July 2, 2003

URBANA -- Two Asian countries may have growing wild in their pastures and on their mountainsides the secrets to preventing numerous human diseases. Uzbekistan and its neighbor, Kyrgyzstan, which together, are about the size of California and South Dakota, are teeming with wild flowers and plants that have been curing ailments for centuries, but without formal scientific testing and the quality control needed to distribute them to the rest of the world.

July 1, 2003

URBANA—The markets viewed two recent USDA reports as negative for corn and soybean prices, especially with current prospects for higher yields in 2003, said a University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.

“The spring wheat acreage estimate, along with better export demand, provided some temporary support to the wheat market,” said Darrel Good.

Good’s comments came as he reviewed the USDA’s June 1 Grain Stocks and June 30 Acreage reports.

Monkeypox, a virus hailing from the rainforests of central and west Africa, recently crossed the Atlantic and appeared for the first time in the Western Hemisphere, infecting prairie dogs and people primarily in Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana. Pet owners and veterinarians became infected after handling prairie dogs that had been in close contact with Gambian giant rats—believed to be the source of the outbreak—at an exotic pet distributor in Illinois.

June 30, 2003

URBANA -- Are animal lovers always nature lovers? Environmental psychologist and University of Illinois professor Joanne Vining has hypothesized that people’s affection for animals may have something to do with how they care about the environment.

Psychologists have done numerous studies on humans and their attachment to animals and/or their pets as well as numerous studies on people’s concern for nature and the environment. Vining is the first to test these factors empirically to see if they influence each other.

URBANA, Ill. — University of Illinois Extension, in collaboration with other institutions and partners, has published a research article on the benefits of Abriendo Caminos, a family-based intervention program that aims to reduce obesity among Hispanic children.

June 26, 2003

Urbana - More than 160 odorous compounds have been identified in dairy, beef, swine and poultry manure, according to Ted Funk, University of Illinois Extension specialist in environmental engineering.

June 25, 2003

URBANA - Incidents of deadly bacteria found in meat and poultry have raised public health concerns. And although irradiating the meat would greatly reduce outbreaks of E.coli and Salmonella, fear of the food becoming radioactive has prevented the process from becoming widely accepted in the United States.

Irradiation was approved for use on certain foods by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the early 1960s. Not only does it decrease bacteria in foods, it also reduces spoilage and delays ripening so produce can stay fresh longer.

June 24, 2003

URBANA--When it comes to beef, shoppers want low prices, little visible fat and good color and cuts at the store. At the table, though, they want tenderness, flavor and juiciness. A new study based on taste testing of 103 consumers also says that beef enhanced with a sodium and phosphate solution pass the dinner-table quality test.

June 24, 2003

URBANA—Developments in other areas of the world, in addition to the United States, will be potentially important for the demand for U.S. corn and soybean crops as current forecasts suggest reasonable chances for at least trend-line corn and soybean yields this year, said a University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.

Fleas are tiny wingless critters that annoy pets and disgust owners. Most pet owners will battle fleas or the allergic response fleas can cause. Flea allergy dermatitis—an inflammation and irritation of the skin—is the most common skin allergy in dogs and cats.