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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
- Creators: School of Life Sciences
Description
For my honors thesis, I decided to do a creative project in the form of an extended comedy act. With this performance, I wanted to make jokes about my identity and experiences in my life while synthesizing the skills I had acquired over my college career. I decided I wanted to do this project because it felt like the best way to combine my passion (comedy) with my major (communication) in the form of a comedic performance study. And while I thought the performance would be the most informative aspect of my project, the workshop process ended up being far more enlightening. Through the workshop process, I was able to better understand the challenges that come with developing a comedic autoethnographic performance, and to discover the true purpose behind the art I was creating.
ContributorsMale, Kathryn Margaret (Author) / de la Garza, Amira (Thesis director) / Reyes, Guillermo (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Down Syndrome (DS), caused by the trisomy 21, is the most common intellectual developmental disorder. Children with DS display deficits in ample memory tasks attributed to alterations in memory-related brain structures, including the hippocampus. Although, many studies in DS focused on development of the brain during prenatal stages, little is known about the cellular evolution of the hippocampus in postnatal periods in DS. Therefore, here we examined the neurochemical spatiotemporal development of neuronal profiles in pediatric postnatal hippocampus in DS and neurotypical developing (NTD) controls. A quantitative and qualitative neuronal distribution was performed in hippocampal sections containing the proper hippocampus, dentate gyrus (DG) and subiculum obtained at autopsy from 1 day to 3 year-old infants in DS and NTD age-matched controls using antibodies against the non-phosphorylated high-molecular-weight neurofilament, a marker of differentiated neurons (SMI-32), the calcium binding protein calbindin D-28k (CAB), and the migration neuronal marker microtubule-associated protein doublecortin (DCX). In addition, Aβ and phosphorylated tau was also immunohistochemically examined in the hippocampus using 6E10, Aβ1-42 and the phosphorylated CP-13 and AT8 tau antibodies, respectively. We found APP/Aβ immunoreactivity, but not Aβ1-42, in diffuse-like plaques in the hippocampus from 1 day to 3 year old infants and young children in DS and NTD cases. By contrast, phosphorylated fetal tau was not immunodetected in the hippocampus at any age in both groups. SMI-32 immunolabeled neurons were observed in the hilus, CA2 field and subiculum in early postnatal cases in DS and NTD. The number of SMI-32 immunoreactive (ir) granule cells in the DG were significantly decreased in DS compared to NTD. While a strong DCX immunoreactivity was observed in the granule cells of the DG in the hippocampus in both groups at early postnatal stages, a more accelerated reduction was observed in DS. CAB-ir neuronal distribution in the postnatal hippocampus was comparable between the youngest and the oldest infants in NTD and DS. In addition, strong positive correlations were observed between DG-DCX-ir cells numbers and both DG-CAB-ir and DG-SMI-32-ir values as well as negative correlations between the brain weight and DG granule cell-ir numbers for all markers in DS. These findings suggest that neuronal maturation and migration in the hippocampus are compromised in early postnatal stages of the development in DS and may contribute to the intellectual disabilities observed in this group.
ContributorsMoreno, David (Co-author) / Perez, Sylvia E. (Co-author, Thesis director) / Velazquez, Ramon (Thesis director) / Schafernak, Kristian T. (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This paper examines the fundamental problem statement of: How can the hotel & resort industry resist and overcome the new competitive challenge that the sharing economy and Airbnb have imposed on it? This wasn’t a problem up until this past decade, as hotels had long been the world’s main solution for individuals looking for a place to stay in exchange for a fee. That has changed nowadays as the rise of the sharing economy has created a new, fast-growing demand for Airbnb in the hospitality industry. We have witnessed powerful companies die as a result of not taking disruptive technology seriously, as seen with Blockbuster and Kodak; however, we have also seen impressive reactions to disruptive technology in other cases such as Walmart and Alibaba that use it to enhance the customer experience. Hotels arose from humble beginnings and progressively became more than just a place to sleep. This is evidenced by the progression from 16th century humble inns to large luxury hotels in the 19-20th century to many hotels being significant tourist attractions themselves nowadays. While some factors such as security, hygiene, and consistency currently remain on the hotel industry’s side, the main factors fueling the growth of Airbnb are closely tied to consumer preferences and Airbnb’s ability to create unique, authentic experiences. A questionnaire with 756 responses from ASU students was conducted for this project’s primary research. The results concluded that this demographic travels often, slightly prefers hotels over Airbnb, and values location, convenience, and cost the most. Results were consistent with findings discussed in literature, since the bulk of respondents said they look at Airbnb for low-cost options and hotels for high-end options. Hotels reign supreme in the high-end market and benefit from their location and convenience factors, but Airbnb might have an opportunity to leverage their attractive capabilities while also incorporating some of hotels’ best aspects. This can cause the preference of hotels over Airbnb to diminish further going forward. Hotels can combat Airbnb in multiple ways. One is for hotel chains to customize more hotels to fit the local destination like Airbnb rather than keeping a more standardized vibe and design across all locations. Another is to continue focusing on creating unmatched service experiences in the high-end market that are hard for Airbnb to replicate. A third one is to implement more competitive pricing relative to Airbnb during peak seasons across different cities. Finally, given the increased awareness on hygiene and health that the COVID-19 crisis will likely bring after the pandemic, hotels should put greater emphasis on their hygiene factor when conducting publicity efforts, since this remains in favor of hotels rather than Airbnb and can attract customers who are still reeling with fear from the pandemic. All of this can help hotels to retain their crucial competencies while leveraging Airbnb’s competencies to create an incredible customer experience that is the best of both worlds. All of it prevent the hotel industry from going down a darker path than it has gone through before.
ContributorsValenzuela Gallardo, Juan (Author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / Mokwa, Michael (Committee member) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Objective: The main goal for this meta-analysis was to examine the word decoding abilities of children with non-syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P) compared to their typically developing peers. Age, hearing status, language abilities, speech abilities, and socioeconomic status were examined as predictors of the word decoding skills of children with NSCL/P.
Methods: After searching through PubMed and PsycINFO and screening each article to see if the studies matched our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 7 studies qualified for this meta-analysis. Across all studies, 274 children with NSCL/P were compared to 267 of their typically developing peers. The mean age for children with NSCL/P was 118.8 months (SD = 49.19) and 119.8 months (SD = 49.81) for typically developing children. Effect sizes and demographic information (i.e. study location, sample size, assessments used, etc.) were pulled from each study.
Results: The average effect size for this systematic review is -0.41, demonstrating that children with NSCL/P performed 0.41 standard deviations less than their typically developing peers on measures of word decoding. This was calculated using the RVE-model. Both the older and younger age range showed deficits in their word decoding abilities compared to their typically developing peers. Hearing status, language abilities, and speech abilities were reported minimally with many inconsistencies between studies.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that children with NSCL/P perform poorer on word decoding tasks than their noncleft peers. These differences are found in both the younger and older populations of our sample. More evidence and fewer inconsistencies in the research are needed to determine whether hearing, language, and speech abilities have an effect on the word decoding skills of children with NSCL/P.
Methods: After searching through PubMed and PsycINFO and screening each article to see if the studies matched our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 7 studies qualified for this meta-analysis. Across all studies, 274 children with NSCL/P were compared to 267 of their typically developing peers. The mean age for children with NSCL/P was 118.8 months (SD = 49.19) and 119.8 months (SD = 49.81) for typically developing children. Effect sizes and demographic information (i.e. study location, sample size, assessments used, etc.) were pulled from each study.
Results: The average effect size for this systematic review is -0.41, demonstrating that children with NSCL/P performed 0.41 standard deviations less than their typically developing peers on measures of word decoding. This was calculated using the RVE-model. Both the older and younger age range showed deficits in their word decoding abilities compared to their typically developing peers. Hearing status, language abilities, and speech abilities were reported minimally with many inconsistencies between studies.
Conclusions: These findings suggest that children with NSCL/P perform poorer on word decoding tasks than their noncleft peers. These differences are found in both the younger and older populations of our sample. More evidence and fewer inconsistencies in the research are needed to determine whether hearing, language, and speech abilities have an effect on the word decoding skills of children with NSCL/P.
ContributorsHaas, Jordan Charline (Author) / Scherer, Nancy (Thesis director) / Lancaster, Hope (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
In 1991 after the National Science Foundation lifted the ban on commercial usage of the internet, e-commerce through online retailers has slowly been growing in sales along with e-commerce returns. As e-commerce returns increase alongside e-commerce sales, this thesis will explore what problems online retailers experience from e-commerce returns and what are some potential solutions. Building on existing work conducted by other researchers on the topic of e-commerce returns, additional interviews were conducted with Nordstrom and Big Lots to compare those findings with external research. From interviews and additional research, it is concluded that the biggest problems online retailers experience returns due to size, fit, color, and damages. Thus, it is recommended for online retailers to implement tools such as Fit Finder or incorporate more diverse models along with more detailed descriptions to alleviate returns due to sizing or fit. Furthermore, invest in providing higher quality images to better depict product coloring. As for damages, it is recommended to establish 2nd tier resale channels or a chargeback program onto 3rd party carriers to recuperate losses. Overall, further investment into reverse logistics is pertinent for an online retailer’s e-commerce strategy and operations to remain competitive against others while controlling costs.
ContributorsPat, Angelique (Author) / Oke, Adegoke (Thesis director) / Keane, Katy (Committee member) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This study examines the impact of international youth exchange on past participants’ global engagement through the lens of their academic, professional, and personal development post-exchange. Through a quantitative survey, as well as interviews conducted with alumni, this research explores the ways in which international exchange alumni felt as though their exchange impacted - or did not impact - their future academic, career, and personal choices. Furthermore, this study investigates the dynamics and practices of the specific organization of study, Tempe Sister Cities, and provides information regarding strengths and areas for improvement based upon feedback from study participants. This research builds upon existing literature on international exchange outcomes through its long-term perspective and evaluation of a Sister Cities affiliate, which is an organization previously omitted from international exchange impact evaluations. The study finds that while international exchange experiences may not contribute to overt, direct influences on the fields and industries in which alumni choose to study and work, the exchange produces long-lasting impacts through the skills alumni acquire in intellectual curiosity, job readiness, and other areas of personal and professional development.
ContributorsHinshaw, Nicole (Author) / Brown, Keith (Thesis director) / Humphreys, Jere (Committee member) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor, Contributor, Contributor) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The writing of the Medieval period has been influential for centuries yet is often simplified by caricatures of the brave knight and lovely damsel. Especially in terms of gender, this period in western history is particularly strict and binary. However, through unique authors such as Marie de France, a rare female writer of the period, we can see complex, yet subtle, presentations of difference that may be unexpected to some readers. Within the lays of Marie de France, I aim to analyze the feminized male figures of Lanval, Guigemar and Bisclavret as models of gender difference using a lens of modern gender theory, specifically the ideas of theorists such as Judith Butler and R.W. Connell. These male figures of demonstrate deviations from the standard medieval masculinity through androgyny and hyper-masculinity in ways unique for the period. The conventions of the Western medieval culture are then subverted by the supernatural, making the lays lasting examples of gender expression. Using modern theory, we can take a step back from previous historical periods and try to better understand the society and culture of that time and place. By examining these male figures of difference and medieval standards of masculinity of a context long past we can see how to grow and progress further in the modern day. Gender can be understood as a social construct even centuries ago, exemplified by the unique figures of difference presented by such authors as Marie de France. Keeping that in mind, we can reanalyze literature in innovative ways and continue to seek new understandings of gender and masculinity.
ContributorsHoran, Christina Cassidy (Author) / Newhauser, Richard G. (Thesis director) / Soares, Rebecca (Committee member) / Department of English (Contributor, Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Informal caregivers to persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) commonly experience high levels of perceived burden, stress, and low quality of life— outcomes that negatively affect the quality of care provided. Yet to be explored are the effects of heart-focused breathing, a self-regulation deep breathing technique, on perceived caregiver burden and heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic nervous system function. Considering the high attrition rates of many previous in-person AD caregiver interventions, it may be necessary to implement an online intervention to address perceived caregiver burden. This study aimed to test the trends in effects of a 2-week online heart-focused breathing intervention using HeartMath’s Heart Lock-In® technique on perceived caregiver burden, perceived stress, quality of life, anxiety, inner haven, self-compassion, and HRV in a population of AD caregivers. Ten informal AD caregivers participated in the study with five participants randomized into the waitlist control group and five into the intervention group. The intervention group practiced a 10-minute heart-focused breathing protocol using their smart device (i.e., phone) every day for a 2-week period. Participants completed pre- and post- self-report questionnaires online via Google Forms and HRV assessments via the Welltory mobile application. The HRV assessments measured rMSSD, high frequency, and low frequency. The intervention group did not experience improvements related to perceived caregiver burden, perceived stress, anxiety, inner haven or high frequency waves. However, the study results suggest positive trends in quality of life, self-compassion, rMSSD, and low frequency waves among the AD caregivers. Additional research within a larger and more diverse population is needed.
Keywords: Informal Alzheimer’s caregivers, perceived caregiver burden, heart-focused breathing, heart rate variability
Keywords: Informal Alzheimer’s caregivers, perceived caregiver burden, heart-focused breathing, heart rate variability
ContributorsJames, Taylor Anne (Author) / Larkey, Linda K. (Thesis director) / James, Darith (Committee member) / Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
Personality is a relevant and applicable research topic now more than ever; because of the Internet, self-report measures of personality are becoming increasingly accessible. Although now widely available for personal application, personality inventories are not often examined in the context of their associations with other factors. Specifically, there exists a gap in the research on personality and its associations with philosophical belief. Based on a sample of 88 individuals, correlations between the Big Five and Philosophy Dichotomy Test were examined in order to investigate the associations between personality traits and philosophical belief. Agreeableness was found to be negatively associated with the sensuality, values, metaphysical, and societal axes, corresponding to higher levels of hedonism, rationalism, materialism, and egoism. These findings suggest that personality as measured by the Big Five and philosophical belief are somewhat associated. Limitations and future directions are presented.
ContributorsFitzgerald, Clare (Author) / Randall, Ashley K. (Thesis director) / Iida, Masumi (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
The aim of this paper is to investigate the B-casein fractions in Scandinavian and Icelandic milk for evidence to either support or refute the claim that the A1 variant of B-casein is diabetogenic in adolescent populations. Based on the theory that differences in milk protein composition explain a lower incidence of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in Iceland when compared to surrounding Nordic countries, an informative poster was created so that a more educated decision can be made by those wishing to take preventative measures against the incidence of the disease. This paper includes a basic background behind the epidemiology of T1D and the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. Next, comparison between milk protein composition and consumption in Iceland against the other Nordic countries is performed through an in-depth literature review. The review was conducted using PubMed databases until December of 2018. Key findings of this investigation raise concerns regarding the decision between optimizing milk producing rates or breeding for milk devoid of diabetogenic proteins. The current literature on the impact of cattle genetics on the protein composition of milk sheds light on the safety of Icelandic dairy and the resulting health of their population. Icelandic dairy has been evidenced to contain lower levels of A1 b-casein and is considered less diabetogenic. For these reasons, this author would recommend the consumption of Icelandic dairy products over those from other regions.
ContributorsThunberg, Carly Marie (Author) / Morse, Lisa (Thesis director) / Grgich, Traci (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05