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We present results of observations in the optical to mid-infrared wavelengths of the X-ray source CXO J373442, which was serendipitously discovered in the Chandra images and was found to have a fully resolved X-ray jet. The observations include a combination of photometry and spectroscopy in the optical using ground-based telescopes and mid-infrared photometry using Spitzer. We detect the optical/IR counterpart of CXO J373442 and identify it to be a G9 V star located at a distance of 334 ± 60 pc. Comparable values of the hydrogen column densities determined independently from the optical/IR observations and X-ray observations indicate that the optical source is associated with the X-ray source. Since the X-ray luminosity cannot be explained in terms of emission from a single G9 V star, it is likely that CXO J373442 is an accreting compact object in a binary system. Thus, CXO J373442 is the nearest known resolved X-ray jet from a binary system, which is not a symbiotic star. Based on the existing X-ray data, the nature of the compact object cannot be confirmed. However, the low luminosity of the X-ray point source, , combined with estimates of the age of the jet and a lack of detection of bright outburst, suggests that the X-ray jet was launched during extreme quiescence of the object. The measured low X-ray luminosity of the jet suggests the likelihood of such jets being more ubiquitous than our current understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its launch on October 2002, the INTEGRAL satellite has revolutionized our knowledge of the hard X–ray sky thanks to its unprecedented imaging capabilities and source detection positional accuracy above 20 keV. Nevertheless, many of the newly-detected sources in the INTEGRAL sky surveys are of unknown nature. However, the combined use of available information at longer wavelengths (mainly soft X–rays and radio) and of optical spectroscopy on the putative counterparts of these new hard X–ray objects allows pinpointing their exact nature. Continuing our long-standing program running since 2004 (and with which we identified more than 100 INTEGRAL objects) here we report the classification, through optical spectroscopy, of 25 unidentified high-energy sources, mostly belonging to the recently published 4-th IBIS survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Atlantic coast of Morocco is characterised by a flat rocky outcrop in the south (Asilah Beach) and a sandy beach free of rocky outcrops in the north (Charf el-Akab). These natural beaches were monitored for a period of two years (April 2005–January 2007) and two different profiles (one for each beach) were analysed based on differences in the substrate. Topographic data were analysed using statistics and empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) to determine beach slope and volumetric changes over time. Several morphologic phenomena were identified (accretion/erosion and seasonal tilting of beach profiles around different hinge points), attesting to their importance in explaining variability in the data. Periods of accretion were similar in both profiles, but the volumetric rate of change was faster in the sand-rich (SR) profile than in the reef flat (RF) profile. Moreover, the erosion rate for the SR profile was greater than the RF profile (135.18 m3/year vs. 55.39 m3/year). Therefore, the RF acted as a geological control on the evolution of its profile because of wave energy attenuation. Thus, special attention should be given to the RF profile, which has larger slopes, less amounts of mobilised sand, and slower erosion/accretion rates than the SR profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the clinical course of untreatable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) identified at any stage and to identify factors associated with mortality., Methods: From January 1999 to December 2010, 320 out of 825 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of HCC and not appropriate for curative or palliative treatments were followed and managed with supportive therapy. Cirrhosis was diagnosed by histological or clinical features and liver function was evaluated according to Child-Pugh score. The diagnosis of HCC was performed by Ultra-Sound guided biopsy or by multiphasic contrast-enhanced computed tomography or gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Data were collected for each patient including all clinical, laboratory and imaging variables necessary for the outcome prediction staging systems considered. HCC staging was performed according Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) and Cancer of the Liver Italian Program scores. Follow-up time was defined as the number of months from the diagnosis of HCC to death. Prognostic baseline variables were analyzed by multivariate Cox analysis to identify the independent predictors of survival., Results: Seventy-five per cent of patients had hepatitis C. Ascites was present in 169 patients (53%), while hepatic encephalopathy was present in 49 patients (15%). The Child-Pugh score was class A in 105 patients (33%), class B in 142 patients (44%), and class C in 73 patients (23%). One hundred patients (31%) had macroscopic vascular invasion and/or extra-hepatic spread of the tumor. A single lesion > 10 cm was observed in 34 patients (11%), while multinodular HCC was present in 189 patients (59%). Thirty nine patients (12%) were BCLC early (A) stage, 55 (17%) were BCLC intermediate (B) stage, 124 (39%) were BCLC advanced (C) stage, and 102 (32%) were end-stage BCLC (D). At the time of this analysis (July 2011), 28 (9%) patients were still alive. Six (2%) patients who were lost during follow-up were censored at the last visit. The overall median survival was 6.8 mo, and the 1-year survival was 32%. The 1-year survival according to BCLC classes was 100%, 79%, 12% and 0%, for BCLC A, B, C and D, respectively. There was a significant difference in survival between each BCLC class. The median survival of patients of BCLC stages A, B, C and D was 33, 17.4, 6.9, and 1.8 mo, respectively (P < 0.05 for comparison between stages). The median survival of Child-Pugh A, B and C classes were 9.8 mo (range 6.4-13), 6.1 (range 4.9-7.3), and 3.7 (range 1.5-6), respectively (P < 0.05 for comparison between stages). By univariate analysis, the variables significantly associated to an increased liklihood of mortality were Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS), presence of ascites, low level of albumin, elevated level of bilirubin, international normalized ratio (INR) and Log-[(α fetoprotein (AFP)]. At multivariate analysis, mortality was independently predicted by bad PS (P < 0.0001), high INR values (P = 0.0001) and elevated Log-(AFP) levels (P = 0.009)., Conclusion: This study confirms the heterogeneous behavior of untreated HCC. BCLC staging remains an important prognostic guide and may be important in decision-making for palliative treatment.

In hepatitis B virus (HBV) cirrhosis patients on long-term lamivudine (LAM), the relationships between HBV suppression, development of viral resistance and disease outcome are unclear. We analysed the dynamic of serum HBV-DNA and its relationship with the clinical course of 59 patients (52 males, mean age 51.4 +/- 8.4 years, 12 HBeAg positive and 47 HBeAg negative, and 57 genotype D and two genotype A) with cirrhosis (45 in Child-Turcotte-Pugh class A) and high levels of serum HBV-DNA (median 14.7 x 10(7) genomes/ml) treated with LAM [median (range): 44 (15-78) months]. A total of 50 patient (84.7%) achieved a virological response (serum HBV-DNA negative by PCR) during the first 6 months of therapy, and nine (13.3%) achieved a reduction in viral load of > 3 log10. Mutations in the YMDD motif of HBV polymerase were documented in 26 patients [median (range) 18: (7-42) months]. At the time of the emergence of mutants, 22 patients had HBV-DNA < 10(5) genomes/ml and normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. The appearance of virological resistance was followed by an increase of HBV-DNA to > 10(5) genomes/ml and of ALT values in 19 out of 26 patients [median (range): 8 (3-19) months]. Event-free survival was significantly longer (P = 0.001) in patients who maintained virological suppression than in those who did not have a complete virological response or suffered a breakthrough. Patients with advanced cirrhosis were more likely to develop liver failure after the emergence of YMDD mutants. The risk of development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with compensated cirrhosis and YMDD mutations was maintained, regardless of HBV-DNA serum levels. Profound and maintained HBV-DNA suppression correlates with a better outcome. Early identification of LAM resistance mutations allows switching to other antivirals before liver decompensation or hepatocellular carcinoma development.