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A study conducted at the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil shows that the synthetic molecule Pep19 acts on the endocannabinoid system, which helps regulate and balance key 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 [...]

A study conducted at São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil shows that even mild to moderate infection by SARS-CoV-2 can cause an imbalance in the cardiovascular system of young adults without pre-existing diseases. The researchers also concluded that both obesity and a low level of physical activity are key factors in post-COVID that help alter the autonomic nervous system, which regulates such vital functions as blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. The study, which was [...]

The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic have stimulated innovation on several fronts. One is the development of low-cost methods of clinical diagnosis. Genosensors are a case in point. Based on nucleic acids that detect simple complementary DNA or RNA sequences, genosensors are biosensors that make possible mass testing for immediate and sensitive testing of genetic material. A device of this kind, already shown to be efficient in detecting SARS-CoV-2, has just been produced in Brazil by [...]

A study conducted by a group of Brazilian researchers contributes to a deeper understanding of the molecular basis for schizophrenia, and potentially to the development of more specific and effective treatments for the disease. The medications currently available on the market act generically on the brain and can have severe adverse side effects. Treatment of post-mortem samples from the hippocampus of schizophrenic patients with an NMDA receptor antagonist pointed to biological processes [...]

A study of 92 adolescents conducted in Brazil suggests girls are more likely than boys to develop metabolic alterations associated with obesity, such as high blood pressure and excessive blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (dyslipidemia). The study was conducted with FAPESP’s support by scientists affiliated with the University of São Paulo’s Biomedical Sciences Institute (ICB-USP) and the Medical School of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo [...]

Can a high dose of vitamin D administered on admission to hospital improve the condition of patients with moderate or severe COVID-19? The answer is no, according to a Brazilian study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The article reports a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, the kind of study considered the gold standard to evaluate drug efficacy. It was conducted with FAPESP’s support by researchers at the University of [...]

Developed by Biologix, a startup headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, researchers have developed a sleep apnea home diagnostic and monitoring system based on Internet of Things technology that can be used for the remote monitoring of individuals with suspected COVID-19 infection or mild symptoms of the disease. The system can also be used to recommend transfer to a hospital if the patient’s clinical signs worsen. Two private hospitals in São Paulo, the epicenter of the [...]

In addition to helping us chew and swallow, keeping the mouth moist and protecting us against germs, saliva can also be used for early detection of the risk of developing diseases associated with surplus body fat. Researchers at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) and the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil performed a study in which they used the level of uric acid in saliva to predict body fat percentages in teenagers and identify those with surplus fat even if they [...]

Canadian researchers, working in partnership with Brazilian colleagues, have developed 13 bioluminescence sensors for use in testing the effectiveness of new medical drugs in the laboratory. The study, published in the journalScience Signaling, paves the way for new drugs to be tested and characterized. The biosensors are based on the action of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are membrane-bound proteins involved in communication between cells. The researchers did not choose to [...]