Scientists at a consortium of Brazilian universities show how the enzyme storm triggered by SARS-CoV-2 damages the lungs and may cause lasting complications.
Startup supported by FAPESP has developed a novel material based on an innovative strategy that uses cellulose fibers to reassemble graphite crystals.
Researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo’s Medical School compared immune cells from COPD patients, healthy young and old adults, and smokers. The finding helps explain why these patients respond poorly to vaccines and are more susceptible to infections.
The tenth in the series of events to mark FAPESP’s 60th anniversary featured a keynote presentation by Joachim von Braun, who chaired the Scientific Group for the UN Food systems Summit 2021.
An increase in the length of the dry season led to a reduction in tree cover and expansion of savanna and grassland in the Cerrado. The ongoing climate changes may produce a similar trend in the last part of the twenty-first century.
The computational platform developed by the firm, with FAPESP’s support, is capable of screening billions of molecules.
Brazilian researchers discovered, characterized and validated the functions of two novel enzyme families with biotechnological potential.
This was the conclusion reached by a study conducted in Brazil that analyzed data for 3,875 elderly men and women collected over an eight-year period. An article on the study is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Protecting and restoring natural ecosystems in Latin America and the Caribbean not only helps communities adapt to climate change but also benefits biodiversity and enhance food and water security, according to the participants in a webinar hosted by FAPESP.
Conducted by an international group that included Brazilian scientists, the project created charts that show how the brain grows rapidly in early life and shrinks as we age. The researchers hope the charts will one day be used in clinical practice.
An article published in Nature by a consortium of researchers from 45 countries, including Brazil, reports on a study that analyzed data for 300,000 people and could pave the way for the development of novel therapies.
Large mammals and birds that can swallow fruit of different sizes are crucial to assure rich animal-plant interactions, thanks to which forests thrive, according to a study conducted at São Paulo State University.
Findings published by researchers at the University of São Paulo may point to novel therapeutic targets for aging-related disorders such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
Experiments conducted in Brazil suggest that molecules secreted by the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila, more abundant in Parkinson’s, promote aggregation of the protein alpha-synuclein in intestinal cells. Clumps of the protein, which are known to be associated with development of the disease, may migrate from the gut to the brain.
The startup supported by FAPESP produces all of the inputs for the test and will supply them to partner companies that will assemble kits and distribute them to retailers.
The warning comes from a letter by Brazilian researchers published in the journal Science, highlighting the “dramatic increase” in deforestation in areas of the Amazon that should act as shields against such destruction.
The material is not an active ingredient but an adjuvant, and was successfully tested on an influenza virus in research conducted by an international team of scientists with Brazilian participation and reported in an article in Nature.
In an article published in the journal PLOS ONE, Brazilian scientists show that the number of domestic dogs in an area influences the risk of transmission of the disease and that areas in which cases occur remain high-risk areas.
Introducing more modern agricultural practices in Brazil could save farmers more than USD 20 billion in coming decades via a reduction in the use of phosphate fertilizer alone, a study by the University of São Paulo shows.
By combining acoustic levitation and X-ray diffraction with synchrotron light, the researchers were able to analyze the interactions of a drug’s atoms in real time and improve its formulation.
The finding by Brazilian researchers was based on data for 3,587 adolescents who took part in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Another finding of concern is a 63% higher risk of visceral obesity, which correlates closely with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
Results published in Scientific Reports by a research group at the Federal University of São Paulo help scientists understand why patients with metabolic syndrome are among those worst affected by COVID-19.
These ants emerged some 8.5 million years ago and underwent an intense speciation process between 1 million and 3 million years ago, when the Brazilian savanna was expanding. The recent advance of agriculture in the region, however, appears to be reducing this biodiversity and selecting species that damage crops.
Known as pineapple sett rot, the disease reduces cane budding by up to 50%. Results obtained by scientists in Brazil will bolster the search for biological fungicides that offer an alternative to agrochemicals.
The importance of innovation was stressed by participants in the ninth FAPESP 60 Years Conference, who also highlighted the fall in public-sector investment in R&D in recent years.
