Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity in South Africa : CSIR case

The focus of this paper is traditional knowledge (TK) and indigenous biological resources protection in South Africa, through the analysis of the existing policies and legislations, in order to provide a useful insight for a developed country such as Japan which has recently adopted the guidelines for the protection of TK and biological resources and promotion of access and benefit sharing (ABS). South Africa is the 3rd most diverse country in terms of natural resources, culture and traditions, languages and geology and its comprehensive legislative framework system shows the country\u27s seriousness to safeguard TK and conserve biological resources for future generations. The paper uses the South Africa\u27s government owned research and technology development institution, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), as an example to demonstrate the application of the TK protection and biodiversity conservation (including access and benefit sharing) laws, through case studies approach for lessons learned for other African countries, contemplating creation of their own TK protection and environmental conservation. Due to the repositioning of CSIR within the local and global research and develop, the organisation has adopted Industrialisation Strategy, and TK will play a significant role in technology development and new business models in rural agroprocessing and production to enhance inclusive development (through benefit sharing) and support economic growth. The paper concludes that TK and indigenous biological resources protection through the relevant government laws, as well as value addition to TK and biodiversity through research and development supported by government funding, is necessary for socioeconomic attainment, especially for local and indigenous communities and rural agroprocessing businesses as part of benefit sharing

生物資源と伝統的知識の法的保護 : "bio-piracy"をめぐるインドの提言

　Turmeric、　Neem(インドセンダン)、　Basmati、そしてAyurvadaが伝えてきた医薬等、インド亜大陸で太古から利用されてきたとされる植物、薬草、それらの利用に関わる伝統的知識が外国に持ち去られ、特許出願がなされるという"bio-piracy"に対して、インドは近年、国を上げてそれらに立ち向かう構えを見せている。TurmericやNeemに関する一部の特許に対しては、インドにおける先使用の存在を認めさせ、欧米で当該特許の取消しを勝ち得たものの、それらの数多くの特許の有効性を争うだけでは、問題の核心は解決できないという。それら生物の遺伝資源及びそれらに関わる伝統的知識をも保護することができる世界的な法的枠組みこそが"bio-piracy"の解決には必要であるというのがインドの立場である。本稿は、CBD(生物の多様性に関する条約)に結実されている生物資源と伝統的知識の保護についての途上国の主張を振り返りつつ、知的財産権保護強化路線に政策転換を遂げつつあるインドが、先進国主導で構築されてきたWTO(世界貿易機関)・TRIPs(貿易関連知的財産権)協定体制に向けて投げかける問題を検討するものである。The Government of India and non-government organizations all over the world are watching and have started taking action against so called bio 'piracy' of traditional technologies and knowledge. Some of the patents being granted in the US and Europe have been already revoked on the basis of the lack of novelty. For example, The United States Patent and Trademark Office has cancelled (on August 1997) the patent it granted (in March 1995) for the use of turmeric (haldi) powder as a wound healing agent. Tumeric has been known to the natives since ancient time as a wound healing resource and there are old Sanskrit documents which mention it, therefore, it cannot be patented in any other name in any other country. This has enhanced the confidence and pride of India and help remove unfounded fears about India's helplessness in preventing bio-piracy and appropriation of inventions based on indigenous knowledge base. This paper discusses India's stance on biological resources and traditional knowledge and the proposal for modifications of TRIPs (Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement in accordance with the Convention on Biological Diversity

発展途上国におけるソフトウェア産業と知的財産権 : インドを事例の一つとして

ソフトウェア産業は、参入にあたっての資金がそれ程高額でないにもかかわらず、高い価値を生み出す産業であり、今後ますます成長が見込まれるため、途上国経済においても比類ない可能性と経済成長を促す可能性をもつ産業と位置づけられつつある。しかし、歴史の浅いITやソフトウェアに関わる知的財産については、途上国はもとより、先進国においても、まだまだ保護法制の整備、諸国の制度間の調和が十分とは言えない側面がある。それらの国際的調和の遅れは、今後の同産業の成長にも大きな影響を与える懸念がある。本稿では、ソフトウェアに関わる国際的な知的財産法制の流れを振り返りながら、知的財産法制の整備が総じて遅れているにもかかわらず、コンピュータ・ソフトウェアの分野で目覚しい発展を見せている途上国の例としてインドを取り上げ、途上国のソフトウェア開発における知的財産権の役割を検討するものである。Software Industry is an industry with relatively less entry barrier but produces the high value added. Therefore, this industry is regarded as a very potential industry by many developing countries. However, the way of protection of intellectual property (IP) draws a big attention in this industry not only in developing countries but also in developed countries. There is a big concern that the delay of international harmonization on IPR in Software and IT related sector might disturb its further development. This paper discusses the role of IPR in software industry with specific reference to Indian IPR regime. India has not been able to fully implement the IPR protection but shows the tremendous development in this industry

遺伝子の特許化と現代社会 : 財産的情報の保護に関わる考察

20世紀の遺伝子工学、分子生物学等の発達によって、特許権の保護対象はますます広がりつつある。その対象はまず「人工的に作り出された」とされる微生物、やがて、ヒト遺伝子が組み込まれた哺乳類、ヒト遺伝子に広がった。そして、ゲノム解析が進む中で、米国では遺伝子の断片の解析にしか過ぎず、「機能」や「有用性」すら明確でないEST （Expressed Sequence Tags） までに特許が付与される事態が生じた。つまり、ゲノム解析の時代を経て、現代社会においては、遺伝情報が既に財産的価値を有し始めているのである。しかし、遺伝情報の解析が進む一方で、人類はそれまで経験したことのない問題にも対峙しつつある。遺伝子レベルでの差別、個々人の遺伝情報に絡むプライヴァシーの問題等、遺伝情報が解析されなければ生じない様々な問題である。本稿は、遺伝子関連発明の特許化の背景と現状を振り返りつつ、ますます財産的価値を高めつつある遺伝情報の保護をめぐって、新たに提起される問題に考察を加えるものである。Due to the rapid development of genetic engineering and molecular biology in late 20th century, patenting subjects have been expanded to human—made microbes, plants, and genetically transformed mammals. In 1980, the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) granted a patent on the first mammal, a genetically engineered mouse containing human genes that predispose it to developing cancer. Moreover, in 1998, a part of gene sequences known as Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs), in which functions and utility had not been demonstrated, was also patented in the US. We are entering a new century, where the genetic information has proprietary values and gives people the power to predict and plan their lives in ways never before possible. However, meritocracy could give way to genetocracy, giving rise to a new and virulent form of discrimination and privacy invasion based on one's genetic profile. Considering the background of patenting genes, this paper attempts to open the doors up wide to a thoughtful dialogue of the new problems and prospects in our society

Selective recruitment of CXCR3+ and CCR5+ CCR4+ T cells into synovial tissue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The inflamed synovial tissue (ST) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the selective accumulation of interferon gamma-producing Th1-type CD4+ T cells. In this study, we investigated whether the predominance of Th1-type CD4+ cells in the ST lesion is mediated by their selective recruitment through Th1 cell-associated chemokine receptors CXCR3 and CCR5. The lymphocyte aggregates in the ST of RA contained a large number of CD4+ T cells, which mostly expressed both CXCR3 and CCR5, but not CCR4. In contrast, the frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing CXCR3 and CCR5 in the blood were significantly decreased in RA patients, compared with healthy controls (HC), although there was no difference in the frequencies of CCR4-expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between RA and HC. CXCR3, CCR5, and CCR4 expression in blood CD4 + T cells and CXCR3 expression in CD8+ T cells were increased after interleukin-15 (IL-15) stimulation. Therefore, the distribution of Th1-type CD4+ T cells into the ST from the blood in RA may be associated with the local expression of chemokines, both CXCR3 and CCR5 ligands, and IL-15 may play a role in enhancing these chemokine receptors on CD4+ T cell infiltrates.</p

Economic Development and Law in Sub-Saharan Africa with Specific Reference to Legal Culture, Environmental Conservation and Technology Transfer

本取組は、2015-2017年度関西大学教育研究高度化促進費事業において、研究課題「アフリカの経済発展と法－サブサハラにおける法文化、環境保全、技術移転をめぐる総合的研究」として促進費を受け、ここにその成果の一部を公表するものである