Do dogs with longer noses live longer? Elucidated by British research

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

犬は鼻が長いほど長生き？　英研究で明らかに

2024.03.09 Sat posted at 14:15 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） あなたの愛犬は鼻が長い雄の小型犬か、それとも顔のパーツの比率が平均的な雌の中型犬か。もし、そのどちらかなら、愛犬は長い間あなたに寄り添ってくれる可能性が高いことが、最近の研究で明らかになった。逆に愛犬が「鼻ぺちゃ」だったら、あまり楽観はできないかもしれない。

英国の５８万４０００匹以上の犬のデータを対象とした大規模な研究が行われ、その結果が先ごろ発表された。それによると、体の大きさや性別に加え、鼻の長さも犬の寿命に影響を与える可能性があるという。

「ブルドッグのような平たい顔の中型犬の雄は、ミニチュアダックスフントやイタリアングレーハウンドのような顔の長い小型犬の雌に比べ、短命の可能性が３倍高い」と語るのは、英国最大の犬の保護団体、ドッグズ・トラストのデータサイエンティストで、サイエンティフィック・リポーツ誌に掲載されたこの研究論文の主執筆者でもあるカーステン・マクミラン氏だ。

同論文の執筆者たちは、１５５の犬種とミックス犬のデータを分析した。その結果、典型的なラブラドールレトリバーやボーダーコリーの平均寿命が１３歳強だったのに対し、平たい顔の短頭種は、ほぼ例外なく、他の犬種に比べ寿命が短かった。この短頭種の例としては、マスチフ（９歳）、イングリッシュブルドッグ（９．３歳）、フレンチブルドッグ（９．８歳）などが挙げられる。

短頭種の中で例外的に長寿なのがラサ・アプソだ。平均寿命は１４歳で、柴犬（１４．６歳）、パピヨン（１４．５歳）、ミニチュアダックスフント（１４歳）、イタリアングレーハウンド（１４歳）らと並び、最も平均寿命が長い犬種の一つだ。

しかし、調査結果の大半は予想されたパターン内に収まった。雌は雄よりも長生きし、小型犬は大型犬よりも長寿だった。鼻の長い中・小型犬の平均寿命は１２年以上だったのに対し、平たい顔の犬は、体の大きさに関わらず、１２年を下回った。

デザイナードッグをめぐる議論

この研究のさらに驚くべき結果の一つは、純血種の犬はミックス犬よりも約８カ月長生きすることが分かったことだ。

この結果は、ミックス犬は一般に近親交配犬に比べ、丈夫で健康であるという一般的に抱かれているイメージと合致しない。しかし、現在の研究では全体像を示すことはできないとマクミラン氏は言う。

今回の研究で使用された犬のデータは獣医師、犬種登録所、犬の救済機関、ペット保険会社から集められた。

そして純血種と交配種に分類され、交配種に関しては、遺伝的に多様な雑種と、コッカプー、ラブラドゥードル、キャバションといった意図的に交配して作られた「デザイナーブリード」は区別されなかった。

デザイナーブリードは、ランダムに異なる犬種同士を組み合わせた「ミックス犬」や自然淘汰（とうた）の産物ではなく、純血種同士を人為的に交配させて生まれた「ミックス犬」を指す。

現在、ドッグズ・トラストは、この人気の高いデザイナーブリードが、その親である純血種に比べ寿命が長いのか、短いのかを見極めるための新たな研究に取り組んでいる。

しかし、ワシントン大学の犬の寿命に関する専門家で、獣医師でもあるシルバン・ウルファー博士は、「デザイナードッグは比較的新しい現象であるため、まだ若い犬が多い」とし、これらの犬が成長し、高齢化する過程を調査することにより、この交配種の健康や寿命に関する理解がさらに深まるだろうと指摘した。

マクミラン氏も、この研究結果は数百万ものデータポイントを含んでいるが、ペットとして飼われている犬の生活の全体像を必ずしも表しているわけではないと語る。例えば、ペット保険に加入していない犬もいれば、定期的に獣医に通っていない犬もいる。

また同研究では犬の死因も考慮されていない。犬は安楽死の処置が取られることも多い。

マクミラン氏は「この論文が政策立案者、政府、獣医師、飼い主、そして誰もが『これらの犬はなぜ亡くなっているのか』と考え始めるきっかけになることを祈っている」とし、さらに次のように続けた。

「その疑問に答えるのは非常に難しいだろうが、ほんの少しずつでも答えを見つけていけば、犬の健康の大幅な改善に一歩ずつ近づく」

Translation

(CNN) Was your dog a small male with a long nose, or a medium-sized female with average facial proportions? If you're one of those people, your dog would be likely to stay with you for a long time, according to a recent study. On the other hand, if your dog had a flat small nose, you might not be so optimistic.

The results of a large-scale study involving data from more than 584,000 dogs in the UK had recently been published. According to the study, in addition to body size and gender, the length of a dog's nose could also affect it's lifespan.

``A medium size male dog with a flat face, such as a bulldog, is three times more likely to have a short lifespan than a small female dog with a long face, such as a miniature dachshund or Italian greyhound.'' Said Kirsten McMillan, a data scientist at the Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog rescue organization, and lead author of the study that was published in Scientific Reports.

The study's authors analyzed data from 155 breeds and mixes. They found that while the average lifespan of a typical Labrador Retriever or Border Collie was just over 13 years, flat-faced brachycephalic breeds almost universally lived shorter lives than other breeds. Examples of brachycephalic breeds include mastiffs (9 years old), English bulldogs (9.3 years old), and French bulldogs (9.8 years old).

The Lhasa Apso was an exceptionally long-lived brachycephalic breed. The average lifespan was 14 years, making it the dog breed with the longest average lifespan, along with the Shiba Inu (14.6 years), Papillon (14.5 years), Miniature Dachshund (14 years), and Italian Greyhound (14 years).

However, most of the findings fell within expected patterns. Females lived longer than males, and small dogs lived longer than large dogs. While the average lifespan of small and medium-sized dogs with long noses was more than 12 years, the average lifespan of dogs with flat faces was less than 12 years, regardless of body size.

Debate over designer dogs

One of the study's more surprising results was that purebred dogs lived about eight months longer than mixed breed dogs.

This result contradicted the commonly held impression that mixed-breed dogs were generally stronger and healthier than inbred dogs. But McMillan said the current research didn't provide a complete picture.

Data on the dogs used in the study was collected from veterinarians, dog breed registries, dog rescue organizations, and pet insurance companies.

They were classified as purebreds and hybrids, and in terms of hybrids, there was no distinction between genetically diverse hybrids and deliberately crossed "designer breeds" such as Cockapoo, Labradoodle, Cavachon.

Designer breeds referred to ``mixed dogs'' that were created by artificially breeding purebred dogs, rather than ``mixed dogs'' that randomly combined different breeds, or the product of natural selection.

Currently Dogs Trust was undertaking new research to determine whether such popular designer breed had a longer lifespan or a short than its purebred parents?

However, Dr. Sylvan Wolfer, a veterinarian and expert on canine longevity at the University of Washington noted that, ``Designer dogs are a relatively new phenomenon, so many of them are still young,'' and that as these dogs grow older, studying the aging process will further improve our understanding of the health and longevity of these hybrids.

McMillan said the study, which included millions of data points, didn't necessarily represent the complete picture of the life of a dog kept as a pet. For example, some dogs didn't have pet insurance or didn't visit the vet regularly.

The study also did not take into account the cause of death in the dogs. Dogs were often euthanized.

McMillan said, "I hope this paper will encourage policy makers, governments, veterinarians, dog owners and everyone to start asking themselves, 'Why are these dogs dying?'", and continued with the following words.

"It's going to be a very difficult question to answer, but every little bit we can find will bring us one step closer to significantly improving dog health."

              So, according to a research report on dogs, in general a medium size male dog with a flat face is three times more likely to have a short lifespan than a small female dog with a long face. One of the study's more surprising results is that purebred dogs live about eight months longer than mixed breed dogs. This result contradicts the commonly held belief that mixed-breed dogs are generally stronger and healthier than inbred dogs. It is an interesting finding on dogs.

Note:

Brachycephalic is a term invented by Andreas Retzius (1742 – 1821) to denote those skulls of which the width from side to side was little less than the length from front to back, their ratio being as 80 to 100, as in those of the Mongolian type. Thus, taking the length as 100, if the width exceeds 80, the skull is to be classed as brachycephalic. The prevailing form of the head of civilized races is brachycephalic. It is supposed that a brachycephalic race inhabited Europe before the Celts. Among those peoples whose heads show marked brachycephaly are the Indo-Chinese, the Savoyards, Croatians, Bavarians, Lapps, Burmese, Armenians and Peruvians. (1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 4)

在一家中國黑客公司的背後，一種由影響力、酒精和性所助長的骯髒文化 (3/3)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Behind the doors of a Chinese hacking company, a sordid culture fueled by influence, alcohol and sex (3/3)

By Soo reported from Hong Kong. AP Technology Writer Frank Bajak

Fri, March 8, 2024 at 1:30 a.m. PST

(continue)

LAX SECURITY, POOR PAY AMONG HACKING WORKERS

China’s booming hackers-for-hire industry has been hit by the country's recent economic downturn, leading to thin profits, low pay and an exodus of talent, the leaked documents show.

I-Soon lost money and struggled with cash flow issues, falling behind on payments to subcontractors. In the past few years, the pandemic hit China’s economy, causing police to pull back on spending that hurt I-Soon’s bottom line. “The government has no money,” I-Soon's COO wrote in 2020.

Staff are often poorly paid. In a salary document dated 2022, most staff on I-Soon’s safety evaluation and software development teams were paid just 5,600 yuan ($915) to 9,000 yuan ($1,267) a month, with only a handful receiving more than that. In the documents, I-Soon officials acknowledged the low pay and worried about the company's reputation.

Low salaries and pay disparities caused employees to complain, chat records show. Leaked employee lists show most I-Soon staff held a degree from a vocational training school, not an undergraduate degree, suggesting lower levels of education and training. Sales staff reported that clients were dissatisfied with the quality of I-Soon data, making it difficult to collect payments.

I-Soon is a fraction of China's hacking ecosystem. The country boasts world-class hackers, many employed by the Chinese military and other state institutions. But the company's troubles reflect broader issues in China's private hacking industry. The country's cratering economy, Beijing's tightening controls and the growing role of the state has led to an exodus of top hacking talent, four cybersecurity analysts and Chinese industry insiders told The Associated Press.

“China is no longer the country we used to know. A lot of highly skilled people have been leaving,” said one industry insider, declining to be named to speak on a sensitive topic. Under Xi, the person added, the growing role of the state in China’s technology industry has emphasized ideology over competence, impeded pay and made access to officials pivotal.

A major issue, people say, is that most Chinese officials lack the technical literacy to verify contractor claims. So hacking companies prioritize currying favor over delivering excellence.

In recent years, Beijing has heavily promoted China's tech industry and the use of technology in government, part of a broader strategy to facilitate the country's rise. But much of China’s data and cybersecurity work has been contracted out to smaller subcontractors with novice programmers, leading to poor digital practices and large leaks of data.

Despite the clandestine nature of I-Soon’s work, the company has surprisingly lax security protocols. I-Soon’s offices in Chengdu, for example, have minimal security and are open to the public, despite posters on the walls of its offices reminding employees that “to keep the country and the party’s secrets is every citizen’s required duty." The leaked files show that top I-Soon executives communicated frequently on WeChat, which lacks end-to-end encryption.

The documents do show that staff are screened for political reliability. One metric, for example, shows that I-Soon checks whether staff have any relatives overseas, while another shows that employees are classified according to whether they are members of China’s ruling Communist Party.

Still, Danowski, the cybersecurity analyst, says many standards in China are often “just for show." But at the end of the day, she added, it may not matter.

“It’s a little sloppy. The tools are not that impressive. But the Ministry of Public Security sees that you get the job done,” she said of I-Soon. “They will hire whoever can get the job done."

 ___

 Soo reported from Hong Kong. AP Technology Writer Frank Bajak in Boston contributed to this report.

Translation

（繼續）

 保安鬆懈，黑客工作低工資

洩漏的文件顯示，中國蓬勃發展的僱用黑客產業受到了中國近期經濟衰退的打擊，導致利潤微薄、工資低和人才外流。

I-Soon 虧損並陷入現金流問題，未能及時向分包商付款。 過去幾年，疫情對中國經濟造成重創，導致警方削減支出，損害了 I-Soon 的年終公司盤數。I-Soon 的營運長在 2020 年寫道: 「政府沒有錢。」

員工的薪水往往很低。 在一份日期為2022 年的薪資文件中，I-Soon 安全評估和軟體開發團隊的大多數員工每月工資僅為5,600 元人民幣（915 美元）至9,000 元人民幣（1,267 美元），只有少數人的工資高於此。 在文件中，I-Soon 職員承認薪資較低，並對公司聲譽表示擔憂。

聊天記錄顯示，低薪和薪資差異導致員工抱怨。 洩漏的員工名單顯示，大多數I-Soon員工擁有職業培訓學校的學位，而不是大學學位，這表明教育和培訓水平較低。 銷售人員反映，客戶對 I-Soon 資料質素不滿意，導致收款困難。

I-Soon 是中國黑客生態系統的一部分。 該國擁有世界級的黑客，其中許多受僱於中國軍方和其他國家機構。 但該公司的麻煩反映了中國私人黑客產業的更廣泛問題。 四位網路安全分析師和中國業內人士告訴美聯社，中國經濟的低迷、北京方面收緊的控制以及國家角色的增強，導致頂級黑客人才大量外流。

一位因話題敏感而不願透露姓名的業內人士表示: 「中國不再是我們以前認識的那個國家了。 許多高技能人才已經離開」。 這位知情人士補充說，在習近平的領導下，國家在中國科技行業中的角色日益增強，強調意識形態而非能力，阻礙了薪酬，並使接觸官員變得至關重要。

人們說，一個主要問題是大多數中國官員缺乏技術素養去核實承包商所說某件事是真實的。 因此，黑客公司優先考慮的是討好而不是提供卓越服務。

近年來，北京大力推動中國科技產業和政府對科技的使用，作為促進國家崛起的更廣泛策略的一部分。 但中國的大部分數據和網路安全工作已外判給僱用無經驗程式設計師的小型分包商，導致數據行為不佳和大量資料外洩。

儘管 I-Soon 的工作具有秘密性質，但該公司的安全守則卻出乎意料地寬鬆。 例如，I-Soon 在成都的辦公室只有很低安全度，而且辦公室向公眾開放，儘管牆上貼有海報，提醒員工「保守國家和黨的秘密是每個公民的義務」。洩漏的文件顯示，I-Soon 層管理人員經常透過微信進行溝通，而微信缺乏點對點加密。

這些文件確實表明，工作人員都經過了政治可靠性篩選。 例如，一項指標顯示，I-Soon 檢查員工是否在海外有親屬，而另一項指標則顯示，根據員工是否是中國執政共產黨的黨員而進行分類。

儘管如此，網路安全分析師 Danowski 表示，中國的許多標準往往「只是為了展示給人看看」。但她補充說，歸根結底，這可能並不重要。

她談到 I-Soon 時說道: 「這是有點草率。 所用工具並不是那麼堂煌。 但公共安全部關注你完成了工作」; 「他們會僱用任何能完成工作的人」。

              So, although the existence of these hacking contractors is an open secret in China, little was known about how they operate. This report uses the leaked documents from a firm called I-Soon to reveal an industry where corners are cut, rules are murky and poorly enforced in the quest to make money. Although they are outside the government system, they help the authority get useful information through hacking.

在一家中國黑客公司的背後，一種由影響力、酒精和性所助長的骯髒文化 (2/3)

Recently Yahoo Nes on-line reported the following:

Behind the doors of a Chinese hacking company, a sordid culture fueled by influence, alcohol and sex (2/3)

By Soo reported from Hong Kong. AP Technology Writer Frank Bajak

Fri, March 8, 2024 at 1:30 a.m. PST

(continue)

DOCUMENTS REVEAL A SEEDY STATE-LED INDUSTRY

Though I-Soon boasted about its hacking prowess in slick marketing PowerPoint presentations, the real business took place at hotpot parties, late night drinking sessions and poaching wars with competitors, leaked records show. A picture emerges of a company enmeshed in a seedy, sprawling industry that relies heavily on connections to get things done.

I-Soon leadership discussed buying gifts and which officials liked red wine. They swapped tips on who was a lightweight, and who could handle their liquor.

I-Soon executives paid “introduction fees” for lucrative projects, chat records show, including tens of thousands of RMB (thousands of dollars) to a man who landed them a 285,000 RMB ($40,000) contract with police in Hebei province. To sweeten the deal, I-Soon’s chief operating officer, Chen Cheng, suggested arranging the man a drinking and karaoke session with women.

“He likes to touch girls,” Chen wrote.

It wasn't just officials they courted. Competitors, too, were targets of wooing over late night drinking sessions. Some were partners — subcontractors or collaborators on government projects. Others were hated rivals who constantly poached their staff. Often, they were both.

One, Chinese cybersecurity giant Qi Anxin, was especially loathed, despite being one of I-Soon's key investors and business partners.

“Qi Anxin’s HR is a green tea bitch who seduces our young men everywhere and has no morals,” COO Chen wrote to Wu, the CEO, using a Chinese internet slur that refers to innocent-looking but ambitious young women.

I-Soon also has a complicated relationship with Chengdu 404, a competitor charged by the U.S. Department of Justice for hacking over 100 targets worldwide. They worked with 404 and drank with their executives but lagged on payments to the company and were eventually sued over a software development contract, Chinese court records show.

The source of the I-Soon documents is unclear, and executives and Chinese police are investigating. And though Beijing has repeatedly denied involvement in offensive hacking, the leak illustrates I-Soon and other hacking companies’ deep ties with the Chinese state.

For example, chat records show China’s Ministry of Public Security gave companies access to proofs of concept of so-called “zero days”, the industry term for a previously unknown software security hole. Zero days are prized because they can be exploited until detected. I-Soon company executives debated how to obtain them. They are regularly discovered at an annual Chinese state-sponsored hacking competition.

In other records, executives discussed sponsoring hacking competitions at Chinese universities to scout for new talent.

Many of I-Soon’s clients were police in cities across China, a leaked contract list showed. I-Soon scouted for databases they thought would sell well with officers, such as Vietnamese traffic data to the southeast province of Yunnan, or data on exiled Tibetans to the Tibetan regional government.

At times, I-Soon hacked on demand. One chat shows two parties discussing a potential “long-term client” interested in data from several government offices related to an unspecified “prime minister.”

A Chinese state body, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, also owns a small stake in I-Soon through a Tibetan investment fund, Chinese corporate records show.

I-Soon proclaimed their patriotism to win new business. Top executives discussed participating in China's poverty alleviation scheme — one of Chinese leader Xi Jinping's signature initiatives — to make connections. I-Soon CEO Wu suggested his COO become a member of Chengdu’s People’s Political Consultative Conference, a government advisory body comprised of scientists, entrepreneurs, and other prominent members of society. And in interviews with state media, Wu quoted Mencius, a Chinese philosopher, casting himself as a scholar concerned with China's national interest.

But despite Wu's professed patriotism, leaked chat records tell a more complicated story. They depict a competitive man motivated to get rich.

“You can't be Lei Feng," Wu wrote in private messages, referring to a long-dead Communist worker held up in propaganda for generations as a paragon of selflessness. “If you don't make money, being famous is useless."

(to be continued)

（繼續）

文件揭示了國家主導的骯髒非法活動產業

洩漏的記錄顯示，儘管 I-Soon 在花言巧語的營銷 PowerPoint 演示文稿中吹噓其黑客能力，但真正的業務發生在火鍋聚會、深夜飲酒聚會以及與競爭對手的偷獵戰爭中。 境像顯示出一家公司陷入了一個骯髒、龐大的行業，該行業嚴重依賴關係來完成工作。

I-Soon 領導層討論了購買禮物以及哪些官員喜歡紅酒。 他們交換了想法有關誰只是輕量級選手以及誰可以應付他們的請酒。

聊天記錄顯示，I-Soon 的高管為利潤豐厚的項目支付了“介紹費”，其中包括向一名男子支付了數萬元人民幣（數千美元），該男子為他們與河北省警方簽訂了一份價值285,000 人民幣（40,000 美元）的合約。 為了讓這筆交易更加順利，I-Soon 的營運長 Chen Cheng 建議安排該男子與女性一起喝酒、唱卡拉 OK。

Chen寫道: 「他喜歡觸碰女孩」。

他們不僅討好官員。 競爭對手也成為深夜飲酒聚會的追求目標。 其中一些是合作夥伴 - 政府專案的分包商或合作者。 其他人則是令人討厭的競爭對手，會不斷挖走他們的員工。 通常，他們又會是合作夥伴又會是競爭對手。

其中之一是中國網路安全巨頭 Qi Anxin，儘管它是 I-Soon 的一個主要投資者和商業合作夥伴，但它其受到厭惡。

首席營運官 Chen 在給首席執行官 Wu先 生的信中寫道: 「Qi Anxin 的HR是個綠茶婊，到處勾引我們的年輕人，沒有道德」, 他用的是中國網絡上的誹謗語，指的是看起來天真無邪但野心勃勃的年輕女性。

I-Soon 與成都 404 的關係也很複雜，成都 404 是一家被美國司法部指控入侵全球 100 多個目標的競爭對手。 中國法庭記錄顯示，他們與 404 合作並與其行政主管喝酒，但因未能及時向公司付款，最終根據軟件開發合約而被起訴。

I-Soon 文件的來源尚不清楚，高層和中國警方正在調查。 儘管北京一再否認參與攻擊性駭客活動，但這次洩密事件表明，I-Soon 和其他黑客公司與中國政府有著深厚的聯繫。

例如，聊天記錄顯示，中國公安部向企業提供了所謂「零日」概念的證明，「零日」是一個行業術語，指的是以前未知的軟件安全漏洞。 零日漏洞之所以受到重視，是因為它們可以在被發現之前被利用。 I-Soon 公司的高層就如何獲得它們展開了辯論。 安全漏洞經常在中國國家主辦的年度黑客競賽中被發現。

在其他記錄中，高層討論了贊助中國大學的黑客競賽以尋找新人才。

洩漏的合約清單顯示，I-Soon 的許多客戶都是中國各地城市的警察。 I-Soon 尋找他們認為很受官員歡迎的資料庫，例如越南接通雲南省東南部的交通數據，或西藏自治區政府的流亡藏人仕數據。

有時，I-Soon 會根據需求而進行駭黑客攻擊。 一次聊天顯示，兩方正在討論一位潛在的“長期客戶”，該客戶對多個政府辦公室與一位未指明的 “總理” 相關的資料感興趣。

中國企業記錄顯示，中國國家機構的中國科學院 也透過一家西藏投資基金擁有 I-Soon 的少量股份。

I-Soon 宣揚愛國心以贏得新業務。 高階主管討論了參與中國的扶貧計劃 - 中國領導人習近平的標誌性舉措之一 - 以建立聯繫。 I-Soon 執行長Wu建議他的營運長成為成都市人民政治協商會議的成員，這是一個由科學家、企業家和其他社會知名人士組成的政府諮詢機構。 在接受官方媒體採訪時，Wu 引用了中國哲學家孟子的話，將自己塑造成一位關心中國國家利益的學者。

儘管Wu聲稱愛國，但洩漏的聊天記錄卻講述了一個更複雜的故事。 呈現出一個有競爭力、渴望致富的人。

Wu 在私人資訊中寫道: 「你不可能成為雷鋒」，他指的是一位去世已久的共產黨工人，他在宣傳中被世世代代視為無私的典範;「如果你不賺錢，出名也沒用」。

（待續）

在一家中國黑客公司的背後:一種由影響力、酒精和性所助長的骯髒文化 (1/3)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Behind the doors of a Chinese hacking company, a sordid culture fueled by influence, alcohol and sex (1/3)

By Soo reported from Hong Kong. AP Technology Writer Frank Bajak

Fri, March 8, 2024 at 1:30 a.m. PST

BEIJING (AP) — The hotel was spacious. It was upscale. It had a karaoke bar. The perfect venue, the CEO of the Chinese hacking company thought, to hold a Lunar New Year banquet currying favor with government officials. There was just one drawback, his top deputy said.

“Who goes there?" the deputy wrote. "The girls are so ugly.”

So goes the sordid wheeling and dealing that takes place behind the scenes in China's hacking industry, as revealed in a highly unusual leak last month of internal documents from a private contractor linked to China's government and police. China’s hacking industry, the documents reveal, suffers from shady business practices, disgruntlement over pay and work quality, and poor security protocols.

Private hacking contractors are companies that steal data from other countries to sell to the Chinese authorities. Over the past two decades, Chinese state security's demand for overseas intelligence has soared, giving rise to a vast network of these private hackers-for-hire companies that have infiltrated hundreds of systems outside China.

Though the existence of these hacking contractors is an open secret in China, little was known about how they operate. But the leaked documents from a firm called I-Soon have pulled back the curtain, revealing a seedy, sprawling industry where corners are cut and rules are murky and poorly enforced in the quest to make money.

Leaked chat records show I-Soon executives wooing officials over lavish dinners and late night binge drinking. They collude with competitors to rig bidding for government contracts. They pay thousands of dollars in “introduction fees” to contacts who bring them lucrative projects. I-Soon has not commented on the documents.

Mei Danowski, a cybersecurity analyst who wrote about I-Soon on her blog, Natto Thoughts, said the documents show that China's hackers for hire work much like any other industry in China.

“It is profit-driven," Danowski said. “It is subject to China's business culture — who you know, who you dine and wine with, and who you are friends with.”

HACKING THAT'S STYLED AS PATRIOTIC

China’s hacking industry rose from the country’s early hacker culture, first appearing in the 1990s as citizens bought computers and went online.

I-Soon’s founder and CEO, Wu Haibo, was among them. Wu was a member of China’s first hacktivist group, Green Army — a group known informally as the “Whampoa Academy” after a famed Chinese military school.

Wu and some other hackers distinguished themselves by declaring themselves “red hackers” — patriots who offered their services to the Chinese Communist Party, in contrast to the freewheeling, anarchist and anti-establishment ethos popular among many coders.

In 2010, Wu founded I-Soon in Shanghai. Interviews he gave to Chinese media depict a man determined to bolster his country’s hacking capacity to catch up with rivals. In one 2011 interview, Wu lamented that China still lagged far behind the United States: “There are many technology enthusiasts in China, but there are very few enlightened people.”

With the spread of the internet, China’s hacking-for-hire industry boomed, emphasizing espionage and intellectual property theft.

High-profile hacks by Chinese state agents, including one at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management where personal data on 22 million existing or prospective federal employees was stolen, got so serious that then-President Barack Obama personally complained to Chinese leader Xi Jinping. They agreed in 2015 to cut back on espionage.

For a couple of years, the intrusions subsided. But I-Soon and other private hacking outfits soon grew more active than ever, providing Chinese state security forces cover and deniability. I-Soon is “part of an ecosystem of contractors that has links to the Chinese patriotic hacking scene,” said John Hultquist, chief analyst of Google’s Mandiant cybersecurity unit.

These days, Chinese hackers are a formidable force.

In May 2023, Microsoft disclosed that a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group affiliated with China’s People’s Liberation Army called “Volt Typhoon” was targeting critical infrastructure such as telecommunications and ports in Guam, Hawaii, and elsewhere and could be laying the groundwork for disruption in the event of conflict.

Today, hackers such as those at I-Soon outnumber FBI cybersecurity staff by “at least 50 to one,” FBI director Christopher Wray said January at a conference in Munich.

(to be continued)

Translation

北京（美聯社）— 這家旅館很寬敞。 這是高檔的。 它有一個卡拉 OK 酒吧。 這家中國黑客公司的執行長認為，這是舉辦農曆新年宴會來討好政府官員的完美場所。 他的高級副手說，只有一個缺點。

副手寫道: “誰會去那地方？” ， “那裡的女孩太醜了。”

這就是中國黑客產業幕後發生骯髒的違反規則的賺取利潤方法，是在上個月, 與中國政府和警方有聯繫的私人承包商的內部文件被非常不尋常地洩露。 文件顯示，中國的黑客產業存在不正當的商業行為、對薪資和工作性質, 以及糟糕的安全業務守則不滿。

私人黑客承包商是從其他國家竊取資料並出售給中國當局的公司。 過去二十年來，中國國家安全部門對海外情報的需求激增，催生了由這些私人僱傭黑客公司組成的龐大網絡，這些公司已滲透到中國境外的數百個系統。

儘管這些黑客承包商的存在在中國是一個公開的秘密，但人們對他們的運作方式知之甚少。 但一家名為 I-Soon 的公司洩漏的文件拉開了帷幕，揭露了這個不骯髒非法活動、龐大的行業，為了賺錢，這個行業走捷徑，規則模糊且執行不力。

洩漏的聊天記錄顯示，I-Soon 高層透過豪華晚餐和深夜酗酒向官員示好。 他們與競爭對手串通操縱政府合約的投標。 他們向為他們帶來利潤豐厚項目的聯繫人支付數千美元的「介紹費」。 I-Soon 尚未對這些文件發表評論。

網路安全分析師 Mei Danowski 在她的網誌 Natto Thoughts 上撰寫了有關 I-Soon 的文章，她表示，這些文件顯示，中國的僱用黑客的工作方式與中國的其他行業非常相似。

Danowski 說: “這是以利潤為導向的”; “這取決於中國的商業文化 - 你認識誰，和誰一起吃飯喝酒，及你的朋友是誰。”

愛國主義化的黑客行為

中國的黑客產業起源於該國早期的黑客文化，最初出現在 20 世紀 90 年代，當時公民購買了電腦並上網。

I-Soon 創始人兼執行長 Wu Haibo 就是其中之一。 Wu是中國第一個黑客組織「綠軍」的成員，該組織以一所著名的中國軍事學校而被非正式地稱為「黃埔軍校」。

Wu 和其他一些駭客以「紅色黑客」而聞名，他們是為中國共產黨提供服務的愛國者，這與許多程式設計師中流行的隨心所欲、無政府主義和反建制的精神形成鮮明對比。

2010年，Wu 在上海創立了 I-Soon。 他在接受中國媒體採訪時，顯示出決心增強國家的黑客能力，以趕上競爭對手。 在2011年的一次採訪中，Wu 感嘆中國仍然遠遠落後於美國：“中國有很多技術愛好者，但開明的人卻很少。”

隨著網路的普及，中國的僱傭黑客產業蓬勃發展，其重點是間諜活動和知識財產權盜竊。

中國國家特工的高調黑客攻擊，包括美國人事管理局的一次黑客攻擊，導致2,200 萬現有或未來的聯邦僱員的個人資料被盜，其嚴重程度導致時任總統 Barack Obama 親自向中國領導人習近平投訴。 他們在 2015 年同意減少間諜活動。

幾年來，入侵事件逐漸平息。 但 I-Soon 和其他私人駭客組織很快就變得比以往任何時候都更加活躍，為中國國家安全部隊提供掩護和否認。 Google Mandiant 網路安全部門首席分析師 John Hultquist 表示，I-Soon 是「與中國愛國黑客活動有聯繫的承包商生態系統的一部分」。

如今，中國黑客是一股強大的力量。

2023 年5 月，微軟揭露，一個隸屬於中國人民解放軍、由中國國家支持、名為「Volt Typhoon」的黑客組織正在瞄準關島、夏威夷和其他地方的電信和港口等關鍵基礎設施，並可能為在發生衝突時, 去破壞網路安全奠定基礎。

FBI 局長 Christopher Wray 一月份在慕尼黑舉行的一次會議上表示，如今，I-Soon 等駭客的數量與 FBI 網路安全人員的數量「至少為 50 比 1」。

（未完待續）

Hong Kong's National Security Ordinance to come into effect on the 23rd raises concerns about impact on business activities, etc.

Yesterday NHK News on-line reported the following:

香港で「国家安全条例」23日に施行へ 企業活動などに影響懸念

2024年3月22日 21時40分

香港では、スパイ行為など国家の安全を脅かす行為を取り締まる「国家安全条例」が、23日に施行されます。条例をめぐっては、犯罪行為の定義が広くあいまいだという指摘があり、企業活動などへの影響が懸念されています。

香港の「国家安全条例」は、2020年に施行された「香港国家安全維持法」を補完するもので、

▽「国家機密」を盗むことやスパイ行為

▽反乱の扇動

▽外国勢力による干渉

などを犯罪として規定し、違反すれば最高で終身刑を科すとしています。

親中派が議席をほぼ独占する香港の議会、立法会は、異例のスピードで審議を行い、3月19日に条例案を全会一致で可決しました。

条例は、23日に施行されます。

この条例では、「国家機密」を不法に取得したり開示したりすると懲役5年から10年を科し、外国での行為も取締りの対象としています。

「国家機密」には、「中国や香港の経済・社会、科学技術の発展に関する情報」も含まれると規定するなど範囲が広いうえ、具体的に何を「国家機密」とするかは当局の判断に委ねられ、ビジネスで知り得た情報なども国家機密にあたると判断されるのではないかと懸念する声が出ています。

「反スパイ法」が施行されている中国本土では、日本人がスパイ行為に関わったなどとして当局に拘束されるケースが相次いでいますが、「一国二制度」のもと、中国本土とは異なる法律が適用される香港で、どのような運用が行われるのか注目されています。

香港市民は

「国家安全条例」が施行されることについて22日、香港の市民からはさまざまな声が聞かれました。

60代の男性は「この条例はもっと早く制定されるべきだった。厳しい内容と思うかもしれないが、あとからみれば国家の安全は重要だとわかるでしょう」と話していました。

また、この条例について尋ねたところ、20代の男性は「誰も何も言いたくなくなるでしょう」と答えていたほか、「話せない」などと発言を控える人たちの姿も目立ちました。

専門家「香港の独自性がますます失われる」

中国の社会問題に詳しい東京大学大学院の阿古智子教授は「具体的に、何をすれば国家の安全を脅かすことになるのか、非常にあいまいだ。条例の施行によって、慎重に行動したり、発言を控えたりすることが当たり前になってしまう」と述べ、香港で言論や行動の自由を制限する動きが広がることへの懸念を示しました。

そして、香港で条例に対する表立った抗議がみられないことについて「市民は本音ではもう許せない、もう我慢できない、大声で抗議したいということだと思うが、それをやってしまうと、どこで何をされるか分からない。本当に苦しい状況だと思う」と指摘しました。

さらに阿古教授は、条例は日本のビジネス界などにも大きなリスクになると指摘したうえで、「外国企業の投資がどんどん香港から逃げていってしまい、香港の独自性がますます失われ、中国の一部になってしまう」と警鐘を鳴らしました。

そして、中国経済が低迷する中、条例の施行は中国に対する海外の見方にも影響するとして、「中国は自国の経済を回復させたいのに、自分から問題のある方向に突き進んでいるような感じがする」と批判しました。

Translation

In Hong Kong, the National Security Ordinance, which would crack down on acts that threatened national security such as espionage, would come into effect on the 23rd. Regarding the ordinance, it had been pointed out that the definition of criminal acts was broad and ambiguous, and there were concerns about its impact on business activities.

Hong Kong's "National Security Ordinance" complemented the "Hong Kong National Security Law" that came into effect in 2020.

▽Stealing "national secrets" and espionage

▽Incitement of rebellion

▽Interference by foreign powers

It stipulated that such acts were crimes, and violations thereof would be punishable by up to life in prison.

Hong Kong's parliament, the Legislative Council, where pro-Beijing factions basically monopolized the seats, deliberated at an unprecedented speed and unanimously passed the ordinance on March 19th.

The ordinance would come into effect on the 23rd.

Under this ordinance, anyone who illegally obtained or disclosed "national secrets" could be sentenced to five to 10 years in prison, and these acts done in foreign countries would also be subject to crackdowns.

The scope of ``state secrets'' was wide, including ``information regarding the economy, society, and scientific and technological development of China and Hong Kong,'' and it was up to the authorities to decide what exactly would be ``state secrets.'' There were concerns that information obtained in the course of business might be deemed to be state secrets.

In mainland China, where the "Anti-espionage law" was in effect, there were a number of cases in which Japanese nationals were detained by the authorities for being involved in espionage. Under the "one country, two systems" policy, there was a lot of attention on how the system might be enforced in Hong Kong where laws were different from those in mainland China were applied.

Hong Kong citizen

On the 22nd, regarding the implementation of the National Security Ordinance various voices were heard from Hong Kong citizens.

A man in his 60s said, ``This ordinance should have been enacted sooner. You may think it's harsh, but in hindsight you'll realize that national security is important.''

Also, when asked about this ordinance, a man in his 20s replied, ``No one will want to say anything,'' and it was also noticeable that some people refrained from speaking, saying things like ``I can't talk about it.''

Expert: ``Hong Kong's uniqueness is increasingly being lost''

Tomoko Ako (阿古智子), a professor at the University of Tokyo's graduate school who was an expert on Chinese social issues, said, `` It is very unclear on exactly doing what would threaten national security, to act carefully and to refrain from speaking become the norm”, expressing concern about the growing action to restrict freedom of speech and movement in Hong Kong.

Also, regarding the lack of public protests against the ordinance in Hong Kong, she said, ``I think the people in their hearts will say that they can't tolerate it anymore, they can't stand it anymore, and they want to protest loudly; but if they do that, they don't know where or what will happen. I think it's a really difficult situation.”

Professor Ako also pointed out that the ordinance posed a big risk to the Japanese business community, and warned that ``As more and more foreign companies flee Hong Kong, Hong Kong's uniqueness will be further lost, and it is going to become a part of China".

As China's economy was in a slump, the enforcement of the ordinance might also affect the way China was being perceived overseas, and criticized that ``China wants to revive its own economy, but it feels like it is pushing itself in a problematic direction.''

So, in China where the "anti-espionage law" is in effect, there are a number of cases in which Japanese nationals are detained by the authorities while carrying out business activities on suspicion of espionage. Hongkong is under the "one country, two systems" policy, it is attracting attention to see how the new Hong Kong's "National Security Ordinance"  will be enforced there.

批評人士稱，香港國安法是棺材上的最後一根釘

Yesterday Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

HK security law is final nail in coffin, say critics

Kelly Ng - BBC News

Wed, March 20, 2024 at 8:18 a.m. PDT

Western leaders, the UN and rights groups have joined a chorus of criticism of Hong Kong's new security law, saying it further erodes freedoms.

Article 23, as it's known locally, was unanimously passed by the city's pro-Beijing parliament, targeting a range of offences deemed treasonous.

Officials say the law is essential for stability but opponents called it a "nail in the city's coffin".

China has long pushed for the law and said "smears" by critics would fail.

The new law allows for closed-door trials, gives the police rights to detain suspects for up to 16 days without charge and penalties including life sentences, among other things.

"The new national security legislation is going to double down the repression on freedoms in Hong Kong with extended egregious sentences and a broadened definition of national security," said Frances Hui, an activist now based in the US, who described the legislation as a "final nail in a closed coffin".

A group of 81 lawmakers and public figures from across the world, including in the UK, US, Canada and South Korea, issued a joint statement on Tuesday expressing "grave concerns" over the legislation, which expands on the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020, and criminalizes secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

"The legislation undermines due process and fair trial rights and violates Hong Kong's obligations under international human rights law, jeopardizing Hong Kong's role as an open international city," the statement said, calling it yet another "devastating blow" for freedom.

The US said it was "alarmed" by the "sweeping and... vaguely-defined" provisions in the legislation, a concern echoed by the EU, which said the law could affect the city's status as a business centre.

Meanwhile, the UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the law would "further damage rights and freedoms" and "entrench a culture of self-censorship" in the former British colony. Hongkongers have told the BBC how they are already being careful with what they say to friends and colleagues, fearing an "informant culture" has developed in the city.

Lord Cameron's comments sparked a strong response from the Chinese Embassy in the UK, which rubbished his remarks as "a serious distortion of the facts".

China's government also hit back at the criticisms of Article 23, saying it is "unswervingly determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement the 'one country, two systems' policy, and oppose any external interference in Hong Kong affairs".

"All attacks and smears will never succeed and are doomed to fail," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference in Beijing.

Hong Kong's leader John Lee had earlier also defended the law - which was fast-tracked through its final phase on Tuesday - saying the legislation would help the city "effectively prevent, suppress and punish espionage activities, conspiracies and traps from foreign intelligence agencies, and infiltration and sabotage by hostile forces".

"From now on, the people of Hong Kong will no longer experience these harms and sorrows," he added.

But those who led the pro-democracy protests against China's increasing influence on the city see the new law as yet another lost battle.

It brings Hong Kong "one step closer to the system of mainland China", former Hong Kong lawmaker Nathan Law, who is now in exile in the UK, told the BBC's Newsday programme.

"The chilling effect... and the result of a collapse of civil society is impacting most Hong Kong people."

Ms. Hui said she is also concerned the law could also be used to target HongKongers overseas, or their families and friends back home. The city has previously offered bounties for information on activists who fled overseas, and arrested four people in Hong Kong for supporting people abroad who "endanger national security".

Ms. Hui left Hong Kong in 2020 after Beijing imposed the NSL that has since seen more than 260 people arrested. It was introduced in response to massive pro-democracy protests which engulfed the city in 2019.

She said civil liberties in Hong Kong are "long gone" four years after the NSL took effect.

Chris Patten, Hong Kong's last British governor, described the legislation as "another large nail in the coffin of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong and a further disgraceful breach of the Joint Declaration".

Hong Kong was handed back by the UK to China in 1997 under the principle of "one country, two systems", which guaranteed the city a certain degree of autonomy. While Beijing and Hong Kong both insist this is still the case, critics and international rights groups say China's grip on the city has only tightened with time.

Translation

西方領導人、聯合國和人權組織紛紛批評香港新國安法，稱其進一步侵蝕自由。

當地親北京的議會一致通過了當地稱為第 23 條，它針對一系列被視為叛國的罪行。

官員表示，該法律對於穩定至關重要，但反對者稱其為「城市棺材上的釘子」。

中國長期以來一直在推動這項法律的實施，並表示批評者的「抹黑」不會成功。

新法允許閉門審判，賦予警方在無提出檢控下將嫌疑人拘留長達 16 天的權利，以及包括無期徒刑等處罰。

現居美國的活動人 Frances Hui 表示：「新的國家安全立法將加倍鎮壓香港的自由，延長令人震驚的刑期，並擴大國家安全的定義」,又將該立法描述為 「封棺的最後一根釘子」。

由英國、美國、加拿大和韓國等世界各地的 81 名立法者和公眾人物組成的團體週二發表聯合聲明，對該立法表示“嚴重關切”，該立法擴大了北京實施2020年的《國家安全法》，將分裂國家、顛覆國家政權、恐怖主義和勾結外國勢力定為犯罪行為。

聲明中寫道：「這項立法破壞了正當程序和公平審判權，違反了香港根據國際人權法承擔的義務，危及香港作為開放國際城市的角色」。並稱這是對自由的又一次「毀滅性打擊」。

美國表示，對該立法中 “全面且…定義模糊” 的條款感到“震驚”，歐盟也表達了同樣的擔憂，稱該法律可能會影響該市作為商業中心的地位。

同時，英國外交大臣卡梅倫表示，該法律將 “進一步損害權利和自由” ，並在這個前英國殖民地 “鞏固自我審查文化” 。 香港人告訴英國廣播公司，他們已經在對朋友和同事說話時保持謹慎，擔心「告密文化」在這座城市發展起來。

卡梅倫勳爵的言論引發中國駐英國使館強烈反應，批評其言論「嚴重歪曲事實」。

中國政府也回擊了對第23條的批評，並表示「堅定不移維護國家主權、安全和發展利益，貫徹『一國兩制』政策，反對任何外部勢力幹預香港事務」。

外交部發言人林劍在北京舉行的例行記者會上表示，「一切攻擊抹黑都不會得逞，也注定失敗」。

香港特首李家超早些時候也為該法案辯護，稱該法案將有助於香港「有效預防、鎮壓和懲罰外國情報機構的間諜活動、陰謀和陷阱，敵對勢力滲透破壞」。

他補充說： “從現在起，香港人民將不再經歷這些傷害和悲傷。”

但那些領導抗議中國對香港影響力日益增強的民主抗議活動的人認為，新法又是一場失敗的戰鬥。

目前流亡英國的前香港議員羅冠聰對英國廣播公司的 Newsday 節目表示，這讓香港「更接近中國大陸的制度」。

“寒蟬效應……以及公民社會崩潰的結果正在影響大多數香港人。”

Hui女士表示，她也擔心該法也可能被用來針對海外的香港人或其在國內的家人和朋友。 香港先前曾懸賞尋找逃亡海外的活動人士的訊息，並在香港逮捕了四名支持海外「危害國家安全」人士的人。

北京實施《國家安全法》後，已有 260 多人被捕, 許女士於 2020 年離開香港。 該法的推出是為了回應 2019 年席捲這座城市的大規模民主抗議活動。

她表示，《國家安全法》生效四年後，香港的公民自由「早已不存在」。

香港最後一任英國總督彭定康形容這項立法是「香港人權和法治棺材上的另一根大釘，也是對《聯合聲明》的進一步可恥違反」。

1997年，英國依照「一國兩制」的原則將香港交還給中國，保證了香港一定程度的自治權。 儘管北京和香港都堅稱情況仍然如此，但批評者和國際人權組織表示，隨著時間的推移，中國對香港的控制只會越來越強。

              So, Article 23 is passed by the city's pro-Beijing parliament. A group of 81 lawmakers and public figures from some free world countries have issued a joint statement on Tuesday expressing "grave concerns" over the legislation. Many critics and international rights groups believe that China's grip on the city will only be tightened with the passage of time. Let’s see how the western countries will react to this new legislation when considering doing business in Hong Kong.

一名男子注射 217 次冠狀病毒疫苗後發生了什麼

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

What happened after a man got 217 coronavirus shots

Rachel Pannett, (c) 2024 , The Washington Post

Tue, March 5, 2024 at 9:32 p.m. PST

German researchers have examined a “hyper-vaccinated” man they say received more than 200 coronavirus shots without any noticeable side effects or harm to his immune system.

Their findings, published Monday in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, a medical journal, indicate that coronavirus vaccines have a “good degree of tolerability,” the researchers said, although they noted this was an isolated case of “extraordinary hyper-vaccination.”

The 62-year-old man came to researchers’ attention when German prosecutors opened up a fraud investigation, gathering evidence that he had obtained 130 coronavirus shots in a nine-month period - far more than recommended by health authorities.

“We learned about his case via newspaper articles,” Kilian Schober, one of the study’s authors, said in a statement. “We then contacted him and invited him to undergo various tests. … He was very interested in doing so.”

The man agreed to provide blood samples, including new samples, the results from past blood tests and blood samples that had been frozen in recent years.

The man said he had received 217 vaccinations for “private reasons.” German authorities did not file criminal charges.

Going into the study, the researchers had speculated that having so many shots could cause his immune system to become fatigued. Vaccines create immune memory cells that are on standby, ready to rapidly activate the body’s defenses in the event of an infection.

But in fact, the researchers found that the man had more of these immune cells - known as T-cells - than a control group that had received the standard three-dose vaccine regimen. They also did not detect any fatigue in these cells, which they said were just as effective as those of people who had received a typical number of coronavirus shots.

“Overall, we did not find any indication for a weaker immune response, rather the contrary,” said Katharina Kocher, one of the lead authors of the study.

Even by the 217th vaccination, researchers say the shot still had an effect: The man’s antibodies against the coronavirus “increased significantly as a result.” (Researchers say the man insisted on receiving another shot during the study. They took blood samples, which helped them determine how his immune system was responding.)

The researchers made it clear that despite their findings, they “do not endorse hyper-vaccination as a strategy to enhance adaptive immunity.”

Although they could not find any signs that the man had ever contracted the coronavirus, they said they weren’t able to establish a causal relationship between his “hyper-vaccination regimen” and avoiding infection.

More than 60 million people in Germany have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, and most of them have received several doses.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended last month that people 65 and older get a second dose of a coronavirus vaccine made available in the fall because they are at higher risk for severe disease from the virus.

Uptake since the CDC recommended that people age 5 and older get an updated vaccine has been low - only about 22 percent of those 18 and older have received a dose of an updated vaccine. And only about 42 percent of those 65 and older have received a dose, The Washington Post previously reported.

Translation

德國研究人員對一名「過度接種疫苗」的男子進行了檢查，他們稱該男子接受了 200 多次新冠疫苗注射，並沒有任何明顯的副作用或對其免疫系統造成傷害。

研究人員表示，他們的研究結果週一發表在醫學雜誌《刺針傳染病》上，表明冠狀病毒疫苗具有 “良好的耐受性” ，儘管他們指出這是一個 “異常過度接種” 的個別案例。

當德國檢察官展開一单詐欺調查時，這名 62 歲的男子引起了研究人員的注意，調查收集的證據表明，他在 9 個月內註射了 130 劑新冠疫苗，遠遠超過衛生當局建議的數量。

該研究的作者之一 Kilian Schober 在一份聲明中表示： “我們通過報紙文章知悉他的案件。” “然後我們聯繫了他並邀請他接受各種測試。 ……他對此非常感興趣。”

該男子同意提供血液樣本，包括新樣本、過去血液檢測的結果以及近年來冷凍的血液樣本。

該男子表示，他出於「私人原因」接種了 217 種疫苗。 德國當局沒有提出刑事指控。

在研究中，研究人員推測，注射過多的疫苗可能會導致他的免疫系統疲勞。 疫苗會產生處於待命狀態的免疫記憶細胞，準備在感染時迅速啟動人體的防禦能力。

但事實上，研究人員發現，與接受標準三劑疫苗方案的對照組相比，該男子體內的免疫細胞（稱為 T 細胞）更多。 他們也沒有發現這些細胞有任何疲勞，他們說這與接受典型數量的冠狀病毒注射的人的細胞一樣有效。

該研究的主要作者之一 Katharina Kocher 表示： “總的來說，我們沒有發現任何免疫反應減弱的跡象，恰恰是相反。”

研究人員表示，即使接種了第 217 次疫苗，注射仍然有效：該男子的冠狀病毒抗體「因此顯著增加」。 （研究人員表示，該男子在研究期間堅持要再注射一次。他們採集了血液樣本，這有助於他們確定他的免疫系統是如何反應。）

研究人員明確表示，儘管有他們的發現，但他們「並不認可過度接種疫苗作為增強適應性免疫的策略」。

儘管他們沒有發現該男子曾經感染過冠狀病毒的任何跡象，但表示無法在他的「過度疫苗接種方案」和未受感染之間建立因果關係。

德國已有超過 6,000 萬人接種了冠狀病毒疫苗，其中大多數人已經接種了幾劑。

在美國，疾病管制與預防中心上個月建議 65 歲及以上的人接種秋季推出的第二劑冠狀病毒疫苗，因為他們會因該病毒而患嚴重疾病的風險較高。

自 CDC 建議 5 歲及以上人群接種更新疫苗以來，接種率一直很低 - 18 歲及以上人群中只有約 22% 接種了一劑更新疫苗。 根據《華盛頓郵報》先前報道，65 歲及以上的老年人中只有約 42% 接種過疫苗。

              So, a case report indicates that coronavirus vaccines have a “good degree of tolerability” as a “hyper-vaccinated” man who has received more than 200 coronavirus shots still without any noticeable side effects or harm to his immune system. It seems that we now know more about our immune system.

Note:

The Lancet (刺針雜誌) is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal and one of the oldest of its kind. It was founded in 1823 by Thomas Wakley, an English surgeon who named it after the surgical instrument called a lancet (scalpel). The journal publishes original research articles, review articles ("seminars" and "reviews"), editorials, book reviews, correspondence, as well as news features and case reports. The Lancet also publishes several specialty journals: The Lancet Neurology (neurology), The Lancet Oncology (oncology), The Lancet Infectious Diseases (infectious diseases), The Lancet Respiratory Medicine (respiratory medicine), The Lancet Psychiatry (psychiatry), The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology (endocrinology), and The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (gastroenterology) all of which publish original research and reviews. (Wikipedia)

Childcare costs in China are among the highest in the world

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

中国の養育費、世界でも有数の高額

2024.02.26 Mon posted at 17:00 JST

香港（ＣＮＮ） 中国の養育費は世界でも有数の高額にのぼっていることがわかった。中国のシンクタンク「育媧人口研究」が発表した新たな報告書で明らかになった。女性への不均衡な影響が高齢化の危機に直面している中国の急激な少子化を促進している。

報告書によれば、出生から１７歳までの子育てにかかる費用の全国平均は約７万４８００ドル（約１１００万円）。学士号の習得まで養育する場合は９万４５００ドル余りが必要となる。

報告書によれば、中国で子どもを１８歳まで養育する費用は、同国の１人あたりＧＤＰ（国内総生産）の６．３倍。この比率は韓国の同７．７９倍に次いで２番目。

オーストラリアは同２．０８倍、フランスは２．２４倍、米国は４．１１倍、日本は４．２６倍などとなっている。

報告書は「出産にかかる費用の高さや、女性が家庭と仕事を両立させることの難しさなどの理由から、中国人の子どもを持つという意欲は、ほぼ世界最低の水準にある。現在の状況を出生人口の崩壊と表現しても過言ではない」と指摘した。

Translation

2024.02.26 Mon posted at 17:00 JST

Hong Kong (CNN) It was understood that China's child support costs had climbed to one of the highest in the world. This was revealed in a new report released by the Chinese think tank YuWa Population Research. The disproportionate on women is driving a rapidly declining birthrate in China which was facing an aging crisis.

According to the report, the national average cost of raising a child from birth to age 17 would be approximately $74,800 (approximately 11 million yen). If you wanted to raise a child until the completion of a bachelor's degree, you would need to pay over $94,500.

According to the report, the cost of raising a child in China until the age of 18 would be 6.3 times the country's per capita GDP (gross domestic product). This ratio was second only to South Korea's 7.79 times.

On the same base Australia was 2.08 times, France was 2.24 times, the United States was 4.11 times, and Japan was 4.26 times.

The report stated, ``Due to the high cost of childbirth and the difficulty women have in balancing family and work, Chinese people's desire to have children is almost at the lowest level in the world. It is no exaggeration to describe the current situation as a collapse in the birth population."

              So, a report has found that China’s child supporting costs has climbed to one of the highest in the world. I am wondering how accurate the calculation is as China’s living standard is not that high compared with many advanced countries. Also, we have to remember that China is a vast country with regional differences.

Note:

YuWa Population Research (育娲人口研究) in the web-site says that they are a public welfare institution dedicating to research on population and related public policies. It is established under the leadership of Mr. Liang Jianzhang (梁建章), Mr. Ren Zeping (任泽平) and others. It brings together a group of outstanding experts on population and economic in China with a mission to promote the progress of China's population research and public policies. It focuses on population situation analysis, trend prediction, population mobility, fertility costs, fertility policy, etc. The experts are committed to become a top institution in population research that delivers positive energy of social responsibility, and provides advice and suggestion for promoting the healthy development of China's population and economy. (https://yuwa.org.cn/about)