News from Latin America

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 21-Dec-2025 12:11 ET (21-Dec-2025 17:11 GMT/UTC)

16-May-2018

Mechanism underlying malformation associated with severe epilepsy is revealed

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

Study suggests dysregulation of gene NEUROG2 could be linked to development of focal cortical dysplasia, one of the most common causes of drug-resistant epilepsy. NEUROG2 is involved in cell differentiation and, when overexpressed, it maintains the neurogenesis signal active into adulthood, what helps explaining the presence of abnormal neurons and glial cells in patients' brains.

Journal

Annals of Neurology

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

15-May-2018

Key enzyme for production of second-generation ethanol discovered in Brazilian Amazon

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

Protein encoded by gene found in microorganisms living in Amazon lake could boost efficiency on the sugarcane bagasse saccharification process, which makes for up to 50% of the global costs of cellulosic ethanol production.

Journal

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

10-May-2018

Big fish produce disproportionately more and bigger eggs

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Contrary to prevailing dogma, plus-sized female fish invest disproportionately more in making eggs than smaller females. Therefore, taking a single big fish has a bigger impact on the fish population than taking multiple small ones.

Journal

Science

Funder

Centre for Geometric Biology, Monash University

9-May-2018

Climate change may even threaten one of the world's most resilient lizards

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Bahamian anole lizards are popular exotic pets and are found throughout the Western Hemisphere, suggesting that they are extremely adaptable creatures. A new study suggests that their adaptability may not extend to the temperature changes predicted by climate change models.

Funder

University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, National Science Foundation

9-May-2018

Climate geoengineering research should include developing countries

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

An appeal on projects that could mask global warming is published in Nature by scientists from 12 countries, including Brazilian Paulo Artaxo.

Journal

Nature

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

8-May-2018

An innovation that opens horizons for greenhouse gases' remote monitoring

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

Brazilian researchers combine chip technology with laser calibration to enhance an infrared spectrometer which could be integrated to drones, smartphones and other portable devices.

Journal

Nature Communications

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

4-May-2018

Scientists hark back to Pleistocene to trace prioritary areas for conservation

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

By recreating a 20,000 years-old South American biome map and then comparing it with current conditions, a Brazilian study identifies intact forest remnants which has greater genetic diversity for they presented high climatic stability in the period.

Journal

Acta Oecologica

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

2-May-2018

Sirius qualifies suppliers for the high-tech market

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

Brazilian firms are developing equipment for the new synchrotron and acquiring the capabilities to be global suppliers. In São Paulo, funding agency FAPESP selected 23 proposals submitted by 18 firms, in partnership with the federal government.

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

27-Apr-2018

Scientists calculate radiation dose in bone from victim of Hiroshima bombing

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

In an article published in PLOS ONE, Brazilian researchers describe the first retrospective dosimetric study by electron spin resonance spectroscopy using human tissue from nuclear attack victims.

Journal

PLOS One

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP

26-Apr-2018

Zika virus eliminates advanced human tumor in central nervous system of rodents

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

A group of Brazilian researchers confirmed for the 1st time in vivo the efficiency of Zika virus in infecting CNS tumor cells -- tests even showed that the resulting viral particles were less harmful than the ones created from infection of healthy cells. The team's plans include applying for patent on pharmaceutical kit and moving on to clinical trial phase in near future.

Journal

Cancer Research

Funder

Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP