I projected average per-capita consumption of one bottle, but ordered six extra to be sure; the hosts took away six bottles. And everyone had a great time, though credit there also goes to the occasion ­ and to Heartstone None the less, it's nice to be right.. Roast tomatoes are among my favourite accompaniments. And they are superb tossed into pasta with garlic and olive oil, fresh basil and plenty of Parmesan. Once you are hooked on the joys of roast tomatoes, this will become second nature, which is why I give only a method, rather than a precise recipe.8 TomatoesHead of garlicSprig of thymeSprig of rosemaryOlive oilPreheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Halve the tomatoes and arrange cut side up in an ovenproof dish that has been generously anointed with extra virgin olive oil. Tuck a small handful of unpeeled garlic cloves in among them, and then slip in a couple of sprigs of thyme, and/or a sprig of rosemary.Season with coarse salt, freshly ground pepper and a sprinkling of sugar (unless your tomatoes are brilliantly sweet).

Drizzle over a little oil, then roast, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, until sizzling and soft, and touched with brown here and there Serve hot or warm.. A shortage of clinical academics is threatening the ability of medical schools to provide the big expansion in the number of junior doctors promised for the NHS. A shortage of clinical academics is threatening the ability of medical schools to provide the big expansion in the number of junior doctors promised for the NHS. The British Medical Association (BMA) yesterday warned that medical schools were struggling to cope with rising student numbers because of 322 vacant posts for lecturers and 79 for professors.The recruitment situation is undermining the quality of teaching for undergraduates, the BMA's annual conference for clinical academics in London was told. Serious doubts were also raised over whether Labour's promise to "guarantee a decade of unprecedented expansion in doctor numbers in the NHS" could be met.At least 11 per cent of hospital consultants used to couple their clinical work with a teaching role, but that proportion has fallen to just 8 per cent, or less than 1,000 clinical academics who work in the NHS.Colin Smith, chairman of the BMA's medical academics' committee, said the staff shortages were causing concern over standards of teaching."We are responsible to the General Medical Council for the quality of graduates. We have to ensure they have the right clinical skills and the right ethical approach. This is not a job to be skimped, yet 60 per cent of our time is spent on direct patient care.

Medical teaching needs a higher profile and we need enough experienced senior doctors to enthuse and inspire the students."A survey by the Council of Heads of Medical Schools found that nearly a quarter of all state-funded professorial posts were vacant, as were 145 senior lecturer and 177 lecturer posts.Academic recruitment is difficult across all specialities, but especially in pathology, psychiatry and surgery, the conference was told.Professor Ian Gilmore, registrar of the Royal College of Physicians, said clinical academics were being put under too much pressure. They routinely work at least a 64-hour week: 32 hours for the NHS and 32 for their university. But the need to treat patients, teach students and conduct research meant that they had almost irreconcilable demands on time.Professor Janet Finch, vice-chancellor of Keele University, which is opening a new medical school, said she was seriously worried about being able to recruit enough clinical academics to teach the students.Dr Smith and Professor Stephen Tomlinson, vice-chancellor designate of the University of Wales, both warned the conference that politicians from all parties had so far failed to grasp the extent of problems in recruiting clinical academics.. Dogs, cats and other household pets can more than double the chance of children suffering asthma, paediatricians said yesterday. Dogs, cats and other household pets can more than double the chance of children suffering asthma, paediatricians said yesterday. Research in America showed that clearing the house of pets, or other triggers for the disease, could cut asthma rates among children aged six to 17 by 45 per cent.Asthma among children has increased steadily over recent years to the point where it is the most common chronic illness of childhood. More than 1.5 million British children, or one in seven aged between two and 15, need treatment for the illness, which may involve frequent trips to hospital in the most severe cases.Experts have identified a number of factors in the home that can cause asthma attacks, including pets, tobacco smoke, dust mites and cockroaches.Doctors in Cincinnati analysed data from a six-year study of the health of 5,384 American children to determine the role played by household allergens in triggering asthma attacks.

Overall, 11.4 per cent of the group had diagnosed asthma­ equating to 4.6 million children and teenagers in the US.Dr Bruce Lanphear, associate professor of paediatrics at the Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati, who led the study, said: "Pets appear to be a major risk factor. Children and adolescents who had a history of allergies to a pet were 2.4 times more likely to have doctor-diagnosed asthma."More than 330,000 excess cases of asthma were attributable to having a pet allergy. Parents need to consider carefully the risks and benefits of owning a pet."The study showed that dust mites were responsible for 520,000 cases and cockroaches about 375,000, according to the research published in the journal Pediatrics.. Researchers investigating peanut allergies that affect one in 100 children have discovered a possible link with skin products containing peanut oil used for treating eczema.

Researchers investigating peanut allergies that affect one in 100 children have discovered a possible link with skin products containing peanut oil used for treating eczema. Nine out of 10 youngsters with the allergy have also suffered from the skin condition, which leaves it dry and blistered, according to scientists from London's St Mary's Hospital and Bristol University.The researchers believe the skin products made with nut oils may be causing the reaction and a higher than expected number of cases in children.Dr Gideon Lack, of St Mary's Hospital, said: "In eczema, the skin barrier breaks down and there is an abundance of immune cells in the skin that could be exposed to substances that cause allergies. We are currently looking into whether exposure of the skin to products containing peanuts or peanut oils may be responsible for starting allergies."An allergy to peanuts is the most common cause of fatal allergic reactions to food. The research was based on a 10-year study of children in South-west England. The scientists enrolled 14,000 pregnant women in 1991 and have monitored their children's health since then.Doctors had previously suspected the number of children allergic to peanuts had been rising because pregnant women were eating them and exposing their babies in the womb, or through breast milk. Pregnant women, especially those with other allergies, had been advised not to eat peanuts.However Dr Lack said their study had not shown a link between eating peanuts during pregnancy and the allergy. "The Department of Health may need to reconsider guidelines in light of our findings," he said.