An Escape from the Myth of Growth: A New Perspective on Japans Zero-Growth Economy

Japans economy after the 1990s is often considered as an era of failure, being the so-called Lost Decade, or Lost Two Decades. However, this paper asserts that this era should be reinterpreted as a period that underwent a series of trials and errors in order to seek a new epoch. In this case, Japans current economic situation is exemplified by its zero economic growth, a stage that other developed economies are destined to reach. This is because economic growth cannot be sustained as in the past, once environmental problems and resource constraints are taken into account. But it is possible for developed countries like Japan to achieve a vibrant society while experiencing zero economic growth. For this to happen, the government has to prioritize the policy goal of improving peoples quality of life, while businesses endeavor to decrease unit consumption in order to save resources. In addition, individuals need to change their mindset so that the time they save through increased productivity is spent on leisure, rather than earning extra income

"Industrial structure in the era of Japan's Industrial Revolution" (in Japanese)

In this paper I set out my reasons for opposing Professor Takafusa Nakamura's view of "the era of balanced growth from the Meiji Restoration to World War I". For this purpose, this paper explores the change of Japan's industrial structure in 1890-1910, using the growth rate of individual industry. It is well known that cotton spinning industry was the leading-sector. However the growth rate of cotton industry apparently showed slow-down in the 1900's. In contrast, heavy industry such as machine tool, shipbuilding and iron & steel showed high speed growth. It follows from that the leading-sector among industries changed in the 1900's. Moreover, the slow-down of growth rate of cotton spinning, cotton weaving and other traditional goods manufacturings, which are most important part of Nakamura's argument suggests 'the imbalanced growth' is the characteristic of the era before WWI.

Market and Entrepreneurship : A Review-On Hashimoto Juro\u27s Works-(<Special issue>Rethinking of Japanese economy in 1990s)

本稿は,橋本寿朗『戦後日本経済の成長構造』を中心に,橋本が経済発展のダイナミズムを描く方法として模索した企業家活動の捉え方をめぐって,なぜ,橋本がそうした観点に立つに至ったかを,『大恐慌期の日本資本主義』から「20世紀システム」に至る,その研究の展開を追うなかで検討する.発展のエンジンとしての企業に注目することになる橋本の視点が,戦後日本経済の分析ツールとして利用されていた標準的な経済学の枠組みに対する正当な疑問に基づいて,この数年間に新しい展開を模索していたことを示し,それの研究史上での意味を,橋本が準拠したカーズナーやミーゼスの考え方に基づきながら検証し,それがシュンペーター的な企業家論とは明確な一線を画すべきものであったこと,しかし,その点についての橋本の言明はあまり明快ではなく,これを継承発展していくためには,「創造的反応」と「創造的適応」との関連などを,より的確な分析ツールとして明確化していく必要があることを指摘する.さらに,その企業家活勅諭に基づくアプローチに関わってなお残されている問題点を明らかにする.This paper reviews Hashimoto Juro\u27s studies on entrepreneurship, which he saw as the key issue concerning the dynamism of economic development. Hashimoto came to pay attention to enterprise as the engine of development through his works, beginning with \u27Japanese Capitalism in the Great Depression,\u27published in 1984, and through \u27Market Ignorance, Entrepreneurship, and Creative Adaptation\u27in 2002. His challenge to the theoretical approach based on neoclassical economics provided a new insight into historical studies. Although he did not make clear the difference in theoretical bases between J. A. Schumpeter\u27s works on entrepreneurship and those of I. M. Kirzner, we can bring to light a new viewpoint through an intensive discussion on entrepreneurship along the lines of his challenge

18F-FDG and 11C-4DST PET/CT for evaluating response to platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a prospective study

Abstract Background 4′-[Methyl-11C] thiothymidine (4DST) PET/CT provides DNA synthesis imaging, which represented a higher correlation with the proliferation in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than that from imaging with FDG. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the potential of 4DST in early therapy monitoring for advanced NSCLC, and to compare the results with those from CT and FDG PET/CT. Results Patients who had been pathologically diagnosed with advanced NSCLC and were scheduled to receive platinum-doublet chemotherapy (PT-DC) were eligible. PET/CT imaging with 4DST and with FDG, and CT were performed at baseline and after 2 cycles of PT-DC (interim). Patients were evaluated semi-quantitatively after the 2 cycles of PT-DC using several PET parameters, response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) 1.1 based on CT measurements, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria and PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) 1.0 based on PET/CT measurements. Baseline measurement data and metabolic response were compared between patients with progression-free survival (PFS) > 4 months and ≤ 4 months, and PFS and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with and without metabolic response measured with each of the different parameters, using Kaplan-Meier statistics and log-rank testing. A total of 22 patients were included in this study. For predicting PFS > 4 months and ≤ 4 months, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) of baseline 4DST showed the highest area under the curve (0.73), positive predictive value (80.0%), negative predictive value (66.7%), and accuracy (72.7%) among baseline measurement data and metabolic responses from 4DST PET/CT, FDG PET/CT, and CT. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests for PFS with MTV of baseline FDG and baseline 4DST, and for OS with MTV of baseline FDG and baseline TLG, and MTV of baseline 4DST revealed significant results. Conclusions MTV of baseline 4DST PET/CT along with MTV of baseline FDG PET/CT represent promising predictors of PFS, and MTV of baseline 4DST PET/CT along with MTV and TLG of baseline FDG PET/CT are possible predictors of OS in patients with advanced NSCLC

Re-administration of abatacept for the control of articular symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis during anti-tuberculous therapy

This case report describes the re-administration of abatacept to successfully reduce the articularsymptoms of a patient with rheumatoid arthritisduring the intensive phase of anti-tuberculous therapy. A 75-year-old man developed active pulmonary tuberculosis during the administration of abatacept for rheumatoid arthritis. The patient experienced a paradoxical reaction and exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis that caused us to discontinue the abatacept. Later re-administration of abatacept along with anti-tuberculosis treatment led to well-controlled rheumatoid arthritis without exacerbation of the tuberculosis. This case shows that re-administration of abatacept may be much safer than TNF inhibitor to treat patients who are infected with mycobacteria during thetreatment of immunological diseases such asrheumatoid arthritiswith biological agents

A Case of Yellow Nail Syndrome with Dramatically Improved Nail Discoloration by Oral Clarithromycin

An 80-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with pneumonia and exacerbation of sinobronchial syndrome (SBS). She presented with yellow discoloration of the nail beds of all fingers and toes, and her nails were recognized as growing slowly. Chest X-ray revealed bronchiectasis in the bilateral lower lobe and bilateral pleural effusion. We diagnosed her as having yellow nail syndrome (YNS), based on the triad of yellow nails, lymphedema, and lung disease. After treatment with antibiotics [ampicillin/sulbactam and clarithromycin (CAM)] for pneumonia and SBS, her general condition improved, and the yellow nails disappeared in some fingers. When she was previously treated with 200 mg CAM for SBS, her yellow nails had not shown improvement. This time, her yellow nails improved after treatment with 400 mg CAM. The literature reports vitamin E, zinc, and topical corticosteroid plus active vitamin D3 to be effective in the treatment of yellow nails. Two studies have reported treatment for YNS using CAM, though they found a lack of efficacy. Thus, the present case is the first to report improved yellow nails using CAM alone. We conclude that not only SBS and lung disease but also YNS were improved by treatment with 400 mg CAM