K-Staters in the news — July 2016
The top stories mentioning Kansas State University are posted below. Download an Excel file with all of this month's news stories.
Thursday, July 28, 2016
*KSU professor offers tips for password protection
7/27/16 KAKE
A Kansas State University associate professor said most password hijacking and data breach cases involve large data dumps. "They will just look through passwords to find the weaker ones," Eugene Vasserman of the KSU Computer Science Department said in a media release. "The weaker ones will fall within 48 hours."
The Tyranny of Film
7/27/16 Psychology Today
Lester C. Loschky, Ph.D., is an associate professor of psychological sciences at Kansas State University. His work is concerned with visual cognition and scene perception, from both a perceptual and a cognitive viewpoint, and its real world applications. His research emphases are on the relationships between eye movements, attention, and higher-level cognitive processes, with applications in human-computer interaction (HCI), computer-assisted instruction (CAI), and educational applications of better understanding the processes involved in visual narrative perception and comprehension.
A high-tech water farm: Finney County farmer embraces project to show its pluses
7/27/16 Kansas AgLand
It is just one of many efforts that state officials are embracing in an aggressive attempt to curb water depletion. Shortly after taking office, Gov. Sam Brownback charged Kansas water users and his staff to develop a plan to preserve and extend the state’s water resource. He cited a Kansas State University study that said if nothing changes, 70 percent of the Ogallala will be depleted by 2064.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Could the deadly mosquito-borne yellow fever virus cause a Zika-like epidemic in the Americas?
7/26/16 Medical Xpress
"As we have recently seen with West Nile, chikungunya, and Zika viruses, vector-borne and zoonotic diseasescontinue to be a significant and unpredictable threat to mankind," says Stephen Higgs, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief ofVector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, and Director, Biosecurity Research Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. "Despite studies of yellow fever that span over more than 100 years, we still lack critical understanding and resources to combat these diseases. The number of cases of yellow fever in several African countries continues to increase despite a major vaccination campaign. We are also seeing travel-related cases in the People's Republic of China. Elsewhere, yellow fever cases have been reported in Brazil, Chad, Colombia, Ghana, Guinea, and Peru."
Less water, same crop yield? Western Kansas farmers try new irrigation system
7/26/16 Kansas Health Institute
Jonathan Aguilar is a water resource engineer with the Kansas State University Extension Center in Garden City. Tests conducted there last year show the mobile drip system reduced evaporative losses by around 30 percent.
Christmas in July: Start Saving Now
7/26/16 Kansas Ag Connection
It's summer -- the season for cookouts, gardening, going to the pool -- and a tme to begin setting aside money for the holidays, said Kansas State University's Elizabeth Brunscheen-Cartagena.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
*Study finds climate, landscape changes may lead to more rabid skunks
7/25/16 Medical Xpress
While striped skunks already have a nose-worthy reputation for being avoided, new research at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine finds they carry a serious health threat for humans and animals: rabies.
DNA tests can enhance health in beef cattle
7/25/16 Progressive Cattleman
Robert Weaber, Kansas State University, has published estimates that improved feed efficiency would save the feeding industry $1 billion per year. That is a lot of new wealth that could be shared between the cow-calf and feedlot sectors.
*Kansas vet college partners with Tanzanian university
7/25/16 Veterinary Practice News
Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Sokoine University of Agriculture Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Morogoro, Tanzania, have established a twinning partnership through a program administered by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Monday, July 25, 2016
Virginia senator has deep roots in the Midwest
7/22/16 Miami Herald
His parents, Al and Kathleen Kaine, are native Kansans who met as students at Kansas State University.
Pet food market trends/Pet food industry
7/22/16 Pet Food Industry.com
In this video from Petfood Forum 2016, Greg Aldrich, research associate professor at Kansas State University, discusses the growing interest in novel proteins. He explains how novel proteins help pets with specific allergies to other proteins. However, the supply of novel proteins is often limited, which may make them more appropriate for smaller pet food companies.
Kansas leaders tackle aquifer conservation
7/22/16 Topeka Capital Journal
The ability to create Local Enhanced Management Areas, or LEMAs, was created by the Kansas Legislature in 2012, said Nathan Hendricks, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. LEMAs allow the groundwater management district, in this case GWD No. 4, to determine on a local level what water management to put in place.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
*At K-State, Zika researchers move ahead amid congressional gridlock
7/20/16 The Topeka Capital-Journal
As Congress remains deadlocked on bankrolling research into the Zika virus, a leading infectious disease expert at Kansas State University isn’t waiting for federal funds.
*Saturdays and friends are free at the Kroehler Family Y in July!
7/20/16 Naperville Patch
"People like to exercise with others and make it a social activity. We found that when you're performing with someone you perceive as a little better than you, you tend to give more effort than you normally would alone," says Brandon Irwin, assistant professor of kinesiology at Kansas State University
Blue Angels continue shows with five jets, announce 2017 line-up
7/19/16 Military Times
Navy Lt. Brandon Hempler, 32, an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet pilot from Training Squadron 22 at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas. The Wamego, Kansas, native graduated from Kansas State University in 2007.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Who’s the dog tending the university’s flock?
7/19/16 The Manhattan Mercury
There is a large dog at K-State’s Sheep and Meat Goat Center, 2117 Denison Ave., taking care of the animals.
Young civic leaders from Africa visit Capitol for Mandela Washington Fellowship program
7/18/16 Topeka Capital Journal The fellowship is hosted by Kansas State University’s Staley School of Leadership Studies, and is part of a national state department program known as the Young African Leaders Initiative.
What to look for when buying at farmer's markets
7/19/16 News Press now
“Farmers markets are a great place to shop and it’s a great opportunity to meet and support local farmers,” says Londa Nwadike, state extension food safety specialist for the University of Missouri and Kansas State University.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
*Scientists study effects of animal live streams on humans
7/18/16 Newsweek
Two Kansas State University researchers, Jeffrey Skibins and Ryan Sharp, have launched a multiyear study of a brown bear live cam at Katmai National Park in Alaska. "Ultimately we want to know how viewers are affected by seeing something online—not having an actual experience, but having the virtual experience of viewing animals in nature,” Skibins said in a statement. “Does it create a conservation behavior action within the viewer? Does it cause people to want to get involved in saving these animals?"
Demand driven sustainability
7/18/16 Drovers Cattle Network
“We have to be viable to be sustainable,” says Dan Thomson, DVM, Jones Professor of Production Medicine and Epidemiology at Kansas State University. He says sustainability involves five pillars: health and well-being of the cattle, food safety, environmental stewardship, cost of external inputs and income.
Sitting causes damage even exercise can't fix
7/18/16 City Living Seattle
One study found that sitting for six to eight hours significantly increases the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and certain forms of cancer. These findings are particularly relevant for office workers and people driving for a living, like taxi, bus and truck drivers, according to Dr. Richard R. Rosenkranz, a professor of nutrition science at Kansas State University and co-author of the study report.
Monday, July 18, 2016
*Veterinary Team Looks at Wild Amphibians as Possible Zoonotic Disease Hosts
7/15/16 Health News Digest
Three different laboratories at Kansas State University hopped on board for a study that looks at the potential role of amphibians as a host for the spread of infectious diseases.
*UAS emergency management course launched
7/15/16 AirMed & Rescue
Kansas State University and Kansas Wesleyan University are joining together to offer students two courses that will focus on the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in emergency management. The agreement between the two universities on 11 July means that those enrolled on Kansas State’s unmanned aircraft systems program will be able to enroll on Kansas Wesleyan’s emergency management program to gain a new minor, and vice versa.
*K-State veterinarian gives tips on minimizing rabies exposure after rabid cat found in Wabaunsee County
7/15/16 Topeka Capital Journal
Recently, a rabies-positive cat from Wabaunsee County was diagnosed with rabies, prompting the Kansas State University Veterinary Health Clinic to send out tips informing Kansans how to limit their exposure of the disease.
Blue Angels announce 2017 officers
7/15/16 WEAR-TV (Pensacola, Florida)
F/A-18 Demonstration Pilots: Navy Lt. Brandon Hempler, 32, of Wamego, Kansas, is an F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot currently assigned to Training Squadron TWO-TWO (VT-22), the “Golden Eagles,” at NAS Kingsville, Texas. He is a 2007 graduate of Kansas State University, Salina, Kansas.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Your Marriage May Need Financial Therapy
07/15/16 MSN
Dr. Kristy Archuleta, program director of personal financial planning at Kansas State University notes that if couples see any of the following warning signs amid their financial planning, they're likely in need of more help than they realize.
AffordableSchools.net Releases Its Affordability Ranking of Online Master's-Level Mathematics Education Degrees
07/14/16 Yahoo! Finance
The complete list of all 25 U.S. colleges and universities, in alphabetical order, comprises:
* Kansas State University (Manhattan, Kansas)
Drone czar? Kansas has named one of the nation’s first
07/14/16 Kansas City Star
That reputation largely stems from Kansas State University’s response to the 2007 tornado that devastated Greensburg, Kan. Initially committed to improving disaster response, the university created one of the first undergraduate programs in the country offering four-year degrees in UAS technology.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
The Real Reason You Shouldn’t Eat Cake Batter
7/13/16 The Huffington Post
“There is much more data currently available on the risk of contamination in fresh produce, as well as information on how to prevent contamination in fresh produce,” Londa Nwadike, an assistant professor of food safety and an extension food safety specialist at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University, told HuffPost in en email. “There are currently more education and outreach efforts all along the produce chain ... from farmers to transporters to processors, retailers, consumers” to prevent contamination in produce, she explained.
K-State researcher: The Zika risk is real for America's Olympians
7/13/16 WIBW
Researchers at K-State Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI) are on the front lines of finding a vaccine for the Zika Virus. It's top of mind right now for athletes dropping out of the Olympics in Brazil over health concerns.
K-State researcher receives NIH grant for vaccine development against E. coli
7/13/16 KAKE
A researcher with Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine will use a five-year, $2.1 million grant from the National Health Institutes of Health to work on a vaccine for E. coli-associated diarrhea for both humans and animals.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Emergency management and UAS minors offered to local college students
7/12/16 NewsOK
Thompson, along with K-State Polytechnic Dean and Chief Executive Officer Verna Fitzsimmons and staff members at both schools, announced a plan to jointly offer minor degrees in both emergency management and unmanned aircraft systems at their educational institutions.
Flicker of fireflies inspires beetle mania
7/12/16 The Wichita Eagle
"Insects are completely, 100 percent controlled by their environment," K-State entomologist Jeff Whitworth said, and that’s why, for example, you probably have seen more fireflies this summer.
Now In Season: Crimson Watermelon (Plus, A Chicken-Fried Watermelon Recipe!)
7/12/16 Food Republic
The Crimson Sweet is a cross between the Charleston Gray, Miles and Peacock watermelon varietals. It was bred and released in 1963 by Kansas State University horticulturist Charlie Hall.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Huntin' daylight — cost, cost, cost
7/11/16 Cattle Today
Since beef producers are price takers rather than price setters, profitability can be controlled best through cost management, says Dustin Pendell, Kansas State University (KSU) livestock economist. “When compared to the revenue differences, the differences in costs between operations were much larger,” explains Pendell and co-authors of the Analysis of 2010-2014 Kansas Farm Management Association (KFMA) Cow-Calf Enterprise.
Dr. Brian Lubbers offers advice to producers with VFD on the horizon
7/11/16 Oklahoma Farm Report
Brian Lubbers, D.V.M., Ph.D., Kansas State University Microbial Surveillance Lab director, recently spoke at The Samuel Roberts Noble Research Foundation during an open forum designed to shed light on the VFD for producers and industry stakeholders. Dr. Lubbers explained that the VFD came about over the last three to four years as part of a big picture strategy by the FDA in response to the antimicrobial resistance issue, particularly in humans, but extended to the role of animal agriculture as well.
Symposium to address postharvest opportunities and mechanization in Asia and Africa
7/11/16 College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences
The Appropriate Scale Mechanization Consortium was formed in the fall of 2015 in conjunction with a 4-year, $4.7 million project funded by the United States Agency for International Development as part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative. The group includes members from Illinois, Michigan State University, Kansas State University and North Carolina A&T State University. They are working to determine tools, technologies, and methods that best suit smallholder farmers in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.
Monday, July 11, 2016
*Kansas names first director of unmanned aircraft systems
7/9/16 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Bob Brock, a Pittsburg native and retired lieutenant colonel, has been selected by the Kansas Department of Transportation to be the state's first UAS director. He was introduced Tuesday at the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina.
Shawnee County Extension selling tax credits for entrepreneurship initiative
7/10/16 Topeka Capital Journal
The leadership team includes representatives from Washburn Small Business Development Center, Glacial Hills Resource Conservation and Development, Youth Entrepreneurs, K-State Research and Extension, and others.
Ema Klugman selected 2016 AHP Student Award winner
7/9/16 New Jersey.com
Klugman was one of three students who were selected as AHP Student Travel Award winners and received $750 cash awards to attend the seminar in Orlando. The other two finalists were Kaitie Marolf, a print journalism major who will graduate from Kansas State University in May 2017, and Bianca McCarty, who is studying photography at Colorado Mountain College. Both young women are talented in their fields. Marolf won the AHP Equine Media Award for Student Equine Journalism and McCarty's photographs have been published in multiple equine magazines and calendars.
Friday, July 8, 2016
07/08/16 BBC
Research suggests that these so-called micro-breaks are beneficial. In a 2014 study by researchers at Kansas State University in the US of 72 full-time employees from a variety of industries, those who spent one or two minutes during breaks in their day playing games such as Candy Crush on their phones reported being happier than their peers. Employees reported spending 22 minutes playing video games during an eight-hour workday.
* Here's how mosquitos spread the Zika virus
07/05/16 Washington Post
Stephen Higgs, director of Kansas State University's Biosecurity Research Institute, explains the anatomy of a mosquito.
* How do food manufacturers pick 'best by' dates?
07/06/16 CNN
Other appearances: Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, Business Insider, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Londa Nwadike is an assistant professor of food safety and an extension food safety specialist at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
*Char None! Healthy Options For High Heat Cooking
7/6/16 The Huffington Post
The type of marinade may matter: According to a study conducted at Kansas State University, herbed marinades with rosemary and thyme both boost your immune system and combat cancer-causing carcinogens in meat.
*K-State researchers take aim at Zika mosquitoes
7/6/16 Becker's Hospital Review
Researchers from Kansas State University's Biosecurity Research Institute in Manhattan are examining Zika-carrying mosquitoes and providing samples of the Zika virus to collaborative organizations for further study.
Kansas names first director of unmanned aircraft systems
7/6/16 KMBC
Brock will have offices in Topeka and at the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina.
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
7/5/16 The Washington Times
The Kansas Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State University has increased research on the virus in recent months, and the Shawnee County Health Agency has started an awareness campaign to deter any further spread.
Air Force veteran introduced as state's first UAS director
7/5/16 Salina Journal
The Pittsburg native and retired lieutenant colonel has been selected by the Kansas Department of Transportation to be the state's first UAS director. He was introduced Tuesday at the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina, which recently was ranked second in the nation among UAS-training colleges.
Summer heat, humidity may make trees dangerously heavy
7/5/16 KCTV 5
Dennis Patton, a horticulture agent for the Johnson County Extension of Kansas State University, says that the heat and humidity can cause even the healthiest of tree limbs to snap.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Wildfire in Kansas, Oklahoma called 'ecological cleansing'
7/4/16 San Francisco Gate
The red cedar infestation will come back quickly if the charred remains of the trees are allowed to stand, according to Walter Fick, associate professor in range management at Kansas State University. The trees also pose some wildlife issues, he said.
*Flags in infrared
7/4/16 Daily Kos
According to Prof. Barbara Gatewood of Kansas State University (quoted in an article from that university’s News and Communications Service), "early American flags were made from wool, cotton, linen or silk." The most interesting tidbit to me from the Kansas State article is this: "The most common method for assembling the American flag throughout history has been sewing pieces of dyed and undyed fabric together and then sewing or embroidering the stars onto the blue material."
DJI and Kansas State University partner to 'feed the world'
7/4/16 Sugar Producer
DJI, the world’s leading maker of unmanned aerial vehicles, Friday released “Feeding the World,” a video about the company’s partnership with Kansas State University to utilize drone technologies in precision agriculture, providing more sustainable practices and helping increase farm yields. “The population by 2050 is expected to reach 9 billion people here on earth,” said Ray Asebedo. assistant professor of precision agriculture at Kansas State University. “What that means for agriculture is that we’ve got to double production.”
Monday, July 4, 2016
Recommendations on keeping your pets calm during fireworks
7/3/16 KCTV
Susan Nelson, a clinical associate professor at Kansas State University, offers some helpful advice for all metro pet owners. “Keep the windows closed and curtains drawn so they’re not seeing the flashes,” Nelson said. She also says medical care is available. “Most of these are anti-anxiety medications,” Nelson said. “Some might need that with a smidge of sedative with it.”
Phenocart, plant health monitoring on wheels
7/3/16 Horti Biz
Walking around thousands of plots taking measurements is an extremely labor-intensive task, and human observation isn't always as precise as required. Enter the Phenocart. Developed by scientists at Kansas State University, it's essentially a set of sensors mounted on a bicycle wheel, which farmers can easily push around their crops. While it still means breeders need to walk the fields, the tool speeds up the process by scanning the plants and automatically collecting data, which is geotagged via GPS to allow the breeders to keep track of the location and status of plants over time.
Chow line: working in garden yields multiple benefits
7/3/16 The Ohio State University
Several studies show gardening improves physical functioning in older adults. And a 2009 Kansas State University study indicated that gardening can help seniors’ hands keep strong and nimble.
Friday, July 1, 2016
*Free Articles Provide Insight on the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus
06/28/16 Entomology Today
Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) and Mosquito-Borne Viruses in the United States
Dana L. Vanlandingham, Stephen Higgs, and Yan-Jang S. Huang
Journal of Medical Entomology (2015)
6 tips to grilling healthy meals
06/30/16 Health ENews
Marinate meats—Marinating your meats is not only tasty, it’s good for your health, too. According to a study conducted at Kansas State University, marinating your steak actually reduces the amount of carcinogenic compounds, chemicals formed when meat is charred, by up to 87 percent. Homemade marinades with spices like rosemary and thyme are easy and allow you to control the amount of sodium and sugar you’re getting. And these spices contain natural antioxidants, which boost your immune system and combat the cancer-causing carcinogens in the meat.
Researchers use genomics to predict bread quality
06/30/16 Big Apple Radio
A team of breeders and geneticists at Kansas State University and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, or CIMMYT, has come up with a new approach to determine if new varieties of bread wheat will have what it takes to make better bread.
