Voyager 2 images of Neptune reveal a windy planet characterized by bright clouds of methane ice suspended in an exceptionally clear atmosphere above a lower deck of hydrogen sulfide or ammonia ices. Neptune's atmosphere is dominated by a large anticyclonic storm system that has been named the Great Dark Spot (GDS). About the same size as Earth in extent, the GDS bears both many similarities and some differences to the Great Red Spot of Jupiter. Neptune's zonal wind profile is remarkably similar to that of Uranus. Neptune has three major rings at radii of 42,000, 53,000, and 63,000 kilometers. The outer ring contains three higher density arc-like segments that were apparently responsible for most of the ground-based occultation events observed during the current decade. Like the rings of Uranus, the Neptune rings are composed of very dark material; unlike that of Uranus, the Neptune system is very dusty. Six new regular satellites were found, with dark surfaces and radii ranging from 200 to 25 kilometers. All lie inside the orbit of Triton and the inner four are located within the ring system. Triton is seen to be a differentiated body, with a radius of 1350 kilometers and a density of 2.1 grams per cubic centimeter; it exhibits clear evidence of early episodes of surface melting. A now rigid crust of what is probably water ice is overlain with a brilliant coating of nitrogen frost, slightly darkened and reddened with organic polymer material. Streaks of organic polymer suggest seasonal winds strong enough to move particles of micrometer size or larger, once they become airborne. At least two active plumes were seen, carrying dark material 8 kilometers above the surface before being transported downstream by high level winds. The plumes may be driven by solar heating and the subsequent violent vaporization of subsurface nitrogen.

Several recent studies have reported associations between common levels of particulate air pollution and small increases in daily mortality. This study examined whether a similar association could be found in the southern United States, with different weather patterns than the previous studies, and examined the sensitivity of the results to different methods of analysis and covariate control. Data were available in Birmingham, Alabama, from August 1985 through 1988. Regression analyses controlled for weather, time trends, day of the week, and year of study and removed any long-term patterns (such as seasonal and monthly fluctuations) from the data by trigonometric filtering. A significant association was found between inhalable particles and daily mortality in Poisson regression analysis (relative risk = 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.02-1.20). The relative risk was estimated for a 100-micrograms/m3 increase in inhalable particles. Results were unchanged when least squares regression was used, when robust regression was used, and under an alternative filtering scheme. Diagnostic plots showed that the filtering successfully removed long wavelength patterns from the data. The generalized additive model, which models the expected number of deaths as nonparametric smoothed functions of the covariates, was then used to ensure adequate control for any nonlinearities in the weather dependence. Essentially identical results for inhalable particles were seen, with no evidence of a threshold down to the lowest observed exposure levels. The association also was unchanged when all days with particulate air pollution levels in excess of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards were deleted. The magnitude of the effect is consistent with recent estimates from Philadelphia, Steubenville, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Utah Valley.

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which predominates in marine fish, tends to counteract and inhibit the uptake and incorporation of arachidonic acid and membrane phospholipids and dilute arachidonic acid as a potential substrate for oxidation. Thus, fish intake may be protective for the occurrence of asthma and other pulmonary diseases. We wanted to examine the relationship between the effect of chronic dietary intake to fish and its relationship to level of pulmonary function. We performed this analysis using data from the First National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES I). A detailed subsample of 2,526 adults had a medical history questionnaire, that included a 24-hour dietary recall, and performed spirometric examination. Log of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) served as a dependent variable in regression analysis which included an adjustment for height, age, cigarette smoking and gender. When added to the regression model including the above variables dietary fish intake showed a protective association with FEV1 (beta = 0.008 +/- 0.004, p = 0.028). When smokers were excluded from the analysis, the effect of fish intake on pulmonary function appeared to increase slightly (beta = 0.0108 +/- 0.006, p = 0.61). These data suggest that chronic dietary intake of fish is associated with higher levels of pulmonary function and is consistent with the hypothesis of an effect of fish oil on arachidonic acid metabolism.

Objectives We examined the rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) deaths in Massachusetts before and after the implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free workplace law in July 2004. Methods We used Poisson regression models to examine the impact of the state law in cities and towns with and without previous local smoking bans and the effect of the local laws for the period of 1999 through 2006. Results The AMI mortality rate decreased by 7.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]=3.3%, 11.4%) after implementation of the state law. The state ban had an impact in cities and towns with no prior local smoking ban (9.2% decrease; P<.001) but not cities and towns with a prior local smoking ban. However, there was a nonsignificant 4.9% (95% CI=−5.0%, 13.9%) decrease associated with the local smoking ban that preceded the effect of the state ban. The effect of the state ban was modest (−1.6%) in the first 12 months after implementation but much larger after the first 12 months (−18.6%; P<.001). Conclusions Comprehensive statewide smoke-free workplace laws in Massachusetts were associated with an estimated 270 fewer AMI deaths per year. These results add to the evidence suggesting that smoke-free air laws are associated with lower rates of AMI.

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