Exercise In A Pill

NO TIME for the gym? No problem: Oral drugs may one day allow anyone to extend many of the benefits of exercise. As reported in the journal Cell, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California found that using drugs to simultaneously trigger two muscle-signalling pathways - usually activated by exercise - enhanced training and endurance in mice.

Professor Ronald M. Evans and his team found the drug GW1516 activated the "PPAR delta" pathway, resulting in improved resistance to weight gain and insulin response. When Coupled with training (four weeks of up to 50 minutes a day on a treadmill), endurance rose by 77 percent over exercise alone.

And after four weeks on another drug, AICAR - which triggers the "AMPK" pathway and, says Evans, "puts a turbocharge on PPAR delta" sedentary mice ran 44 percent longer than those not given the drug.

Researchers suggest these "exercise mimetic" drugs could be useful for conditions such as metabolic disorders, muscle diseases and obesity, for which exercise is beneficial.

The 7 Dangerous Acts After A Meal

The Final Frontier

Late last year, British billionaire Sir Richard Branson unveiled the world's first commercial spacecraft. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShip Two (SS2) is planning to begin passenger flights between 2011 and 2012, with 300 adventurers from around the world already signed up for the 2 1/2-hour journeys at $200,000 each. Designed as the most luxurious private jet in the world, the "mothership" will carry six passengers and two pilots to a height of 50,000 feet (15km)  before SS2 is released and launched to the edge of space. Virgin Galactic eventually hopes to reduce the ticket price to a more affordable level. Said Branson at the launch, "We hope to create thousands of astronauts over the next few years and bring alive their dream of seeing the majestic beauty of our planet from above, the stars in all their glory and the amazing sensation of weightlessness."

Get Wired - The Green Way

1. UNPLUG
This is a no-brainer: unplug all power cords, including phone chargers, when not in use. Even if your phone isn't connected, the charger will continue draining power if it's plugged in.

2. THINK ALTERNATIVE
Speaking of charging your mobile, don't just rely on wall outlets. Try solar chargers that will juice up your phone while you catch some rays. Or rely on brute force, with a hand-crank charger - you can save electricity and get some exercise!

3. SHOP WISELY
Do your research. When buying anything that uses electricity, look out for the familiar ENERGY STAR® sticker. It is an indication that the device meets specific international standards for energy efficiency.

4. UPGRADE
Buying a new PC can actually be an environmentally smart move. Newer PCs are generally better designed and more energy efficient than older models. (This is, sadly, not true for mobiles, as more people switch from regular handsets to smartphones - the latter consume more energy with shorter battery lives.)

5. RECYLE
But don't throw out your old PC or any electronics! No matter how dusty or damaged, old gadgets should never end up in landfills (electronic components may contain eco-unfriendly materials). If it still works, donate it to charity. If not, find a local recycling programme specialising in electronics.

Start saving electricity and money right now - with the added bonus of doing your bit for environment!

Wonder Web

Intimidated by technology?
Don't be. A new study shows that everyday computer tasks such as doing searches on the internet are good brain-training exercises.

When researchers at UCLA looked at older adults who had only recently learnt to use the Internet, they found a surge of activity in key decision-making and reasoning centres of the brain.

"People with minimal experience performing Internet searches for even a relatively short period of time can change and enhance brain activity," says Gary Small, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institiute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior UCLA.

The researchers found that browsing the web was superior to simple tasks such as reading. Searching online requires constant decision-making and the ability to hold information in working memory, says Small . "[It] appears to engage a greater extent of neural circuitry not activated during reading."

Menopause as Cholesterol Trigger

New evidence shows menopause not the natural ageing process - to be behind the sharp rise in cholesterol seen in women in meidlife.
As women approach menopause, many show striking increase in cholesterol levels, which in turn increase risk for later heart disease, says Professor Karen Matthews, an epidemiologist from the University of Pittsburgh. In nearly every woman studied, cholesterol levels jumped around the time of menopause. LDL, or bad cholesterol, rose by almost 10% in the two years surrounding the final menstrual period.
Midlife is a great time to take stock and make sure that you are at a healthy weight, getting plenty of exercise and not smoking, says Matthews.