Changes in the Japanese Employment System in the Two Lost Decades

Despite changes in the economic and social environment following the burst of the bubble economy in the early 1990s, studies on the Japanese employment system so far have detected few major changes in seniority-based wage or lifetime employment patterns. Using recent microdata from the Basic Survey on Wage Structure, this paper takes another look at developments in these two key elements of the Japanese employment system. In contrast with previous studies, we do find evidence that the two practices are eroding and that, hence, the traditional employment system overall has begun to unravel. Specifically, with regard to seniority wages, we found, for example, that the age-wage profile has become flatter in recent years, especially for employees in the middle and final phase of their career. And as for lifetime employment, we found a clear downward trend in the share of lifetime employees among younger, university-educated workers from the early 2000s. Taken together, the findings suggest that a growing share of educated younger workers choose to leave indefinite-contract jobs due to the poor prospects for seniority-based wage progression, while older workers choose to stay in their present job despite stagnating or falling wages, since it is more difficult for them to find alternative employment.Seniority-based wages, Lifetime employment, Japan

How Does the First Job Matter for an Individual’s Career Life in Japan?

Exploiting annual career records of female workers constructed from the Japanese Panel Survey of Consumers (JPSC), this paper examines how the first job matters for an individual’s future job career. Using the regional unemployment rate in the year of graduation as an instrument for the first job status (i.e., regular job or not), we confirm that an individual’s first job status matters significantly for the future job status even for female workers in Japan, although the effect gradually declines over the years and effectively disappears within around ten years from graduation. However, the observed first job effect appears to depend on the post-graduation career path taken by an individual, in the sense that someone who was unsuccessful during the first job hunt at the time of graduation can make up for the negative effect if she is lucky enough to secure a job as a regular employee within a reasonable time period.youth labor market, initial labor market conditions, cost of recessions, Japan

大豆発芽時期におけるグリシニン分解酵素の活性変動

　Changes in glycinin-digesting protease activity during soybean germination have been investigated. The glycinin-digesting protease activities of imbibed or germinated soybean seed were assayed by RP‒HPLC using a tryptic peptide from CM‒glycinin or by SDS‒PAGE using CM‒glycinin as the endogenous substrate. Proteolytic activities of the germinated soybean seeds were found through the whole period of germination, the activities were maintained significantly unchanged during germination for 4 days, and then those specific activities declined slowly. AE‒HPLC analysis of the glycinin-digesting protease in the imbibed or germinated soybean seeds showed unchanged peaks corresponding to glycinin- digesting activity, suggesting that the glycinin-digesting protease was not induced during germination but had already been synthesized during seed maturation.　大豆発芽期におけるグリシニン分解酵素 (98 kDa SBP) の活性変動を解析した．大豆種子を４時間水で膨潤後， 25 ℃ 暗黒下で発芽させた．経時的にサンプリングを行い，2M NaCl を含むトリス緩衝液 (㏗ 7.0) により粗酵素を抽出 後，グリシニン由来のトリプシン分解ペプチドを基質としてグリシニン分解酵素の活性変動を逆相 HPLC により追 跡した．その結果，種子膨潤後４日間比活性はほぼ一定の値を保ち，以後徐々に低下することが分かった．次いで， 粗酵素溶液からイオン交換 HPLC により98 kDa SBP を部分精製するとともに，発芽期における 98 kDa SBP の消長 を解析したところ，98 kDa SBP は乾燥種子及び各発芽段階の種子中全てに認められ，かつグリシン分解活性もグリ シニン由来のトリプシン分解ペプチド基質に対する活性と同様に認められた．以上の結果から，98 kDa SBP は種子 発芽に伴い誘導されるプロテアーゼではなく，種子貯蔵型のプロテアーゼであることが明らかになった

The effects of nifekalant hydrochloride on the spatial dispersion of repolarization after direct current defibrillation in patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy

AbstractBackgroundAlthough nifekalant hydrochloride (NIF) has been demonstrated to suppress ventricular tachyarrhythmias, especially electrical storms, the mechanism by which it does so is still unclear. We examined the effects of NIF on the spatial dispersion of repolarization (SDR) after implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shock.Methods and ResultsIn 35 patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy, and an ICD, we recorded the 87-lead electrocardiogram during sinus rhythm (CONTROL-1 group) under general anesthesia, and just after the termination of induced ventricular fibrillation (VF) by ICD shock, with or without NIF administration. In all recordings, the corrected QT interval (QTc) was measured in each lead. The dispersion of QTc (QTc-D; maximum QTc minus minimum QTc) was also measured. Compared with that in the CONTROL-1 group, the QTc-D exhibited significant deterioration after ICD shock (61±14 and 90±19ms1/2, respectively; p<0.05). However, after the termination of induced VF by ICD shock with NIF administration, the QTc-D did not differ significantly from that in the CONTROL-1 group (63±20 and 61±14ms1/2, respectively).ConclusionsNIF suppressed the deterioration of the SDR after ICD shock. This might be one of the mechanisms by which NIF suppresses recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia just after ICD shock in patients with oral amiodarone and β-blocker therapy

A Case of Cystic Basal Cell Carcinoma Which Shows a Homogenous Blue/Black Area under Dermatoscopy

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin tumor and contains several different histopathological types. Here, we report a case of cystic basal cell carcinoma, which is relatively rare and might be clinically misdiagnosed. A dermatoscopic examination of the case revealed a homogenous blue/black area usually not seen in BCC. We reviewed 102 BCC cases resected and diagnosed at Sapporo Medical University Hospital between April 2005 and March 2010. Among them, only three were the cystic type

Longitudinal Measurements of Bone Density in Adolescent Girls and Intervention in Diet

Ca intake raises bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescence. The present study aimed at improving BMD in adolescent girls by increasing Ca intake from foods, and developing a supportive method for keeping this eating habit. In July of 1997 and 1998, BMD of the left os calcis was measured by ultrasound bone densitometry in 55 college girls respectively in the 1st and 2nd grades by calculating levels of stiffness which served as the index for BMD. We told them the analyzed results both times, giving instruction in life-style for preventing osteoporosis in 1997 and explanation about Ca-rich foods in 1998. After the measurement in 1998, we selected 11 girls with low BMD for the following intervention in diet (intervention group): i) kind and amount of Ca-rich foods were daily recorded for 4 weeks; ii) difference between the calculated intake and necessary level was told; and iii) subjects were continually encouraged to take daily necessary level from foods. Then, BMD of the intervention group was measured 12 weeks after. Further, in 1999, we measured BMD for the intervention group and 10 selected students with normal BMD in the 2nd grade (non-intervention group). Mean stiffness was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the 2nd grade than in the 1st. In the 2nd grade, the intervention group showed a significantly higher mean 12 weeks after than in July. In the 3rd grade, the decrease in stiffness was stopped in both groups. The longitudinal measurements of BMD over a 2-year period made adolescent girls recognize the decreasing tendency of BMD. We conclude that adolescent girls can maintain BMD by utilizing their knowledge of preventing osteoporosis and by taking ample Ca from foods

Side-chain-dependent helical conformation of amylose alkylcarbamates: Amylose tris(ethylcarbamate) and amylose tris(n-hexylcarbamate)

Eight amylose tris(ethylcarbamate) (ATEC) samples ranging in the weight-average molar mass Mw from 1.0 - 104 to 1.1 - 106 g mol-1 and five amylose tris(n-hexylcarbamate) (ATHC) samples of which Mw varies from 4.9 - 104 to 2.2 - 106 g mol-1 have been prepared from enzymatically synthesized amylose samples having narrow dispersity indices and no branching. Small-angle angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), light scattering, viscometry, and infrared (IR) absorption measurements were carried out for their dilute solutions, that is, ATEC in tetrahydrofuran (THF), 2-methoxyethanol (2ME), methanol (MeOH), and ATHC in THF and 1-propanol (1PrOH) to determine M w, particle scattering functions, intrinsic viscosities, and IR spectra. SAXS and viscosity measurements were also made on ATEC in d- and l-ethyl lactates. The data were analyzed in terms of the wormlike cylinder model to estimate the helix pitch (or contour length) per residue h and the Kuhn segment length λ-1 (stiffness parameter, twice the persistence length). Both ATEC and ATHC have large λ-1 in THF, that is, 33 and 75 nm, respectively, and smaller λ-1 were obtained in alcohols, indicating that they have rigid helical conformation stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds in THF. On the contrary, the helical structure estimated from the h value significantly depends on the alkyl side groups in a complex fashion, that is, h = 0.36 nm for ATEC, h = 0.29 nm for ATHC, and h = 0.26 nm for amylose tris(n-butylcarbamate) (ATBC). This is likely related to the bulkiness of side groups packed inside the amylosic helices. The solvent dependence of h, λ-1, and the fraction fhyd of intramolecular hydrogen bonds for ATEC can be explained by a current model as is the case with ATBC [ Terao, K.; Macromolecules 2010, 43, 1061 ], in which each contour point along the chain takes loose helical and rigid helical sequences independently. © 2012 American Chemical Society.Terao K., Maeda F., Oyamada K., et al. Side-chain-dependent helical conformation of amylose alkylcarbamates: Amylose tris(ethylcarbamate) and amylose tris(n-hexylcarbamate). Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 116(42), 12714-12720, October 5, 2012. Copyright © 2012, American Chemical Society. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp307998t

Natural history of medium-sized atrial septal defect in pediatric cases

AbstractBackgroundThe indication for surgical repair of atrial septal defect (ASD) is pulmonary to systemic blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs)>2.0, and therapeutic strategy depends on the facility in cases of Qp/Qs 1.5–2.0. Defect size increases with age, but hemodynamic changes of medium-sized ASD (Qp/Qs 1.5–2.0) are unknown.Methods and resultsFrom April 1, 1985 to March 31, 2008, we experienced 125 cases of cardiac catheterization for ASD. Twelve cases were re-evaluated without surgical repair. The first and second catheterizations were performed at median ages of 7 years (range, 2–13 years) and 16 years (range, 5–19 years), respectively. The mean follow-up period was 7 years. Qp/Qs increased from 1.6 to 2.0 during follow-up (p<0.05). Of four cases with Qp/Qs<1.5 at initial presentation, three had Qp/Qs≥1.5 at second inspection. Right ventricle diastolic volume (RVEDV/LVEDV) also increased.ConclusionsQp/Qs and RVEDV/LVEDV of medium-sized ASD increase together in childhood. Re-evaluation before adulthood should be considered in patients with no indications of ASD closure in childhood

A novel cell adhesive protein engineered by insertion of the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser tetrapeptide

This research was originally published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. T Maeda, R Oyama, K Ichihara-Tanaka, F Kimizuka, I Kato, K Titani and K Sekiguchi. A novel cell adhesive protein engineered by insertion of the Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser tetrapeptide. J. Biol. Chem. 1989; 264: 15165-15168 © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog