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How Message Framing and Activating Constructs Reduce Psychological Distance: Strengthening Connections Between Supporters and Beneficiaries
No full textIn recent years, the increasing adoption of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles has led companies to shift their focus beyond mere economic value creation. While environmental issues continue to matter, companies are increasingly turning their attention to the social aspects of ESG. This growing emphasis signals a broader shift in corporate priorities. Rather than focusing solely on economic outcomes, many companies are now also addressing issues such as community well-being, equity, and inclusive development. This shift carries particular significance for the hospitality industry due to the very nature of the business. As a global service-oriented sector that operates across diverse cultural and geographic contexts, hospitality companies are inherently tied to local communities. These deep-rooted connections make social responsibility not only relevant but essential to long-term success and legitimacy in the industry. Traditionally, social initiatives in the corporate context have been led and communicated primarily by the companies themselves, with limited stakeholder engagement. However, there is now a significant shift toward more participatory approaches that actively encourage the involvement of various stakeholders, including customers. As a result, stakeholder engagement has emerged as a critical concept in both academic and managerial discussions on social initiatives, particularly within industries like hospitality where stakeholder relationships are central. Although stakeholder engagement has received considerable scholarly attention, much of the existing literature on company-led social initiatives can largely be categorized into two dominant approaches. One line of research focuses on how companies communicate their social initiatives to the public. These studies examine how companies design messages or campaigns to highlight their role in social efforts, often positioning the company as the central actor with minimal stakeholder involvement. Another stream focuses on customer support for company-led social initiatives. This line of work explores which types of initiatives are more likely to gain public approval. These efforts often succeed by aligning with customers’ values, concerns, preferences, or social identities. However, both approaches tend to overlook the actual needs of beneficiaries and pay limited attention to the relational dynamics between supporters and beneficiaries. These limitations hinder the development of truly impactful and inclusive social initiatives. This raises an important question: how can companies encourage support for social initiatives that address actual needs, rather than relying on customers’ pre-existing personal preferences? Psychological distance theory suggests that people are more likely to support social initiatives when they perceive them as psychologically close. If that is the case, then reducing psychological distance should encourage greater engagement. However, despite the theoretical implications, little empirical research has directly tested how this mechanism can be used to foster support for social initiatives. To address this gap, the present study investigates how reducing perceived psychological distance can enhance customer engagement in the context of hospitality-company-based social initiatives. Building on the theoretical framework of psychological distance, this study explores how reducing perceived distance can strengthen customer engagement in social initiatives within the hospitality context. Specifically, it examines whether using personal pronouns in message framing (e.g., “we” instead of “they”) can foster a greater sense of social closeness and increase behavioral intentions to engage. It also investigates whether activating different constructs, such as time versus money, influences psychological closeness and engagement outcomes. Finally, the study considers how these effects may vary depending on the level of power distance belief, offering insight into how communication strategies can be tailored for different hospitality settings and audience mindsets. Two experimental studies were conducted to test how reducing psychological distance could enhance stakeholder engagement in social initiatives. Study 1 manipulated personal pronoun type (they vs. we) in messages and found that the “we” pronoun increased perceived closeness and engagement intentions, particularly among individuals with low power distance belief. Study 2 compared activation constructs (money vs. time) and showed that time-based appeals led to greater perceived closeness and engagement, again moderated by power distance belief. In both studies, perceived psychological closeness mediated the effect of message framing on engagement, but only for participants with low power distance belief. These results highlight the importance of tailored communication strategies in fostering meaningful customer engagement in hospitality-based social initiatives. This study provides clear evidence that reducing psychological distance can significantly increase customer engagement in social initiatives. By identifying two effective message strategies—personal pronouns and time-based framing—and demonstrating their conditional effects based on power distance belief, the research offers actionable insights for designing more effective social campaigns. These findings are particularly valuable for hospitality firms aiming to drive meaningful support for initiatives that address real social needs
The Co-Occurrence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Aarskog–Scott Syndrome in an Accomplished Young Man
No full textObjectives/Background: Aarskog–Scott syndrome (AAS), also known as faciogenital dysplasia, is a rare X-linked genetic disorder primarily characterized by its diverse physical manifestations. Previous evidence suggests a potential association between AAS and neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This case study presents a male adolescent with ASD and a novel genetic variant in FGD1 underlying AAS. We conducted comprehensive clinical, genetic, and behavioral assessments to characterize the neurodevelopmental presentation. Moreover, we examined the existing literature on AAS and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders. Results: The patient demonstrated features consistent with both AAS and ASD, presenting with characteristic physical features of AAS and meeting diagnostic criteria for ASD on both ADI-R and ADOS-2. Cognitive assessment revealed above-average nonverbal IQ (Leiter-3, NVIQ = 115), while adaptive functioning was notably impaired (Vineland composite score = 65). Executive function deficits were identified through several assessments, though ADHD diagnostic criteria were not met. The literature review considered 64 studies, including 151 individuals with AAS. ASD was observed in 4.0%, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 10.6%, and Intellectual Disability (ID) in 14.2% of cases. Conclusions: The combination of ASD with preserved nonverbal intelligence but impaired adaptive functioning in this AAS case demonstrates the complex neurodevelopmental manifestations possible in this rare genetic condition. The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders among people with AAS may be higher than their prevalence in the general population. However, a comprehensive assessment of developmental progress was rarely performed in previous studies, which may lead to systematic underestimation of co-occurring neurodevelopmental difficulties in AAS
Impact of Saliva Collection Method on the Recovery of Drugs and Metabolites From Saliva
No full textDrug excretion occurs mainly through renal and hepatic routes, but some drugs are also excreted into saliva via passive or active transport. Saliva is increasingly used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for disease biomarkers, drug misuse, and medication compliance. Saliva is typically collected by spitting into a container or using an oral swab. While swabs improve comfort and compliance, they risk binding analytes, affecting recovery for quantitative analysis. We hypothesized that a two-step extraction method could improve analyte recovery from oral swabs, making it comparable (>80%) to the spitting method. Three compounds-Buprenorphine (BUP), Matrine (MAT), and Dihydrouracil (DHU)-were tested as model drugs/metabolites excreted in saliva. Various concentrations of each drug were tested in saliva, adsorbed onto SalivaBio Oral Swabs, and analyzed using UPLC and LCMS. Results showed significantly lower recovery at lower concentrations. For BUP, total recovery from the two-step extraction ranged from 72.67% to 113.57% across 1-100 nM. These findings suggest that oral swabs are suitable for detecting drugs and metabolites in saliva only at higher concentrations (>10 nM).Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department ofHonors Colleg
Narrative Healing: Testimonio as Desahogo in Elizabeth Farfán-Santos' Undocumented Motherhood
No full textThis research explores how testimonio and desahogo function as narrative healing tools for undocumented Mexican mothers, focusing on Claudia's story in Elizabeth Farfán-Santos' Undocumented Motherhood. Through testimonio, Claudia confronts the invisible and often unacknowledged pain caused by migration trauma, systemic exclusion, and the emotional weight of being undocumented. Drawing from narrative medicine and Chicana feminism, this study demonstrates how storytelling serves as both a form of resistance and a path to healing, allowing Claudia to reclaim control over her trauma and find emotional release through desahogo. This concept, translated as "un-drowning," metaphorically illustrates how undocumented individuals are weighed down by unspoken pain and how the act of narrating that pain offers relief. By framing Claudia's narrative within the broader context of narrative medicine, this research emphasizes the importance of listening to untold stories for healthcare providers. Understanding desahogo as a culturally specific form of healing, this study highlights how undocumented trauma manifests both emotionally and physically, often leading to chronic illness. The implications for healthcare are significant: by interpreting the narratives of undocumented patients through culturally sensitive lenses, healthcare practitioners can provide more holistic, compassionate care. Ultimately, this research calls for the integration of narrative practices in healthcare to address the needs of marginalized communities like undocumented immigrants.Honors Colleg
One-Dimensional Nanostructured Materials And Manufacturing of Deformable Electronics For Healthcare and Soft Robotics
No full textEngineered electronic systems in soft format with their ability to accommodate mechanical deformations are the drivers for emerging wearable health monitors, implantable electronics, AI-augmented bionic prosthetics and intelligent soft robotics. One dimensional (1D) nanostructures of electronic materials are promising material system for fabricating soft electronics due to their unique form factor. Despite significant state-of-the-art advances, the realization of deformable electronics using 1D nanomaterials requires dedicated material system, economic material synthesis and scalable manufacturing techniques. Moreover, engineering techniques that render stretchability to electronic devices comprise structural engineering to accommodate strain which add complexity to the fabrication process and limits the future advancements in the field. This dissertation aims to provide details of fundamental studies that address some of the existing challenges in materials and manufacturing technology, and to validate the advancements through device characterization, mechanical investigations and utilitarian demonstrations. This dissertation is mainly sectioned with four major topics. The first section introduces ultrathin flexible electronics, fabricated from array of uniaxially aligned electrospun metal oxide semiconducting nanofibers. The ultrathin electronics have advantages of conformability to curvilinear biological surfaces, light weight, bending insensitivity to device performance and mechanical imperceptibility to users. The second topic investigates process – structure – performance correlations and develop novel hierarchical nanostructure of metal oxide nanofibers to enhance sensitivity of multimodal low-voltage operated wearable devices. The third topic introduces rubbery nanocomposite electronic materials, which are synthesized using nanofibrillar structure of electronic materials percolated in elastomer matrix, developed for fabrication of intrinsically stretchable electronic devices. Additionally, Direct Ink Extrusion (DIE) based 3D printing is demonstrated to fabricate all-organic deformable e-skin for soft robots with distributed network of intrinsically stretchable sensors. The fourth topic extends the utility of intrinsically stretchable electronics with packaging in multilayered format for designing a biomimicking e-skin for bioinspired hybridized soft robot. The soft multimodal sensors cladded hybrid soft robotic hand demonstrates real-time clinical healthcare applications that pave way for robots assisted nursing care and demonstrates advanced AI-augmented bionic prosthetics. Overall, this dissertation comprises associated challenges and complete set of results corresponding to materials, manufacturing techniques, electronic devices and mechanical investigations to demonstrate the advancements in 1D nanostructures based deformable electronics for wearable electronics and soft robotics
Mental Health and Immigrant Perceptions of Inclusion
No full textPrevious research on immigrant integration indicates that contextual factors, such as access to health services, often lead to varying levels of immigrant incorporation and feelings of inclusion. Research has demonstrated the link between inclusion and physical health but less is known about the connection between mental health and immigrant inclusion. In this study, we examine the impact of the prevalence of mental health issues at the county level on immigrants’ perceptions of inclusion. We propose that a lower prevalence of mental health issues at the county level is associated with improved perceptions of inclusion among immigrants. To explore this relationship, we analyze data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, which covers feelings of immigrant inclusion from a racially and geographically diverse sample of immigrants across the United States. We pair these data with CDC PLACES data on the crude prevalence of mental health issues at the county level. Our findings reveal an association between the crude prevalence of mental health issues at the county level and immigrants’ feelings of inclusion. Through this analysis, we underscore the significance of understanding the contextual determinants that shape migrants’ perceptions of inclusion
Seismic Hazard Investigation of LNG Export Facilities in the USA
No full textOver the past decade, America has seen a significant increase in Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) production and exports, necessitating extensive infrastructure for the liquification process and specialized shipping. With LNG facilities being highly sensitive and classified as Category I structures, regulatory bodies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) require seismic hazard analyses for these sites across the US, regardless of the seismic activity level. The focus of this study will be on identifying and evaluating seismic hazards at US LNG locations. This research aims to assess the seismic risks based on geographical seismicity and site-specific geotechnical conditions to support the construction of durable, safe, and seismic-resilient LNG infrastructure. This approach will help minimize future site damage and supply disruptions, enhancing the industry's safety and economic stability. The methodology includes a comprehensive literature review to understand the various LNG sites, selecting high-risk locations for detailed study, utilizing the United States Geological Survey Dynamic Hazard tool for seismic risk evaluation, developing soil profiles for site-specific seismic hazard assessment, and performing site-specific seismic hazard analyses. This work is crucial for building seismic-resilient LNG facilities, ensuring a steady supply of sustainable energy and minimizing financial impacts on the industry.Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department ofHonors Colleg
Correcting Misinformation on Social Media: The Role of Influencer Type and Message Tone in Audience Persuasion
No full textA 2 (influencer status: virtual vs. human) x 2 (method of correction: humorous vs. rational tone) between-subjects experiment was conducted to examine how different influencer types and correction strategies impact the recognition of misinformation. Results revealed that human influencers were perceived as more credible than virtual ones, significantly increasing followers’ positive attitudes and sharing intentions with corrective posts. Humorous tone con led to a greater perceived novelty but generally failed to significantly enhance correction outcomes; in some cases, it even led to unintended effects, such as greater behavioral intentions or positive attitude toward the misinformation
Language Acquisition for Refugee Students in Texas Public Schools
No full textRefugee and asylee students face unique challenges in language acquisition as they navigate the U.S. education system. Many arrive with interrupted schooling, limited exposure to English, and economic hardships that further hinder their academic progress. This study examines the relationship between economic disadvantage and English language proficiency among refugee and asylee students enrolled in Texas public schools, using data from the University of Houston's Education Research Center (ERC).Geospatial analysis of median family income and Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) scores reveals that students from lower-income regions tend to have lower English proficiency, suggesting that financial instability may be a significant factor affecting language acquisition. Additionally, program enrollment data indicates that students in special education programs outperform those in English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual programs. Notably, bilingual program participants exhibit the lowest TELPAS scores, possibly due to greater exposure to their native language, which may slow their transition to English fluency. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions that address both economic barriers and the effectiveness of language instruction programs. By reassessing current support systems and refining language acquisition strategies, educators and policymakers can better equip refugee students with the tools necessary for academic success and long-term integration.Honors Colleg
Role of MYLK4 in C2C12 Myoblast Differentiation and Metabolic Enzyme Activity
No full textMYLK4 is the newest member of the myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) family, distinguished by its constitutive activity and broad tissue expression, suggesting diverse functional roles beyond contractility. Previous studies have linked MYLK4 expression to various physiological and pathological conditions, including heart failure, aging skeletal muscle, and neural degeneration. To investigate the role of MYLK4 in myoblast differentiation and metabolism, we utilized CRISPR technology to generate MYLK4 knockout (KO) C2C12 myoblasts. Genotyping through PCR and gel electrophoresis confirmed successful heterozygous deletion mutants, with distinct banding patterns indicative of non-homologous end joining-mediated repair. qRT-PCR analysis showed decreased MYLK4 expression in mutant clones, though expression variability was observed across both wildtype and mutant cells. Immunofluorescence staining revealed a significant reduction in myotube formation and aberrant multinucleated cell morphology, suggesting that MYLK4 plays a crucial role in myoblast differentiation. Ongoing metabolic assessments will further elucidate the broader functional impact of MYLK4 loss. These findings provide initial evidence supporting the hypothesis that MYLK4 regulates cellular processes beyond contractility, potentially influencing differentiation and metabolic pathways.Biology and Biochemistry, Department ofHonors Colleg