News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 31-May-2025 09:09 ET (31-May-2025 13:09 GMT/UTC)

27-Sep-2022

Researchers identify genes potentially responsible for sugarcane’s resistance to pests, cold and drought

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

A study conducted at the State University of Campinas provides a foundation for future research to confirm identification of the best candidate genes for biotech applications such as insertion into commercially valuable plants and development of sugarcane varieties resistant to environmental pressures.

Journal

Frontiers in Plant Science

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

22-Sep-2022

Novel method to predict behavior of different COVID-19 waves in the vaccinated or previously infected

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

A study published in the journal Vaccines used samples from blood banks in seven Brazilian state capitals to measure levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and the extent to which vaccines afford protection against the delta variant.

Journal

Vaccines

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

21-Sep-2022

The priorities for food-security research under extreme events

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Peer-Reviewed Publication

How can researchers help improve food security? To determine what questions to ask and how to prioritize, 69 food security experts, including scientists, governments, international institutions and NGOs, published a comprehensive set of research questions across different food-related domains that have the potential to bolster food security.

Journal

One Earth

20-Sep-2022

Protein restriction can be effective in combating obesity and diabetes, study suggests

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

Twenty-one patients with metabolic syndrome were given a calorie or protein restriction diet in a randomized clinical trial by Brazilian and Danish researchers. Weight loss, controlled blood pressure and improved blood sugar and lipid levels were observed in all participants.

Journal

Nutrients

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

20-Sep-2022

2022 Winners of World Cultural Council awards announced – Award Ceremony to be held in Portugal for first time

Consejo Cultural Mundial
Grant and Award Announcement

Astrophysicist Victoria M. Kaspi, educator Claudia Mitchell and Architect and educator J. Meejin Yoon will be granted the 2022 World Cultural Council’s Awards. The 37th Award Ceremony will be hosted by the University of Coimbra, Portugal to be held on November 30, 2022. This will be the first time in the history of the WCC awards programme that all three prizes will be presented at the same event.

19-Sep-2022

Diabetes is the variable that most affects the number of deaths from heart attack

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

A study by Brazilian researchers analyzed risk factors and found that reducing smoking prevented most deaths from cardiovascular disease, while high blood sugar had the most significant impact on mortality.

Journal

PLOS One

19-Sep-2022

Researchers identify molecular mechanisms leading to zika-associated microcephaly

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

Proteomic analysis suggests zika virus causes alterations in the expression of proteins linked to the metabolism of developing neural cells, and proteins associated with the maturation of oligodendrocytes.

Journal

Molecular Neurobiology

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

15-Sep-2022

Study shows potential of Southern cattail for phytoremediation of areas contaminated by mine tailings

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

Researchers at the University of São Paulo and collaborators showed that the aquatic plant can scavenge up to 34 times more manganese from contaminated soil than other plants found in similar environments.

Journal

Journal of Cleaner Production

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

14-Sep-2022

Researchers identify neurons that specialize in remembering speed and location

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

The study involved the use of biosensors, algorithms and open-source software to build a miniature microscope. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how our brains track and retain information about routes and learn new locations.

Journal

Scientific Reports

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

14-Sep-2022

What was left out of the founding myth of the Green Revolution?

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture
Peer-Reviewed Publication

One of the founding narratives of the Green Revolution (a push towards technology-driven modernization of agriculture starting over 50 years ago) has been found to be false, according to a recent analysis.

Journal

Agriculture and Human Values