Diabetes and family history

Diabetes is not a single disease, but a group of heterogeneous diseases characterized by high blood glucose levels.There are various forms of diabetes, and the family history and its association differ for each type. Diabetes can generally be divided into types 1 and 2. Type 1 diabetes is caused by an absolute deficiency of insulin in the body, and requires insulin treatment. Type 2 diabetes has various causes, including insulin resistance, insulin secretory dysfunction, and increased gluconeoge

June 13, 2013

Saving lives by market intervention

Market intervention to reduce drug prices is making a crucial contribution to defeating deadly diseases, a senior official from the World Health Organization said.UNITAID, a small organization based within the United Nations’ health arm, funds market intervention to incentivize pharmaceutical companies to produce new drugs at reduced prices for poor countries. “We don’t spend money to buy the products. We put this money into changing how the markets work so that markets work for the advantage of

June 13, 2013

Bosch confident of continued success in electric vehicle era

BOXBERG, Germany ― For Bosch, it was like a divorce. “Bosch and Samsung SDI had different mid- and long-term strategic objectives. So we decided to divide the joint venture,” said Bernd Bohr, chairman of Bosch’s automotive group. Bosch is the world’s largest auto parts supplier in terms of sales. “The cell business goes to Samsung, while battery pack and management goes to Bosch. We are still in a kind of cooperation,” he added at a press conference here.  Bosch realized Samsung had approached i

June 13, 2013

Galaxy S4 can’t lose: market consensus

The Galaxy S4, the latest in line from the world’s largest smartphone maker Samsung Electronics, is at the center of a controversy over whether or not its sales will slow due to rumors and several unfavorable brokerage reports. But concerns of slowing sales seem to be far amiss from what is actually happening in markets all over the globe. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 has been selling briskly in markets all over except for Korea, where the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 are still going strong. In the U.

June 13, 2013

Computer mouse delivers sensory info to users

South Korean researchers have developed a computer mouse that generates a sense of touch in cyberspace, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning said on WednesdayThe Center for Mass and Related Quantities in the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science has developed the world’s first computer mouse that delivers touch information to users.The device allows users to feel coldness and the choppiness of a river on the screen by touching the pad attached to the mouse when they move

June 13, 2013

SK Hynix removes patent uncertainties

SK Hynix, the world’s No. 2 chip supplier, on Wednesday said it has signed a cross-license deal with Rambus to put an end to a decade-long patent infringement lawsuit with the U.S.-based high-speed memory-chip designer.Under the deal, the local chipmaker will pay up to $240 million to Rambus over the course of the next five years for access its entire category of semiconductor technology, the Seoul-based company said. It stressed that the deal, which came ahead of an official court ruling in the

June 12, 2013

[Newsmaker] Cook strives to keep Apple innovative

U.S.-based tech giant Apple on Monday revealed its much-anticipated new mobile operating system, hinting that its innovative prowess had not died with its cofounder Steve Jobs.“IOS 7 is the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of iPhone,” the company’s CEO Tim Cook said at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.Throughout the presentation, Cook repeatedly stressed the word “innovation,” as if to state that his company is still capable of producing groundbreaking produ

June 11, 2013

KT commits W3tr for creative economy

KT Corp., the nation’s leading mobile carrier, on Tuesday pledged to spend 3 trillion won ($2.6 billion) on the nation’s information, communication and technology industry for network advancement and to create up to 25,000 new jobs. “Our goal is to become a first-rate ICT firm recognized by our global peers and be known as a firm capable of leading both the industry and our rivals,” said KT chairman Lee Suk-chae on Tuesday at a press conference.He declined to elaborate, but signaled that there w

June 11, 2013

SK Hynix develops new DRAM

SK Hynix, the world’s No. 2 chipmaker, on Monday said it planned to mass produce 8-gigabit LPDDR3 mobile DRAM chips as early as the end of this year.Developed as the world’s first 8-gigabit product in its class, the LPDDR3 was created by applying 20-nanometer-class technology, and is more advanced than the 4-gigabit LPDDR3 being produced by Samsung Electronics.SK Hynix’s newest product features high density, high speed and low power consumption, which together make for an ideal memory product, c

June 10, 2013

Samsung’s R5 research lab rolls into action

SUWON, Gyeonggi Province ― “For continued growth, we must aspire to become a creative company capable of leading change. Erecting our R5 institute was one such chance for precipitating the change and advancement required for becoming a truly creative company,” said Shin Jong-kyun, Samsung Electronics mobile unit chief.His speech was on the day Samsung held a ceremony for marking the move into Samsung’s newest mobile research institute, the R5, in Suwon, home to the world’s largest consumer elect

June 10, 2013

Korea pressures telecom CEOs to support economic aims

The chief executives of the nation’s three mobile carriers ― KT Corp., SK Telecom and LG Uplus ― on Monday met with Choi Mun-kee, the minister of Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning, where they reiterated their earlier pledges to slash subscription fees and to act as key players in the creative economy drive. The subscription fee cut is not new, and is a part of a bigger blueprint for phasing in a complete exemption of the fees by 2015.  More notable was Choi’s subtle but direct request

June 10, 2013

What are colonic polyps?

Polyps are lumps (tumors) that protrude from the lining of the colon. They can be categorized into adenomas or hyperplastic polyps. Hyperplastic polyps are generally not associated with colon cancer, and are not causes of concern. The concerning type of polyps are adenomas, which are benign tumors that can become malignant with time and hence become colon cancer.The risk of adenomas depends on the microscopic histology and the size of the polyp. Polyps that are smaller than 1 centimeter have a 1

June 6, 2013

Job stress blamed for rise in young bipolar patients

Bipolar disorder is increasingly affecting Korean youths struggling with job-related stress, with patients among workers in their 20s surging 10 percent annually in recent years, study showed. The number of people treated for the mood disorder grew 26.1 percent from 46,000 in 2007 to 58,000 in 2011, according to a report released by the National Health Insurance Service. Over the same period, medical expenses related to psychosomatic illness increased from 55 billion won ($48.6 million) to 77 bi

June 6, 2013

Voddler sees opportunities in Korea

Voddler is not a name too familiar to the Korean ear, but the Swedish company soon expects to entice device manufacturers and film studios here who see great business opportunities in it. Voddler’s president and CEO, Marcus Bcklund, indicated that he is aware of such growing interest from Asia, which is why he is on the lookout for new partners.Voddler is one of Europe’s top services for film and TV streaming that’s both cheap ― for consumers ― and shareable.  In an interview with The Korea Hera

June 5, 2013

Samsung keeps mum over U.S. ruling against Apple

 Samsung Electronics on Wednesday maintained its silence over a favorable ruling from the U.S. trade agency banning the sale of several iPhone and iPad models for infringing a Samsung patent. The ruling was deemed as symbolic more than anything else, as if upheld, it would be an indication that some of Apple’s technology had been copied from its top rival, Samsung.The Korean company is currently the world’s largest maker of smartphones in a recent reverse of rankings, with Apple next in line. Sa

June 5, 2013