中國家長正將家庭作業外判給人工智能（1/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

China’s Parents Are Outsourcing the Homework Grind to A.I. (1/2)

Parents in China are turning to A.I. chatbots and other tools to help their children gain an edge and ease the fighting over homework.

The NYT - By Vivian Wang and Jiawei Wang - Vivian Wang reported from Beijing. Jiawei Wang reported from Seoul.

March 2, 2026

Across China, where education is famously cutthroat, parents are turning to artificial intelligence to gain a competitive edge. Some are making interactive learning games or using chatbots to grade their children’s homework. Others are using A.I.-powered gadgets to get past a language barrier.

Their eagerness to experiment is one example of how Chinese users are embracing A.I. for learning, even as many in the United States worry that it feeds students misinformation or erodes critical thinking. This cultural rift is backed by data: A 2025 global survey led by the services firm KPMG found that more than 90 percent of Chinese said they felt optimistic about the technology, compared to just over 50 percent in the United States.

The enthusiasm in China has fueled a sprawling, often unchecked, marketplace for educational technology that is worth more than $43 billion by some estimates, and where gimmicks and exaggerated marketing are common. Yet for some families, the tools are providing genuine relief. Three parents shared videos of their routines, showing how A.I., while imperfect, has made parenting and teaching their children a little easier.

As a mother of two with a full-time public relations job, Zheng Wenqi, 42, had little time to practice English herself, let alone teach her children. She knew her 9-year-old son needed more conversational experience but didn’t know where to turn.

“There just wasn’t an opportunity for him to start talking,” said Ms. Zheng, who lives in northern China’s Heilongjiang Province.

Then she saw a livestream promoting a gadget she could wear to make her conversant in English.

It has two parts: a mask that covers her mouth, and a speaker that hangs around her neck. Ms. Zheng speaks Chinese into the mask, which also muffles her voice. Then, a translation comes out of the speaker. She began wearing it around the house, for 30 to 60 minutes a day.

The roughly $375 device, called Native Language Star, draws on speech and language models developed by several Chinese technology firms, according to the company, based in Shenzhen, that makes the device.

Ms. Zheng said the translations were sometimes stiff. But she said that after about a month, her son was speaking more confidently and initiating conversations.

Ms. Zheng also uses the device with her 5-year-old daughter, who had never learned English before. The child can now describe daily tasks, like getting dressed and putting her shoes on.

“We say, ‘Now is English time, let’s all speak in English,’ and I’ll put that thing on,” Ms. Zheng said. “And then they just say whatever they know.”

A Chatbot With ‘Eyes’

Li Linyun, a stay-at-home mother, used to fight with her 10-year-old daughter, Weixiao, over her studies.

Now Ms. Li has delegated supervision of Weixiao’s schoolwork to an A.I. chatbot.

“It’s a 24-hour online teacher, and it’s knowledgeable and extremely patient,” said Ms. Li, who lives in Hunan Province, in central China.

Ms. Li uses Doubao, China’s most popular A.I. chatbot, which was created by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. It has a camera function, which parents refer to as Doubao’s “eyes.” People can use it to learn more about their surroundings, for instance by asking Doubao to identify plants or give more details about museum artifacts. (ChatGPT has a similar function for paying users; Doubao’s is free.)

After more experimentation, Ms. Li learned that Doubao could explain grammar rules better than she ever could.

Weixiao said she liked that she could ask Doubao to repeat explanations as many times as she needed, while her teachers moved on quickly. “It explains in more detail, so I can understand,” she said.

Ms. Li also began asking Doubao to grade completed homework assignments by uploading a photo to the app.

The chatbot identifies wrong answers and corrects them, Ms. Li said, though it sometimes makes mistakes.

The camera can also monitor Weixiao’s posture. But Ms. Li said she rarely used that feature, because her daughter didn’t like the feeling of being watched.

Ms. Li said she wasn’t worried about feeding so much footage of Weixiao to the chatbot. In the social media age, “we don’t have a lot of privacy anyway,” she said.

And the benefits were more than worthwhile. She no longer had to spend hundreds of dollars a month on English tutoring, and Weixiao’s grades had improved. “It makes educational resources more equitable for ordinary people,” Ms. Li said.

Her relationship with Weixiao had improved, too, she said. “To ease tensions in a parent-child relationship, you can’t spend too much time on homework,” she said. “Just encouraging her is enough.”

(to be continued)

Translation

中國家長正將家庭作業外判給人工智能（1/2）

中國的家長們正轉向人工智能聊天機器人和其他工具，幫助孩子在學習上取得優勢，並減少因家庭作業而起的爭執

在中國，教育競爭異常激烈，家長正轉向人工智能以獲得競爭優勢。有些家長會製作互動式學習遊戲，或使用聊天機器人批改孩子的作業。另一些家長則使用人工智能設備來克服語言障礙。

他們樂於嘗試，這正是中國用戶接受人工智能用於學習的一個例子，雖然許多美國人擔心人工智能會向學生灌輸錯誤訊息或削弱批判性思考。這種文化差異有數據佐證：畢馬威會計師事務所（KPMG）主導的一項2025年全球調查發現，超過90%的中國人對這項技術持樂觀態度，而美國祇有略高於50%的人持相同看法。

中國的熱情催生了一個龐大且往往缺乏監管的教育科技市場，據估計，該市場價值超過430億美元，各種噱頭和誇張的行銷手段層出不窮。然而，對一些家庭來說，這些工具確實帶來了實質的幫助。三位家長分享了他們的日常視頻，展示了人工智能雖然並不完美，但確實讓他們的育兒和教育工作變得輕鬆了一些。

42歲的Zheng Wenqi是一位有兩個孩子的母親，同時也從事全職的公關工作。她幾乎沒有時間自己練習英語，更別提教孩子練習了。她知道自己9歲的兒子需要更多的口語練習，但不知該向誰練習說英語。

住在中國北方的黑龍江省的Zheng女士說道:「他根本沒有機會開口說英語」。

後來，她看到一個直播，推廣一款可以穿戴的電子設備，幫助她學習英語。

這款裝置由兩個部分組成：一個遮住嘴部的面罩和一個掛在脖子上的揚聲器。Zheng女士對著面罩說中文，面罩也會降低她的聲音。然後，揚聲器會播放翻譯。她開始每天在家裡戴它30到60分鐘。

根據生產這款設備的公司介紹，這款名為「母語之星」（Native Language Star）的設備售價約為375美元，其語音和語言模型由多家中國科技公司共同開發，生產公司位於深圳。

Zheng女士說，翻譯有時略顯生硬。但她說，大約一個月後，她的兒子開始自信地用英語交流，並主動發起對話。

Zheng女士還用這款設備教她5歲的女兒，女兒之前從未學過英語。這女孩現在可以描述一些日常活動，例如穿衣服和穿鞋。

Zheng女士說: 「我們會說，『現在是英語時間，大家一起說英語吧！』然後我會戴上那個東西」; 「之後他們就會說他們知道的英語了」。

 

擁有「眼睛」的聊天機械人

全職媽媽Li Linyun以前常常因為10歲的女兒Weixiao的學習而和她吵架。

現在，Li女士把Weixiao的作業的輔導委託給了人工智能聊天機械人。

居住在中國中部湖南省的Li女士說:「它就像一位24小時線上老師，知識淵博，而且非常有耐心」。

Li女士使用的是豆寶 (Doubao)，這是中國最受歡迎的人工智能聊天機械人，由TikTok的母公司位元組跳動 (ByteDance)開發。它有一個攝影機功能，家長稱之為豆寶的「眼睛」。人們可以利用它來了解更多周圍環境的信息，例如讓豆寶識別植物或提供更多關於博物館藏品的細節。 （ChatGPT 為付費用戶提供類似功能；豆寶的功能是免費的。）

經過更多嘗試，Li女士發現豆寶講解語法規則比她自己講得更好。

Weixiao說她很喜歡可以不停地重複讓豆寶講解，而老師們講得很快。 她說:“它講得更詳細，所以我能理解”。

Li女士也開始讓豆寶批改完成的作業，只需將照片上傳到應用程式即可。

Li女士說，聊天機械人可以識別錯誤答案並進行糾正，儘管它有時也會出錯。

攝影機還可以監控Weixiao的舉動。但Li女士說她很少使用這個功能，因為她女兒不喜歡被監視的感覺。

Li女士說，她並不擔心把Weixiao的那麼多影像資料給聊天機械人。她說，在社群媒體時代，「我們本來就沒太多隱私可言」。

同時，這樣做的好處顯而易見。她不用再每月花幾百美元請英文家教了，Weixiao的成績也提高了。Li女士說: 「這讓一般人更容易獲得教育資源」。

她還說，她和Weixiao的關係也改善了。 她又說:“要緩解親子關係緊張，不能在作業上花太多時間”，“鼓勵她就足夠了。”

（待續）

印度如何成為世界最大經濟體之一（2/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

How India Became One of the World’s Biggest Economies (2/2)

India has grown rapidly despite its slow industrialization, and its economy is now nearly as big as Japan’s.

NYT - By Alex Travelli and Aaron Krolik. Alex Travelli reported from New Delhi, and Aaron Krolik from Seoul.

Feb. 27, 2026

(continue)

India is still poor. The average Japanese income is 12 times the Indian average. The average German’s is 21 times as great. Indians on average have incomes of only about $2,900 a year, and the country’s top-heavy economy means most of its citizens make far less.

The contrasts can be shocking. In India, billions of dollars are being invested to build data centers, and airports are sprouting everywhere, even as about 800 million people depend on the government for free sacks of grain.

India’s inequality leaves most of a billion people in a state of subsistence, and it hobbles the country as a whole. Social divisions deepen, it becomes harder to fund public health and education — and it gets much tougher for consumer-facing companies to turn a profit.

But for businesses like Bajaj Finserv, Mr. Bajaj estimated, the better-off 400 million Indians are a great opportunity in their own right. No other country except China has so large a group of consumers, he said.

Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister since 2014, said he intended to transform India into a fully developed country by 2047, the 100th anniversary of its independence. That won’t happen unless the country’s growth speeds up to the kind of pace China achieved earlier this century.

Since the Industrial Revolution, no other place has shot up the top-tier rankings except through the power of its factories. China, factory to the world, devotes 25 percent of its economy to manufacturing. When Mr. Modi announced a Make in India campaign in 2015, manufacturing accounted for 16 percent of the economy. Since then, it has fallen to 13 percent.

That is barely more than in the United States, which is called a postindustrial economy. As is the case in America, India’s economy is driven by its services, led by high-value work like chip design, computer engineering and office work for multinational companies, and powered by transportation and trade in goods.

The evolution of the Bajaj family business illustrates the point.

Bajaj Auto was much bigger than Bajaj Finserv when the companies split ways, but now the banking company is 50 percent larger. Finance, not factories, has been the hotter sector in India, as it is in the United States.

But Bajaj Auto has also grown, in keeping with the industrial part of India’s economy. It produces 4.5 million motorcycles and auto rickshaws a year, nearly half for export to countries like Indonesia, Egypt and Mexico.

The mixed quality of India’s economy has helped it weather storms like the financial crisis of 2008, but it also made the country vulnerable during trade negotiations with President Trump. Focused mainly on serving its own immense population, India found itself without any bargaining chips in global supply chains.

The three cities in the world with the most skyscrapers under construction in 2025 were all in India. The tallest of those buildings, however, the 56-story Palais Royale in Mumbai, is stalled, under construction since 2008. India is in a mode of making tall promises, and delivering on them sporadically.

“Directionally, India is in a very exciting place. It’s screwed up, sure, but we’re in a very interesting position for the next 10 to 15 years,” Mr. Bajaj said. Its young people, perhaps especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, he continued, are “bright, and hungry,” and before long they will become part of the world’s third-largest economy.

Translation

印度如何成為世界最大經濟體之一（2/2）

儘管工業化進程緩慢，印度仍實現了快速成長，其經濟規模如今已接近日本。

（繼續）

印度仍然很貧窮。日本人均收入是印度人的12倍，德國人均所得是印度人的21倍。印度人均年收入僅約2,900美元，而該國經濟活動結構高度過度集中於上層，導致大多數公民的收入遠低於此。

這種對比令人震驚。在印度，數十億美元正被投資用於建造數據庫，機場也如雨後春筍般湧現，同時，約有8億人依賴政府免費發放糧食。

印度的貧富差距導致十億人口中的大多數生活在勉強糊口的境地，也拖累了整個國家的發展。社會分化加劇，公共衛生和教育經費越來越難籌措，面向消費者的企業獲利也變得更加艱難。

但Bajaj先生估計，對於像Bajaj Finserv金融服務公司這樣的企業來說，四億富裕的印度人本身就是一個巨大的商機。他說，除了中國，沒有一個國家擁有如此龐大的消費族群。

自2014年以來一直擔任印度總理的莫迪表示，他計劃在2047年 - 印度獨立一百週年之際 - 將印度轉型為一個完全發達國家。除非印度的經濟成長速度能夠達到中國在本世紀初所取得的水平，否則這一目標將無法實現。

自工業革命以來，除了依靠強大的工廠力量之外，沒有一個國家能躋身世界一流經濟體之列。中國，這個“世界工廠”，其經濟的25%都用於製造業。 2015年莫迪先生宣布「印度製造」運動時，製造業佔印度經濟的16%。此後，這一比例下降至13%。

這僅略高於被稱為後工業經濟體的美國。與美國一樣，印度的經濟也以服務業為驅動，其中以晶片設計、電腦工程和跨國公司辦公服務等高附加價值工作為主導，並以貨物運輸和貿易為支撐。

Bajaj家族企業的演變就說明了這一點。

Bajaj汽車公司在分拆時規模遠大於Bajaj金融服務公司，但如今這公司的銀行的規模卻比汽車公司大了50%。正如在美國一樣，金融業而非製造業才是印度的熱門產業。

但Bajaj汽車公司也隨著印度經濟的工業化而發展壯大。該公司每年生產450萬輛摩托車和自動三輪車，其中近一半出口到印尼、埃及和墨西哥等國家。

印度經濟的複雜結構幫助其抵禦了2008年金融危機等風暴，但也使其在與特朗普總統的貿易談判中處於弱勢地位。由於主要關注服務其龐大的人口，印度在全球供應鏈中缺乏談判籌碼。

到2025年，全球在建摩天大樓最多的三個城市都位於印度。然而，其中最高的建築 - 位於孟買的56層樓高的皇家宮殿大廈（Palais Royale） - 自2008年以來一直處於停工狀態。印度似乎總是做出高遠的承諾，但兌現卻時斷時續。

Bajaj先生說: 「從發展方向來看，印度正處於一個非常令人興奮的階段。當然，它現在也存在一些問題，但在未來10到15年，我們處於一個非常有趣的境地」。他繼續說道，印度的年輕人，尤其是那些來自弱勢背景的年輕人， “聰明且渴望成功” ，他們很快就會成為世界第三大經濟體的一部分。

              So, India, the world’s fastest-growing large economy is showing an expansion at a rate of 7.5 percent last year. In early 2026 India has become the world’s fourth-largest economy, overtaking Japan. India is still poor as about 800 million people are depend on the government for free sacks of grain. The average Japanese income is 12 times the Indian average. The average German’s is 21 times as great. Indians on average have incomes of only about $2,900 a year, and the country’s top-heavy economy means most of its citizens make far less. I am interested in seeing how India will continue to expand its economy in the coming decade.

Note:

1.  A Top-heavy economy (上層經濟活動集中) is an economic structure characterized by significant concentration of wealth and resources, typically within a few sectors or among a small percentage of the population, resulting in imbalances and potential economic weaknesses. (ChatGPT)

Iran in Talks with 8 Countries Regarding Giving Safe Passage of Yuan-Denominated Oil Going Through the Strait of Hormuz, Sources Said

 Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

人民元で取引される石油の安全なホルムズ海峡通過、イランが8カ国と協議　情報筋

2026.03.18 Wed posted at 11:00 JST

（CNN） イラン政府は中東以外の8カ国との間で、中国人民元で取引される石油の安全なホルムズ海峡通過を認めるイランの提案について協議していることが分かった。イランの治安情報筋がCNNに明らかにした。

これらの国は、イランが人民元で石油を取引する国の船舶に海峡通過を認める案を検討しているとの報道を受け、合意の可能性を探るためイラン政府に接触した。

情報筋は8カ国の国名を明らかにしなかった。イランは現在の封鎖措置を維持することに加え、海峡を通る船の交通を管理することを含むより広範な対応も検討しているという。

イランは先日、米国やイスラエル、その同盟国の船舶を攻撃目標にすると表明。世界の石油の約5分の1が通過する航路を事実上封鎖する形となり、エネルギー価格の急騰を招いている。ホルムズ海峡への機雷の敷設も開始しており、海峡再開に向けた今後の取り組みは複雑化しそうだ。

Translation

Iran in Talks with 8 Countries Regarding Giving Safe Passage of Yuan-Denominated Oil Going Through the Strait of Hormuz, Sources Said

March 18, 2026, Wed, posted at 11:00 JST

(CNN) The Iranian government was reportedly in discussions with eight countries outside the Middle East regarding Iran's proposal to allow safe passage of oil traded in Chinese yuan to go through the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian security source told CNN.

These countries contacted the Iranian government to explore the possibility of an agreement following reports that Iran was considering a plan to allow ships from countries trading oil in yuan to pass through the strait.

The source did not name the eight countries. Iran was reportedly considering broader measures, including controlling shipping traffic through the strait, in addition to maintaining its current blockade.

Iran recently declared it would target US, Israeli, and their allied ships. This effectively blocked a shipping lane through which approximately one-fifth of the world's oil passes, leading to a surge in energy prices. With the laying of mines in the Strait of Hormuz also beginning, future efforts toward reopening the strait were likely to become more complicated.

So, Iran is reportedly in discussions with some countries outside the Middle East to allow safe passage of oil traded in Chinese yuan to go through the Strait of Hormuz. I am interested to know what are these countries.

印度如何成為世界最大經濟體之一（1/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

How India Became One of the World’s Biggest Economies (1/2)

India has grown rapidly despite its slow industrialization, and its economy is now nearly as big as Japan’s.

NYT - By Alex Travelli and Aaron Krolik. Alex Travelli reported from New Delhi, and Aaron Krolik from Seoul.

Feb. 27, 2026

India, the world’s fastest-growing large economy for four years in a row, released data on Friday showing that it expanded at a rate of 7.5 percent last year, driven in part by strength in manufacturing.

Many economists, and India’s government, had expected India to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in 2025, overtaking Japan in size. Instead, with the Indian rupee weak against the dollar and Japan’s yen relatively strong, India’s economy stayed a step behind when measured in dollar terms.

But in terms of growth, India far outperformed Japan, which grew only 1.1 percent in 2025. The three largest economies — the United States, China and Germany — all grew more slowly than India last year.

India became the world’s fifth-largest economy four years ago, pushing aside Britain, its former colonial ruler. The International Monetary Fund has projected that India will nudge past Japan in 2026.

The strong growth last year underscores India’s place as one of the world’s most consequential centers of economic gravity, despite breaking every rule about how countries are supposed to modernize. Its rise up the league table of economies has given it geopolitical clout and drawn interest from investors. Yet the shape of its progress is unique. With India’s economic power growing even faster than its population — now more than 1.4 billion people, larger than any other country’s — India is on a course all its own.

The country’s thousands of small businesses hire most of its workers, but an increasing share of growth has come from its biggest companies. Dynastic family firms play an outsize role at every scale, from conglomerates like Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Group to industry-specific companies.

Sanjiv Bajaj, a scion of a 100-year-old family business with roots in the automotive sector, has had a ringside view of India’s growth. Mr. Bajaj, 56, split off the Bajaj group’s financial services operation from Bajaj Auto in 2007. Bajaj Finserv started with $550 million under management and now controls $53 billion. Its own market value has grown 377 times over.

Much of the company’s success can be traced to India’s policies to modernize technology. In the past decade, the government has pushed biometric IDs and digital payments, pulling a majority of India’s adults into the banking system. India’s own digital payments system now processes 20 billion transactions a month. Most amounts are tiny, Mr. Bajaj said, but the sheer size of the country’s population means that even small shifts in behavior turn into tremendous moneymaking opportunities.

All of that data, Mr. Bajaj said, “allows us to look at every small shop owner and see his inflows and outflows every day.” His company can now make lending decisions at an enormous scale, bringing millions of Indians into the formal credit system, he said.

Among the world’s economies, the United States and China are way ahead in terms of size, ahead of Germany, Japan and India, all in a tight cluster, by about four to six times.

India has been holding tight to its position as the fastest-growing large economy since 2021. With annual growth of more than 6 or 7 percent, it doubles in size every decade, while Germany, Japan and most other rich countries struggle to hit yearly growth of 2 percent.

Germany and Japan have over decades become manufacturing powerhouses that have lifted their populations out of post-World War II poverty.

(to be continued)

印度如何成為世界最大經濟體之一（1/2）

 儘管工業化進程緩慢，印度經濟仍實現了快速成長，如今其經濟規模已接近日本

 印度連續四年蟬聯全球成長最快的大型經濟體，週五公佈的數據顯示，去年印度經濟成長率達7.5%，部分原因是製造業的強勁成長。

許多經濟學家和印度政府曾預計，印度將在2025年超越日本，成為世界第四大經濟體。然而，由於印度盧比對美元疲軟，日圓相對強勢，以美元計價，印度經濟仍落後日本。

但就成長而言，印度遠超過日本，日本2025年僅成長了1.1%。三大經濟體 - 美國、中國和德國 - 去年的成長速度都低於印度。

四年前，印度超越其前殖民統治者英國，成為世界第五大經濟體。國際貨幣基金組織預測，印度將在2026年超越日本。

儘管印度打破了各國現代化進程的常規，但其去年的強勁成長凸顯了印度作為全球最具影響力的經濟中心之一的地位。印度在全球經濟排名中的崛起賦予了其地緣政治影響力，並吸引了投資者的注意。然而，印度的發展軌跡卻獨樹一格。印度的經濟實力成長速度甚至超過了其人口成長速度 - 目前印度人口已超過14億，超過其他國家 - 印度正走著一條與眾不同的道路。

印度數以千計的小企業僱用了大部分勞動力，但越來越多的成長卻來自其最大的公司。世代家族企業從Mukesh Ambani的信實集團 (Reliance Group) 到行業特定型公司，各個層級的都扮演著舉足輕重的角色。

Sanjiv Bajaj，一位擁有百年歷史的汽車行業家族企業的繼承人，親眼見證了印度的經濟成長。現年56歲的Bajaj先生於2007年將Bajaj集團的金融服務業務從Bajaj Auto公司剝離。Bajaj金融服務公司(Bajaj Finserv) 最初管理的資產為5.5億美元，如今已控制著530億美元的資產。其市值成長了377倍。

該公司的巨大成功很大程度上要歸功於印度推行的技術現代化政策。過去十年，印度政府大力推廣生物辨識身分和電子支付，使大多數印度成年人納入了銀行體系。印度的電子支付系統目前每月處理200億筆交易。Bajaj先生表示，雖然大多數交易金額都很小，但印度龐大的人口基數意味著，即使是微小的行為變化也能轉化為巨大的獲利機會。

Bajaj先生說，所有這些數據「讓我們能夠了解每一位小商戶每天的資金流入和流出」。他表示，他的公司現在可以大規模做出貸款決策，將數百萬印度人納入正規信貸體系。

在全球經濟體中，美國和中國的規模遙遙領先，遠超德國、日本和印度這三個緊密相連的一組國家，大約是它們的四到六倍。

自2021年以來，印度一直保持著全球成長最快的大型經濟體的地位。其年增率超過6%或7%，每十年經濟規模翻一番，而德國、日本和大多數其他富裕國家卻難以達到2%的年增長率。

德國和日本經過數十年的發展，已成為製造業強國，使兩國人民擺脫了二戰後的貧困。

（待續）

50多歲的男性可能比女性老化得更快，原因在於有毒的「永久性化學物質」（2/2）

Recently CNN.com reported the following:

Men in their 50s may be aging faster than women due to toxic ‘forever chemicals’ (2/2)

CNN- By Sandee LaMotte

UPDATED FEB 26, 2026

(continue)

Using a biological clock

The study, published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Aging, used public data from a randomly chosen group of 326 older women and men enrolled in 1999 and 2000 in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Blood samples gathered at the time were examined for the presence of 11 types of PFAS chemicals. The DNA methylome — an epigenetic marker regulating gene expression — was also measured in the blood cells of the participants.

For this study, researchers fed these DNA data into a dozen “epigenetic clocks,” also known as biological clocks, to estimate the aging of blood and other tissues in the participants.

The dangers of PFAS

Used since the 1950s to make consumer products nonstick, oil- and water-repellent and resistant to temperature change, PFAS chemicals have been linked to serious health problems, including cancer, fertility issues, high cholesterol, hormone disruption, liver damage, obesity and thyroid disease.

The dangers of so-called legacy PFAS, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, or PFOS, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, and perfluorohexane sulfonate, or PFHxS, are so well-known they have been targeted for elimination worldwide under the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, a global treaty that would reduce toxic chemicals that bioaccumulate in organisms and the environment. The United States has signed the treaty but has not ratified it.

Under the Biden administration, the US Environmental Protection Agency planned to impose stricter guidelines about legacy PFAS levels, including labeling them as “hazardous substances” under the US Superfund law. However, those plans have been rolled back or delayed under the Trump administration.

The chemical industry has created many other forms of PFAS that have not been as widely studied. Those chemicals may well have the same biological impacts as the rest of the PFAS family — and that’s what the new study found, Li said.

“Our results suggest that some less-studied PFAS — namely perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) and perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) — may also have biologically meaningful associations,” Li said.

In fact, the study found higher concentrations of PFNA and PFOSA were strong predictors of faster epigenetic aging in men between 50 and 64 years of age but not in women.

Despite these findings, “it’s important not to panic,” Li said. “Our study shows associations, not proof of causation. PFAS exposure is widespread, and complete avoidance is unrealistic.

“However, reducing exposure where feasible — such as using certified water filters, following local water advisories, and minimizing contact with stain- or grease-resistant materials — may be reasonable steps,” he added. “At the same time, meaningful risk reduction depends largely on regulatory action and environmental cleanup, since many exposures occur at the community level.”

Translation

50多歲的男性可能比女性老化得更快，原因在於有毒的「永久性化學物質」（2/2）

（繼續）

利用生理時鐘

這項研究於週四發表在《老化領域探索》（Frontiers in Aging）雜誌上，使用了來自美國國家健康與營養調查的公開數據，該調查隨機選取了326名老年男女，他們於1999年和2000年參與了調查。

研究人員檢測了當時採集的血液樣本中是否有11種PFAS化學物質。此外，研究人員還測量了參與者血細胞中的DNA甲基化組 - 一種調節基因表現的表觀遺傳標記。

在這項研究中，研究人員將這些DNA數據輸入到十幾個「表觀遺傳時鐘」（也稱為生理時鐘）中，以估算參與者血液和其他組織的衰老程度。

PFAS的傷害

自 1950 年代起，PFAS 化學物質被用於製造不沾黏、防油、防水和耐溫變的消費品。然而，這些化學物質已被證實與多種嚴重的健康問題有關，包括癌症、生育問題、高膽固醇、荷爾蒙失調、肝損傷、肥胖和甲狀腺疾病。

所謂「 延存PFAS」（例如全氟辛烷磺酸 (PFOS)、全氟辛酸 (PFOA) 和全氟己烷磺酸 (PFHxS)）的危害已廣為人知，因此，根據 2001 年《關於持久性有機污染物的斯德哥爾摩公約》，這些物質已被列為全球消除的目標。該公約是一項旨在減少生物體和環境中生物累積性有毒化學物質的全球性條約。美國已簽署該條約，但尚未批准通過。

在拜登政府時期，美國環保署曾計劃對PFAS 的延存水平實施更嚴格的指導方針，包括根據美國「超級基金法」將其列為「有害物質」。然而，這些計劃在特朗普政府時期已被撤銷或推遲。

化學工業也製造了許多其他形式的 PFAS，但這些物質的研究並不廣泛。Li教授表示，這些化學物質很可能與 PFAS 家族的其他成員具有相同的生物學影響 - 而這正是這項新研究的發現。

Li教授說： “我們的研究結果表明，一些研究較少的 PFAS - 即全氟壬酸 (PFNA) 和全氟辛烷磺酰胺 (PFOSA) - 也可能具有生物學上有意義的關聯。”

事實上，研究發現，PFNA 和 PFOSA 濃度較高是 50 至 64 歲男性表觀遺傳老化加速的強有力預測指標，但在女性中則沒有這種預測作用。

儘管有這些發現，李教授說:「重要的是不要恐慌」。 「我們的研究表明存在關聯，但並未證明因果關係。我們十分普遍地暴露於PFAS，完全避免接觸是不切實際的」。

他補充道:「然而，在可行的情況下減少接觸 - 例如使用經認證的淨水器、遵循當地的水質建議以及盡量減少接觸防污或防油材料 - 地可以是合理的措施」; 「與此同時，真正的有效風險降低在很大程度上取決於監管措施和環境清理，因為許多接觸是在社區層面發生」。

              So, a new study finds that the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS appear to be making men to age faster in their 50s and early 60s. Researchers find that higher concentrations of PFNA and PFOSA are strong predictors of faster epigenetic aging in men. Apparently, in view of the dangers of PFAS, on personal level, reducing contacting them in our daily life is a good solution while meaningful risk reduction depends largely on regulatory action and environmental cleanup.

Note:

1. In genomics, 'DNA methylome' (“DNA甲基化組”) refers to the complete set of DNA methylation marks across the genome and it plays a crucial role in gene regulation and expression. (ChatGPT)

50多歲的男性可能比女性老化得更快，原因在於有毒的「永久性化學物質」（1/2）

Recently CNN.com reported the following:

Men in their 50s may be aging faster than women due to toxic ‘forever chemicals’ (1/2)

CNN- By Sandee LaMotte

UPDATED FEB 26, 2026

The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS appear to be aging men faster in their 50s and early 60s, a new study found.]

Called forever chemicals due to the years it takes for them to break down, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances are present in the blood of an estimated 98% of Americans, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Epigenetic aging — a measurement of one’s biological age instead of chronological age — was most advanced in men, according to the study.

“The associations between PFAS exposure and accelerated epigenetic aging were strongest in men aged 50 – 65,” said senior study author Xiangwei Li, a professor of epidemiology at China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, in an email.

“In younger men and those over 65, the associations were weaker and generally not statistically significant,” Li said. “We observed some associations in women, but they were generally smaller and less consistent than those seen in middle-aged men.”

The findings indicate a “sex-specific effect” that can be expected for chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system, a vital network that regulates key bodily functions such as growth, metabolism, mood and reproduction, said Jane Muncke, managing director and chief scientific officer at the Food Packaging Forum, who was not involved in the study.

The forum is a nonprofit foundation based in Zurich, Switzerland, that focuses on science communication and research on plastics and other chemicals used in industry.

In men, the accumulation of PFAS may lower testosterone levels, impair sperm quality and increase risks of testicular and kidney cancers.

Earlier studies show women appear to eliminate certain PFAS faster than men due to pregnancy, breastfeeding and menstrual blood loss. Studies have also found the difference in PFAS accumulation between women and men narrows after menopause.

While the new study’s results are interesting, they “cannot be interpreted as cause-and-effect but rather are puzzle pieces, or building blocks, to establish biological plausibility,” Muncke said in an email.

The American Chemistry Council, which represents the industry, told CNN the “exploratory” study was based on a small sample of older adults using data collected more than 20 years ago.

“This paper does not provide evidence that PFAS exposure causes aging, nor does it change the extensive body of scientific and regulatory work already underway to understand and manage specific PFAS of potential concern,” Tom Flanagin, the council’s senior director of communications, said in an email.

(to be continued)

Translation

一項新研究發現，50多歲的男性可能比女性老化得更快，原因在於有毒的「永久性化學物質」（1/2）

一項新研究發現，被稱為PFAS的「永久性化學物質」似乎正在加速50多歲和60歲出頭男性的衰老。

由於全氟烷基(perfluoroalkyl) 和多氟烷基(polyfluoroalkyl)物質需要數年才能分解，因此被稱為「永久性化學物質」。根據美國國家科學院、工程院和醫學院估計，約98%的美國人血液中都含有這些物質。

研究表明，表觀遺傳老化 - 一種衡量生物在生理上的年齡，而非年歲上計算的年齡指標 - 在男性中最為顯著。

該研究的資深作者、上海交通大學醫學院流行病學教授Xiangwei Li在電子郵件中表示:「暴露於PFAS與表觀遺傳老化的加速之間的關聯在50至65歲的男性中最為顯著」。

Li教授說: 「在年輕男性和65歲以上的男性中，這種關聯較弱，通常不具有統計意義」; 「我們在女性中也觀察到一些關聯，但它們通常比中年男性看到的更小且更不一致」。

未參與這項研究的食品包裝論壇（Food Packaging Forum）的董事總經理兼首席科學官Jane Muncke表示，這些發現表明“性別特異性效應” 的存在，這對於幹擾內分泌系統，一個重要網絡的化學物質來說，是可以預期的。內分泌系統負責調節著生長、新陳代謝、情緒和生殖等。

該論壇是一個總部位於瑞士蘇黎世的非營利基金會，它致力於科學傳播以及對工業中使用的塑膠和其他化學品的研究。

在男性體內，PFAS 的累積可能會降低睪固酮水平，損害精子質量，並增加睪丸癌和腎癌的風險。

早期研究表明，由於懷孕、哺乳和月經失血，女性似乎比男性更快清除某些 PFAS。研究也發現，停經後，女性和男性體內 PFAS 累積的差異會縮小。

Muncke 在一封電子郵件中表示，雖然這項新研究的結果很有趣，但「不能將其解釋為因果關係，而更像是拼圖碎片或構建單元，用於建立生物學上的合理性」。

代表該行業的美國化學理事會告訴 CNN，這項「探索性」研究是基於一小部份老年人樣本，並使用 20 多年前收集的數據。

該理事會高級通訊主管 Tom Flanagin 在一封電子郵件中表示：“這篇論文並沒有提供 PFAS 暴露會導致衰老的證據，也沒有改變目前正在進行的大量科學和監管工作，這些工作旨在 理解並管理有潛在關注的特定 PFAS。”

（待續）

Note:

1. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS or PFASs) (全氟和多氟烷基物質) are a group of synthetic organofluoride chemical compounds that have multiple fluorine atoms attached to an alkyl chain. Widespread use of PFAS began in 1938 with the invention of Teflon, a fluoropolymer coating that resists heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. They are used in a wide variety of products including waterproof fabric, yoga pants, carpets, shampoo, mobile phone screens, wall paint, furniture, adhesives, food packaging, firefighting foam, electrical insulation, and cosmetics. (Wikipedia)

2. Epigenetic aging (表觀遺傳老化) refers to the changes in gene expression that occur as an individual ages which are not caused by changes in the underlying DNA sequence but rather by chemical modifications that affect how genes are activated or silenced. (ChatGPT)

Hair Regeneration Success in Experiments Using Mice: "Aiming for Application to Treat Alopecia"

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

毛の再生 マウス使った実験で成功 “脱毛症治療に応用目指す”

2026年2月25日午後5時20分

サイエンス

毛の再生に必要な3種類の細胞を特定し、マウスを使った実験で実際に毛を再生することに成功したとする研究成果を理化学研究所などのグループがまとめました。グループは脱毛症の治療への応用を目指すとしています。

理化学研究所の辻孝客員主管研究員らのグループは、これまでにマウスの皮膚から採取した2種類の細胞を使って、髪の毛を作り出す「毛包」という器官のもとを作製しています。

しかし、毛を生やすには皮膚に移植する必要があり、グループはほかにも発毛に関係する細胞があるとみてマウスの皮膚の細胞を詳しく解析しました。

その結果、ABM細胞という毛穴の近くから採取した細胞に、毛包を成長させ発毛を促す働きがあることを突きとめたということです。

この細胞と毛包のもとを作る2種類の細胞を大人のマウスから採取して一緒に培養したところ、1センチほどの毛が生え数週間ほどで生え替わったということです。

グループによりますと、薄毛などの脱毛症に悩む人は国内で2000万人以上いるとされますが、治療は毛が細くなるのを抑える薬などに限られるということで、グループは今後ヒトの細胞でも研究を進め、体の外で毛包と毛を作り出して患者に移植する臨床研究を行いたいとしています。

辻客員主管研究員は「髪の毛を毛包ごと移植できれば症状の重い人でも治療できる可能性がある。ヒトにも同様の細胞があり、実用化に向けて研究を進めたい」と話していました。

Translation

Hair Regeneration Success in Experiments Using Mice: "Aiming for Application to Treat Alopecia"

Science

A group including the RIKEN Institute had reported successful research results in identifying three types of cells necessary for hair regeneration, and successfully regenerating hair in experiments using mice. The group aimed to apply this to the treatment of alopecia.

A group led by Takashi Tsuji, an honorary supervising researcher at the RIKEN Institute who had previously used two types of cells extracted from mouse skin to create the base of “hair follicles” which were organs that produced hair.

However, hair growth required transplantation into the skin to grow. The group suspected that there were other cells involved in hair growth, so they conducted detailed analysis of mouse skin cells.

As a result, they discovered that ABM cells, cells extracted from near hair follicles, had the function of growing hair follicles and promoting hair growth.

When these cells, cultured together with two types of cells which formed the base of hair follicles that were extracted from adult mice, the hair grew about 1 cm and was then regenerated in a few weeks’ time. 

According to the group, it was said that there were more than 20 million people in Japan who were suffering from alopecia such as thinning hair, but treatments were limited to medications that controlled hair thinning. Therefore, the group planned to continue their research using human cells, and conduct clinical research to create hair follicles and hair outside human body and transplant them into patients.

Tsuji said, "If we can transplant hair along with its follicles, it may be possible to treat even people with severe symptoms. Human also have similar cells, and we would like to continue our research with the aim to put this into practical use."

So, a group from the RIKEN Institute has reported success in identifying three types of cells necessary for hair regeneration and successfully regenerating hair in experiments using mice cells. The group aims to use their finding to treat alopecia.

Note:

1. Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically, at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. (Wikipedia)

2.  RIKEN ​is a large natural sciences research institute in Japan. Founded in 1917, it now has approximately 3000 scientists on seven campuses across Japan, the main one in Wako, just outside Tokyo. RIKEN is an Independent Administrative Institution whose formal name in Japanese is 理化学研究所 (Rikagaku Kenkyūjo) and in English is The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research. (Wikipedia)

3. Takashi Tsuji（つじ たかし） (辻 孝) is the honorary member of the group. He is a Japanese Life Science Researcher doing research activities at the RIKEN Institute (RIKEN). (ChatGPT)