As I start my trip in India along with Dave McClure’s “Geeks On A Plane,” I started to read about all of the startups in India that are used to proving that the country is making inroads and is relevant. It’s a story that I’m very familiar with in emerging markets: a group of VCs and entrepreneurs that want to prove that India is worthy of time, effort and, more importantly, investment. One of the companies that I had heard quite a bit about is called RedBus.in, a service that has standardized and centralized India’s bus system. Having been to India before, I kind of laughed at the notion of that being possible, even after having read Sarah Lacy’s fantastic piece about them from two years ago. This was supposed to be one of the “ones,” the company that is supposed to make the investment world make the pilgrimage to Bangalore, India, which is about 18 hours worth of flights away from Silicon Valley. I visited the RedBus offices, which don’t seem to have change much since Lacy described them, but I did notice something new. I spent time in India two years ago, so trust me on this. It was a sign that happily announced that RedBus was hiring. It doesn’t sound like much – maybe a sign that the company is growing – but it was my first signal that something very special was happening in these offices. Our entire “tour” packed into RedBus’ conference room, and once we were introduced to the team it didn’t feel like we were in India. We were in a successful startup’s office and they were about to matter-of-factly explain to us why and how they’ve disrupted a system in a country that had no business being disrupted. All Aboard Buses in India are a lifeline, along with manual and motorized rickshaws. There’s not much joyriding happening in this country; it’s very much a “point A to point B” proposition. When I say that, I mean that a group of friends aren’t going out to a club. Someone is going to the market to bring food back for their family. When it comes to travelling outside the city in which residents live, the bus is the only option. There are thousands of buses. They’re cheap compared to trains and flights, and people will take a 23-hour bus ride from one side of
In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, waves to the crowd at the conclusion of his speech in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. Iran's Supreme Leader said Saturday that his country is not seeking nuclear weapons, but that no world power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build one. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)
In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, waves to the crowd at the conclusion of his speech in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. Iran's Supreme Leader said Saturday that his country is not seeking nuclear weapons, but that no world power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build one. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)
In this photo released by the official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office, Iranian well wishers attending the speech of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hold up his picture at a mosque inside the leader's housing compound in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. Khamenei said Saturday that his country is not seeking nuclear weapons, but that no world power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build one. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)
In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, waves to the crowd at the conclusion of his speech in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. Iran's Supreme Leader said Saturday that his country is not seeking nuclear weapons, but that no world power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build one. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)
In this photo released by an official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, speaks to the crowd in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013. Iran's Supreme Leader said Saturday that his country is not seeking nuclear weapons, but that no world power could stop Tehran's access to an atomic bomb if it intended to build one. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)
VIENNA (AP) ? In a disheartening signal to world powers at upcoming Iran talks, Tehran has started installing high-tech machines at its main uranium enrichment site that are capable of accelerating production of reactor fuel and ? with further upgrading ? the core of nuclear warheads, diplomats said Wednesday.
Iran already announced last week that it had begun mounting the new enriching centrifuges, but one diplomat said at the time that the announcement was premature with only a "small number" on site and not yet installed.
Diplomats told The Associated Press on Wednesday, however, that installation was now well on its way, with inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency seeing close to 100 or more machines mounted when they toured the site a few days ago. Depending on experts' estimates, the new-generation centrifuges can enrich uranium three to five times faster than Iran's present working model.
The Islamic Republic insists it is not working on a nuclear weapons program, but rather is enriching uranium only to make reactor fuel and for scientific and medical purposes ? as allowed by international law.
But many nations are suspicious because Iran went underground after failing to get international help for its uranium enrichment program in the 1980s, working secretly until its activities were revealed a decade ago. More recent proposals for international shipments of reactor fuel in exchange for Iranian enrichment concessions have foundered, with each side blaming the other.
Shrugging off demands to mothball enrichment ? and growing international sanctions ? Iran has instead vastly expanded the program to where experts say it already has enough enriched uranium for several weapons if the material is further enriched.
The start of the centrifuge upgrade at Natanz, Iran's main enrichment site southeast of Tehran, flies in the face of world-power efforts to induce Iran to scale back on enrichment. As such, it is likely to hurt chances of progress at Feb. 26 talks in Kazakhstan between the two sides ? adding to a string of negotiating failures.
When Iran announced its intentions last month, Western diplomats downplayed the proclamation's significance, noting Tehran did not say when it would start populating Natanz with the new machines. But any start of an upgrade is sure to increase international concerns, particularly if verified as expected in an IAEA report later this week.
The three diplomats speaking to the AP on Wednesday all are involved in the Vienna-based IAEA's attempts to monitor Iran's nuclear program. They demanded anonymity because they were not allowed to discuss confidential information.
Meeting Iran in Kazakhstan are the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany.
Russia and China often are at odds with the West on how harshly Iran's nuclear activities should be censured, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said recently that Iran was within its legal rights to install new generation centrifuges. At the same time, he called for a suspension of uranium enrichment during negotiations to improve the political atmosphere.
While moving to increase the potency of its enrichment program with the new centrifuges, however, Tehran also has recently resumed converting some of its higher-level enriched uranium at its Fordo enrichment site into reactor fuel plates after suspending the activity last year. That is likely to provide some reassurance to nations concerned about Iran's nuclear aims because the plates are difficult to reconvert back into weapons usable material.
About 700 of the old machines at Fordo are churning out higher-enriched material that is still below ? but just a technical step away ? from weapons-grade uranium. Iran says it needs that higher-enriched level to fuel a research reactor
With higher-enriched uranium their immediate concern, the six powers over the past months have inched toward meeting Iranian demands of sanctions relief but say Tehran must first suspend its output at Fordo. Iran, in turn, wants sanctions eased before it commits to even a discussion of an enrichment cutback.
The diplomats said Iran was also upgrading its enrichment capabilities at Fordo but declined to provide further details ahead of the release of the IAEA report.
In first revealing plans to update last month, Iran indicated that It could add more than 3,000 of the new-generation centrifuges to the more than 10,000 older models it has at Natanz turning out enriched uranium at grades lower than at Fordo. The lower the grade, the harder it would be to turn into weapons-grade material.
Olli Heinonen, the former IAEA deputy director general in charge of Iran, told the AP last week that Iran could install 3,000 or more of the high-tech centrifuges at Natanz within six to nine months, assuming that Tehran had the material to make the machines.
Iran, in its dealings both with the six powers and the IAEA, has continually acted as if it were in the position of strength. On Saturday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, asserted that his country was not seeking nuclear weapons, but that if Tehran intended to build them, "the U.S. could in no way stop the Iranian nation."
David Albright, whose Institute for Science and International Security is a source for the U.S. government on proliferation issues, said Iran's hopes that the new centrifuges could strengthen its hand at the Kazakhstan talks could backfire.
"Given the low expectations for negotiations during the next several months, Iran risks giving the impression to the West that it is racing to the bomb rather than strengthening its negotiating position," he said Wednesday.
But analyst Yousaf Butt, professor and scientist-in-residence at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, said that ? with Iran legally entitled to enrich ?the six powers first "should consider rolling back some sanctions" if they want Iran to respond.
DETROIT (AP) -- Warnings about the zombie apocalypse may seem pretty amusing, but officials say they're dead serious about figuring out who hacked into the nation's public warning system to broadcast such messages in a handful of states.
So far, people in California, Michigan, Montana and New Mexico have heard the warnings about attacking zombies that have been sent over the Emergency Alert System.
"Local authorities in your area have reported the bodies of the dead are rising from their graves and attacking the living," one message warned. "Do not attempt to approach or apprehend these bodies as they are considered extremely dangerous."
The subject matter may be humorous, but Greg MacDonald with the Montana Broadcasters Association said the consequences of such attacks on the alert system could be severe.
"This looks like somebody being a prankster, but maybe it's somebody testing just to see if they could do this, to do some real damage," MacDonald said. "Suddenly you create a panic and people are fleeing somewhere and you end up with traffic jams and accidents and who knows what."
The U.S. recently replaced its old telephone-based alert system with a web-based one. The Federal Communications Commission sent an urgent advisory Tuesday urging stations to reset their alert system passwords, disconnect Internet connections or take other steps to make sure the equipment is protected from outside attack.
In Michigan, hackers broke into the system with audio or text messages at two stations on Monday. Michigan Association of Broadcasters President Karole White said the breach appeared to be related to default passwords that the stations hadn't changed.
In Los Angeles, a radio station that had its alert system breached sent out a zombie message, according to Richard Rudman, a broadcast engineer and vice chair of the California State Emergency Communications Committee. He declined to name the station but said any that were hacked were using default passwords for their alert systems or lacked adequate computer security.
The FCC on Tuesday also asked stations to check their equipment to make sure no further unauthorized alerts were queued up for future transmission, according to a copy of the advisory provided by the Montana Broadcasters Association.
No one has been arrested in connection with the hacking incidents.
Other attempts to access to emergency systems in recent days were thwarted by updated passwords, said Edward Czarnecki with New York-based Monroe Electronics, which manufacturers the alert equipment used by most television and cable companies.
Where the hackers succeeded, Czarnecki said a failure by stations to provide adequate computer security was at fault.
All U.S. broadcasters are required to be part of the Emergency Alert System, which evolved from Cold War-era systems dating to the 1950s and '60s. The system was created so the president could address the public in a national emergency, but it's mainly used by state and local authorities to deliver weather warnings and Amber Alerts. The first national test of the revamped system was in November 2011.
WNMU in the northern Michigan city of Marquette was broadcasting an episode of "Barney and Friends" just before 4 p.m. Monday when an ominous voice warned of zombies on the loose. The station quickly caught the errant message and disabled the system.
"There were really no complaints," said station general manager Eric Smith. "A couple of viewers ... called, wondering what it was all about."
Michigan FBI spokesman Simon Shaykhet said his office has been notified but declined further comment. The Associated Press left messages with representatives of the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Homeland Security.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency said its public alert and warning system wasn't breached and the hacking incidents did not affect its ability to activate the system nationally. FEMA also said it's supporting the FCC and other federal agencies on the investigation.
White, who oversees the alert system in Michigan, says she's confident that systems there are now secure, though any breach is a concern.
"We feel fortunate they were not able to get into the entire Emergency Alert System ? that's the good news," she said. "The bad news is they got in at all."
___
Brown contributed from Billings, Mont.
___
Follow Jeff Karoub on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jeffkaroub
Security is always big news when it comes to Android, although most of the time, the news has to do with some scaremongering about malware on the platform. This time, however, we get to talk about the security enhancements that Google has been implementing in the newest version of the Android system, 4.2 Jelly Bean. We already know that Android 4.2 adds a sideload scanner to protect users against malware, and we have heard about other security enhancements, but today, Google outlined some of the enhancements that help to make Android safer for developers (and root/mod users).?
In the Android Developer Blog, Google talks about new security features in Android 4.2, including?a better random number generator, more secure ways for apps to use Javascript, and changes the default way that access is granted to content providers, preventing the chance for unauthorized access. The blog also talks about a new tweak to USB debugging in Android 4.2.2, which will not only be good for developers but root users and modders too.?
In Android 4.2.2, Google has added a new option to USB debugging which effectively allows a user to lock USB debugging mode except when connected to a specific PC. This is helpful for root users, because a few root apps require USB debugging to be turned on, like Titanium Backup, but secure USB debugging would limit access to your device to only authorized computers.?
Not a bad set of features. Now the update just needs to get out to more than just Nexus devices.?
This happened so fast my brain has whiplash. The biggest topic of conversation at the Quartet friends/press dinner on Monday, was that the notorious Morgan Brownlow was out of John Gorham?s new Tasty n Alder restaurant before he even started!
Gorham announced Morgan?s involvement a few weeks ago, saying that he would be cooking on the night shift. This raised lots of eyebrows, because Morgan has a reputation of being really difficult to work with ? over the years I?ve gotten more nasty emails about his interactions with employees than any other chef.
The announcement was quickly followed by an interview of Morgan in Willamette Week by Michael Zusman. Here are a couple of quotes:
?
How do you respond to critics who say you?re impossible to work with?a screamer, crazed tyrant, etc.?
I?m an intense person. When I first sat down with John Gorham, he told me that I?m a bombshell, a powder keg. I?m just a really intense individual. But that?s no excuse for blowing up. And when I was younger, at Clarklewis, I did that. I know that I was out of line on multiple occasions.
Zusman had obviously heard the rumors of Brownlow?s once wild lifestyle and asked another pointed question:
Ever been treated for any mental health or drug and alcohol issues?
No. As far as alcohol goes, I mean, I?ll have a few drinks. But when you?re broke, you?re not going out drinking. I?ve never been arrested. I?m sure there?ve been a few times when I?ve drank too much, but it?s never had anything to do with my work.
I read the Willamette Week interview with Morgan, and then went back to read Nancy Rommelmann?s interview with him in 2007. It?s?really interesting to compare the two. I?ll let you draw your own conclusions.
As far as Tasty n Alder goes, yes, it is now open for breakfast. I went in over the weekend and tried the ?Bim Bop Bacon & Eggs?. Take a hot stone bowl, add rice which gets nice and crusty around the edges from the heat, add nice sweet chunks of pork belly, kimchi and break an egg over the top. Wow! It was an ?A? dish ? I can?t wait until I can get off the couch and try morel (housebound once again)
"I have a wide-range of food experience - working in the restaurant industry on both sides of the house, later in the wine industry, and finally traveling/tasting my way around the world. Whether you agree or disagree, you can always count on my unbiased opinion. I don't take free meals, and the restaurants don't know when, or if, I am coming."
First, make a plan that?s achievable. Your list should include a balance of projects, from the have-tos (sensible data backup) to the want-tos (whole-home audio!). Don?t forget all the adapters, tools, and other supplies you?ll need. Order cables ahead of time online?they?ll cost far more in a last-minute run to the store.
No. 2. Back Up Every Byte Total Time: 2 Hours Equipment: NAS drive ($100 to $200),10-foot Ethernet cable($3)
Before a weekend of mucking around with your gadgets, make sure to back up your data. We recommend getting a network-attached storage (NAS) drive, which will back up all the computers in your home. Windows and Mac OS X both have built-in software that automates the process. If you haven?t backed up in a while, get the process started and go to sleep?it will take all night.
No. 3. Rework Your Work Space Total Time: 2 to 3 Hours Equipment: Tablet computer($500 to $1000), 23-inch or larger screen($200 to $600), Desk lamp($10 to $200), Wireless keyboard and mouse($140), Tripp Lite 8-outlet Vertical Power Strip($60), Ergonomic chair($100 to $800)
Ergonomics Experts are like nagging mothers: ?Clean up your desk! Sit up straight!? And like nagging mothers, they?re right. The human body isn?t designed to sit and stare at a screen all day, but we do it anyway. We consulted ergonomist Alan Hedge at Cornell University on how to turn a desk from an orthopedist?s nightmare into a productive work space.
1. Desktop Keep your desk clear enough so there?s room to rest your wrists without scrunching your shoulders or supporting them on a sharp desk edge.
2. Monitor The top of your screen should be at or just below eye level. The dual-hinge Dell S2340T ($649) adjusts its angle from fold-flat to upright. It is also a touchscreen, which has no ergonomic value but is cool.
3. Chair It?s important that a chair has lumbar support and height adjustment, but you needn?t spend a fortune on a fancy Aeron chair?this LexMod Edge costs $160.
4. Keyboard Wireless keyboards, such as the Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard ($80), allow for a more natural typing position than laptop keyboards.
5. Lighting A standard table lamp can shine light in your eyes or cause reflections on your screen. But a directional task light, such as the Koncept Z-Bar LED lamp ($195), can be repositioned to shine light on your desktop, where you need it.
No. 4. Reduce Your Remotes Total Time: 1 Hour Equipment: Logitech Harmony Link and infrared emitter($100)
Some TVs can be controlled by smartphone apps from the manufacturer. Or you can use an infrared emitter, such as Logitech?s Harmony Link ($100), to control multiple devices from a smartphone or tablet.
No. 5. Tame Your Cords Total Time: 1 Hour Equipment: Velcro cable ties($4)
Get the rat?s nest of wires behind your A/V cabinet under control. Unplug everything, then replug in one component at a time. Coil up any slack and cinch the loops with Velcro ties.
No. 6. Install a New System Total Time: 2 Hours Equipment: Windows 8/OS X Mountain Lion($70/$20)
If you?re creaking along with an old version of Microsoft Windows or Mac OS X, upgrading to Windows 8 or Mountain Lion will either be a revelation or a headache. Regardless, with either OS you?ll get a remarkable bump in the speed and performance of your computer.
By guessing, clinicians may miss 3/4 of alcohol problemsPublic release date: 13-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Will Sansom sansom@uthscsa.edu 210-567-2579 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Practices should ask patients questions on initial and subsequent visits
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 13, 2013) By relying on hunches rather than posing a few screening questions, primary care clinicians may be missing three-fourths of the alcohol problems in their patients, a newly released analysis shows.
"It's often off the radar people come in for hypertension and are not asked how much they drink," said study co-author Barbara J. Turner, M.D., M.S.Ed., M.A., M.A.C.P., of UT Medicine San Antonio. Primary care offices typically don't have good systems to administer questionnaires to screen for certain problems, including alcohol consumption, she noted.
UT Medicine is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Dr. Turner is a professor in the School of Medicine and director of the Research to Advance Community Health (ReACH) Center, a collaboration of the Health Science Center, the University Health System and the UT School of Public Health.
The study analyzed data from 1,664 patients in 40 primary care practices spread throughout the central part of the country from Colorado to Kentucky. Patients were asked five questions such as: "In the past 12 months, how often have you had a drink containing alcohol?" and "In the past 12 months, how often have you been under the influence of alcohol in situations where you could have caused an accident or gotten hurt?" Based on their scores, patients were classified into four drinking status categories ranging from nondrinker to harmful drinker.
Clinical intuition
Clinicians were asked, "Does this patient have problems with alcohol (check each that applies)?" Options included "yes," "hazardous drinking" and "don't know." When clinicians checked an affirmative answer, this was considered a suspicion of an alcohol problem.
If clinicians suspected a problem, they were usually right, Dr. Turner said. However, clinical intuition misses too many people, the findings indicated.
"When clinicians do assess alcohol consumption, it is usually limited to the first encounter. Afterward, it is only assessed when there is an evident problem," Dr. Turner said.
Societal issue
Alcohol problems are insidious and pervade all aspects of society, from work productivity to health decline to family and personal issues. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2010 the number of alcoholic liver disease deaths totaled 15,990 and the number of alcohol-induced deaths, excluding accidents and homicides, was 25,692.
More than half of adults age 18 and older described themselves as current regular drinkers (at least 12 drinks in the previous year), according to the 2011 National Health Interview Survey. Lost workdays related to alcohol use numbered 570 million over a 12-month period, the survey reported. According to the CDC, one in six U.S. adults binge drinks about four times a month, consuming about eight drinks per binge.
Regular screening
"Brief alcohol screening questions far outperform clinical intuition in identifying people with alcohol problems, and brief counseling interventions can significantly reduce risky drinking in these individuals," Dr. Turner said.
"Patients should be screened for alcohol problems on a regular basis," she added.
Although medical students and residents are increasingly being trained to ask questions that can identify patients for counseling, lack of time remains a problem. "We need to involve the entire practice team in addressing this issue," Dr. Turner said.
###
The study is reported in Annals of Family Medicine (January/February 2013). Funding is by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded to Dr. Barbara J. Turner, principal investigator, while she was at the University of Pennsylvania. Daniel C. Vinson, M.D., M.S.P.H., of the University of Missouri at Columbia, is the lead author. The authors acknowledge the collaboration of the affiliate networks of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
For current news from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, please visit our news release website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About UT Medicine San Antonio
UT Medicine San Antonio is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. With more than 700 doctors all School of Medicine faculty UT Medicine is the largest medical practice in Central and South Texas. Expertise is in more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. Primary care doctors and specialists see patients in private practice at UT Medicine's flagship clinical home, the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC), located at 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio 78229. Most major health plans are accepted, and UT Medicine physicians also practice at several local and regional hospitals. Call (210) 450-9000 to schedule an appointment, or visit www.UTMedicine.org for a list of clinics and phone numbers.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
By guessing, clinicians may miss 3/4 of alcohol problemsPublic release date: 13-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Will Sansom sansom@uthscsa.edu 210-567-2579 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Practices should ask patients questions on initial and subsequent visits
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Feb. 13, 2013) By relying on hunches rather than posing a few screening questions, primary care clinicians may be missing three-fourths of the alcohol problems in their patients, a newly released analysis shows.
"It's often off the radar people come in for hypertension and are not asked how much they drink," said study co-author Barbara J. Turner, M.D., M.S.Ed., M.A., M.A.C.P., of UT Medicine San Antonio. Primary care offices typically don't have good systems to administer questionnaires to screen for certain problems, including alcohol consumption, she noted.
UT Medicine is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. Dr. Turner is a professor in the School of Medicine and director of the Research to Advance Community Health (ReACH) Center, a collaboration of the Health Science Center, the University Health System and the UT School of Public Health.
The study analyzed data from 1,664 patients in 40 primary care practices spread throughout the central part of the country from Colorado to Kentucky. Patients were asked five questions such as: "In the past 12 months, how often have you had a drink containing alcohol?" and "In the past 12 months, how often have you been under the influence of alcohol in situations where you could have caused an accident or gotten hurt?" Based on their scores, patients were classified into four drinking status categories ranging from nondrinker to harmful drinker.
Clinical intuition
Clinicians were asked, "Does this patient have problems with alcohol (check each that applies)?" Options included "yes," "hazardous drinking" and "don't know." When clinicians checked an affirmative answer, this was considered a suspicion of an alcohol problem.
If clinicians suspected a problem, they were usually right, Dr. Turner said. However, clinical intuition misses too many people, the findings indicated.
"When clinicians do assess alcohol consumption, it is usually limited to the first encounter. Afterward, it is only assessed when there is an evident problem," Dr. Turner said.
Societal issue
Alcohol problems are insidious and pervade all aspects of society, from work productivity to health decline to family and personal issues. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2010 the number of alcoholic liver disease deaths totaled 15,990 and the number of alcohol-induced deaths, excluding accidents and homicides, was 25,692.
More than half of adults age 18 and older described themselves as current regular drinkers (at least 12 drinks in the previous year), according to the 2011 National Health Interview Survey. Lost workdays related to alcohol use numbered 570 million over a 12-month period, the survey reported. According to the CDC, one in six U.S. adults binge drinks about four times a month, consuming about eight drinks per binge.
Regular screening
"Brief alcohol screening questions far outperform clinical intuition in identifying people with alcohol problems, and brief counseling interventions can significantly reduce risky drinking in these individuals," Dr. Turner said.
"Patients should be screened for alcohol problems on a regular basis," she added.
Although medical students and residents are increasingly being trained to ask questions that can identify patients for counseling, lack of time remains a problem. "We need to involve the entire practice team in addressing this issue," Dr. Turner said.
###
The study is reported in Annals of Family Medicine (January/February 2013). Funding is by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation awarded to Dr. Barbara J. Turner, principal investigator, while she was at the University of Pennsylvania. Daniel C. Vinson, M.D., M.S.P.H., of the University of Missouri at Columbia, is the lead author. The authors acknowledge the collaboration of the affiliate networks of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
For current news from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio, please visit our news release website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About UT Medicine San Antonio
UT Medicine San Antonio is the clinical practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. With more than 700 doctors all School of Medicine faculty UT Medicine is the largest medical practice in Central and South Texas. Expertise is in more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. Primary care doctors and specialists see patients in private practice at UT Medicine's flagship clinical home, the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC), located at 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio 78229. Most major health plans are accepted, and UT Medicine physicians also practice at several local and regional hospitals. Call (210) 450-9000 to schedule an appointment, or visit www.UTMedicine.org for a list of clinics and phone numbers.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
As I start my trip in India along with Dave McClure’s “Geeks On A Plane,” I started to read about all of the startups in India that are used to proving that the country is making inroads and is relevant. It’s a story that I’m very familiar with in emerging markets: a group of VCs and entrepreneurs that want to prove that India is worthy of time, effort and, more importantly, investment. One of the companies that I had heard quite a bit about is called RedBus.in, a service that has standardized and centralized India’s bus system. Having been to India before, I kind of laughed at the notion of that being possible, even after having read Sarah Lacy’s fantastic piece about them from two years ago. This was supposed to be one of the “ones,” the company that is supposed to make the investment world make the pilgrimage to Bangalore, India, which is about 18 hours worth of flights away from Silicon Valley. I visited the RedBus offices, which don’t seem to have change much since Lacy described them, but I did notice something new. I spent time in India two years ago, so trust me on this. It was a sign that happily announced that RedBus was hiring. It doesn’t sound like much – maybe a sign that the company is growing – but it was my first signal that something very special was happening in these offices. Our entire “tour” packed into RedBus’ conference room, and once we were introduced to the team it didn’t feel like we were in India. We were in a successful startup’s office and they were about to matter-of-factly explain to us why and how they’ve disrupted a system in a country that had no business being disrupted. All Aboard Buses in India are a lifeline, along with manual and motorized rickshaws. There’s not much joyriding happening in this country; it’s very much a “point A to point B” proposition. When I say that, I mean that a group of friends aren’t going out to a club. Someone is going to the market to bring food back for their family. When it comes to travelling outside the city in which residents live, the bus is the only option. There are thousands of buses. They’re cheap compared to trains and flights, and people will take a 23-hour bus ride from one side of
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