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Increased cell proliferation is a key feature of diseases such as cancer. A research team from the University of Würzburg and two Leibniz Institutes has now succeeded in indirectly influencing this process. As differently as cancers or autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis affect people - they all have one characteristic in common: they are accompanied by increased cell proliferation.

People who deny the existence of facts believe in fake news more often. Particularly often affected are people with dark personality traits - those who always put their own benefit first. These are the findings of a new study at the Institute for Human-Computer Media at the University of Würzburg. Some people believe fake news even when the scientific facts clearly speak against it," says psychologist Jan Philipp Rudloff.

At the beginning of the corona pandemic, the R0 value was an essential criterion for estimating the further development. A study by the University of Würzburg now shows that it was often not really accurately determined. Just to remind you: In 2020 - at the beginning of the corona pandemic - the whole of Germany was fascinated by the so-called R-value, which was published daily in the media.

When searching for the causes of illnesses and developing new treatments, it is absolutely vital to have a precise understanding of the genetic fundamentals. Würzburg researchers have devised a new technique for this purpose. Pathological processes are usually characterised by altered gene activity in the cells affected.

How do cells manage to quickly adapt their growth to changing environmental conditions? A new study by a research team from Würzburg provides an answer to this question. Regardless of whether it is a single-celled organism or a mammal, a plankton, or a sequoia: growth is a basic principle of all life on this earth.

Plant leaves can cope with much higher salt concentrations than roots. The underlying mechanism may help to develop more salt-tolerant crops. When there is a lack of water, heat or intensive irrigation, the level of common salt (sodium chloride) in the soil increases. However, most crops are sensitive to salt.

Progress has been made on the path to sunlight-driven production of hydrogen. Chemists from Würzburg present a new enzyme-like molecular catalyst for water oxidation. Mankind is facing a central challenge: it must manage the transition to a sustainable and carbon dioxide-neutral energy economy. Hydrogen is considered a promising alternative to fossil fuels.

Have you ever asked yourself this question? A team led by Würzburg biologists Dr. Patrick Schultheiss and Dr. Sabine Nooten now has the answer. In addition to the number, the distribution was also determined. How many stars are there in our galaxy? How many grains of sand in the Sahara? How many ants live on Earth? These are all questions that seem impossible to answer.

Does eye-contact always attract attention? Not in every case, as a research team at the University of Würzburg's Institute of Psychology has recently shown. Why not? Because context matters. It's a phenomenon that we have probably all experienced. You're in a packed place surrounded by a swirling mass of people, and someone looks you in the eye.

In the cultivation of organic cacao, many factors determine the yield. An international research team has now identified important players and their combined effects. It's not possible to grow cacao without insects - that's logical. After all, they ensure that the flowers are pollinated and that the valuable cacao fruits, a sought-after material for the food industry, develop.

People who help others do not necessarily want to receive a reward for doing so. However, a reward can encourage people with a low degree of empathy to help. This is shown by a new study . It is a classic of social psychological research: people donate less blood when they are paid for it. Without payment, i.e., solely out of the desire to help their fellow human beings, they have significantly more blood drawn.

People who help others do not necessarily want to be rewarded for this. However, a reward can motivate low-empathic individuals to provide help. This is shown by a new study. A classic finding of social psychology research is that people donate less blood if they are paid to do so. If there is no payment, which means that they act simply out of a desire to help their fellow human beings, they give significantly more blood.

The Venus flytrap relies on glutamate receptors to catch prey. It transmits the corresponding stimuli electrically. A research team at the University of Würzburg has now explained the mechanism behind this . To hunt flies and other small animals, the Venus flytrap must be faster than its prey. To do this, it has developed a catching organ that can snap shut in a fraction of a second and is controlled by one of the fastest stimulus lines in the plant kingdom.

The Venus flytrap relies on glutamate receptors to catch prey by transmitting corresponding stimuli electrically. A research team at the University of Würzburg has now explained the underlying molecular mechanism. To hunt flies and other small animals, the Venus flytrap has to be faster than its prey.

A realistic assessment of our own social group can help improve our attitude towards other groups. This is shown by a new study by the University Hospital of Würzburg. We are us, and others are exactly that - other. The feeling of belonging to a particular group that is clearly different from other groups is probably a human trait that we all share.

An international team under the leadership of Würzburg and Heidelberg has deciphered central evolutionary mechanisms in multiple myeloma. According to the study, even a single surviving tumor cell can lead to relapse. Which tumor cells survive chemotherapy? Where does relapse come from? Unfortunately, all patients suffering from multiple myeloma have to fear a relapse.

Lymph nodes trigger very different immune responses - depending on which body tissue they are connected to. Special T cells are responsible for this newly discovered relation. The human body contains 600 to 800 lymph nodes, which are specialised organs that trigger immune responses. To be informed about infections in the body, lymph nodes are connected to the individual organs via lymph vessels.

Completely unexpectedly, the enzyme ceramidase emerges as a new target structure for the therapy of SARS-CoV-2 infections. This is reported by Würzburg researchers in "Cells". Fluoxetine, a common antidepressant, inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in cell cultures and in preparations from human lung tissue.

Extracts from blueberries and blackcurrants prevent infection by measles and herpes viruses in cell cultures. Würzburg researchers were very surprised by this. For a long time, certain plant extracts and natural substances have been considered to strengthen the immune system or even promote healing in various diseases.

Neutrinos that reach our planet from the depths of the Universe originate from blazars. Astrophysicists have proven this for the first time. The Earth's atmosphere is continuously bombarded by cosmic rays. These consist of electrically charged particles of energies up to 10 20 electron volts. That is a million times more than the energy achieved in the world's most powerful particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider near Geneva.