Perceptions of Vaccine Risks and Effectiveness Among ASU Students

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Description
The development of safe and effective vaccines has been one of the greatest public achievements of the 20th century. However, there is still considerable public debate about the relative health costs and benefits of vaccines, and the information and misinformation

The development of safe and effective vaccines has been one of the greatest public achievements of the 20th century. However, there is still considerable public debate about the relative health costs and benefits of vaccines, and the information and misinformation spread through these debates can have a direct impact on vaccination and whether or not herd immunity will continue in the United States for different diseases. To understand perceptions of vaccine risks and effectiveness among young adults in the U.S., this study describes Arizona State University students' perceptions of the harms and benefits of vaccines. A preliminary free list (n=30) identified what vaccines ASU college students were most likely to recall spontaneously. The six vaccines most commonly mentioned by ASU students were: influenza (flu), chickenpox, HPV, polio, MMR, and smallpox. Using these top six vaccines, we then developed a second survey about the knowledge and perceptions of each of these vaccines and vaccines as a whole. We found that students generally perceived vaccines as safe and important to their health, but they maintained an overall lack of understanding of how vaccines work and what they protect against. While this study is only a preliminary investigation into the perceptions of ASU college students on six commonly mentioned vaccines, this could lead to investigations on how to educate and promote the usage of vaccines to college students.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

Syria and Iraq: How Religious Minorities Gained and Maintained Power

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Description
This thesis will exam the history of intra-Islamic conflict as well as its modern incarnations, and illustrate how minority regimes gained power over religious majorities in the Middle East, and used military power, social programs, and foreign aid in order to maintain that power.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

Introversion and Success in Public Accounting

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Description
This thesis analyzes the connection between introversion and success in public accounting by looking at traits introverts need to develop in order to do well in this field. The paper begins by giving a background on both public accounting and

This thesis analyzes the connection between introversion and success in public accounting by looking at traits introverts need to develop in order to do well in this field. The paper begins by giving a background on both public accounting and introversion and why the relationship between these two needs to be studied. It discusses how introversion is not the norm in business, but how the traits outlined in the paper give introverts a strong opportunity for success. The first trait looked at is one-on-one skills and how the ability to communicate well in small groups helps introverts in public accounting to build solid relationships with their clients and coworkers. Next, the paper talks about public speaking and how introverts need to lean into their ability to prepare thoroughly in order to avoid speaking anxiety, which likely plagues them. After that, the paper looks at networking and how an introvert's ability to create deep connections outweighs some natural setbacks they may face in this endeavor. The final trait analyzed is creativity and how introverts possess a unique aptitude in this area because of the differences in how they think and process information. For public accounting, this is a useful skill, especially when it comes to problem solving. The last section of this thesis examines the importance of self-awareness for introverts to understand themselves and be understood by others while working on teams. The conclusion of this paper outlines the main ideas on how introverts can succeed in public accounting by leaning into these traits, owning who they are, and contributing from their unique perspective.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

Stability of the Human Ankle with Respect to Environmental Mechanics

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Description
This study presents quantification of ankle stability as affected by environmental conditions in two degrees of freedom (DOF) with three distinct analysis techniques. Additionally, this study presents gender-specific trends for comparison. Intuitively, ankle stability decreased in less stable environments with

This study presents quantification of ankle stability as affected by environmental conditions in two degrees of freedom (DOF) with three distinct analysis techniques. Additionally, this study presents gender-specific trends for comparison. Intuitively, ankle stability decreased in less stable environments with a negative simulated stiffness. Female subjects generally suffered a greater loss of stability in moderately and highly unstable environments. Both gender groups exhibited greater stability in the sagittal plane than the frontal plane across the entire range of simulated stiffness's. Outcomes of this study are useful in the design of controllers for lower extremity physically-interactive robotics, understanding situations in which the ankle is likely to lose stability, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of unique analysis techniques.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

Lost Marbles and Nazi Art: Exploring the Issues Surrounding Restitution

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Description
The matter of legitimate ownership over cultural artifacts has always been an area of great dispute as rediscovered treasures are claimed by actors of differing cultural backgrounds rather than the original proprietors, or appropriated over time through both force and

The matter of legitimate ownership over cultural artifacts has always been an area of great dispute as rediscovered treasures are claimed by actors of differing cultural backgrounds rather than the original proprietors, or appropriated over time through both force and miscommunication. Recently, there has been an influx of tension surrounding this topic as more actors begin to demand the repatriation or restitution of cultural artifacts directly linked to their historical identity or tradition. Unlike prior discourses on the matter however, new arguments are being crafted that utilize both moral reasoning and political analysis to support their claims. These arguments, both new and old, are now being joined with innovative responses that are attempting to resolve disputed matters concerning the ownership of cultural heritage objects. This paper details several frameworks that are established in either moral or political reasoning as the dispute over material culture continues. These frameworks examine the benefits of both preserving the objects within the cultures they currently reside or returning them to source cultures. The paper concludes with analysis of two of the most notorious material culture debates: the Parthenon Marbles and plundered Nazi war art. These two instances not only offer unique analysis on the current arguments being employed, but also review the validity of the claim of conservation over original ownership.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

Copyright Criminals: EDM Remixing and Copyright Law

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Description
A rapidly evolving technological environment has enabled the exponential expansion of creative opportunities for artists. Major developments in the digital landscape have impacted the world of music creation, namely the unprecedented rise of the remix. However, copyright laws have failed

A rapidly evolving technological environment has enabled the exponential expansion of creative opportunities for artists. Major developments in the digital landscape have impacted the world of music creation, namely the unprecedented rise of the remix. However, copyright laws have failed to keep up with the new ways in which musicians are interacting with technology. Although the last amendments to the Copyright Act were made well before the digital age, the same laws from 1976 still govern the digital activities of today. This leaves forty years of technological developments largely unaccounted for, including the advancements that have led to the emergence of the remix. This paper will first address the value of remixing in the advancement of the Electronic Dance Music genre by outlining the history of sampling and remixing, and will discuss the existing copyright doctrine and the various issues that have arisen within copyright law. It will then seek to develop potential solutions that strike a fair and equitable balance between the owners of intellectual property and the ever-increasing universe of homegrown creative artists. The days where remix artists are per se ‘copyright criminals’ should be numbered, for the greater good of all participants in the rapidly expanding worldwide web of music, musicians and music lovers, whether they be consumers, creators or recreators.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

Fueling The FIRE: DID RISK-TAKING BY FANNIE MAE EXACERBATE THE GREAT RECESSION OF 2008-2009?

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Description
Were the purchases of home mortgages from private banks and other lenders, between 2001 to 2008, by Fannie Mae done without adequate regulatory checks and oversight, thereby contributing to the collapse of the housing market and the financial recession of 2008-2009?
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

The Youth Soccer Development Landscape in Europe vs. America: How the U.S. Can Improve Men's Soccer

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Description
Why is it that soccer, the world's most popular sport for almost a century, has yet to become established in the world's most ethnically diverse nation? This question is especially relevant today given the recent U.S. Men's National Team (ranked

Why is it that soccer, the world's most popular sport for almost a century, has yet to become established in the world's most ethnically diverse nation? This question is especially relevant today given the recent U.S. Men's National Team (ranked 28th in the world) loss to the lowly Trinidad & Tobago (ranked 99th), thus failing to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1986. This represents a huge disappointment for the USMNT since they compete in CONCACAF, arguably the easiest region to succeed. The Icelandic National Team, on the other hand, recently secured their World Cup spot despite having a population of 330,000 and competing in UEFA, which is debatably the hardest region to qualify. This disastrous shortcoming by the USMNT represents the fact that the American system is flawed, and I painstakingly wanted to know why. I reasoned that good teams are made up of good players; good players must stem from a good foundation, which leads to my topic. Because the soccer development landscape differs across continents, this thesis contains a macro-level analysis of the youth models in Europe vs. America and explains how the U.S. can improve. Elite European bodies tend to be more established organizationally, have an abundance of resources, and is surrounded by a culture that praises the sport. While soccer in America is relatively new, often lacks proper resources, and competes in a society that favors multiple other sports. This thesis will elaborate on these differences through the example of the FC Barcelona Youth Academy representing Europe, paralleled to what many consider the best American program: FC Dallas Academy. An assessment will also be included regarding the Icelandic model of player development due to the recent success of their National Teams. Through this smaller comparison representing the larger issue, I will address the opportunity in this moment and how the U.S. can improve. This report will also focus on the men's game because the incredible success of American women at soccer is a very different story that warrants a whole other project. I gathered a majority of my project findings through the use of various books, online resources, academic journals, and data reports. This research has led to the conclusion that there are many factors that determine whether a group is successful at soccer. In the short term, American players should compete abroad if possible in order to train among the world's best. But in an effort to improve at a grassroots level, the United States should focus on providing the basic necessities, promoting an effective sophistication of soccer, and addressing issues that stem from pay-to-play. All of these subjects will be discussed at great lengths below.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

An Exploration of the Design and Execution of Gender-Neutral Retail Products

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Description
Two gender-neutral products developed and sold by IKEA were studied in order to learn about the development of such items, as well as what makes gender-neutral products appealing to consumers.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent

PACS AmeriCorps Training Manual

Description
PACS AmeriCorps is a partnership program between AmeriCorps and the Maricopa County Superior Court. The program provides grant funding to staff the Court's Law Library Resource Centers with AmeriCorps members. These members provide self-represented litigants with assistance in a variety

PACS AmeriCorps is a partnership program between AmeriCorps and the Maricopa County Superior Court. The program provides grant funding to staff the Court's Law Library Resource Centers with AmeriCorps members. These members provide self-represented litigants with assistance in a variety of areas, including with court forms, protective orders, and general court information and navigation. Their work is critical in providing access to justice for some of Maricopa County's most vulnerable residents who are navigating both a complex judicial system and, often, a difficult and emotional time in their personal lives. Now in its third grant year, the program has grown significantly in size and scope, and this growth underscored the need for a physical training and reference manual for the incoming class of members. The main undertaking of this project was to create such a manual. For this project, members of the 2016-2017 PACS AmeriCorps program were surveyed about their experiences with both their training and learning on the job. Members identified the strengths and weaknesses of past training sessions and provided ideas for future ones. The results of this survey were then incorporated into the development of a comprehensive training and reference manual that was utilized during training sessions for the 2017-2018 class of members on September 25th and 26th, 2017. After several weeks, a post-survey similar to the pre-survey was administered to the new class of members, and their answers were analyzed and compared to the feedback from 2016-2017. The results of the survey showed an increase in on-the-job confidence and overall satisfaction with training after the addition of the training manual, although some members noted aspects in need of development. Based on the results of the survey, ideas for further improvement in subsequent years were identified.
Date Created
2017-12
Agent