LifeStyle

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  [Coronavirus] Health officials propose collection of convalescent plasma at hospitals SEOUL -- For the treatment of serious patients infected with a novel coronavirus, South Korean health authorities proposed the periodic collection of convalescent plasma at hospitals after a hospital research team cured two patients with plasma infusion without any severe adverse effects. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said on Wednesday that hospitals would be allowed to collect convalescent plasma from April 14. KCDC Deputy Director Kwon Jun-wook prom 2020-04-08
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  [Coronavirus] Researchers localize life-saving medical equipment SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have developed a crucial and expensive piece of life-saving medical equipment called "ECMO" that provides prolonged cardiac and respiratory support to critical patients. The first home-made equipment was successfully applied to the operation of lung transplantation. Critical patients infected with a novel coronavirus have received treatment with artificial respiration and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which is an extracorpo 2020-04-08
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  [Coronavirus] Plasma infusion contributes to complete cure of two serious patients SEOUL -- Convalescent plasma donated by young people was presented as an additional option to treat serious patients infected with a novel coronavirus, a research team at Yonsei University's Severance Hospital said after two patients were cured without any severe adverse effects. Blood plasma is used to treat a wide variety of medical disorders. Because the effectiveness of blood plasma treatment is not yet well-founded, it is mainly used to treat new infectious diseases, which 2020-04-07
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  [Coronavirus] Virus contagious from second day of asymptomatic infection in animal experiment SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have verified asymptomatic infections in an animal experiment using ferrets. The transmission of a new coronavirus began from the second day of infection, although ferrets showed no clinical symptoms such as high fever. A joint animal experiment was conducted by Chungbuk National University's College of Medicine and the research institute of the National Medical Center, which found that the novel coronavirus was detected in blood and other bodil 2020-04-06
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  [Coronavirus] SK Chemicals provides ciclesonide to medical institutions for clinical research SEOUL -- SK Chemicals, an SK Group unit which produces eco-friendly materials and offers healthcare solutions services, will provide Alvesco, a brand name for ciclesonide used to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis, to 11 medical institutions in South Korea for clinical research to see if it works in treating 141 patients infected with a novel coronavirus. Institut Pasteur Korea, an infectious disease-focused research institute, has said that ciclesonide is the most plausible drug 2020-04-03
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  [Coronavirus] Supercruiser 'Quantum of the Seas' anchors in Busan to receive supplies SEOUL -- "Quantum of the Seas," a supercruise ship which has been on a destinationless voyage in international waters due to a novel coronavirus pandemic, was allowed to make a one-day stop in a terminal at South Korea's southern port of Busan to receive oil, food and daily necessities needed for 1,200 crew members. The 168,666 gross ton (GT) cruise ship operated by Royal Caribbean International, a cruise line brand based in Miami, Florida, anchored in Busan at 7:00 a. 2020-04-03
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  AI-based software for in vitro diagnosis authorized to diagnose prostate cancer SEOUL -- An artificial intelligence-based software for in vitro diagnosis, developed by South Korea's medical device company Deep Bio, won state approval, allowing pathologists to diagnose prostate cancer with precision readings. It is South Korea's first authorized AI-based cancer diagnosis software. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said in a statement on Friday that it has approved DeepDx-Prostate, which analyzes prostate cancer tissue images with software learned with 2020-04-03
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  [Coronavirus] Celltrion goes ino second stage of experiment to find medicine SEOUL -- Celltrion, a South Korean bio firm involved in a project to develop preventive vaccines and medicine for the treatment of patients infected with a new coronavirus, has jumped into the second stage of developing monoclonal antibody treatment by analyzing and evaluating antibodies in the blood of a cured patient. To secure therapeutic antibodies and start clinical trials on patients, Celltrion has secured candidates for antibody treatment for a lab experiment to ensure that 2020-04-02
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  [Coronavirus] Doctors conduct experimental treatment with blood plasma SEOUL -- In an experimental method, a major South Korean hospital has used blood plasma to treat critical patients infected with a novel coronavirus as doctors have yet to find preventive vaccines and medicine for the deadly virus that sparked a global pandemic. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), a state health watchdog, said Wednesday that it would work out guidelines on the safe use of plasma after Yonsei University's Severance Hospital Blood inject 2020-04-01
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  [Coronavirus] S. Korea to lead international standards related to gene amplification method SEOUL -- South Korea will be able to lead the development of international standards related to the gene amplification method used for diagnostic testing devices. A draft international standard has been approved by ISO/TC 212, a technical committee of the International Organization for Standardization. ISO/TC 212 is responsible for standardization and guidance in the field of laboratory medicine and in vitro diagnostic test systems. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in 2020-03-30
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  [Coronavirus] State research body selects two firms for development of vaccine and medicine SEOUL -- The research body of South Korea's state health agency officially selected two major biotech companies, SK Bioscience and Celltrion, as cooperation partners for its project to develop preventive vaccines and medicine for the treatment of patients infected with a new coronavirus. The Korea National Institute of Health said it would support nonclinical and clinical trials when candidate materials with proven efficacy are selected. Celltrion will develop monoclonal anti 2020-03-26
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  [Coronavirus] Survey shows 15% of COVID-19 patients losing sense of smell or taste: Yonhap SEOUL -- About 15 percent of South Korean coronavirus patients said they lost their sense of smell or taste, a survey showed, in a possible indication that loss of smell or taste may be an early sign of virus infection. According to the telephone survey by doctors in the virus-hit city of Daegu, 15.3 percent of 3,191 virus patients, or 488 patients, said they lost their sense of smell or taste. It is not unusual for patients infected with a respiratory virus to have such symptoms. 2020-03-25
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  S.Korea works on standardized performance certification of mobile negative-pressure equipment SEOUL -- South Korea's machinery technology research institute joined hands with private companies to lay down standards for the performance certification of mobile negative-pressure equipment that played a crucial role in examining and treating patients infected with a novel coronavirus. Negative-pressure ventilation is the primary mode of assisted ventilation for patients with acute respiratory failure. COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization will be placed in isolation 2020-03-25
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  [INTERVIEW] Hospital head urges S. Korea to revamp medical and quarantine systems SEOUL -- A global coronavirus pandemic is not temporary, a medical professional warned, urging South Korea to work out a long-term strategy by revamping its medical and quarantine systems and allowing regional hub hospitals to serve as control towers for the efficient treatment of patients infected with a highly contagious virus. South Korea appears to be containing an epidemic relatively earlier than other countries, Myongji Hospital Chairman Lee Wang-jun said in an interview with 2020-03-23
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  [Coronavirus] Researchers develop recyclable mask with nanofiber filter SEOUL -- South Korean researchers have developed a recyclable mask using a nanofiber filter that maintains efficiency even after washing more than 20 times. Mass-production is possible if state approval comes. The nanofiber filter mask was developed by a research team led by Kim Il-doo, a materials science and engineering professor at the state-funded Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST). A nanofiber filter was placed inside a cotton mask. When washed 2020-03-16
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  AmorePacific to attract customers with 3D-printed cosmetic mask packs SEOUL -- South Korea's top beauty product maker AmorePacific has adopted 3D printing to instantly produce tailored skincare facial mask packs that will be available first in April at the company's flagship store in the center of Seoul frequented by foreign tourists. AmorePacific's cosmetic brand, Iope, said in a statement on Monday that its staff would measure the shape of each customer's face using 3D technology and create mask packs with 3D printers. The 3D-pr 2020-03-16
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  Cosmax unveils new sunscreen based on material originating from space station SEOUL -- Cosmax, a cosmetics original development manufacturer in South Korea, has unveiled new sun care cosmetics by applying a bio-microbial material named "Solarbiome" based on a set of strains found in a NASA project to study effects and responses of space light. Reviewing NASA's EXPOSE-E project, a Cosmax research team discovered the strains called Bacillus sp. and Deinococcus sp that survived on the surface of a space station and in ultraviolet, radiation and h 2020-03-16
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  [FOCUS] Coronavirus epidemic provides chance to test telemedicine in connected society SEOUL -- Telehealth is still in the experimental stage, but a new coronavirus epidemic has created a rare opportunity for doctors to test it in a country well-known for an advanced medical system and an ultra-fast mobile telecom network that opened a connected society. In Mungyeong, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Seoul, a training institute run by Seoul National University (SNU) Hospital, one of South Korea's oldest and biggest hospitals, was turned into a tempor 2020-03-13
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  S. Korean firms develop eco-friendly 'wood plastic' cosmetic container SEOUL -- In line with a global campaign to reduce plastic waste and promote the use of bioplastics, Peripera, a makeup brand in South Korea, has unveiled an eco-friendly cosmetic case for its popular shadow palette consisting of eight daily colors. This is the first use of "wood plastic" to develop a cosmetic container in South Korea. Peripera said on Friday that the wood-plastic cosmetic container was the result of cooperation with SK Chemical and Daedong I&C, the pro 2020-03-06
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  KT&G forges partnership with Philip Morris to make foray into global heat-not-burn product device market SEOUL -- KT&G, a state-owned tobacco company in South Korea, forged a partnership with Philip Morris International, a global tobacco company, to release "Lil," a heat-not-burn product device brand, in the global market by the end of this year. KT&G said in a statement on Wednesday that it signed a three-year deal with Philip Morris International (PMI) to release four Lil models in about countries. KT&G and PMI are the two leading companies in South Korea' 2020-01-29