Hybrid micro-particles as a magnetically-guidable decontaminant for cesium-eluted ash slurry.

Decontamination of the radioactive cesium that is widely dispersed owing to a nuclear power station accident and concentrated in fly ash requires an effective elimination system. Radioactive fly ash contains large amounts of water-soluble cesium that can cause severe secondary contamination and represents a serious health risk, yet its complete removal is complicated and difficult. Here it is shown that a new fine-powder formulation can be magnetically guided to eliminate cesium after being mixed with the ash slurry.

The risk factors for mortality of community-acquired pneumonia in Japan.

Community-acquired pneumonia remains one of the most important diseases associated with mortality. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for mortality in patients with community-acquired pneumonia in Japan. This prospective study was carried out at the Social Insurance Tagawa Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

Anatomic resection for severe blunt liver trauma in 100 patients: significant differences between young and elderly.

The liver is the organ most commonly injured during blunt abdominal trauma. As our society ages, emergency surgery for active elderly patients increases, but data on aggressive emergency hepatic resection remain scarce in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the elderly (70 years of age or older) can tolerate major liver injury and subsequent hepatic resection.