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"Already differentiated cells successfully reset with simple stimulation." News of the creation of STAP cells appeared on the front page of newspapers near the end of January this year. The world took note of these out-of-the-box findings. But then, suspicions about the thesis began to crop up little by little, and as this and that detail got nitpicked, things spread like wildfire, and it looked as if the thesis might even be withdrawn. We can liken the situation to a roller coaster, or to heaven and hell. There may have been underlying factors involved, such as cutthroat competition in a field on the leading edge of life science, or the impatience of working under a term-limited appointment system. There is a joke that "It's OK for pioneers to tell a lie." But if one really tells a lie, it's all over.
In this issue, Mr. Masaki Hayashi has submitted "A Study on Horse Race Tracks in Architectural Books and Magazines." In this article, Mr. Hayashi conducts a very unique experiment － namely, he discusses horse racing and race tracks in the context of city planning. I believe it will give the reader a more multi-faceted perspective with regard to horse race tracks.
In Equine Resources, we have "Studies on Horses' Names in Ancient Rome Based on Mosaics and Horse Racing Inscriptions (1)" by Ms. Masumi Nakanishi. This was a job requiring a tremendous amount of effort, involving listing the names of horses from iconographic materials and inscriptions dating to the ancient Roman era. It is a long article, so we will publish it in two parts.
For Equine Comings & Goings, Mr. Kota Iwata － who is also a public accountant － contributed "Offering a Direction for the Practical Use of Japanese Native Horses." Currently in Japan, there are eight breeds of Japanese native horses being raised. But outside of Hokkaido breeds, the numbers are few, and it is safe to say that without proper care, they may very well become extinct. Mr. Iwata looks at practical uses for those Japanese native horses, utilizing business analysis techniques to analyze the situation in detail and then offering his observations. We have included two Special Articles this time. Ms. Yuri Yagi, who is an attorney, wrote "Horse Sales Procedures and Legal Problems (2)" for us. With regard to the regulations on horse trading and the issues arising when a problem is found after a trade, she explains things in a way that is extremely easy to understand, using a description format that lists the problems, tips, and comments. In addition, from Mr. Masayuki Shimizu, we received "Introducing a University Equestrian Club: Azabu University Equestrian Team." The Azabu University Equestrian Team has a 100-year long history, and it has produced a great number of deserving, talented people. Its history and present status can be understood in one read.
We include "Transactions of the Japanese Society of Equine Science" as basically an annual fixture in the journal, and this year we are posting the roster of the society's board members who took over at last year's general assembly meeting. With the rejuvenation of officers from the chairman on down, let's work to develop the society into one that is more meaningful and active.
(Editor-in-chief Ryo Kusunose)
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