The findings, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, is based on almost 336,000 births in New Jersey between 1999 and 2003 and regular monitoring of air pollution around the state from the US Environmental Protection Agency. It suggested that restricted fetal growth may be linked to traffic pollution.

“These findings suggest ambient air pollution, perhaps specifically traffic emissions during early and late pregnancy and/or factors associated with residence near a roadway during pregnancy, may affect fetal growth,” said Prof Rich.

According to the study, reported in the Daily Telegraph, there was significant increase in the likelyhood of delivering a baby of small weight with each rise in pollution levels during the first three months and final three months of pregnancy.

Earlier research indicates that air pollution may alter cell activity – or cut the amount of oxygen and nutrients a baby receives while in the womb, the report said.

Expectant mothers who felt “very anxious” had a 60% higher chance of having a baby who develops the condition than those who were more relaxed, a study by Bristol University has found. The research adds to growing evidence that stress could be one of the environmental factors that doctors believe can help to trigger asthma in patients genetically predisposed to the condition.

Researchers believe that treating women for stress while they are pregnant could help combat the disease. John Henderson, who led the study, said: “Perhaps the natural response to stress which produces a variety of hormones in the body may have an influence on the developing infant and their developing immune system that manifests itself later on.”

The researchers have revealed that their study extends findings from two Mayo case series published in 2005, which reported a connection between dopamine agonist medications and compulsive gambling or hypersexuality. Dopamine agonists are a class of drugs that are commonly used to treat Parkinson’s disease, and some times restless legs syndrome.

The researchers point out that these drugs uniquely stimulate brain limbic circuits, which are thought to be fundamental substrates for emotional, reward and hedonistic behaviours. “The 2005 case series alerted us that something bad was happening to some unfortunate people. This study was done to assess the likelihood that this effect would happen to the average Parkinson’s patient treated with these agents,” says Dr J Michael Bostwick, Mayo Clinic psychiatrist who spearheaded the new study.

During the study, the research team analysed the medical records of patients with Parkinson’s disease residing in counties surrounding Rochester, Minnesota, who received their primary neurological care at Mayo Clinic in Rochester between 2004 and 2006.

The group included 267 patients, 66 of whom were taking dopamine agonists for their Parkinson’s disease. And, of those 66, 38 were taking the drugs in therapeutic doses, that is doses expected to be at least minimally beneficial.

The researchers observed that seven patients experiencing new-onset compulsive gambling or hypersexuality were taking dopamine agonists in therapeutic doses. They said that none of the other Parkinson’s disease patients developed compulsive gambling habits or hypersexuality, including the 28 patients on subtherapeutic dopamine agonist doses or the other 201 patients not taking dopamine agonists. None of the 178 patients treated only with the standard drug for Parkinson’s disease, carbidopa/levodopa, developed such behaviours.

“It is crucial for clinicians prescribing dopamine agonists to apprise patients as well as their spouses or partners about this potential side effect. The onset can be insidious and overlooked until life-altering problems develop,” says Dr J Eric Ahlskog, Mayo Clinic neurologist who co-authored and treated many of the patients in the 2005 study.

“It also is worth noting that the affected patients were all taking therapeutic doses. Very low doses, such as those used to treat restless legs syndrome, carry much less risk. For some patients, a reduction in the dose of the dopamine agonist may prove to be sufficient treatment, although total elimination of the offending drug is often necessary,” adds Dr. Ahlskog

Nigerian striker Odafe Okolie, for one, is angling for an annual contract of Rs 1.15 crore, a record jump from his current Rs 72 lakh contract at Churchill Brothers. He has been the highest goalscorer on the domestic scene for three years on the trot.

Dempo Sports Club’s talismanic midfielder Beto is being tempted with a Rs 75 lakh offer by East Bengal, while Ogba Kalu – the player most in demand – can increase his monthly salary from $3,500 (approximately Rs 1.75 lakh) to $10,000 (roughly Rs 5 lakh) should he opt for a transfer to either Mohun Bagan, Mumbai FC or Mahindra United.

“In India, the demand for footballers is greater than the supply. With clubs looking for experienced players to put their teams together, it’s no surprise that top stars are laughing all the way to the bank,” said Peter Vaz, president, Sporting Clube de Goa, one of the few teams that invest in youth. Indian football’s supply line has been nearly non-existent with coach Bob Houghton struggling to find replacements for ageing stars.

With the I League now extended to accommodate 14 teams from next season – the highest number since the National Football League was kickstarted in 1996 good players are more in demand than ever before.

Naturally, even players who are not in the national team are playing hardball. Churchill winger Naoba Singh, for example, has threatened to quit if his demand for a Rs 30-lakh contract is not met, although Robert Lalthamba – who like Naoba earned Rs 11 lakh – has settled for a Rs 20 lakh contract. That’s still a hike of close to 100%.

Harmanjot Khabra, a name many might struggle to remember without looking at the starting list of Sporting Clube, is reportedly looking around for a pay packet of Rs 18 lakh, never mind that his present contract is only for Rs 6 lakh. “Almost every player who has had decent success in the league is demanding more than Rs 20 lakh,” said a top club official involved in the shortlisting and recruitment of players.

Another reason why the transfer market is on the upswing is East Bengal’s determination to put their trophy-less season their first such since 1978-79 – behind them.

Although there’s been no change in East Bengal’s Rs 5-crore budget for the upcoming season, the Kolkata Giants have approached more than a dozen players so far and are ready to smash transfer records for at least two foreign players.

IPOH

Richard Petherick’s eighth minute strike put the Kiwis ahead but Sandeep scored the equaliser in the 27th minute and struck once again in the 48th minute to snatch the lead. For New Zealand, Joseph Barth Holomew sounded the board in the 63rd minute to restore parity.

With Malaysia leading the table and New Zealand being India’s main rival for a place in Sunday’s final, a win today would have come handy for Sandeep’s men but they faltered towards the end and could gain just one point from the outing.

India and New Zealand both have five points even though Sandeep’s men enjoy a superior goal average in the tournament. On a high after their 3-0 win against Malaysia on Wednesday, India were in for an early jolt when Richard Petherick found the target in the eighth minute.

Stung by the reverse, India made repeated inroads before tasting success in the 27th minute through their captain, which ensured they went into the lemon-break at 1-1. Sandeep was at it again in the second half to put India in the lead but their perennial tendency to concede late goals showed no signs of relenting.

The defence, which withstood many a Kiwi onslaught, could not see through the last few minutes and wilted before Joseph Barth Holomew to settle for a draw. After a rest day on Friday, India play their final league match against archrivals Pakistan on Saturday while New Zealand take on Malaysia on the same day.

Mayank hit a 142-ball 160 and Mandeep, batting at number three, carved out an unbeaten 151, powering India to a massive 371 for four from their stipulated 50 overs after captain Ashok Menaria chose to bat on a flat Bellerive Oval wicket under clear skies.In reply, Australia could only manage 184 before folding up in 43.3 overs.

India now lead the five-match series 2-0 with the next game a three-day encounter starting at Bellerive on Saturday before the series moves to Perth next week. Mayank’s brilliant knock was studded with 16 fours and six sixes and the home side had little answer to his partnership with Mandeep as Australia captain Tom Triffitt rotated eight bowlers, all of whom faced the full force of the Indian top order.

Mayank received excellent support from Mandeep who reached his hundred in the 43rd over, his century coming in 91 deliveries as the pair put on 270 runs for the third wicket. Queenslander Alister McDermott finished with figures of 2-67 from his 10 overs for the hosts. Watching from behind the stumps, Triffitt gave high praise to the way the Indian top-order went about their batting.

“It was awesome to see the Indians batting today and going so hard at us and bat so well,” the teenager said. “They play so differently to us, they’ve got different strengths and they utilised the short boundary so well and we probably didn’t bowl quite as well as we would have liked,” he said.

Australia Under-19 slipped to 2-13 at one stage, however, West Australian opener Tom Beaton stuck around, combining with Tim Armstrong (37) to put on a 77-run partnership, before the home side was dismissed. New South Wales all-rounder Adam Coyte was unable to bat after suffering an injury in his bicep while fielding in the outfield.

Beaton top scored for the Aussies, his knock of 73 coming off 80 deliveries and included six boundaries and two sixes. “Tom’s a good batsman; he’s played that sort of innings at the (underage) championships pretty regularly; he’s a pretty consistent performer and it was a good innings from him today,” Triffitt said.

The Indo-Taipei pair had to fight it out in a marathon three-setter to down Melinda Czink of Hungary and Lilia Osterloh of America 6-0 3-6 10-5 in the first round.

However, Sania-Chuang duo’s route to the last four won’t be a cakewalk as fourth seeded pair of Bethanie Mattek-Sands of America and Nadia Petrova of Russia awaits them in the next round.

Sania’s campaign in the singles already came to a premature end with a straight sets defeat at the hands of seventh seed Alona Bondarenko in the opening round.

Summer vacations arehere but DarsheelSafary is as busy asever. After the stupendous success of Taare Zameen Par, Darsheel has made his way into a Walt Disney film.

However Darsheel is bound by contract and not allowed to talk about it right now. He has just completed shooting for Priyadarshan’s film Bum Bum Bhole.

Reports have said that the film is an adaptation of hit Iranian film by Majid Majidi, Children of Heaven. It also stars Rituparna Sengupta who plays Darsheel’s mother, while Kaveri Jha plays Atul Kulkarni’s sister. The film runs on two parallels one that deals with Darsheel and his faith in God, while the second is about the relationship between Kaveri and Atul. Apparently Darsheel choreographed a song and has taught Atul to dance in the film.

Darsheel is still not over the success of Taare Zameen Par.He is now all set to promote a new range of fun and educational self-help toys/ kits which encourages the logic and motor development skills among kids. It is a part of the merchandise initiative of the movie.

Sonam feels Anil can’t play her dad in a film because he looks too young

Those who want to seeSonam Kapoor and herdad Anil Kapoor togetheron screen will have towait for a long time. The Delhi-6 girl thinks Kapoor senior looks far younger than his age to play a conventional father in a Bollywood flick.

The buzz around tinseltown is that there’s a pivotal role in Anil’s home production of Sonam’s father that he was supposed to play. But Anil will not essay the role in the film titled Ayesha.

“Do you really think he looks like my Dad? No, he doesn’t. He looks far younger than his age.

And that’s why I wouldn’t want him to play my father. The role in Ayesha that you’re mentioning didn’t suit him. My dad can’t play the conventional father,” says Sonam.

Earlier, Anil had been offered a role in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi-6 with Sonam, but both father and daughter decided against it. In fact, Sonam was more against the idea of their coming together than Anil.

“And that’s how it remains even now. I really feel we wouldn’t look like father and daughter on screen.

We’d rather wait for a while,” said the 23-year-old actress.

When pointed out that some of Anil’s leading ladies are about Sonam’s age, she said, “That’s right and my father looks very well-matched with all his costars. He’s quite something. And now after Slumdog Millionaire he has entered another innings in hiscareer. I’m afraid he has set impossiblestandards for me.