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Background Resection with curative intent has been shown to prolong survival of patients with locoregional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma ( PDAC). However, up to 33 per cent of patients are deemed unresectable at exploratory laparotomy owing to unanticipated locally advanced or metastatic disease. In these patients, prophylactic double bypass ( PDB) procedures have been considered the standard of care. The aim of this study was to compare PDB with exploratory laparotomy alone in terms of impact on postoperative course, chemotherapy and overall survival. Methods This retrospective observational cohort study (2004-2013) was conducted using a prospective institutional database. Patients with histologically confirmed, unresectable PDAC were included. Relationships between PDB procedures, exploratory laparotomy alone, postoperative chemotherapy and best supportive care were investigated by means of Cox regression. Overall survival was compared using Kaplan-Meier estimations and log rank test. Results Of 503 patients with PDAC scheduled for resection with curative intent, 104 were deemed unresectable at laparotomy (resection rate 79·3 per cent). Seventy-four patients underwent PDB procedures and 30 had exploratory laparotomy alone. PDB and exploratory laparotomy were similar in terms of perioperative mortality, initiation of chemotherapy and overall survival. Compared with best supportive care, postoperative chemotherapy prolonged survival (8·0 versus 14·4 months in locally advanced PDAC, P = 0·007; 2·3 versus 8·0 months in metastatic PDAC, P < 0·001). Patients undergoing chemotherapy following exploratory laparotomy alone had longer median overall survival than patients undergoing chemotherapy following PDB procedures (16·3 versus 10·3 months; P = 0·040). Conclusion Patients with pancreatic cancer deemed unresectable at laparotomy may derive survival benefit from subsequent chemotherapy as opposed to supportive care alone. At laparotomy, proceeding with a bypass procedure for prophylactic symptom control may be prognostically unfavourable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that KIR haplotypes (that interact with HLA class I molecules) are associated with susceptibility in patients with T1 DM in utero through maternal-foetal interaction of KIR and their HLA class I ligands in Han Chinese population. We determined the KIR genes and KIR/ligand gene combination frequencies in 59 Han Chinese children with T1D and their mothers and compared it with 159 healthy control children and their mothers. The absence of KIR-2 DS1 in the mother and the presence of HLA-C2 ligand in the child were negatively associated with type 1 diabetes in the child. Our results indicate that maternal KIR genes and their interaction with foetal HLA-C2 may contribute to the risk of type 1 diabetes among Han Chinese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Locoregional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma ( PDAC) may progress rapidly and/or disseminate despite having an early stage at diagnostic imaging. A prolonged interval from imaging to resection might represent a risk factor for encountering tumour progression at laparotomy. The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic window for timely surgical intervention. Methods This observational cohort study included patients with histologically confirmed PDAC scheduled for resection with curative intent from 2008 to 2014. The impact of imaging-to-resection/reassessment ( IR) interval, vascular involvement and tumour size on local tumour progression or presence of metastases at reimaging or laparotomy was evaluated using univariable and multivariable regression. Risk estimates were approximated using hazard ratios ( HRs). Results Median IR interval was 42 days. Of 349 patients scheduled for resection, 82 had unresectable disease (resectability rate 76·5 per cent). The unresectability rate was zero when the IR interval was 22 days or shorter, and was lower for an IR interval of 32 days or less compared with longer waiting times (13 versus 26·2 per cent; HR 0·42, P = 0·021). It was also lower for tumours smaller than 30 mm than for larger tumours (13·9 versus 32·5 per cent; HR 0·34, P < 0·001). Tumours with no or minor vascular involvement showed decreased rates of unresectable disease (20·6 per cent versus 38 per cent when there was major or combined vascular involvement; HR 0·43, P = 0·007). However, this failed to reach statistical significance on multivariable analysis ( P = 0·411), in contrast to IR interval ( P = 0·028) and tumour size ( P < 0·001). Conclusion Operation within 32 days of diagnostic imaging reduced the risk of tumour progression to unresectable disease by half compared with a longer waiting time. The results of this study highlight the importance of efficient clinical PDAC management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their interaction with HLA class I ligands have been shown to be associated with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of our study was to investigate the influence of KIR genes and their HLA-C ligands for susceptibility to Type 1 diabetes in patients from Eastern India. Methods A total of 135 patients with Type 1 diabetes and 98 healthy subjects from Eastern India were typed for KIR genes and HLA-C ligands using PCR-based genotyping. The frequencies of these genes were compared between patients and controls. Results Comparison of KIR genes between Type 1 diabetes patients and healthy subjects revealed significantly different frequencies of KIRs 2DL2 and 2DS4. The presence of HLA-C1 was negatively associated with disease. The presence of both HLA-C1 and -C2 showed a negative association with Type 1 diabetes, whereas the absence of C1 and presence of C2 was positively associated with disease. Stratification analysis of HLA-C ligands and KIRs showed significant associations between Type 1 diabetes and 2DL2+/C1-, 2DL2-/C1+, 2DL3+/C1+, 2DL3+/C1- and 2DS2+/C1-. Conclusions Our results suggest that the interaction of KIRs with HLA-C ligands are significant and certain combinations contribute to susceptibility to and protection against Type 1 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study aqueous, ethanol and methanol extracts of freshwater mussel Parreysia corrugata were screened for antibacterial activity. The extracts were obtained from the whole body tissue of the animals and tested against 5 pathogenic bacteria viz., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. Ethanol extract of P.corrugata showed maximum antibacterial activity 11 mm against P.aeruginosa and the minimum activity 9 mm against K. pneumoniae. Methanol extract of P.corrugata showed Maximum inhibition 13mm against P.aeruginosa and the minimum inhibition zone of 8mm against K. pneumoniae. Aqueous extract of P.corrugata showed the maximum inhibition zone was 10mm against S.aureus and the minimum inhibition zone was 7 mm against S.typhi. Aqueous, Ethanol and Methanol extracts showed antibacterial activity against five human pathogen bacteria tested. Compare to water extracts Ethanol and Methanol extracts showed more activity against all pathogens. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds signals at different ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molluscs are highly delicious seafood and they are also very good source for biomedically imported products. Gastropod crude extract was tested for inhibition of bacterial growth against human pathogenic bacteria. Pila virens was screened against five human pathogenic bacteria strains for antibacterial activities. Five species of pathogenic bacteria namely Klepsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus , Enterococcus faecalis. Control discs were with water and solvents to assess the effect of water and solvents on pathogens. The plates were incubated at 37 °C for 24 h the antimicrobial activity was measured accordingly based on the inhibition zone around the disc impregnated with gastropod extract. Ethanol extract of Pila virens was found active against five species of pathogens. The inhibition zone ranged from 9 mm to 11 mm. The maximum inhibition zone was 11 mm against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis. The minimum zone was 9mm in Salmonella typhi and 10mm in Klepsiella pneumoniae. Water extract of Pila virens zone ranged from 9mm to 10mm. The maximum inhibition zone was 10mm in Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and the minimum inhibition zone was 9mm in Klepsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi. Commercial antibiotics are highly effective to kill the bacterial and fungal pathogens involved in common infection. Water, ethanol extracts of gastropods used in the present study showed significant antibacterial activity compare with other solvents extraction. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of bioactive compounds signals at different ranges. It is worthy to note that the product from natural source is good for health and to avoid side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel hyperspectral matching technique by integrating the Jeffries-Matusita measure (JM) and the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm. The deterministic Spectral Angle Mapper and stochastic Jeffries-Matusita measure are orthogonally projected using the sine and tangent functions to increase their spectral ability. The developed JM-SAM algorithm is implemented in effectively discriminating the landcover classes and cover types in the hyperspectral images acquired by PROBA/CHRIS and EO-1 Hyperion sensors. The reference spectra for different land-cover classes were derived from each of these images. The performance of the proposed measure is compared with the performance of the individual SAM and JM approaches. From the values of the relative spectral discriminatory probability (RSDPB) and relative discriminatory entropy value (RSDE), it is inferred that the hybrid JM-SAM approach results in a high spectral discriminability than the SAM and JM measures. Besides, the use of the improved JM-SAM algorithm for supervised classification of the images results in 92.9% and 91.47% accuracy compared to 73.13%, 79.41%, and 85.69% of minimum-distance, SAM and JM measures. It is also inferred that the increased spectral discriminability of JM-SAM measure is contributed by the JM distance. Further, it is seen that the proposed JM-SAM measure is compatible with varying spectral resolutions of PROBA/CHRIS (62 bands) and Hyperion (242 bands). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a study to differentiate iron ores in terms of their grades, using the hyperspectral (EO-1 Hyperion) image data, covering a mineralized belt in the Noamundi area, eastern India. The study involves hyperspectral data collection, pre-processing (reduction of atmospheric and solar flux effects), generation of spectral curves from the image for the iron ore deposits, extraction of key spectral parameters and linear spectral unmixing for mapping iron ore abundance. Spectral curves for iron ore deposits extracted from the Hyperion image pixels exhibit strong absorption at 850–900 nm and 2150–2250 nm wavelengths, which is typical of iron ores. The strength of the absorption features in the continuum removed spectra varies spatially in the image around the mining areas, indicating differences in composition/grade of the iron ores. Spectral parameters such as the depth, width, area and wavelength position of the absorption features, derived from image spectra in the 850–900 nm and 2150–2250 nm regions, correlate well with the concentration of iron-oxide and alumina (gangue) in the ore samples obtained from the mine face. Well defined correlations are evident between the concentration of iron oxide and (i) the depth of NIR absorption feature ( R 2 = 0.883); (ii) the width of NIR absorption feature ( R 2 = 0.912); and (iii) the area of the NIR absorption feature and ( R 2 = 0.882). Further, the linear spectral unmixing resulted in an iron ore abundance map which, in conjunction with the image- and laboratory-spectra, helped in assessing the grades of iron ores in the study area. Thus, this study demonstrates the feasibility of discriminating grades of iron ores based on spectral information derived from spaceborne hyperspectral imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaeochannels are important sources of groundwater, economic minerals, and placer deposits. They are also good repositories of palaeoclimate data. To exploit such resources, the first essential step would be to identify and map palaeochannels. This article presents a study in which multi-sensor (optical, thermal, and microwave) image data and satellite-derived digital elevation models (DEM)s of the northern coastal region of Tamilnadu state, south India, were analysed visually and digitally to recognize exposed and buried palaeochannels. Image-enhancement techniques such as linear contrast enhancement of optical data and fusion of microwave and optical image data brought out more information about the palaeochannels. Hill-shading techniques applied to the satellite-derived DEM, further added to the information content on the existence of the palaeochannels. The existence of the newly identified palaeochannels was verified by ground-based techniques such as field checks, sedimentological analysis, and electrical resistivity surveys. The presence of well sorted and rounded grains in the sediment samples and high apparent electrical resistivity values for the thick sandy subsurface strata in these locations confirmed the existence of palaeochannels which were interpreted from the images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper present the results of a study made to assess the grades of iron ore deposits in parts of Noamundi area using the hyperspectral image data (EO-1 Hyperion). The study involves hyperspectral image data, preprocessing (removal of atmospheric effects), spectral curve generation from the image, extraction of certain spectral parameters and spectral data analysis. Atmospheric correction was carried out by using algorithms involving atmospheric analysis of spectral hyper-cubes and Quick Atmospheric Correction modules. Spectral curves generated for the pixels that contain iron ores resemble the spectral signature of iron ores, i.e., very strong absorption at 850-900nm region is observed. The strength of the absorption varies spatially at different pixels. Hence, spectral parameters such as radius of curvature of NIR absorption trough (750-1000nm), position of NIR absorption trough and distance from a reference(100% reflectance) line have been derived for all the image-derived spectra and were compared with the concentration of iron in the ore samples of mines. Empirical models were generated by relating the image-derived spectral parameters of iron ore locations and geochemistry of the samples collected from the same location which shows a reasonable match. Strong negative correlation is seen between the radius of curvature of the NIR absorption trough and concentration of iron with a R value of 0.809. The position of the NIR absorption trough is seen to shift towards longer wavelengths with decreasing iron content and the distance from the reference line increases with increasing iron content. Thus, this study indicates that it is feasible to discriminate the grades of iron ores from the spectral parameters derived from Hyperspectral satellite images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Presenter: b Srinivas Sanjeevi MD | University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston B Background: b Studies have demonstrated a modest survival benefit amongst hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with yittrium-90 radioembolization (RE). We hypothesize that a RE survival benefit versus chemotherapy may be influenced by cirrhosis. B Conclusion: b Using this model yittrium-90 radioembolization resulted in a modest survival increase for patients with higher MELD scores. [Extracted from the article]

The South Indian coastline experienced the most devastating tsunami on 26 December 2004, with run-up height (maximum vertical height) of 10.5 m. Possibility of a similar event in the near future is now being postulated. This work describes the run-up elevation maps prepared using SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and geomorphic details derived from satellite images, showing the probable areas of inundation due to various wave-heights along parts of Kerala coast. These areas include the Bharathapuzha estuary, Periyar estuary, Vembanadu Lake and certain low-lying mudflats of Kuttanadu. It is also evident that the Beach ridge complexes seen in the satellite images and SRTM DEM, could act as a buffer against waves up to 10 m height. Thus, the inundation maps derived from SRTM DEM can serve as a good input for mapping vulnerable areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lunar surface exploration is increasing rapidly. These exploring satellites provide a large number of high resolution images containing topographical information. The topographical information in lunar surface are craters, ridges, mountains and grabens. Extracting this topographical information manually is time-consuming. Hence, an automatic feature extraction is favored. This paper presents a novel approach using image processing techniques to automatically detect ridges in lunar images. The approaches adopted for this development includes phase symmetry, phase congruency and morphological operations to automatically detect significant ridges. The phase symmetry extracts symmetry features with discontinuities, phase congruency extracts features lying in low contrast regions and morphological operations such as thinning and pruning are used to obtain significant ridges. The proposed novel approach experiments on a test set of different regions. These different region images are obtained from different sensors (LROC, Selene and Clementine) having different spatial resolution and illumination variation. The results obtained are compared with the plan curvature method; and they are evaluated based on true and false detection of ridge pixels. Irrespective of illumination variation and spatial resolution, the proposed approach provides better results than the plan curvature method and its detection rate is approximately 92%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lunar craters provide ample opportunities to study and understand crater morphology because of their vast numbers. This paper focuses on the topographical mapping of 33 Mare craters (Flat- and Round-floor) of ∼2km diameter, using the SELENE DTM. Each crater was analyzed individually for its slope, regional topography and rim signature. The crater slope analysis revealed a small slope variation between the flat- and round-floor craters, in a similar diameter range, with some overlap between them. In the regional topographical analysis, the impact craters formed on the flat- and sloped-surface were analyzed in detail. The crater profile extracted through the rim crest was compared with its corresponding regional topographic profile (obtained over ∼3crater radii). Four types of crater occurrences were observed: type i, ii and iv craters were formed on sloped surface, whereas type iii craters are formed on a flat surface with an equally raised rim. The occurrences of the rim crest on type i and ii craters are on the topographically elevated side of the terrain. But in type iv craters, the rim crest occurs on the topographically lower side of the terrain. The type iv craters uplifted the topographically lower terrain, which depicts the alteration that had taken place due to the impact. This topographical analysis suggests that the surrounding topography should also be considered for understanding the craters. Finally, from the crater rim signature analysis, it was evident that the prominent V-shaped incisions on the rim are caused due to landslide/slumping and by small impactors. This DTM based simple lunar crater analysis revealed information about the crater association with their surrounding topography and their morphological variations on flat- and sloped- surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Crater detection algorithm to detect craters and extract their contextual information. [•] Round- and flat-floored simple lunar craters classified by their structural profile pattern. [•] Contextual information like ejecta identification and dull/degraded state of crater was detected. [•] Overall algorithm performance: Q ∼75%, precision ∼0.8, FPR∼0.2. [•] Round-floor craters in sub-km range with lesser depth forms major population on lunar surface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the complications of biliary anastomotic strictures (BAS) post pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), and talks of study conducted by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, development of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), and independent predictors such as jaundice.