A new 1.6-micron map of Titan’s surface

We present a new map of Titan's surface obtained in the spectral 'window' at ∼1.6 μm between strong methane absorption. This pre-Cassini view of Titan's surface was created from images obtained using adaptive optics on the W.M. Keck II telescope and is the highest resolution map yet made of Titan's surface. Numerous surface features down to the limits of the spatial resolution (∼200–300 km) are apparent. No features are easily identifiable in terms of their geologic origin, although several are likely craters

The Scottish Parliament in the Restoration era, 1660-1681

One issue has dominated the majority of historical studies of Restoration Scotland, that of religious dissent. Robert Wodrow's The Sufferings of the Church of Scotland from the Restoration to the Revolution portrayed an age of brutality in which the people were involved in a godly struggle in defence of Presbyterianism with an administration intent on maintaining Episcopal Church government. Wodrow's version of events has come to dominate the bulk of previous research, and few political studies of the period have been attempted. The Scottish Parliament, its role and function during the reign of Charles II has been particularly neglected. This thesis attempts to redress this state of affairs and provide a detailed account of Parliament during the period. The thesis proceeds chronologically, with an initial chapter on the first session of the Restoration Parliament. The transition from the republican regime to restored monarchy is examined, and the Restoration settlement, the constitutional basis of government during the period, is studied in detail. The second chapter on the parliamentary sessions of 1662 and 1663 begins to examine the personalities of the administration, and discusses the factional divisions that play out in the theatre of Parliament. Following chapters on the Conventions of Estates of 1665, 1667 and 1678 study the effect of religious dissent on the fiscal fortunes of the crown. The growth of an increasingly effective parliamentary opposition is considered in a series of chapters on the Parliament of 1669-1674 and on the session of 1681, the last of Charles II's reign. This thesis attempts to challenge the notion that Parliament in the Restoration era was merely a submissive body, easily moulded to the royal will. Instead, it is argued that the restrictions on parliamentary freedoms in the settlement of 1661 combined with the increasingly authoritarian administration of John Maitland, second Earl (later first Duke) of Lauderdale, created a body of opposition that believed Parliament had a substantial role to play. That such opposition existed sheds new lights on later events, particularly the deposition of the Stewart monarchy

Air conditioning and source-specific particles as modifiers of the effect of PM(10) on hospital admissions for heart and lung disease.

Studies on acute effects of particulate matter (PM) air pollution show significant variability in exposure-effect relations among cities. Recent studies have shown an influence of ventilation on personal/indoor-outdoor relations and stronger associations of adverse effects with combustion-related particles. We evaluated whether differences in prevalence of air conditioning (AC) and/or the contribution of different sources to total PM(10) emissions could partly explain the observed variability in exposure-effect relations. We used regression coefficients of the relation between PM(10) and hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and pneumonia from a recent study in 14 U.S. cities. We obtained data on the prevalence of AC from the 1993 American Housing Survey and data on PM(10) emissions by source category, vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and population density from the U.S. EPA. We analyzed data using meta-regression techniques. PM(10) regression coefficients for CVD and COPD decreased significantly with increasing percentage of homes with central AC when cities were stratified by whether their PM(10) concentrations peaked in winter or non-winter months. PM(10) coefficients for CVD increased significantly with increasing percentage of PM(10) emission from highway vehicles, highway diesels, oil combustion, metal processing, decreasing percentage of PM(10) emission from fugitive dust, and increasing population density and VMT/mile(2). In multivariate analysis, only percentage of PM(subscript)10(/subscript) from highway vehicles/diesels and oil combustion remained significant. For COPD and pneumonia, associations were less significant but the patterns of the associations were similar to that for CVD. The results suggest that air conditioning and proportion of especially traffic-related particles significantly modify the effect of PM(10) on hospital admissions, especially for CVD

Who is being tested by the English National Chlamydia Screening Programme? A comparison with national probability survey data

Objectives We compare data collected by England's National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) with national probability survey data to examine demographic and behavioural differences that may be important in understanding who the NCSP is reaching and interpreting chlamydia positivity.Methods Data for 538 119 men and women aged 16-24 years who were screened in 2008 and data collected from 2180 interviewees in Britain's second National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles 1999-2001 (Natsal-2), of whom 644 were tested for chlamydia, were compared using the chi(2) statistic and logistic regression.Results Compared with Natsal-2, the NCSP tested more women (67% vs 49%). NCSP participants were more likely to be younger: 29% were 16-17 years versus 16% of men and 15% of women in Natsal-2; from ethnic minority groups: 17% of men and 14% of women versus 8% and 6%, respectively, in Natsal-2; not to have used condoms at last sex: 66% of men and 68% of women versus 48% and 63%, respectively, in Natsal-2: and more likely to report two or more partners in the last year: 62% of men and 47% of women versus 47% and 30%, respectively, in Natsal-2. In multivariate analyses, higher AOR of chlamydia positivity were found for those reporting non-use of condoms and for those reporting multiple partners in both the NCSP and Natsal-2.Conclusions The NCSP is testing young people at increased risk of chlamydia. The impact of this testing bias on the effectiveness of the programme should be evaluated

Worlds Beyond: A Strategy for the Detection and Characterization of Exoplanets Executive Summary of a Report of the ExoPlanet Task Force Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee Washington, DC June 23, 2008

[No abstract

The Relationship Between Ambient Air Pollution and Heart Rate Variability Differs for Individuals with Heart and Pulmonary Disease

Associations between concentrations of ambient fine particles [particulate matter < 2.5 μm aerodynamic diameter (PM$_{2.5}$)] and heart rate variability (HRV) have differed by study population. We examined the effects of ambient pollution on HRV for 18 individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 12 individuals with recent myocardial infarction (MI) living in Atlanta, Georgia. HRV, baseline pulmonary function, and medication data were collected for each participant on 7 days in fall 1999 and/or spring 2000. Hourly ambient pollution concentrations were obtained from monitoring sites in Atlanta. The association between ambient pollution and HRV was examined using linear mixed-effect models. Ambient pollution had opposing effects on HRV in our COPD and MI participants, resulting in no significant effect of ambient pollution on HRV in the entire population for 1-, 4-, or 24-hr moving averages. For individuals with COPD, interquartile range (IQR) increases in 4-hr ambient PM$_{2.5}$ (11.65 μg/m$^3$) and nitrogen dioxide (11.97 ppb) were associated with 8.3% [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.7–15.3%] and 7.7% (95% CI, 0.1–15.9%) increase in the SD of normal R-R intervals (SDNN), respectively. For individuals with MI, IQR increases in 4-hr PM$_{2.5}$ (8.54 μg/m$^3$) and NO2 (9.25 ppb) were associated with a nonsignificant 2.9% (95% CI, –7.8 to 2.3) and significant 12.1 (95% CI, –19.5 to –4.0) decrease in SDNN. Beta-blocker and bronchodilator intake and baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 sec modified the PM–SDNN association significantly, with effects consistent with those by disease group. Results indicate heterogeneity in the autonomic response to air pollution due to differences in baseline health, with significant associations for ambient NO2 suggesting an important role for traffic-related pollution