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The raw materials and inputs for vaccines are produced in different countries and subject to undersupply risk, said speakers in a webinar on Facing the Challenges of Vaccine Distribution organized by FAPESP.

The online survey was conducted in Brazil and completed by 938 survivors of the disease whose diagnosis was confirmed by RT-PCR or serological test. Those who regularly had at least 150 minutes per week of moderately intense aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity training were considered sufficiently active, in accordance with the WHO’s recommendations.

A study performed at one of the Research Centers supported by FAPESP resulted in development of a novel rehabilitation device. The article was recognized as outstanding by the 20th International Conference on Computational Science and its Applications.

Researchers at the University of Campinas conducted more than 120 experiments with dunes of up to 10 cm that interact for a few minutes, obtaining a model valid for dunes on the surface of Mars that are many miles long and take more than a thousand years to interact.

In experiments by Brazilian researchers with mice and tumor cell lines, the drug showed potential to combat metastasis. The scientists are planning to conduct clinical trials with patients who are on chemotherapy.

Researchers at São Paulo State University reused bacterial cellulose scraps usually thrown away by manufacturers of wound dressings to make strong biodegradable film for food packaging.

An in vitro study by a Brazilian researcher shows that maresin and resolvin synthesized from fatty acid stimulate periodontal ligament stem cells even in the presence of inflammation.

Brazilian researchers show that commercial serological tests available in laboratories nationwide can be used to screen donated plasma in order to see if it contains enough antibodies capable of neutralizing the novel coronavirus

Medication originally developed to kill bacteria displayed the capacity to increase cell energy expenditure in tests with mice. Researchers at the University of Campinas and the biopharmaceutical AstraZeneca are testing compounds with a similar structure that could give rise to novel approaches to the treatment of obesity.

In an article published in the Journal of Pineal Research, researchers at São Paulo State University and collaborators describe a set of genes potentially regulated by the “sleep hormone” in some types of tumor

Experiments with mice and humans showed that exercise training increased the expression in adipose tissue of a key enzyme for the organism’s metabolic health, combating the harmful effects of aging and obesity.

In vitro studies and experiments with mice show that the natural extract was more effective than the only drug available to combat this parasitic disease.

Study reveals different forms of interaction between insect groups: while some caterpillar species have bodies covered with molecules identical to those of the plants they inhabit and are ‘invisible’ to ants, others offer ants nectar in exchange for protection from predators.

Black people and women are worst-off – blacks because they mainly work in the informal sector and women because they are mainly considered non-essential workers.

In defense cells from patients hospitalized with the disease, Brazilian researchers found signs of activation of a protein complex called the inflammasome, responsible for initiating the inflammatory response that can damage organs and lead to death. The findings could help identify drugs capable of interrupting the process.

Study by Brazilian researchers reported in Nature Communications shows that trees are growing faster in forests worldwide, including the Amazon, but their lives are getting shorter.

Roadmap proposes 25 research priorities in strategic areas to build a more equitable, resilient and sustainable future.

The special series “Field Diary” (“Diário de Campo”) features University of São Paulo scientists Marcelo Urbano Ferreira and Marly Augusto Cardoso on an expedition to Mâncio Lima, a small town in the Amazon where they collect samples from patients to investigate transmission of the novel coronavirus.

An article in Cell by researchers affiliated with Harvard and the University of São Paulo shows that the metabolite succinate is released by muscle cells during physical exercise and triggers a process of tissue remodeling that makes muscles stronger and enhances metabolic efficiency.

Food engineers in Brazil and France developed gels based on modified starch for use as “ink” to make foods and novel materials by additive manufacturing.

Genetic mapping of the shark’s liver and eye tissue showed overexpression of nine genes known for action in tumor suppression, wound healing, and probable monochrome vision. The species is considered globally endangered and caught on a large scale by industrial fishing vessels.

Researchers at the University of São Paulo identified proteins found at augmented levels in the blood plasma of high-risk patients using equipment present in Brazilian hospitals. The result of the test could help physicians make better-targeted decisions.

With FAPESP’s support, the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute is assembling a world-class laboratory that associates nanotechnology with radiopharmacy. The aim is to develop new products, mainly for cancer treatment.

Study by FAPESP-Shell Engineering Research Center hosted at University of Campinas set out to develop supercapacitors that store more energy and batteries that charge faster.

In an online seminar organized by FAPESP, social scientists and behavior analysts discussed the psychological, political and cultural factors that influence the way different countries and groups respond to the pandemic.

An article in Science Advances shows high school students are steadily becoming more sensitive to environmental and scientific ideas. However, interest is uneven in regional terms. It is most intense in the North, less so in the Southeast.

Study shows that a tree frog endemic to a mountainous region of the Brazilian savanna is unable to disperse and find genetically closer mates when the terrain is rugged, potentially endangering survival of the species. The findings show that topography is an important factor for conservation policy.

Preliminary results of patient tissue analysis show that the virus infects adipocytes and alters the quantity of signaling molecules released by these cells into the bloodstream.

Analysis of DNA from 1,171 over-sixties living in São Paulo will enable scientists to identify genetic mutations responsible for diseases or important to healthy aging, according to the authors of the study.

In laboratory tests, the material eliminated 79.9% of SARS-CoV-2 particles in three minutes and 99.99% in up to 15 minutes.

A cross-border team of researchers refute arguments that carbon debt, opportunity cost and indirect land-use change prevent greenhouse gas mitigation by biofuels.

Research shows how Nef subverts human cells’ defense mechanisms to enable HIV to advance; Brazilian scientists comment on progress in this area in Nature group journal article.

Scientists at a research center supported by FAPESP identified a non-inherited mutation in blood cells from a patient with GATA2 deficiency that may have prevented bone marrow failure and other clinical manifestations.

Group led by Brazilian ecologist shows defaunation wiped out 40% of the ecosystem services provided or supported by mammals, such as ecotourism, disease control and soil formation. Large-bodied mammals are disappearing fastest.

Researchers examine retinas and find high prevalence of type 2 diabetes as well as ocular problems caused by the disease.

Potential applications of research conducted at the University of São Paulo include high-precision metrology and information encoding.

Model developed by startup supported by FAPESP enables scientists to assess efficacy and safety of sunscreens and anti-aging products under conditions closely resembling real life.

Incentives to drive a rapid recovery by the sector, one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, will contribute to a resumption of world economic growth, save or create millions of jobs, and contain global emissions of carbon dioxide, experts say.

Monoclonal antibody tested by researchers at University of São Paulo and experimental drug given to patients in Italy by University of Pennsylvania research group promoted rapid improvement of respiratory function in patients hospitalized in severe condition.

Sirius’s protein crystallography beamline analyzed more than 200 protein crystals from the novel coronavirus as they were exposed to tiny fragments of widely used drugs. If a compound fits perfectly into a target protein, its action can be blocked in the virus.

Devices developed by Brazilian startup BioLambda decontaminate face shields, surfaces, workspaces and air.

Intervention was tested in mice by Brazilian researchers. Study showed that targeted stimulation of PKA production promoted muscle growth and enhanced resistance to fatigue.

Investigation conducted by international group of researchers showed that chikungunya virus can cause neurological infections. Risk of death in subacute phase is higher for patients with diabetes and significant for young adults.

Three waves of the disease swept the state between 2016 and 2018. An international group of researchers described how the virus spread in a study published in PLOS Pathogens based on the sequencing of 51 viral isolates extracted from mosquitoes and monkeys.

Brazilian researchers discovered that sTREM-1 protein in immunoglobulin family could be a very useful biomarker to help medical teams make clinical decisions.

Experiments conducted by Brazilian researchers with lymphocytes isolated from COVID-19 patients showed the virus using the protein CD4 to invade cells that play a key role in coordinating the immune response.

Analyses by Brazilian researchers suggest alterations to pH caused by stomach acid lead to increase in expression of ACE2 and make cells more susceptible to infection by novel coronavirus.

The newest Engineering Research Center will initially focus on challenges relating to health, the environment, food production chains, the future of work, and the development of natural language processing tools for Brazilian Portuguese.

Renowned scientists will address topics related to how society has been coping with this threatening environment and will discuss factors that influence behavioral change.

Adaptation of muscle tissue to aerobic exercise alters the metabolism of muscle stem cells, helping them recover from injury. Findings may contribute to treatment of cachexia, sarcopenia and other conditions associated with lean mass loss.