News

A study of nearly 900 adults indicates that although smoking is still the main risk factor for lung function loss, systemic inflammation and obesity also increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A study by the Federal University of São Paulo describes how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with the RNA of infected lung cells in an unprecedented way. The results may guide the search for new treatments and vaccines.

The study also assessed the risks of consuming cocoa and cassava grown in Linhares, a municipality in an area affected by the Fundão dam collapse in Minas Gerais, Brazil, ten years ago.

FAPESP-supported startup develops unprecedented technology to democratize digestive system exams with a simple, fast, and accessible procedure.

Water accumulated in the tanks of these plants living high up in trees has much higher concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and iron than rainwater. Plants irrigated with this nutrient-rich water produced almost twice as many leaves.

A comprehensive analysis conducted in 2019 detected the accumulation of 13 heavy metals and other toxic substances, advising against consumption due to risks to human health.

After analyzing over 1,400 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, the study found that more aggressive histopathological variants occur at a rate of 4.6%. Previous estimates pointed to a rate of up to 15%.

According to a study by a FAPESP-supported research center, which includes federal funds, towns and villages benefit the most in per capita terms.

At the FAPESP Day Uruguay symposium, Pedro Brancalion, a professor at the University of São Paulo, presented the results of a project that aims to leverage the country’s carbon credit market.

A study of more than 5,000 people over 12 years showed that simple measures to assess the two conditions can facilitate the diagnosis of sarcopenic obesity without complex tests, such as MRI and CT scans. This finding expands access to treatment for older adults.

The FAPESP Annual Report records over 27,000 supported projects, an 18% increase over the previous period and a record in the historical series.

A study conducted at São Paulo State University indicates that the non-invasive technique provides lasting benefits by reducing the risk of falls.

Alternanthera littoralis, also known as Joseph’s Coat, is native to the Brazilian coast and has traditionally been used to combat microbial infections and parasitic diseases.

A startup supported by the Centelha program has developed a solution that combines cutting-edge technology with ease of use, transforming production lines without the need for expensive automation.

A study analyzing discoveries made over the last 20 years found that nearly half of all snails and slugs were described by researchers who did not work in the countries where they were found.

The Center for Favela Studies project was launched in the municipality of Jacareí, São Paulo state, using data from the state system that registers low-income families in social assistance programs.

Analysis of 309 strains collected in eight countries indicates that the genus Escovopsis emerged 56.9 million years ago, but only began interacting with today’s mutualistic ants 38 million years ago, challenging the theory that they all emerged at the same time.

A review of 467 studies also points out that, instead of alleviating feelings of fear and anxiety, weapons increase them, as well as exacerbating controlling behaviors and causing domestic violence.

Researchers at São Paulo State University are investigating how hormonal fluctuations throughout a woman’s life influence the immune system and how physical exercise can mitigate these effects.

The indigenous peoples have created their own educational institutions based on the idea of “educating through research,” promoting autonomy and critical thinking.

Startup supported by FAPESP maps bacteria present in pets’ intestines to offer personalized diet suggestions.

Unprecedented footage of jaguar cichlid being preyed upon was captured after heavy rains caused the overflow of freshwater into Sueste Bay, the species’ feeding ground.

A study by a FAPESP-supported research center showed that the surfaces change when an electron beam is applied. The material has potential for applications in semiconductors, antibacterial agents, gas sensors, and more.

Study identifies 167 native species of the Atlantic Forest with bioeconomic applications: 58% in the medical field, 12% in cosmetics, and 5% in the food sector; 78 species (46.7%) have patents registered in 61 countries, only 8% of them in Brazil.

Study shows that the liver receives and sends a series of metabolism-related products derived from the gut microbiome to the heart.

Combining field research data with climate model projections, a study has reconstructed the activity of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – one of the main drivers of the Earth’s climate – throughout the Holocene. Projected scenarios for the future are unlike anything seen in the last 6,500 years.

Project developed in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, allows for the highly efficient extraction of aromatic and bioactive compounds, reducing logistics costs and increasing beer quality.

Analyses show that a sugarcane spittlebug, found in the Southeast and South of Brazil since the 1960s, was mistaken for other species that are similar to the naked eye.

The topic was addressed in a workshop organized by the project “Democlites – Democracy, Climate, and Ecological and Social Transition,” a joint initiative of Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and USP supported by FAPESP.

Work carried out at the State University of Campinas used environmentally friendly solvents and ultrasonic waves to remove the substance and increase its absorption by the body.

FAPESP-supported startup creates immersive educational solutions ranging from academic laboratories to team training in industries.

A study has identified more than 257,000 species of bacteria and archaea in velozias, which are plants that thrive in extreme environments of drought, heat, and poor soil, such as this mountainous savannah ecoregion. The results could guide conservation initiatives and biotechnological solutions for soil management in arid conditions.

This assessment was made by participants at an event promoted by FAPESP, the Brazilian Association of State Environmental Agencies, and the Vale Technological Institute during COP30.

At an event in the Blue Zone at COP30, the physicist and climatologist stated that the world is close to surpassing the 1.5 °C average warming limit and is heading towards 2.8 °C.

Developing nations hold most of the mineral reserves essential for clean energy and already have experience and a pioneering spirit in creating new markets, such as bioenergy and electric cars, according to participants in a panel discussion promoted by FAPESP at COP30.

One of the world’s leading experts on the fruit, Hervé Rogez, a professor at the Federal University of Pará, warns about the social, environmental, and economic impacts of “açaízation” in the Amazon.

In a panel discussion held in the Blue Zone of the conference, a Brazilian IPCC researcher said that discussions on the subject must reach society through accessible communication without losing scientific rigor.

The margin must be defined as a reference point in the COP30 negotiations, assess members of the Scientific Council of the climate conference presidency.

In an article published in a scientific journal, the group emphasizes that Brazil must align its domestic policies with international commitments.

Coastal ecosystems are being affected by the rising sea level associated with the expansion of real estate development; Marine scientist Omar Defeo, a professor at Uruguay’s University of the Republic, addressed this topic during the FAPESP Day Uruguay symposium.

Professor Sérgio de Zen presented the project during the FAPESP Day Uruguay symposium. An investment of USD 20 million over five years is planned.

One of the main objectives is to encourage collaboration between researchers from the Uruguayan institution and their counterparts at the Pasteur Institute of São Paulo.

A book describing the history of one of the Foundation’s most successful and competitive funding programs was launched on November 6. The event brought together former program beneficiaries who now hold prominent positions in the national research community.

The dried specimen of the amphibian, collected by herpetologist Doris Cochran in 1963 in what is now a residential neighborhood of Curitiba, Brazil, is stored in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in the United States.

Bacteriophages, or phages for short, can kill bacteria and may be used to combat hospital infections and food contamination.

Researchers from a FAPESP-supported research center point to 410,000 hectares of land in cities that could be regenerated.

Researchers at the State University of Campinas used a product from native stingless bees to extract bioactive compounds, such as caffeine, from chocolate manufacturing waste. This process adds nutritional and commercial value to an ingredient that is usually discarded.

Led by scientists from the University of São Paulo, the studies help clarify the roles of STIP1 and Maspin in vital cell processes and pave the way for advances related to cancer and applications in regenerative medicine.

Mathematical tool aims to minimize total capital and operating costs while ensuring robust performance in the face of instabilities in the supply of renewable energy, since the sun and wind are intermittent sources.

The climate scientist was the first scientific coordinator of the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in the Amazon (LBA).