IntroductionEmotion recognition using physiological signals plays an important role in affective neuroscience and human-centered artificial intelligence. Current methods still face challenges in long-range temporal dependency modeling and explicit central–autonomic coupling representation, while generalization under subject-independent protocols needs further improvement.MethodsThis study proposes a Transformer-based multimodal framework for four-class discrete emotion recognition (neutral, happiness, sadness, and fear) by jointly modeling EEG and GSR signals. The architecture integrates temporal self-attention and bidirectional cross-modal attention. Experiments were conducted on 42 neurologically healthy adults with a controlled audiovisual emotion elicitation paradigm, evaluated using subject-independent five-fold cross-validation.ResultsThe model achieved a mean classification accuracy of 87.42% ± 2.13%, with precision of 87.6%, recall of 87.4%, and F1-score of 87.5%. It outperformed CNN and Bi-LSTM baselines by 4.91% and 6.38%, respectively. Multimodal fusion significantly boosted high-arousal emotion recognition, with fear accuracy increasing from 82.11% (EEG-only) to 88.63% (p = 0.004).DiscussionThese findings confirm that long-range temporal modeling and explicit cross-modal interaction can substantially improve multimodal physiological emotion recognition. The proposed framework is scalable and interpretable, advances central–autonomic coupling modeling, enhances generalization via strict subject-independent validation, and supports physiological interpretability through attention visualization and modality sensitivity analysis.
Leveraging Synchrosqueezing Transform (SST)-based representations in a dual-stream attention framework to enhance sleep apnea detection and subtyping
IntroductionSleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) is a prevalent disorder with profound adverse effects on health and overall quality of life, thereby necessitating the development of accurate and accessible screening tools. Electrocardiogram (ECG)-based analysis, being non-invasive and readily deployable in low-cost hardware, offers a particularly convenient approach for SAHS screening and preliminary diagnosis. However, conventional time-frequency analysis often fails to capture the subtle yet critical patterns in ECG signals due to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, leading to limited resolution and information loss.MethodsTo overcome these limitations, this study proposes a Dual Stream Cross Attention Fusion Network (DSCAFNet) based on the uncertainty-mitigated time-frequency representations generated via Synchrosqueezing Transform (SST). The framework uniquely constructs two complementary, high-fidelity SST-based representations, which are strategically designed to provide distinct yet synergistic perspectives on the complex, non-stationary dynamics of SAHS. A dedicated cross-attention fusion module then harnesses these complementary views, enabling the model to discriminatively integrate multi-resolution features for significantly enhanced pattern recognition.ResultsExtensively evaluated on the public Apnea-ECG dataset, DSCAFNet achieves an accuracy of 0.9572, a sensitivity of 0.9575, a specificity of 0.9584, and an F1-score of 0.9557, performing on par with state-of-the-art methods. More importantly, rigorous validation on a private Huashan-apnea dataset yields an accuracy of 0.9003 for binary classification and 0.7564 for four-class subtyping, demonstrating strong effectiveness and generalization.ConclusionThese consistent results across datasets highlight DSCAFNet as a promising framework for intelligent and accessible SAHS screening, with potential for integration into portable data acquisition systems combined with cloud-based analysis.
The Sentinel Phenotype: a theoretical bioenergetic and neurobiological framework for high-fidelity predictive systems (HEPOE Theory)
The HEPOE Theory (High Entropy Predictive Organization Efficiency) proposes a novel conceptual framework for understanding Giftedness (HA/G), moving beyond academic performance-based models toward a biophysical and neuroscientific foundation. Through a theoretical synthesis grounded in the Free Energy Principle and Biological Thermodynamics, the gifted individual is redefined as a “Sentinel”: a high-fidelity sampling system specialized in the early detection of isomorphy and the reduction of systemic entropy. This framework reinterprets Charles Spearman’s general intelligence (g) as a macroscopic manifestation of hardware efficiency, where reasoning ability is proposed to be fundamentally constrained by working-memory capacity and the metabolic economy of ATP resynthesis. We hypothesize that the hardware operates under an “open sensory gating” regime and low latent inhibition, leading to high metabolic costs and chronic allostatic load. The paper introduces the original concept of Predictive Moral Injury to conceptualize the potential somatic damage resulting from the early perception of ethical-systemic collapses within low-resolution environments. The HEPOE Unification Matrix integrates decades of classical literature and proposes a rigorous differential diagnosis against the pathologization of ASD, ADHD, and PTSD. It hypothesizes that the Sentinel’s exhaustion is not a dysfunction, but a logistical byproduct of high predictive performance under entropy-saturated conditions.
Perceptions of mental health services among informal caregivers in Sardinia, Italy, during the post-pandemic crisis of the national health system: a comparative study between 2024 and 2025
BackgroundItaly’s community-based mental health model, grounded in Law 180, has long been regarded as a global example of rights-oriented psychiatric reform. However, recent years have witnessed a crisis in the national health system, marked by chronic and progressively accumulating underfunding, workforce shortages, and organizational strain, rather than a single acute disruption. This s/tudy compares two samples of informal caregivers of individuals receiving mental health care in Sardinia (2024 vs. 2025) to explore differences in their perceptions of service quality, organizational well-being, and respect for human rights.MethodsA cross-sectional design was used to compare independent caregiver samples (2024: n = 100; 2025: n = 74). Participants completed the Well-Being at Work and Respect for Human Rights Questionnaire (WWRR), which assesses satisfaction with care, perceptions of organizational quality, and respect for users’ and staff’s rights. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and chi-square tests.ResultsCaregivers in 2025 reported significantly higher satisfaction than those in 2024 regarding the quality of services (p = 0.007), organizational aspects (p = 0.007), and respect for the human rights of both users (p < 0.001) and staff (p = 0.037). No differences emerged in perceived user satisfaction or resource adequacy, with both cohorts expressing persistent concern about staffing and infrastructure. The perceived need for additional nurses, doctors, and support staff increased in 2025, which may indicate growing awareness of workforce fragility.ConclusionsThese differences in satisfaction should be interpreted within a context of prolonged systemic strain, which may foster adaptive or resilience-based perceptions among informal caregivers. Despite ongoing structural difficulties, informal caregivers maintain high confidence in Italy’s community mental health services and perceive them as respectful of human rights. However, their increasing concern about resource shortages highlights the urgent need for investment to preserve the ethical and organizational strengths of the Italian model.
Hyponatremia in patients with severe anorexia nervosa was associated with more severe and longer duration of disease
IntroductionSeveral mechanisms are thought to contribute to hyponatremia in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). The aims of this descriptive, cross-sectional study among patients admitted to a specialized somatic unit for eating disorders (ED) were to determine the frequency of hyponatremia and to compare medical findings between patients with normonatremia and hyponatremia.MethodsThis retrospective, descriptive cross-sectional study included patients admitted to the unit between December 2016 and October 2021. Demographic, medical history, and clinical data were extracted from medical records. Patients were categorized according to plasma sodium concentration (<135 mmol/L vs. ≥135 mmol/L).ResultsAmong 131 patients, 17 (13%) had hyponatremia at admission. Hyponatremia was associated with lower BMI, lower nadir BMI, longer disease duration, and an adverse biochemical profile (lower albumin, higher creatinine, higher platelet counts, and higher bicarbonate levels). Thirteen patients (10%) were deceased at follow-up; hyponatremia was associated with mortality in unadjusted analysis (OR 8.03, 95% CI 2.29–28.16) but not after multivariable adjustment.DiscussionThe study found that 13% of patients admitted to a specialized somatic unit for ED had hyponatremia, which clustered with indicators of more severe and longstanding AN (lower BMI, lower nadir BMI, longer disease duration). Hyponatremia was associated with mortality in unadjusted analyses, but this association was attenuated after adjustment for age and illness severity. Despite the established potential of purging to induce hyponatremia, our findings suggest that, in this severely ill inpatient population, overall illness severity and chronic medical deterioration may be more important determinants of both hyponatremia and mortality risk than purging per se.
Metacognitive model of suicidality: a study of Iranian inpatients
BackgroundThe metacognitive model of suicidality proposes that positive metacognitions about suicide activate suicide-specific rumination, which in turn leads to the activation of negative metacognitions about suicide and an escalating aggravation of suicidal ideation/behavior. Initial studies support the model assumptions. However, investigations in highly burdened inpatient samples as well as studies in non-Western samples are missing by now.MethodsA total of 209 Iranian psychiatric inpatients (56.9% female; age M = 31.14, SD = 11.04) took part in a cross-sectional assessment. Self-report measures to assess suicidal ideation/behavior, depressive symptoms, suicide-specific rumination, and metacognitions about suicide were used.ResultsPositive metacognitions about suicide were associated with suicide-specific rumination. Suicide-specific rumination was associated with negative metacognitions about suicide. Suicidal thoughts were positively and positive metacognitions about suicide were negatively associated with lifetime suicide attempts.ConclusionThe results support assumptions of the metacognitive model of suicidality and underscore the importance of metacognitions about suicide and suicide-specific rumination in understanding the suicidal process.
Sleep-related problems among patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean region: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BackgroundSleep-related problems are common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and contribute substantially to disease burden and reduced quality of life. Evidence from the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO EMRO) remains fragmented, with variability in reported prevalence, sleep constructs assessed, and associated risk factors. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the prevalence and correlates of sleep-related problems among adults with RA in WHO EMRO countries.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and Google Scholar was conducted to identify observational studies reporting sleep-related outcomes among adults (≥18 years) with RA in WHO EMRO countries from inception to 27 July 2025. Study screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal using Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists were conducted primarily by a single author, with methodological oversight and consultation from senior collaborators. Eligible studies reported prevalence or sufficient data to calculate prevalence of specific sleep-related constructs, including subjective sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, or obstructive sleep apnea. Random-effects meta-analysis (DerSimonian-Laird) was used to pool prevalence estimates and odds ratios (ORs) for associated risk factors. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic and Cochran’s Q test. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sleep construct, assessment method, and country. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots, Egger’s test, and Begg’s test, with cautious interpretation due to the small number of studies.ResultsTen studies met inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis, and six studies (n = 2,315 participants) were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of sleep-related problems was 60.9% (95% CI: 56.5%–65.2%), with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 88%, p < 0.001), reflecting differences in sleep constructs and assessment methods. Subgroup analyses yielded pooled prevalence estimates of 58% for insomnia symptoms, 65% for obstructive sleep apnea-related measures, and 61% for poor subjective sleep quality (PSQI above cut-off), with no statistically significant differences between subgroups. Among associated factors, depression showed the strongest association with sleep-related problems (OR = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.87–3.75), followed by pain (OR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.68–2.84), fatigue (OR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.45–2.52), female gender (OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.25–2.23), and older age (OR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.12–1.80). Heterogeneity for risk factor analyses ranged from low to moderate. Publication bias assessments did not indicate statistically significant small-study effects but were underpowered.ConclusionSleep-related problems—assessed using heterogeneous subjective and objective measures—are highly prevalent among patients with RA in WHO EMRO countries with available data. Given substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity and the limited number of contributing countries, findings should be interpreted as reflecting overall sleep-related burden rather than the prevalence of a single clinical disorder. Routine screening, multidisciplinary management, and culturally adapted interventions are recommended. Future large-scale, longitudinal studies using standardized diagnostic criteria across a broader range of WHO EMRO countries are needed to strengthen the evidence base.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251109906, identifier CRD420251109906.
The Download: unlocking lithium and controlling Ebola
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.
How a new extraction process could unlock the world’s lithium
A new method for extracting lithium could cut costs and emissions from one of the world’s most important materials for EVs and energy storage.
The technique uses a weak acid to dissolve silicate minerals. That frees not only the lithium but also other useful materials, including alumina and silica.
“At scale, we believe this will be the lowest-cost way of sourcing lithium in the world,” says Yet-Ming Chiang, an MIT professor who co-authored a study of the process published yesterday in Science.
Startup Rock Zero is already working to commercialize the research. Read the full story on a new way to unlock the world’s lithium.
—Casey Crownhart
The deadly Ebola outbreak is proving difficult to control
The alert was raised on May 5. Four health-care workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had died from an unknown illness within four days. Tests in Kinshasa revealed the culprit: the Bundibugyo virus, one of the causes of Ebola.
A couple of weeks ago, an outbreak of hantavirus erupted aboard a cruise ship. Three people died, but the outbreak was kept under control. The picture for Ebola is bleaker for several reasons, including the disease itself, the available treatments, and the local environment.
Find out why the outbreak is causing alarm.
—Jessica Hamzelou
This story is from The Spark, our weekly newsletter giving you the inside track on all things biotech. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Thursday.
How the Pope’s Magnifica Humanitas offers a template for individuals to meet the AI moment
——Father Séamus Finn, a leader in faith-based and socially responsible investing with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, and Sister Susan Francois, assistant congregation leader and treasurer of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence includes a statement that warrants serious attention from technologists and policymakers: “Technology is never neutral.”
Magnifica Humanitas is a call to act with courage and solidarity as AI transforms human life, framing the choice ahead as one between the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of our common humanity. It warns that corporations alone cannot set the direction of such a transformation.
With governments slow to regulate AI, institutional investors are stepping into the gap. Here’s how they can build a better future.
The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Anthropic is now valued higher than OpenAI
It hit a $965 billion valuation after a new funding round. (AP News)
+ Claude demand has driven annualized revenue to $47 billion. (WSJ $)
+ The funding round may be Anthropic’s last before an IPO. (TechCrunch)
+ What even is the AI bubble? (MIT Technology Review)
2 A Blue Origin rocket has exploded in a setback to NASA’s Moon plans
New Glenn burst into flames during testing on a Florida launchpad. (CNBC)
+ Blue Origin is heavily involved in NASA’s Moon base plans. (The Verge)
+ It also wants to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. (Reuters $)
3 Adversaries are tracking US troop locations via mobile phone data
The Pentagon has long ignored warnings of this exact threat. (Reuters $)
+ The targeting uses commercially available location data. (Wired $)
+ LLMs could supercharge mass surveillance. (MIT Technology Review)
4 Anthropic plans a broad rollout of Mythos AI in the coming weeks
Despite concerns over its cybersecurity capabilities. (CNET)
+ Claude Opus 4.8 is now out, with a promise to be more honest. (The Verge)
5 Grok oversaw a crime spree in an AI safety test
Models were tasked with governing a simulated society. (Fortune)
+ Grok committed 180 crimes, while Claude ruled with restraint. (Gizmodo)
6 Amazon has scrapped an AI leaderboard after worker gaming
Employees were artificially inflating usage scores. (FT $)
+ We can build better AI benchmarks. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Political spending by AI and crypto groups is shifting elections
They’ve pushed their preferred candidates closer to power. (Axios)
8 China’s tech boom is fueling a new wave of industrial tourism
Visitors are touring AI labs and EV factories. (Rest of World)
9 Alibaba’s MuleRun aims to replicate the OpenClaw craze
The AI agent platform is positioned as a safer alternative. (SCMP)
10 Mysterious changes have emerged in the Sun’s magnetic field
They could reshape space weather forecasts. (404 Media)
Quote of the day
“What Peter Thiel is doing is terrible. His settling in Argentina is even worse.”
—Elisa Lilita Carrió, an Argentine politician, writes on X that Peter Thiel’s relocation to her country has angered her even more than his leadership of Palantir.
One More Thing
NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, WEBB ERO PRODUCTION TEAM
How the James Webb Space Telescope broke the universe
When the James Webb Space Telescope began full operations in 2022, astronomers were in awe of the flood of data that arrived.
“Every hour we were looking at a galaxy or an exoplanet or star formation,” says NASA scientist Heidi Hammel. “It was like a firehose.”
Since then, JWST has delivered nonstop discoveries, from distant galaxies to new planetary atmospheres. “We’re cracking open an entirely new window on the universe,” says Hammel.
Discover how JWST has transformed astronomy.
—Jonathan O’Callaghan
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.)
+ Kubrick fans will love this Lego recreation of Dr Strangelove.
+ Here’s a fascinating explanation of why seven landlocked countries have navies.
+ This mesmerizing 4K remaster of a super typhoon turns weather data into cinematic art.
+ Go inside the genius of Queen with this track-by-track breakdown of “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The deadly Ebola outbreak is proving difficult to control
The alert was raised on May 5. Four health-care workers in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo had died from an unknown illness within four days.
Rapid response teams were sent to investigate, and tests at a research center in Kinshasa revealed the culprit: the Bundibugyo virus, one of the viruses that cause Ebola. Suspected cases of the disease have snowballed in the last few weeks. By May 24, the WHO had estimated that 223 people had died from the disease. There were over 900 suspected cases. Today’s figures are likely to be higher.
A couple of weeks ago, I covered the hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship. Three people sadly died, but the outbreak itself was kept under control. There have been no further deaths, and passengers have been safely repatriated. The picture for Ebola is far bleaker. And there are several reasons why.
The most obvious is the disease itself. Ebola is a severe disease with an average 50% fatality rate. Previous outbreaks have resulted in thousands of deaths. (Hantavirus also has a high fatality rate, but it doesn’t usually spread as easily between humans.)
Between 2014 and 2016, an Ebola outbreak in West Africa caused more than 11,000 deaths. A more recent outbreak, which took place between 2018 and 2020, caused 2,299 deaths before being brought under control with a vaccination campaign.
But those outbreaks were caused by the Zaire virus, which has a different genetic sequence. There is no vaccine for the Bundibugyo virus. We don’t know if the two vaccines approved for Zaire might also work for Bundibugyo. There’s a concern they might even make things worse by interfering with a person’s immune response to the virus.
Scientists are working on potential Bundibugyo vaccines. But the most advanced efforts are still months away from clinical trials. There are no specific antiviral treatments for the virus, either.
So to control the outbreak, health-care workers are trying to stop the spread of the disease. Ebolaviruses can be transmitted to humans by animals including fruit bats, chimpanzees, and gorillas. They can then spread between people via contact with bodily fluids such as blood or vomit.
That’s why the virus is often spread among family members, to health-care workers, and during some burial services. The WHO advises isolating people who have the virus in treatment centers. It also recommends safe burial measures that limit physical contact with the deceased, for example. Communities need to be informed about the virus and how it spreads, and health professionals should be on hand to diagnose cases and track them.
That’s all easier said than done in an era of misinformation. Some members of the community even doubt whether the disease is real. There have been three attacks on health-care facilities in the region in recent weeks.
Last week, two treatment centers were burned down. The first incident occurred after relatives of a deceased man were prohibited from retrieving his (infectious) body. As a result of the second incident, 18 suspected cases reentered the community.
A couple of days later, a group of men unleashed gunfire at Mongbwalu General Hospital, which was also treating people with Ebola. They were demanding the bodies of their deceased relatives.
There are more causes for concern when it comes to the spread of the virus. The Ebola outbreak is thought to have originated in Mongbwalu, a high-traffic mining hub. People who caught the virus in Mongbwalu are thought to have sought care in neighboring districts. And the wider province borders both South Sudan and Uganda. So far, Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases and one death. South Sudan’s health ministry has said it will strengthen surveillance, but no cases have been reported in the country so far.
Violence in the region is making it much harder to contain the spread of the virus, too. Conflict involving multiple armed groups, including deadly attacks on civilians, has hampered humanitarian and health-care efforts. Poor infrastructure and damaged roads make matters even worse. Food insecurity is ravaging the region as well—this year, nearly 10 million people in the region face acute hunger.
Together, these factors are making it “nearly impossible” to isolate people with Ebola and trace others who have been in contact with them, WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement earlier this week.
The dismantling of US aid programs hasn’t helped either. US government funding for international health projects has steeply declined since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term. These cuts have harmed disease surveillance systems, according to the International Rescue Committee, a humanitarian nonprofit.
“Funding cuts have left the region dangerously exposed,” Heather Reoch Kerr, the organization’s country director for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said in a statement. “Years of underinvestment and recent funding cuts have left many health facilities without adequate protective equipment, surveillance capacity, or frontline support needed to respond quickly and safely.”
The US has mobilized emergency funding for the outbreak, and a spokesperson for the State Department has argued that none of the administration’s actions have hampered the Ebola response. But health experts counter that the damage has already been done.
On May 17, the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. In a statement on Wednesday, Tedros described the situation as “a catastrophic collision of disease and conflict with the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province outpacing the response.”In an online appeal to residents on Wednesday, ahead of an in-person visit, Tedros pleaded for a ceasefire and commended the spirit of community members. He also acknowledged the steep challenges they face. “You are already carrying so much: malaria, hunger, insecurity, and the daily struggle to keep your families safe,” he wrote in French. “And now Ebola. It’s not fair, and I won’t pretend otherwise.”
This article first appeared in The Checkup, MIT Technology Review’s weekly biotech newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Thursday, and read articles like this first, sign up here.
STAT+: The woman behind the world’s biggest longevity competition
BERKELEY, Calif. — Jamie Justice is an anti-aging researcher with a name fit for a superhero and a grand mission to match. A few years ago, she left her tenure-track job at Wake Forest University to team up with entrepreneur Peter Diamandis on XPRIZE Healthspan — a $101 million global competition meant to identify therapeutic treatments that can restore muscle, cognition, and immune function in older adults.
“There’s a booming market for slowing aging, but there’s no way to tell if [treatments] work,” Justice said onstage at the longevity conference Vitalist Bay here this month. XPRIZE Healthspan, for which she serves as executive director, was created to bridge that gap. The 10 teams selected from a pool of 40 this year will be required to test out their therapies in yearlong randomized controlled clinical trials before the winner of the grand prize is announced in 2030.
Dressed in wide-legged jeans and a dark blazer, Justice walked the audience through XPRIZE competitors’ varying approaches to longevity. Exercise, senolytics (drugs that target damaged “zombie” cells that increase as we age), and personalized medicine geared toward biomarkers were among some of the prevailing approaches.
The longevity field, as the people involved in it acknowledge, tends to attract colorful characters with far-out theories. (A man in a purple cape trotted regally through the grounds of Vitalist Bay.) Figures like Justice, who’s hung onto her academic ties as an adjunct assistant professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest, occupy a more grounded, science-based part of the spectrum. But she welcomes a big-tent approach to the world of anti-aging research. “I think, as scientists, we have to be really mindful to not turn into gatekeepers,” she told STAT during an interview after her talk.
STAT sat down with Justice to learn more about the XPRIZE Healthspan competitors, research on what people really want in their old age, and the problem of “purely scammy” companies giving longevity a bad name.