A seminar hosted by the steering committee for the FAPESP Bioenergy Research Program featured researchers and representatives of the public and private sectors. A rapid and substantial increase in production of sustainable aviation fuels was the option considered most consistent.
The product will pave the way for researchers and food engineers to develop novel industrial processes based on the use of sugarcane molasses. It was tested as a yeast culture medium for ethanol production.
Experiments conducted at the University of São Paulo showed that expression of the gene that encodes the vitamin D receptor is greatly reduced in pediatric adrenocortical tumor cells. When the gene was activated, an anti-proliferation effect was observed. The only treatment currently available is surgical removal of the tumor.
The prevalence of dysfunctional eating behaviors among almost 1,000 vegans studied by researchers at the University of São Paulo was less than a tenth of the average for the Brazilian population. The explanation, according to the researchers, lies in the reasons for which people choose a restrictive diet.
Hormones and metabolites secreted after physical activity act together to suppress hunger, as highlighted by an editorial in The Journal of Physiology written by researchers at the State University of Campinas and the University of Copenhagen.
The main impacts for the Caatinga, as the semi-arid biome is known, will be replacement of trees by shrubs and grasses, and a decrease in the overall number of species. The projections are based on the IPCC’s latest report and a database created by Brazilian researchers.
Made from agar, a substance extracted from red algae, the optical fiber can be used to monitor stimuli produced in the brain or muscles, or as an ancillary interface in human-computer connections for assistive or rehabilitation technologies.
Researchers at the University of São Paulo in Brazil and collaborators in four other countries analyzed more than 400 patients. They found a link between the endocrine disorder and alterations in the gene MECP2, which encodes a protein of key importance to neuron development.
Brazilian researchers and collaborators in Germany and the US compiled data from 195 clinical trials conducted in 30 countries between January 2020 and December 2021. The findings are promising, although the authors stress the need for enhanced controls in the making of the products used in cell therapy.
A comprehensive review by researchers in Brazil and elsewhere provides a wealth of information about the effects on the organism of remaining seated for much of the day, and calls for more research to analyze the effectiveness of interventions to reduce or interrupt sedentary behavior.
Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo conducted experiments involving rats to analyze the effects of a high-fat high-sugar parental diet. The results suggested that ingestion of hypercaloric food by male progenitors favors weight gain and a build-up of body fat in their offspring.
The researchers correlated data on the animal’s ecological niche and connectivity among populations with existing and planned hydropower development sites in Brazil’s South region. They estimated that 30% of its habitat could be lost, heightening the risk of extinction.
Center for Carbon Research in Tropical Agriculture
Researchers at the University of São Paulo highlight the importance of monitoring these areas and advocate the use of technosols based on tailings and other waste to offset part of their emissions.
The fourth-generation particle accelerator installed at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) was the topic for the 4th FAPESP Lecture 2023. LNLS Director Harry Westfahl Junior described the facility and the research opportunities it offers. He also announced the third call for proposals.
Technology developed with FAPESP’s support was the winner in the “Technological Innovation” category. Also, a University of São Paulo study that found a molecule capable of killing leukemic cells was awarded in “Oncology Research” category.
Researchers sampled oysters and mussels at three locations between the port of Santos and the nearby city of Guarujá. Their aims included assembling data as a basis for public policy on basic sanitation. The law does not currently require removal of microplastic particles from sewage.
Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo analyzed saliva, oral microbiota and dental health of volunteers who were preparing for gastroplasty and after the operation. The results showed an increase in caries and periodontitis, as well as alterations in salivary inflammatory markers.
