'#DifferenceMakesUs': Selling Shakespeare Online (and the Commerce Platform Etsy)

open access articleThe mission statement of the online creative commerce platform Etsy declares its commitment to “using the power of business to strengthen communities and empower people”. Among the many handmade and vintage items sold on Etsy are 3,811 items quoting Helena’s description of Hermia from A Midsummer Night’s Dream (“and though she be but little, she is fierce”). This journal paper will examine the relationship between Shakespeare and the predominantly female crafts people who operate through platforms such as these as well as Shakespeare’s own depiction of female craft and handcrafted items. It seeks to explore the processes at work in Shakespeare-inspired merchandise and the relationship they claim to the play texts they adapt. The paper will continue by situating ‘female’ oriented creative work within the current political climate and exploring both the possibilities and limitations of craft as a vehicle for political resistance

The Contemporary Shakespearean Actor as the Site of Adaptive Encounter

This thesis investigates the cultural uses and implied signifying practices of the work of actors who are popularly and frequently described as 'Shakespearean.' Though ubiquitous figures within culture, there is a dearth of criticism which questions what qualities are invoked in the use of the term ‘Shakespearean’ and what implicit judgements of value or taste, class or cultural function are at work in its attribution. Although works such as Carol Chillington Rutter’s Clamorous Voices have analysed the figure of the female Shakespearean, moreover, the male Shakespearean remains largely an unexplored site of meaning and definition. It is this focus on the body of the actor which represents my original contribution to knowledge. Indeed, despite the preponderance of actor-based studies in Film Studies or, indeed, Theatre Studies, Adaptation Studies has been slow to locate the body as an adaptive site; concentrating instead upon themes, authors, the work of directors or, more recently, the influence of production factors. My thesis argues for the Shakespearean actor as a site of adaptation, positing it as a conduit for the transferable commdity value which is ‘Shakespeare’ and thereby considering the differences which may occur in the production of meaning as the Shakespearean actor moves between cultural hierarchies: from ‘high’ to ‘low’, or mainstream culture. An essential part of this thesis and an aspect which further argues for its contribution to this field is, therefore, analysis of popular cultural texts which have largely been ignored by adaptation critics. Although figures such as Richard Burt have recognised the value of popular or counter-cultural texts for an understanding of Shakespeare’s far-reaching and often surprising influence, the more tangential work in the Shakespearean actor’s filmography provide equally valuable ground to mine. An understanding of a Shakespearean actor’s cultural function is thus served by critiquing their mainstream films as well as their more documented Shakespearean oeuvre. By focusing on the implicitly multidirectional possibilities of adaptation as a process, I explore what values the ‘Shakespearean’ holds in contemporary culture and whether these maintain a popular perception of the Shakespearean actor as a representative of conservatism, elitism and ‘high’ culture. Or, whether the Shakespearean actor contains the potential for subverting some of the associations which Shakespeare’s legacy has accrued over time

Early language delay: A study of the evolving language environments of preschool children

Primary language impairment (PLI) affects approximately one in 20 young children, who may have difficulties with language in later life. The importance of parent-child interaction (PCI) for language development has been well established. Many early speech and language therapy interventions have focused on modifying characteristics of PCI to enhance opportunities for language learning. However, the success of such programmes is mixed. Furthermore, there is a dearth of literature examining the developmental nature of the relationship between parent and child language with children who have PLI. Using a case study methodology, the present study aimed to understand the dynamics of the relationship between PCI and the trajectories of vocabulary growth of children with PLI. Four case studies were developed using data from preschool children and their families. Following baseline assessments, data were collected at four time points across 9-10 months. Vocabulary development was examined using MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories. Children wore a LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis) recorder at home, which collected naturalistic all-day audio, used to sample PCI for transcription and analysis. The LENA audio was coded to examine how talk varied across everyday activities. In addition, mother-child dyads were video-recorded looking at a picture-book to examine parent teaching behaviours. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with parents to get their perspectives on having a child with PLI. The findings demonstrated cross-case differences in the trajectories of children’s vocabulary growth, which were consistent with differences in maternal talk. Across cases, mothers were generally found to dominate interactions. There was no clear pattern in maternal responsiveness that suggested change over time. However, there was a trend for increased responsiveness during picture-book sharing compared to the naturalistic PCI samples. Mother-child play was infrequent during the LENA recordings. These findings challenge previous research that observed PCI in single, researcher-defined settings such as toy play and its representativeness for understanding PCI more broadly. Further research is discussed, including evaluation of PCI interventions in naturalistic settings to assess integration of strategies. The interviews with parents identified factors to improve engagement and satisfaction with interventions. Understanding individual differences in response to interventions is essential for improving the effectiveness of support for children

Improving Performance and Participation of Elementary School Students through a Coteaching Model

This project explored the use of a coteaching program with a general education teacher and OTD student at an elementary school. The poster provides an overview of the methods used, an overview of the coteaching program that was implemented, and the significance and implications of this project. The purpose of this coteaching program was to develop a coteaching program in which occupational therapists and general education teachers work together in classrooms to improve performance and participation of students with and without disabilities.https://soar.usa.edu/otdcapstonesspring2023/1034/thumbnail.jp

Identification of reindeer fine-scale foraging behaviour using tri-axial accelerometer data

Animal behavioural responses to the environment ultimately affect their survival. Monitoring animal fine-scale behaviour may improve understanding of animal functional response to the environment and provide an important indicator of the welfare of both wild and domesticated species. In this study, we illustrate the application of collar-attached acceleration sensors for investigating reindeer fine-scale behaviour. Using data from 19 reindeer, we tested the supervised machine learning algorithms Random forests, Support vector machines, and hidden Markov models to classify reindeer behaviour into seven classes: grazing, browsing low from shrubs or browsing high from trees, inactivity, walking, trotting, and other behaviours. We implemented leave-one-subject-out cross-validation to assess generalizable results on new individuals. Our main results illustrated that hidden Markov models were able to classify collar-attached accelerometer data into all our pre-defined behaviours of reindeer with reasonable accuracy while Random forests and Support vector machines were biased towards dominant classes. Random forests using 5-s windows had the highest overall accuracy (85%), while hidden Markov models were able to best predict individual behaviours and handle rare behaviours such as trotting and browsing high. We conclude that hidden Markov models provide a useful tool to remotely monitor reindeer and potentially other large herbivore species behaviour. These methods will allow us to quantify fine-scale behavioural processes in relation to environmental events

Policies for Tobacco and E-Cigarette Use: A Survey of All Higher Education Institutions and NHS Trusts in England.

INTRODUCTION: There is an absence of evidence regarding the impact of treating tobacco smoking and vaping equivalently in workplace policies. We aimed to describe and compare smoking and vaping policies in acute nonspecialist NHS Trusts (n = 131) and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) (n = 131) in England. METHODS: We conducted a census of smoking and vaping policies through organizational websites searches and direct requests for information. We recorded whether and where smoking and vaping were permitted. RESULTS: Smoking was prohibited indoors in all organizations. No NHS Trust permitted smoking freely outdoors, in contrast with 60% of HEIs. In 27% of NHS Trusts and 33% of HEIs smoking was permitted in designated areas, while in 73% of NHS Trusts and 8% of HEIs smoking was prohibited anywhere on site. Vaping was prohibited indoors in all NHS Trusts and all but one HEI, but permitted freely outdoors in 18% of NHS Trusts and 75% of HEIs. Vaping was permitted in designated outdoor spaces in 23% of NHS Trusts: 21% had areas shared with smokers; 2% had separate vaping areas. Vaping was permitted in designated outdoor areas in 18% of HEIs, all of which were shared with smokers. Vaping was prohibited anywhere on site in 54% of NHS Trusts and 6% of HEIs. CONCLUSIONS: Policies vary considerably in whether vaping and smoking are treated equivalently. Smoking policies in most HEIs should be reviewed to include more effective tobacco control approaches. Evidence is needed on the impact of imposing shared or separate spaces on vapers and smokers. IMPLICATIONS: This report provides a comprehensive review of smoking and vaping policies in two types of organization across England. It highlights key discrepancies between current public health recommendations for vaping and existing workplace policies, which often lead to smokers and vapers sharing spaces. The report identifies the need for evidence on the impact of imposing shared spaces on smokers and vapers to inform workplace policies that maximize public health benefit

Exploring the Longitudinal Relationship Between Short Sleep Duration, Temperament and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in a Biethnic Population of Children Aged Between 6 and 61 Months:A Born in Bradford Study

Objective: Examine the association between sleep duration, temperament and symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a biethnic child-population from The Born in Bradford cohort. Method: Parent-report sleep duration categorized children as: early short, late short, consistently short or consistently normal sleepers between 6 and 36 months. Temperament was measured using the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire at 6 months. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire assessed symptoms of ADHD at 37, 54, and 61 months. Results: Normal sleepers before 18 months had significantly fewer ADHD symptoms at 37 months compared with consistently short sleepers. Fussiness at 6 months was significantly positively associated with ADHD symptoms at 37 and 54 months; but does not appear to mediate the relationship between sleep duration and ADHD symptoms. Conclusion: Awareness of the relationship between short sleep duration and fussiness in infancy and later ADHD symptomatology may support earlier identification of arising difficulties in children

Size matters but when, why and for whom?

Pack size of tobacco products, including factory-made cigarettes and loose tobacco, is an important but neglected aspect of tobacco control policy. Understanding the nature of the relationship between pack size and consumption, as well as the underlying mechanisms, is key for informing effective policy and reducing smoking prevalenc

Impact of e-cigarette retail displays on attitudes to smoking and vaping in children: an online experimental study

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the impact of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) retail display exposure on attitudes to smoking and vaping (susceptibility to tobacco smoking and using e-cigarettes, and perceptions of the harms of smoking and e-cigarette use). DESIGN: Between-subjects randomised experiment using a 2 (e-cigarette retail display visibility: high vs low)×2 (proportion of e-cigarette images: 75% vs 25%) factorial design. SETTING: Online via the Qualtrics survey platform. PARTICIPANTS: UK children aged 13-17 years (n=1034), recruited through a research agency. INTERVENTION: Participants viewed 12 images of retail displays that contained e-cigarette display images or unrelated product images. E-cigarette display images were either high or low visibility, based on a conspicuousness score. Participants were randomised to one of four groups, with e-cigarette display visibility and proportion of e-cigarette images, compared with images of unrelated products, manipulated: (1) 75% e-cigarettes, high visibility; (2) 25% e-cigarettes, high visibility; (3) 75% e-cigarettes, low visibility; (4) 25% e-cigarettes, low visibility. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was susceptibility to smoking (among never smokers only). Secondary outcomes were susceptibility to using e-cigarettes (among never vapers only), and perceptions of smoking and e-cigarette harm (all participants). RESULTS: Neither e-cigarette retail display visibility, nor the proportion of e-cigarette images displayed, appeared to influence susceptibility to smoking (visibility: OR=0.84, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.13, p=0.24; proportion: OR=1.34, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.82, p=0.054 (reference: low visibility, not susceptible)).Planned subgroup analyses indicated that exposure to a higher proportion of e-cigarette images increased susceptibility to smoking among children who visited retail stores more regularly (n=524, OR=1.59, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.43, p=0.034), and those who passed the attention check (n=880, OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.98, p=0.031).In addition, neither e-cigarette retail display visibility nor the proportion of e-cigarette images displayed, appeared to influence susceptibility to using e-cigarettes (visibility: OR=1.07, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.43, p=0.65; proportion: OR=1.22, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.64, p=0.18).Greater visibility of e-cigarette retail displays reduced perceived harm of smoking (mean difference (MD)=-0.19, 95% CI -0.34 to -0.04, p=0.016). There was no evidence that the proportion of e-cigarette images displayed had an effect (MD=-0.07, 95% CI -0.22 to 0.09, p=0.40).Perceived harm of e-cigarette use did not appear to be affected by e-cigarette retail display visibility (MD=-0.12, 95% CI -0.28 to 0.05, p=0.16) or by the proportion of e-cigarette images displayed (MD=-0.10, 95% CI -0.26 to 0.07, p=0.24). CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence in the full sample to suggest that children's susceptibility to smoking is increased by exposure to higher visibility e-cigarette retail displays, or to a higher proportion of e-cigarette images. However, for regular store visitors or those paying more attention, viewing a higher proportion of e-cigarette images increased susceptibility to smoking. In addition, viewing higher visibility e-cigarette images reduced perceived harm of smoking. A review of the current regulatory discrepancy between tobacco and e-cigarette point-of-sale marketing is warranted. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN18215632

Methylphenidate improves response inhibition but not reflection–impulsivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Impulsivity is a cardinal feature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is thought to underlie many of the cognitive and behavioural symptoms associated with the disorder. Impairments on some measures of impulsivity have been shown to be responsive to pharmacotherapy. However, impulsivity is a multi-factorial construct and the degree to which different forms of impulsivity contribute to impairments in ADHD or respond to pharmacological treatments remains unclear.The aims of the study were to assess the effects of methylphenidate (MPH) on the performance of children with ADHD on measures of reflection-impulsivity and response inhibition and to compare with the performance of healthy volunteers.Twenty-one boys (aged 7-13 years) diagnosed with ADHD underwent a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of MPH (0.5 mg/kg) during which they performed the Information Sampling Task (IST) and the Stop Signal Task. A healthy age- and education-matched control group was tested on the same measures without medication.Children with ADHD were impaired on measures of response inhibition, but did not demonstrate reflection-impulsivity on the IST. However, despite sampling a similar amount of information as their peers, the ADHD group made more poor decisions. MPH improved performance on measures of response inhibition and variability of response, but did not affect measures of reflection-impulsivity or quality of decision-making.MPH differentially affected two forms of impulsivity in children with ADHD and failed to ameliorate their poor decision-making on the information sampling test.</p