IntroductionIn the treatment of schizophrenia, antipsychotics used during acute inpatient care must control acute symptoms while remaining sufficiently tolerable to support treatment beyond the acute phase. Brexpiprazole, a serotonin-dopamine activity modulator may be one such option; however, its real-world use and short-term continuation in acute inpatient settings remain insufficiently characterized.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study of inpatients with DSM-5 schizophrenia treated with brexpiprazole at a university hospital in Japan between June 2018 and July 2024. The index date (week 0) was defined as the date of brexpiprazole initiation during the index hospitalization. The primary outcome was brexpiprazole continuation at week 8. We compared baseline demographic and treatment-related variables between the continuation and discontinuation groups and summarized reasons for discontinuation from electronic medical records. As a secondary exploratory analysis, we examined longitudinal changes in Clinical Global Impressions–Severity scale (CGI-S) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) total scores (weeks 0/4/8) in the continuation group using a linear mixed-effects model including time, concomitant psychotropic medication status, and their interaction.ResultsSixty-seven patients were included. Baseline illness severity was substantial (median CGI-S 5.0 [IQR 5.0–6.0]; mean BPRS total 58.5 ± 9.6). Concomitant psychotropic medications were common. Thirty-six patients continued brexpiprazole to week 8 (53.7%). In unadjusted exploratory comparisons, continuation was associated with the female sex (p = 0.036), lower prior chlorpromazine-equivalent dose (p = 0.015), and shorter duration of untreated psychosis (p = 0.003), with a trend toward shorter duration since onset (p = 0.073). The most frequent reason for discontinuation was adverse events (n = 10, 32.3%), most commonly akathisia (n = 6), followed by insufficient efficacy (n = 9, 29.0%) and patient preference/refusal (n = 7, 22.6%). In exploratory mixed-effects analyses within the continuation group, CGI-S and BPRS total scores decreased over time, with significant group-by-time interactions by concomitant medication status. However, between-group differences should be interpreted cautiously.DiscussionThis study describes 8-week continuation and reasons for discontinuation of brexpiprazole in acute inpatient schizophrenia care. Given the retrospective single-center design and potential selection/information bias and unmeasured confounding, further studies are warranted to clarify its clinical positioning in real-world practice.
A single-cell screening platform accelerates functional genetics in plants
Nature Biotechnology, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41587-026-03094-4
A pooled, cell-based, genetic screening platform in plants is used for the functional analysis of cytokinin signaling proteins.
Thymus renaissance poised to boost health and longevity
Nature Biotechnology, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41587-026-03137-w
Evidence linking thymic function with health and longevity is piling up, and a cluster of biotechnology companies is trying to regenerate the thymus directly or recapitulate its function to reinvigorate patients’ immunity.
Multinational validation of the PREVENT and SCORE2 cardiovascular risk equations across 6.4 million individuals
Nature Medicine, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41591-026-04437-z
Comprehensive, multinational validation of the PREVENT and SCORE2 cardiovascular risk scores, used in the United States and Europe, respectively, in 44 observational studies and 18 randomized trials, shows similar performance for the two risk scores and generally good performance across geographical regions.
Risk for Autism Across Generations
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a complex inheritance pattern and is more common in males. Etiological models suggest that majority of ASD risk is transmitted through common and rare de-novo genetic variation. It has been hypothesized that rare variation could be inherited and therefore contribute to the overall risk-burden in subsequent generations, especially through female lineage in disorders with male-skewed sex-ratios. Here we test this hypothesis using multigeneration information on paternal age, because burden of de-novo mutations has been linked to paternal age, and there is a well-established association between older age of fathers and ASD.
Astrocytic cholesterol jams brain clearance in AD
Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02310-3
Zhang and colleagues identify astrocytic calcium–cholesterol–AQP4 signaling that drives glymphatic dysfunction in early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Attenuating this signaling restored glymphatic flow, reduced amyloid burden and improved cognition in young 5xFAD mice only when glymphatic perfusion and lymphatic drainage were intact. These findings position astrocytic metabolic state as a determinant of brain waste clearance and a potential therapeutic target in early AD.
Molecular mechanism of calcium permeability and magnesium block in NMDA receptors
Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 05 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02283-3
Using cryo-electron microscopy and electrophysiology, this study explains the structural basis for Ca2+ permeation and Mg2+ block in NMDA receptors and identifies a surrounding lipid network that may tune Mg2+-dependent voltage sensitivity.
New Human-Computer Interaction Software Designed to Support Diverse Online Teamwork Styles
Remote collaboration software tools, such as Zoom or Google Docs, have become essential for teamwork. But they often overlook the fact that people do not all approach collaboration in the same way, according to researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU).
Scientists report that they have now developed a new human-computer interaction (HCI) method called RemoteCollabEval (RCE) to identify barriers to collaboration and inclusivity, allowing designers and developers to build software features that better support diverse teamwork styles.
The work is part of the broader HCI field, which examines how people use digital systems and how interfaces can be optimized for clarity and ease of use.
“At present, most remote collaboration platforms are evaluated by designers and developers using established HCI inspection methods,” says Sandeep Kuttal, PhD, the principal investigator behind the work and an associate professor of computer science at NCSU. “One of the most widely used inspection methods is a ‘groupware walkthrough,’ where designers essentially play out how a collaborative effort might unfold between two or three hypothetical users. However, these methods typically assume all users behave in similar ways.”
As senior author of a paper, “Equity by Design: A New HCI Method for Surfacing Inclusivity Issues in Remote Collaboration Software,” that will be presented at the ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS 2026) in Singapore, from June 13-17, Kuttal notes that “It’s well-established that people from various backgrounds often have different collaboration and communication styles. “Existing HCI inspection methods don’t account for these differences, which limits how inclusive and effective these tools can be. That’s what we set out to address.”
Six key personality facets
As a first step, the researchers drew on established social science and software engineering research to identify six key personality facets that influence collaborative behavior:
- Leadership style: Does the individual take a democratic or authoritative approach?
- Interruption style: Does the individual interrupt others or wait for cues?
- Non-verbal cues: Is the individual expressive or reserved in digital spaces?
- Relationship-seeking: Does the individual focus on building rapport or primarily on achieving goals?
- Social awareness: Is the individual attentive to or unaware of what their teammates are doing?
- Collaborative self-efficacy: How confident is the individual in the group’s ability to perform?
The researchers then created hypothetical users called “personas,” which are detailed representations of different types of users that incorporate descriptions of each of the six facets. These personas allow designers to simulate interpersonal friction and uncover “inclusivity bugs” that might otherwise go unnoticed during standard testing.
“Because we have descriptions of all six facets for each persona, we can incorporate those key characteristics into our assessment of how well a given platform allows for effective collaboration between people of different backgrounds,” explains Kuttal.
The team then modified existing groupware walkthrough methods, requiring designers and developers to explicitly consider these six facets as part of the process and created a specialized walkthrough. This combination of personas that account for personality facets and the specialized walkthrough forms the RCE method.
As a proof-of-concept study, the scientists recruited 29 undergraduate and graduate students and split them into 10 teams. Five teams inspected an existing remote collaboration platform using the conventional Groupware Walkthrough method; the other five teams inspected the same platform using RCE.
“The teams who used the RCE method identified six times more inclusivity issues than the conventional method,” continues Kuttal. “Essentially, RCE did a better job of identifying when conflicting styles would make collaboration between personas difficult. This is important, because identifying these challenges gives designers and developers an opportunity to modify features and user interfaces to improve these remote collaborative platforms. And, ultimately, to improve collaboration itself.
“Because RCE is a standardized, systematic method, it can be used by designers and developers anywhere. It doesn’t require a huge budget, or an expensive research effort. It’s a method that can easily be used to make these platforms better.”
The post New Human-Computer Interaction Software Designed to Support Diverse Online Teamwork Styles appeared first on GEN – Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
What you need to know about hantavirus (don’t panic)
Good morning. Yesterday, the writer Yiyun Li won a Pulitzer Prize for her heartbreaking memoir, “Things in Nature Merely Grow.” Lately, I’ve been reading her short stories. Here’s one for after you’ve read the news, about a health care worker of sorts: “A Sheltered Woman.”
The latest on the abortion pill
A Monday order from the Supreme Court, signed by Justice Samuel Alito, temporarily restored broad access to mifepristone after a federal appeals court ruling on Friday jeopardized access to the abortion medication at pharmacies or through the mail. The Supreme Court order will remain in effect until the end of the day next Monday, giving both sides time to respond while the court considers the issue. The AP has more details.
STAT+: Cytokinetics drug Myqorzo meets twin efficacy goals in study of genetic heart disease
Cytokinetics said Tuesday that its drug Myqorzo significantly improved heart failure symptoms and cardiovascular fitness in patients with non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited heart disorder.
The results, reported in a company press release, achieved the dual efficacy goals of a Phase 3 clinical trial, called ACACIA, with statistical significance.
Cytokinetics is in the early days of Myqorzo’s commercial launch as a treatment for the more severe “obstructive” form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM. The successful outcome of the ACACIA study, if also cleared by regulators, could greatly expand the number of HCM patients eligible for treatment — and boost the drug’s peak sales to $5 billion annually, according to analyst forecasts.