News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 7-Nov-2025 19:11 ET (8-Nov-2025 00:11 GMT/UTC)

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

19-Oct-2022

Artificial intelligence helps predict performance of sugarcane in the field

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

A technique developed by Brazilian researchers enhances the efficiency of breeding programs, saving selection time and the cost of plant genotyping and characterization.

Journal

Scientific Reports

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

19-Oct-2022

‘Farmer-researchers’ join front line in testing crops

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

Farmers are becoming more involved than ever in the work of developing new, sustainable crop varieties, with a recent study from researchers at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT showing how a “citizen science” approach for on-farm experimentation called tricot, generated agricultural data via local organizations in Central America.

Journal

Crop Science

18-Oct-2022

Scientists discover mechanism that can cause collapse of great Atlantic circulation system

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

Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is now threatened by global warming, scientists have shown, and a new study has discovered the sequence of past breakdown events.

Journal

Nature Communications

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

17-Oct-2022

Researchers use cellulose to develop slow-release fertilizer and a self-fertilizing propagation pot

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

A research team has produced and is testing cellulose-based materials for enhanced-efficiency fertilizers to improve the supply of nutrients to crops and reduce the release of non-biodegradable chemicals into the ecosystem.

Journal

Carbohydrate Polymers

Funder

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo