Sexual orientation and self-employment: New evidence

Early studies and theory suggest sexual minorities are drawn towards the relative independence of self-employment to avoid discrimination in paid employment. However, recent evidence is mixed, suggesting that a higher propensity for self-employment (relative to heterosexual people) is found only among lesbian women relative to heterosexual women. This study overcomes the data limitations of prior research by using data pooled from 2007–2017 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and multivariate logistic regression to provide new evidence on LGB self-employment. The results show that self-employment is particularly high for bisexual people, especially bisexual women—but not for gay men or lesbian women. Overall, this study examines the enduring but nuanced relationship between self-employment and sexual orientation and discusses countervailing factors related to socio-economic resources, gender, and family structure.     

Estimation and Classification of BOLD Responses Over Multiple Trials

In this article, we model functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data for event-related experiment data using a fourth degree spline to fit voxel specific blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses. The data are preprocessed for removing long term temporal components such as drifts using wavelet approximations. The spatial dependence is incorporated in the data by the application of 3D Gaussian spatial filter. The methodology assigns an activation score to each trial based on the voxel specific characteristics of the response curve. The proposed procedure has a capability of being fully automated and it produces activation images based on overall scores assigned to each voxel. The methodology is illustrated on real data from an event-related design experiment of visually guided saccades (VGS).     

Hypothesis testing, power and sample size determination for between group comparisons in fMRI experiments

Modern methods for imaging the human brain, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) present a range of challenging statistical problems. In this paper, we first develop a large sample based test for between group comparisons and use it to determine the necessary sample size in order to obtain a target power via simulation under various alternatives for a given pre-specified significance level. Both testing and sample size calculations are particularly critical for neuroscientists who use these new techniques, since each subject is expensive to image.     

Becoming a New Farmer: Agrarianism and the Contradictions of Diverse Economies*

A resurgence of agrarianism has motivated new farmers to enter farming, not for profit, but for lifestyle and socio‐ecological values which are frequently associated with diverse economies. Proponents of diverse economies argue for an ontological reframing that accounts for non‐capitalist forms of economic exchange. However, these perspectives have not fully addressed the conditions—often structured by race and class—that facilitate participation in diverse economies. This paper is based on mixed‐methods research on the life cycle of new farmers in Hawai‘i that include participants of farmer training programs. We investigate what drives new farmers into farming, by what mechanisms they are able (or not) to establish a farm, and what limits the duration of their participation. Our analysis reveals three contradictions of diverse economies in agriculture: (1) the inadvertent undervaluation of farmwork that undermines broader efforts to improve the welfare of farm labor; (2) the tension between the value of scaling up and the vulnerability of cooptation; and (3) the ways in which the duration of new farmers' engagement is structured by their ability to mobilize unpaid labor and external resources. These contradictions challenge long‐term and inclusive participation in diverse economies in ways that constrain their emancipatory potential.     

Review and Evaluation of the J100-10 Risk and Resilience Management Standard for Water and Wastewater Systems

Risk analysis standards are often employed to protect critical infrastructures, which are vital to a nation's security, economy, and safety of its citizens. We present an analysis framework for evaluating such standards and apply it to the J100-10 risk analysis standard for water and wastewater systems. In doing so, we identify gaps between practices recommended in the standard and the state of the art. While individual processes found within infrastructure risk analysis standards have been evaluated in the past, we present a foundational review and focus specifically on water systems. By highlighting both the conceptual shortcomings and practical limitations, we aim to prioritize the shortcomings needed to be addressed. Key findings from this study include (1) risk definitions fail to address notions of uncertainty, (2) the sole use of “worst reasonable case” assumptions can lead to mischaracterizations of risk, (3) analysis of risk and resilience at the threat-asset resolution ignores dependencies within the system, and (4) stakeholder values need to be assessed when balancing the tradeoffs between risk reduction and resilience enhancement.     

The Influence of Parent Expectations and Parent-Child Relationships on Mental Health in Asian American and White American Families

Previous studies have suggested that Asian parents’ high academic expectations can lead to negative mental health outcomes among Asian American youth. We explore this hypothesis by analyzing data collected in an affluent, suburban high school with a large Asian American population. We examine the relationships between parent expectations, students’ relationships with their parents, and mental health outcomes among Asian American (predominantly Indian American and Chinese American) and white youth. We find that the quality of parent-child relationships is associated with mental health outcomes and that the association between parent expectations and mental health outcomes is insignificant after controlling for these relationships. We discuss significant differences by race and gender. The findings presented expand our understanding of the influence of Asian parents. They suggest that focusing on improving parent-child relationships, as opposed to altering parents’ expectations, might lead to improved mental health outcomes for Asian American youth, particularly for those in affluent communities.     

Floral abundance and richness drive beneficial arthropod conservation and biological control on golf courses

Urban Ecosystems - Golf courses are among the largest, most ubiquitous highly maintained urban green spaces in the U.S. Although their primary function is recreation, a large portion of golf course...     

Scandals in the White House: An Organizational Explanation*

The Watergate scandal involving the president's personal staff brought forth numerous analyses and explanations. Most analyses located the cause of the scandal in the psychology of Richard Nixon, the breakdown of institutional arrangements, or a societal tolerance for corruption. The author, however, argues that Watergate was but one of many staff incidents that undermined presidential power and that the persistence of such phenomena requires a sociological explanation. The author argues that deviant staff behaviors are a direct consequence of the organizational structure of personal staffs, and that such behaviors derive paradoxically from the characteristics that make staffs useful to chief executives. The argument is elaborated through an analysis of publicized scandals and disruptive staff practices of presidential staffs since Franklin Roosevelt's administration.     

The association between comorbidity and outcome in pathological gambling: a prospective follow-up of recent quitters

A naturalistic sample of pathological gamblers (N = 101) who recently quit gambling was followed prospectively for a year (follow-up rate 80%). Lifetime mood disorders were identified in 61% of participants and 73% and 48% had lifetime alcohol use and drug use disorders, respectively. Current prevalence rates, however, were much lower. Current mood disorders were found for 20% and 7% had a current alcohol disorder and 7% a current drug use disorder. Age of onset for substance use disorders was earlier than gambling disorders but mood disorders were equally likely to predate or follow gambling disorders. Lifetime mood disorder was associated with a longer time to achieve 3 months of stable abstinence. Participants who were currently in treatment or attending Gamblers Anonymous and the small number of participants with current alcohol disorders were also more likely to achieve abstinence earlier. The results underscore the importance of increasing our understanding of the role of comorbid disorders in the recovery process from gambling problems.