Women more severely affected by ME, study claims
Women with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) tend to have more symptoms and co-occurring conditions than men, according to the world’s largest study of the disease. The study, entitled DecodeME, reveals women who have the condition for more than 10 years are more likely to experience increasingly severe symptoms as they get older. ME/CFS is estimated to affect more than 250,000 people in the UK, of all ages and from all social and economic backgrounds. Its key feature, called post-exertional malaise, is a delayed dramatic worsening of symptoms following minor physical effort. Other symptoms include pain, brain fog and extreme energy limitation that does not improve with rest. Causes are unknown and there is currently no diagnostic test or cure. Experts from the University of Edinburgh analysed anonymous survey questionnaires from more than 17,000 people with ME/CFS. Two-thirds of women, and slightly more than half of men, reported at least one active co-occurring condition. Similarly, 39.2% of women and 28.6% of men reported at least one inactive co-occurring condition. We discovered that the disease is worse for women, in older people, and many years after their ME/CFS started Professor Chris Ponting of the University of Edinburgh A condition was considered active if the participant had experienced symptoms in the preceding six months. The most common active co-occurring condition was irritable bowel syndrome, with clinical depression, fibromyalgia, anaemia and hypothyroidism also featuring prominently. Women also reported, on average, more symptoms than men – 42 compared with 36. The most common of these symptoms were brain fog – a term commonly used to describe the cognitive impairment experienced by participants – unrefreshing sleep and muscle pain. These findings highlight the very serious impact ME/CFS has on women who are disproportionately affected Sonya Chowdhury, chief executive of Action for M.E Participants were also asked to define the severity of their illness from mild to very severe using definitions from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. Experts identified that being a woman and having ME/CFS for more than 10 years are risk factors for severe illness, with symptoms increasing in intensity as they age. Professor Chris Ponting, study lead from the MRC human genetics unit at the University of Edinburgh’s Institute of Genetics and Cancer, said: “ME/CFS is a devastating disease affecting a UK population the size of Derby. “We discovered that the disease is worse for women, in older people, and many years after their ME/CFS started. “Our hope is that DecodeME’s genetic results will shed light on why certain groups are more susceptible to ME/CFS than others.” Sonya Chowdhury, chief executive of Action for M.E. and chair of the management group of the study, said: “These findings highlight the very serious impact ME/CFS has on women who are disproportionately affected. “It’s important to also recognise the impact that it has on men who have ME/CFS and we thank the 20,000 men and women who have already signed up to take part in this very important study. “We still need more to join us, so if you are 16 or older, live in the UK and have a diagnosis of ME/CFS, please do take part now to help us decode ME at www.decodeme.org.uk/portal.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live 4 hacks to get teens off the sofa and get active – as study warns of heart damage Taking adult education classes may lower risk of dementia, study suggests Indiyah Polack: I didn’t want to go on Love Island because of my acne
2023-08-24 13:17
US says stolen COVID relief funds seized so far top $1.4 billion
By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON The U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday it has seized over $1.4 billion in
2023-08-24 07:53
NBA rumors: Kobe statue update, Tyler Herro landing spot, Blazers out on KAT
The latest slate of NBA rumors involves an update on Kobe Bryant's statue, a Tyler Herro trade development, and the Blazers' interest in Karl-Anthony Towns.
2023-08-24 06:23
Extreme heat kills nearly 2 dozen cattle, forces evacuations from a nursing home and shuts down an ice cream parlor
Nearly two dozen cattle died in Nebraska, more than 100 Missouri nursing home residents were evacuated and an ice cream shop in Iowa was forced to close as record-shattering heat engulfs more than 20 states.
2023-08-24 05:16
Taking adult education classes may lower risk of dementia, study suggests
Taking an adult education class could help lower your risk of developing dementia, researchers have found. Middle-aged and senior citizens in adult education have a 19% reduced chance of developing the condition within five years, a new study suggests. The findings also suggest that people who took the classes kept up their fluid intelligence – the ability to reason quickly and to think abstractly – and non-verbal reasoning performance better than peers who did not. First author Dr Hikaru Takeuchi, of Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, said: “Here we show that people who take adult education classes have a lower risk of developing dementia five years later. “Adult education is likewise associated with better preservation of non-verbal reasoning with increasing age.” Here we show that people who take adult education classes have a lower risk of developing dementia five years later Dr Hikaru Takeuchi, Tohoku University Dr Takeuchi and his co-author Dr Ryuta Kawashima, also a professor at the Institute of Development, Ageing and Cancer at the university, analysed data from 282,421 people in the UK Biobank, which holds genetic, health, and medical information from approximately half a million British volunteers, They had enrolled between 2006 and 2010, when they were between 40 and 69, and had been followed up for an average of seven years at the time of the new study. Based on their DNA, people were given an individual predictive risk score for dementia, and self-reported if they took any adult education classes, without specifying the frequency, subject, or academic level. The study looked at data from the enrolment visit and third assessment visit, between 2014 and 2018. Those enrolled in the study were given psychological and cognitive tests, for example for fluid intelligence, visuospatial memory and reaction time. According to the study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 1.1% of people in the sample developed dementia over the course of the study. It also found that people who were taking part in adult education, at enrolment had 19% lower risk of developing dementia than participants who did not. The results were similar when people with a history of diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, cancer or mental illness were excluded. The researchers suggest this means the observed lower risk was not exclusively due to people with developing dementia being prevented from following adult education by symptoms of these known conditions. Dr Kawashima said: “One possibility is that engaging in intellectual activities has positive results on the nervous system, which in turn may prevent dementia. “But ours is an observational longitudinal study, so if a direct causal relationship exists between adult education and a lower risk of dementia, it could be in either direction.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Indiyah Polack: I didn’t want to go on Love Island because of my acne Everything you need to know about the UK’s first womb transplant Why are wellbeing experts concerned about the ‘lazy girl job’ trend?
2023-08-23 17:59
Everything you need to know about the UK’s first womb transplant
The UK’s first womb transplant means that, in future, dozens of women born without a functioning organ can carry babies of their own. – What has happened? Surgeons have performed the UK’s first womb transplant on a 34-year-old woman whose older sister donated the organ to her. In a complex procedure, the medical team removed the womb from the 40-year-old woman and implanted it directly into her sister. Both women have made a good recovery. – Have any babies been born? Not yet. Experts want to be sure the transplant is stable and the womb is functioning fully before the younger woman undergoes IVF. She has stored eight embryos and will have fertility treatment later this year in central London. The woman hopes to have more than one baby. Once she has completed her family, the womb will be removed to prevent her needing immunosuppressant drugs for the rest of her life. – Has the NHS paid for the operation? No. Each womb transplant costs around £25,000 and is fully funded by the charity Womb Transplant UK. This includes payment to the NHS for theatre time and the patient’s stay on a ward. The operations are only carried out at times when the NHS is not using the operating theatre, so they do not impact on usual NHS waiting lists. Surgeons and medical staff involved in the transplant have not been paid for the operation and have given their time freely. – Have other womb transplants been carried out around the world? More than 90 womb transplants have been carried out internationally, with most operations involving a living donor. The first successful womb transplant took place in Sweden in 2014, with the baby – Vincent – born to a 36-year-old woman who described him as “perfect”. In 2000, a transplant was performed on a 26-year-old woman in Saudi Arabia but the donor womb survived for only 99 days due to problems with its blood supply. To date, womb transplants have been carried out in more than 10 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Sweden, the US, China, Czech Republic, Brazil, Germany, Serbia and India. – How successful is the operation? Data from the US shows that more than half of women who received a womb through a transplant in the US went on to have successful pregnancies. Between 2016 and 2021, 33 women received womb transplants in the US and, as of last summer, 19 of them (58%) had delivered a total of 21 babies. In 74% of those receiving a womb, the organ was still functioning one year after transplant and 83% of this group had live-born children. – Will there be more transplants in the UK? Yes. The second British womb transplant is scheduled to take place this autumn and experts believe a maximum of 20 to 30 per year could be carried out in the UK in the future. Transplants could help women born without a functioning womb and those who lose their organ to cancer or other conditions. Estimates suggest there are 15,000 women in the UK of childbearing age who do not have a functioning womb. – Will there be a shortage of donor wombs? Womb Transplant UK is running two programmes, one involving living donors and another with organs from people who have died. The living donor programme in the UK has so far focused on women with relatives who are willing to give their wombs. However, the team believes that in the future, the living donor programme will expand to include friends or altruistic living donors. This is currently more common in the US. The use of deceased donors is assessed by the team on a case-by-case basis. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Why are wellbeing experts concerned about the ‘lazy girl job’ trend? How to check for cancer, as Morrisons puts NHS cancer advice in underwear labels Prostate screening ‘could save lives’ – the symptoms and risk factors you need to know
2023-08-23 15:52
Rumer Willis reveals her daughter’s name was inspired by typo in a text
Rumer Willis has revealed that the name for her daughter, who she welcomed in April, was actually inspired by a text typo. The actress, 35, spoke candidly about her daughter, who she shares with boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas, during a recent interview with People. Willis went on to explain that while her daughter goes by Louetta, that wasn’t the name that she and Thomas had initially planned. “We were thinking about the name Loretta, and it was a typo,” she said. “Her dad and I were texting, and he left the ‘R’ out of Loretta, and it was just Louetta.” Willis - the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore - added that, after her partner made the typo in his text, she came to realise that she liked the name “Louetta” better than “Loretta”. “I was like: ‘Oh, I love that!’ I feel like it was one of those kind of divine intervention universe moments, and we figured it out actually quite early in my pregnancy,” she explained. However, according to The House Bunny star, she initially had a few concerns about if the name would be the best fit for her daughter. “What was scary was, I love this name, but oh man, is it going to be her name? Is it the right name?” she continued. What if she comes out and doesn’t look like this?” Despite her mixed feelings about the name during her pregnancy, Willis said she realised that she wanted to call her baby “Lou” once she was born. “I fell in love with the name so much, so early on, that I was then worried that it wouldn’t work,” she said. “But then she came out, and I mean, to me, at least right now, I was going to name her Lou, whether she was a boy or a girl.” She also added that both she and Thomas wanted to pick a name that had some “versatility” to it, before describing some of the different nicknames that her daughter could choose to go by. “If she doesn’t feel like a Louetta, she can go by Lou, she can go by Etta,” she said. “She can go change it up throughout her life. Whatever she wants.” Earlier this year, Willis took to Instagram to announce the birth of her first child. “Louetta Isley Thomas Willis. You are pure magic,” she wrote in the caption, alongside a snap of her then-newborn. “Born at home on Tuesday April 18th. You are more than we ever dreamed of.” Along with opening up about her baby’s name, Willis has also taken to social media to speak candidly about her experiences as a mother. Earlier this week, she hit back at criticism on Instagram after she shared a photo of herself breastfeeding her daughter. When Instagram users questioned her for sharing the selfie, with claims that she posted it “for attention,” the actress expressed how she viewed the ability to feed her daughter as a “privilege,” and accused critics of holding “a limited view of” breastfeeding. She continued defending her decision to post the photo, explaining how she wanted it to lessen the “shame” that women face. “I think it’s incredibly important to share because there is an incredible amount of shame that comes with being born into a female body,” Willis wrote. “And I want to lead by example in teaching my daughter that she doesn’t have to be ashamed of her body ever and that she can decide how she wants to share it.” Read More Rumer Willis shuts down criticism over breastfeeding photo with her child: ‘I am the happiest I have been’ Rumer Willis says she is ‘grateful’ to her body following birth of daughter Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis says she is ‘not good’ amid his ongoing struggle with dementia Rumer Willis addresses criticism over breastfeeding photo with her child Rumer Willis says she is ‘grateful’ to her body following birth of daughter Serena Williams welcomes her second child with husband Alexis Ohanian
2023-08-23 05:27
Serena Williams welcomes her second child with husband Alexis Ohanian: ‘Beautiful angel’
Serena Williams and husband Alexis Ohanian are officially the parents of two. Williams, 41, shared a video to TikTok on 22 August to announce the arrival of her second child. The one-minute video started off with Ohanian looking at a computer and sitting at a table, before his wife sat down next to him. The pair were then joined by their five-year-old daughter Olympia. The video went on to show Williams leaving the room, before she returned with her newborn baby in her arms. After the tennis star exchanged a kiss with her husband, Olympia leaned toward them to give her little sister a kiss on the forehead. The clip ended with a few sweet snaps of the now family of four. In the caption of the video, which was set to Bazzi and Camila Cabello’s hit song, “Beautiful”, Williams wrote: “Welcome my beautiful angel.” Ohanian also shared a photo of himself and his family on Instagram to announce the baby news, revealing his child’s name: Adira River Ohanian. He continued the caption of his post by expressing his gratitude for his second daughter and wife, along with the doctors who cared for them. “I’m grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama,” he wrote. “Feeling grateful. @serenawilliams you’ve now given me another incomparable gift - you’re the GMOAT. Thanks to all the amazing medical staff who took care of my wife & our daughter,” he wrote. “I’ll never forget the moment I introduced @olympiaohanian to her baby sister.” In the comments, many fans and famous faces went on to celebrate the newest addition to Ohanian family. “Congratulations!!!! Such a beautiful family. I’m so happy for you guys!!!!!!,” LaLa Anthony wrote, while another fan added: “Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! Such a beautiful family! I love her name.” A third commented: “Such a blessing! So happy for you both.” During the Met Gala earlier this year, the Grand Slam winner first revealed that she was expecting her second child. As she walked the red carpet alongside her husband in May, Williams showcased her baby bump in a black long-sleeves dress with a deep neckline and a white tulle skirt. She also celebrated the news on Instagram at the time, writing: “Was so excited when Anna Wintour invited the three of us to the Met Gala.” Earlier this month, Williams and Ohanian also shared that they had an adventure-themed gender reveal party to unveil the sex of their baby. In a video shared to the tennis star’s YouTube account, which documented the “baby shower slash gender reveal” event, Ohanian had arranged for a drone display in the sky to reveal to his wife that they were having a girl. @serena Welcome my beautiful angel ♬ original sound - Serenawilliams Prio to sharing the display, the Reddit founder pulled a gender reveal prank on his partner by giving her a decoy cake that was yellow inside, instead of the usual blue or pink to indicate what the baby’s gender is. The arrival of Williams’ second child came one year after she revealed that she was retiring from tennis. In an essay for Vogue in August 2022, she wrote that she was leaving the sport to focus on her family, as she expressed how Olympia had often told her that she wanted to be a big sister. “Believe me, I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family,” she wrote. “I don’t think it’s fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t be writing this because I’d be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labour of expanding our family. Williams continued: “Don’t get me wrong: I love being a woman and I loved every second of being pregnant with Olympia… But I’m turning 41 this month and something’s got to give.” Read More Serena Williams celebrates second pregnancy with ‘pre-push party’ Pregnant Serena Williams pokes fun at sister Venus’ hilarious response to gender reveal prank Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian share gender reveal party footage with fans Serena Williams celebrates second pregnancy with ‘pre-push party’ Exercise apps could help boost healthcare workers mental health Alabama Barker shares autoimmune, thyroid disease struggle amid body-shaming comments
2023-08-23 03:50
18 bodies found as fires rage in Greece and Europe suffers another heat wave
The burned bodies of 18 people were found as wildfires ripped through Greece on Tuesday and countries across Europe sweltered under yet another extreme heat wave.
2023-08-22 22:52
3M names Bryan Hanson as CEO of its health care business
(Reuters) -3M Co said on Tuesday that Bryan Hanson would be the chief executive officer of the healthcare company it
2023-08-22 21:54
Greece wildfires: Hospital evacuated as fire intensifies in Alexandroupolis
Dozens of patients are moved to safety as wildfires burn out of control near Alexandroupolis.
2023-08-22 17:23
Sienna Miller pregnant with her second child
Sienna Miller is currently expecting her second child, it has been reported by multiple outlets. Photographs of the Lost City of Z star published by People magazine reveal Miller with a visible baby bump while on a beach holiday in Ibiza. The 41-year-old actor was pictured in a brown string bikini, with gold accessories, and could be seen smiling as she enjoyed the sea breeze. In one image, she wrapped a grey towel with a red stripe around her hips, accentuating her growing bump. Her second pregnancy comes 10 years after the birth of her first child, Marlowe, whom she shares with her former fiance, The Sandman star Tom Sturridge. According to the outlet, Miller was seen spending time with her boyfriend, actor Oli Green, in St Tropez before arriving in Ibiza. She has not commented publicly on her pregnancy and it is unclear what stage she is in. The Independent has contacted Miller’s representative for comment. Last December, Miller opened up about being a parent to British Vogue. She said she “loves being a mother”, adding: “It’s what I do best.” However, the American Woman star has also felt “pressure” to expand her family after turning 40. Speaking to Elle UK, Miller described questions surrounding whether she should have more children and why she has not as “a really loud noise”. “Biology is incredibly cruel on women in that decade – that’s the headline, or it certainly was for me,” she said. “Then I got to 40 and I froze some eggs. Having been really focused on the need to have another baby, I’m just like, if it happens, it happens. That kind of existential threat has dissipated.” Miller and Sturridge dated from 2011 to 2015, and their daughter was born in July 2012. They continue to be good friends and co-parents, and have been known to travel together and stay at one another’s houses as they continue to put Marlowe first. “It’s not like there’s a structure for custody,” Miller told Elle UK in 2019. “We make it work. It’s not conventional.” Reflecting on her relationship with her daughter, Miller told People: “When you are raising a child you see aspects of your character in that person, reflected back, and it’s the most loving, intense relationship that I have. There’s nowhere to hide. “She knows me, I know her. She’s really stubborn, which is very like me. I see her as her own person but I also see genetic things. She’s heaven, my kid.” Read More No music, no ball games, no fun: society is wiping out play Comedian Mark Watson says three-year affair was way of avoiding ‘the fact I wasn’t special’ Rihanna and A$AP Rocky reportedly welcome second child together Jana Kramer reveals she couldn’t brush her teeth for three months while pregnant Mom documents at-home abortion to destigmatise abortion pills Rumer Willis addresses criticism over breastfeeding photo with her child
2023-08-22 16:25