Complications from diabetes linked to worse memory, IQ in children A new study uncovered that even one severe episode of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is linked to cognitive problems; and among children with a previous diagnosis, repeated DKA exposure predicted lower cognitive performance after accounting for glycemic control.

Parylene photonics enable future optical biointerfaces Scientists have invented an optical platform that will likely become the new standard in optical biointerfaces. They labeled this new field of optical technology 'Parylene photonics.'

Is rheumatoid arthritis two different diseases? While disease activity improves over time for most rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, long-term outcomes only improve in RA patients with autoantibodies, according to a new study. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that RA with and without autoantibodies are two distinct conditions.

Nationwide study shows disparities in COVID-19 infection for Black and Hispanic people A study of around 5.8 million people who receive care from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) found that Black and Hispanic people were substantially more likely than their White counterparts to test positive for COVID-19, although no differences in 30-day mortality were observed between these groups.

Animals lose fear of predators rapidly after they start encountering humans Most wild animals show a suite of predator avoidance behaviors such as vigilance, freezing, and fleeing. But these are quickly reduced after the animals come into contact with humans through captivity, domestication, or urbanization, according to a new study.

Who's Tweeting about scientific research? And why? Although Twitter is best known for its role in political and cultural discourse, it has also become an increasingly vital tool for scientific communication. A new study shows that Twitter users can be characterized in extremely fine detail by mining a relatively untapped source of information: how those users' followers describe themselves.

Small increase in risk of autism seen for pre- and post-term births A study of more than 3.5 million Nordic children suggests that the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may increase slightly for each week a child is born before or after 40 weeks of gestation.

Test, isolate, communicate: Keys to controlling a COVID-19 outbreak in a long-term care facility A new study reveals the role that communication played in quashing a COVID-19 outbreak at a long-term care facility.

COVID-19 mortality rates higher among men than women A new review article shows people who are biologically male are dying from COVID-19 at a higher rate than people who are biologically female.

UV-C light is effective for killing COVID-19 on N95s, study demonstrates Researchers have demonstrated that certain N95 respirators tainted with COVID-19 can be effectively and safely decontaminated for reuse using ultraviolet-C light (UV-C), a method commonly utilized for treating rare skin diseases.

Warming temperatures are driving Arctic greening As Arctic summers warm, Earth's northern landscapes are changing. Using satellite images to track global tundra ecosystems over decades, a new study found the region has become greener, as warmer air and soil temperatures lead to increased plant growth.

Smart cells: Chemists develop tool with potential to treat illness at the cellular level New research by an international team of chemists describes a new type of artificial cell that can communicate with other cells within the body -- with potential applications in the field of smart pharmaceuticals.

'Cheater mitochondria' may profit from cellular stress coping mechanisms Cheating mitochondria may take advantage of cellular mechanisms for coping with food scarcity in a simple worm to persist, even though this can reduce the worm's wellbeing.

Scientists identify new species of crystal-encrusted truffle, thanks to bonobos Mushroom-munching bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have introduced scientists to a new species of truffle.

How night vision is maintained during retinal degenerative disease New insight on how people with retinal degenerative disease can maintain their night vision for a relatively long period of time has just been published.

Most infants are well even when moms are infected by COVID-19, researchers find Infants born to women with COVID-19 showed few adverse outcomes, according to new research. The study suggests that babies born to mothers infected with the virus generally do well six to eight weeks after birth. However, there was a higher rate of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions reported if the mothers had COVID-19 up […]

Inducing plasma in biomass could make biogas easier to produce Producing biogas from the bacterial breakdown of biomass presents options for a greener energy future, but the complex composition of biomass comes with challenges. Cellulose and woody lignocellulose are especially hard for bacteria to digest but pretreatment can make it easier. Researchers are testing plasma formation in biomass and finding a promising method: A plasma-liquid […]

Evaporation critical to coronavirus transmission as weather changes As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, it is increasingly urgent to understand how climate impacts the spread of the coronavirus, particularly as winter virus infections are more common and the northern hemisphere will soon see cooler temperatures. Researchers studied the effects of relative humidity, environmental temperature, and wind speed on the respiratory cloud and virus […]

ADHD study reveals unique genetic differences in African American patients Researchers have shown there may be key genetic differences in the causes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between African Americans and people of European ancestry, which may play an important part in how patients of different ethnic backgrounds respond to treatments for this condition.