
Chandrayaan-3: India lunar rover Pragyaan takes a walk on the Moon
Chandrayaan-3's rover Pragyaan exits Vikram lander and takes first steps near the little-explored south pole.
2023-08-24 13:23

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

Australia hurt by inflation but unlikely to enter recession - NAB CEO
SYDNEY Australian inflation over the past year-and-a-half was the worst in three decades but the country is still
2023-08-24 12:27

Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte turns 20, beloved by millions and despised by some
The seasonal drink that made pumpkin spice a star is marking two decades in the world
2023-08-24 12:23

Blackstone China unit gets nod to raise funds for overseas investments
By Roxanne Liu and Selena Li Blackstone's newly established China unit has received regulatory approval to raise funds
2023-08-24 12:20

Bans on diverse board books? Young kids need to see their families represented, experts say
Across the country, books and lessons that represent different families and identities are increasingly the target of conservative pushback — even when they're for the youngest of learners
2023-08-24 12:17

Republican debate: Candidates brawl in showdown without Trump
The rivals clash over their readiness for the job, abortion, education - and the no-show frontrunner.
2023-08-24 11:57

LSU football star suspended vs. Florida State for highly questionable reason
LSU football will take on Florida State in Week 1 down a man after Maason Smith was suspended over an NIL from two years ago.
2023-08-24 11:26

Key moments from Republican presidential debate so far
It was a race to see who out of eight candidates would make a splash during the first Republican debate.
2023-08-24 10:54

Australia economy to slow, govt spending to rise as population ages-report
SYDNEY Australia faces decades of slower economic growth as its population gets older which will pressure the budget
2023-08-24 10:18

Gaslighting and shame: Uncovering the stories of Ireland's Magdalene Laundries
The death of Sinead O'Connor, who stayed in one former laundry as a teen, has prompted renewed interest.
2023-08-24 08:20

Tornado Cash crypto firm founders indicted for allegedly laundering money for North Korean hackers
Two co-founders of cryptocurrency giant Tornado Cash, one of them a Russian national and the other an executive in Washington state, have been charged with operating a crypto scheme that allegedly laundered hundreds of millions of dollars for North Korean hackers, according to a federal indictment unsealed Wednesday in the Southern District Court of New York.
2023-08-24 08:17