News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jun-2025 06:10 ET (22-Jun-2025 10:10 GMT/UTC)

10-Feb-2021

Lung ultrasound helps predict COVID-19 patient outcomes

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

Brazilian researchers applied an examination protocol based on an analysis of 12 lung regions to 180 severe patients and found that the higher the lung ultrasound score the greater the risk of ICU admission, intubation and death.

Journal

Annals of Intensive Care

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

9-Feb-2021

Baby vampire bat adopted by mom's best friend

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The strong relationship formed between two female adult vampire bats may have motivated one of the bats to adopt the other's baby.

Journal

Royal Society Open Science

9-Feb-2021

Scientists create flexible biocompatible cilia that can be controlled by a magnet

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

Filaments made of polymer-coated iron oxide nanoparticles are obtained by exposing the material to a magnetic field under controlled temperature. The applications are myriad and include transporting substances into cells or directing fluids.

Journal

The Journal of Physical Chemistry C

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

4-Feb-2021

New study finds cage-free egg-laying hen mortality declines over time

Publicase International
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research published today in the journal Scientific Reports based on the largest-to-date analysis of commercial data on egg-laying hen mortality finds that survival rates in higher-welfare cage-free housing systems increase over time as managers gain experience and knowledge accrues. These findings will reframe the debate on the welfare of laying hens and on the evolution of the egg industry.

Journal

Scientific Reports

4-Feb-2021

Studies use mathematics to analyze the semantics of dream reports during the pandemic

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

Researchers at a center for neuromathematics say dreams reflect the fear and anxiety fueled by the disease.

Journal

PLOS One

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

2-Feb-2021

Researchers develop 10-minute COVID-19 diagnostic test that wage workers can afford

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Business Announcement

Technology based on nanoparticles identifies IgG antibodies and costs only about a fifth of similar devices now on the market. It was developed by scientists at the University of São Paulo and Brazilian startup Biolinker.

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

1-Feb-2021

Why it is harder for Brazilians of African descent to find bone marrow donors

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

According to a study published in Frontiers in Immunology, the reason is their genetic heterogeneity and lack of proportional representation in the Brazilian bone marrow bank.

Journal

Frontiers in Immunology

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

29-Jan-2021

Startup develops yeast-based COVID-19 diagnostic test

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Business Announcement

Based on a reaction between yeast and the novel coronavirus, the test will rapidly detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva and will be available by mid-2021.

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

27-Jan-2021

Melatonin produced in the lungs prevents infection by novel coronavirus

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

The hormone acts as a barrier against SARS-CoV-2, blocking the expression of genes that encode proteins in cells serving as viral entry points, according to a study by researchers at the University of São Paulo.

Journal

Melatonin Research

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab

26-Jan-2021

Study helps understand why kids of obese mothers may be susceptible to metabolic diseases

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

The phenomenon may be associated with a deficiency of the protein mitofusin-2 in the mother's eggs, which affects the shape and functioning of mitochondria. The finding was based on experiments with mice conducted at the Federal University of São Carlos and reported in the journal Molecular Human Reproduction.

Journal

Molecular Human Reproduction

Funder

São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Brazil). Geochronologic research at the MIT Isotope Lab