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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Brazilian researchers show that a combination of inflammatory cytokines in the blood and cannabis use, daily or during adolescence, heightens the odds of developing psychiatric disorders.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Researchers describe how fumiquinazoline C is synthesized and investigate its function in conidia, asexual non-motile spores of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus that can cause severe infections in immunosuppressed patients. The discovery could lead to the development of novel medications.

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%.

An Anglo-Brazilian research center analyzed samples from blood donors tested for antibodies against the novel coronavirus.

Illegal logging to clear land for cattle grazing has fueled growth in Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to participants in a webinar on the prospects for COP26 hosted by FAPESP.

Models for professional use were the most effective at retaining aerosol particles of a size equivalent to the novel coronavirus, followed by TNT masks sold in drugstores. The efficacy of fabric masks ranged from 15% to 70%. A tight fit and lack of seams enhanced protection.

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.

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.

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.

The largest series of autopsies ever performed on children who died from COVID-19 showed that the ability of the novel coronavirus to invade and damage the tissue of all major organs is one of the factors leading to multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

The study shows that the 2019-20 drought resulted from a natural meteorological phenomenon similar to the one that caused the 2014-16 critical water shortage in São Paulo state, Southeast Brazil.

The study was conducted in a Brazilian national park and was based on analysis of tree rings in the species Amburana cearensis, as well as satellite images.

With support from FAPESP via its program to fund innovative research, the startup has developed a rejuvenating serum based on bioactives obtained from sweet wormwood, a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine.

A research group at São Paulo State University (UNESP) analyzed how Candida albicans fungi and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria influence gene expression and tumor cell survival.

The call aims to advance knowledge of the societal effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and solutions to mitigate them. The submission deadline is July 12. Eligibility checking ends June 14.

Brazilian researchers studied the case of identical twins in which only one sibling was reinfected and developed complications after a second exposure to the virus. Their analysis showed that the adaptive immune response can be different even between individuals with the same genome.

Workers with blood lead levels below the legal ceiling in Brazil expressed a microRNA associated with a decrease in DNA methylation, a physiological process required for the organism to be in balance. However, known clinical manifestations occur when levels are high.

The study showed that interdisciplinary action facilitates weight loss, improves quality of life and eating behavior, and reduces symptoms of depression.

A call for proposals issued jointly with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee selected the new research centers, which will focus on health, agriculture, manufacturing, and smart cities.

Strategies to increase funding for action-oriented research that helps make societies and economies more resilient, equitable and sustainable were the focus for the Second Global Forum of Funders, held online on April 26-28.