What to know about dementia

Life with dementia is a constant battle for the sufferer to retain their dignity. The brain illness that affects memory, behavior and the ability to perform even basic tasks mostly affects older people. About 70 percent of cases are believed to be caused by Alzheimer’s.The American Academy of Family Physicians says that those suffering from dementia show signs of recent memory loss, and have difficulty performing familiar tasks and problems with language. Other symptoms include time and place di

TechnologyApril 26, 2012

Hiking to stay in shape

The greatest merits of climbing mountains are that we can breathe the fresh air and exercise while appreciating nature. Hiking is an aerobic form of exercise that can improve the function of your heart and lungs.Hiking also helps increase muscle endurance in your legs and waist. It is therefore useful exercise for people who easily become tires due to insufficient exercise. Moreover, hiking provides benefits for mental health. Precautions when climbingThe way you walk will vary depending on the

TechnologyApril 26, 2012

WHO: Measles deaths have plummeted over a decade

LONDON (AP) ― The number of measles deaths worldwide has apparently dropped by about three-quarters over a decade, according to a new study by the World Health Organization and others.Most of the deaths were in India and Africa, where not enough children are being immunized.Health officials estimate about 9.6 million children were saved from dying of measles from 2000 to 2010 after big vaccination campaigns were rolled out more than a decade ago. Researchers guessed the number of deaths fell dur

TechnologyApril 26, 2012

Scientists may have found autism indicator in infants’ brains

SEATTLE ― It was a clue ― the kind of clue medical researchers notice.Intent on finding answers about autism, now estimated to affect 1 of every 88 children, they followed it, poking and prodding and scanning, prying open its secrets.It was a curious little observation that, for any individual child, didn’t mean much. But over time, measurements from hundreds of children suggested an intriguing trait: As a group, preschoolers diagnosed with autism tended to have larger heads.That meant something

TechnologyApril 26, 2012

Ewha opens center for collaborative research

Ewha Womans University Medical Center opened Ewha Medical Collaboration Research Center on Monday, aiming to enhance the hospital’s research capacity in the hi-tech medical field to a global standard.It will also support the medical paradigm linked with clinical trails, incubate venture ideas, secure leading female researchers in the basic and advanced medical field, lead international cooperation with global industry and academies, and raise public awareness of hard-to-cure or serious illnesses

TechnologyApril 26, 2012

Diablo 3 beta test gets mixed responses from Korean users

“Diablo 3,” which started a closed beta service in South Korea on Wednesday, is garnering mixed responses from local gamers, offering a clue about its impact ahead of its officially release May 15. The online action RPG game by Blizzard Entertainment has been regarded as one of the biggest titles by gamers in Korea and elsewhere, as its previous two versions were huge hits across the world.Some Korean users who played the game through the closed beta said “Diablo 3” was too easy, saying that com

TechnologyApril 26, 2012

Retailers halt U.S. beef sales after BSE outbreak

The nation’s large retailers, such as Homeplus and Lotte Mart, temporarily suspended sales of U.S. beef on Wednesday following an outbreak of mad cow disease in California. The suspension came a day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported the country’s fourth-ever case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE.But U.S. officials said it was contained and no contaminated meat had entered the food chain, stressing that it poses no threat to consumers.A spokesperson for Korea’s Ministry

April 25, 2012

Better consumer sentiment for third month in April

South Korea’s consumer confidence improved for the third consecutive month in April on gains in production and market demand, and waning inflationary pressure, the central bank said Wednesday.The consumer sentiment index, which gauges consumers’ overall economic outlook, living conditions and future spending, stood at 104 for this month, compared with 101 tallied in March, according to a survey by the Bank of Korea. A CSI reading above the benchmark 100 means optimists outnumber pessimists. The

April 25, 2012

ING Life Korea gets closer to customers

ING Life Korea is aiming to get close and personal with its existing and potential customers by further “opening its ears” to hear their needs in financial planning.The Korean subsidiary of the global life insurer is boosting in-house training not only for financial consultants but also for executives, in an effort to boost customer relations, its press release said.In addition to the 180-day consulting training, the company has sent its managers and executives to its nationwide centers to meet

April 25, 2012

Korea to auction stake in Woori

FSC chief Kim says local, foreign investors will be treated equallySouth Korea plans to seek bidders for its stake in Woori Finance Holdings Co. in a third attempt to sell the nation’s largest financial company by assets.The government will hold an international auction and announce details on the plan “soon,” Financial Services Commission chairman Kim Seok-dong said in Seoul on Wednesday. Local and foreign investors’ bids will be treated equally, he said.A rally in Asian equity markets this yea

April 25, 2012

Nokia debt rating cut to junk at Fitch

Nokia Oyj’s rating was cut to junk for the first time by a debt rating company as the Finnish mobile-phone maker loses its grip on a market now dominated by Apple Inc. and Asian suppliers such as Samsung Electronics Co. Fitch Ratings Tuesday lowered Nokia’s long-term debt ranking to BB+, one step below investment grade, citing a deterioration in the handset business in the first quarter and a “general lack of visibility.” Fitch said it may further cut the rating if Espoo, Finland-based Nokia’s r

TechnologyApril 25, 2012