Cloned apes were born - Chinese study group and future controversy

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

クローンのサルが誕生 中国の研究グループ 今後物議も

1月25日 4時53分

クローン技術によって、全く同じ遺伝子を持つサルを作り出すことに初めて成功したと、中国の研究グループが発表しました。研究グループは、病気の研究に役立つとしている一方、クローン人間を生み出すことにもつながりかねないため、今後議論を呼びそうです。

クローンのサルを作ったのは、中国科学院の上海の研究グループで、２４日付けのアメリカの科学雑誌「セル」に発表しました。

それによりますと、研究グループは、カニクイザルの胎児の皮膚の細胞を、核を取り除いた卵子の細胞の中に入れました。そして、あらゆる臓器や組織に変化する状態になるよう促す遺伝子などを加えた上で、別のメスのサルの子宮に入れたところ、およそ５か月後に２１頭のうち１頭から、健康なメスの双子が生まれたということです。

生まれたサルの遺伝子は、皮膚の細胞を提供したサルと全く同じで、研究グループは、体細胞を使ったクローン技術で霊長類を作ることに初めて成功したとしています。

このクローン技術は、１９９７年にイギリスで報告されたクローン羊「ドリー」と同じ技術で、その後、牛など畜産業でも使われています。研究グループは、ヒトに近いサルのクローンを作ることで、ヒトの細胞やネズミなどの動物を使った研究では解明できていない病気の仕組みの研究や薬の開発に生かせるとしていて、具体的には、アルツハイマー病やパーキンソン病などを再現して治療につなげたいとしています。

クローン人間を作ることは各国で禁止されていますが、研究グループは「霊長類のクローンを作るための技術面での壁は取り除かれた」と話していて、今後議論を呼びそうです。

My translation

January 25  4:53.

A Chinese study group announced that they had for the first time succeeded in producing an ape with the same gene by cloning technology. They had generated argument from now on because while the study group was useful for studying sickness, it could also be lined to the production a human clone.

It was announced in an American scientific journal "Cell" dated 24th that a study group in Shanghai of the Chinese Academy of Sciences had made an ape by cloning.

According to the study group, a cell skin from the fetus of a cynomolgus monkey which had the nucleus removed was put into the cell of the ovum. Then the gene which was said to have the effect of changing the organs or organization was added.  It was put in the wombs of different female apes, after about 5 months it was said that among the 21 female apes, one had given birth to a healthy female twin.

The gene of the born ape was the same as the ape which provided the skin cell, and it was assumed that the study group had succeeded in making primates with cloning technology using a soma for the first time.

This cloning technology was the same as the technology used in the cloned sheep "Dolly"  in the United Kingdom reported in 1997, and after that, a cow was also used in a stock-breeding trade. It was assumed that this study group by making the clone of the ape which was similar to a man could utilize it for the study and development of medicine by knowing the sick mechanism that could not be elucidated by a study using man's cell or an animal such as mice; and specifically they would like to reproduce Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease and link it to a treatment.

Making a human clone is prohibited at all countries, as the study group had said that “a wall on the technological aspect of making the clone of the primates has been removed", from now on discussion would be generated.

     If this research could help the treatment of Alzheimer disease etc. as suggested, then I think many scientifically and medically advanced countries could have already done similar researches, may be in secret.

Smart-phones and computers in the whole world had serious CPU defects - attacks were feared

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

全世界のパソコンやスマホ ＣＰＵに深刻な欠陥 攻撃のおそれ

1月11日 11時29分

コンピューターの頭脳として世界中のパソコンやスマートフォンなどに使われている「ＣＰＵ」と呼ばれる装置に、サイバー攻撃に悪用されるおそれがある深刻な欠陥が見つかり、ソフトウエアメーカーなどが緊急に修正プログラムを公開して、アップデートするよう呼びかけています。

欠陥が見つかったのはコンピューターの頭脳にあたる「ＣＰＵ」と呼ばれる装置で、発見した海外の研究者らが公開した情報によりますと、この欠陥を悪用すると本来は特定のユーザーしか見ることができないパスワードなどの機密情報を第三者に見られてしまうおそれがあるということです。

影響は、世界中のほぼすべてのパソコンやスマートフォン、ゲーム機などに及ぶおそれがあり、マイクロソフトやアップルなどのメーカー各社では今月に入って緊急に修正プログラムを公開し、ユーザーにアップデートするよう呼びかけています。

この欠陥を悪用したサイバー攻撃はまだ確認されていませんが、セキュリティ企業「トレンドマイクロ」の岡本勝之さんは「こうした設計上の欠陥はサイバー攻撃で狙われやすい。パソコンは自動でアップデートされるものが多いが、スマートフォンには自動で修正されないものもあり、注意が必要だ」と話しています。

My translation

Some serious flaws were found in the so called "CPU" which was the brain of the computer equipment used in PCs and smart phones all over the world, and there was a fear of abuse by a cyber-attack and some software manufacturers had disclosed a corrective program urgently, and they were calling for up-dating.

Defects were found in the so called "CPU” which was an installation, according to the information disclosed by the overseas researchers who found them, it was said that when these defects were made used of,  there was a fear that password and other classified information that were specific to the user could be seen by other people.

Regarding the impact, there was a fear that all over the world nearly all PCs, smart phones and game machines would be affected, and a corrective program was released urgently from this month by Microsoft and Apple etc. manufacturing companies, and they were calling the users to up-date.

Although no cyber-attack abuse that made use of these defects had been confirmed yet, Mr. Katsuyuki Okamoto of "Trend Micro" which was a security enterprise said that “the flaws on such design are easy to be aimed at by a cyber-attack. In PC there are a lot of automatic up-dating, but in smart phone there are things which could not be automatically corrected, attention is needed."

         I hope my computer has automatically up-dated itself now.

Seven Eleven - its number of stores would exceed 2 million, the first time for a small domestic retailer

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

セブンーイレブン 店舗数が２万超へ 国内小売業で初

1月6日 12時48分

コンビニ最大手のセブンーイレブンの店舗数が、今月中に国内の小売業として初めて２万店を超える見通しになったことがわかりました。ネット通販の急速な普及など競争が厳しくなる中、きめ細かい店舗網が求められるとして、今後も新規出店を進める方針です。

セブン－イレブン・ジャパンによりますと、国内の店舗数は先月末現在で１万９９７９店となり、今後の開店予定から見て、今月中に２万店を超える見通しとなりました。業界団体によりますと、同一のブランドの小売店が２万店を超えるのは国内で初めてです。

コンビニ業界は、ほかの大手も含めた店舗数が合わせて５万５０００を超え飽和状態に近づいているという指摘に加えて、アマゾンなどのネット通販が急速に拡大し、競争がより厳しくなっています。

セブンーイレブンでは、ネット通販の普及に対しては、再配達の削減に向けてコンビニの店舗を利用者が２４時間いつでも荷物を受け取ることができる拠点にするとともに、高齢化が進む中で近くのお年寄り世帯にコンビニの商品を届けるなど、きめ細かい店舗網を生かしたサービスを強化するため、今後も積極的に新規出店を進める方針です。

ただ、コンビニ業界ではアルバイトなど従業員の確保が難しくなっていて、さらなる店舗網の拡大に向けては人手不足をどう乗り越えるかが課題となります。

My translation

The number of stores in Seven Eleven, the largest convenience store company had a perspective of going beyond 20,000 within this month as a domestic retail trader. Amidst the rapid spread of net catalog selling, it was assumed that a fine store network was needed to be pursued as competition became severe, and also the policy in future was to diligently open new stores.

According to Japan Seven-Eleven the number of its domestic stores was 19,979 as at the end of last month, and as it was set to open new stores, there was a prospect in going beyond 20,000 stores within this month. According to a group in the business, it was the first time for a retail store of the same brand to exceed 20,000 stores in the country.

It was point out that in the world of convenient stores the number of stores, including other major companies put together was over 55,000 and was nearing a saturation point; also as net catalog selling in Amazon as well as others were expanding rapidly, the competition had become severe.

Seven Eleven, in face of the spreading of the catalog selling, in working towards reducing the re- delivery, had made use of the store as a base where it was possible to receive the parcels 24 hours a day; in addition, while aging was developing, commodities delivery etc. were made to elderly households; for the purpose strengthening the service it would be their policy to open new stores aggressively in future.

Also, in the convenience store industry, to secure part-time job employee was difficult; how to get over the labor shortage in face of store network expansion would be a problem.

     It seems that convenience stores in Japan are changing while coping with the needs of the markets.

"Boy's future dream" was to become "scholar and doctor"- come first for the first time in 15 years

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

“男の子の将来の夢” 1位は15年ぶりに「学者・博士」

1月5日 5時07分

「大人になったらなりたいもの」のアンケート調査で、男の子は「学者・博士」が「野球選手」や「サッカー選手」を抑えて１５年ぶりに１位になりました。調査を行った生命保険会社は、日本人が３年連続でノーベル賞を受賞したことなどが影響しているのではないかと見ています。

このアンケート調査は、大手生命保険会社の第一生命が全国の保育園・幼稚園児と小学生を対象に毎年行っているもので、ことしは７月から９月にかけて寄せられた回答のうち１１００人分を分析しました。

その結果、男の子は１位が「学者・博士」で８．８％、２位が「野球選手」で７．２％、３位が「サッカー選手」で６．７％となりました。

「学者・博士」が男の子の１位となったのは１５年ぶりで、第一生命は日本人が平成２６年から３年連続でノーベル賞を受賞したことなどが影響しているのではないかと見ています。

また、「野球選手」が「サッカー選手」を上回ったのも８年ぶりで、早稲田実業の清宮幸太郎選手の活躍など、野球の話題が多かったことが背景にあると分析しています。

一方、女の子は１位が「食べ物屋さん」で１１．３％、２位が「看護師さん」で９．５％、３位が「保育園・幼稚園の先生」で６．９％でした。

「食べ物屋さん」は去年より４ポイントほど低くなったものの、２１年連続で１位となりました。

今回の調査結果について、第一生命は「昔から変わらず続く夢がある一方で、その時の世相が子どもたちの夢にも大きく影響を与えるとも感じました」としています。

My translation

In a questionnaire survey on boys which asked "what do you want to became when you are an adult",  for the first time in 15 years "scholar and doctor" had surpassed  "baseball player" and "soccer player" to reach the first place. A life insurance company which performed the investigation thought that Japanese had won the Nobel Prize continuously for 3 years could have an influence on the outcome.

Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance, a major life insurance company was doing this questionnaire survey every year targeting students in the whole country in the nursery schools,  kindergartens and primary schools. For this year, from July to September the response from 1100 people were received and analyzed.

In the result for the boys, "scholar and doctor" was in the first place at 8.8%, "baseball player" was in the second at 7.2% while  "soccer player" was in the third place at 6.7%.

"Scholar and doctor" for the first time in 15 years stood at the first place;  Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance believed that Japanese had won Nobel prize continuously for 3 years since 2014 could have an influence.

Also, regarding that "Baseball player" had surpassed "soccer player" for the first time in 8 years, the activities of Seimiya Kotaro, a player of the Waseda Business and the large amount of discussion topics about baseball stood in a background was also being analyzed.

On the other hand for the girls, in the first place was "food shop people" at 11.3%,  in the second place was "nurse" at 9.5%, and "a teacher of the nursery school or kindergarten" in the 3^rd place at 6.9%.

Although "food shop people" was 4 points short from last year, still it was in the first place for 21 years continuously.

About this survey result, Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance believed that "on the one hand, there are dreams which don’t change from the past, yet it can be felt that the society at that time can have huge impact on the dreams of children.”

     It is an interesting survey. It shows how social events could influence the thinking of a child.

China: was the government watching over the SNS? Anxiety spread in speech making

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

政府がＳＮＳを監視？ 発言に不安広がる 中国

1月3日 7時21分

中国で人気のＳＮＳを使ったやり取りについて、大企業の経営者が監視されているおそれがあるとの懸念を示したことが利用者の間に波紋を広げ運営会社が打ち消しを迫られる事態となり、政府などによる通信監視に対する中国の人々の不安を浮き彫りにしています。

中国版ＬＩＮＥとも呼ばれる「ウェイシン」はスマートフォンでメッセージや写真のやり取りができるＳＮＳで、利用者は中国を中心に９億人を超えています。

このＳＮＳを使ったやり取りについて、１日、大手自動車メーカーの経営者が企業関係者が集まる会合で「日々、見られていると思う」などと話し、監視されているおそれがあるとの懸念を示したことから、ネット上でこの発言に注目が集まり、波紋が広がっています。

これに対して「ウェイシン」の運営会社は、「うわさは誤解で、利用者のプライバシーは尊重されている」とする声明を発表するなど打ち消しを迫られる事態になっています。

中国では、政府によるインターネットの規制強化が進み、去年からは個人の利用者で作るグループのやり取りまで取締りの対象になっています。

こうしたことを背景にネット上では、今回の運営会社の声明に対しても「信じられない」などとする書き込みが多く見られ、政府や運営会社による通信監視に対する中国の人々の不安を浮き彫りにしています。

My translation

In China regarding the use of the popular SNS, fears of proprietors of large enterprises over being watched in communication exchanges had spread among the users; and there was a situation that the Net operating company was forced to cancel the monitoring, and Chinese people's anxiety towards communication monitoring by the government etc. stood out.

The so called "Way Shinn" was the LINE edition in China which was a SNS through which messages and pictures could be exchanged by the smart phones, and the users in China had exceeded 900 million people .

Regarding using this SNS for communication exchange, the proprietor of a major automobile company at the meeting with individuals who were directly related to the company had gathered on the 1st and said that "I think we were being watched every day”, indicating the anxiety of being monitored; this remark had drawn attention in the Net, and a sensation was spreading.

In response to this the operating company of "Way Shinn" announced a statement in which they assumed that "the hearsay is a misunderstanding and users' privacy are respected”; a situation of being forcing to cancel their action had developed.

In China tightening control in the Internet by the government was developing, and even group communication exchange formed by individual users had became the target of control since last year.

On the Net against these backgrounds,  many writings in response to the statement of the operating company was that "it is not trusted"; Chinese people’s anxiety in communication monitoring both by the government and the operating company stood out.

     I am wondering whether the overseas companies inside China could develop their own ways of communication, for example back to the old days of  using the coded telegrams.

When food allergy occurred a fat matter was found to have increased - there was possibility that it could be used as an index

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

食物アレルギーで増える脂質を発見 指標に使える可能性も

12月18日 5時21分

食物アレルギーの症状が出た時に尿に含まれる特定の脂質の濃度が高まることを東京大学の研究グループがマウスを使った実験で明らかにし、グループはアレルギー反応の強さの客観的な指標に使える可能性があるとしています。

食物アレルギーは、牛乳や小麦などの食べ物を摂取するとアレルギー症状が起きる病気ですが、症状の重さと連動して変化する指標はこれまでありませんでした。

東京大学大学院の村田幸久准教授などのグループは、卵などの食物アレルギーの状態を再現したマウスで尿の中に含まれる「ＰＧＤＭ」と呼ばれる脂質が多く検出されることを発見しました。また、この「ＰＧＤＭ」はごく初期のアレルギー症状の時から検出され、症状が重くなるほど濃度が高くなったということです。

さらに、「ＰＧＤＭ」は食物アレルギーに関わる免疫細胞から放出された物質が変化してできていることもわかり、アレルギー反応の強さの客観的な指標に使える可能性があるとしています。

村田准教授は「食物アレルギーではアナフィラキシーなどの強い症状が突然出ることがあるが、この指標を使えば事前に兆候を把握し、より安全に診断や治療を行えるようになる可能性がある」と話しています。

My translation

By an experiment using a mouse a study group of the University of Tokyo found that the density of a specific fat matter in urine would increase when symptoms of food allergy occurred, the group assumed that there was a possibility that it could be used as an index to show objectively the strength of the allergic reaction.

Food allergy was a sickness due to the occurrence of allergic reaction when milk and wheat food were consumed, but up to now there was no index to show the intensity of the symptom and the inter-related changes.

A group consisted of Yukihisa Murata associate professor of the University of Tokyo graduate school and others found that "PGDM" the so called fat matter usually found in the urine of the mouse was found to have increased when a state of allergic to eggs and other food was induced. Also it was said that this "PGDM" could be detected at the very early stage of allergic symptoms, and its concentration became higher as the symptoms became intense.

Furthermore, "PGDM" was released by the immune cell related to the food allergy and also it could be used to understand the changes, there was a possibility that it could be used as an index to objectively show the strength of allergic reactions.

Associate professor Murata said that "in food allergy the strong symptom of anaphylaxis and other may show up suddenly, when this index is used it is possible to grasp a sign beforehand, and the checks and treatments could then be carried out more safely."

   I think this discovery is a great contribution to the treatment of food allergy.

Were children’s ear problems mostly caused by earphones of smart phones?

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following

子どもの耳疾患最多 スマホのイヤホンが影響か

12月23日 4時43分

中耳炎や外耳炎など耳の病気にかかる子どもの割合が、文部科学省の調査で過去最多となったことがわかりました。文部科学省は「スマートフォンの普及でイヤホンを使用する頻度が増えていることが影響した可能性がある」と分析しています。

この調査は子どもの健康状態を把握するため、文部科学省が毎年実施し、今年度は全国の幼稚園から高校生までの３４０万人余りが対象となりました。

このうち、中耳炎や外耳炎など耳の病気にかかった子どもの割合は小学生が６．２４％、中学生が４．４８％、高校生が２．５９％で、いずれも調査を始めた平成７年度以降最も多くなりました。

東京・中央区の診療所では、このところ耳の病気にかかる子どもの患者が１割から２割ほど増えていると言います。

院長の大場俊彦さんによりますと、こうした子どもの患者の中にはスマートフォンなどで音楽などを聴く際などに使用するイヤホンが原因で病気にかかるケースもあるということです。

文部科学省も、子どもの耳の病気が増えている背景に、スマートフォンなどの普及でイヤホンを使用する頻度が増えたことが影響している可能性があると分析しています。

大場院長は「他人とイヤホンを共有したり音楽などを長時間にわたって大きな音で聞いたりしないようしっかりと注意してほしい」と話しています。

My translation

In an investigation by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology it was found out that the percentage of the children who had ear problems due to Otitis media and external Otitis were at the highest compared with the past. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology analyzed that "there is a possibility that it is the impact of the increased use of earphones due to the wide-spread use of smart phones".

In order to get hold of children’s health conditions, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology put into effect an investigation every year, and in the whole country about 3,400,000 people from kindergarten to high school students were the target this fiscal year.

Among these, the percentage of the children who had ear problems due to Otitis media and external Otitis were 6.24% for primary school students, 4.48% for high school students and 2.59% for junior high school students, all were at the highest since 1995 when the investigation began.

At a medical office in Chuo-ku of Tokyo it was said that children patients who had ear problems recently increased from 10 percent to 20 percent.

According to Mr. Toshihiko Oba the director it was said that there were cases that children taken ill because earphones were used when they listen to music using smart phones.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology also did an analyzes with the background that children’s ear sickness was increasing and held that there was a possibility that it was the influence of the frequency use of earphones caused by the wide-spread us of smart phones.

Director Oba said that "I want people to pay close attention regarding sharing earphones with others and to avoid listening to music etc. in high volume over long hours."

   So, be careful not to use the earphone in high volume over a long period of time.

The China authority closed about 13,000 sites since 2015

Recently the NHK News On-line reported the following:

中国 当局が１万3000余のサイトを閉鎖 2015年以降

12月25日 4時16分

インターネット上の情報統制を強める中国は、２０１５年以降、当局が１万３０００余りのサイトを閉鎖したことを明らかにし、習近平指導部は、さらに取締りなどを強化する姿勢を示しました。

中国国営の新華社通信によりますと、全人代＝全国人民代表大会の常務委員会が２４日、北京で開催され、この中でインターネット管理当局の取締り状況などが報告されました。

それによりますと、インターネット管理当局は、２０１５年以降、テロやポルノといった情報を広めたなどとして、１万３０００余りのサイトを閉鎖したということです。

また、ＳＮＳ＝ソーシャル・ネットワーキング・サービスなどのアカウントも１０００万近く閉鎖したとして、習近平指導部は今後、さらに取締りなどを強化する姿勢を示しました。

中国のインターネットをめぐっては、高性能な検閲システムを導入して外部からの情報の流入を厳しく規制しているほか、ことし６月には「インターネット安全法」を施行し、個人がスマートフォンで発信する情報まで監視していて、人々の間からは不満の声も出ています。さらに中国政府は、規制の網をくぐり抜けてサイトなどを閲覧することができるＶＰＮと呼ばれるサービスへの規制も強めており、日本を含む外国企業からは、企業活動にも支障が出かねないと懸念する声も出ています。

My translation

In China where information control on the Internet was strong, it was made clear that the authority had closed about 13,000 sites since 2015, and the Xi Jinping leadership showed the posture of strengthening control.

According to the Xinhua News Agency which was managed by the Chinese government, on the 24th the NPC:  the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress was held in Beijing; in the meeting the situation on the control of Internet by the management authority was reported.

According to that, it was said that the Internet management authority had closed about 13,000 sites after 2015 because terrorism and pornography information was wide spread.

Accounts of SNS= social networking service etc up to 10 million were assumed to have been closed, and the Xi Jinping leadership showed a posture of further strengthening the control from now on.

Regarding the Chinese Internet which high-performance censorship system had been enforced, a "Internet safe way" was carried out in June this year so that the inflow of information from the outside was regulated severely and the information of an individual sent by smart phone was being watched and dissatisfied voice had also come out among the people. Furthermore the Chinese governments was strengthening the control of the so called VPN which could be used to escape from the control network to read a site. As business activity of foreign companies including those from Japan could also be interfered, some voice of anxiety had come out.

     I think Internet control in China is well known. I hope it will not affect normal business activities as all companies could have their won trade secrets.

The labor productivity of Japan was ranked the lowest among the G 7 countries

日本の労働生産性 主要７か国で最下位

12月21日 4時45分働き方改革

政府が経済の再生に向けて生産性の向上を推進する中、日本は労働者がどれだけ効率的に働いたかを示す「労働生産性」がＧ７＝主要７か国で最下位になったという調査結果がまとまりました。

労働生産性は１人の従業員が１時間にどのくらいのモノやサービスを生み出したかを示す指標です。

公益財団法人の日本生産性本部がＯＥＣＤ＝経済協力開発機構に加盟する３５か国の去年の労働生産性を分析した結果、日本は２０位で、Ｇ７＝主要７か国では最下位でした。

これについて生産性本部は、短い時間で成果を上げる働き方が浸透せず長時間労働になりがちなことや、手間暇をかけた高品質な製品やサービスを比較的安い価格で提供していることなどが要因だと分析しています。

主要７か国ではアメリカが６位、ドイツが８位などとなっていて、１位はＩＴ大手などグローバル企業の誘致に成功したアイルランドでした。

日本生産性本部は「働き方改革や人手不足で生産性の向上が課題となる中、日本の労働生産性は１９７０年以降、Ｇ７で最下位が続いている。ＡＩ＝人工知能を活用した自動化などによる生産性向上を期待したい」と話しています。

My translation:

While the government of Japan was promoting the improvement of productivity for its economic revival, a survey result gathered from the G7= the 7 major countries on "labor productivity” which indicated how efficient the laborers were working had showed that Japan was ranked at the lowest.

Labor productivity was an index which indicated how much product and service one employee could generate in one hour.

The Japan Productivity Headquarters as a public interest foundation had done a survey on the 35 countries that  had joined the OECD = Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, their labor productivity of last year was analyzed and Japan was ranked 20 which was the lowest among the G7 countries.

Related to the above, the Productivity Headquarters made an analysis and found out that the reasons were that the ways that could improving productivity in a short time did not get acceptance, and that the high-quality product  and service which needed  time and effort to produce were provided at a relative low price.

Among the 7 countries the United States was at the 6^th place while Germany was at the 8^th etc., at the first place was Ireland where global enterprises such as major IT companies were successfully invited.

Japan Productivity Headquarters said that “related to the topic on how to reform working methods and productivity in face of the labor shortage, since 1970 the labor productivity of Japan continues to be ranked at the lowest among the G7. There is an expectation on productivity improvement due to automation etc. through the use of AI= artificial intelligence."

   I hope AI could help Japan improve its future productivity.