The Korea Herald

S. Korea reports first suspected death by killer tick

May 16, 2013

An elderly man suspected of being bitten by a killer tick died on Jeju Island on Thursday, the first such case in the country following recent reports of deaths in Japan, local health authorities said.The 73-year-old farmer, identified as his surname Kang, died earlier in the day of blood poisoning after showing symptoms similar to those of SFTS, or severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome.Kang had been in the intensive care unit since last week after suffering from high fever, diarrhea, vomi
Sanofi Pasteur to give homeless free flu vaccines

May 15, 2013

The Korean branch of Sanofi Pasteur, a French vaccine manufacturer, said Wednesday it would provide free flu vaccines to 7,000 homeless people this year.The drug maker has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korea Association of Welfare Institute for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization, to deliver the vaccines to neglected people in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province.The plan would provide protection to more than 80 percent of the homeless people registered at support centers and
Ministry to ease sodium limit on kids’ food despite opposition

May 9, 2013

Concerns are rising over health authorities’ plan to relax salt content limits on instant noodle products that aim to be certified as good-quality snacks for kids.The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced its plan on Wednesday to ease the sodium limit of the products from the current cap of 600 milligrams to 1,000 milligrams. The new sodium limit of 1,000 milligrams is more than half the recommended limit for a child’s daily consumption of sodium ― between 1,500 and 1,800 milligrams a day.B
Diagnosing gastric conditions

May 9, 2013

More people in Korea than in the West complain of symptoms related to the gastrointestinal system. However, many people tend to dismiss such symptoms and do not see a doctor about it, which can sometimes lead to the progression of serious illnesses, such as gastric cancer. The best methods to maintain a healthy life is to practice the usual good lifestyle habits and have regular checkups to diagnose conditions early. Here, we will look at gastritis, gastric ulcers and gastric cancer, which are s
Advanced facial contouring surgery attracts attention

May 9, 2013

A triangular-shaped face is popular among young Koreans in their 20s and 30s because they think it is beautiful. Demand for surgical operations to have this “V-line” shape is growing. But many of those who want to change their looks often find difficulty choosing surgical methods because many facial surgeries carry a high risk of side effects and cause excruciating pain.To this, Siot osteotomy has been grabbing attention because it cuts a smaller part of the chin bone than other existing methods
Study: Fish oil doesn’t help prevent heart attacks

May 9, 2013

Eating fish is good for your heart but taking fish oil capsules does not help people at high risk of heart problems who are already taking medicines to prevent them, a large study in Italy found.The work makes clearer who does and does not benefit from taking supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, the good oils found in fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines.Previous studies have suggested that fish oil capsules could lower heart risks in people with heart failure or who have already suffered a hea
Women are born to be overeaters: study

May 9, 2013

Women gorging or vomiting are generally considered those who have failed to adapt to cultural pressure and are obsessed with thin bodies. However, according to a recent study from Michigan State University, women are biologically born to be more likely to overeat than men.The researchers led a feeding experiment on 60 rats, half of them male and half female. Scientists studied the eating habits of each gender group by regularly replacing the food pellets with vanilla frosting.The experiment res
Nearsightedness hereditary: study

May 7, 2013

Many problems with eyesight can be traced to genetic conditions, South Korean researchers said in a new study on Tuesday. Professor Chung Eui-sang and his colleagues from Samsung Medical Center conducted the study on 240 identical twins and 45 fraternal twins and 469 pairs of siblings who had visited the hospital from 2007 to 2011.They found that identical twins who share many of their genes showed a high level of consistency in their eyesight. When one monozygotic twin is nearsighted, the other
College students face risk of heart diseases due to binge drinking

May 6, 2013

Students on college campuses do not fear pulling all-nighters at parties and drinking a large amount of alcohol, assuming that their youth may protect them from the destructive effects of their lifestyle. However, according to a study by researchers from the University of Illinois, people in their 20s are not immune to heart disease caused by binge drinking.“Binge drinking is neurotoxic and our data supports that there may be serious cardiovascular consequences in young adults,” said professor S
U.S. appeals emergency contraception ruling

May 2, 2013

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― The U.S. Department of Justice appealed Wednesday a federal judge’s ruling ordering regulators to provide emergency contraception to women and girls of all ages.The appeal came just one day after the Food and Drug Administration allowed a manufacturer to make the Plan B One-Step morning-after pill available to those aged 15 and older without a prescription.The FDA says that decision is not related to the pending court case over emergency contraception.Until now, emergency cont
Endoscopy under conscious sedation

May 2, 2013

Upper endoscopy is the most fundamental test to diagnose diseases of the esophagus, stomach and the duodenum (for example, gastric cancer, gastric ulcers, duodenal ulcers and esophagitis). Unlike radiological tests using contrast imaging of the upper gastrointestinal tract, endoscopy allows a direct biopsy of any abnormal tissues, producing a more accurate diagnosis as well as helping the treatment planning. Gastric cancer is very common in Korea and upper endoscopy is very important for early d
Acupuncture more effective for pain than drugs: study

May 2, 2013

Study suggests that acupuncture works better for pain relief, draws international attention
Videogames slow, reverse ‘mental decay’: study

May 2, 2013

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― Playing videogames can prevent and even reverse deteriorating brain functions such as memory, reasoning and visual processing, according to a study released Wednesday.The University of Iowa study of hundreds of people age 50 and older found that those who played a videogame were able to improve a range of cognitive skills, and reverse up to seven years of age-related declines.“We know that we can stop this decline and actually restore cognitive processing speed to people,” sai
Upper-arm lift surgery on the rise in U.S.

Apr 30, 2013

Upper-arm lift is the latest trend in plastic surgery, according to a report by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. While bigger eyes, higher noses and bigger breasts still prevail in the industry, arms are definitely having their moment with the number of surgeries shooting up 4,378 percent over the past decade. The primary patients are those who have gone through dramatic weight loss and want to tighten the saggy underarm area. The new wave in the plastic surgery industry is not only ge
Survival of fittest: Fights won on personality not on size

Apr 30, 2013

British and U.S. researchers suggest size may not matter in fighting; the big guy doesn‘t always win -- at least for fish.Scientists at the University of Exeter in England and Texas A&M University found when fish fight over food, it was personality, rather than size, that determined which would be victorious.The findings, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, suggested when resources were in short supply personality traits such as aggression could be more important than s