Institutional Restructuring in the Japanese Economy 1985-1996

The question we seek to address is: what effect has economic turbulence since 1985 had on three of the institutional foundations of post-war Japanese industrial success? First, we examine the Japanese 'main bank' system whereby a 'main' bank is involved in a special type of long-term relationship with the non-financial firms that it lends to. Second, we look at the close inter-corporate relationships between main manufacturing firms and their suppliers. And third, we consider the nature of Japanese industrial policy and the interventionist role of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and the relatively weak role of Japanese competition policy under the authority of the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC). In each case we present evidence which suggests that these institutional foundations of the post- war Japanese economy have been fundamentally weakened over the period we look at.main bank system, buyer-supplier relationships, industrial policy, competition policy, Japanese economy.

Portal Vein Aneurysm in a Patient with Cirrhosis Type C Controlled by Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment

Introduction: Portal vein aneurysm (PVA) is a rare saccular or fusiform portal vein dilatation. The management and optimal treatment of PVA remain unknown. Case Presentation: A 53-year-old man with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection was diagnosed with PVA measuring 28 mm in diameter. Under observation, his liver fibrosis progressed, and the PVA diameter gradually increased to 52 mm. The patient was treated with elbasvir-grazoprevir for 12 weeks, and HCV disappeared. After achieving sustained virological response, liver fibrosis improved and the PVA progression ceased. Conclusion: HCV clearance by direct-acting antiviral treatment not only regressed liver fibrosis but may have also restrained the progression of PVA in a patient with cirrhosis type C and PVA

Primary Pancreatic Mantle Cell Lymphoma Diagnosed via Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration

Primary pancreatic lymphomas (PPLs) are rare, and the histological classification of these tumors is difficult. To accurately diagnose and determine the appropriate treatment for PPLs, sufficient sample amounts are necessary. Here, we report a 73-year-old man with a primary pancreatic mantle cell lymphoma. Histological samples were obtained via endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA). The tumor cells predominantly composed of atypical small to medium round cells, with diffuse immunoreactivity of CD20 and cyclin D1. In addition, immunoglobulin gene H chain rearrangement was detected. The patient underwent chemotherapy, resulting in complete remission. Eight years after the initiation of chemotherapy, the patient was still alive. EUS-FNA could be a useful and safe diagnostic modality for PPLs by providing enough samples for testing