In an online seminar organized by FAPESP, researchers in Brazil and the United States presented preliminary results of studies on mental health and quality of life among survivors of COVID-19 up to six months after discharge from hospital.
Packaging paper and corrugated cardboard eliminate 99.99% of viral particles in up to 10 minutes of contact.
Simulations run by Brazilian scientists on a supercomputer at the National Space Research Institute (INPE) show that the direct impact of rising levels of carbon dioxide over the Amazon rainforest would be a reduction in rainfall equivalent to or even greater than the impact of complete substitution of the forest by pasture. The result calls attention to the need for regional and global action to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
Tests performed by Brazilian researchers after the first 16 weeks of COVID-19-induced confinement showed loss of muscle strength and diminished aerobic capacity, as well as an increase in cholesterol and glycated hemoglobin, both of which are risk factors for metabolic disorders.
Butantan Institute produces CoronaVac and is testing two new vaccines. Four projects are under way at the University of São Paulo, and two at startups supported by FAPESP’s PIPE innovation funding program.
An online study involving 154 volunteers measured the importance of visual cues to communication for people with normal hearing and hearing loss.
In the run-up to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), experts participating in a webinar hosted by FAPESP showed that the 2020 revision of Brazil’s nationally determined contribution failed to improve targets and allows in practice for a higher level of greenhouse gas emissions.
A solution developed by a startup based in São Paulo state combines fungicidal action and delayed ripening. The researchers who founded the startup took part in the 17th edition of the PIPE High-Tech Entrepreneurial Training Program.
Researchers have completed the first stage of a technical study on the creation of environments designed to foster the development of innovative solutions and creativity in the cities of São Paulo and Campinas.
The phenomenon is linked to gradual contraction of the tropical rain belt over the last 5,000 years, according to a study conducted at the University of São Paulo. Its findings can help predict the region’s future climate.
Contradicting theories of primatologists, a study led by Brazilian scientists shows that in a habitat with high hunting pressure, the risk of predation influences the habits of these monkeys more than the availability of food. They spend less time in areas they perceive as ‘more dangerous’ even if plant biomass and invertebrates are more abundant there.
A study conducted at São Paulo State University shows that mathematical models used to describe the physical behavior of magnetic materials can also be used to describe the spread of the disease.
Researchers at the University of São Paulo conducted experiments with blood plasma from 60 volunteers infected in 2020 by SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.28. In 84% of cases, antibodies in the samples neutralized the Gamma variant in cultured cells.
The system, developed by a startup supported by FAPESP, in partnership with researchers at the University of Campinas, helps plantation managers choose the optimal time to harvest the crop.
The presence of Candida auris in a hospital in Salvador, Bahia, was confirmed at end-2020 and reported in an article in the Journal of Fungi. The fungus can cause a lethal invasive disease and is ringing alarm bells because of the speed with which it develops drug resistance.
Fewer Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab embryos survived in a warmer, more acid environment mimicking conditions forecast for the end of this century. Given the important ecological role of this invertebrate in mangroves, the researchers warn of a potential cascade effect.
Researchers at the University of São Paulo discover that the fungus Fusarium verticillioides uses volatile compounds to manipulate insects and plants, promoting its own dissemination.
An Anglo-Brazilian research center analyzed samples from blood donors tested for antibodies against the novel coronavirus.
Supported by FAPESP and led by a researcher at the Federal University of São Paulo, EPICOVID-19 BR 2 tested 120,000 people in 133 cities between January 25 and April 24, 2021. Amazonas was the state with the highest seroprevalence, with positive test results accounting for 31.4%. The nationwide average was 15%.
The device was used for the first time to culture two maternal endometrial cell types, revealing the effects of alterations in glucose and insulin levels in the uterine environment. It can also be converted into a model for study of pregnancy in humans and endometriosis.
The discovery, made possible by a partnership between a research group and a startup in São Paulo state (Brazil), could lead to novel treatments for intracranial hypertension and its complications, such as stroke.
A group at the University of Campinas used protein mapping to show how abnormal levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate impair the functioning of neurons and oligodendrocytes. The findings could serve as a basis for more effective treatment.
Hybrid material made from magnetite nanoparticles sticks to contaminants and can be removed from water by a magnet. The technique can be adapted for use in removing synthetic dyes, drugs, hormones and pesticides.
Cities located in metropolitan areas of this Brazilian state score better according to an index that measures the existence of public policies designed to adjust critical sectors to the impacts of climate change.
Patients with dementia and especially Alzheimer’s run a threefold risk of dying as a result of infection by SARS-CoV-2. The risk is six times greater if they are over 80, according to a study by Brazilian researchers.
