News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-May-2025 04:09 ET (30-May-2025 08:09 GMT/UTC)

4-Nov-2022

Fire in the Amazon is associated more with agricultural burning and deforestation than with drought

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Conclusion came from a Brazilian study that analyzed active fire occurrences between 2003 and 2020 in the nine countries with Amazon Rainforest areas. Brazil accounted on average for 73% of the fires detected in the period.

Journal

Global Ecology and Biogeography

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

3-Nov-2022

Novel single-crystal production method opens up promising avenues for studies in solid-state physics

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A large supply of high-quality monocrystals is of the utmost importance to the study of the intrinsic physical properties of materials.The most widely used method of growing single crystals of intermetallic compounds is known as chemical vapor transport .

Journal

Journal of Crystal Growth

2-Nov-2022

Unique genetic signature found by research in different types of cancer

MELISA Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In order to carry out the study, researchers used repository data from isolated cells of different cancer types, which were analyzed using artificial intelligence and then, confirmed by using proteomics.

Journal

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

1-Nov-2022

Smithsonian receives $10 million donation to support research and education on climate resilience

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Grant and Award Announcement

The Smithsonian has received a $10 million donation from business leader and philanthropist Adrienne Arsht to advance climate resilience research and education. The donation will launch the Adrienne Arsht Community-Based Resilience Solutions Initiative, a multi-year program to research tropical resilience and educate the public about the role resilience—the ability to prepare for and respond to global change—plays in shaping the world around us.

1-Nov-2022

Reducing childhood poverty could cut criminal convictions by almost a quarter, study shows

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Brazilian researchers interviewed 1,905 children twice in seven years and analyzed 22 risk factors that can influence human development. An article on the study is published in Scientific Reports.

Journal

Scientific Reports

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

27-Oct-2022

Cancer therapy shows potential to treat severe COVID-19 in pre-clinical trials

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The findings reported by the authors were based on experiments involving cells from patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs) after being infected by SARS-CoV-2, and mice infected by MHV-A59 (murine hepatitis virus A59), another betacoronavirus.

Journal

Science Advances

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

26-Oct-2022

Study clarifies how physical exercise burns muscle fat

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An important finding of the study was the association between this neuromuscular circuit and afterburn, which is fat oxidation that occurs after exercise has ceased. This has been considered secondary, but in fact, it can last for hours and should be considered vitally important to the process of weight loss.

Journal

Science Advances

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

25-Oct-2022

Study estimates how much deforestation could increase if restrictions on mining in the Amazon are lifted

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using models based on a reserve created by the government for geological research and protection of mineral assets, Brazilian researchers estimated that opening the area up to mining would lead to the destruction of 183 km² of forest and further loss of 7,626 km² due to the direct and indirect impacts of the infrastructure required to implement and operate projects.

Journal

Nature Sustainability

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

21-Oct-2022

In pre-clinical trials, drug shows potential to combat exaggerated inflammation associated with COVID-19

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

More research is needed to find out whether the effects of niclosamide, described in an article published in Science Advances, are confirmed in patients with the disease, and according to the authors this will require the development of a novel formulation of the drug, as the one currently available from pharmacies is orally administered and would not affect the lungs.

Journal

Science Advances

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

20-Oct-2022

Study proposes new parameters for diagnosis of sarcopenia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Measuring handgrip strength is one of the main ways of detecting sarcopenia, a syndrome characterized by loss of muscle mass, force and function. Researchers in Brazil and the UK recommended raising the minimum value considered normal, after analyzing data for more than 6,000 men and women aged 60 and over.

Journal

Age and Ageing

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo