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News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 1-May-2025 11:08 ET (1-May-2025 15:08 GMT/UTC)

Researchers advocate ‘rewriting’ of textbooks on electron transport chain in mitochondria

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

A paper by scientists affiliated with the University of São Paulo highlights new discoveries regarding the mechanisms of oxidative phosphorylation involved in ATP production. Recent studies have revealed the role of sodium in mitochondrial respiration.

Journal: Trends in Biochemical Sciences
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Study reveals genes that may help predict prostate cancer outcomes

D'Or Institute for Research and Education
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent study published in the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology explored genetic predictors of prostate cancer progression to help identify its clinical outcomes. Conducted by researchers from the D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), the University of São Paulo (USP), and the São Paulo Cancer Institute (ICESP), the study focused on the role of the androgen receptor (AR), its variant AR-V7, and the p160 gene family.

Journal: Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology

Simple, quick test can predict fall risk in older adults six months in advance

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

A study of 153 people between the ages of 60 and 89 suggests modifications to a well-established clinical test for assessing balance in the elderly to make it more efficient, accessible, and predictive.

Journal: BMC Geriatrics
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Global study identifies markers for the five clinical stages of Parkinson’s disease

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

By creating a new metric, researchers envision the possibility of diagnostic and treatment advances for the disease, which is estimated to affect about 4 million people worldwide.

Journal: npj Parkinson s Disease
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Reemergence of dengue serotype 3 may increase severity of outbreaks of the disease in Brazil

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

The reemergence of dengue virus serotype 3 (DENV-3) in Brazil after 17 years could help worsen fresh outbreaks of the disease there since the population is not immunized against this serotype, and serotypes 1 and 2 (DENV-1 and DENV-2) continue to circulate.

Journal: Journal of Clinical Virology
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Research unveils new strategies to tackle atrial fibrillation, a condition linked to stroke and dementia risks

D'Or Institute for Research and Education
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A recent Brazilian study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research has highlighted promising pathways for preventing and treating atrial fibrillation, a condition that significantly raises the risks of stroke and dementia. The research was led by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in partnership with the D’Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR).

Journal: Nature Cardiovascular Research
Funder: Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia das Radiações na Saúde

"Infant formula marketing in Ecuador: a threat to breastfeeding"

Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The marketing of breast milk substitutes (BMS) significantly influences infant feeding practices worldwide. In Ecuador, despite regulatory efforts aligned with the WHO’s International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, industry advertising strategies continue to impact the decisions of both mothers and healthcare professionals. This cross-sectional study assessed compliance with the Code in Ecuador through surveys of mothers (n=330) and healthcare professionals (n=66), observations in healthcare facilities (n=33) and retail outlets (n=44), as well as media monitoring and product labeling evaluations.

Journal: Maternal and Child Nutrition
Funder: UNICEF

Brazilian researchers create cell atlas for brain malformation associated with severe epilepsy

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

Using a single-cell sequencing technique, it was possible to characterize the different cell types present in the brain lesion. The result paves the way for specific treatments against focal cortical dysplasia.

Journal: iScience
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Chameleon shrimp can camouflage themselves even in invasive species of algae, study shows

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

Brazilian and British researchers have observed that a small crustacean that changes color according to the marine vegetation is able to disguise itself in exotic algae that did not evolve together with the species. However, the long-term effects of this interaction are unknown.

Journal: Journal of Animal Ecology
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

Researchers in Brazil discover a gene that may afford protection against COVID-19

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

Scientists at the University of São Paulo analyzed blood samples donated by six serodiscordant couples where female partners were resistant to SARS-CoV-2 despite intense contact with their infected male partners. Overexpression of the gene IFIT3 in these asymptomatic women suggests it affords protection and could be a target for novel antiviral therapies.

Journal: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

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