDC routinely tested for SARS-CoV-2 infections every week regardless of symptom status and at the onset of symptoms consistent with COVID-19-associated illness Among 3,950 participants with no previous laboratory documentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 2,479 (628%) received both recommended mRNA doses and 477 (121%) received only one dose of mRNA vaccine† Among unvaccinated participants, 138 SARS-CoV-2 infections were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) per 1,000 person-days§ In contrast, among fully immunized (≥14 days after second dose) persons, 004 infections per 1,000 person-days were reported, and among partially immunized (≥14 days after first dose and before second dose) persons, 019 infections per 1,000 person-days were reported Estimated mRNA vaccine effectiveness for prevention of infection, adjusted for study site, was 90% for full immunization and 80% for partial immunization These findings indicate that authorized mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are effective for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of symptom status, among working-age adults in real-world conditions COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all eligible persons