Does labor diversity cause agglomeration in Japan?: an NEG approach with a covariance structure analysis

Using a simplified NEG model, we investigates the relation between labor diversity and agglomeration. In the theoretical part, we assume the following two-region model. Homogenous consumption goods are produced using a constant returns technology with homogenous capital and heterogenous workers. The production function exhibits increasing returns to scale in labor diversity. Capital is freely mobile between the regions, while workers are immobile but can commute to the other region by paying the commuting cost. Considering the circular causation in this model, the backward linkage (i.e. agglomeration caused by labor demand) implies the agglomeration of capital leads workers to concentrate. The forward linkage (i.e. agglomeration caused by labor supply) implies the increase in the number of workers enhances labor diversity and causes agglomeration of capital. The theoretical result is summarized as follows. When interregional commuting cost is sufficiently low, workers tend to choose their jobs in the region with a larger share of capital. Furthermore, the inflow of commuting workers increases the degree of labor diversity in the labor receiving region, and causes agglomeration of capital. In the empirical part, we confirm the theoretical results by covariance structure analysis with Japanese prefectural datas. We construct path diagrams describing the above backward and forward linkages. In order to measure the latent factor of labor diversity, we use following six indices: newspaper subscription, car registration, votes share in national election, foreign travel, white-collar share, and interregional commute. As an empirical result, we reveal the existence of the circular causation in Japan. Concretely, on the backward linkage, capital agglomeration (the number of firms) has a significant and positive indirect effect on labor agglomeration (the number of workers) through the wage income of workers, as well as a direct effect on labor agglomeration. The forward linkage is also positive and significant. Labor agglomeration significantly enhances the labor diversity, and the labor diversity raises capital reward (firmsf profit) and leads capital (firms) to agglomerate. Besides, the labor diversity is strongly and significantly influenced by the indices of the car registration, the foreign travel, and the white-collar share. The empirical analysis in Japan supports the theoretical result that labor diversity causes agglomeration through the circular causation

Polymyositis and myocarditis after chemotherapy for advanced thymoma

AbstractPolymyositis and myocarditis very rarely develop during chemotherapy for thymoma. Most reported cases of myocarditis and polymyositis associated with thymoma were found at autopsy of patients who died of acute progression of myocarditis. We describe our experience with a 64-year-old man who had recurrent thymoma accompanied by polymyositis and myocarditis. Lower-extremity myalgia and palpitations developed on day 25 of chemotherapy with weekly paclitaxel. Steroid pulse therapy was effective for the management of polymyositis and myocarditis associated with thymoma. Polymyositis and myocarditis after paclitaxel monotherapy have not been documented previously. Whether paclitaxel induced polymyositis and myocarditis is unclear and these symptoms might have been a paraneoplastic phenomenon associated with thymoma. However, our experience suggested that patients with thymoma who received paclitaxel-based chemotherapy should be carefully observed for polymyositis and myocarditis. If such patients have high serum creatine phosphokinase and troponin levels, steroid pulse therapy should be considered without delay

Significant Impact of Age on Mortality and Non-significant Impact of Age on Thrombosis and Major Bleeding in Patients with COVID-19: From the CLOT-COVID Study.

AIM: There is scarce data on the impact of age on clinical outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHOD: The CLOT-COVID Study was a retrospective, multicenter cohort study enrolling 2894 consecutive hospitalized patients with COVID-19 among 16 centers in Japan from April 2021 to September 2021. We divided the entire cohort into five groups according to age strata; -19, 20-39, 40-59, 60-79, and 80- years. RESULTS: Most patients under 19 had mild COVID-19 on admission (99%), while older patients had more severe COVID-19. The incidence rates of clinical outcomes during hospitalization in patients aged ≤ 19, 20-39, 40-59, 60-79, and 80 ≥ years were 0.0%, 0.5%, 2.2%, 2.7%, and 1.5% for thrombosis; 0.0%, 1.2%, 1.5%, 3.4%, and 2.0% for major bleeding; and 0.0%, 0.4%, 2.0%, 12.1%, and 16.8% for all-cause death, respectively. In the stratified analysis according to COVID-19 severity on admission, the incidences of thrombosis were generally higher among patients with more severe status, although those were not significantly different among age strata in all sub-types of COVID-19 severity. However, the incidences of all-cause death were significantly higher with increasing age in all sub-types of COVID-19 severity. CONCLUSIONS: In the current large observational study of patients with COVID-19, the risk of mortality became markedly higher with increased age. However, the risks of thrombosis and major bleeding did not necessarily increase as age increases, which seemed to be consistent irrespective of COVID-19 severity on admission

The current status of thrombosis and anticoagulation therapy in patients with COVID-19 in Japan: From the CLOT-COVID study

BACKGROUND: Data on thrombosis and current real-world management strategies for anticoagulation therapy are scarce but important for understanding current issues and unmet needs of an optimal management of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHOD: The CLOT-COVID Study (thrombosis and antiCoaguLatiOn Therapy in patients with COVID-19 in Japan Study: UMIN000045800) was a retrospective, multicenter cohort study enrolling consecutive hospitalized patients with COVID-19 among 16 centers in Japan from April 2021 to September 2021, and we tried to capture the status of the patients in the fourth and fifth waves of the COVID-19 infections in Japan. We enrolled consecutive hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and had a positive polymerase chain reaction test obtained from the hospital databases. RESULTS: Among 2894 patients with COVID-19, 1245 (43%) received pharmacological thromboprophylaxis. The proportion of pharmacological thromboprophylaxis increased according to the severity of the COVID-19 in 9.8% with mild COVID-19, 61% with moderate COVID-19, and 97% with severe COVID-19. The types and doses of anticoagulants varied widely across the participating centers. During the hospitalization, 38 patients (1.3%) and 126 (4.4%) underwent ultrasound examinations for the lower extremities and contrast-enhanced computed tomography examinations, respectively, and 55 (1.9%) developed thrombosis, mostly venous thromboembolism (71%). The incidence of thrombosis increased according to the severity of the COVID-19 in 0.2% with mild COVID-19, 1.4% with moderate COVID-19, and 9.5% with severe COVID-19. Major bleeding occurred in 57 patients (2.0%) and 158 (5.5%) died, and 81% of them were due to respiratory failure from COVID-19 pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: In the present large-scale observational study, pharmacological thromboprophylaxis for hospitalized patients with COVID-19 was common especially in patients with severe COVID-19, and management strategies varied widely across the participating centers. The overall incidence of thrombosis was substantially low with an increased incidence according to the severity of the COVID-19