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Crotoxin, extracted from the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, has been studied for almost a century for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antitumor activities and as an even more powerful muscle paralyzer than botulinum toxin. However, the toxicity of crotoxin limits its medicinal use. A new study, published by Brazilian researchers in the journal Toxins, shows that crotoxin's therapeutic effects can be enhanced and its toxicity reduced when it is [...]

A study conducted in Brazil by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) and the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) shows that if 25% of an Atlantic rainforest fragment that is approximately 1 hectare is deforested, then the local temperature will increase by 1 °C. Clear-cutting the entire fragment would increase the local temperature by as much as 4 °C. The findings are published in the journal PLOS ONE. "We were able to detect the warming effects of the climate due [...]

A team of Brazilian researchers have succesfully bioprinted tiny organoids that perform all of the human liver’s functions, Brazilian news service Agência FAPESP reports — functions including building proteins, storing vitamins and secreting bile. The researchers had to cultivate and reprogram human stem cells, and then 3D print them in layers to form tissue. Mini-livers - Functions - Liver - Cry - Liver While the “mini-livers” perform the functions of a liver, [...]

Scientists have always thought about fission clusters as entirely distinct from collisional families. Now a study conducted by researchers affiliated with UNESP has shown that fission clusters may originate from collisional families in some cases Other asteroid groups formed as a result of rotational fission, which happens when a rapidly spinning body reaches critical rotation speed and splits into relatively small fragments only a few kilometers across. Scientists have always thought about [...]

Leafcutter ants such as Atta sexdens or Acromyrmex lobicornis face two major challenges when they leave the safety of the nest to forage: choosing the best plants from which to collect leaves and avoiding being surprised by strong winds or heavy rain, which would prevent them from carrying out their task. A study by researchers at the University of São Paulo's Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ-USP) in Brazil shows that leafcutter ants are capable of predicting adverse [...]

The Amazon Basin contains the largest number of scientifically described freshwater fish species in the world: 2,257 or 15% of the total number of known freshwater species. According to a new study, however, this vast biodiversity is unevenly distributed and follows a completely unexpected pattern. The study was conducted by researchers affiliated with Amazon Fish, an international collaboration that is supported by São Paulo Research Foundation—FAPESP and is building a [...]

The common phase transitions are those that occur as a function of temperature variation. Ice changes phase to become liquid water at 0 degrees Celsius. Liquid water changes phase to become water vapor at 100 degrees Celsius. Similarly, magnetic materials become nonmagnetic at critical temperatures. However, there are also phase transitions that do not depend on temperature. They occur in the vicinity of absolute zero [-273.15 degrees Celsius] and are associated with quantum fluctuations. A [...]

Listening to Adele in the car could reduce stress and help to keep people’s hearts healthy, according to scientists. Researchers carried out a small study on young women on the roads in Brazil and found listening to Enya and instrumental versions of Adele songs calmed them. Piano versions of chart-toppers Someone Like You and Hello were included on a playlist designed to chill out drivers stuck in traffic. The music reduced fluctuations in their heart rates which, over time, could help [...]

The 270 million hectares of native vegetation preserved by rural landowners (Legal Reserves and unprotected areas) yield Brazil the equivalent of some U.S. $1.5 trillion per year in ecosystem services, such as crop pollination, pest control, water security, rain production and soil quality maintenance. The calculation is part of a paper published in the journal Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation and endorsed by 407 scientist signatories, including 371 researchers affiliated with 79 [...]