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For the first time in Brazil, the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 has been directly sequenced by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo, who studied the biochemical changes that determine the pathogen’s biology and how it is evolving.

After six weeks of a low-calorie diet, the pattern of gene expression in obese women became more similar to that of non-obese women in the same age group. Genes associated with cancer became less active.

One of the most promising fields is photovoltaics. Prototype perovskite solar cells have been shown to be more efficient than commercial silicon-based cells.

The fungus induces a hormone imbalance in the plant, leading to excessive growth of infected tissue and siphoning off the energy that should be used for fruit and root growth, according to an article by researchers at the University of São Paulo in New Phytologist.

Technology developed by a startup with FAPESP’s support dispenses with manual inspection, diagnosing problems rapidly and accurately, facilitating preventive maintenance, and cutting costs.

The hypothesis was raised by scientists at a FAPESP-funded research center, on the basis of an epidemiological survey involving 1,744 Brazilian couples where at least one partner was infected.

The warning came from a FAPESP-held webinar in which researchers discussed the present-day and historical factors that explain the inadequate response to the pandemic in Brazil’s North region.

Analysis of data for more than 400,000 people shows that increasing the proportion of vigorous exercise reduces mortality by 17% compared with people who get only moderate exercise.

With the support of NGOs, universities and business, the inhabitants of small towns in the Amazon are practicing a self-sustaining circular economy in which waste is converted into inputs for production.

The third event in the series FAPESP 60 Years featured three researchers who are leading experts in the area: Donatella della Porta, Sérgio Adorno, and Michel Misse.

A system for identifying people and controlling access developed by a Brazilian startup lets guests check in remotely and open room doors using smartphones.

Scientists at a FAPESP-funded research center investigated the mechanism that produces the main enzyme involved in the virus’s replication in cells. The findings are reported in the Journal of Molecular Biology.

Many patients suffer from a significant decline in immunity lasting for years after they are discharged from hospital. In an article published in the journal Immunity, Brazilian researchers reveal why this happens.

The researchers combined VOD, an indicator of the amount of water in vegetation, with remote sensing data from optical satellites. The innovative strategy described in Remote Sensing provides a more comprehensive understanding of the biomass changes caused by fire.

Researchers at the Federal University of São Carlos in Brazil in partnership with University College London (UCL) in the UK analyzed data for 2,294 individuals aged 60 or more who were monitored for eight years. Results were published in the journal Age and Aging.

Analysis of data collected over 20 years suggests the decline is due to the construction of over 180 dams on the Paraná and its tributaries.

The Brazilian startup Crop Biotecnologia has developed a peptide that inhibits bad cholesterol receptors in the liver. The researchers who founded it took part in the 18th edition of the PIPE High Tech Entrepreneurial Training Program.

More than 1,000 Brazilian volunteers immunized with the CoronaVac vaccine were assessed by researchers at the University of São Paulo. Those who were active for at least 150 minutes per week without long sedentary periods produced more antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.

The study is published in PLOS ONE. Equations suggest viral population variability can be estimated on the basis of epidemiological data.

In a review of the scientific literature, researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo concluded that infection by SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy can reduce the availability of ACE2, a protein that plays an important part in placental development, control of blood pressure, and the circulatory adaptations required for fetal development.

The result was obtained in a study of 20 volunteers by researchers at São Paulo State University. The treatment is painless and uses a weak current delivered by electrodes placed over specific brain regions.

A study led by Brazilian scientists revealed the biological process used by Xanthomonas to weaken the defenses of plants and discovered a novel class of enzyme that can be used to obtain advanced sugars from agroindustrial waste.

Analysis of fishery data and interviews with artisanal fishers confirmed replacement of large species by others that are less valuable commercially, and 37 species were considered overfished.

Correlating whole-genome sequencing with epidemiological data for the city of São José do Rio Preto in Brazil, researchers show that severe COVID-19 and deaths from the disease rose sharply when the variant became prevalent in the region. A two-week lockdown and vaccination of the elderly averted a collapse of the health system.

Based on data collected in the field, Brazilian researchers showed that small and medium trees suffer most in the first two years after a fire, but the overall impact on vegetation can last decades. Carbon stocks fall 12.8% in burned areas on average.

Analyses of material from collections in ten countries enabled researchers to describe the evolutionary history of insects known for their fungus-eating larvae. A monograph with over 100 pages on the subject occupies an entire volume of the American Museum of Natural History's prestigious Bulletin.

A study conducted by researchers at the Center for Cell-Based Therapy in São Paulo state, Brazil, identified a genetic signature that can be used to predict whether patients should be submitted to radiation therapy.

The results of a study conducted at a Brazilian university point the way to the development of more effective treatment for the cutaneous form of the disease.

The platform is used by several hospitals, has more than 2,500 users, and performs 800 care processes per month on average.

A study published in Nature Medicine evaluated individuals before and after taking CoronaVac. Based on the results, researchers at the University of São Paulo’s Medical School are testing novel strategies such as suspending treatment one or two weeks before vaccination.

A study alerts to the conjunction between a climate change scenario and little inspection with the arrival of the dry season in the country, which favors large-scale fires – such as that which occurred in the Pantanal in 2020. To avoid further tragedies, researchers defend the implementation of a policy of integrated fire management.

A study conducted at the University of São Paulo and published in Science correlates birds and plants in seed dispersal networks.

After proving that gold increases the efficiency of devices made of molybdenum disulfide, a solid lubricant and mooted ‘silicon substitute’, researchers at MackGraphe plan to test the technique on other materials.

An article in Trees - Structure and Function reports findings from an analysis of 7,000 tree falls in a three-year period. Stormy weather was the main cause during the rainy season.

In an article published in PNAS, researchers affiliated with Butantan Institute describe the genome of Bothrops jararaca and suggest the origin of genes responsible for toxins in its venom.

Outbreaks at two care homes in São Paulo state (Brazil) show that even people who have been vaccinated with one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine or two doses of CoronaVac can transmit the virus. The cases were asymptomatic or mild and did not require hospitalization, but underscore the importance of rapidly vaccinating the entire population while continuing to require face coverings and social distancing even for those who have been vaccinated.

Meta-analysis by researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo in partnership with universities in Spain and Chile supports the idea that muscle strengthening can not only reduce cancer incidence and morality but also yield even greater benefits when it is associated with aerobic activities.

The molecule described by Brazilian researchers in the journal Scientific Reports acts on different sugars present in several sources of plant biomass, making it attractive to other industries as well.

With FAPESP’s support, Cellco created a novel process to produce enzymes used in DNA manipulation in vitro, including cloning, sequencing and mutagenesis, among other techniques, with applications in medical diagnostics and forensic analysis based on genetic material.

Researchers analyzed strategies for ecosystem conservation and rehabilitation of degraded areas in the second part of the FAPESP 60 Years Lectures.

In non-resistant pacu, infection by Aeromonas hydrophila causes hemorrhagic septicemia, whose symptoms include reddened fins, skin lesions and bleeding, often followed in a few hours by death.

A webinar held by FAPESP featured researchers from Brazil and Germany whose findings offer clues as to how SARS-CoV-2 invades the central nervous system and which cells are most affected.

Brazilian researchers coupled the molecule with a protein that binds to SARS-CoV-2. The presence of antibodies against the virus in the sample is confirmed by light emission.

Action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by subnational governments could help countries achieve their climate targets and contribute to the post-pandemic economic recovery, experts suggested at an event hosted by FAPESP.

Two plants frequently found in the North of Brazil could become alternatives to sugarcane as raw materials for the production of second-generation ethanol and bioelectricity, according to studies by Brazilian researchers.

Developed by startup In Situ from stem cells and a hydrogel, the product is bioprinted and placed lightly on the skin.

The study shows that the phenomenon can be produced by means of adiabatic compression, without any exchange of heat with the environment. The process aligns the spins of the material’s particles and magnetizes the system.

If greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current level, the average temperature will tend to rise by as much as 4 °C in some regions. Under this scenario, extreme weather events will be more intense and frequent, according to projections made using the IPCC’s new climate models.

Based on data for 344 volunteers, Brazilian researchers compared the physical and mental health benefits of workouts led in person by a fitness instructor, unsupervised online sessions, and classes supervised remotely via video call. Gradually increasing intensity was associated with improvements in mental health.

Study at the Federal University of São Paulo developed a recipe combining chickpea flour and psyllium, a plant-derived soluble fiber. The product is nourishing and rated highly by consumers in qualitative surveys.