Showing papers by "Western Carolina University published in 2018"

Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States

Abstract: Homo sapiens have existed for at least 200,000 years. Life was simple at first. Then, about 10,000 years ago, our ancestors began to switch from hunting and gathering to farming. Jared Diamond in 1987 famously called agriculture “the worst mistake in the history of the human race” because it brought “the gross social and sexual inequality, the disease and despotism, that curse our existence.” Mark Cohen and George Armelagos wrote in 2013 (p. xxx) that Diamond’s essay “is the latest in a long list of those that criticize the transformation to agriculture.” The list is now longer, and includes a recent book written by political scientist James C. Scott. Scott condenses the best of this literature, explores the implications for formation of states, then argues that emergence of states made the health and lives of non-elite masses even worse. The surveyed literature, including a book by Richard Manning, the title of which Scott (p. xv) confesses to have poached, focuses on nutritional stress (from the replacement of a varied diet with a few starchy foods), physical stress (from hard farm labor), and infectious disease (spread in concentrated human and animal populations). By 1982, paleopathologists had unearthed sufficient evidence to produce a consensus that agriculture caused human life expectancy and health to deteriorate for all but a small elite. Fertility increased sharply, however. This more than offset increased mortality, so the population slowly grew, accelerating eventually in a “demographic explosion of agricultural peoples at the expense of hunters and gatherers” (p. 83). Looking at the history of early states, Scott finds the the type of crop grown by farmers to be extremely important. The “first small, stratified, tax-collecting, walled states,” he writes, “pop up in the Tigris and Euphrates Valley only around 3,100 BCE, more than four millenia after the first crop domestications and sedentism” (p. 7). Grain (wheat, barley, rice, or maize) was essential because it can be stored, rationed, and taxed. This is why “virtually all classical states were based on grain, including millets. History records no cassava states, no sago, yam, taro, plaintain, breadfruit or sweet potato states” (p. 21). Ancient history was written by elites, not by the illiterate masses, so it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to determine the independent effect that states may have had on the quality of life of the masses. One commonly used measure of success is population size. Scott mentions (p. 96) that world population “according to one careful estimate” was about 4 million in 10,000 BCE, 5 million in 5,000 BCE, increasing to “more than 100million” by 1 CE. He does not cite his source, but the two BCE figures are identical to those of McEvedy and Jones (pp. 343–344), who add that population growth accelerated after 5,000 BCE, with world population reaching 100 million in 500 BCE, 150 million by the 2nd century BCE, and 200 million by the 2nd century CE. They attribute population growth to development of agriculture, but this growth coincides with, so could also be attributed to, development of early states. Scott barely mentions population growth, other than noting that it

Income Inequality in the United States

Abstract: In this paper we investigate the evolution of income inequality in the United States between 1980 and 2016. We find the drivers to be threefold: changes in the labor force composition, changes in household composition, and changes in market return to skills, with the latter two influences dominating this trend. We show that individual real wages grew from 1980 to 2016 throughout the entire wage distribution, indicating that the increase in wage income inequality does not stem from lower real wages at the bottom of the distribution but rather from relatively faster growth in compensation rates of high earners compared to the average earner. We apply a Mata-Machado decomposition to separately identify the contributions of changes in characteristics of workers in the US labor force and changes in returns to these characteristics. The results demonstrate that increasing education levels among the US population as well as increasing returns to education have played a significant role in the growth of wage income inequality, with the role of increasing returns to education dominating. Finally, the paper highlights several common omissions from previous inequality analyses that bias results upward, in particular nonwage compensation and dynamic behavioral responses to taxation incentives.

Role of Organizational Project Management Maturity Factors on Project Success

Abstract: The importance of projects has resulted in increased international standards, academic research, and education and training on project management concepts. However, studies show that the number of ...

Analysis and prediction on geometric characteristics of multi-track overlapping laser cladding

Abstract: Building the analytical model between process parameter and results is the prerequisite for explaining the complex process of laser cladding “laser-powder” interaction, as well as the critical guidance for processing conduction, prediction, and control of geometrical characteristics. This paper utilized response surface methodology (RSM) to study the effect on multi-track cladding width, flatness ratio, and dilution among the following major process parameters: laser power (LP), scanning speed (SS), gas flow (GF), and overlapping rate (OR). The experiment was based on four factors and five levels designed to build the model between processing parameters as input and processing results as output by RSM multiple regression analysis. Variance analysis and significant test was utilized to validate the model. By predicting the geometrical characteristics to optimize processing parameters, get the multi-track cladding layer with the maximum width, the minimum flatness ratio, and dilution. The predictive value and experiment results had a difference of 4.17, 3.68, and 3.56%, for width, flatness ratio, and dilution respectively, which provided another validation for this model. The model could be used on controlling of multi-tracking cladding geometrical characteristics, prediction of performance, and optimization of process parameters.

Introduction to the Special Issue: Toward “Digital Leisure Studies”

Abstract: This introduction as well as this entire special issue begin with the idea that for leisure scholars to stay relevant in our current society, the topic of digital leisure spaces and cultures should...

Fostering Safety Communication among Construction Workers: Role of Safety Climate and Crew-Level Cohesion

Abstract: Safety communication among construction workers is fundamental to effective safety management. However, evidence suggests that poor safety communication is a common problem in construction workplaces. In fact, previous research has unveiled a number of systemic barriers to effective safety communication in the construction industry. When workers do not sufficiently communicate relevant safety hazards and appropriate injury prevention measures, unexpected injuries can follow. Therefore, research examining factors that promote or impede effective safety communication is necessary. Towards achieving this goal, the purpose of the current research was to evaluate the effect of safety climate and crew cohesion on the demonstrated safety communication levels. The goal was achieved by gathering empirical data from 57 construction workplaces in the United States. More specifically, the participating construction workplaces were visited, and data pertaining to the safety climate and crew-level cohesion were first collected using questionnaire surveys. Next, a safety communication survey instrument was administered, and the data necessary to compute network density—a social network metric that is indicative of safety communication levels was gathered. The analysis of the data suggested that a positive relationship exists between safety climate and safety communication levels. Likewise, construction crews that demonstrated higher levels of cohesion exhibited superior safety communication levels. Finally, evidence also suggested that a synergetic effect exists between safety climate and crew cohesion in improving safety communication levels.

The other insect societies: overview and new directions.

Abstract: The diversity of societies and forms of social interaction across the Arthropoda is commensurate with the great taxonomic diversity within this pylum. Social evolution research has, however, largely focused on a small subset of social forms; namely, those deemed to be ‘eusocial’ — groups exhibiting overlapping generations, cooperative brood care, and reproductive division of labor. Here I provide a brief overview of the ‘other’, non-eusocial, societies of insects and allies, defining the main social traits of interest and summarizing recent work. Four active and emerging fields of inquiry in the other insect societies are discussed.

Insecticide susceptibility screening against Culex and Aedes (Diptera: Culicidae) mosquitoes from the United States.

Abstract: Mosquitoes exposed to sublethal doses of insecticides may be selected for resistance to insecticide active ingredients (AIs). Mosquitoes are exposed to AIs through agricultural, public/private mosquito control programs, homeowners, and other sources. Hence, mosquito control programs should routinely measure the resistance/susceptibility status of mosquito populations of public health concern. The objectives here were to determine resistance status for six AIs used in adult mosquito control in the United States to assess how resistance/susceptibility differs between AI, mosquito species (states where > 1 species collected), and between years (some populations sampled for 2 yr). Field-collected eggs from 21 mosquito populations of six different species or hybrid species (Aedes albopictus Skuse [Diptera: Culicidae], Aedes aegypti L. [Diptera: Culicidae], Culex nigripalpus Theobald, Culex pipiens L. [Diptera: Culicidae], Culex quinquefasciatus Say [Diptera: Culicidae], Cx. pipiens/quinquefasciatus) were obtained. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bottle bioassays were used to assess the resistance/susceptibility status for six AIs (bifenthrin, deltamethrin, etofenprox, malathion, permethrin, and phenothrin). World Health Organization guidelines were used to classify mosquitoes as susceptible (98-100% mortality at diagnostic time [DT]), possibly resistant (80-97% mortality at DT), or resistant (<80% mortality at DT). Significant differences were observed in mosquito susceptibility/resistance between species and AIs. In states where both Aedes and Culex were collected, the odds of exhibiting resistance in Culex were 68-69 times higher than Aedes (Texas odds ratio: 69.30; 95% confidence interval: 5.86, 819.44; P = 0.001; North Carolina odds ratio: 67.99; 95% confidence interval: 15.21, 303.94; P < 0.0001). Some level of resistance was detected against all tested AIs in several mosquito populations and some varied between 2015 and 2016.

Working memory capacity and the antisaccade task: A microanalytic–macroanalytic investigation of individual differences in goal activation and maintenance

Abstract: The association between working memory capacity (WMC) and the antisaccade task, which requires subjects to move their eyes and attention away from a strong visual cue, supports the claim that WMC is partially an attentional construct (Kane, Bleckley, Conway, & Engle, 2001; Unsworth, Schrock, & Engle, 2004). Specifically, the WMC-antisaccade relation suggests that WMC helps maintain and execute task goals despite interference from habitual actions. Related work has recently shown that mind wandering (McVay & Kane, 2009, 2012a, 2012b) and reaction time (RT) variability (Unsworth, 2015) are also related to WMC and they partially explain WMC's prediction of cognitive abilities. Here, we tested whether mind-wandering propensity and intraindividual RT variation account for WMC's associations with 2 antisaccade-cued choice RT tasks. In addition, we asked whether any influences of WMC, mind wandering, or intraindividual RT variation on antisaccade are moderated by (a) the temporal gap between fixation and the flashing location cue, and (b) whether targets switch sides on consecutive trials. Our quasi-experimental study reexamined a published dataset (Kane et al., 2016) comprising 472 subjects who completed 6 WMC tasks, 5 attentional tasks with mind-wandering probes, 5 tasks from which we measured intraindividual RT variation, and 2 antisaccade tasks with varying fixation-cue gap durations. The WMC-antisaccade association was not accounted for by mind wandering or intraindividual RT variation. WMC's effects on antisaccade performance were greater with longer fixation-to-cue intervals, suggesting that goal activation processes-beyond the ability to control mind wandering and RT variability-are partially responsible for the WMC-antisaccade relation. (PsycINFO Database Record

Open-Skilled Sport, Sport Intensity, Executive Function, and Academic Achievement in Grade School Children

Abstract: Research Findings: The present study examines connections among participation in open- and closed-skilled sports; the metabolic intensity of each sport; and executive function (EF), literacy, and m...

Run‐off processes from mountains to foothills: The role of soil stratigraphy and structure in influencing run‐off characteristics across high to low relief landscapes

Abstract: 1546 Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, L Abstract The critical zone features that control run‐off generation, specifically at the regional watershed scale, are not well understood. Here, we addressed this knowledge gap by quantitatively and conceptually linking regional watershed‐scale run‐off regimes with critical zone structure and climate gradients across two physiographic provinces in the Southeastern United States. We characterized long‐term (~20 years) discharge and precipitation regimes for 73 watersheds with United States Geological Survey in‐ stream gaging stations across the Appalachian Mountain and Piedmont physiographic provinces of North Carolina. Watersheds included in this analysis had <10% developed land and ranged in size from 14.1–4,390 km. Thirty‐four watersheds were located in the Piedmont physiographic province, which is typically classified as a low relief landscape with deep, highly weathered soils and regolith. Thirty‐nine watersheds were located in the Appalachian Mountain physiographic province, which is typically classified as a steeper landscape with highly weathered, but shallower soils and regolith. From the United States Geological Survey daily mean run‐off time series, we calculated annual and seasonal baseflow indices (BFI), minimum, mean, and maximum daily run‐off, and Pearson's correlation coefficients between precipitation and baseflow. Our results showed that Appalachian Mountain watersheds systematically had higher minimum daily flows and BFI values. Piedmont watersheds displayed much larger deviations from mean annual BFI in response to year‐to‐year variability in precipitation. A series of linear regression models between 21 landscape metrics and annual BFIs showed non‐linear and complex terrestrial–hydrological relationships across the two provinces. From these results, we discuss how distinct features of critical zone architecture, with specific focus on soil depth and stratigraphy, may be dominating the regulation of hydrological processes and run‐off regimes across these provinces.

Successful nuclear DNA profiling of rootless hair shafts: a novel approach

Abstract: Historically, rootless hair shaft samples submitted to a forensic laboratory for DNA analysis are reserved for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis due to the presence of highly degraded as well as insufficient amounts of nuclear DNA. Although mtDNA has been very successful in obtaining results from rootless hair, this system has its limitations, namely, it is a lineage marker that cannot differentiate between maternally related genotypes. Given the high incidence of hairs as forensic evidence, there is a need for the use of a nuclear DNA test system capable of producing reliable results for hair shaft forensic evidence. This study reports the utilization of an enhanced DNA extraction methodology for hairs, in combination with a recently developed novel, nuclear DNA typing assay, InnoTyper® 21, to improve the success rate for obtaining informative results from highly compromised, degraded, and trace forensic samples such as rootless hair shafts. The InnoTyper 21 kit is a small amplicon retrotransposon marker typing system compatible with currently used capillary electrophoresis platforms. This system contains 20 Alu element markers, ranging in size from 60 to 125 bp, making the assay highly sensitive for extremely degraded forensic samples and thus enabling recovery of nuclear DNA profiles from samples that would otherwise require mtDNA sequencing. A subset of samples was also tested with the GlobalFiler kit with less success due to the larger amplicon sizes in comparison with InnoTyper 21. Results were variable but very promising, with approximately 40% of the total number of hairs tested producing interpretable nuclear DNA profiles with InnoTyper 21. These results demonstrate the ability of the utilized methodologies to produce nuclear DNA results with high statistical power from rootless hair shafts.

Are We Preparing or Training Teachers? Developing Professional Judgment in and beyond Teacher Preparation Programs.

Abstract: This three phase longitudinal multiple-case study, framed by positioning theory, investigated how four novice teachers learned to use professional judgment in their literacy instruction. Data sourc...

Job Burnout in School Psychology: How Big Is the Problem?

Abstract: Job burnout is characterized by feelings of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion within the context of one’s work. Individuals experiencing burnout are at risk for a range of negative outcomes including increased feelings of stress and emotion strain, negative perceptions of work-life balance, and may ultimately lead to exiting one’s current job or field of employment. Given the well-documented shortages of school psychology practitioners across the USA, it is important to understand the extent of feelings of burnout in the field, causes of these feelings, and potentially effective ways of preventing and/or responding to burnout when it occurs. The current study surveyed practitioners in four Southeastern states regarding current and past feelings of burnout, perceptions of causes of burnout, personal strategies used in dealing with burnout when it occurs, and thoughts regarding the role of training programs in preventing burnout among practitioners. Results indicated that most participants noted feeling some level of burnout at some point during their careers. Commonly identified causes of burnout included feelings of role overload and lack of support from administration. Practitioners also reported a range of strategies as particularly helpful in dealing with feelings of burnout including the importance of training programs emphasizing the importance of self-care and presenting a realistic picture of real-world practice. Implications for future research and practice are also discussed.

Complex Physical Activities, Outdoor Play, and School Readiness among Preschoolers

Abstract: High quality educational settings play a crucial role in preparing a child to enter kindergarten, but little work has explored how outdoor play and complex physical activity outside school and childcare settings promote school readiness among preschoolers. To address this gap, the present study explored connections among school readiness with outdoor play and participation in complex physical activity. Parents (N = 107) reported the extent and frequency of time their child spent in outdoor play during a typical week, and what complex activities (e.g., soccer, biking, basketball) the child played over the last year. School readiness was assessed with parent reports on the Preschool Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale. Results showed participating in complex activities significantly moderated the relationship between time in outdoor play with school readiness, with time in outdoor play positively related to school readiness for children who participated in two or less complex activities. For children who participated in three complex activities, time in outdoor play was not related to school readiness. Findings offer support that encouraging both outdoor play and participation in complex physical activities could promote school readiness, particularly when opportunities for outdoor playtime are limited.

Wannacry, Ransomware, and the Emerging Threat to Corporations

Abstract: The WannaCry ransomware attack began on May 12, 2017, and is unprecedented in scale—quickly impacting nearly a quarter-million computers in over 150 countries. The WannaCry virus exploits a vulnerability to Microsoft Windows that was originally developed by the U.S. National Security Agency and operates by encrypting a victim’s data and demanding payment of a ransom in exchange for data recovery. Security experts have indicated that a North Korea-linked group of hackers—who have also been implicated in cyberattacks against Sony Pictures in 2014, the Bangladeshi Central Bank in 2016, and Polish banks in February 2017—is behind the attack. Ransomware threatens institutions worldwide, but the risks for businesses are all the starker—potentially catastrophic. This article provides corporate executives with much of what they need to know about the evolving threats of malware and ransomware like Cryptolocker, Kelihos Botnet, Locky, Nymain, Petya, NotPetya, and WannaCry. First, we provide a brief definition and history of ransomware. Second, we look at the history of hospitals as ransomware targets. Third, we offer a description of the WannaCry virus, what is known about its development, method of action, and those who are believed to have deployed it; in this section, we also discuss methods to defend against this particular virus. Fourth, we discuss the Petya and NotPetya attacks. Fifth, is a discussion of municipal ransomware attacks. Sixth, we review the myriad and unique risks that ransomware poses for corporations—including expected refinements of the technique, such as to effect corporate sabotage. Seventh, we discuss the duties and responsibilities of corporate directors and the Ormerod-Trautman data security economic model. Eighth and finally, we review the current cybersecurity legal landscape with a particular focus on corporate best practices and how business executives protect themselves against cybersecurity-related liability. We believe this Article contributes to the sparse existing literature about ransomware and related cyber threats posed to corporate boards and management.

Rooted in the Past: Use of “East Indians” in Library of Congress Subject Headings

Abstract: This article argues that the use of the Library of Congress subject heading “East Indians” in reference to individuals from India represents not only a problematic vestige of colonialism, but also ...

Expressive Arts and Mindfulness: Aiding Adolescents in Understanding and Managing Their Stress

Abstract: This study contains an exploration of the use of mask-making and mindfulness training as components of an expressive arts group intervention designed to help youth understand and manage their stres...

Bitcoin as Asset Class

Abstract: A five cent $0.05 investment in Bitcoin on July 17, 2010, the first date in which there appears to have been a published value had grown to $7,383.39 on July 18, 2018. While Bitcoin as a currency has existed for less than a decade it had a very limited liquidity and usage during the first few years. During calendar year 2017 alone, Bitcoin increased in value from about $970 to $14,292, an increase of approximately 1,735 percent. Highly volatile, and having reached a market capitalization of almost $300 billion by December 13, 2017, Bitcoin had become equivalent to the world’s sixth largest currency and has, despite its volatility, attracted considerable attention as an investment asset. Our research examines the history of Bitcoin from inception until mid-year 2018 and compares and contrasts price performance and correlation with other asset classes: Dow Jones 30 Industrial Average; SP NASDAQ; Russell 2000; gold; real estate; Nikki; MSCI; and bond market. We believe our study covers performance of this important alternative class over the greatest period of time to date. We conclude that Bitcoin may be an attractive investment from a diversification perspective because of its low correlation with equities markets. However, Bitcoin’s characteristics of high volatility and potential illiquidity make it difficult to compare with more traditional assets such as equities and bonds.

Relational factors critical in the link between childhood emotional abuse and suicidal ideation.

Abstract: Understanding the pathways leading to suicidal behavior is critical for the development and implementation of effective assessment efforts and suicide prevention programs in public health care systems. Childhood trauma, such as emotional abuse, is one robust risk factor, but only recently have efforts been made to determine mediators of the link between childhood emotional abuse and suicidal ideation. Given that adult survivors of childhood emotional abuse often have attachment difficulties and problems securing positive social support, these interpersonal factors may serve such a mediating role. Using bootstrapping techniques, this investigation tested attachment security and social-support-seeking behaviors as serial mediators of the association between childhood emotional abuse and suicidal ideation in a sample of 150 low-income African American female childhood emotional abuse survivors receiving services in a public health system. Support seeking from family members and friends were tested separately. Results revealed the presence of serial mediation, as predicted. Specifically, increased childhood emotional abuse was associated with decreased attachment security, which, in turn, was related to decreased social support seeking from family members and from friends. These 3 factors combined in sequence subsequently were associated with increased suicidal ideation. Results illuminate the importance of attending to attachment security and social-support-seeking behaviors when designing and implementing assessment and suicide prevention programs for African American women who are survivors of childhood emotional abuse seeking services in public health care systems. Suggestions for universal, selective, and targeted prevention efforts for this population are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Predicting women’s emotional responses to hooking up: Do motives matter?

Abstract: Among young women, hookups have been found to lead to varied emotional responses. The authors tested three hypotheses to disentangle these contradictory findings in a weekly diary study. A trait-level motives hypothesis suggests that trait-level motives moderate emotional responses to hookups. A motive satisfaction hypothesis suggests that emotional responses to hooking up depend on satisfaction within hookups. A dual-effects hypothesis proposes the co-occurrence of positive and negative emotional responses. In this study, 203 college women reported trait-level motives for hooking up (e.g., pleasure/fun, intimacy, coping). Next, 5 weekly surveys asked about recent hookup experiences. These responses were compared to the same women’s emotions on weeks they did not hook up, thereby controlling for selection bias. All three hypotheses were supported. Pleasure/fun motives predicted more positive and less negative emotions; satisfaction of pleasure, intimacy, and affirmation motives resulted in more positive a...