Stem-cell venture goes offshore to sidestep regulations

The Ministry of Health and Welfare and RNL Bio Co., a Seoul-based bio venture, are locking horns over controversial stem cell operations on Korean patients in Japan and China arranged by the firm.The government is considering taking legal action against the stem cell developer for a violation of Korean pharmaceutical law that bans injections of manufactured stem cells without approval from the state-run drug agency.Officials claim the firm has evaded the Korean law because it administered stem c

Jan. 17, 2013

‘Leadership gene’ found: study

Certain qualities that allow a person to become a leader can be inherited, according to a recent study.“We have identified a genotype, called rs4950, which appears to be associated with the passing of leadership ability down through generations,” said the study’s lead author Jan-Emmanuel De Neve from University College London.De Neve, with colleagues from Harvard University, New York University and the University of California, analyzed genetic samples of about 4,000 individuals and found signif

Jan. 17, 2013

Psychiatric disorders prevalent in inmates

Psychiatric disorders are prevalent among inmates, and mental-health treatment could help former inmates reintegrate into society, U.S. researchers say.Study co-author Jason Schnittker of the University of Pennsylvania, Michael Massoglia of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Christopher Uggen of the University of Minnesota said most common psychiatric disorders found among former inmates, including impulse control disorders, emerge in childhood and adolescence and, therefore, predate incarc

Jan. 17, 2013

Vaccinated mothers are safer for fetus: study

A large study concluded that it is safer for pregnant mothers to be vaccinated during pregnancy. According to the journal from scientists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, vaccination during pregnancy reduces the risk of fetal death by 25 percent. 　The study had a sample of 113,331 mothers who had been pregnant between spring 2009 and fall 2010, when the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic was in full swing. The study result shows that there were 492

Jan. 17, 2013

A secret mobile phone for illicit lovers in Japan

An old-fashioned Japanese mobile phone has drawn lasting popularity, thanks to its strong and subtle privacy protection.The online edition of the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the old mobile phone model called “F Series,” produced by Japanese electronics maker Fujitsu, has been favored by male customers in Japan even after smartphones dominated the market.The phone features a special function called “privacy mode,” which allows users to thoroughly protect details of calls and messa

Jan. 17, 2013

Age has no correlation with cancer treatment: study

The effectiveness of cancer treatment depends on the patient’s willingness to survive and physical condition rather than their age, a recent survey showed. Professor Lee Sang-hyub from Seoul National University Bundang Hospital conducted a study on 531 patients diagnosed with biliary tract cancer from 2003 to 2011. The average survival period for 205 patients over 65 and 326 patients under 65 was 15 months and 11 months, respectively. The study, published in Journal of the American Geriatrics So

Jan. 17, 2013

NHN may transform into holding firm: sources

Speculations are rising that NHN, the operator of Naver, may transform into a holding company as it is expected to newly establish a subsidiary taking control of its mobile businesses.The creation of a new company focusing on mobile-related projects will reportedly become the main topic of discussion during its board meeting next month.According to industry sources, the new organization, which will be set up as early as March, will be formed as a subsidiary of NHN. It is also projected to be mad

Jan. 16, 2013

NHN, Kakao set for round two

NHN and Kakao are in full preparation mode to face off against each other, this time in content. The fight was ignited when Kakao began attracting a large user base with its mobile messenger service Kakao Talk.NHN, the operator of the country’s top portal Naver, has since then rolled out its own mobile messenger service called Line, attempting to outperform its rival.Although it has had no luck accomplishing that goal in Korea, Line’s global performance has been good, becoming the top mobile mes

Jan. 16, 2013

Mars rover readies first rock drilling

The Mars rover Curiosity will soon begin to drill into the Red Planet for the first time, mission officials said, ahead of the highly anticipated endeavor.Scientists behind the $2.5 billion mission also explained the nature of the small “Martian flower,” which had caused a lot of buzz online because it was strikingly different from the surrounding rock.Aileen Yingst, of the Planetary Science Institute, said that what could have passed as a flower was in fact a relatively large mineral grain or p

Jan. 16, 2013

Online game ‘ArcheAge’ begins paid service

New online role-playing game “ArcheAge” launched its paid service at 8 a.m. Wednesday, after a two-week free trial period. XLGAMES, developer of the title, launched paid subscriptions for “ArcheAge” earlier last week. According to XLGAMES’s official website, fixed-rates that offer 30-days and 90-days of play time are 19,800 won ($18.74) and 47,500 won ($44.96), respectively. Alternately, players can choose a 30-hour subscription plan which costs 9,900 won ($9.37).XLGAMES has previously presented

Jan. 16, 2013