Sugar-It Was You Could ======= Rats eating a high degree of natural sugar known as fructose seem to age faster than others ---- rats and the same might be true for people who eat to much junk food, sweet, Israeli researchers said Monday. Fructose, natural honey and fruit, is widely distributed in foods from soft drinks to yogurt. But while its sweet flavor is very popular, it could cause the sugar wrinkles and heal the problems, the researchers said. Dr. Moshe Werman and Boaz Levi of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology fed large amounts of fructose to laboratory rats. Writing in the journal of Nutrition, they said, the fructose-fed rats showed changes in the collagen of the skin and bones Collagen, a fibrous protein in connective tissue, bone and cartilage, generally keeps the body together. The loss Final Fantasy XI gilof collagen is what causes sagging and deep wrinkles in the elderly. The process involved Werman team has said, is known as "networking". "Too much networking reduces elasticity and makes the skin stiff and inflexible, and those are the conditions, the wrinkled skin," Werman said in a statement. He said that the same might be true for humans, although this has not yet been shown. "Americans eat more and more processed foods such as carbonated beverages, pastries, fruit preserves, jams and dairy products, the fructose," Werman said. Other studies have shown that high fructose intake may influence how the body handles glucose and increases insulin resistance ---- both of which are important measures of the tendency to diabetes. The rats were fed with Werman far more than the average adult can eat in a day, which is standard in these experiments. The rats were fed 12,5 g fructose per kg (2.2 pound) weight each day for a year. To compare a person, a weight of 154 pounds (70kg), who drinks a quart (liter) Coke consumed about 60 grams of fructose, or 0.8 g per kg body weight. HOUSTON (OA) - Kobe Bryant was the Lakers' lineup, is Shaquille O'Neal. None of these roles to Yao Ming. Yao had 29 points and 11 rebounds, outplaying O'Neal lead the Houston Rockets in Los Angeles 102-87 on Wednesday night. The Rockets pulled away in theffxi gil fourth quarter behind Yao, the Houston score 11 of the last 15 points in the last 6:12. He met Five free throws and three field goals, including a hook over O'Neal. `` I was very surprised as I was able to do,''said Yao. `` We keep the ball moving and our staff on defense and Shaq is not catching up. We have a lot of Western Conference teams and this will be a big boost for our confidence.'' O'Neal, who finished with 24 points and nine rebounds, contaminated with 3:20 to play. Bryant came off the lotr goldinjured list and scored 14 points for the Lakers. `` We played and played as a team all together with great chemistry and they could not get what we are trying to do,''said Yao. O'Neal did not admit to a lot of Yao. `` He has the shots, but he also has the whistle,''said O'Neal. `` He is a great guy and has a soft touch. I do not think he can ever play me one-on-one, always, always, always. We let this slip away. They played with a lot of trouble. We have simply made mistakes.'' The Rockets went 73-63 before the end of the third quarter, and Yao has to make a quick start in the fourth with two free throws and a jumper. Steve Francis and Jim Jackson hit 3-pointers, in order to 83-69 with 9:01 to play. Francis then take two free throws after a flagrant foul against O'Neal, and the missiles were up 85-70. They beat the Lakers for the second time this season. Lakers Coach Phil Jackson thought Yao played his best game in four meetings with O'Neal. `` It was a great effort by Ming the line,''said Jackson. Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was pleased with the performance of Yao. AP - 12 February, clock 12:03 EST More Photos `` We have to adjustments throughout the game when you play against the best players in the league, and he did this,''said Van Gundy. `` He went with his jump hook and he went, and he spun.'' The struggle between the All-Star center with O'Neal scoring on a hook over Yao for the Lakers' first points. Yao reached over O'Neal moments later. Yao got more votes than O'Neal and is in the Western Conference All-Star Game Sunday. O'Neal has outscored Yao 116-63 in their matchups. Gary Payton recorded 19 points for Los Angeles.