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Graphical Abstract:

The recycling ratio of construction sludge in Japan has gradually increased over the past 20 years. However, the increase in this ratio has become marginal. One of the main reasons for the stagnation is the alkalinity of the recycled sludge after treatment, as alkaline construction sludge can impact the environment owing to factors such as alkali leaching. Therefore, this study explored whether the neutralization of alkaline construction sludge can be accelerated with a controlled CO2concentration during the production of recycled soils at recycling plants. A CO2incubator was introduced in the laboratory to accelerate the neutralization of the alkaline sludge to investigate the effects of the initial water content and the layer thickness of the sludge on the neutralization process. The effects of the degree of CO2concentration on the process were also examined, as were the contributions of other factors to the neutralization rate. First, the mixture conditions were explored to simulate alkaline construction sludge having a wide range of pH values (hydrogen-ion exponent) to investigate the effects of the initial pH on the neutralization rate. The results revealed that the neutralization rate of simulated alkaline sludge subjected to atmospheric curing was affected by the initial pH. Sludge with high alkalinity, such as a pH of 11 or 12, cannot fall below the upper limit of the pH regulated by the water pollution prevention act even after a dozen days. Consequently, sample surveys were conducted to capture the variation in the pH of actual construction sludge at several intermediate treatment facilities. The sample surveys showed that the pH of the sludge samples, which were in an either solid or semi-solid state, fell in the range of 6.9–13.0, with the samples having a pH of around 11 being dominant. Therefore, CO2curing using a CO2incubator was implemented in the laboratory on alkaline sludge that simulated the characteristics observed in the sample surveys. The laboratory test results revealed that, at a constant sludge height, a higher CO2concentration increased the neutralization rate of the alkaline sludge. However, the contribution of the CO2concentration to the acceleration of the neutralization decreased with a reduction in the initial water content. The test results also suggested that the contribution of the initial water content to the acceleration of the neutralization was more dominant than that of the sludge height for the present experimental conditions.

Development of coastal areas in Japan for various land uses since the 1960s has contributed to industrial upgrades and improved the efficiency of transportation networks. However, there are concerns about the vulnerability of developments on alluvial plains and reclaimed lands to geological events, like ground subsidence due to liquefaction during large earthquakes. Realistic assessment of earthquake and tsunami hazards and evaluation of possible countermeasures require accurate estimation of the amount of subsidence that can be expected from liquefaction at coastal and riverside sites supporting various structures. In this study, to evaluate the amount a river embankment structure might be expected to settle as a result of strong motion from an assumed Nankai Trough great earthquake, we conducted a numerical simulation using the soil–water coupled finite deformation analysis code GEOASIA. We then investigated the effect of the estimated embankment subsidence on tsunami inundation, which was simulated by using nonlinear shallow-water equations and a grid spacing as fine as 3.3 m. The influence of urban structures on the inundated area was taken into account by using a structure-embedded elevation model (SEM). The results showed that subsidence of river embankments and the collapse of parapet walls on top of them would increase both the depth and area of inundation caused by a tsunami triggered by a Nankai Trough scenario earthquake. Our findings underscore the importance of evaluating not only earthquake resistance but also vulnerability of coastal and riverside structures to strong motion in tsunami hazard analyses. Furthermore, the importance of tsunami inundation analysis using a SEM for predicting the behavior of tsunami flotsam in urban areas was demonstrated.

Graphical Abstract:

In cases of right upper and lower bilobectomy, careful manipulation is required to avoid lung torsion, as only the right middle lobe remains in the right thoracic cavity. We report a case of successful right upper and lower bilobectomy with no torsion of the middle lobe. Our technique prevents postoperative lung torsion by fixing the lung to the chest wall and pericardial fat with silk threads. In situations where lung torsion is a concern after lung resection, fixing the remaining lungs with silk thread is effective in preventing lung torsion.Lung torsion after lung resection is a rare but life-threatening complication.

High‐frequency (HF) radar monitors the sea surface current velocity and provides information for tsunami early warning. SeaSondeR, an HF ocean radar system in the eastern Tsugaru Strait, Japan, measured the tsunami‐induced current velocity during the 2022 Tonga volcanic tsunami. As an air‐coupled tsunami, the generating mechanism was complex, making it difficult to predict coastal tsunamis using traditional early warning methods. We adopted the tsunami data assimilation (DA) approach, which reconstructs the tsunami wavefield using offshore data and does not require source information, to forecast the coastal tsunami waveforms. Observations from the HF radar and offshore bottom pressure gauges (OBPGs) were used as the input for tsunami DA. The assimilation process started at 09:00 (UTC, hereafter) and forecasts were made at 14:00 and 15:00. The surface current velocity recorded by the HF radar reached the maximum (∼0.25 m/s) at 13:00, which corresponded to a negative phase of ∼2 cm sea level variation observed by OBPGs. We compared the forecasted waveforms with the observed waveforms at Hakodate and Shimokita tide gauges. The assimilation results obtained using HF radar showed a better performance in tsunami forecasting than those using OBPG in this case study. At 14:00, the forecasting accuracy indices were 91% and 67% for the next 2 and 6 hr, respectively. At 15:00, it was 63% and 70% for the next 2 and 6 hr, respectively. We suggest that HF radar could be a good supplement to OBPG for tsunami early warning purposes. On 15 January 2022, the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano generated a tsunami that arrived in Japan. The tsunami was detected by a high‐frequency (HF) ocean radar system in the eastern Tsugaru Strait. The HF radar recorded the velocity of tsunami‐induced sea surface currents. We used these velocity data to forecast the tsunami waveforms at coastal tide gauge stations. The forecast method, called tsunami data assimilation, does not require tsunami source information but accurately forecasts the coastal tsunami waveforms. We demonstrate that the HF radar data can be successfully applied to tsunami early warning systems. High‐frequency (HF) radar observed surface current velocity in the eastern Tsugaru Strait during the 2022 Tonga volcanic tsunamiHF radar observations were used for data assimilation to forecast tsunami waveforms at coastal tide gaugesThe assimilation results using HF radar had an accuracy of over 63% for Hakodate and Shimokita tide gauges High‐frequency (HF) radar observed surface current velocity in the eastern Tsugaru Strait during the 2022 Tonga volcanic tsunami HF radar observations were used for data assimilation to forecast tsunami waveforms at coastal tide gauges The assimilation results using HF radar had an accuracy of over 63% for Hakodate and Shimokita tide gauges

Pembrolizumab was recently approved as an adjuvant treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), based on prolonged disease-free survival compared to placebo in the phase III KEYNOTE-564 trial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab as monotherapy in the adjuvant treatment of RCC post-nephrectomy, from a US health sector perspective.

The 63,605 damaged buildings from the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami in Ishinomaki were used to develop 52 fragility curves using linear regression. The data comprise the damage level and the measured inundation depth for each building. In agreement with previous studies, the present results indicate that reinforced concrete and steel buildings with three stories or more perform better under tsunami loading. Performance with respect to their intended function was found to depend mainly on structural material. Moreover, based on Japan's design code for earthquake-resistant buildings, buildings constructed after 1981 do not display a better performance compared to more recent constructions. Finally, the results show that for the same inundation depth, a higher damage probability exists along a ria coast due to higher flow velocities, confirmed by numerical simulation and survivor videos. These new findings are useful for building damage assessment, town reconstruction, and comparison of vulnerability functions in future studies.

We conducted an urgent field survey at the Sendai Plain to measure the run-up heights and inundation distances of the 2011 Tohoku-oki tsunami. We used GPS measurements because of the remarkably long inundation distances (ca. 5.4 km). We established an accurate measurement scheme using the far electric reference points (about 350 km). Using this method, we quickly measured 69 run-up heights within 3 days. The tsunami run-up heights and inundation distances varied mainly according to the local topography, ranging from 9.6 m at 0.4 km to 0.2 m at 5.4 km, respectively. Furthermore, artificial structures and topography played an important role in constraining the inundation limit. Our observations are important for future analyses using aerial and satellite imagery and numerical modeling in the area because the maximum inundation area might be underestimated in the images as a result of the subtle traces of the tsunami inundation, which were difficult to identify in the field. However, results show that numerical modeling might not reproduce minor inundation beyond the highway without sufficiently high-resolution topographic data because data for the modeling are usually rough, and the highway, small channels, and street gutters, which played an important role in local inundation, are too small a resolution to be recognized in the model.

ABSTRACTThe case of a 25-year-old Japanese male who had cerebral schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma haematobiumis reported here. Although serum antibody tests showed a cross-reaction with other helminths and no ova were excreted in urine or feces, the existence of Schistosoma haematobiumin the brain was confirmed by PCR analysis.

We investigated the effect of delayed rupture of great earthquakes along the Nankai trough on tsunami heights on the Japanese coast. As the tsunami source, we used a model of the 1707 Hoei earthquake, which consists of four segments: Tokai, Tonankai, and two Nankai segments. We first searched for the worst case, in terms of coastal tsunami heights, of rupture delay time on each segment, on the basis of superposition principle for the linear long wave theory. When the rupture starts on the Tonankai segment, followed by rupture on the Tokai segment 21 min later, as well as the eastern and western Nankai segments 15 and 28 min later, respectively, the average coastal tsunami height becomes the largest. To quantify the tsunami amplification, we compared the coastal tsunami heights from the delayed rupture with those from the simultaneous rupture model. Along the coasts of the sea of Hyu’uga and in the Bungo Channel, the tsunami heights become significantly amplified (>1.4 times larger) relative to the simultaneous rupture. Along the coasts of Tosa Bay and in the Kii Channel, the tsunami heights become amplified about 1.2 times. Along the coasts of the sea of Kumano and Ise Bay, and the western Enshu coast, the tsunami heights become slightly smaller for the delayed rupture. Along the eastern Enshu coast, the coast of Suruga Bay, and the west coast of Sagami Bay, the tsunami heights become amplified about 1.1 times.

A tsunami height survey was conducted immediately after the 2004 off the Kii peninsula earthquakes. Results of the survey show that the largest tsunami height was about 4.6 m locally at Kiho-cho, Mie prefecture. Numerical simulation of the tsunami due to the earthquake was carried out using the model parameters estimated by NIED. The distribution pattern of the observed tsunami heights along the coast cannot be explained by the computed heights, because the model equation is linear long-wave theory and the run-up computations with a finer grid system are not included in this simulation. In order to explain tsunami run-up heights, it is necessary that the non-linear and run-up computation model should be used with a finer grid system.

Tsunami height survey was conducted immediately after the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake. Results of the survey show that the largest tsunami height was 4 m to the east of Cape Erimo, around Bansei-onsen, and locally at Mabiro. The results also show that the tsunami height distribution of the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake is clearly different from that of the 1952 Tokachi-oki earthquake, suggesting the different source areas of the 1952 and 2003 Tokachioki earthquakes. Numerical simulation of tsunami is carried out using the slip distribution estimated by Yamanaka and Kikuchi (2003). The overall pattern of the observed tsunami height distribution along the coast is explained by the computed ones although the observed tsunami heights are slightly smaller. Large later phase observed at the tide gauge in Urakawa is the edge wave propagating from Cape Erimo along the west coast of the Hidaka area.

ABSTRACTWe report the first known case of syphilis with simultaneous manifestations of proctitis, gastritis, and hepatitis. The diagnosis of syphilitic proctitis and gastritis was established by the demonstration of spirochetes with anti-Treponema pallidumantibody staining in biopsy specimens. Unusual manifestations of secondary syphilis completely resolved after 4 weeks of antibiotic therapy.

At 14:46 JST on March 11, 2011 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake (2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami) occurred off the Pacific Coast of Miyagi Prefecture. This study investigated the extensive changes in beach morphology due to the earthquake and tsunami along the 15 km Northern Sendai Coast using remotely sensed data. The remote sensing analysis on the beach topography and coastal forest demonstrated the following notable characteristics of beach morphological change: erosion of the northern barrier at the mouths of the Nanakitagawa and Natorigawa Rivers; erosion at an old river channel; scour landward of the seawalls in the longshore direction; erosion and deposition in beach areas with detached breakwaters; and deposition in coastal forest areas. Linkage of the deposition in the forest areas with the damage type of coastal forests was observed. The impact of the earthquake and tsunami on the beach morphology was serious; roughly 60% of the study area was degraded by 0.2–0.5 m in elevation mainly due to land subsidence, and a total of 0.4 km2of beach area was eroded mainly due to erosion of the northern barrier at the mouths of the Nanakitagawa and Natorigawa Rivers. This study explores the geographical changes brought on by a tremendous earthquake and tsunami, which will help to elucidate the mechanisms of coastal forest destruction, beach erosion, and their interaction during tsunami events.

Japan was hit by the tsunami generated by the greatest earthquake in the history of Japan. The authors conducted the post-tsunami field survey in Miyagi prefecture immediately after the event to measure the inundation depth and investigate damaged buildings. Most of the buildings surveyed were wooden houses and could be classified into 4 damage levels. The primary data of inundation depth and damage levels obtained from the field survey were used to create the tsunami fragility curves, which described the degree of structural damage as a function of the hydrodynamic characteristics of tsunami inundation. The developed fragility curves show that damage with more than a 50% chance of occurring is classified as minor damage, moderate damage, major damage and complete damage when the tsunami inundation depth is between 2.5–3.0 m, 3.0–4.0 m and 4.0–4.5 m and greater than 4.5 m, respectively. By comparing the developed tsunami fragility curves, wooden houses in the studied area have higher structural performance than those obtained from historical events in other areas. The new curves suggest that wooden houses will be severely damaged if the inundation depth is greater than 3 m and collapse if the depth is greater than 4 m while wooden houses from historical data can resist only 1–2 m. Moreover, wooden walls in Japan reduce the overall failure of a structural member because a wooden wall is easier to destroy (compared to brick walls in Thailand and Indonesia) and allows the tsunami to pass through, which reduces the pressure at the attacking front of the tsunami. The fragility curves are very important for the loss estimation and reconstruction plans of the city; they are also crucial for reducing the disaster damage from a future tsunami.

On March 11th, 2011, the Pacific coast of Japan was hit by a tsunami generated by the largest earthquake (M9.0) in the history of the country and causing a wide range of devastating damage. Using preliminary reported data from many sources, some topics such as tsunami fatality ratio and tsunami fragility curves for structural damage are discussed and compared with other countries. This paper aims to discuss the damage characteristics of this tsunami as well as its mechanism, as observed through field surveys conducted over the 4 months following the tsunami. The field survey covers 13 areas in the Miyagi prefecture from Kesennuma city in the northernmost region to Yamamoto town in the southernmost region. The arrival time of the first tsunami along the coastal areas in the Miyagi prefecture was confirmed by stopped clocks found during the survey. The damage mechanism of coastal structures such as breakwaters, seawalls, tsunami gates, and evacuation buildings was investigated and discussed. Damage characteristics for each area, i.e., urban areas, port, coastal structures, fisheries, and agricultural areas, were also summarized. The conclusions drawn from the data analysis suggest that experience and education (soft countermeasures) are important to reduce the loss of life, as shown for example in the Sanriku area. The field surveys indicate that wood and reinforced-concrete (RC) structures should be balanced to survive both earthquake and tsunami forces, and the structural design for buildings should be reconsidered after the example in Onagawa town. In addition, coastal structures for tsunami countermeasures (hard countermeasures) should be more properly designed for survival instead of becoming floating debris upon being overturned by a tsunami. The combination of both hard and soft measures is especially necessary for optimizing the outcomes following a great disaster. These recommendations should be taken into consideration in the reconstruction efforts for better tsunami countermeasures in the future.

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