New research suggests that the desire for a psychologically rich life, one filled with varied and perspective-altering experiences, is a significant driver behind why people choose activities that are intentionally unpleasant or challenging. The series of studies, published in the journal Psychology & Marketing, indicates that this preference is largely fueled by a motivation for personal growth.

Researchers have long been interested in why people sometimes opt for experiences that are not traditionally pleasurable, such as watching horror movies, eating intensely sour foods, or enduring grueling physical challenges. This behavior, known as counterhedonic consumption, seems to contradict the basic human drive to seek pleasure and avoid pain. While previous explanations have pointed to factors like sensation-seeking or a desire to accumulate a diverse set of life experiences, researchers proposed a new motivational framework to explain this phenomenon.

They theorized that some individuals are driven by a search for psychological richness, a dimension of well-being distinct from happiness or a sense of meaning. A psychologically rich life is characterized by novelty, complexity, and experiences that shift one’s perspective. The researchers hypothesized that this drive could lead people to embrace discomfort, not for the discomfort itself, but for the personal transformation and growth such experiences might offer.

To investigate this idea, the researchers conducted a series of ten studies involving a total of 2,275 participants. In an initial study, participants were presented with a poster for a haunted house pass and asked how likely they would be to try it. They also completed questionnaires measuring their desire for a psychologically rich life, as well as their desire for a happy or meaningful life and their tendency toward sensation-seeking.

The results showed a positive relationship between the search for psychological richness and a preference for the haunted house experience. This connection remained even when accounting for the other factors.

To see if this finding extended beyond fear-based activities, a subsequent study presented participants with a detailed description of an intensely sour chicken dish. Again, individuals who scored higher on the scale for psychological richness expressed a greater likelihood of ordering the dish.

A third study solidified these findings in a choice-based scenario, asking participants to select between a “blissful garden” experience and a “dark maze” designed to be disorienting. Those with a stronger desire for psychological richness were more likely to choose the dark maze, a finding that held even after controlling for general risk-taking tendencies.

Having established a consistent link, the research team sought to determine causality. In another experiment, they temporarily prompted one group of participants to focus on psychological richness by having them write about what it means to make choices based on a desire for interesting and perspective-changing outcomes. A control group wrote about their daily life. Afterward, both groups were asked about their interest in a horror movie streaming service.

The group primed to think about psychological richness showed a significantly higher preference for the service, suggesting that this mindset can directly cause an increased interest in counterhedonic experiences.

The next step was to understand the psychological process behind this link. The researchers proposed that a focus on self-growth was the key mechanism. One study tested this by again presenting the sour food scenario and then asking participants to what extent their choice was motivated by a desire for self-discovery and personal development. A statistical analysis revealed that the desire for self-growth fully explained the connection between a search for psychological richness and the preference for the sour dish.

To ensure self-growth was the primary driver, another study tested it against an alternative explanation: the desire to create profound memories. While a rich life might involve creating interesting stories to tell, the results showed that self-growth was the significant factor explaining the choice for the sour dish, whereas the desire for profound memories was not.

Further strengthening the causal claim, another experiment first manipulated participants’ focus on psychological richness and then measured their self-growth motivation. The results showed that the manipulation increased a focus on self-growth, which in turn increased the preference for the counterhedonic food item.

A final, more nuanced experiment provided further support for the self-growth mechanism. In this study, the researchers manipulated self-growth motivation directly. One group was asked to write about making choices that foster personal growth, while a control group was not. In the control condition, the expected pattern emerged: people higher in the search for psychological richness were more interested in the sour dish.

However, in the group where self-growth was made salient, preferences for the sour dish increased across the board. This effectively reduced the predictive power of a person’s baseline level of psychological richness, indicating that when the need for self-growth is met, the underlying trait becomes less of a deciding factor.

The research has some limitations. Many of the studies relied on hypothetical scenarios and self-reported preferences, which may not perfectly reflect real-world consumer behavior. The researchers suggest that future work could use field experiments to observe actual choices in natural settings. They also note that cultural differences could play a role, as some cultures may place a higher value on experiences of discomfort as a pathway to wisdom or personal development. Exploring these boundary conditions could provide a more complete picture of this motivational system.

The study, “The Allure of Pain: How the Quest for Psychological Richness Drives Counterhedonic Consumption,” was authored by Sarah Su Lin Lee, Ritesh Saini, and Shashi Minchael.

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A new study finds that single adults in both the United States and Japan report lower well-being than their married peers. The research suggests that the influence of family support and strain on this health and satisfaction gap differs significantly between the two cultures. The findings were published in the journal Personal Relationships.

Researchers conducted this study to better understand the experiences of single adults outside of Western contexts. Much of the existing research has focused on places like the United States, where singlehood is becoming more common and accepted. In these individualistic cultures, some studies suggest single people may even have stronger connections with family and friends than married individuals.

However, in many Asian cultures, including Japan, marriage is often seen as a more essential part of life and family. This can create a different set of social pressures for single people. The researchers wanted to investigate whether these cultural differences would alter how family relationships, both positive and negative, are connected to the well-being of single and married people in the U.S. and Japan.

“I’ve always been curious about relationship transitions and singlehood lies in this awkward space where people are unsure if it really counts as an actual ‘relationship stage’ per se,” said study author Lester Sim, an assistant professor of psychology at Singapore Management University.

“Fortunately, the field is starting to recognize singlehood as an important period and it’s becoming more common, yet people still seem to judge singles pretty harshly. I find that kind of funny in a way, because it often reflects how we judge ourselves through others. Coming from an Asian background, I also wondered if these attitudes toward singlehood might play out differently across cultures, especially since family ties are so central in Asian contexts. That curiosity really sparked this project.”

To explore this, the research team analyzed data from two large, nationally representative studies: the Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS) study and the Midlife in Japan (MIDJA) study. The combined sample included 4,746 participants who were 30 years of age or older. The researchers focused specifically on individuals who identified as either “married” or “never married,” and they took additional steps to exclude participants who were in a cohabiting or romantic relationship despite being unmarried.

Participants in both studies answered questions at two different points in time. The first wave of data included their marital status, their perceptions of family support, and their experiences of family strain. Family support was measured with items asking how much they felt their family cared for them or how much they could open up to family about their worries. Family strain was assessed with questions about how often family members criticized them or let them down.

At the second wave of data collection, participants reported on their well-being. This included rating their overall physical health on a scale from 0 to 10 and their satisfaction with life through a series of six questions about different life domains. The researchers then used a statistical approach to see how marital status at the first time point was related to well-being at the second time point, and whether family support and strain helped explain that relationship.

Across the board, the results showed that single adults in both the United States and Japan reported poorer physical health and lower life satisfaction compared to their married counterparts. This finding aligns with a large body of previous research suggesting that marriage is generally associated with better health outcomes.

When the researchers examined the role of family dynamics, they found distinct patterns in each country. For American participants, being married was associated with receiving more family support and experiencing less family strain. Both of these family factors were, in turn, linked to higher well-being. This suggests that for Americans, the well-being advantage of being married is partially explained by having more supportive and less tense family relationships.

The pattern observed in the Japanese sample was quite different. Single Japanese adults did report experiencing more family strain than married Japanese adults. Yet, this higher level of family strain did not have a significant connection to their physical health or life satisfaction later on.

“Family relationships matter a lot for everyone, whether you’re single or married, but in different ways across cultures,” Sim told PsyPost. “We found that singles in both the US and Japan reported lower well-being, in part because they experienced more family strain and less support (differentially across cultures). So even though singlehood is becoming more common, it still carries social and emotional costs. I think this shows how important it is to build more inclusive environments where singles feel equally supported and valued.”

Another notable finding from the Japanese sample was that there was no significant difference in the amount of family support reported by single and married individuals. While family support did predict higher life satisfaction for Japanese participants, it did not serve as a pathway explaining the well-being gap between single and married people in the way it did for Americans.

“I honestly thought the patterns would differ more across cultures,” Sim said. “I expected singles in Western countries to feel more accepted, and singles in Asia to rely more on family support and report greater strain; but neither of the latter findings turned out to be the case. It seems that, across the board, social norms around marriage still shape how people experience singlehood and well-being.”

The researchers acknowledged some limitations of their work. The definition of “single” was based on available survey questions and could be refined in future studies with more direct inquiries about relationship status.

“We focused only on familial support and strain because family is such a big part of East Asian culture,” Sim noted. “But singlehood is complex: friendships, loneliness, voluntary versus involuntary singlehood, and how satisfied people feel being single all matter too. We didn’t examine these constructs in the current study because there is existing work on this topic, so I wanted to bring more focus onto the family (especially with the cross-cultural focus). Future work should dig into those other layers and examine how they interact to shape the singlehood experience.”

It would also be beneficial to explore these dynamics across different age groups, as the pressures and supports related to marital status may change over a person’s lifespan. Such work would help create a more comprehensive picture of how singlehood is experienced around the world.

“I want to keep exploring how culture shapes the meanings people attach to relationships and singlehood,” Sim explained. “Long term, I hope this work helps shift the narrative away from the idea that marriage is the default route to happiness, and shift toward recognizing that there are many valid ways to live a good life.”

“Being single isn’t a problem to be fixed. It’s a meaningful, often intentional part of many people’s lives. The more we understand that, the closer we get to supporting well-being for everyone, not just those who are married.”

The study, “Cross-Cultural Differences in the Links Between Familial Support and Strain in Married and Single Adults’ Well-Being,” was authored by Lester Sim and Robin Edelstein.

Biology isn't that simple.

A new study suggests that higher levels of psychopathic traits are associated with lower relationship satisfaction in romantic couples. The research indicates that a person’s perception of their partner’s traits is a particularly strong predictor of their own discontent within the relationship. The findings were published in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy.

The research team was motivated by the established connection between personality and the quality of romantic relationships. While traits like agreeableness and conscientiousness are known to support relationship satisfaction, maladaptive traits, such as those associated with psychopathy, are understood to be detrimental. Psychopathy is not a single trait but a combination of characteristics, including interpersonal manipulation, a callous lack of empathy, an erratic lifestyle, and antisocial tendencies.

Previous studies have shown that individuals with more pronounced psychopathic traits tend to prefer short-term relationships, are more likely to be unfaithful, and may engage in controlling or destructive behaviors. Yet, much of this research did not simultaneously account for the perspectives of both partners in a relationship. The researchers aimed to provide a more nuanced understanding by examining how both a person’s own traits and their partner’s traits, as viewed by themselves and by their partner, collectively influence relationship satisfaction.

To investigate these dynamics, the researchers recruited a sample of 85 heterosexual couples from the Netherlands. The participants were predominantly young adults, many of whom were students. Each member of the couple independently completed a series of online questionnaires. The surveys were designed to measure their own psychopathic traits, their perception of their partner’s psychopathic traits, and their overall satisfaction with their relationship.

For measuring psychopathic traits, the study used a well-established questionnaire that assesses three primary facets: Interpersonal Manipulation (e.g., being charming but deceptive), Callous Affect (e.g., lacking guilt or empathy), and Erratic Lifestyle (e.g., impulsivity and irresponsibility). A fourth facet, Antisocial Tendencies, was excluded from the final analysis due to statistical unreliability within this specific sample. Participants completed one version of this questionnaire about themselves and a modified version about their romantic partner.

The researchers used a specialized statistical technique called the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to analyze the data. This method is uniquely suited for studying couples because it can distinguish between two different kinds of influence. “Actor effects” refer to the association between an individual’s own characteristics and their own outcomes. For example, it can measure how your self-rated manipulativeness relates to your own relationship satisfaction. “Partner effects” describe the association between an individual’s characteristics and their partner’s outcomes, such as how your self-rated manipulativeness relates to your partner’s satisfaction.

Before conducting the main analysis, the researchers examined how partners’ ratings related to one another. They found very little “actual similarity,” meaning that a man’s level of psychopathic traits was not significantly related to his female partner’s level. However, they did find moderate “perceptual accuracy,” which means that how a person rated their partner was generally in line with how that partner rated themselves. There was also strong “perceptual similarity,” indicating that people tended to rate their partners in a way that was similar to how they rated themselves.

One notable preliminary finding was that both men and women tended to rate their partners as having lower levels of psychopathic traits than their partners reported for themselves. This could suggest a positive bias, where individuals maintain a more charitable view of their partner, or it may indicate that certain maladaptive traits are not easily observable to others in a relationship.

The central findings of the study emerged from the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. The most consistent result was a negative actor effect related to partner perception. When an individual rated their partner higher on psychopathic traits, that same individual reported lower satisfaction with the relationship. This connection was present for both men and women and held true across the total psychopathy score and its specific facets.

The study also identified other significant associations. For both men and women, rating oneself higher on Interpersonal Manipulation was linked to lower satisfaction in one’s own relationship. This suggests that a manipulative style may be unfulfilling even for the person exhibiting it.

A partner effect was observed for the trait of Callous Affect. When a person was perceived by their partner as being more callous, unemotional, and lacking in empathy, that partner reported lower relationship satisfaction. This highlights the direct interpersonal damage that a lack of emotional connection can inflict on a relationship.

In an unexpected turn, the analysis revealed one positive association. When women rated themselves as higher in Callous Affect, their male partners reported slightly higher levels of relationship satisfaction. The researchers propose that this could be related to gender stereotypes, where traits that might be labeled as callous in a clinical sense could be interpreted differently, perhaps as toughness or independence, in women by their male partners.

The study has some limitations that the authors acknowledge. The sample consisted of young, primarily student-based, heterosexual couples in relatively short-term relationships, which may not represent the dynamics in older, married, or more diverse couples. Because the study captured data at a single point in time, it cannot establish causality; it shows an association, not that psychopathic traits cause dissatisfaction. The sample size also meant the study was better equipped to detect medium-to-large effects, and smaller but still meaningful associations might have been missed.

Future research could build on these findings by studying larger and more diverse populations over a longer period. Following couples over time would help clarify how these personality dynamics affect relationship quality and stability as the relationship matures. A longitudinal approach could also determine if these traits predict relationship dissolution.

The study, “Psychopathic Traits and Relationship Satisfaction in Intimate Partners: A Dyadic Approach,” was authored by Frederica M. Martijn, Liam Cahill, Mieke Decuyper, and Katarzyna (Kasia) Uzieblo.

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A new longitudinal study suggests that intimate partners mutually influence each other’s support for political parties over time. The research found that a shift in one person’s support for a party was predictive of a similar shift in their partner’s support the following year, a process that may contribute to political alignment within couples and broader societal polarization. The findings were published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin/em>.

Political preferences are often similar within families, particularly between parents and children. However, less is known about how political views might be shaped during adulthood, especially within the context of a long-term romantic relationship. Prior studies have shown that partners often hold similar political beliefs, but it has been difficult to determine if this is because people choose partners who already agree with them or if they gradually influence each other over the years.

The authors of the new study sought to examine if this similarity is a result of ongoing influence. They wanted to test whether a change in one partner’s political stance could predict a future change in the other’s. To do this, they used a large dataset from New Zealand, a country with a multi-party system. This setting allowed them to see if any influence was specific to one or two major parties or if it occurred across a wider ideological spectrum, including smaller parties focused on issues like environmentalism, indigenous rights, and libertarianism.

To conduct their investigation, the researchers analyzed data from the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study, a large-scale project that has tracked thousands of individuals over many years. Their analysis focused on 1,613 woman-man couples who participated in the study for up to 10 consecutive years. Participants annually rated their level of support for six different political parties on a scale from one (strongly oppose) to seven (strongly support).

The study employed a sophisticated statistical model designed for longitudinal data from couples. This technique allowed the researchers to separate two different aspects of a person’s political support. First, it identified each individual’s stable, long-term average level of support for a given party. Second, it isolated the small, year-to-year fluctuations or deviations from that personal average. This separation is important because it allows for a more precise test of influence over time.

The analysis then examined whether a fluctuation in one partner’s party support in a given year could predict a similar fluctuation in the other partner’s support in the subsequent year. This was done while accounting for the fact that couples already tend to have similar average levels of support.

The results showed a consistent pattern of mutual influence. For all six political parties examined, a temporary increase in one partner’s support for that party was associated with a subsequent increase in the other partner’s support one year later. This finding suggests that partners are not just politically similar from the start of their relationship but continue to shape one another’s specific party preferences over time.

This influence also appeared to be a two-way street. The researchers tested whether men had a stronger effect on women’s views or if the reverse was true. They found that the strength of influence was generally equal between partners. With only one exception, the effect of men on women’s party support was just as strong as the effect of women on men’s support.

The single exception involved the libertarian Association of Consumers and Taxpayers Party, where men’s changing support had a slightly stronger influence on women’s subsequent support than the other way around. For the other five parties, including the two largest and three other smaller parties, the influence was symmetrical. This challenges the idea that one partner, typically the man, is the primary driver of a couple’s political identity.

An additional analysis explored whether this dynamic of influence applied to a person’s general political orientation, which was measured on a scale from extremely liberal to extremely conservative. In this case, the pattern was different. While partners tended to be similar in their overall political orientation, changes in one partner’s self-rated orientation did not predict changes in the other’s over time. This suggests that the influence partners have on each other may be more about support for specific parties and their platforms than about shifting a person’s fundamental ideological identity.

The researchers acknowledge some limitations of their work. The study focused on established, long-term, cohabiting couples in New Zealand, so the findings may not apply to all types of relationships or to couples in other countries with different political systems. Because the couples were already in established relationships, the study also cannot entirely separate the effects of ongoing influence from the possibility that people initially select partners who are politically similar to them.

Future research could explore these dynamics in newer relationships to better understand the interplay between partner selection and later influence. Additional studies could also investigate the specific mechanisms of this influence, such as how political discussions, media consumption, or conflict avoidance might play a role in this process. Examining whether these shifts in expressed support translate to actual behaviors like voting is another important avenue for exploration.

The study, “The Interpersonal Transmission of Political Party Support in Intimate Relationships,” was authored by Sam Fluit, Nickola C. Overall, Danny Osborne, Matthew D. Hammond, and Chris G. Sibley.

Take this advice.

So worth it.

— Deb Hall Lefevre, the longtime tech exec who was most recently CTO at Starbucks, announced her retirement on Sunday in a LinkedIn post.

Hall Lefevre resigned from Starbucks last month, according to a Sept. 26 report from Reuters, which cited a memo sent to staff about her departure.

The move came amid layoffs and various tech-related changes at the Seattle coffee giant.

“After an incredible journey leading technology and digital transformation across some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Starbucks, Circle K/Couche Tard and McDonald’s, it’s time to step into retirement,” Hall Lefevre said in her LinkedIn post.

“As I turn the page, I look forward to more time with family, continuing my tech and board work, and cheering on the next generation of leaders shaping the future,” she added.

Hall Lefevre, who was also an executive vice president, joined Starbucks in 2022. She previously spent more than 16 years at McDonald’s, where she was a corporate vice president and CIO, leading the fast food giant’s technology and digital commerce strategy. She was also EVP and CTO at Circle K Stores.

Ningyu Chen, who was senior vice president of global experience technology, is now interim chief technology officer at Starbucks.

Starbucks last month announced plans to lay off around 900 non-retail employees and close underperforming stores mainly in the U.S. and Canada. Starbucks previously cut 1,100 corporate workers in February.

Under the leadership of CEO Brian Niccol, the former Chipotle CEO who joined the company last year, Starbucks is making a bevy of technology tweaks as it tries to curb slumping sales.

— Lindo St. Angel, vice president of hardware for Amazon’s Lab126 devices group, is departing at the end of the month. Reuters first reported the news.

St. Angel joined Lab126 in 2010. The business unit, based in Silicon Valley, launched in 2004 and helped develop Amazon devices such as the Kindle Fire, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and other hardware.

— Mark Jewett joined New York City health data company Komodo Health as chief marketing officer. Jewett was previously a senior vice president at Informatica and CMO at SmartRecruiters. He also was a SVP and co-interim CMO at Tableau, and spent 15 years at Microsoft in various leadership roles.

Founded in 2014, Komodo Health reached a $3.3 billion valuation in 2021. The company helps healthcare stakeholders integrate data and generate insights related to treatment, research, and more.

— Nancy Mounir joined Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as a vice president leading security programs and platforms.

Mounir previously spent more than 12 years at Microsoft, most recently as a senior director and chief of staff overseeing the company’s Secure Future Initiative.

In a LinkedIn post, Mounir said she is “looking forward to a great journey of learning, innovation and growth with the Security Platform team!”

She added: “Extremely grateful for my time at Microsoft and could not be more proud of what we accomplished together over the years!”

Mounir initially worked at Microsoft from 2012 to 2015 in supply chain, and left to spend a year at Amazon working on advertising and accounting teams. She returned to Microsoft in 2016.

— Priya Vaidyanathan took a new role at Microsoft as director of product and design for Microsoft’s AI skilling platform. Vaidyanathan returned to Microsoft in 2020 after two previous stints and was most recently a group product manager. She previously founded a mealkit startup called SnapCurry and was a senior technical product manager at Amazon.

“This next chapter is about helping people everywhere gain the skills and confidence to grow with AI, creating opportunity, resilience, and impact at every level,” she wrote on LinkedIn.

— Jim Chi was named executive director of Oregon Startup Center, which is going through a relaunch, according to Portland Business Journal. Chi is also president of Oregon Sports Angels and is a longtime product management leader.

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A new large-scale study of European adults suggests that, on average, being religiously educated as a child is associated with slightly poorer self-rated health after the age of 50. The research, published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, also indicates that this association is not uniform, varying significantly across different aspects of health and among different segments of the population.

Past research has produced a complex and sometimes contradictory picture regarding the connections between religiousness and health. Some studies indicate that religious involvement can offer health benefits, such as reduced suicide risk and fewer unhealthy behaviors. Other research points to negative associations, linking religious attendance with increased depression in some populations.

Most of this work has focused on religious practices in adulthood, leaving the long-term health associations of childhood religious experiences less understood. To address this gap, researchers set out to investigate how a religious upbringing might be linked to health outcomes decades later, taking into account the diverse life experiences that can shape a person’s well-being.

The researchers proposed several potential pathways through which a religious upbringing could influence long-term health. These include psychosocial mechanisms, where religion might foster positive emotions and coping strategies but could also lead to internal conflict or distress. Social and economic mechanisms might involve access to supportive communities and resources, while also potentially exposing individuals to group tensions.

Finally, behavioral mechanisms suggest religion may encourage healthier lifestyles, such as avoiding smoking or excessive drinking, which could have lasting positive effects on physical health. Given these varied and sometimes opposing potential influences, the researchers hypothesized that the link between a religious upbringing and late-life health would not be simple or consistent for everyone.

To explore these questions, the study utilized data from the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, a major cross-national project. The analysis included information from 10,346 adults aged 50 or older from ten European countries. Participants were asked a straightforward question about their childhood: “Were you religiously educated by your parents?” Their current health was assessed through self-ratings on a five-point scale from “poor” to “excellent.” The study also examined more specific health indicators, including physical health (chronic diseases and limitations in daily activities), mental health (symptoms of depression), and cognitive health (numeracy and orientation skills).

The researchers employed an advanced statistical method known as a causal forest approach. This machine learning technique is particularly well-suited for identifying complex and non-linear patterns in large datasets. Unlike traditional methods that often look for straightforward, linear relationships, the causal forest model can uncover how the association between a religious upbringing and health might change based on a wide array of other factors. The analysis accounted for 19 different variables, including early-life circumstances, late-life demographics like age and marital status, and current religious involvement.

The overall results indicated that, on average, having a religious upbringing was associated with poorer self-rated health in later life. The average effect was modest, representing a -0.10 point difference on the five-point health scale. The analysis showed that for a majority of individuals in the sample, the association was negative.

However, the model also identified a smaller portion of individuals for whom the association was positive, suggesting that for some, a religious upbringing was linked to better health outcomes. This variation highlights that an average finding does not tell the whole story.

When the researchers examined different domains of health, a more nuanced picture emerged. A religious upbringing was associated with poorer mental health, specifically a higher level of depressive symptoms. It was also linked to poorer cognitive health, as measured by lower numeracy, or mathematical ability.

In contrast, the same childhood experience was associated with better physical health, indicated by fewer limitations in activities of daily living, which include basic self-care tasks like bathing and dressing. This suggests that a religious childhood may have different, and even opposing, associations with the physical, mental, and cognitive aspects of a person’s well-being in later life.

The study provided further evidence that the link between a religious upbringing and poorer self-rated health was not the same for all people. The negative association appeared to be stronger for certain subgroups. For example, individuals who grew up with adverse family circumstances, such as a parent with mental health problems or a parent who drank heavily, showed a stronger negative link between their religious education and later health.

Late-life demographic factors also seemed to modify the association. The negative link was more pronounced among older individuals (aged 65 and above), females, those who were not married or partnered, and those with lower levels of education. These findings suggest that disadvantages or vulnerabilities experienced later in life may interact with early experiences to shape health outcomes.

The analysis also considered how adult religious practices related to the findings. The negative association between a religious upbringing and later health was stronger for individuals who reported praying in adulthood. It was also stronger for those who reported that they never attended a religious organization as an adult. This combination suggests a complex interplay between past experiences and present behaviors.

The study does have some limitations. The data on religious upbringing and other childhood circumstances were based on participants’ retrospective self-reports, which can be subject to memory biases. The study’s design is cross-sectional, meaning it captures a snapshot in time and cannot establish a direct causal link between a religious upbringing and health outcomes. It is possible that other unmeasured factors, such as parental socioeconomic status, could play a role in this relationship. The measure of religious upbringing was also broad and did not capture the intensity, type, or strictness of the education received.

Future research could build on these findings by using longitudinal data to track individuals over time, providing a clearer view of how early experiences unfold into later life health. More detailed measures of religious education could also help explain why the experience appears beneficial for some health domains but detrimental for others. Researchers also suggest that exploring the mechanisms, such as coping strategies or social support, would provide a more complete understanding.

The study, “Heterogeneous associations between early-life religious upbringing and late-life health: Evidence from a machine learning approach,” was authored by Xu Zong, Xiangjiao Meng, Karri Silventoinen, Matti Nelimarkka, and Pekka Martikainen.

A study of men seeking help for delayed or premature ejaculation in Italy found that those suffering from delayed ejaculation tended to have more severe depressive and anxiety symptoms, and lower sexual desire than men suffering from premature ejaculation. They also tended to be older. The paper was published in IJIR: Your Sexual Medicine Journal.

Premature ejaculation is a sexual condition in which a man reaches orgasm and ejaculates sooner than desired, often within a minute of penetration or with minimal stimulation. It can lead to frustration, anxiety, and reduced sexual satisfaction for both partners. The causes may include psychological factors such as stress, depression, or relationship problems, as well as biological ones like hormonal imbalances or nerve sensitivity.

In contrast, delayed ejaculation is the persistent difficulty or inability to reach orgasm and ejaculate despite adequate sexual stimulation. This condition can also cause emotional distress, relationship strain, and decreased confidence. Delayed ejaculation may result from psychological issues, nerve damage, certain medications, or chronic health conditions such as diabetes. Both conditions are forms of ejaculatory disorders and sexual dysfunction. They can occur occasionally or become chronic depending on underlying causes.

Study author Fausto Negri and his colleagues note that many men experiencing ejaculatory disorders have difficulty expressing their negative feelings and that sexuality and emotional expression are closely connected. With this in mind, they conducted a study aiming to define specific clinical and psychological profiles of individuals suffering from premature and delayed ejaculation and to investigate the association between delayed ejaculation and other domains of sexual functioning.

Study participants were 555 men who were seeking medical help for ejaculation disorders. 76 of them reported for delayed ejaculation, while the rest of them sought help for premature ejaculation. Participants’ average age was approximately 45 years. 53% of participants with delayed ejaculation reported having a stable partner, and this was the case with 64% of participants with premature ejaculation.

Participants completed assessments of erectile function (the International Index of Erectile Function) and depression (the Beck Depression Inventory). Researchers also measured levels of various hormones and collected other medical and demographic information about the participants.

Results showed that participants suffering from delayed ejaculation were older than participants suffering from premature ejaculation (average age of 47 years vs 44 years). They also more often suffered from other disorders. Participants with delayed ejaculation also tended to have more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety. Their sexual desire tended to be lower, as were their orgasmic function scores, compared to participants with premature ejaculation. The two groups did not differ in relationship status, waist circumference, body mass index, or levels of examined hormones.

“Roughly one of ten men presenting for self-reported ejaculatory dysfunction as their main complaint in the real-life setting suffers from DE [delayed ejaculation]. Usually, they are older than men with primary PE [premature ejaculation] and overall less healthy. Likewise, they depict an overall poorer quality of sexual life, with lower SD [sexual desire] and OF [orgasmic function]. Moreover, men with DE have higher chances to report clinically significant depression and anxiety, which significantly impact their overall sexual satisfaction,” the study authors concluded.

The study sheds light on the differences in psychological characteristics between people with different forms of ejaculation disorders. However, it should be noted that the design of the study does not allow any causal inferences to be derived from the results. Additionally, all participants came from the same clinical center. Results on men from other geographical areas might differ.

The paper, “Men with delayed ejaculation report lower sexual satisfaction and more depressive symptoms than those with premature ejaculation: findings from a cross-sectional study,” was authored by Fausto Negri, Christian Corsini, Edoardo Pozzi, Massimiliano Raffo, Alessandro Bertini, Gabriele Birolini, Alessia d’Arma, Luca Boeri, Francesco Montorsi, Michael L. Eisenberg, and Andrea Salonia.

Researchers in Japan have documented the case of a teenager whose psychotic symptoms consistently appeared before her menstrual period and resolved immediately after. A case report published in Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports indicates that a medication typically used to treat seizures and bipolar disorder was effective after standard antipsychotic and antidepressant drugs failed to provide relief. This account offers a detailed look at a rare and often misunderstood condition.

The condition is known as menstrual psychosis, which is characterized by the sudden onset of psychotic symptoms in an individual who is otherwise mentally well. These episodes are typically brief and occur in a cyclical pattern that aligns with the menstrual cycle. The presence of symptoms like delusions or hallucinations distinguishes menstrual psychosis from more common conditions such as premenstrual syndrome or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which primarily involve mood-related changes. Menstrual psychosis is considered exceptionally rare, with fewer than 100 cases identified in the medical literature.

The new report, authored by Atsuo Morisaki and colleagues at the Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Medical Center, details the experience of a 17-year-old Japanese girl who sought medical help after about two years of recurring psychological distress. Her initial symptoms included intense anxiety, a feeling of being watched, and auditory hallucinations where she heard a classmate’s voice. She also developed the belief that conversations around her were about herself. She had no prior psychiatric history or family history of mental illness.

Initially, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and prescribed antipsychotic medication, which did not appear to alleviate her symptoms. Upon being transferred to a new medical center, her treatment was changed, but her condition persisted. While hospitalized, her medical team observed a distinct pattern. In the days leading up to her first menstrual period at the hospital, she experienced a depressive mood and restlessness. This escalated to include delusional thoughts and the feeling that “voices and sounds were entering my mind.” These symptoms disappeared completely four days later, once her period ended.

This cycle repeated itself the following month. About twelve days before her second menstruation, she again became restless. Nine days before, she reported the sensation that her thoughts were “leaking out” during phone calls. She also experienced auditory hallucinations and believed her thoughts were being broadcast to others. Her antipsychotic dosage was increased, but the symptoms continued until her menstruation ended, at which point they once again resolved completely.

A similar pattern emerged before her third period during hospitalization. Fourteen days prior, she developed a fearful, delusional mood. She reported that “gazes and voices are entering my head” and her diary entries showed signs of disorganized thinking. An increase in her medication dosage seemed to have no effect. As her period began, the symptoms started to fade, and they were gone by the time it was over. This consistent, cyclical nature of her psychosis, which did not respond to conventional treatments, led her doctors to consider an alternative diagnosis and treatment plan.

Observing this clear link between her symptoms and her menstrual cycle, the medical team initiated treatment with carbamazepine. This medication is an anticonvulsant commonly used to manage seizures and is also prescribed as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder. The dosage was started low and gradually increased. Following the administration of carbamazepine, her psychotic symptoms resolved entirely. She was eventually able to discontinue the antipsychotic and antidepressant medications. During follow-up appointments as an outpatient, her symptoms had not returned.

The exact biological mechanisms behind menstrual psychosis are not well understood. Some scientific theories suggest a link to the sharp drop in estrogen that occurs during the late phase of the menstrual cycle. Estrogen influences several brain chemicals, including dopamine, and a significant reduction in estrogen might lead to a state where the brain has too much dopamine activity, which has been associated with psychosis. However, since psychotic episodes can occur at various points in the menstrual cycle, fluctuating estrogen levels alone do not seem to fully explain the condition.

The choice of carbamazepine was partly guided by the patient’s age and the potential long-term side effects of other mood stabilizers. The authors of the report note that carbamazepine may work by modulating the activity of various channels and chemical messengers in the brain, helping to stabilize neuronal excitability. While there are no previous reports of carbamazepine being used specifically for menstrual psychosis, it has shown some effectiveness in other cyclical psychiatric conditions, suggesting it may influence the underlying mechanisms that produce symptoms tied to biological cycles.

It is important to understand the nature of a case report. Findings from a single patient cannot be generalized to a larger population. This report does not establish that carbamazepine is a definitive treatment for all individuals with menstrual psychosis. The positive outcome observed in this one person could be unique to her specific biology and circumstances.

However, case reports like this one serve a significant function in medical science, especially for uncommon conditions. They can highlight patterns that might otherwise be missed and introduce potential new avenues for treatment that warrant further investigation. By documenting this experience, the authors provide information that may help other clinicians recognize this rare disorder and consider a wider range of therapeutic options. This account provides a foundation for future, more systematic research into the causes of menstrual psychosis and the potential effectiveness of medications like carbamazepine.

The report, “Menstrual psychosis with a marked response to carbamazepine,” was authored by Atsuo Morisaki, Ken Ebishima, Akira Uezono, and Takashi Nagasawa.

The quest for immortality.

One in three of us have it.

Lunacy.

Using spare capacity in the private sector is key to the government’s target of ensuring that 92 per cent of patients in England should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment

It's changing lives.

Many Galaxy users enjoy using the Samsung Health app together with their Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch to track workouts, listen to music, and stay active. However, some users with phones running One UI 7 (Android 15) have noticed a small issue.

When some Galaxy users start a workout using the Samsung Health app, the exercise guide voice plays at the same volume as their music. This can make the workout experience uncomfortable, as users can’t control the guide and music volume separately.

The problem happens when the Galaxy Buds and Galaxy Watch are both connected to a phone running One UI 7. During workouts, it can be frustrating when you want to keep your music high but prefer softer guide notifications.

Fortunately, Samsung has acknowledged the issue and suggested a few easy steps to fix or reduce the issue. You can do this by checking the app permissions, restarting the app, and updating your phone.

To fix the problem, long-press the Samsung Health app icon and tap the App info button. Go to Alarms and Reminders and make sure Allow Permissions is turned on. If the app’s Battery setting is set to No limit, you may not see this option. Then, return to the app info screen and tap Force stop. Finally, open the Samsung Health app again to restart it.

If the issue continues, try updating your phone to One UI 8 (Android 16), as newer updates often include performance and sound improvements. Go to Settings >> Software update >> Download and install.

After following these steps, your Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch, and Samsung Health app should work more smoothly. These solutions give you a better workout experience with balanced sound and clearer audio guidance.

The post Samsung Health bug making workouts annoying? Fix it instantly! appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Researchers found one type of milk increased the risk of heart disease and death

Doctors are increasingly looking beyond body mass index (BMI) and waist size to better understand how fat distribution in the body affects health

Every winter is a challenge for the NHS. But doctors fear this year could be one of the worst yet, as a ‘hugely concerning’ early flu season, a surge in A&E demand and the overhang of a devastating summer put the creaking health service under huge pressure. Medics and officials tell Rebecca Thomas about why they are more scared than ever before

A new study finds that being present and non-judgmental during sex is associated with greater sexual well-being, not only for oneself but for one’s partner as well. The research, which tracked couples over 35 days, suggests that the benefits of sexual mindfulness can be observed on a daily basis within a relationship. The findings were published in the scientific journal Mindfulness.

Many individuals in established relationships report problems with their sexual health, such as low desire or dissatisfaction. Previous research has suggested that mindfulness, a state of present-moment awareness without judgment, could help address these issues. Researchers believe that cognitive distractions during sex, like concerns about performance or body image, can interfere with sexual well-being. Mindfulness may act as an antidote to these distractions by helping individuals redirect their attention to the physical sensations and emotional connection of the moment.

Led by Simone Y. Goldberg of the University of British Columbia, a team of researchers noted that most prior studies had significant limitations. Much of the research focused on general mindfulness as a personality trait rather than the specific state of being mindful during a sexual encounter. Additionally, studies often sampled individuals instead of couples, missing the interpersonal dynamics of sex. Finally, no research had used a daily diary design, which is needed to capture the natural fluctuations in a person’s ability to be mindful across different sexual experiences. Goldberg and her colleagues designed their study to address these gaps.

To conduct their research, the scientists recruited 297 couples who were living together. For 35 consecutive days, each partner independently completed a brief online survey every evening before going to sleep. This daily diary method allowed the researchers to gather information about the couples’ experiences in near real-time, reducing reliance on long-term memory which can be unreliable. The daily survey asked about each person’s level of sexual desire and any sexually related distress they felt that day.

On the days that participants reported having sex with their partner, they were asked additional questions. They completed a 5-item questionnaire to measure their level of sexual mindfulness during that specific encounter. This included rating their agreement with statements about their ability to stay in the present moment, notice physical sensations, and not judge their thoughts or feelings. They also answered questions to assess their level of sexual satisfaction with that day’s experience. This design allowed the researchers to analyze how a person’s mindfulness during sex on a given day related to their own and their partner’s sexual well-being on that same day.

The results showed a clear link between daily sexual mindfulness and sexual well-being for both partners. On days when individuals reported being more sexually mindful than their own personal average, they also reported higher levels of sexual satisfaction and sexual desire. At the same time, they reported lower levels of sexual distress. This demonstrates that fluctuations in a person’s ability to be mindful during sex are connected to their own sexual experience from one day to the next.

The study also revealed significant interpersonal benefits. On the days when one person was more sexually mindful, their partner also reported better outcomes. The partner experienced higher sexual satisfaction, increased sexual desire, and less sexual distress. This suggests that one person’s mental state during a sexual encounter has a direct and immediate association with their partner’s experience. The researchers propose that a mindful partner may be more attentive and responsive, which in turn enhances the other person’s enjoyment and sense of connection.

When the researchers analyzed the overall averages across the 35-day period, they found a slightly different pattern. Individuals who were, on average, more sexually mindful throughout the study reported greater sexual well-being for themselves. However, a person’s average level of sexual mindfulness was not linked to their partner’s average sexual well-being. This suggests that the benefit to a partner may be more of an in-the-moment phenomenon tied to specific sexual encounters, rather than a general effect of being with a typically mindful person.

The study also explored the role of gender in these associations. The connection between a person’s own daily sexual mindfulness and their own sexual well-being was stronger for women than for men. The researchers speculate that since women sometimes report higher levels of cognitive distraction during sex, the practice of mindfulness might offer a particularly powerful benefit for them. In contrast, the association between one person’s mindfulness and their partner’s sexual satisfaction was stronger when the mindful partner was a man.

These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence supporting the idea that being present and aware during sex is beneficial for couples. The study highlights that these benefits are not just personal but are shared within the relationship. By focusing on physical sensations and letting go of distracting or self-critical thoughts, individuals may not only improve their own sexual satisfaction but also contribute positively to their partner’s experience. This points to the potential of clinical interventions that teach mindfulness skills specifically within a sexual context.

The researchers acknowledged some limitations of their work. The participant sample was predominantly White and heterosexual, which means the results may not be generalizable to couples from other ethnic backgrounds or to same-sex couples. Future research could explore these dynamics in more diverse populations to see if the same patterns hold.

Another important point is that the study’s design is correlational, meaning it identifies a relationship between variables but cannot prove causation. It is not possible to say for certain that being more mindful causes better sexual well-being. The relationship could potentially work in the other direction, where a more positive sexual experience allows a person to be more mindful. Future studies using experimental methods, where mindfulness is actively manipulated, could help clarify the direction of this effect. Despite these limitations, the study provides a detailed picture of the day-to-day connections between mindfulness and sexual health in romantic partners.

The study, “Daily Sexual Mindfulness is Linked with Greater Sexual Well‑Being in Couples,” was authored by Simone Y. Goldberg, Marie‑Pier Vaillancourt‑Morel, Marta Kolbuszewska, Sophie Bergeron, and Samantha J. Dawson.

It's not just bacteria that call you home.

The three-year roadmap for the NHS has promised to slash waiting lists and ‘strip out layers of bureaucracy’

When people feel emotionally close, their bodies may start to act in tandem. A new study published in Biological Psychology offers evidence that this alignment can reach the level of the heart. Researchers found that married couples from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to show synchronized heart rate patterns than couples from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. The findings suggest that social and economic conditions may shape not only how people relate to one another emotionally, but also how their bodies respond during social connection.

Previous research has shown that people from lower-income and lower-education backgrounds tend to emphasize relationships more than their more affluent peers. Studies suggest that individuals from these environments often rely more on their social networks for support, given that they face more external challenges such as financial strain and limited access to resources. This emphasis on social interdependence appears in how people think, feel, and behave. But until now, little was known about whether this tendency might also appear in physical processes, such as heart rate.

“Social connection is essential for human well-being and survival. And how we connect with others is shaped by the resources and opportunities we have. When socioeconomic resources are scarce, social relationships can become a refuge and a resource, taking on a particularly important role in people’s lives,” said Tabea Meier, a postdoctoral scholar affiliated with the University of Zurich, and Claudia Haase, an associate professor at Northwestern University, the corresponding authors of the study.

“Prior research has shown that people from less privileged backgrounds tend to be more interdependent and attuned to others, for example, in experiencing greater empathy and compassion. This stands in contrast to the individualism that tends to dominate more privileged social contexts.”

“However, much less is known about whether this attunement to others goes beyond experiences and behavior—whether it shows up in people’s bodies or physiology. Our study of married couples examined this question by probing how socioeconomic status relates to physiological linkage – the way spouses’ heart rates rise and fall together when they interact. In moments of deep connection, people’s hearts can beat in sync.”

For their study, the researchers recruited 48 married couples living in the Chicago area, resulting in a sample of 96 individuals. The couples varied widely in terms of income and education. Some earned less than $20,000 per year, while others made over $150,000. Their education levels also ranged from less than high school to advanced degrees. The sample included people from several racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Each couple participated in a three-hour lab session. After some initial procedures, they took part in two ten-minute conversations: one focused on a topic of conflict in their relationship, and another centered on a mutually enjoyable subject. During these conversations, the participants wore sensors that tracked their heart activity in real time. The researchers focused on a measure called “interbeat interval,” which is the amount of time between heartbeats. These second-by-second measurements allowed the team to assess how each spouse’s heart rate changed throughout the conversation.

The researchers analyzed how closely the spouses’ heart rate patterns mirrored each other. When both people’s heart rates sped up or slowed down together, this was called “in-phase linkage.” When one person’s heart rate increased while the other’s decreased, that was labeled “anti-phase linkage.” In both cases, stronger linkage meant a tighter correlation between spouses’ heart rate shifts. The team looked at how these two types of linkage were related to the couple’s socioeconomic background.

Across both conflict and pleasant conversations, couples from lower socioeconomic backgrounds showed higher in-phase linkage. In other words, their heart rates were more likely to change in the same direction. At the same time, they showed lower anti-phase linkage, meaning their heart rates were less likely to change in opposite directions.

This pattern suggests that less affluent couples tend to experience a stronger bodily connection during interpersonal interactions. Their heart rhythms moved more in unison, regardless of whether they were arguing or sharing positive memories. The difference was particularly strong for anti-phase linkage, which was much lower in lower-income and lower-education couples compared to their more privileged peers.

“When people connect, it’s not just their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that can align – their bodies can, too,” Meier and Haase told PsyPost. “Our study found that couples’ socioeconomic backgrounds may shape how this connection unfolds at a physiological level. Specifically, the heart rates of spouses from less privileged backgrounds were more likely to change in the same direction (i.e., speeding up or slowing down together) and less likely to change in opposite directions (i.e., one speeding up while the other is slowing down) compared to those from more privileged backgrounds.”

These results held even after the researchers controlled for several other factors, including age and racial background. The effect was also more strongly tied to education than income, although both contributed to the findings.

Importantly, the level of synchrony did not appear to be linked to the emotional tone of the conversation or to how many times the couples used inclusive words like “we.” That suggests that the physiological linkage observed may be operating somewhat independently of what the spouses said or how they rated their emotions.

“These findings build on a long line of research showing that people from less privileged backgrounds tend prioritize relationships and are more attuned to those around them,” the researchers said. “Our study suggests, to our knowledge for the first time, that this connection may not only appear in feelings or behaviors, but also at a physiological level in the form of linked heart rates between spouses. It is a reminder that our social worlds live within us.”

There are a few caveats to consider. The sample size, although consistent with similar lab-based studies, was relatively small. It also focused on heterosexual married couples with children in the United States, which limits how broadly the results can be applied.

The study also did not look at how these heart rate patterns affect the couples over time. It remains unclear whether higher in-phase linkage leads to better relationship satisfaction, improved health, or other benefits. Some previous research suggests that synchrony may be helpful in many cases, but not always. For example, when couples are arguing, syncing up physiologically might sometimes make things worse by escalating conflict. On the other hand, moving in opposite directions might help one partner stay calm while the other is distressed.

“It is important not to oversimplify these results,” Meier and Haase explained. “Linked heart rates do not necessarily mean “better” or healthier relationships. Whether physiological linkage is beneficial or not may really depend on the context in which it occurs, for example, whether spouses are cracking up about an inside joke, are throwing harsh words at each other, or comforting each other in sadness. Future research can explore when and how different heart rate linkage patterns support or harm relationship satisfaction, well-being, and health.”

“Our study is a first step and there are many open questions that we would love the research community to pursue. While we worked hard to recruit a diverse sample of couples from all walks of life from the U.S. Chicagoland area, larger samples will be needed, ideally not just from the US. There are many other open questions. For instance, how does physiological linkage predict how satisfied spouses from less or more privileged backgrounds are with their relationship over time? And what are the consequences for mental and physical health? We look forward to more research in this area that connects the macro and the micro.”

“Socioeconomic status can shape our everyday lives in powerful ways, including how we connect with loved ones,” the researchers added. “Psychological research on couples has traditionally focused mostly on white, middle-class couples. Findings from our study, along with others, highlight the importance of inclusive approaches in the study of social connection. The couples in our study allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of how emotional dynamics and social connection may differ across socioeconomic contexts, and we are grateful that they shared their time and insights with us.”

The study, “Connected at heart? Socioeconomic status and physiological linkage during marital interactions,” was authored by Tabea Meier, Aaron M. Geller, Kuan-Hua Chen, and Claudia M. Haase.

Eddison Watts’ rare congenital heart defect affects approximately one in every 3,600 births in the UK

Trigger warnings are meant to help people emotionally prepare for or avoid potentially upsetting material. But new evidence from a week-long study of young adults suggests they often do neither. Instead, most people who encounter these warnings choose to view the content anyway. The findings also indicate that even individuals with trauma histories or mental health concerns are no more likely to avoid warned content than others. The results provide further support for the growing idea that trigger warnings, while widespread, may not function as intended in everyday digital life.

Trigger warnings are now common in both online and offline environments, appearing ahead of everything from social media posts to college course material. They are typically used to signal content that could be distressing, especially for those with past trauma or mental health challenges. Advocates argue that these warnings give vulnerable people the opportunity to prepare for or avoid harmful content.

But a growing body of lab-based studies has cast doubt on the idea that trigger warnings work in the way people hope. While many assume that warnings prompt avoidance, experiments have shown that most people choose to view the content anyway, and that warnings rarely reduce emotional distress. Until now, however, nearly all of this evidence came from controlled settings. Researchers had not yet studied how people actually respond to trigger warnings in their everyday lives.

The new study, published in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, aimed to fill that gap. The researchers set out to track when and how often people encounter trigger warnings on social media, whether they choose to view or avoid the associated content, and whether certain psychological traits—such as symptoms of posttraumatic stress or depression—are linked to different patterns of behavior.

“Over the past (almost decade) my research has been concerned with cutting through online debate about trigger warnings and examining them using an experimental framework. This work has found that in the lab, warnings about upcoming negative content do not reduce people’s emotional reactions to material, nor do they seem effective in deterring the majority of people from viewing negative content when given a neutral/non-distressing alternative,” said study author Victoria Bridgland, a lecturer at Flinders University.

“We were interested in seeing if these findings, particularly about avoidance, extend outside of lab environments. Participating in a lab study is inherently coercive, however participants have no obligation to watch or avoid negative content in daily life. However, aligning with lab findings, we found that the most common response to seeing trigger warnings online in daily life was to view the content, and the most common reason given was because of curiosity—which is also something we hear in lab.”

The study followed 261 young adults between the ages of 17 and 25 over a seven-day period. Participants reported their daily experiences with social media, including whether they saw any trigger warnings and what kind of content those warnings accompanied. They also recorded whether they chose to look at or avoid the content after seeing the warning.

To explore whether psychological traits influenced avoidance behavior, participants completed several standardized assessments at the beginning of the study. These included measures of trauma exposure, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and general well-being. The researchers also asked whether participants had a tendency to deliberately seek out reminders of traumatic experiences, a behavior sometimes referred to as self-triggering.

The researchers wanted to see whether people who had higher levels of psychological distress were more likely to avoid warned content, as trigger warning advocates often suggest. They also looked at how frequently participants encountered these warnings and what motivated their decision to view or avoid the content.

Nearly half of the participants reported seeing at least one trigger warning during the week. Among those who did, the average number of warnings seen was about four. The most common platforms for encountering these warnings were Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, and the most frequent content types were violent or aggressive material, depictions of physical injury, and sexually explicit content.

When asked how they responded to the warnings, the overwhelming majority said they chose to look at the content. On a scale from “never looked” to “always looked,” most people leaned heavily toward viewing. In fact, only around 11 percent reported consistently avoiding warned material throughout the week, while more than a third said they always approached it. When asked why they looked, more than half cited curiosity—the desire to know what was being hidden—as their main motivation.

The results were not a surprise. “We have known for some time from lab experiments that trigger warnings don’t seem to increase rates of avoidance, and we also know that people are morbidly curious and often self-expose themselves to negative material (even when it serves no real benefit),” Bridgland told PsyPost.

The researchers found no evidence that people with higher psychological vulnerability were more likely to avoid the content. Participants with greater posttraumatic stress symptoms, for example, were just as likely to view the material as those with fewer symptoms. This pattern held across several mental health measures, including depression, anxiety, and a history of trauma exposure.

Interestingly, people who did see trigger warnings tended to score higher on mental health symptom scales and lower on general well-being. The authors suggest that this could be because such individuals spend more time in online spaces where trigger warnings are common, or because the warnings feel more personally relevant and memorable to them. But even within this group, the presence of a warning did not increase the likelihood of avoidance.

The content people chose to avoid, when they did avoid it, varied widely. Some said they were simply uninterested, while others avoided it because it involved specific types of content they preferred not to see, such as animal cruelty or depictions of death. A small number of participants reported avoiding material that felt emotionally overwhelming or clashed with their current mood. Still, these decisions were the exception rather than the rule.

“I’d like for people to be conscious consumers of negative material online and be wary of extremes,” Bridgland said. “For example, if you are someone who finds they often need to avoid or becomes overly distressed or triggered by online content or someone who is deliberately searching for and binge consuming negative content in high volumes which is leading to distress—this is likely a sign that there is some underlying issue that likely warrants therapeutic attention. In either of these cases, be aware that a trigger warning may not be serving a beneficial function.”

As with all research, there are some limitations. First, the study did not measure emotional reactions after viewing the content, so it remains unclear whether the warnings helped people feel more prepared or less distressed. Prior research, however, suggests that trigger warnings tend not to influence emotional responses much, if at all.

Another limitation is that people might behave differently depending on the specific context or type of content. For example, someone might avoid a warning about sexual assault but not one about medical procedures. The study also didn’t capture real-time responses, so there may be subtle moment-to-moment factors—such as mood or fatigue—that influence decisions to view or avoid warned content.

“I’d like to clarify that me and my research team aren’t advocating that we should ban trigger warnings, but we just want people to be aware of the lack of benefits they provide,” Bridgland explained. “This way people can take other precautions to safeguard their mental health online.”

“Since it seems hard to improve antecedent based strategies to help people cope with negative content (as various recent studies have tried to “improve” trigger warnings with no success), I’m exploring ways we can help people after they are exposed. This will also help in the case where shocking/traumatic content exposure happens without warning (which is a common experience online).”

The study, “‘I’m always curious’: Tracking young adults exposure and responses to social media trigger warnings in daily life,” was authored by Victoria M.E. Bridgland, Ella K. Moeck, and Melanie K.T. Takarangi.

Photothermal therapy.

Lynkuet was approved by the FDA Friday to treat moderate-to-severe hot flashes and night sweats

The pioneering process was used to treat a record number of prostate procedures in one day

Pop-up clinics have been set up in various locations to vaccinate children against the flu “wildfire” over the half-term break

"Earth-shattering."

Just the thing to cheer you up.

Want to keep track of the largest startup funding deals in 2025 with our curated list of $100 million-plus venture deals to U.S.-based companies? Check out The Crunchbase Megadeals Board.

This is a weekly feature that runs down the week’s top 10 announced funding rounds in the U.S. Check out last week’s biggest funding rounds here.

This was another active week for large startup financings. AI data center developer Crusoe Energy Systems led with $1.38 billion in fresh financing, and several other megarounds were AI-focused startups. Other standouts hailed from a diverse array of sectors, including battery recycling, biotech and even fire suppression.

1. Crusoe Energy Systems, $1.38B, AI data centers: Crusoe Energy Systems, a developer of AI data centers and infrastructure, raised $1.38 billion in a financing led by Valor Equity Partners and Mubadala Capital. The deal sets a $10 billion+ valuation for the Denver-based company.

2. Avride, $375M, autonomous vehicles: Avride, a developer of technology to power autonomous vehicles and delivery robots, announced that it secured commitments of up to $375 million backed by Uber and Nebius Group. The 8-year-old, Austin, Texas-based company said it plans to launch its first robotaxi service on Uber’s platform in Dallas this year.

3. Redwood Materials, $350M, battery recycling: Battery recycling company Redwood Materials closed a $350 million Series E round led by Eclipse Ventures with participation from new investors including Nvidia’s NVentures. Founded in 2017, the Carson City, Nevada-based company has raised over $2 billion in known equity funding to date.

4. Uniphore, $260M, agentic AI: Uniphore, developer of an AI platform for businesses to deploy agentic AI, closed on $260 million in a Series F round that included backing from Nvidia, AMD, Snowflake Ventures and Databricks Ventures. The round sets a $2.5 billion valuation for the Palo Alto, California-based company.

5. Sesame, $250M, voice AI and smart glasses: San Francisco-based Sesame, a developer of conversational AI technology and smart glasses, picked up $250 million in a Series B round led by Sequoia Capital. The startup is headed by former Oculus CEO and co-founder Brendan Iribe.

6. OpenEvidence, $200M, AI for medicine: OpenEvidence, developer of an AI tool for medical professionals that has been nicknamed the “ChatGPT for doctors” reportedly raised $200 million in a GV-led round at a $6 billion valuation. Three months earlier, OpenEvidence pulled in $210 million at a $3.5 billion valuation.

7. Electra Therapeutics, $183M, biotech: Electra Therapeutics, a developer of therapies against novel targets for diseases in immunology and cancer, secured $183 million in a Series C round. Nextech Invest and EQT Life Sciences led the financing for the South San Francisco, California-based company.

8. LangChain, $125M, AI agents: LangChain, developer of a platform for engineering AI agents, picked up $125 million in fresh funding at a $1.25 billion valuation. IVP led the financing for the 3-year-old, San Francisco-based company.

9. ShopMy, $70M, brand marketing: New York-based ShopMy, a platform that connects brands and influencers, landed $70 million in a funding round led by Avenir. The financing sets a $1.5 billion valuation for the 5-year-old company.

10. Seneca, $60M, fire suppression: Seneca, a startup developing a fire suppression system that includes autonomous drones that help spot and put out fires, launched publicly with $60 million in initial funding. Caffeinated Capital and Convective Capital led the financing for the San Francisco-based company.

Methodology

We tracked the largest announced rounds in the Crunchbase database that were raised by U.S.-based companies for the period of Oct. 18-24. Although most announced rounds are represented in the database, there could be a small time lag as some rounds are reported late in the week.

Illustration: Dom Guzman

A new scientific report reveals that the protein aggregates associated with Parkinson’s disease are not inert clumps of cellular waste, but rather are chemically active structures that can systematically destroy the primary energy molecule used by brain cells. The research, published in the journal Advanced Science, demonstrates that these protein plaques can function like tiny, rogue enzymes, breaking down adenosine triphosphate and potentially starving neurons of the power they need to survive and function.

Scientists have long sought to understand how the accumulation of protein clumps, known as amyloids, leads to the devastating neuronal death seen in neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease. These clumps are primarily made of a misfolded protein called alpha-synuclein.

The prevailing view has been that these aggregates cause harm by physically disrupting cellular processes, poking holes in membranes, or sequestering other important proteins. However, a team of researchers led by Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede at Rice University suspected there might be more to the story.

Previous work from the same group had shown that alpha-synuclein amyloids were not chemically inactive. They could facilitate certain chemical reactions on simple model compounds in a test tube. This led the researchers to question if these amyloids could also act on biologically significant molecules inside a cell. They focused on one of the most fundamental molecules in all of life: adenosine triphosphate, the universal energy currency that powers nearly every cellular activity.

Neurons have exceptionally high energy demands and cannot store fuel, making them particularly vulnerable to any disruption in their adenosine triphosphate supply. The team hypothesized that if amyloids could break down this vital molecule, it would represent a completely new way these pathological structures exert their toxicity.

To investigate this possibility, the scientists conducted a series of experiments. First, they needed to confirm that adenosine triphosphate even interacts with the alpha-synuclein amyloids. They used a chemical reaction they had previously studied, where the amyloids break down a substance called para-nitrophenyl orthophosphate.

When they added adenosine triphosphate to this mixture, the original reaction stopped. This competitive effect suggested that adenosine triphosphate was binding to the same active location on the amyloid surface, pushing the other substance out of the way.

Having established that adenosine triphosphate binds to the amyloids, the researchers then tested whether it was being broken down. They mixed prepared alpha-synuclein amyloids with a solution of adenosine triphosphate and used a diagnostic tool called the Malachite Green assay, which changes color in the presence of free phosphate, a byproduct of adenosine triphosphate breakdown.

They observed a steady increase in free phosphate over time, confirming that the amyloids were indeed cleaving the phosphate bonds in adenosine triphosphate. This activity was catalytic, meaning a single amyloid structure could process many molecules of adenosine triphosphate, one after another. The same experiment performed with individual, non-clumped alpha-synuclein proteins showed no such effect, indicating this energy-draining ability is a feature specific to the aggregated, amyloid form.

To understand the mechanism behind this chemical activity, the team used a powerful imaging technique known as cryogenic electron microscopy. This method allowed them to visualize the structure of the alpha-synuclein amyloid at a near-atomic level of detail while it was bound to adenosine triphosphate.

The resulting images revealed a remarkable transformation. The amyloid itself was formed from two intertwined filaments, creating a cavity between them. When adenosine triphosphate entered this cavity, a normally flexible and disordered segment of the alpha-synuclein protein, consisting of amino acids 16 through 22, folded into an ordered beta-strand. This newly formed structure acted like a lid, closing over the cavity and trapping the adenosine triphosphate molecule inside.

This enclosed pocket was lined with several positively charged amino acids called lysines. Since the phosphate tail of adenosine triphosphate is strongly negatively charged, these lysines likely serve to attract and hold the energy molecule in a specific orientation. The structure suggested that this induced-fit mechanism, where the amyloid changes its shape upon binding its target, was a key part of its chemical function.

To prove that these specific lysine residues were responsible for the activity, the researchers genetically engineered several mutant versions of the alpha-synuclein protein. In each version, they replaced one or more of the key lysines in the cavity with a neutral amino acid, alanine. These mutant proteins were still able to form amyloid clumps that looked similar to the original ones.

When they tested the mutant amyloids for their ability to break down adenosine triphosphate, they found the activity was almost completely gone. This result confirmed that the positively charged lysines are essential for the amyloid’s ability to perform the chemical reaction.

In a final step, the scientists solved the high-resolution structure of one of the inactive mutant amyloids (K21A) while it was bound to adenosine triphosphate. The images showed that the energy molecule could still sit in the cavity, but its orientation was different from that seen in the active, non-mutant amyloid.

More importantly, in this inactive complex, the flexible protein segment did not fold over to form the enclosing lid. This finding provided strong evidence that both the proper positioning of adenosine triphosphate by the lysines and the structural rearrangement that closes the cavity are necessary for the breakdown to occur.

The study does have some limitations. The experiments were conducted in a controlled laboratory setting, not in living cells or organisms. The specific structural form of the alpha-synuclein amyloid studied, known as polymorph type 1A, has not yet been identified in the brains of Parkinson’s patients, although similar structures exist.

Also, the rate at which the amyloids broke down adenosine triphosphate was slow compared to natural enzymes. Future research will need to determine if this process occurs within the complex environment of a neuron and if other, more clinically relevant amyloid forms share this toxic capability.

Despite these caveats, the findings introduce a new and potentially significant mechanism of neurodegeneration. The researchers suggest that even a slow reaction could have a profound local effect. An amyloid plaque contains a very high density of these active sites. This could create a zone of severe energy depletion in the immediate vicinity of the plaque, disabling essential cellular machinery.

For instance, cells use chaperone proteins that require adenosine triphosphate to try to break up these very amyloids. If the chaperones approach an amyloid plaque and enter an energy-depleted zone, their rescue function could be disabled, effectively allowing the plaque to protect itself and persist. This work transforms the view of amyloids from passive obstacles into active metabolic drains, opening new avenues for understanding and potentially treating Parkinson’s disease.

The study, “ATP Hydrolysis by α-Synuclein Amyloids is Mediated by Enclosing β-Strand,” was authored by Lukas Frey, Fiamma Ayelen Buratti, Istvan Horvath, Shraddha Parate, Ranjeet Kumar, Roland Riek, and Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede.

It's not as common as it seems.

Promising new leads.

This changes things.

Multiple sclerosis is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord

A new analysis suggests that when it comes to the mental health benefits of urban green spaces, a moderate amount is best. The research, which synthesized four decades of studies, found that the relationship between the quantity of greenery and mental well-being follows an inverted U-shaped pattern, where benefits decline after a certain point. This finding challenges the simpler idea that more green space is always better and was published in the journal Nature Cities.

Researchers have long established a connection between exposure to nature and improved mental health for city dwellers. However, the exact nature of this relationship has been unclear. Bin Jiang, Jiali Li, and a team of international collaborators recognized a growing problem in the field. Early studies often suggested a straightforward linear connection, implying that any increase in greenness would lead to better mental health outcomes. This made it difficult for city planners to determine how much green space was optimal for public well-being.

More recent studies started to show curved, non-linear patterns, but because they used different methods and were conducted in various contexts, the evidence remained fragmented and inconclusive. Without a clear, general understanding of this dose-response relationship, urban planners and policymakers lack the scientific guidance needed to allocate land and resources to maximize mental health benefits for residents. The team aimed to resolve this by searching for a generalized pattern across the entire body of existing research.

To achieve their goal, the scientists conducted a meta-analysis, a type of study that statistically combines the results of many previous independent studies. Their first step was a systematic search of major scientific databases for all empirical studies published between 1985 and 2025 that examined the link between a measured “dose” of greenness and mental health responses. This exhaustive search initially identified over 128,000 potential articles. The researchers then applied a strict set of criteria to filter this large pool, narrowing it down to 133 studies that directly measured a quantitative relationship between greenness and mental health outcomes like stress, anxiety, depression, or cognitive function.

From this collection of 133 studies, the team focused on a subset of 69 that measured the “intensity” of greenness, as this was the most commonly studied variable and provided enough data for a robust analysis. They further divided these studies into two categories based on how greenness was measured. The first category was “eye-level greenness,” which captures the amount of vegetation a person sees from a ground-level perspective, such as when walking down a street. The second was “top-down greenness,” which is measured from aerial or satellite imagery and typically represents the percentage of an area covered by tree canopy or other vegetation.

A significant challenge in combining so many different studies is that they use various scales and metrics. To address this, the researchers standardized the data. They converted the mental health outcomes from all studies onto a common scale ranging from negative one to one. They also re-analyzed images from the original papers to calculate the percentage of greenness in a consistent way across all studies. After standardizing the data, they extracted representative points from each study’s reported dose-response curve and combined them into two large datasets, one for eye-level greenness and one for top-down greenness.

With all the data points compiled and standardized, the researchers performed a curve-fitting analysis. They tested several mathematical models, including a straight line (linear model), a power-law curve, and a quadratic model, which produces an inverted U-shape. The results showed that for both eye-level and top-down greenness, the quadratic model was the best fit for the collective data. This indicates that as the amount of greenness increases from zero, mental health benefits rise, reach a peak at a moderate level, and then begin to decline as the amount of greenness becomes very high.

The analysis identified specific thresholds for these effects. For eye-level greenness, the peak mental health benefit occurred at 53.1 percent greenness. The range considered “highly beneficial,” representing the top five percent of positive effects, was between 46.2 and 59.5 percent. Any positive effect, which the researchers termed a “non-adverse effect,” was observed in a broader range from 25.3 to 80.2 percent. Outside of this range, at very low or very high levels of eye-level greenness, the effects were associated with negative mental health responses.

The findings for top-down greenness were similar. The optimal dose for the best effect was found to be 51.2 percent. The highly beneficial range was between 43.1 and 59.2 percent, and the non-adverse range spanned from 21.1 to 81.7 percent. These specific figures provide practical guidance for urban design, suggesting target percentages for vegetation cover that could yield the greatest psychological rewards for communities.

The researchers propose several reasons why this inverted U-shaped pattern exists. At very low levels of greenness, an environment can feel barren or desolate, which may increase feelings of stress or anxiety. As greenery is introduced, the environment becomes more restorative.

However, at extremely high levels of greenness, a landscape can become too dense. This might reduce natural light, obstruct views, and create a feeling of being closed-in or unsafe, potentially leading to anxiety or a sense of unease. A dense, complex environment may also require more mental effort to process, leading to cognitive fatigue rather than restoration. A moderate dose appears to strike a balance, offering nature’s restorative qualities without becoming overwhelming or threatening.

The study’s authors acknowledge some limitations. By combining many diverse studies, some nuance is lost, as different populations, cultures, and types of mental health measures are grouped together. The analysis was also limited to the intensity of greenness; there was not enough consistent data available to perform a similar analysis on the frequency or duration of visits to green spaces, which are also important factors.

Additionally, very few of the original studies examined environments with extremely high levels of greenness, so the downward slope of the curve at the highest end is based more on statistical prediction than on a large volume of direct observation.

Future research could build on this foundation by investigating these other dimensions of nature exposure, such as the duration of visits or the biodiversity within green spaces. More studies are also needed that specifically test the effects of very high doses of greenness to confirm the predicted decline in benefits. Expanding this work to differentiate between types of vegetation, like trees versus shrubs or manicured parks versus wilder areas, could provide even more refined guidance for urban planning.

Despite these limitations, this comprehensive analysis provides a new, evidence-based framework for understanding how to design healthier cities, suggesting that the goal should not simply be to maximize greenness, but to optimize it.

The study, “A generalized relationship between dose of greenness and mental health response,” was authored by Bin Jiang, Jiali Li, Peng Gong, Chris Webster, Gunter Schumann, Xueming Liu, and Pongsakorn Suppakittpaisarn.

A new study explores how sexual preferences for dominance and submission relate to an individual’s general position in society and their behavior toward others outside of intimate activity. The research found that a person’s tendency toward submission in everyday life is strongly connected to experiencing subordination within their partner relationship, as well as holding a lower social status and less education. These findings offer insight into the vulnerability of some practitioners of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism (BDSM), suggesting that interpersonal power dynamics are often consistent across life domains. The research was published in Deviant Behavior.

Researchers, led by Eva Jozifkova of Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, aimed to clarify the complex relationship between sexual arousal by power dynamics and a person’s hierarchical behavior in daily life. Previous academic work had established that a person’s dominant or submissive personality often aligns with their sexual preferences. However, it remained uncertain whether the hierarchical roles people enjoy in sex translated directly into their conduct with their long-term partner outside of the bedroom, or how they behaved generally toward people in their community.

Many people who practice BDSM, often distinguish between the roles they adopt during sex and their roles in a long-term relationship. Some maintain a slight hierarchical difference in their relationships around the clock, while others strictly limit the power dynamic to sexual play. Given the variety of patterns, the researchers wanted to test several ideas about this alignment, ranging from the view that sexual hierarchy is merely playful and unrelated to daily life, to the perspective that sexual roles reflect a person’s consistent social rank.

The study sought to test whether an individual’s tendency to dominate or submit to others reflected their sexual preferences and their hierarchical arrangement with their partner. The concept being explored was whether a person’s position in the social world “coheres” with their position in intimate relationships and sexual behavior.

The researchers collected data using an online questionnaire distributed primarily through websites and social media forums geared toward practitioners of BDSM in the Czech Republic. The final analysis included data from 421 heterosexual and bisexual men and women who actively engaged in these practices with a partner.

Participants completed detailed questions about their socioeconomic status, education, age, and, importantly, their feelings of hierarchy during sexual encounters and in their ongoing partner relationships outside of sexual activity. To measure their general tendency toward submissiveness or dominance in daily life toward others, the researchers used a modified instrument called the Life Scale.

The Life Scale assessed an individual’s perceived hierarchical standing, based on how often they experienced feelings of subordination or felt their opinions were disregarded by others. The higher the score on this scale, the more submissive the person reported being in their interactions with people generally.

The researchers separated participants into groups based on their sexual arousal preference for dominance (Dominant), submissiveness (Submissive), both (called Switch), or neither (called Without). To analyze how these various factors affected the Life Scale score, a statistical method known as univariate analysis of variance models was employed. This method allowed the researchers to examine the influence of multiple variables simultaneously on the reported level of submissiveness in everyday life.

Analyzing the self-reported experiences of the participants, the study found a noticeable alignment between preferred sexual role and general relationship dynamics for many individuals. Among those who were sexually aroused by being dominant, 55 percent reported experiencing a feeling of superiority over their partner outside of sexual activity as well. Similarly, 46 percent of individuals sexually aroused by being submissive also experienced subordination in their relationship outside of sex. This shows that for nearly half of the sample, the preferred sexual role did extend partially into the non-sexual relationship.

For the group who reported being aroused by both dominance and submissiveness, the Switches, the pattern was different. A significant majority, 75 percent, reported experiencing both polarities during sexual activity. However, outside of sex, only 13 percent of Switches reported feeling both dominance and submissiveness in their relationship, while half of this group reported experiencing neither hierarchical feeling in the relationship. This suggests that the Switch group is less likely to carry hierarchical dynamics into their non-sexual partnership.

Experience of dominance and submission in sex was reported even by people who were not primarily aroused by hierarchy. More than half of those in the Without group, 60 percent, experienced such feelings during sex. Significantly, 75 percent of this group did not report feeling hierarchy in their relationship outside of sex.

In general, individuals who were aroused by only dominance or only submissiveness experienced the respective polarity they preferred more often in sex than in their relationships. The experience of the non-preferred, or opposite, polarity during sex and in relationships was infrequent for the Dominant and Submissive groups.

The main statistical findings emerged from the analysis linking these experiences to the Life Scale score, which measured submissiveness in interaction with all people, not just a partner. The final model revealed that several factors combined to predict higher levels of submissiveness in daily life.

Respondents who felt more submissive toward others were consistently those who reported experiencing subordination in their non-sexual relationship with their partner. This higher level of submissiveness was also observed in individuals who did not report feelings of superiority over their partner, either during sex or in the relationship generally.

Beyond partner dynamics, a person’s general social standing played a powerful role. Individuals who reported higher submissiveness toward others had lower socioeconomic status, lower education levels, and were younger than 55 years of age.

The effect of experiencing submissiveness in the partner relationship was particularly potent, increasing the measure of submissiveness toward other people by two and a half units on the Life Scale. Conversely, experiencing feelings of dominance in the relationship or during sex decreased the Life Scale score by about 1.4 to 1.5 units, indicating less submissiveness in daily life.

The researchers found that gender was not a decisive factor in predicting submissiveness in this model, suggesting that the underlying hierarchical patterns observed apply across both men and women in the sample. The findings overall supported the idea that a person’s hierarchical position in their intimate relationship is related to their hierarchical position in society, aligning with the “Social Rank Hypothesis” and the “Coherence Hypothesis” proposed by the authors. This means that, contrary to some popular notions, sex and relationship hierarchy do not typically function as a “compensation” for an individual’s status in the outside world.

The research points to the existence of a consistent behavioral pattern linked to tendencies toward dominance or submissiveness in interpersonal relationships that seems to be natural for some people. The researchers suggest that because power polarization in relationships and sex can be eroticizing, it should be practiced with consideration, especially given the observed link between submissiveness in relationships and lower social status in general. They stress the importance of moderation and maintaining a return to a non-polarized state, often referred to as aftercare, following intense sexual interactions.

The researchers acknowledged several limitations inherent in the study design. Since the data were collected solely through online platforms popular within the BDSM community, the sample may not fully represent all practitioners. People with limited internet access or older individuals may have been underrepresented. The Life Scale instrument, while simple and effective for an online survey, provides a basic assessment of hierarchical status, and future research could employ more extensive psychological measures.

Because the study focused exclusively on practitioners of BDSM, the researchers were unable to compare their level of general life submissiveness with individuals in the broader population who do not practice these sexual behaviors. Future studies should aim to include comparison groups from the general population to solidify the understanding of these personality patterns.

Despite these constraints, the results provide practical implications. The researchers suggest that simple questions about hierarchical feelings in sex and relationships can be useful in therapeutic settings to understand a client’s orientation and potentially predict their vulnerability to external pressures or relationship risk. The clear relationship observed between the Life Scale and social status highlights that submissive individuals may already face a great deal of pressure from society, pointing to the need for social support.

The study, “The Link Between Sexual Dominance Preference and Social Behavior in BDSM Sex Practitioners,” was authored by Eva Jozifkova, Marek Broul, Ivana Lovetinska, Jan Neugebauer, and Ivana Stolova.

As startup valuations reset and venture capital firms hunt for unconventional deals, one investor is looking to the bankruptcy courts. Bambu Ventures, an early-stage VC firm, last month agreed to acquire telemedicine company Lemonaid Health — once a $400 million bet by 23andMe — for just $10 million.

The transaction is more than a bargain buy. It’s also an intriguing deal that illustrates how an early-stage VC firm can operate by a private-equity playbook to revive a distressed asset.

DNA testing company 23andMe acquired Lemonaid for $400 million in 2021. Lemonaid operated as a division of 23andMe until the parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this year.

Last month, New York-based Bambu made a deal with Chrome Holding Co. — the rebranded former parent company 23andMe Holding — in which the venture firm agreed to buy Lemonaid for a staggering 40x less than the DNA company had originally paid for the telehealth brand.

So why did Bambu Ventures make a play for Lemonaid? Just how did it win the bid? And what are its plans for the asset? Crunchbase News recently spoke with Kyle Pretsch, COO of Lemonaid SPV Inc. and general partner at Bambu Ventures, to discuss all this and more. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

This is not your typical startup purchase. What prompted you to buy Lemonaid? Are you going to operate as an independent startup?

Lemonaid wasn’t just a company. It was a vision. It was an incredibly exciting team. It’s an incredible, exciting market, and it’s a mission that we can all feel good about, which is increasing accessibility to healthcare. Obviously, there’s a phenomenal market for that, but at the end of the day, we are working to provide improved transparency, the ability to improve your lifestyle at an affordable cost, and do it in a nice, systemic fashion, to reach more people.

23andMe has been an incredible custodian of this company and so we didn’t just see it as a company. We saw something much, much more. We plan to operate it independently. We like the fact that this is a space we’re familiar with. This is a space we have other holdings in.

We expect there will be opportunities along the way to use those contributions to help grow Lemonaid.

I understand that you’re paying about $10 million for Lemonaid when 23andMe paid $400 million to acquire it just a few years ago. Do you view this as an incredible opportunity?

Yes. We don’t believe the value of the asset has eroded since 2021.

Regeneron is buying the rest of 23andMe. How did you end up with Lemonaid?

Regeneron actually didn’t bid for Lemonade. It excluded it from their purchase. And technically Regeneron didn’t win 23andMe, either.

At one point, it had been identified as the winning bidder, but an organization called TTAM Research Institute, which was a research institute founded in part by Anne Wojcicki, the original founder of 23andMe, ended up prevailing in the repurchasing of the assets out of bankruptcy.

It, too, excluded Lemonaid from its bid. So both organizations put forth what’s called a stalking horse bid, which is if no one else bids, they would absorb the asset for a certain amount. And we ended up bidding in excess of that.

This feels very similar to a private-equity play. Do you think this sort of transaction is becoming more common? Are you going to do it more often?

This is a really unique situation, and for so many reasons I don’t think venture capital is going to find itself stalking the bankruptcy courts.

Nor do I think this was a standard bankruptcy case. But I do think our firm specifically brings a very PE style to venture capital. That’s what we do as a firm. And I think this was an exceptional opportunity where you have a venture-like company with PE idealism and process that can go ahead and reconstitute its growth track. We expect venture growth with PE discipline, and we’re happy to marry the two.

The fact that we identified it in bankruptcy court is a huge testament to our firm, how we worked and how we adapted to chase after a vision that we really, really, found meaningful. I believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

So it’s not something you’ve done before?

I have some experience in this space, but this is not a situation that I’ve ever come across. We’ve looked at things in bankruptcy before, but I think if you talk to anybody involved in this particular case, they would say: “Never has anything like this existed” for 10 different reasons.

How do you distinguish yourselves as a VC firm, and did Bambu Ventures actually conduct this acquisition?

Bambu Ventures is an operating firm for a variety of venture capital funds. Specifically, our key fund right now is a $50 million to $100 million fund, and Lemonaid is not being purchased from the fund.

We offer co-investments and sometimes pursue side deals, and this was something that I think the fund will have some participation in, but this is an act outside of that fund.

The same principles, however exist, which is, as a firm we believe in finding the companies that are being given these low values, or are being sometimes overshadowed or overlooked, and then bringing our team to it, and bringing discipline and execution to it, and reinvigorating growth — overlooked assets, plus PE discipline in well-known environments. And that, plus our team, is a formula for our success.

The purchasing entity is actually Lemonaid SPV. Bambu Ventures is a guarantor, because that’s a new company.

How is this transaction similar or different from a PE-type acquisition?

The mechanics are a little bit different in that it’s not being owned by a fund or an LP. It’s owned by an SPV. This is very similar to any kind of corporate transaction. We have a cap table. We have set up what we think is an incredible list of investors. We’ve taken some fund money from other VC funds to help instill that it has a list of interested LPs and parties.

So I would say this is very, very similar. The only key difference is we’re investing in a different company … From an organizational governance perspective, we went ahead and moved the investor funds directly into a top, or holding, company with its own cap table, versus a fund.

What will you do differently with Lemonaid?

The 23andMe team have been great stewards to this company, they’ve been great partners in transition and have really set this transaction up for success. I think there are immediate opportunities to advance within patient care, and that’s adding product and reaching more patients.

We plan on investing in marketing spend. Obviously 23andMe, through its process, had reduced that marketing spend heavily.

Will you be competing with companies such as Ro and Hims & Hers?

There is more than enough white space that we can all operate within our own moats and in our own domains without this warriors’ battle.

I will say that we do have visions of incredible growth, and we do have visions of creating a holistic offering that serves more and creates an improved consumer experience.

Illustration: Dom Guzman

Getting a straight, healthy smile is important for both your appearance and dental health. While traditional metal braces used to be the go-to option, clear aligners like Invisalign have become increasingly popular in recent years. Today, we will compare Invisalign and braces to help you determine which is the best choice for your needs and preferences.

Invisalign: The Discreet Option

Invisalign has become a top choice for adults and teens looking to straighten their teeth. The clear, removable aligner trays allow you to transform your smile gradually without the look of metal braces.

Invisalign trays are custom-made from clear plastic and fit snugly over your teeth. You can visit a specialist dentist to be evaluated for Invisalign and have molds or scans taken of your teeth to create customized aligners. Each set of aligners is worn for around two weeks before switching to the next set in the series. The trays apply light, controlled forces to shift your teeth into the proper position. Treatment times vary, but Invisalign can straighten most people’s smiles within 12-18 months.

One of the biggest benefits of Invisalign is aesthetics. The aligners are practically invisible, making Invisalign an appealing choice for those who want to straighten their teeth discreetly. Unlike fixed braces, you can remove the trays for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing. You can also remove them for special occasions if you want to show off your smile without aligners.

Invisalign aligners are smooth and comfortable to wear. However, you must be disciplined about wearing them for at least 20-22 hours per day to achieve the desired results. You can find out more at https://martinacollins.com/services/orthodontic-treatments/invisalign/.

Braces: The Faster Route

Traditional metal braces remain a tried-and-true option for achieving a properly aligned smile. Braces utilize brackets glued to the teeth’s surfaces and connected by metal wiring to apply precisely controlled forces to shift teeth into a better position.

Braces are extremely effective at realigning teeth for both simple and complex cases. The continuous pressure enables teeth to move more rapidly than with removable aligners. Most people can achieve a perfect smile within 18-24 months with braces.

One downside is that braces are a more involved, hands-on treatment. You’ll need to visit the orthodontist frequently (around every 4-6 weeks) for tightening and adjusting the wires. Proper oral hygiene is also critical, as brushing and flossing thoroughly around brackets is a must.

Of course, the aesthetic factor is also a consideration. Metal braces are quite visible. Ceramic or clear braces are less conspicuous but still obvious on the teeth. Those wanting the most subtle straightening solution often gravitate toward Invisalign.

Which Is Better for You? Key Factors to Consider

When weighing Invisalign versus braces, there are several key factors to take into account:

• Goals – Consider the type of alignment you’re hoping to achieve.
• Lifestyle – Invisalign offers removable aligners, which is an advantage if you play sports or play an instrument. Braces are fixed in place.
• Commitment – Invisalign requires diligence when wearing aligners consistently. With braces, your orthodontist handles more of the work.
• Budget – Invisalign costs more upfront; however, Invisalign treatment may be shorter.
• Aesthetics – Invisalign is essentially invisible, while braces are quite obvious. Clear ceramic braces are less conspicuous.

While both Invisalign aligners and traditional braces can give you a healthy, straight smile, there are some clear differences between the two options. Considering your personal goals, needs, and preferences will help determine if clear aligners or metal braces are the best route for your smile transformation.

The post Invisalign vs Braces: Which Is the Best Choice for You? appeared first on Prague Post.