Young age at first drink can turn under-15s into alcoholics

Washington, Sept 19 (ANI): Drinking at young age may affect genes linked to alcoholism and make youngsters vulnerable to severe problems, says a new study.

The study led by Dr Arpana Agrawal, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, revealed that the younger an individual was at first drink, the greater the risk for alcohol dependence and the more prominent the role played by genetic factors.

“There seemed to be a greater genetic influence in those who took their first full drink at a younger age,” said Agrawal.

“That’s very consistent with what has been predicted in the literature and in the classification of types of alcohol dependence, but we present a unique test of the hypothesis,” she added.

During the study, the researchers studied 6,257 adult twins from Australia and measured the extent to which age at first drink changed the role of heritable influences on symptoms of alcohol dependence.

The study showed that when twins started drinking early, genetic factors contributed greatly to risk for alcohol dependence, at rates as high as 90 percent in the youngest drinkers.

The team also found that those who were 15 or younger when they started drinking tended to have a greater genetic risk for alcohol dependence.

However, some who were 16 or older before they took their first drink later became alcohol dependent, but their dependence was related more to environmental factors.

“Something about starting to drink at an early age puts young people at risk for later problems associated with drinking,” Agrawal says.

“We continue to investigate the mechanisms, but encouraging youth to delay their drinking debut may help.

“Some early-onset drinkers do not develop alcohol problems and some late-onset drinkers do – we are working on why that is the case, but it is important to note that this is one risk factor among many and does not determine whether a person will, or will not, develop alcohol dependence.

“But age at first drink is a well-known risk factor, and there have been two main hypotheses about why:

One has been that common genetic and environmental factors contribute both to the risk for alcohol dependence and to the likelihood a person will be younger when consuming their first drink,” she added.

The study will be published Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. (ANI)

‘Zero tolerance’ policy has zero effect

Washington, Sep 17 (ANI): Amid an ongoing debate about changing the drinking age from 21 to 18 in the US, a Sam Houston State University economist has raised voice against a related law- the “zero tolerance” policy.

Darren Grant studied data from 30,000 fatalities in nighttime accidents involving drivers under 21, and concluded that zero tolerance laws have zero effect.

“Both in terms of the number of accidents and the blood alcohol of the drivers in those accidents, the research consistently showed that zero tolerance laws had no effect. Other factors matter, but not these laws,” said Grant.

Zero tolerance laws became prevalent during the 1990s, when the US Congress threatened to withhold highway funding from states that didn’t comply.

Grant has now said that the logic behind zero tolerance laws is suspect.

“The idea was, since drivers under 21 are not supposed to be drinking, you should be guilty of drunk driving if you are caught driving with any amount of alcohol in your system,” said Grant.

“Because you must sacrifice more to comply with the law, we should expect some people will just give up trying to satisfy the law and drink more,” he added.

But he found that this did not happen.

“Instead, among drivers involved in traffic accidents, there is the same fraction of heavy drinkers, the same fraction of mild drinkers, the same fraction of nondrinkers. It’s just not changing,” he said.

Grant also compared the blood alcohol distributions of involved drivers in the two years before zero tolerance laws were established in each state, and again in the two years after.

It was found that the two distributions were also virtually identical.

“That’s a sign that this law is essentially inert; if it’s affecting the amount of drinking that people do, these distributions should look different,” he said.

The study has been published in the journal Economic Inquiry. (ANI)

Polish vodka, Cuban cigars and Uma Thurman for Warne’s 40th birthday

Melbourne, Sep 10 (ANI): Australian spin legend Shane Warne will celebrate his 40th birthday with 200 mates, a bottle of Polish vodka, a Cuban cigar – and possibly Hollywood actress Uma Thurman.

Warne turns 40 on Sunday.

Speculation mounted on Wednesday that the Hollywood superstar of Kill Bill fame will join the 200-strong invitation list including Sam Newman, Garry Lyon, Eddie McGuire, Jeff Fenech, poker ace Jo Hachem and a host of business leaders and media chiefs.

Ex-wife Simone Callahan will also be there in the latest sign their roller coaster romance is back on track.

Cricket legends Allan Border and Ian Chappell have been invited, but Steve Waugh and Adam Gilchrist are not on the list.

Best mate Aaron Hamill, who played for Warne’s beloved Saints, will lead the AFL contingent.

Warne has booked a ritzy Chapel St cocktail lounge for tomorrow night’s bumper bash. And the party is tipped to extend well into the early hours of Saturday morning thanks to a 7 a.m. liquor licence, the Daily Telegraph reports.

It is believed Warne’s only request to venue management was for a regular flow of his preferred drink of choice – “Belevedere vodka and Red Bull”-and somewhere to enjoy a celebratory smoke.

On offer are 1500 dollars bottles of French champagne and a range of pricey seafood and Asian dishes, but no baked beans or pizza. (ANI)

Scientists develop robotic hand that ‘restores sense of touch’

London, Sept 10 (ANI): The first robotic hand to give amputees a sense of touch has been created by Swedish scientists.

When pressed against an object the 40 sensors in the Smarthand get activated. It also has four motors, which move the thumb and fingers.

They stimulate nerves in the arm to activate the appropriate part of the brain. This allows patients to feel objects they are holding, reports Sky News.

“It’s a feeling I have not had in a long time,” said Robin af Ekenstam, the first amputee to try the hand.

“When I grab something tightly I can feel it in the fingertips. It’s strange since I don’t have them any more! It’s amazing,” he added.

The motors are connected to nerves in the arm that once moved Robin’s real digits. Thanks to the “hand”, he’s able to pick up a plastic water bottle, without crushing it, and pour himself a drink.

Professor Goran Lundborg, a surgeon at Malmo University Hospital, said the artificial hand was a significant advance.

“If you find the right spot the correct areas of the brain cortex will be activated. If you put pressure on the index finger of the artificial hand then the index finger area of the brain will be activated,” he said.

The research is funded by the European Commission. (ANI)

Pak Qaeda hand in 2006 trans-Atlantic bomb plot revealed

London, Sep.8 (ANI): New evidence put before a British jury during a retrial of three Brit Muslim convicts suggests that the men used code words to discuss their plans with an al-Qaeda fixer based in Pakistan.

The e-mails and conversations suggest that the plot was in its final stages, possibly days away from execution in 2006.

The seven daily flights highlighted by the three plotters were: 14.15 United Airlines Flight 931 to San Francisco; 15.00 Air Canada Flight 849 to Toronto; 15.15 Air Canada Flight 865 to Montreal; 15.40 United Airlines Flight 959 to Chicago; 16.20 United Airlines Flight 925 to Washington; 16.35 American Airlines Flight 131 to New York; 16.50 American Airlines Flight 91 to Chicago.

According to The Telegraph and the Daily Express, the batteries the gang planned to use as part of their detonators were bought in Pakistan.

An ingredient in the bomb mix was the orange soft drink Tang – sold in Pakistan – which had a high sugar content to aid the explosion.

A British intelligence source said: “The use of drink bottles sold in Pakistan and batteries sold in Pakistan underline the plot’s ties to that country. The foot soldiers were from Britain – but the organisers were in Pakistan.”

A security source said of the conspiracy: “It was very clever and the airport scanners would not have picked up the devices at all.”

Prosecutor Peter Wright told the Woolwich Crown Court in South East London how the would-be bombers were “a cell of home-grown terrorists activated and directed by a designated leader in Pakistan.”

That was confirmed by a government source in Pakistan, who said the plot was believed to have originated “with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.”

Seized e-mails showed the chain of terror stretched from there, across the lawless border to Pakistan, to London and to the woods of High Wycombe where explosives were buried.

The aim was to mirror the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, which killed 259 passengers and 11 in the Scottish town.

Aliases exposed during the trial revealed the terror kingpin in Pakistan was dubbed “Paps” or “Papa”.

Ali called himself Imran and Chacha and also set up email accounts in the bogus names Tippu Khan and Jameel Masood.

His co-conspirators used aliases such as Fatty, Arro and Nigga.

Hydrogen peroxide was known as “aftershave”, police surveillance as “skin problems” and martyrdom videos were referred to as “wedding tapes”.

It is also thought that the bomb makers received training at an al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan.

A mystery Pakistani, thought to be a top al-Qaeda envoy, made contact with the three would-be suicide bombers during a flying visit to Britain in June 2006.

Experts who tested the explosive mix on the aircraft were horrified.

A witness said: “It was absolutely devastating.” (ANI)

Miley Cyrus gets turned into ‘Miley Shake’!

London, September 2 (ANI): Teen actress Miley Cyrus has had a milkshake named in her honour at ‘Millions of Milkshakes’ in California.

The ‘Hannah Montana’ star was accompanied by her sister Brandi as she slurped shakes at the West Hollywood store.

The Miley Shake boasts of vanilla ice-cream with cookie dough, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and whipped cream, reports the Sun.

Other high profilers to have their own drink include Barack Obama, Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham. (ANI)

Russell Crowe’s fitness regime involves smokes, fatty foods

Melbourne, Sept. 1 (ANI): Aussie actor Russell Crowe is said to follow a fitness regime that involves a few cigarettes and eating fatty foods.

Crowe, 45, who had this year lost 32kgs while preparing for his starring role in Robin Hood, has left many wondering about his trim waistline, and how he manages to keep it that way.

Upon being followed, Crowe was seen starting his day with a smoke before he and his personal trainer rode their bikes from Woolloomooloo to Darlinghurst, which is probably a 10-15 minute ride tops.

The actor then took a breather at Mad Mex on Crown St., where he decided to order an early lunch of three crispy tacos along with a soft drink, reports the Daily Telegraph.

He then had another cigarette before peddling home again. (ANI)

Healthy lifestyle simplest, best way to cut breast cancer risk

London, Sept 1 (ANI): A healthy lifestyle, including keeping weight down, exercising for 30 minutes a day and limiting alcohol to a single drink a day, is the simplest and best way for women to cut the risk of breast cancer, says a new study.

The study by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF ) has found the strongest evidence yet that lifestyle is linked to the risk of developing breast cancer, reports The Times.

The research came to the conclusion after showing that more than four out of ten cases could be prevented if women exercised, limited their alcohol intake and maintained a healthy weight.

Breastfeeding also helps to reduce the risk of developing the disease, the scientists at Imperial College London said.

Arlene Wilkie, director of research and policy at Breast Cancer Campaign, said: “This review provides further evidence that maintaining a healthy weight throughout life along with regular exercise will reduce the risk of health problems such as breast cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis.” (ANI)

Ahmedabad victims died of drinking chemical not hooch: Police

Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Aug 29(ANI): Ahmedabad Police on Saturday clarified that two people who died on Friday, died due to consumption of drinks having chemical content.

Police has dismissed assumption that they were victims of country-made liquor known as ‘hooch’, and said that the Forensic Science Laboratory report confirmed that they took a substance having chemicals.

“I don’t know what they thought of it while drinking the substance. We don’t want to defend them, but those two people who died and those who were admitted to hospital not because they drank poisonous alcohol but they consumed chemical,” said Shabbir Hussain Khandwawala, Director General of Police (DGP) of Gujarat.

“I don’t know whether they drank it thinking it was alcohol, it’s a matter of investigation,” he added.

Three others, who fell ill after consuming the drink, were being treated in a hospital. (ANI)

Surreal, sex-obsessed world of not so “big” Russell Brand revealed

London, Aug 29 (ANI): A model has revealed that British comedian Russell Brand lures women by posting Tweets and has a pretty adventurous sex life.

The television presenter apparently loves threesome and offered Brooke Adams free tickets for MTV Music awards to sleep with her via Twitter.

Some of his posts inviting her to townhouse in Hampstead, north London read: “Where do you live? Near London? And can you bring a friend?”

While another went: “Confirm your friend, darling, as I am in the mood for adventure,” reports the Sun.

Brooke narrated the events leading to the sex act with the comedian.

She said: “I got a cab to his house and the security guard opened the gates and let me in.

“Russell poked his head round the door – and when he opened it I realised he was totally naked.

“He took me through to the kitchen and offered me a drink – although he has no alcohol in the house.

“Then he asked me to perform a sex act on him – I’d had a few to drink and had always fancied him, so I did it.

“He was very complimentary, even though he was eating a plum at the time!”

However, Brand had another girl in his house at the same time and wanted to have threesome.

She added: “He took me up to his room and there was another girl – a blonde girl – already there sitting on the bed.

“I had no idea another girl would be there – I was quite surprised.

“But I think she was more shocked than me – she didn’t seem happy about it at all. He asked us if we would have a threesome and although I was up for it, she refused.

“He declared we were not allowed to leave until he had had been satisfied at least three times, so he just took it in turns with us. While he was with her, I just sat on the end of the bed, waiting.

“He was very good in bed – not as “big” as I was expecting but he still knew exactly what to do and had a lot of stamina.

“Afterwards I just got a cab home and he said he would be in touch.”

Brooke says that she spent a similar night with Russell one more time. (ANI)

Housewives ‘more likely to suffer from heart disease than working women’

London, Aug 26 (ANI): Housewives are at an increased risk of suffering from heart disease and strokes as compared to women who go to work, a new study has shown.

And experts blame the more sedentary lifestyles of ladies who stay at home, as they are more likely to smoke, be less educated, drink more, be overweight and suffer from depression – all contributory factors.

Now, in the latest study, researchers from the University of North Carolina studied 7,000 women aged 45 to 64 to see if there was a link between employment status, coronary heart diseases and strokes.

From analyses, they found that women employed outside the home had a lower risk. For heart disease, this link was stronger among women who did not have a high school education, reports The Daily Express.

The authors said: “One theory suggests that women with more roles, for example, family and employee roles, may have a better health profile than women with fewer roles, although the strength of this association may vary as the result of different levels of job demands and job control.

“Because of the fact that many women assume multiple roles as homemakers, primary caretakers for children and elderly parents, in addition to being employed outside of the home, the investigation of the health-employment relationship among women is complex.”

In the research, housewives were found to have a lower education level than employed women.

The study has been published in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. (ANI)

Different types of booze impact desire for food differently

Melbourne, August 25 (ANI): The type of alcoholic drink you consume may have an impact on your desire for food, suggests an Australian study.

Dr. Anna Kokavec, a research psychologist at La Trobe University in Bendigo, found that the additional nutritional content of various alcoholic beverages influence the body’s reaction to alcohol, reports ABC Science.

The lead author, along with her team, measured the effect of red wine, white wine, light beer or regular beer on the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, which is responsible for the synthesis of the steroid hormones cortisol and dehyrdoepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS).

Kokavec said that DHEAS and cortisol, commonly known as a stress hormone, influence appetite, adding: “We need a sufficient release of cortisol to make us feel hungry.”

She found that cortisol levels went down in participants after the consumption of alcohol, and decreased their appetite despite having fasted for half a day.

But DHEAS levels varied depending on what type of alcohol was consumed.

The DHEAS levels initially took a dip for those who took beer before going up, resulting in an eventual increase in hunger.

Kokavec said: “Beer completely confuses the system.”

Consumption of red wine was also observed to have led to an increased appetite.

But, unlike beer and red wine, white wine completely switched off the HPA axis, indicating hunger remained low.

The study has been published in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behaviour. (ANI)

Ronaldo may soon crush Becks in battle of brands

London, August 21 (ANI): Football ace Cristiano Ronaldo, 24, may soon outstrip ageing England hero David Beckham, 34, for the number of commercial deals to his name, says a report.

The suggestion came after LA Galaxy fans heckled Beckham and his wife Victoria at the weekend.

“Beckham, because of his age and the stage of his career, has lost it. And Ronaldo is ideally placed to ass-ume the mantle of ‘brand Beckham’, especially among young kids and teenagers,” the Daily Star quoted sports branding expert Prof Simon Chadwick, from Coventry University, as saying.

Ronaldo has already bared his chest in ads for Pepe Jeans. He has also campaigned for Nike, Coca-Cola, video game FIFA Street 2, and energy drink Extra Joss.

The news report further reveals that Ronaldo raked in 12million pounds a year at Manchester United from product endorsements, compared with Becks’ 25.5million pounds in his heyday.

He has also been snapped up as a “global ambassador” for engine oil firm Castrol.

However, how much money goes into his banks will eventually depend on his performance on the pitch, says the report.

Veteran football agent Jon Holms said: “Ronaldo is probably a better player than Beckham. Beckham is a workhorse of a player, while Ronaldo seems to be more natural.” (ANI)

It’s official: A nice cup of tea soothes away stress

London, Aug 13 (ANI): A new study has confirmed what millions of brew-lovers have long believed – a nice cup of tea helps us calm down during stressful times.

The study’s researchers commissioned by insurer Direct Line asked 42 volunteers, and found that the drink makes people feel “looked-after” and “at home”, reports The Daily Express.

But that’s not it: Even the tea-making ritual provides a “chillout moment” that significantly reduces anxiety levels after stressful experiences.

In the study, scientists carried out a maths test and afterwards half the group was given a glass of water and half got a cup of English breakfast tea.

The research found that the water-drinkers showed a 25 per cent increase in anxiety compared with before the task, while the tea-drinkers were four per cent less stressed.

Participants said the tea relaxed them and helped to “draw a line” under their stressful experience. (ANI)

Subliminal messages force people into doing what they actually wanted to do

Washington, July 5 (ANI): Why is it that you were not planning to go for shopping but still end up going, and return home with a lot of new things? Well, this happens because you apparently wanted to go, but were not consciously aware of it, say researchers.

Dutch researcher Martijn Veltkamp has revealed that subliminal messages motivate people to do things that they already wanted to do, reports Science Daily.

However, this is only successful if a subliminal message matches a biological need, and if the behaviour is associated with a positive effect.

The researchers said that to make people behave in a certain way, the idea for such behaviour must first be planted in their minds.

Once the idea has been planted in their minds (so-called ‘priming’), either a lack of something (deprivation) or a positive association with a certain action can ensure that they are actually motivated to carry out that action.

Veltkamp studied this interaction in a series of experiments.

During the study he flashed the words ‘drinking’ and ‘thirsty’ onto a computer screen very quickly, so that they could not be consciously perceived.

This priming is what researchers call ‘making the representation of the behaviour accessible’.

In one group of participants, this was combined with deprivation hey were thirsty. In another group the word ‘drinking’ was combined with positive words, which led to a positive association.

eltkamp combined the three factors in different ways, and then registered how willing the participants were to have a drink.

The study observed that motivation for carrying out certain actions (such as drinking) occurred when the action matched an existing deprivation, or had a positive association.

To understand positive association, the researchers let the participants eat cucumber to alleviate fluid deprivation.

As expected, the participants that had only been deprived of fluid were less motivated to drink later on, but the motivation stayed high in those people whose motivation to drink was partly due to positive association. (ANI)

Jackson’s doctor loved posing bare-chested with scantily clad girls

London, July 6 (ANI): Michael Jackson’s doctor Conrad Murray, who is at the centre of the probe into the superstar’s death, knew how to party hard and even posed bare-chested with scantily clad girls while promoting an energy-drink.

It has emerged that Murray, who was allegedly with the King of Pop at the time of his death, cavorted with the models on a jaunt to Trinidad and Tobago.

His companions on the trip have revealed that he loved to “party hard”, boozing with sozzled stunners into the early hours.

And newly released pictures show the 56-year-old doctor cuddling girls less than half his age. He certainly knew how to party,” the Sun quoted promotions girl Maggie Goldstein, 34, as saying.

Maggi apparently took a string of snaps of the doctor at play on the island.

“He joined a promotional group on the island plugging a new high-energy drink called Pit Bull which I think he’d invested in,” she said.

“And he showed he had plenty of high-energy while he was there. There were about ten models and pro-motions girls who’d been recruited in Las Vegas.

“He had a ball with them. He was up into the early hours drinking and having fun and took a particular shine to one called Tracy who was at least 20 years younger than him.

“He loved posing bare-chested with the girls,” she added.

Murray has hired high-powered lawyers to refute suggestions that he was in any way to blame for the death of 50-year-old ‘Thriller’ star.

Maggie said: “I recognised him straight away when pictures appeared of Michael Jackson’s doctor. I had no idea he was supposed to be a top heart specialist – I just thought he was an old guy with an eye for the ladies.” (ANI)

Anna Kournikova gets into cat fight at Vegas party

New York, July 1 (ANI): Tennis ace Anna Kournikova reportedly landed into a cat fight in Las Vegas after an unknown woman threw a drink at her.

The Russian model was apparently partying with friends at Lavo after attending the Hardbat Classic table tennis tournament.

“(A woman at the next table) threw a drink at Anna. She felt Anna was invading her space,” the New York Post quoted a source as saying.

The 28-year-old was said to have “sprung into action”, and began yelling at the woman, leaving the player with alleged scratch marks on her neck.

“It was a big fight,” said the source.

Kournikova’s publicist did not return calls. (ANI)

‘Royal protection officers played poker, traded porn in Buckingham Palace’

London, Jun 30 (ANI): A former royal protection officer, who has been accused of being involved in a 3-million-pound betting and property scam, has laid claims that his colleagues played poker and traded pornography while working at Buckingham Palace.

Paul Page, 38, of Granville Road, Chafford Hundred, Grays, Essex, is said to have allegedly cheated colleagues and others out of their life savings.

Page, who describes his job as an “easy life”, denies fraudulent trading, intimidation and threatening to take revenge on a victim who spoke to police between January 1 2003 and March 30 2007.

His wife Laura, 42, was acquitted on June 26 of charges she originally faced in connection with the case.

During his opening defence at Southwark Crown Court today, Page, a father-of-five, revealed that officers in the royal protection command could earn 50,000-60,000 pounds a year with overtime “for doing very little”.

Shifts involved two hours on post, followed by at least an hour off post.

“You didn’t work for a living. That is the bottom line,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“You have got time to study… There was one officer and he did sell porn. He used to get it from Holland, bring it back and sell it to officers while on duty.

“Everyone knew about it but no one would say anything. Officers were running poker games for money in down time. If people want to do that that is fair enough but senior officers let it go,” he said.

Page also revealed that members of the royal household instilled a class culture and royal protection officers were treated as a “necessary evil” who were expected to turn a blind eye to crime at the palace.

“You are not police officers any more. For example instances of domestic abuse in the royal household where the servants live and sleep in the palace,” he said.

“Some have drink problems and fight. You are told not to get involved. There is a class culture within the palace.

“You are treated like dirt – that includes police officers on the gate.

“Some (members of the royal household) are very nice but the majority, they treat you like you are on a lower level,” he revealed.

He added that he believed money was “thrown at you” because the security level had to be kept up.

“I shouldn’t be saying what I am saying but it has to be done – I need you to understand the culture,” Page added at the court hearing. (ANI)

Meet the Mowgli girl who was raised by dogs in a sqaulid flat

London, May 30 (ANI): A five-year-old girl has been nicknamed Mowgli because she has been raised by dogs since birth and has even developed dog like traits.

Natasha Mikhailova, walks on all fours, laps up food and drink with her tongue and communicates by barking.

It is believed that Natasha has never left the squalid, unheated three-room flat she lived in with her dad and grandparents.

A tip-off from concerned neighbours led to her rescue as she was found dressed in ripped and soiled clothes and surrounded by dogs and cats.

“For five years the girl was brought up by several dogs and cats and had never been out,” The Mirror quoted the Police as saying.

One neighbour in the city of Chita, Siberia, said: “We didn’t know she existed. They have three vicious dogs they took for walks but we never saw this child.”

Nicknamed Mowgli after the Jungle Book character raised by animals, Natasha now resides at a rehabilitation centre where specialists are shocked at the way she leaps at humans and plays dog games.

The specialists have said that she is not mentally retarded, but is only starved of contact with humans – and shuns other children.

Centre boss Nina Yemelchugova said: “When I went out of the room she jumped at the door and started barking, not just mewing or something, but barking. She laps up food from the plate.”

Police chief Larisa Popova, one of the first to enter the flat, said: “Her father was not there, but the dogs sought to protect her. She was living in filthy conditions. We were almost knocked over by the stink.”

Natasha’s dad Victor Lozhkin, 27, and mum Yana Mikhailova, 25, who has had no contact with her for two years, have been arrested on suspicion of neglect and could face three years in jail. (ANI)