Center for Research on Inflammatory Diseases
Through experiments in mice infected with a herpes virus, scientists identified an immune system sensor that recognizes viral fragments and activates neurons responsible for pain, independently of inflammation. The discovery paves the way for novel analgesic treatments.
The study was conducted at the Federal University of São Paulo and involved 731 over-sixties. It is the first to demonstrate the effects of high blood pressure on lung mechanics. The findings highlight the benefits of regular physical exercise for partial protection of the lungs.
Discovery of a novel class of proteins that help regulate the parasite’s essential cellular functions could lead to the development of more effective drugs against the disease. More than 3,500 new cases are notified each year in Brazil.
Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics
The work was conducted at the University of São Paulo’s Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center in Neuromathematics; the results were published in Scientific Reports.
Researchers at the University of São Paulo conducted an experiment to observe the effects on soil samples of extreme conditions in terms of temperature and rainfall in the laboratory. Their findings show that the balance of greenhouse gas emissions from microbial decomposition of organic matter may change.
Marine organisms in areas influenced by lower sea surface temperatures, such as the Lakes Region in Rio de Janeiro state, are between 25% and 100% larger than those inhabiting warmer water along the coast of São Paulo state, the study shows.
Leaders of FAPESP met with representatives of France’s National Research Agency (ANR), Ministry of Higher Education and Research, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intensify joint research and unveil CNRS’s new International Research Laboratory at the University of São Paulo.
An invention developed at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) obtains theobromine and caffeine from coca bean husks using stingless bee honey as a solvent. The method is a safe alternative to conventional processes, which can be harmful to human health and the environment.
Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change
When the dust that covered the skies 66 million years ago prevented plants from photosynthesizing and benefited creatures that fed on decomposing organic matter, these insects selected species that could fill their nutrient void, confirms a study published in Science.
Research, Innovation and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics
The technology was developed at the Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Center for Neuromathematics in collaboration with scientists from Finland.
Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change
Hurricane Maria killed so many Purple-throated caribs, sole pollinator of two species of heliconia, that other birds were able to gain access to the plants, according to an article in New Phytologist, which concludes that species extinction is a far more complex process than is often thought.
Center for Research on Inflammatory Diseases
The synthetic peptide was inspired by ACE2, the protein to which the virus that causes COVID-19 binds to invade human cells. The results point to a route for the development of novel antivirals.
According to an article published in the journal PNAS, different lineages of amoebae and ancestors of plants, algae and animals were already established in the Neoproterozoic period and survived the two glaciations that covered the entire planet.
A study conducted by Brazilian scientists at São Paulo State University involved 242 volunteers aged 40 on average. The results showed an improvement in heart rate control by the autonomic nervous system regardless of the level of physical activity in adulthood.
