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Miscanthus, a biofuels crop, can host western corn rootworm
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The western corn rootworm beetle, a pest that feasts on corn roots and corn silk and costs growers more than $1 billion annually in the U.S., also can survive on the perennial grass Miscanthus x giganteus, a potential biofuels crop that would likely be grown alongside corn, researchers report. Rootworm beetle larvae […]
Mastery of physical goals lessens disease-related depression and fatigue
CHAMPAIGN, lll. – Physical activity is known to reduce depression and fatigue in people struggling with chronic illness. A new study indicates that this effect may stem from an individual’s sense of mastery over – or belief in his or her ability to achieve – certain physical goals. The study appears in the journal Psychosomatic […]
What are the implications for agriculture under a proposed climate bill?
Congress is considering a climate bill that would set the nation’s first-ever mandatory limits on heat-trapping gases in an effort to curb global warming. Agricultural economist Madhu Khanna, an expert on environmental policy, discusses the potential consequences for the nation’s farmers in an interview with News Bureau Business & Law Editor Jan Dennis. What are […]
Does the recent peanut scare indicate a need for stricter guidelines?
Peanuts have been much in the news lately because of illnesses and even deaths traced to contaminated peanut products from a plant in Georgia. Robin Orr, the director of programming for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program as well as the Family Nutrition Program at the University of Illinois, discussed food safety in general, […]
E-Learning can have positive effect on classroom learning, scholar says
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Traditional classroom teaching in higher education could learn a thing or two from online teaching, otherwise known as e-learning, according to a University of Illinois professor who studies computer-mediated communication, information exchange and the Internet. Caroline Haythornthwaite, a professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, says that the value […]
Gallery offers first comprehensive U.S. look at Japanese architect’s work
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The first comprehensive U.S. exhibition of the work of Japanese architect Kengo Kuma will be exhibited Oct. 10 through Nov. 15 at I space, the Chicago gallery of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Material Immaterial: The Architecture of Kengo Kuma” will feature photographic displays, full-scale artifacts, a multimedia presentation and a […]
As more corn is used for ethanol, how will we make up for lost food production?
Media reports on two studies published in the journal Science in February indicated that biofuels being produced today could actually contribute to an increase – rather than a decrease – in global greenhouse-gas emissions. Other experts are concerned about long-range social and economic consequences that may result when farmers shift from production of crops for […]
Tomato-broccoli together shown to be effective against prostate cancer
A new UI study shows that tomatoes and broccoli – two vegetables known for their cancer-fighting qualities – are better at shrinking prostate tumors when both are part of the daily diet than when they’re eaten alone. “When tomatoes and broccoli are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it’s because different bioactive […]
Chickens may help aid in early detection of ovarian cancer
Understanding and treatment of human ovarian cancer, known as the silent killer, may be a step closer thanks to some chickens at the UI. Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in women and unlike other cancers, its rate of mortality has not been reduced. “That’s because ovarian cancer is usually not […]
Research grant will help assessment of prairie seed banks
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois Natural History Survey has received a grant from the Conservation 2000 Program to assess seed banks at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Will County. According to principal investigator Brenda Molano-Flores, who is an adjunct professor of plant biology and of entomology at the University of Illinois and a researcher […]
Researchers study role of natural organic matter in environment
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The decomposition of plant, animal and microbial material in soil and water produces a variety of complex organic molecules, collectively called natural organic matter. These compounds play many important roles in the environment. By studying the molecular mechanisms responsible for the complex behavior of natural organic matter, researchers at the University of […]
Watching, planning key to avoiding soybean rust in Illinois
Soybean rust has been detected in three Southern Illinois counties: Massac, Pope and White. Samples from adjacent counties are being incubated for diagnosis. The finding of soybean rust was not unexpected, because Kentucky recently reported soybean rust in eight counties adjacent to Southern Illinois. Since 1992, Dr. Suzanne Bissonnette has been an Integrated Pest Management […]