The Korea Herald

Is economy best birth control? US births dip again

Nov 24, 2011

ATLANTA (AP) -- The economy may well be the best form of birth control.U.S. births dropped for the third straight year -- especially for young mothers -- and experts think money worries are the reason.A federal report released Thursday showed declines in the birth rate for all races and most age groups. Teens and women in their early 20s had the most dramatic dip, to the lowest rates since record-keeping began in the 1940s. Also, the rate of cesarean sections stopped going up for the first time
Blood type may affect stroke risk, study finds

Nov 24, 2011

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- Your blood type might affect your risk of stroke. People with AB and women with B were a little more likely to suffer one than people with O blood - the most common type, a study found.The research can’t prove such a link. But it fits with other work tying A, B and AB to more risk of blood clots in the legs and heart attacks. Blood type O also has been tied to an increased risk of bleeding, which implies less chance of clots, the cause of most strokes.“There’s increasing
Blood type may affect stroke risk, study finds

Nov 24, 2011

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) ― Your blood type might affect your risk of stroke. People with AB and women with B were a little more likely to suffer one than people with O blood - the most common type, a study found.The research can’t prove such a link. But it fits with other work tying A, B and AB to more risk of blood clots in the legs and heart attacks. Blood type O also has been tied to an increased risk of bleeding, which implies less chance of clots, the cause of most strokes.“There’s increasing
MSD releases implantable contraceptive

Nov 24, 2011

Korea MSD released Implanon NTX, an implantable contraceptive for women. Implanon NXT is a radiopaque, non-biodegradable, progestagen-only, flexible implant preloaded in a sterile, disposable applicator. It contains 68 milligrams of etonogestrel and is effective for three years, According to the pharmaceutical, Implanon should be inserted just under the skin of the arm. It is removable and should be re-implanted when further contraceptive effect is needed. Those willing to be inserted with the d
Samgyetang highest-calorie restaurant dish

Nov 24, 2011

The Korea Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday disclosed the average nutritional value of some popular Korean restaurant dishes. According to its report on 130 foods, the highest in calories was “samgyetang” at 918 kcal in a serving of 1,000 grams of the chicken broth. It was followed by japchaebap, or fried rice with mixed vegetables and noodles, at 885 kcal; ganjjajang, or noodles served separately with black bean paste, at 825 kcal; jajangmyeon, noodles in black bean paste, at 797 kcal,
Recipient doing well after first artificial windpipe graft

Nov 24, 2011

PARIS, Nov 24, 2011 (AFP) - The word's first artificial windpipe transplant has been such a success that a second operation has been carried out and a third is being planned, The Lancet reported on Thursday.Andemariam Teklesenbet Beyene, a 36-year-old Eritrean, is doing well after undergoing the gro
Molecular mechanism regulating wakefulness, sleep identified

Nov 24, 2011

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have, for the first time, identified an intracellular signaling enzyme that regulates the wake-sleep cycle, which could help lead to the development of more effective sleep aid medications. Subimal Datta, PhD, director and principle investig
BPA spikes 1,200 percent after eating canned soup: study

Nov 23, 2011

WASHINGTON, Nov 22, 2011 (AFP) - People who ate canned soup for five days straight saw their urinary levels of the chemical bisphenol A spike 1,200 percent compared to those who ate fresh soup, US researchers said on Tuesday.The randomized study, described as "one of the first to quantify BPA levels
AIDS-related deaths slashed by treatment: UN

Nov 22, 2011

A significant expansion in access to treatment helped slash the number of AIDS-related deaths in 2010, bringing the number of people living with HIV to a record 34 million, the United Nations said Monday."We are on the verge of a significant breakthrough in the AIDS response," said Michel Sidibe, ex
‘Thrombosis on the rise’

Nov 17, 2011

The number of thrombosis patients is on the rise, the National Health Insurance Corp. warned Monday. Thrombosis is risky as it is directly linked with heart attacks and strokes. According to an NHIC report, the number of people diagnosed with coronary embolism or artery thrombosis, has increased 34.2 percent between 2006 and 2010, marking an annual 8.3 percent growth. Men were 30 percent more susceptible to the disease than women. “Some studies suggest that sitting on a chair too long could rais
Metabolic issues linked with bladder stones

Nov 17, 2011

People with metabolic syndrome are more likely to have bladder stones, a group of local researchers claimed Tuesday. According to Dr. Park Hyeong-geun of Asan Medial Center’s research on 34,895 people over 20 years old, those suffering hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia or obesity 70 percent more likely to have bladder stones. Bladder stones are solid masses found in the bladder. They can cause severe lower abdominal and back pain, difficult urination, frequent nocturnal urination, fever, pa
Red ginseng may help middle-aged women

Nov 17, 2011

Regular intake of red ginseng could help women overcome post-menopause syndrome, a group of local doctors here said. Dr. Lee Byung-seok and Dr. Seo Seog-gyo of Severance Hospital studied a total of 72 women between the ages of 45 and 60 who had been through menopause. Half of them were given ginseng while the other half were given placebo. Twelve weeks later they found that women who took in red ginseng had less cholesterol and thinner carotid, which means a lower chance of cardiovascular diseas
State health insurance premiums to rise 2.8%

Nov 17, 2011

The national health insurance premium will increase 2.8 percent next year from this year, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Tuesday. Salaried worker subscribers will pay 5.8 percent of salary as premium up from the current 5.64 percent ― an average monthly increase of 2,355 won. For self-employed or unemployed people, average monthly premiums will go up 2,095 won.Medical fees from clinics or hospitals will rise by an average of 2.2 percent.But half the price of dentures for those 75 or old
Strength training’s not just for bodybuilders anymore

Nov 17, 2011

DETROIT ― The variations have new names but center on the same main principle ― whether you yank on suspension bands, pull stretchy rubber tubes, heft a bulbous low-tech kettlebell or pump traditional free weights, you’re moving your muscles against resistance. That’s what burns calories while building healthy, attractive lean muscle tissue. Both lead to weight loss, a firm physique and a raft of other benefits.Strength training is a growing trend, according to the annual survey by the American
Doctors call for cholesterol test for kids aged 9-11

Nov 17, 2011

CHICAGO (AP) ― Every child should be tested for high cholesterol as early as age 9 ― surprising new advice from a government panel that suggests screening kids in grade school for a problem more common in middle age.The idea will come as a shock to most parents. And it’s certain to stir debate.The doctors on the expert panel that announced the new guidelines Friday concede there is little proof that testing now will prevent heart attacks decades later. But many doctors say waiting might be too l