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New technique helps find out whether bacteria that cause meningitis are resistant to antibiotics. A study published in the journal PLOS ONE could one day help health workers determine whether bacteria of the species Streptococcus pneumonia, which cause meningitis - an inflammation of the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord - are resistant to antibiotics. This type of analysis is no easy task when the conventional method is used. The bacteria must be [...]

“The human protein known as PCNA [proliferating cell nuclear antigen] interacts with the SARS-CoV-2 protein M [matrix], one of the molecules that make up the virus’s membrane and give it shape. The discovery itself shows one of the ways the pathogen manipulates cell function for its life cycle to proceed,” said Fernando Moreira Simabuco, a professor at UNICAMP’s School of Applied Sciences (FCA) in Limeira and principal investigator for the study, which was supported by [...]

Nearly 8 percent of athletes suffer with persistent symptoms after contracting COVID-19, reports a new study. Researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil analyzed data from 43 scientific articles describing the effects of COVID-19 on athletes and concluded that while the disease was asymptomatic or mild in the vast majority of cases (94%), about 8% of the subjects concerned had persistent symptoms affecting their performance and potentially preventing a return to [...]

Pep19, the synthetic molecule, acts on the endocannabinoid system, which regulates and balances critical metabolic functions, such as appetite, fat breakdown (lipolysis), and energy release. An article presenting the results of the study is published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. The study was supported by FAPESP and involved collaboration by researchers at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (Brazil), the University of Málaga and the Biomedical Center for [...]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with premature senescence (age-related impairment) of the immune system, stated by a study published in Immunity & Ageing. The finding may help explain why COPD patients respond poorly to vaccines and are more susceptible to infectious processes. COPD patients were found to exhibit a number of changes linked to immunosenescence, especially a reduction in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, which are key elements of the immune system. [...]

Using gene therapy tools to recover the gene's function effectively rescued neural structure and function. Several neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia have been linked to mutations in Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4), an essential gene in brain development. Transcription factors regulate when other genes are turned on or off, so their presence, or lack thereof, can have a domino effect in the developing embryo. Still, [...]

It is considered a pre-clinical transition stage toward incapacity, appearing before difficulties are experienced with everyday activities such as using public transport, shopping, doing housework, cooking, bathing, getting dressed, and taking meals. Early diagnosis could help prevent older people from becoming unable to perform these day-to-day tasks. A study was conducted at the Federal University of So Carlos (UFSCar) in Brazil to find the feasible signs that indicate a functional [...]

Two recently published articles hypothesized and described a new mechanism by which Parkinson's disease development may be due to an imbalance between pathogenic and beneficial bacteria in the intestines known as dysbiosis. The investigation was conducted with FAPESP's support by researchers affiliated with the Brazilian Bioscience National Laboratory (LNBio) at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) in Campinas, São Paulo state. Some of the results [...]

Adolescents who consume ultra-processed food products were found to be at an increased risk of developing obesity by 45 percent, reveals a new study. Based on data for 3,587 adolescents aged 12-19 who took part in the 2011-16 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in the United States, researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil have calculated the impact of consuming ultra-processed foods on the risk of obesity. ‘Ultra-processed food [...]