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Fungi of the genus Candida cause thrush and candidiasis, a fairly common disease in humans. It can be lethal to individuals with low immunity, especially when they are hospitalized. Although the drug most widely used to combat the disease is effective in most cases, some varieties of the fungus are drug-resistant. Compounds that combat two species of Candida have now been isolated from a plant by researchers based in Brazil and Spain. The plant is Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, a shrub native to the [...]

Novel approaches that have been tested to treat obesity include noninvasive neuromodulation techniques such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Studies performed to date have suggested that this method does in fact help reduce appetite, food intake and body weight, but only in some subjects. New findings published in the journal Appetite by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil help elucidate the reason for the variability in responses to tDCS [...]

The incidence of thyroid cancer among first responders who volunteered or were employed as firefighters, rescue personnel and cleanup workers at Ground Zero in New York on or after September 11, 2001, is three times higher than that in the general population. This difference has been confirmed by a method involving a panel of four biomarkers that distinguish benign from malignant thyroid cancer cases on the basis of gene expression. The tests were developed by researchers at the Federal [...]

Evaluating body composition, especially appendicular muscle mass, can be an effective strategy for predicting longevity in people over 65 years of age, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil. The appendicular muscles are the muscles that move the appendages or extremities—the arms and legs. They also play a key role in stabilizing the shoulders and hips. The researchers studied a group of 839 men and [...]

A new study has concluded that cannabidiol attenuates the aggressiveness induced by social isolation. The research, based on a mouse model, was performed by scientists at the University of São Paulo's Ribeirão Preto Medical School (FMRP-USP) in Brazil. Scientists at the University of São Paulo's Center for Applied Research in Neuroscience (NAPNA-USP) also contributed to the study. The results are published in the journal Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and [...]

A paper published inScientific Reportsdescribes how researchers affiliated with the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil and colleagues at institutions in Europe evaluated behaviors leading to weight gain in adolescents. Childhood obesity can favor the premature emergence of health issues such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The main finding is that skippingbreakfast, a common habit among teenagers, correlates directly with increased waist [...]

Natural compounds isolated from Nectandra leucantha, a neotropical tree species belonging to the laurel family (Lauraceae) and endemic to the Atlantic Rainforest biome in Brazil, where its common name is canela-seca or canela-branca, could result in new medications for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. In a study supported by São Paulo Research Foundation— FAPESP, researchers at Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL) in São Paulo City found that [...]

Researchers at the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (ICESP) in Brazil have succeeded in using a genetically manipulated virus to destroy tumor cells upon injection into mice with prostate cancer. The virus also made tumor cells more sensitive to chemotherapy drugs, halting tumor progression and almost eliminating tumors in some cases. The results were obtained by a team led by Bryan Eric Strauss, head of the Viral Vector Laboratory at ICESP’s Center for Translational Research in [...]

The promise of new treatments for sickle cell disease, a group of inherited red blood cell disorders, has never been so great, but it will only be realized if there is constant investment in health policies such as programs for screening newborns, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases occur. This point is made in a comprehensive review of the main research findings regarding sickle disease published in Nature Reviews Disease Primers and signed by experts affiliated with [...]