An analysis of Reddit posts about the maternal Tdap vaccine made by pregnant women reveals expectant mothers turning to Reddit to seek advice and reassurance—with fewer outright instances of vaccine hesitation/refusal than has generally been observed for other types of vaccines, according to a study published on August 12, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Soojung Jo from Purdue University, United States, and colleagues.

Cesare Fracassi, associate professor of finance, shows that by defining a company’s risk level, agencies can sway some of its business decisions. When Moody’s Ratings reclassified some securities on companies’ balance sheets, it prompted them to borrow an average 22% more — perhaps because they could do so without hurting their credit ratings.

“They raised more debt, and they increased their investments, even though financially, nothing really had happened to the companies,” Fracassi says.

University of Portsmouth study reveals a gap between ambitious conservation laws and the reality of protecting wildlife across the UK and Europe. Wildlife protection frameworks in both the EU and the UK need stronger and more consistent implementation and must recognise animals as “individuals capable of experiencing suffering”, rather than mere ecological assets. 

Adverse pregnancy outcomes—such as preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, low-birth weight, and preterm birth—are associated with risk of further complications, chronic disease, and cardiovascular disease. They also disproportionately affect Black and Latina women. A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham finds adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) among Black and Latina women are also associated with substantially greater health-related social needs, spanning domains such as education, transportation, food security, financial strain, employment, and social support. The researchers conclude that integrating social needs assessment into postpartum care could help improve long-term maternal health and reduce disparities. Results are published in JAMA Network Open.