The results of a new study published in the journal The Lancet show a possible reason.

The study showed that almost all British men have either of two variants of a cluster of genes in the Y chromosome, the chromosome that is unique to men. Those who possessed one of the variants were found to be 50 percent more likely to develop heart disease when compared against men who had the other variant.

The study determined further that this risk was independent of such traditional factors as cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes.

The researchers, however, still do not know the specific genes in the cluster that are responsible for the increase in risk, and why they have that effect. They said that there was a need to replicate the study, as it was not definitive. Dr. Maciej Tomaszewski of the University of Leicester, lead author of the study, did not explain the male disadvantage in heart disease thoroughly.

Dr. Virginia Miller, a heart disease researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, shared that the study “puts a whole different perspective on some risk factors for heart disease in men.” Dr. Miller wrote an editorial to accompany the paper.

Dr. Miller shared further that the development of a screening test for finding Y chromosome gene clusters associated with heart disease risk and a better understanding of how these gene clusters act may lead towards heart attack prevention among men.

The study involved data from nearly 17,000 people in South Australia, aged 16 years old and above. The study participants were asked about their consumption of such soft drinks as Coca-Cola, flavored mineral water, lemonade, and sports drinks.

Based on the results of the analysis of data, it was determined that more than 10 percent of the study participants consumed more than 500 ml of soft drinks a day. It was determined further that 13.3 percent of the study participants who suffered from asthma and 15.6 percent of the study participants who had COPD belonged to the percentage of people who drank a more than two 8-ounce glasses of soft drinks – roughly more than half a liter – on a daily basis.

The researchers found that people who consumed that much soft drinks were 1.2 times more likely to have asthma, and 1.7 times more likely to have COPD, when compared to those who did not drink soft drinks. The study also associated the amount of soft drinks consumed with the risk of developing respiratory illnesses, indicating that the more one drank soft drinks, one’s risk for developing asthma and/or COPD also increases.

A journal news release quoted lead study author Dr. Zumin Shi of the University of Adelaide, who shared: “Our study emphasizes the importance of healthy eating and drinking in the prevention of chronic diseases like asthma and COPD.”

A study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands revealed that older women were more at risk of dying from the disease, regardless of the type of tumor that they have or the treatment that they undergo.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, involved an analysis of data from more than 9,000 study participants. These participants consisted of women suffering from hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who had been enrolled in a five-year randomized clinical trial. 1,043 of the study participants died during the trial period.

The results of the study suggested that the age of a woman suffering from breast cancer may play a larger role in the risk of dying from the disease than initially thought.

Based on the data analyzed for the study, it was determined that women aged 75 or older had an 8 percent risk of dying form the disease, while younger women aged 65 and below had a 6 percent risk.

The researchers wrote: “Because breast cancer incidence increases with increasing age, changing demographics and continuously increasing life expectancy will further enlarge the number of older women confronted with breast cancer.”

Dr. Deborah Axelrod, director of clinical breast services and breast surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center, shared: “Typically, women who are older get less aggressive cancers, but this shows you can’t discount aggressive diseases in older women.”

Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Corporation, an auto insurer, donated $525,000 to the Committee for Compassionate Medicine. This accounts for almost the entire funding of $526,167 raised by the group last year.

The Committee will direct the funds towards efforts to convince voters to approve the measure, should it reach the November ballot.

The said ballot question will legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes, allowing patients to use it to treat such medical conditions as cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis, upon the recommendation of a doctor. It also calls for the registration of up to 35 non-profit medical treatment centers around Massachusetts, for the purpose of distributing medical marijuana.

A PR firm for the Committee for Compassionate Medicine shared that the question aims “to ensure that Massachusetts patients have the same access to the necessary medical resources to fight debilitating diseases that are available in sixteen other states.”

The treatment centers will be authorized to acquire, cultivate, and process marijuana, as well as develop related products such as food, tinctures, aerosols, oils, or ointments.

In addition to helping out medical marijuana advocates in Massachusetts, Lewis is also backing similar initiatives in other states. In Washington state, for instance, Lewis is supporting a campaign for the legalization and taxation of marijuana for recreational use. He also revealed last year that he was seeking proposals for a medical marijuana ballot issue for 2012 in his home state of Ohio.

The results of a study indicated that men who smoke are more likely to have a more rapid mental decline, when compared against those who do not smoke. The effect, however, was observed only among male smokers. There was no similar link among female smokers.

The study, which was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, involved an analysis of data from around 8,000 British civil servants, nearly 6000 of which were men. The study participants were given their first mental assessment at midlife – at an average age of 56 – to evaluate their thinking abilities.

The assessment consisted of five tests of memory, vocabulary, and verbal & math reasoning skills. These assessments were conducted two more times after the administration of the initial assessment, over the course of a decade.

The smoking habits of the study participants over a 25-year period were determined by looking at their current smoking status at the beginning of the study, as well as past history, including whether they had quit or relapsed.

The researchers were able to observe faster mental decline among middle-aged men who smoked, when compared against men who never smoked.

Men who had quit smoking only recently, on the other hand, had greater declines in “executive function,” a term used to refer to more complex thinking skills, when compared against men who never smoked.

A research effort from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that 1 in 5 high school and middle school students are exposed to secondhand smoke in vehicles. This type of secondhand smoke has been associated with breathing problems and allergy symptoms, and the report called for more restrictions in order to prevent this exposure.

Anti-smoking advocates have been especially keen on exposure to secondhand smoke in cars, as there is research that showed that vehicles are potentially more dangerous than smoke-filled bars and other areas which are not as confined.

The researchers performed an analysis of data from national surveys conducted at public and private high schools and middle schools. The survey asked students about how often they rode in vehicles with someone else smoking in them within the past week, among other things.

According to the CDC, no level of exposure to secondhand smoke can be considered risk-free. CDC researcher Brian King, lead author of the study, shared that despite the decline in smoking rates in cars between 2000 and 2009, the number of kids who are exposed to secondhand smoke in vehicles is still “problematic.” He shared further: “The car is the only source of exposure for some of these children, so if you can reduce that exposure, it’s definitely advantageous for health.”

The study focused on determining whether green tea drinkers are less at risk for frailty and disability later in life. The researchers found that elderly adults who drink green tea regularly are more agile and independent when compared against their peers.

The study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was conducted by Yasutake Tomata of the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine and his colleagues, and gathered data from nearly 14,000 adults aged 65 years or older, for a period of three years.

The researchers found that study participants who drank green tea the most were least likely to develop “functional disability,” or issues with daily activities or basic needs, such as dressing or bathing. The results of the study indicated that almost 13 percent of adults who drank less than a cup of tea daily became functionally disabled. Only over 7 percent of those who drank at least five cups of green tea per day encountered the same problems.

The researchers wrote: “Green tea consumption is significantly associated with a lower risk of incident functional disability, even after adjustment for possible confounding factors.”

The study was unable to prove, however, that green tea alone was responsible for the positive effects experienced by the elderly subjects. It was determined further that green tea drinkers usually had healthier diets, consisting of fish, vegetables, and fruit; were more educated; and had lower smoking rates, among others.

Rep. Rick Brattin, a Republican state representative from Harrisonville, is the sponsor of a bill that would make it mandatory for members of the General Assembly to submit to random drug testing during the legislative session.

Rep. Brattin was quoted as saying: “I think we should live by the same standard we are asking others to live by… our salaries are paid by taxpayers, so we should assure them we aren’t using that money on drugs.”

The same argument was made when the state’s lawmakers approved legislation that made drug testing a requirement for some federal welfare recipients – that tax dollars should not be spend by those who receive them on illegal drugs. Rep. Ellen Brandom, a Sikeston Republican, gave the following statement to The Associated Press last year, when the bill passed: “Hardworking taxpayers don’t want their money to be subsidizing other people’s drug use.” The bill was signed into law by Gov. Jay Nixon.

The proposed bill mandates that a legislator who tests positive for illegal substances be removed from office. The lawmaker will also be prohibited from running for any elected office for two years.

This new bill has already been assigned to the House General Laws Committee, although it has yet to be scheduled for a public hearing.

While heart disease is something that can afflict both men and women, it is the number one killer of women in America, with an estimated one in four women dying from it, based on information provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

The American Heart Association (AHA) said that more women die from heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, which makes it imperative to raise awareness about the disease – the primary objective of National Wear Red Day.

Heart disease, however, is a preventable condition; 80 percent of deaths due to heart disease in women can be prevented for as long as women eat right, exercise, and do not smoke.

In addition to leading a healthy lifestyle, women are also advised to watch out for heart attack symptoms, including uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of the chest which may be intermittent or lasts for more than a few minutes; pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach. Other signs of a heart attack may be shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort, and breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

The AHA shard further that women are more likely to feel some of the other symptoms of a heart attack, especially shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

E! Online shared the Moore checked into a rehab program at the Cirque Lodge in Utah. People.com shared further that the actress checked into the facility the week after she was taken to the hospital on January 23.

A female caller had called 911 after the actress allegedly smoked a substance “similar to incense” and began “convulsing.”

On January 24, a statement was issued by Carrie Gordon, spokesperson for Ms. Moore: “Because of the stresses in her life right now, Demi has chosen to seek professional assistance to treat her exhaustion and improve her overall health. She looks forward to getting well and is grateful for the support of her family and friends.”

A source reportedly told E! that Demi “is on total lockdown and only talking to a small group of people.” The source added further that Ms. Moore is receiving treatment for addiction and an eating disorder.

This is not the first time that Demi Moore went into rehab. She sought help for drug and alcohol abuse in the mid-80s.

It has been a rough couple of months or so for the actress. She and husband Ashton Kutcher separated in November, but even before that, friends saw a change in Demi that worried them. A source shared the following with People: “Really, it was over the last year her friends saw a change… she wasn’t sleeping well, didn’t seem to be eating, and looked really gaunt.”