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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo


Study in six countries identifies groups that are vulnerable to severe mental illness

A study of six countries found that young men, ethnic minorities, and people living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas are more likely to experience first-episode psychosis. The study also showed that environmental factors play a crucial role in the variation of incidence rates across urban and rural areas.

Yellow fever virus is detected in urine and semen almost a month after infection

Researchers detected yellow fever virus in urine and semen samples from a patient who survived the disease almost a month after infection. The discovery suggests the virus may be contagious for a period longer than previously thought, potentially allowing asymptomatic individuals to transmit the disease.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalEmerging Infectious Diseases·DateMar 1, 2018

Genetic factors that make babies susceptible to complications from Zika are identified

Researchers found that genes in neural progenitor cells of affected babies were more active or less active in key signaling pathways, contributing to the development of congenital Zika syndrome. The study used twins and induced pluripotent stem cell technology to replicate the virus's effects in vitro.

Research paves the way for the development of vaccines for emerging viruses

Scientists from Brazil and Senegal discovered the gene responsible for the mild effects of West Nile lineage 8, which could be used to develop a vaccine against more virulent lineages. The researchers found that the substitution P122S induces mutations linked to low replication rates, making it an ideal candidate for a vaccine.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateJan 30, 2018

International study identify the process of rock formed by meteors or nuclear blasts

Researchers from Brazil, China, and Italy developed a model to map the phases of coesite formation, a polymorph of silica that occurs under high pressure. The study uses atomic computer simulation to describe the interactions among atoms and the transformations resulting from pressure changes.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 16, 2018

Study resolves controversy about electron structure of defects in graphene

Researchers Ana María Valencia García and Marília Junqueira Caldas resolved a longstanding controversy about the calculation of defect electronic structures in graphene. They used a hybrid functional method, which yielded results compatible with experimental data, resolving divergences between different simulation methods.

Quantum effects explain changes in nanometric circuit electron flows

Researchers studied a nanometric circuit exhibiting quantum effects due to its small scale, revealing how electrons can transit directly or via a cavity, leading to peaks and troughs in conductance values. The study provides a natural explanation for observed phenomena, shedding light on the behavior of electrons in such circuits.

Brazilian ethanol can replace 13.7 percent of world's crude oil consumption

A study suggests that expanding sugarcane cultivation in Brazil for ethanol production could reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by up to 5.6% by 2045, while replacing up to 13.7% of world crude oil consumption. The expansion of sugarcane cultivation is proposed in areas not under environmental protection or reserved for food produc...

Physicist assumes the possibility of vestiges of an Universe previous to the Big Bang

Brazilian researcher Juliano Cesar Silva Neves challenges the standard cosmological model by proposing the elimination of the spacetime singularity and the possibility of a prior contraction phase. The current expansion may be preceded by contraction, with potential vestiges still present in the universe.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalGeneral Relativity and Gravitation·DateNov 27, 2017

Star kills its 'congenial' to form together a dwarf-binary system, astronomers confirm

A team of Brazilian astronomers observed a unique binary system consisting of a low-mass white dwarf and a brown dwarf. The white dwarf's existence was cut off due to the loss of matter caused by the companion, resulting in its premature death and transformation into a white dwarf.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateNov 9, 2017

Revealed new target for development of antibiotics aimed at highly resistant bacteria

Researchers from Brazil and France identify a new target for developing antibiotics against highly resistant bacteria, inhibiting the interaction of two key proteins involved in cell wall elongation. The discovery paves the way for the development of antibiotics with a different action mechanism, offering hope in combating drug-resista...

Malaria parasite in the Americas is more genetically diverse than previously thought

A recent study found that populations of Plasmodium vivax in the Americas are as genetically diverse as those in Southeast Asia, contradicting previous assumptions. The research suggests that P. vivax may have originated from Africa, Europe, and Asia, and its genetic diversity was retained upon arrival in the Americas.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalPLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases·DateOct 27, 2017