IntroductionNeuroticism is a personality domain with prognostic value for physical and mental health. To properly inform public health policy, it is crucial to uncover the mechanisms underlying high neuroticism. Many internal and external factors that affect brain development and functioning and therefore might contribute to the variability of neuroticism remain understudied. Among them, the impact of vitamin sufficiency is of great interest, as it is a modifiable factor. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of neuroticism with vitamin D (VD) and vitamin B9 (VB9) using polygenic scores (PGS) in a nonclinical cohort.MethodsWe analyzed data from 348 healthy unrelated individuals, including neuroticism scores on the Eysenck Personality Inventory, VD-PGS, VB9-PGS and PGS for neuroticism-related traits.ResultsThe analysis controlling for demographic and genetic confounders revealed a negative association between VB9-PGS and neuroticism scores in women and a positive association between VD-PGS and neuroticism scores in men. The highest values of the VD-PGS were observed in men, who scored high on both neuroticism and extraversion. In men, unlike women, neuroticism scores were not correlated with PGS for neuroticism but were associated with PGS for bipolar disorder type 1 and alcohol use disorders.ConclusionThe results suggest that the effects on neuroticism of genetic propensity for suboptimal vitamin D and B9 concentrations might differ across the two sexes. The findings are consistent with the idea of the importance of vitamin B9 for emotional stability in women and indicate the involvement of genetic factors predisposing to higher vitamin D levels in excitability-related components of neuroticism in men.
Mental health in the time of polycrisis: geopolitical determinants and modern psychiatry
Psychiatry is increasingly being practised in environments affected by geopolitical instabilities, including economic fragmentation, democratic backsliding, and widening inequities. The confluence of these phenomena contributes to what has been described as a contemporary polycrisis, encompassing synchronous disruptions that reinforce one another and threaten collective wellbeing. Nevertheless, psychiatric research and clinical work have generally remained oriented towards immediate determinants and risk factors, overlooking the macro-level political and institutional dynamics that can condition stressor exposure and mental health disparities. Amidst, interconnected crises, this paper advances geopsychiatry as a framework for understanding how distal geopolitical determinants translate into psychiatric vulnerabilities across communities and societies. Focussing on armed conflicts, climate change, and forced migration as emblematic domains of polycrisis, it highlights how these compounding phenomena are generating direct mental health burdens and may amplify harms via secondary pathways. Moreover, it contends that the psychiatric consequences of polycrisis are unlikely to be ameliorated through patient-centred interventions alone, but also require innovative approaches responsive to structural inequalities and material forces that transcend borders. In this context, work from geopsychiatry can offer important implications for modern psychiatry, highlighting a need for a more globally representative evidence base, potential clinical adaptations, and policy engagement that better attends to the geopolitical determinants of mental health.
Adult attachment and intimate relationship satisfaction among university students: the chain mediating roles of appreciation and sense of giving
BackgroundSatisfying intimate relationships are fundamental to young adults’ psychological well-being. Although adult attachment theory provides a robust framework for understanding relationship quality, the mechanisms linking higher attachment anxiety and avoidance to lower relationship satisfaction remain underexplored. This study tested a chain mediation model in which appreciation (both expressed and felt) and sense of giving sequentially mediate the link between insecure attachment and relationship satisfaction.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted with 536 university students (mean age = 21.67 years; 55.8% female) currently in romantic relationships. Participants completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing higher attachment avoidance and anxiety, appreciation (appreciating one’s partner and feeling appreciated), sense of giving, and relationship satisfaction. Chain mediation analyses were performed using the SPSS PROCESS macro with 5,000 bootstrap resamples to evaluate the significance of indirect effects.ResultsAttachment significantly and negatively predicted relationship satisfaction. In the first chain mediation model, higher levels of both attachment avoidance and anxiety were negatively associated with appreciation of one’s partner. Appreciation, in turn, was positively associated with a greater sense of giving, which was subsequently linked to higher relationship satisfaction. After controlling for demographic and relational covariates, the key findings remained robust. The sequential indirect effect (Attachment → Appreciating → Giving → Satisfaction) was significant for both higher attachment avoidance (effect = -0.17, 95% CI [-0.22, -0.14]) and anxiety (effect = -0.07, 95% CI [-0.10, -0.03]). Similarly, the sequential indirect effect through feeling appreciated (Attachment → Feeling Appreciated → Giving → Satisfaction) was significant for both higher avoidance (effect = -0.10, 95% CI [-0.14, -0.07]) and anxiety (effect = -0.09, 95% CI [-0.12, -0.06]).ConclusionInsecure attachment was negatively associated with intimate relationship satisfaction through a sequential pathway involving appreciation and sense of giving. These cross-sectional findings suggest that appreciation processes may represent a promising intervention target. Clinical or preventive strategies enhancing the expression and perception of appreciation could potentially improve relationship satisfaction among young adults with insecure attachment orientations.
The value of patient-focused drug development
Nature Medicine, Published online: 24 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04364-z
The value of patient-focused drug development
Targeted therapies plus radiotherapy for diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: the randomized phase 2 BIOMEDE trial
Nature Medicine, Published online: 24 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04354-1
In a biomarker-driven trial evaluating radiotherapy with erlotinib, everolimus or dasatinib in patients with newly diagnosed diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, the primary endpoint of overall survival was not met, but features associated with long-term survival were defined, and everolimus emerged as a potential candidate for further testing.
Cross-reactive anti-prophage antibodies and bacterial heteroresistance implicated in phage therapeutic failure
Nature Medicine, Published online: 24 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04301-0
A 22-year-old patient with cystic fibrosis and chronic, drug-resistant Bordetella bronchialis infection received compassionate-use phage therapy. Serum samples revealed that pre-existing antiphage immunity existed before treatment, indicating that future studies must evaluate antiphage immunity across the entire treatment regimen.
From the discovery of GLP-1 to today’s diabetes/obesity therapy and beyond
Glucagon-like peptide-1 was discovered as an insulinotropic peptide from the gut during a search for candidates for the incretin effect. It turned out to also inhibit glucagon secretion and is now considered an important regulator of glucose metabolism. In further investigations of its physiological effects, it also inhibited gastrointestinal secretion and motility and inhibited appetite and food intake. Because of these effects, it was eventually demonstrated to be able to improve glucose control and beta cell function in T2DM patients and was even associated with weight loss.
Transcriptomic and phenotypic convergence of neurodevelopmental disorder risk genes in vitro and in vivo
Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 24 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02247-7
By studying 23 neurodevelopmental disorder genes across model systems and brain cell types, the authors uncovered shared downstream effects that converge on synaptic biology, epigenetic regulation and mitochondrial function.
The Download: supercharged scams and studying AI healthcare
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology.
We’re in a new era of AI-driven scams
When ChatGPT was released in late 2022, it showed how easily generative AI could create human-like text. This quickly caught the eye of cybercriminals, who began using LLMs to compose malicious emails. Since then, they’ve adopted AI for everything from turbocharged phishing and hyperrealistic deepfakes to automated vulnerability scans.
Many organizations are now struggling to cope with the sheer volume of cyberattacks. AI is making them faster, cheaper, and easier to carry out, a problem set to worsen as more cybercriminals adopt these tools—and their capabilities improve. Read the full story on how AI is reshaping cybercrime.
—Rhiannon Williams
“Supercharged scams” is one of the 10 Things That Matter in AI Right Now, our essential guide to what’s really worth your attention in the field.
Subscribers can watch an exclusive roundtable unveiling the technologies and trends on the list, with analysis from MIT Technology Review’s AI reporter Grace Huckins and executive editors Amy Nordrum and Niall Firth.
Healthcare AI is here. We don’t know if it actually helps patients.
Doctors are using AI to help them with notetaking. AI-based tools are trawling through patient records, flagging people who may require certain support or treatments. They are also used to interpret medical exam results and X-rays.
A growing number of studies suggest that many of these tools can deliver accurate results. But there’s a bigger question here: Does using them actually translate into better health outcomes for patients? We don’t yet have a good answer—here’s why.
—Jessica Hamzelou
The story is from The Checkup, our weekly newsletter that gives you the latest from the worlds of health and biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 DeepSeek has unveiled its long-awaited new AI model
The Chinese company has just launched preview versions of DeepSeek-V4. (CNN)
+It says V4 is the most powerful open-source platform. (Bloomberg $)
+ And rivals top closed-source models from OpenAI and DeepMind. (SCMP)
+ The model is adapted for Huawei chip technology. (Reuters $)
2 More countries are curbing children’s social media access
Norway is set to enforce the latest ban. (Reuters $)
+ The Philippines could follow soon. (Bloomberg $)
+ Americans are pushing to get AI out of schools. (The New Yorker)
3 The US has accused China of mass AI theft as tensions rise
A White House memo claims Chinese firms are exploiting American models. (BBC)
+ Beijing calls the accusations “slander.” (Ars Technica)
4 OpenAI set itself apart from Anthropic by widely releasing its new model
It’s releasing GPT-5.5 to all ChatGPT users, despite cybersecurity concerns. (NYT $)
+ OpenAI says the new model is better at coding and more efficient. (The Verge)
5 Meta is cutting 10% of jobs to offset AI spending
Roughly 8,000 layoffs are set to be announced on May 20. (QZ)
+ Anti-AI protests are growing. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Palantir is facing a backlash from employees
Thanks to its work with ICE and the Trump administration. (Wired $)
+ Surveillance tech is reshaping the fight for privacy. (MIT Technology Review)
7 The era of free access to advanced AI is coming to an end
AI labs are under mounting pressure to start turning profits. (The Verge)
8 Elon Musk’s feud with Sam Altman is heading to court
The case has already revealed several unflattering secrets. (WP $)
9 A new movement is encouraging people to ditch their smartphones for a month
“Month Offline” is like a Dry January for smartphones. (The Atlantic)
10 Spotify has revealed its most-streamed music of the last 20 years
Featuring Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and The Weeknd. (Gizmodo)
Quote of the day
“We want a childhood where children get to be children. Play, friendships, and everyday life must not be taken over by algorithms and screens.”
—Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announces age restrictions for social media.
One More Thing
NASA/JPL-CALTECH VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; CRAFT NASA/JPL-CALTECH/SWRI/MSSS; IMAGE PROCESSING: KEVIN M. GILL
The search for extraterrestrial life is targeting Jupiter’s icy moon Europa
As astronomers have discovered more about Europa over the past few decades, Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon has excited planetary scientists interested in the geophysics of alien worlds.
All that water and energy—and hints of elements essential for building organic molecules —point to an extraordinary possibility. In the depths of its ocean, or perhaps crowded in subsurface lakes or below icy surface vents, Jupiter’s big, bright moon could host life.
To find further evidence, NASA is now searching for signs of alien existence on Europa. Read the full story on the mission.
—Stephen Ornes
We can still have nice things
A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line.)
+ Here’s a fun look at the secret collaborations of pop history.
+ Meet the mannequins showing how the “ideal” body has evolved.
+ A photographer has cataloged all 12,795 objects in her home into an archive of a life.
+ Slime molds are unexpectedly beautiful when viewed through these high-detail macro shots.
Japanese Pharma Companies Turning to CDMOs Earlier in Product Life Cycle
Japanese pharmaceutical companies are engaging CDMOs earlier in the development cycle, as increasing complexity in peptide programs places greater strain on in-house capabilities, according to officials at Neuland Laboratories, which is attending CPHI Japan this week. The company says it has seen a notable shift in demand over the past 12–24 months, with more early-stage programs seeking external support.
This trend is being driven in part by growing activity from venture-backed biotech companies and spinouts emerging from large pharmaceutical R&D organizations, reports a Neuland spokesperson, who adds that as these programs advance into clinical development, demand for specialized CDMO capabilities is increasing.
Neuland has observed a rise in peptide-related engagements from Japanese companies, particularly at the preclinical and early clinical stages, where technical requirements are more demanding, notes Sharadsrikar Kotturi, PhD, CSO at Hyderabad, India-based Neuland Labs.
Peptide development presents several challenges compared with traditional small molecules, explains Kotturi. Analytical complexity remains a key issue, with structural characteristics making characterization, impurity detection, and purity assessment more difficult, he continues. Scaleup is also constrained by the availability and quality of protected amino acids, which can affect manufacturing timelines, cost, and overall success rates.
Regulatory expectations further add to the burden, points out Kotturi. Demonstrating purity, consistency, and process control to authorities such as Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency requires extensive data, while shifting requirements introduce additional hurdles during development and approval. Simultaneously, pricing and regulatory pressures in Japan are increasing the operational load on drug developers, he states. Frequent drug price revisions are pushing companies to improve cost efficiency, reinforcing the case for outsourcing.
“The bottleneck isn’t discovery anymore. It’s execution,” says Kotturi. “In peptides, programs are running into challenges around analytical complexity, scaleup, and the availability of key raw materials such as protected amino acids.”
The post Japanese Pharma Companies Turning to CDMOs Earlier in Product Life Cycle appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.