Starlight: December 2007

Monday, December 31, 2007

Meishan pig

A Meishan pig photographed at the Tierpark zoo in Berlin on Friday, Dec. 28, 2007. The zoo presented the Meishan Pig family as the good luck pig for the new year 2008. In Germany the pig is a traditional symbol of good luck at the beginning of a new year.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Siberian Husky Mom Nurses Baby Black Panther

clipped from www.youtube.com

Exercise induces depression-blocking gene

clipped from arstechnica.com

The effects of exercise on the brain may go well beyond a runner's high, if new research in Nature Medicine applies to species beyond mice. A paper published over the weekend describes a study in which researchers looked at the effects of exercise on the brain and found an unexpected link to clinical depression. It looks like hitting the exercise wheel can help mice avoid some behaviors that appear to be analogous to depression symptoms in humans.

They found 33 genes that had significantly altered expression after a week's worth of workouts.

One gene (Vgf) caught their attention because other researchers had identified it as being induced by electroshock therapy, a treatment for extreme depression; other evidence had previously suggested that exercise also helps reduce the symptoms of this disorder.

The researchers found that both exercise and infusing Vgf into the brains of mice produced effects similar to antidepressants.

these results still need to be confirmed in humans.

9 Hidden Reasons to Stay Motivated

clipped from www.sparkpeople.com

Everyone tells us to stay motivated. Our friends, our co-workers, our relatives say to keep going, don’t quit. Sometimes, though, you ask, "Why? Why try my hardest when it ends in disappointment? Why go through something when it’s going to hurt? Why?"

Because it’s going to be different this time! Because you can’t accomplish anything that you give up on. Disappointments and failures happen to everyone. The difference between those who reach their goals and those who don’t is staying motivated. If you’re motivated, you’ll keep going. If you keep going, eventually you’ll reach your goal.