Marketing & Branding of Artique Craft Studio and Café

This paper centers on the development of a comprehensive marketing and branding strategy for Artique Craft Studio & Café?a retail and community space designed for crafters and hobbyists. Preliminaries involved an in-depth analysis of business models and branding strategies from comparable companies, paired with a detailed investigation into advertising practices and tactics. Historical research into the Arts and Crafts Movement, Art Nouveau, and the roles of women in crafting?alongside the modern revival of craft culture?was conducted to contextualize the evolving cultural significance of making in the 21st century. Drawing from both historical insight and contemporary market analysis, the final outcome included a fully developed business model, a cohesive branding and marketing strategy, and a suite of collateral materials that together embody the identity and mission of Artique

Feeding, dysphagia, weight, and sleep in pediatric patients: mediation analysis and comparison of autism and non-autism

Purpose: Feeding difficulties impact child wellbeing and are associated with sleep disorders. Children with autism are known to have problems with sleep; however, a gap in evidence exists regarding relationships between other symptoms such as feeding difficulties. The purpose of this study was to describe feeding difficulties in children with autism referred for polysomnography and examine the relationships between feeding difficulties, dysphagia, abnormal weight, and sleep disorder. Methods: A secondary analysis of the de-identified 2017–2019 Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) Sleep DataBank was completed. The data were filtered for age (> 2, < 18 years), autism, feeding/dysphagia, and weight-related diagnoses. Results: Our sample included 3,053 participants (M = 7.26 years); 56% males; 66% White and 94% non-Hispanic. Feeding difficulties occurred in 11% and dysphagia in 9% of the total sample (autism and non-autism). The most common abnormal weight diagnoses were obesity (30%) and abnormal weight gain (24%). Feeding difficulties and dysphagia predicted sleep disorders in the sample; however, those with autism were 3.83 times more likely to have feeding difficulties than patients without autism and 2.19 times more likely to have dysphagia. In the autism group, obesity and abnormal weight gain partially mediated the relationship between feeding difficulties and sleep disorder, and between dysphagia and sleep disorder. Conclusions: In a sample of children referred for polysomnography, both feeding difficulties and dysphagia were associated with sleep disorders and were more likely in children with autism. The relationship between feeding difficulties, dysphagia, and sleep disorder in autism was enhanced by the presence of obesity and abnormal weight gain. Prospective longitudinal studies are recommended to help reveal causal relationships between these variables

The mechanics of sprint running performance: Why getting even doesn’t help, but footwear can

Introduction: Sprint running performance is determined by ground force application and limited by fatigue. Although these phenomena are generally appreciated, how sequential steps and individual limb mechanics might account for them is not well understood. This dissertation investigates three key aspects of sprint running performance: (1) the effects of footwear on maximal sprinting speed and speed endurance, (2) the relationship between bilateral symmetry and sprinting performance, and (3) the gait and sprint performance consequences of an acutely introduced limb length asymmetry. Together, these studies aim to advance our understanding of the biomechanical determinants of sprinting performance. Methods: Three experimental studies were conducted. Study 1 tested whether prototype footwear, designed with increased bending stiffness and a thicker, more cushioned midsole than conventional footwear, could improve overground sprinting performance in 15 athletes during 60 m, 100 m, and 130 m sprints. Step kinematics and ground force application were analyzed using radar, accelerometers, and high-speed video. Study 2 examined the symmetry of individual limb ground force application during high-speed treadmill running among 16 athletes, including sprinters, athlete non-sprinters, and sprinters with known anatomical asymmetries, running on a force-instrumented treadmill at speeds ranging from 60% to 100% of their maximum. Study 3 evaluated whether an acute, unilateral limb-length perturbation (2.5 cm elongation of one shoe) affected gait mechanics and maximal sprinting speed in 12 athletes, assessed through progressive treadmill tests to failure. Results: The prototype footwear in Study 1 increased maximal speed (+2.3%), lengthened steps (+1.6–1.9%), and improved sprint endurance, with performance benefits tending to be larger at longer distances (e.g., +2.7% in the final 30 m of 130 m sprints). Study 2 revealed that faster sprinters exhibited greater between-limb asymmetries in stance-averaged force (7.90±3.5% vs. 5.30±2.8%, p<0.01) and impulse (10.5±4.7% vs. 7.6±3.9%, p<0.01) compared to non-sprinters, while anatomically asymmetrical sprinters (n=4) displayed significantly greater between-limb force application asymmetries than the competitive sprint and athlete, non-sprint groups. Study 3 demonstrated that an acute single-limb elongation intervention did not impair maximal speed (8.12±1.49 vs. 8.18±1.46 m/s), because runners adapted by redistributing between limbs forces to meet the gait requirements and thereby conserve maximal running speeds. Conclusion: These findings indicate that: 1) sprint performance can be enhanced by footwear interventions that improve bilateral force application and reduce the fatigue particularly during longer sprints, 2) bilaterally symmetrical ground force application is not a prerequisite for achieving fast sprint running speeds, and 3) fast speeds ca be attained with both natural and induced asymmetries due to compensatory between-limb gait adaptations

THE SILENCE OF VIOLENCE: MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN PORTRAYALS IN THE MEDIA

When reviewing major stories of missing or murdered women in North America, the media has demonstrated its extensive interest and fascination with instances of missing, harmed and murdered white women. In contrast, women of color receive significantly less coverage from media outlets, despite women of color experiencing significantly higher rates of violence. Despite Native and Indigenous women's higher representation of missing and murdered cases in North America, the media?s coverage of these cases is often limited, overlooked and disregarded. This project examines the differential coverage of missing white woman cases when compared to the coverage surrounding missing Native American and Indigenous women. An issue with nationwide reach and impact, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, commonly referred to as MMIW, addresses the centuries-long crisis of disproportionate experiences of sexual assault, abduction and murder perpetrated against American Indian and Indigenous women. The MMIW crisis may be considered a result of government policies and practices introduced during colonization, such as violence perpetrated against Native communities, forced removal, and seizures of land. Contemporary Native American and Indigenous women continue to experience alarmingly high rates of violence, leading to generational cycles of violence perpetrated against Native peoples.. Despite these advocacy efforts from Native American and Indigenous communities, instances of missing and murdered Native American, Indigenous and aboriginal women receive less media coverage when compared to white women. The review analyzes the distinction between media coverage of missing and murdered white Native women and white women. In addition, this project identifies how media framing behaviors may perpetuate stereotypes and impact the lack of media coverage of MMIW cases and experiences

THE SYNTHESIS OF ALKALOIDS FROM CRINUM DELAGOENSE, COMPOUNDS WITH POTENTIAL TUMOR SUPPRESSING ABILITY

Crinum delagoense, a plant native to South Africa, contains six different alkaloids (Nair, Campbell et al. 1997). Two of these alkaloids, delagoensine and delagoenine, had not been identified or characterized prior to the point of their initial isolation in 1997 and have since not been synthesized in a laboratory setting using a dedicated synthetic route. Due to their potential to combat certain types of human cancer, these two alkaloids are worthy targets for total synthesis. The purpose of this study is to synthesize delagoensine and delagoenine by modifying a previous route used in the synthesis of a related alkaloid system

The effects of unstructured outdoor play on motor coordination, self-esteem, and perceived physical ability in elementary-aged children

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of the LiiNK® modified recess intervention on physiological and psychological differences in 9-11-year-olds from two school districts. District 1, the modified recess intervention group (N =120), had 30 minutes of daily recess and a daily 15-minute Positive Action® Curriculum, while District 2, the control group (N = 98), had 30 minutes or less of daily recess. The physiological assessment included the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder® (KTK) to assess motor coordination. The psychological components included the KID-KINDL self-esteem subscale and the Perceived Physical Ability Scale (PPASC). Parent consent and child assent were obtained before the children participated in the physical education class. A repeated measures MANCOVA was conducted for research question 1 to examine group and sex differences in physiological and psychological assessments from Time 1 to Time 2, controlling for grade. The control group outperformed the intervention on the PPASC (p < 0.001). Additionally, males exhibited higher scores than females on the single leg hop (p = 0.030), lateral jump (p = 0.018), and PPASC (p = 0.013). Research question 2 explored the relationships between motor coordination, body fat percentage, self-esteem, and perceived physical ability scores in children at Time 1 and Time 2. Moderate to strong positive correlations were found between total MQ scores for the following KTK subtests: walking backward (Time 1 r = 0.651, p < 0.001; Time 2 r = 0.669, p < 0.001), lateral jump (r = 0.759, p < 0.001), sideways stepping (Time 1 r = 0.742, p < 0.001; Time 2 r = 0.698, p < 0.001), and single leg hop (Time 1 r = 0.744, p < 0.001; Time 2 r = 0.669, p < 0.001), whereas lateral jumping (r = 0.766, p < 0.001) was only found to be correlated with MQ at Time 2. These findings suggest that 60-minutes of recess better supports children's holistic development than 30 minutes, with males benefiting more, likely due to higher physical activity participation at their developmental age

THE DESIGN AND SYNTHESIS OF FLUORESCENT DYES AS ENVIRONMENT-SENSITIVE MOLECULAR PROBES

Fluorescent small molecule environment-sensitive probes have photophysical properties such as emission wavelength, fluorescence intensity or lifetime that change based on their surroundings like temperature, pH, or viscosity. Viscosity is an important physical property of fluid media, which plays crucial roles in many chemical and biological systems. In biological settings such as a cellular environment, changes in viscosity could be indicative of cellular malfunction or abnormalities. Thus, utilization of these environment-sensitive molecular probes could be useful in assessing the changes in viscosity of the cells. Ratiometric probes have two components with different reactive spectral properties that allow for more consistent internal calibration that provides more accurate determination of viscosity. However, the synthesis of ratiometric probes is often challenging, requiring multiple purification steps for isolation of the desired compounds. Therefore, this research highlights our synthetic efforts to make ratiometric molecular viscometers in a facile, efficient and modular manner

Barriers to implementing interprofessional team training: Faculty’s and administrators’ perspectives

Purpose: Despite emphasis on interprofessional collaboration in schools, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and educators often enter the workforce without formal training in teamwork competencies. This study explored faculty’s and administrators’ perceptions of implementing an interprofessional team-based training for students enrolled in speech-language pathology and education programs. Method: Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), qualitative interviews were conducted with four academic leaders from Communication Sciences and Disorders (COSD) and Education departments. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results: Facilitators included certification/program requirements, supportive leadership, faculty willingness, and existing coursework overlap. Barriers included limited funding, faculty and student workload, inconsistent interdepartmental communication, and differing delivery formats. Conclusion: While participants recognized the value of team-based training, logistical and structural barriers challenge its implementation. Faculty or administrators who want to implement an interdisciplinary team training should align goals of the training with accreditation standards and develop strategies to bring faculty from different disciplines together. The barriers and facilitators identified in this study should be used to improve the sustainability of interdisciplinary team training in university programs

Isolated in my resentment: Outcomes of existential isolation and incel traits

Recent work has begun to examine the traits that define an “incel” (i.e., involuntary celibate) and the risk to well-being posed by these traits. However, the social determinants of incel traits, and ways address these determinants, remain an open question. The current work examined the association between existential isolation (EI), or the perception that one is alone in their experiences and worldview, and incel traits, as well as the implications of this association for unpartnered men’s well-being. First, the association of each chronic (Study 1 and Study 2) and acute (Study 3) experiences of EI with incel traits, and self-perceptions (Study 1), meta-dehumanizing perceptions, and misogynistic perceptions (Study 2) were examined. Next, corrective information targeting erroneous meta-dehumanizing perceptions (Study 4), and feedback eliciting shared reality (Study 5), were each examined as potential interventions. Results provide consistent evidence to suggest that unpartnered men who feel more EI express more incel traits, and consequently report more negative views of themselves and beliefs about how they are viewed by women; though, shared reality feedback may be effective for attenuating these outcomes. These results suggest that EI may be a key social determinant of incel traits, and highlight addressing these feelings as an important step towards improving the well-being of men who possess incel traits

Beyond The Balance Sheet: Assessing Both Clinical And Community Impacts Of Private Equity Involvement With Healthcare Facilities Throughout The State Of Texas

This paper works to analyze the effects of private equity ownership on hospitals throughout the state of Texas. The data that is analyzed is total yearly revenue, uncompensated care as a percentage of total revenue, potentially preventable complications rates, and average charges per case of the two most available conditions based on data. The data used is comprised of all available reports from the Texas Department of Health Services during the period from 2012 - 2023. The method that was performed was a staggered difference-in-difference design. This test was able to show the effects pre- and post-acquisitions of the hospitals against the control of the hospitals in Texas that were never acquired or involved with private equity in any way. The findings found an adverse effect from private equity in higher average rates of potentially preventable complications, charges per case, and overall drop in revenue. These effects took form with the greatest intensity three - four years post-acquisition. The findings support the idea that private equity is overall detrimental to patients of hospitals in the state of Texas as it brings lower quality of care and higher costs associated with care