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We study the regularity and the asymptotic behavior of the solutions of the initial value problem for the porous medium equation $$\begin{gathered} {\text{ }}u_t = \left( {u^m } \right)_{xx} {\text{ in }}Q = \mathbb{R} \times \left( {{\text{0,}}\infty } \right){\text{,}} \hfill \\ u\left( {x{\text{,0}}} \right) = u_{\text{0}} \left( x \right){\text{ for }}x \in \mathbb{R}{\text{,}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered}$$ with m > 1 and, u0a continuous, nonnegative function. It is well known that, across a moving interface x=?(t) of the solution u(x, t), the derivatives v tand vxof the pressure v = (m/(m-1)) um-1 have jump discontinuities. We prove that each moving part of the interface is a C8curve and that v is C8on each side of the moving interface (and up to it). We also prove that for solutions with compact support the pressure becomes a concave function of x after a finite time. This fact implies sharp convergence rates for the solution and the interfaces as t?8.