Projection of Health Benefits from Ambient Ozone Reduction Related to the Use of Methyl tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in the Reformulated Gasoline Program

To estimate potential public health benefits from ozone (O₃) pollution reduction attributable to the use of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) in gasoline, O₃ dose-response estimates from the biomedical literature were combined with model estimates of O₃ reduction. Modeling employed EPA MOBILE5a and Complex models to predict emission changes, industry AQIRP techniques to predict ambient O₃ changes, and the National Exposure Model to predict human exposures. Human health effects considered were lung function decrements and respiratory irritant symptoms (using dose-response functions measured in laboratory and field studies), and increased death rates (using concentration-response functions inferred statistically from public-health data). Other reported health effects, such as lung inflammation, increases in asthma attacks, and hospitalizations, were not addressed because of inadequate dose-response information. Even for the health responses considered, quantitation of improvements due to MTBE use is problematical, because MTBE affects only a small percentage of existing O₃ pollution, and because exposure-response relationships are not well understood for population subgroups most likely to be affected. Nevertheless, it is reasonable to conclude that even small MTBE-associated reductions in peak ambient O₃ levels (1–5 ppb, according to model estimates) should yield considerable public health benefits. Tens of millions of Americans are potentially exposed to O₃ in the concentration range associated with health effects. Even if only a small percentage of them are susceptible, any incremental reduction in O₃ (as with MTBE use) must mitigate or prevent effects for a meaningful number of people. Better quantitative estimates of benefit must await a more detailed understanding of each link in the chain of causation.     

Qualitative research strategies in rehabilitation

This article presents an overview of the qualitative research methods that social scientists use to explore human phenomena. The authors describe the philosophical and historical foundations of qualitative research, coupled with illustrations of specific qualitative designs. Applications of qualitative methods in the contemporary rehabilitation literature are also presented.     

War mobilization and the life course: A cohort of World War II veterans

Men experience historical events, such as wars, at different times in their lives and are thereby influenced in different ways. Using data on a cohort of veterans from World War II, this study investigates the proposition that entry into the armed forces at a relatively early age maximized discontinuity and facilitated a redirection of the life course through psychological development, a delayed entry into family roles, and greater advancement opportunity. By comparison, later entry into the service favored greater risk of family and career disruption within a pattern of life continuity from adolescence to the middle years. Results from the analysis are consistent with these expectations.     

The Black Regulars: Buffalo Soldiers during the Indian war era as crime fighters and peacekeepers on the Western frontier, 1866–1892

The purpose of this review of the Buffalo Soldier is to explore their peacekeeping and crime fighting duties on the Western frontier during the period of 1866–1892. The Army was called upon to play a role in a number of controversial areas of American life and society: Southern Reconstruction fighting against the Native Americans, strikebreakers; and finally the railroad strikes of 1877. Following the Civil War, while performing some of these roles, the Army faced a great deal of hostility. It is one of the ironies of American History, as historians Foner [Foner, J. D. (1970). The United States soldier between two wars: Army life and reforms, 1865–1898. New York: Humanities Press] and Jackson and Katz [Jackson, S. D., & Katz, W. L. (1969). Preface of the Arno edition in under fire with the tenth U.S. cavalry. New York: Arno Press] have noted, that the Buffalo Soldier to earn their esteemed reputation as honorable fighting men, had to assist in the suppression of the Native American people and to act as strikebreakers. However, the literature shows that they also brought peace and civilization to the West through their law enforcement and other peacekeeping duties.     

Territorial invasion and aggression in young children

Forty black first- and second-grade children were given instructions intended to induce possessiveness for both a designated toy and a play area, along with an opportunity to play with the toy in the area. Each subject then surreptitiously observed an experimental confederate dressed in a clown costume play with either the designated toy or another toy, while either within or outside the child's play area. While observing the invasion, the child had 10 opportunities (trials) to deliver shock to the confederate. Girls who observed the confederate playing with the designated toy delivered more shocks and waited fewer trials to deliver the first shock than did the other girls. Similar effects were produced by the confederate's use of the subject's play area. The manipulations produced no significant effects upon the boys' aggression.