Today

WiBro is a hot topic in Korea these days. In less than three months after the commercial launch of WiBro in April, Korea Telecom has accumulated 20,000 WiBro subscribers, raking in 6.3 billion won of revenues in Q2 2007. In July, KT disclosed that 300–400 new subscribers were being added each day and was expecting 10,000 more subscribers in July than in June. KT attributes the recent growth to several factors: the resolution of certain coverage problems, the increased service use by teenagers during summer vacation, the introduction of a WiBro USB modem for laptop users, and the strengthening of its online and offline sales networks.

Short-term Forecast

KT expects growth to continue, saying that service bundling of broadband internet and the HSDPA service of KTF (KT’s affiliate and the nation’s No. 2 mobile operator) will affect sales positively. KT also expects laptop rental services and the joint marketing campaign with Daewoo Securities to contribute to this growth.

KT is sticking to its end-of-2007 target of 200,000 WiBro subscribers. To meet this, KT will have to sign up 176,000 subscribers in five months. That’s an average of 35,200 subscribers per month or 1,173 subscribers per day.

Long-term Forecast

A recent study conducted by IDC Korea predicts that WiBro users will rise from about 130,000 in 2007 to 600,000 in 2008, 1.4 million in 2009, and 3.9 million in 2011. However, if the market is boosted by various killer applications and devices, the figures will be as high as 800,000 for 2008 and 5 million for 2011, said the report. It also said that KT will establish its WiBro version 2 network, supporting upload at 8 Mbps and download at 34.6 Mbps, which in turn may prompt a race with HSUPA (the expected replacement of HSDPA), which promises a maximum speed of 5.76 Mbps.

WiBro Subscriber Profile

KT recently reported that 60% of WiBro subscribers are professionals in their 30s and 40s, while 25% are college students in their 20s. The company noted that customers are happy with WiBro’s speed, access, and price, but are dissatisfied with devices’ pricing and availability. KT is responding by subsidizing laptop purchasers with 90,000–240,000 won and WiBro-phone or USB-modem buyers with 150,000 won.

WiBro Interoperability

WiBro awaits the ITU’s decision on the 3G global standard. Following the 22nd Meeting of ITU-R Working Party 8F held in May in Kyoto, Japan, it was proposed to include IP-OFDMA (Mobile-WiMAX/WiBro) in the existing IMT-2000 standard for approval. The final decision will be made at the meeting of SG8.

The Korean ministry expects the inclusion of IP-OFDMA in IMT-2000 to boost the use of WiBro and enhance Korea’s leadership in next-generation mobile technology.

The ministry also said that the ITU World Radio Communication Conference 2007 (WRC-07) in October will fix the 4G frequency allocation. The global standard for IMT-Advanced will be selected by the end of 2010 among candidate technologies proposed by member countries by July 2009.

Also, the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) said that it held working group meetings of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.21 on standardization of seamless mobile service over June 13–15 in Korea. The meeting was attended by standardization organizations and major players in the industry from the U.S., Japan, Canada, and Singapore to finalize the first draft specification for Media Independent Handover (MIH) protocols and seamless handover scenario, said the ETRI.

The IEEE 802.21 working group currently is conducting standardization of the MIH to ensure seamless mobile services between cellular, WiFi, and WiBro networks.

The ETRI said, “The meeting was held at a critical juncture before the sponsor ballot in July 2007. Participants gave the final touch to the MIH during the meeting.”

Conclusion

WiBro is now a subset of the broader WiMAX standard. The chance for international acceptance depends on success of WiMAX in gaining further regulatory mandates including IMT-2000 and IMT-Advanced and on continued building of commercial momentum. As a stand-alone effort, WiBro has been disappointing in the number of subscribers. This is likely to improve once WiMAX-certified products are available and global roaming becomes meaningful.

Like WiMAX, WiBro can leverage 3G market momentum through multi-mode device availability and roaming capabilities and through agreements with 3G cellular. WiBro can also leverage the success of WiFi, but the longer-term advantage comes from the single wide-area connection that WiMAX/WiBro provides.
 

By Julien Regoli, Vice - President Operations - Maravedis

Myth or fact: If a couple is having trouble conceiving a child, the man should try wearing loose underwear? That’s a fact, according to a study on “Tight-fitting Underwear and Sperm Quality” published June 29, 1996, in the scientific journal The Lancet. Tight-fitting underwear–as well as hot tubs and saunas–is not recommended for men trying to father a child because it may raise testes temperature to a point where it interferes with sperm production.

But couples having difficulty getting pregnant can tell you the solution is almost never as simple as wearing boxers instead of briefs. Lisa (who asked that her last name not be used) tried for more than two years to get pregnant without success. “Everyone gave me advice,” she says. “My mother said I should just go to church and pray more. My friends said, ‘Try to relax and not think about it’ or ‘You’re just overstressed. You work too much.’”

Actually, psychological stress is more likely a result of infertility than the cause, according to Resolve, a nonprofit consumer organization specializing in infertility.

“Fertility problems are a huge psychological stressor, a huge relationship stressor,” says Lisa Rarick, M.D., director of the Food and Drug Administration’s division of reproductive and urologic drug products.

So, while going on a relaxing vacation may temporarily relieve the stress that comes with fertility problems, a solution may require treatment by a health-care professional. Treatment with drugs such as Clomid or Serophene (both clomiphene citrate) or Pergonal, Humegon, Metrodin, or Fertinex (all menotropins) are used in some cases to correct a woman’s hormone imbalance. (See “Drug Supply Restored.”) Surgery is sometimes used to repair damaged reproductive organs. And in about 10 percent of cases, less conventional, high-tech options like in vitro fertilization are used.

Will the therapies work? “Talking about the success rate for fertility treatments is like saying, ‘What’s the chance of curing a headache?’” according to Benjamin Younger, M.D., executive director of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. “It depends on many things, including the cause of the problem and the severity.” Overall, Younger says, about half of couples that seek fertility treatment will be able to have babies.

A Year Without Pregnancy

Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a child despite trying for one year. The condition affects about 5.3 million Americans, or 9 percent of the reproductive age population, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine..

Ironically, the best protection against infertility is to use a condom while you are not trying to get pregnant. Condoms prevent sexually transmitted diseases, a primary cause of infertility.

Even a completely healthy couple can’t expect to get pregnant at the drop of a hat. Only 20 percent of women who want to conceive become pregnant in the first ovulation cycle they try, according to Younger.

To become pregnant, a couple must have intercourse during the woman’s fertile time of the month, which is right before and during ovulation. Because it’s tough to pinpoint the exact day of ovulation, having intercourse often during the approximate time maximizes the chances of conception.

After a year of frequent intercourse without contraception that doesn’t result in pregnancy, a couple should go to a health-care professional for an evaluation. In some cases, it makes sense to seek help for fertility problems even before a year is up.

A woman over 30 may wish to get an earlier evaluation. “At age 30, a woman begins a slow decline in her ability to get pregnant,” says Younger. “The older she gets, the greater her chance of miscarriage, too.” But a woman’s fertility doesn’t take a big drop until around age 40.

“A man’s age affects fertility to a much smaller degree and 20 or 30 years later than in a woman,” Younger says. Despite a decrease in sperm production that begins after age 25, some men remain fertile into their 60s and 70s.

A couple may also seek earlier evaluation if:

• The woman isn’t menstruating regularly, which may indicate an absence of ovulation that would make it impossible for her to conceive without medical help.
• The woman has had three or more miscarriages (or the man had a previous partner who had had three or more miscarriages).
• The woman or man has had certain infections that sometimes affect fertility (for example, pelvic infection in a woman, or mumps or
  prostate infection in a man).
• The woman or man suspects there may be a fertility problem (if, for example, attempts at pregnancy failed in a previous relationship).

The Man or the Woman?

Impairment in any step of the intricate process of conception can cause infertility. For a woman to become pregnant, her partner’s sperm must be healthy so that at least one can swim into her fallopian tubes. An egg, released by the woman’s ovaries, must be in the fallopian tube ready to be fertilized. Next, the fertilized egg, called an embryo, must make its way through an open-ended fallopian tube into the uterus, implant in the uterine lining, and be sustained there while it grows. (See diagram.)

It is a myth that infertility is always a “woman’s problem.” Of the 80 percent of cases with a diagnosed cause, about half are based at least partially on male problems (referred to as male factors)–usually that the man produces no sperm, a condition called azoospermia, or that he produces too few sperm, called oligospermia.

Lifestyle can influence the number and quality of a man’s sperm. Alcohol and drugs–including marijuana, nicotine, and certain medications–can temporarily reduce sperm quality. Also, environmental toxins, including pesticides and lead, may be to blame for some cases of infertility.

The causes of sperm production problems can exist from birth or develop later as a result of severe medical illnesses, including mumps and some sexually transmitted diseases, or from a severe testicle injury, tumor, or other problem. Inability to ejaculate normally can prevent conception, too, and can be caused by many factors, including diabetes, surgery of the prostate gland or urethra, blood pressure medication, or impotence.

The other half of explained infertility cases are linked to female problems (called female factors), most commonly ovulation disorders. Without ovulation, eggs are not available for fertilization. Problems with ovulation are signaled by irregular menstrual periods or a lack of periods altogether (called amenorrhea). Simple lifestyle factors–including stress, diet, or athletic training–can affect a woman’s hormonal balance. Much less often, a hormonal imbalance can result from a serious medical problem such as a pituitary gland tumor.

Other problems can also lead to female infertility. If the fallopian tubes are blocked at one or both ends, the egg can’t travel through the tubes into the uterus. Such blockage may result from pelvic inflammatory disease, surgery for an ectopic pregnancy (when the embryo implants in the fallopian tube rather than in the uterus), or other problems, including endometriosis (the abnormal presence of uterine lining cells in other pelvic organs).

A medical evaluation may determine whether a couple’s infertility is due to these or other causes. If a medical and sexual history doesn’t reveal an obvious problem, like improperly timed intercourse or absence of ovulation, specific tests may be needed.

Tests for Both

The man’s evaluation focuses on the number and health of his sperm. The laboratory first examines a sperm sample under a microscope to check sperm number, shape and movement. Further tests may be needed to look for infection, hormonal imbalance, or other problems.

Male tests include:

• X-ray: If damage to one or both of the vas deferens (the ducts in the male that transport the sperm to the penis)is known or suspected, an x-ray is taken to examine the organs.
• Mucus penetrance test: Test of whether the man’s sperm are able to swim through a drop of the woman’s fertile vaginal mucus on a slide (also used to test the quality of the woman’s mucus).
• Hamster-egg penetrance assay: Test of whether the man’s sperm will penetrate hamster egg cells with their outer cells removed, indicating somewhat their ability to fertilize human eggs.

For the woman, the first step in testing is to determine if she is ovulating each month. This can be done by charting changes in morning body temperature, by using an FDA-approved home ovulation test kit (which is available over the counter), or by examining cervical mucus, which undergoes a series of hormone-induced changes throughout the menstrual cycle.Checks of ovulation can also be done in the physician’s office with simple blood tests for hormone levels or ultrasound tests of the ovaries. If the woman is ovulating, further testing will need to be done.

Common female tests include:

• Hysterosalpingogram: An x-ray of the fallopian tubes and uterus after they are injected with dye, to show if the tubes are open and to show the shape of the uterus.
• Laparoscopy: An examination of the tubes and other female organs for disease, using a miniature light-transmitting tube called a laparoscope. The tube is inserted into the abdomen through a one-inch incision below the navel, usually while the woman is under general anesthesia.
• Endometrial biopsy: An examination of a small shred of uterine lining to see if the monthly changes in the lining are normal.

Some tests require participation of both partners. Samples of cervical mucus taken after intercourse can show whether sperm and mucus have properly interacted. Also, a variety of tests can show if the man or woman is forming antibodies that are attacking the sperm.

Drugs and Surgery

Depending on what the tests turn up, different treatments are recommended. Eighty to 90 percent of infertility cases are treated with drugs or surgery.

Therapy with the fertility drug Clomid or with a more potent hormone stimulator–Pergonal, Metrodin, Humegon, or Fertinex–is often recommended for women with ovulation problems. The benefits of each drug and the side effects, which can be minor or serious but rare, should be discussed with the doctor. Multiple births occur in 10 to 20 percent of births resulting from fertility drug use.

Other drugs, used under very limited circumstances, include Parlodel (bromocriptine mesylate), for women with elevated levels of a hormone called prolactin, and a hormone pump that releases gonadotropins necessary for ovulation.

If drugs aren’t the answer, surgery may be. Because major surgery is involved, operations to repair damage to the woman’s ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus are recommended only if there is a good chance of restoring fertility.

In the man, one infertility problem often treated surgically is damage to the vas deferens, commonly caused by a sexually transmitted disease, other infection, or vasectomy (male sterilization).

Other important tools in the battle against infertility include artificial insemination and the so-called assisted reproductive technologies. (See “Science and Art.”)

Fulfillment Regardless

Lisa became pregnant without assisted reproductive technologies, after taking ovulation-promoting medication and undergoing surgery to repair her damaged fallopian tubes. Her daughter is now 4 years old.

“It was definitely worth it. I really appreciate having my daughter because of what I went through,” she says. But Lisa and her husband won’t try to have a second child just yet. “At some point you have to stop trying to have a baby, stop obsessing over what might be an unreachable goal,” she says.

When having a genetically related baby seems unachievable, a couple may decide to stop treatment and proceed with the rest of their lives. Some may choose to lead an enriched life without children. Others may choose to adopt.

And no, according to Resolve, you’re not more likely to get pregnant if you adopt a baby.

by Tamar Nordenberg 

locateadoc.com

Choosing LASIK surgery for vision correction is not the same as it was 10 or 12 years ago.  In 1994, when Baltimore ophthalmologist Anthony Kameen had LASIK surgery to correct nearsightedness and astigmatism, his options were not very extensive: a small mechanical blade, called a microkeratome, created a flap on his cornea, after which a conventional excimer laser was used to reshape the tissue underneath so that the cornea would be able to focus light directly on the retina, as it would in a normal eye.  That was, in a nutshell, the only way LASIK was performed then.  Now, of course, the technology is much more advanced including smoother and more precise lasers, allowing patients to achieve better vision than ever possible before.  The newest technological addition to Dr. Kameen’s refractive surgery office is a machine called IntraLase, which allows patients to avoid operation via a metal blade, using a special laser that is used only for the purpose of flap creation.

IntraLase in Practice

Touted as “all-laser” LASIK, the most significant claim of the IntraLase machine is that it can greatly reduce the risk of flap complications associated with microkeratome created flaps.  When a microkeratome is used, there is the possibility that a flap will be cut too thin, will tear, or will not cut completely.  With IntraLase these possibilities are negated.  Dr. Trevor Woodhams has used the IntraLase system in his Atlanta office for the past two years and reports very few major complications, and a re-operation rate similar to that with a microkeratome, about 5%.  Dr. Kameen reports even better results during his year of use.  In fact he has only needed to do “touch-ups” on 6 of his approximately 960 procedures, compared to an 8-9% rate with the mechanical device.  Of this statistic he says, “I personally didn’t believe it.  I thought it was just marketing hype.  I am a believer now.”

However, this does not mean that it will eliminate flap problems, in fact flap wrinkles and other related problems are still possible, though less likely, with the IntraLase laser.  Proponents of the IntraLase created flap, such as Dr. Woodhams and Dr. Kameen, use the system for the majority of their LASIK patients, claiming that they can achieve better visual acuity while cutting down on the occurrence of major complications.  Detractors say that there is no clinically substantial evidence that better vision is possible or that such risks are significantly reduced, while surgery takes longer and additional complications are introduced.

How IntraLase Works

During flap creation, the IntraLase laser beam places a series of small bubbles inside the cornea, removing corneal tissue, and allowing the flap to be dislodged and exposing the cornea.  Because the surgeon can determine the depth and diameter of the flap, the result is a more precise and usually smoother cut.  With the laser, surgeons have better control, and even have the ability to make adjustments after beginning the cut.  While using IntraLase on one of his patients, Dr. Kameen realized halfway through that the flap wasn’t centered correctly so he stopped, re-centered, then continued the cut.  This would not have been possible if he were using a mechanical blade.  In addition, many practitioners say that they can achieve better vision with IntraLase.  Dr. Woodhams says that recently about 94% of his patients are achieving 20/20 vision and all reach 20/30, though studies, he says, are ongoing.

The Learning Curve

The biggest knock against IntraLase is that it has an unacceptably high rate of late occurring photophobia (abnormal sensitivity to light).  Dr. Woodhams noticed this trend, and even stopped using the machine in his office for two months.  IntraLase made adjustments, introduced a new laser, and Dr. Woodhams began using the system again in August 2004 without the problems of photofobia.  He says, “I have been impressed with the way the company has been responsive to user complaints.”

As with any device, there is also the learning curve factor.  Dr. Kameen had a short period during which the machine in his office had energy settings that were too high.  While he emphasizes that no one was hurt as a result of this miscalculation, there were instances of post-operative inflammation and additional patient discomfort.  Dr. Woodhams agrees that learning to get the energy set correctly is an issue for beginners.  He also says that the more you use it, the more you develop a softer touch, better accuracy, and even achieve better visual acuity for patients.

Supplemental Differences

Of course, not everyone agrees with Dr. Woodhams and Dr. Kameen’s findings.  In a report published as a supplement to the November/December 2004 issue of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today, studies showed that there were no significant differences in visual acuity and instances of higher order aberrations between eyes with IntraLase created flaps and eyes with flaps created by the Hansatome microkeratome manufactured by Bausch & Lomb.  In addition to not offering any statistically better outcomes, the report showed that IntraLase introduced its own possible complications including photophobia, inflammation, and a less-than-smooth stromal bed (the part of the cornea exposed after flap creation).  As mentioned above, however, some doctors believe that the risk of these complications can be avoided after significant experience and setting changes.  The additional negatives sighted by the report included a higher cost that is passed along to the patient at the price of about $250 per eye and a longer operating time. 

In contrast to this report, however, there have been several other findings suggesting that the IntraLase system does offer better vision along with lower instances of complications.  One, in fact, was published as the March 2004 supplement to Cataract and Refractive Surgery Today by Dr. Daniel Durrie, in which he stated, “the INTRALASE FS laser was at least equal to or better than the Hansatome in every category.  I consider these results impressive across the board.”

A Case by Case Basis

Looking solely at report statistics, however, will probably not determine what option will offer the most benefits to a given patient.  IntraLase flap creation offers more potential benefits for specific patients, while for others it may not even be a good option at all.  For this reason, patients may be better served trying to answer the question “is IntraLase a better option for me” rather than, “is IntraLase better than a microkeratome?”

For patients who have had RK (radial keratotomy), a surgical refractive surgery, in the past, IntraLase cannot be used (other vision correction surgeries could make the use of laser flap creation undesirable as well).  In addition, patients needing only minor correction, especially patients with only mild myopia, or nearsightedness, may not necessarily find the benefits that IntraLase can offer them any greater than what a microkeratome can, and may view the extra money and longer surgical time as unnecessary.

On the other hand, Dr. Kameen will use only IntraLase on patients with any amount of hyperopia, farsightedness, never a microkeratome.  Because IntraLase offers better control and more flap precision, the flap is wider and is removed in a more symmetrical shape.  When hyperopia is corrected with LASIK, it is the periphery of the cornea that is treated, and the wider flap that IntraLase provides offers the possibility of better surgical correction.  In addition, IntraLase makes LASIK available to patients for whom it would not have been a good option before.  These types of patients include ones with high myopia or thin corneas.  Again, because flap creation can be tailored to meet the specifications of an eye individually, creating laser flaps in these patients can greatly reduce the risks and offer better possible vision.

IntraLase and Custom LASIK

IntraLase also seems to offer greater advantages when it is combined with wavefront-guided lasers, in which a specialized computer maps specific corrections for each individual eye.  In studies in which wavefront lasers were used, often referred to as custom LASIK, instead of the older technology of conventional LASIK, the visual results achieved with IntraLase are substantially better than those achieved with a microkeratome using the same technology.  The anecdotal information reported by Dr. Woodhams and Dr. Kameen, both of whom use wavefront LASIK almost exclusively, corroborate the results of such studies. 

IntraLase has been FDA approved since 2001 and has been used in the treatment of more than 250,000 eyes. Through the years the technology has been adjusted and doctors have honed their technique, and, in many instances, patients are reaping the benifits of LASIK without the blade.   

locateadoc.com

If you have a computer and live in the city then you have seen people
sitting in café’s searching the internet on their own computers all over
town. You might be thinking to yourself, I don’t see any wires
connected to their computer, how can they be connected to the internet? Wifi
is the answer.

Wifi is a relatively new technology that enables a person with a
computer (usually laptop) with a Wifi card to send and receive information
through the air. Most Wifi cards can send and receive signals within a
short distance of less than 100 feet, but that is usually enough for
patrons to enjoy their coffee and check their email at the same time.

There is new technology that will be out shortly that drastically
expands the reach of the Wifi signal to more than half a mile. This can
help bring more people onto the internet without the expense of laying
heavy infrastructure underground.

Many smaller to mid size cities are now planning on adding Wifi
throughout the entire city. Just recently Philadelphia has made a deal with a
telecommunications company to cover the whole city with Wifi signals.
Other cities such as San Francisco are looking to cover their entire
city with Wifi signals as well.

Jay is the web owner of http://www.dsl-in.com DSL, a website that provides information and resources on DSL, DSL Service, and DSL Service Providers. You can also visit his website at: http://www.dsl-service.us DSL Service

Jason Bauder