Illinois Featured Content

Three-spined stickleback male (left) inspects an intruder introduced to his territory inside a glass flask. Photos By: Julia Pollack and the Bell lab

Fish brains may provide insight into the molecular basis of decision-making

Nov 29, 2023 11:30 am

How do animals make decisions when faced with competing demands, and how have decision making processes evolved over time? This research points to neurological explanations.

C-sections in Mexico increase with obesity level and health care specialization

Nov 21, 2023 4:00 pm

'Our hypothesis was that hospitals with a higher pool of obese patients become specialized in C-sections, and therefore will be more likely to perform the procedure,' said study co-author Catalina Herrera-Almanza.

The SoyFACE research facility near Champaign, IL. The effects of elevated ozone on soybean, snap bean, maize, and C4 bioenergy grasses were investigated at this location. Credit: Jim Baltz

New study shows bioenergy feedstocks do well in elevated ozone

Nov 14, 2023 10:30 am

U of I researchers have studied the effects of elevated ozone on five C₃ crops (chickpea, rice, snap bean, soybean, wheat) and four C₄ crops (sorghum, maize, miscanthus, switchgrass), finding that C₄ crops are much more tolerant of high ozone levels.

Waterhemp, a tough weed for farmers to control, is often mistaken for pigweed

Single gene controls waterhemp's resistance to soil-applied herbicide

Nov 8, 2023 3:15 pm

Waterhemp has famously developed resistance to not one or two, but seven herbicide sites-of-action classes, nearly exhausting the chemical tools farmers can use to defend their livelihood.

The forecast for battery life: Clear with a 45% chance of degradation

Oct 27, 2023 1:15 pm

Rechargeable batteries have a lifespan of utility—losing their ability to hold a charge over time. As battery-powered aircraft are being developed for commuter flights in urban environments, the rate of degradation will be an important consideration.

Members of the DROPLETS team. Top row, from left: Lisa Olshansky, Paul Kenis, and Joaquín Rodríguez-López. Seated row, from left: Charles Schroeder and Qian Chen.

Microdroplets, macro results: Beckman researchers pursue Energy Earthshots

Oct 30, 2023 10:15 am

'If we do this right, we will lay out a foundation for our clean energy future,' said project lead Joaquín Rodríguez-López. 'And the foundation for that clean energy future is electrochemistry.'

The researchers “printed” their seed and nitrogen inputs in patches across seven cornfield sites in Illinois, then analyzed how those inputs related to yields. Graphic composed by Nicolas Martin using Bing AI image creator

Management zone maps of little use to corn growers, study finds

Oct 16, 2023 10:30 am

Contrary to common assumptions, crop-plot responses to the same inputs vary significantly from year to year. The most unpredictable factor – the weather – seemed to have the biggest impact on how the crops responded to these inputs.

Illinois-led team puts cows and microbes to work to reduce greenhouse gases

Oct 2, 2023 11:00 am

U of I researchers are leading a project to reduce methane production resulting from rumen fermentation in beef and dairy cattle. The 3-year, $3.2-million project is part of the Greener Cattle Initiative, led by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.

Female doctor comforting senior female patient in a hospital. Stock photo via Storyblocks

Women seeking credibility in health care feel ‘on trial’

Sep 27, 2023 4:00 pm

Women whose health problems have been dismissed in the past said they struggle when interacting with physicians who make them feel illegitimate as they pursue diagnoses and treatment.

YouTube did not actively direct users toward anti-vaccine content during COVID-19

Sep 15, 2023 11:15 am

New research led by data science experts at Illinois and United Nations Global Pulse found that there is no strong evidence that YouTube promoted anti-vaccine sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metabolic signatures differ for breast cancer patients

Sep 11, 2023 2:00 pm

Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer presents differing metabolic signatures in the blood of African American women and non-Hispanic white women.

Margo, 7, takes part in a IKIDS screening session with graduate student researcher Cai Zhang. Photo by Fred Zwicky

IKIDS research secures NIH funding through 2030

Sep 5, 2023 9:15 am

IKIDS is part of a national initiative to study five areas of child health. IKIDS focuses on the pre-, peri- and postnatal period; neurodevelopment; and contributes to studies of obesity, respiratory health and well-being.

principal investigator Professor Zan Luthey-Schulten and co-PI Martin Gruebele will lead the new NSF Science and Technology Center for Quantitative Cell Biology

Bringing cells to life … and to Minecraft: $30 million NSF grant to support whole-cell modeling

Sep 7, 2023 11:00 am

With cutting-edge imaging and simulation tools, the center will study healthy and diseased cells; accelerate research into gene expression, metabolism, and division; and share science with communities of all ages through a partnership with the popular computer game Minecraft.

New grant to optimize gut microbes, boost health benefits of broccoli

Sep 1, 2023 11:00 am

U of I researchers plan to identify which microbes maximize the benefits of broccoli and other brassica vegetables, which could lead to the development probiotics to help level the playing field for people with lower-efficiency microbial communities.

Allen W. Barton, a professor of human development and family studies and an Extension specialist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Families with a team mindset strengthened their bonds during COVID-19 pandemic

Aug 25, 2023 3:00 pm

Families that perceived themselves as members of a team working for their collective benefit were more likely to improve their family's well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, U. of I. professor Allen W. Barton found in a new study.

“Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate),” Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

GABA receptors in brain could be targets to treat depression, its cognitive symptoms

Aug 3, 2023 10:30 am

Treatments modulating the neurotransmitter GABA and its main receptors in the brain could help address both the affective and cognitive symptoms associated with depression, such as those Vincent Van Gogh is suspected to have suffered.

trays of black, red and pinto beans, along with the ground bean seed coats that were used for testing

Unique Mexican black and pinto bean varieties high in healthy compounds

Jul 28, 2023 9:45 am

'These phenolic compounds have the capability of keeping oxidation and inflammation under control, which could help decrease the risk of chronic health issues such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes,' says Professor Elvira de Mejia.

Study author Kelly Swanson. Photo by Brian Stauffer

Insect protein slows weight gain, boosts health status in obese mice

Jul 26, 2023 11:45 am

The mice didn't lose weight, 'they just slowed their gain with the mealworms,' says researcher Kelly Swanson. But, 'their LDL, so-called "bad cholesterol," went down and the HDL, "good cholesterol," went up.'

recent medical device recalls include hernia mesh, shown in a stock photo by Doctoroftcm via Wikimedia Commons

Paper: CEO stock ownership often delays medical device recall timing

Jul 11, 2023 9:15 am

'Firms with CEOs who own greater amounts of company stock may, intentionally or unintentionally, allow dangerous medical devices to linger in the market. It’s an enormous public health risk, and such examples of recall delays are all too common...'

Displays controlled by flexible fins and liquid droplets more versatile, efficient than LED screens

Jul 3, 2023 10:30 am

U. of I. engineers have developed a new breed of display screens that use flexible fins, varying temperatures and liquid droplets that can be arranged in various orientations to create images.

Air pollution via wildfire smoke takes toll on labor markets

Jun 27, 2023 11:30 am

A new paper analyzes how air pollution via the effects of drifting wildfire smoke impacts the U.S. labor market.

U. of I. plant biology professor James O’Dwyer, pictured, and graduate student Kenneth Jops developed a method for predicting whether pairs or groups of plants are likely to persist together in a habitat over time. Photo by Michelle Hassel

Team finds reliable predictor of plant species persistence and coexistence

Jun 8, 2023 9:00 am

U of I researchers have developed a method for determining whether pairs or groups of plant species are likely to coexist over time. Their approach reliably predicts which plants manage to thrive in a shared habitat.

Digital age creates challenges for public libraries in providing patron privacy

May 31, 2023 12:15 pm

'In today's digital age, the responsibility to safeguard patron privacy becomes notably more challenging, and respondents expressed concerns about libraries lacking the necessary tools, budget, and expertise to fulfill this mandate.'

Emily Mendelson, a graduate student in communication at the University of Illinois. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Viral videos about private moments may affect offline relationships

May 18, 2023 2:30 pm

Posting videos about intimate relationships to social media platforms may affect offline relationships, according to a case study of the viral 'couch guy' TikTok video by Emily Mendelson, a graduate student at the U of I.

study author Tanjila Jesmin with Richard Mulvaney, professor in NRES

Poor soils lose carbon regardless of crop residue and nitrogen inputs

May 15, 2023 11:45 am

Many farmers think if they add plenty of nitrogen fertilizer, that nitrogen and carbon will be stored in the soil as organic matter when microbes decompose crop residue. New U of I research suggests those efforts might not work for poor soils.

Jennifer Delaney, a professor of education policy, organization and leadership at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and other experts examine the wide-ranging implications of unpredictable state appropriations in the new book, “Volatility in State Spending for Higher Education.” Photo by Fred Zwicky

Book examines the effects of volatility in state funding for higher education

May 8, 2023 9:00 am

'Currently, higher education is still benefitting from COVID-19 relief funding, and when that dries up, many states will face a financial cliff for higher education,' says education professor Jennifer Delaney.

graphic by NIH Image Gallery shows microbiome of the human gut

How diet quality affects the gut microbiota to promote health

May 8, 2023 11:45 am

'Currently, there is no definition of a "healthy" microbiome. Understanding how diet may influence the structure of the gut microbiota is important so we can make recommendations on dietary approaches,' says doctoral student Alexis Baldeon.

Rice fields in Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India. Photo By: Flickr (Kees vD)

Understanding the long-term impact of climate change on Indian crops

Apr 24, 2023 10:15 am

'In the past we did a similar study in the US and now we're doing it for India. ...the results of this study are telling us that in both countries, although there is a negative impact of climate, crops are adapting,' Professor Madhu Khanna said.

researchers Christopher Zwilling, Tanveer Talukdar and Aron Barbey. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Study links nutrients, brain structure, cognition in healthy aging

Apr 25, 2023 9:00 am

U of I study finds that blood markers of two saturated fatty acids along with certain omega-6, -7 and -9 fatty acids correlated with better scores on tests of memory and with larger brain structures in the frontal, temporal, parietal and insular cortices.

Book describes how Hong Kong media waged Asia's cultural cold war

Apr 6, 2023 2:30 pm

Illinois history professor Po-Shek Fu wrote about how Hong Kong media was used in a cultural cold war in Asia and the effects it had on the political and cultural environments in Hong Kong.

Hope for salamanders? Illinois study recalibrates climate change effects

Mar 31, 2023 1:30 pm

'Older estimates were predicting almost 100% of the suitable habitat being wiped out for some of these species. But once we incorporated microclimate data at fine spatial scales for our study area, we found it might not be nearly that severe.'

Chang Liu working in Chen’s liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy laboratory. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Researchers reveal first real-time look at nanoparticles forming solid materials

Mar 30, 2023 10:15 am

Particles can be seen raining down, tumbling along stairsteps and sliding around before finally snapping into place to form a crystal’s signature stacked layers.

U of I study gives a thumbs up to carefully formulated vegan diets for dogs

Mar 27, 2023 9:00 am

Triglycerides, cholesterol were significantly lower in dogs fed these vegan diets. Professor Kelly Swanson says that could benefit obese pets and help maintain a healthy weight. 'Overall, it looked like there were some beneficial shifts from a gut health perspective.'

Illinois researchers including professor Diwakar Shukla, left, professor Xiao Su, Anaira Román Santiago and Song Yin collaborated on a study that verifies that electrochemistry – rather than filtration and harmful solvents – can remove short-chain PFAS from the environment and municipal water supplies. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Advanced electrode to help remediation of stubborn new 'forever chemicals'

Mar 27, 2023 3:00 pm

Study uses electrosorption rather than filters and solvents and combines synthesis, separations testing and computer simulations to help design an electrode that can attract, capture a range of short-chain PFAS from environmental waters.

Illinois professors, from left, Jodi Flaws, Megan Mahoney and Rebecca Smith found that nocturnal hot flashes can serve as a predictor of insomnia in menopausal women.

Study models the causes of insomnia in menopausal women

Mar 14, 2023 8:15 am

'Surprisingly, we did not find that hormone levels can predict sleep disruption. We did, however, find that women who have hot flashes at night also have insomnia. (And) women who had insomnia in the fourth year also had it in the first year.'

Black and Latina women reported high rates of depressive symptoms and anxiety early in the pandemic, according to an online survey conducted by kinesiology and community health professor Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo and graduate student Mary Ellen Mendy. Photo by Fred Zwicky.

Study examines COVID-19 pandemic's effect on Black, Latina women's mental health

Feb 27, 2023 10:45 am

Black and Latina women reported high rates of depression and anxiety symptoms early in the COVID-19 pandemic. But U of I researchers found that prayer as a coping mechanism had differing effects.

Ryan Cordell, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor of information sciences and of English. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Project tracks how stories of racial violence spread, were reported

Feb 15, 2023 8:30 am

Professor Ryan Cordell is leading a project to examine how stories of racial violence circulated in late 19th century and early 20th century newspapers and how those stories relate to trends in contemporary social media.

$Classical chaos – or the butterfly effect – produces fractal patterns like the one shown. Classical chaos’s cousin – quantum information scrambling – encompasses even more exotic mechanisms such as quasiparticles hopping between molecules, which can dissipate energy. Stock image via Storyblocks$

Theory sorts order from chaos in complex quantum systems

Feb 24, 2023 9:45 am

The theory gives a simple prediction for the threshold at which large quantum systems switch from orderly motion like a clock to random, erratic motion like asteroids moving around in the early solar system.

Deer drinking from pond. Stock photo via Pixabay

Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences

Feb 23, 2023 11:15 am

'This is the first time this gene has been sequenced completely in white-tailed deer. ...without the sequences, there's no starting point to do any kind of research,' says Animal Sciences Professor Alfred Roca.

Graphic by Michael B. Vincent shows pills, syringe, ambulance and crystal meth

Study finds 'staggering increase' in methamphetamine deaths tied to opioid co-use

Feb 20, 2023 9:30 am

A new study led by U of I professor Rachel Hoopsick finds a fiftyfold increase in methamphetamine deaths since 1999 may be the deadly result of the contamination or co-use of meth with opioids like heroin and fentanyl.

How US cotton exports are shifting in response to competition, trade policy

Feb 13, 2023 4:45 pm

Growing competition from Brazil and the effects of recent trade policies are shifting global market trends for cotton. A U of I study investigates how U.S. cotton exports are impacted by these patterns.

Professor Ning Wang, front right, is joined by researchers, from left, Fazlur Rashid, Kshitij Amar and Parth Bhala. Photo by Fred Zwicky

Probe can measure both cell stiffness and traction, researchers report

Jan 25, 2023 2:15 pm

The 'magnetic microrobot' probes gave precise information about both tissue stiffness and traction, revealing for the first time that while malignant tumors may become stiffer in response to surrounding tissues, cancer cells do not alter their tractions.

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