Terrestrial isopods are gregarious invertebrates, aggregating in colonies. Aggregation reduces risk of predation and desiccation. Isopod aggregation and sheltering behavior have been observed under fluorescent and color-filtered light, but not under ultraviolet (UV) light. With UV levels on the rise, it is important to understand how soil ecosystems might be impacted by human-induced ozone depletion. We examined aggregation and sheltering behaviors of the terrestrial isopods Armadillidium vulgare and Armadillidium nasatum under fluorescent light and under fluorescent light with added UV light. Upon testing, each species was randomly assigned into groups of 10 individuals. Each group was released into a circular arena with a black disk in the middle of the lid which functioned to block light and served as a shelter. Sheltering and aggregation behaviors were recorded every 15 minutes for 45 minutes under the presence versus absence of increased UV light. There was no significant difference in the total number of sheltering events, but positive thigmotaxis (movement toward or away from a physical stimulus) may have influenced sheltering. However, there was a significant increase in the average number of aggregated individuals and the total number of aggregates in groups exposed to increased UV conditions, perhaps reflective of their desiccation avoidance behavior and negative phototaxis. Additionally, A. nasatum individuals were significantly more likely to form aggregates than A. vulgare when exposed to increased UV light conditions, perhaps because A. nasatum is less desiccation-resistant than A. vulgare.

The southeastern United States is experiencing rapid environmental changes associated with urbanization. An ongoing question is understanding how such rapid changes impact biodiversity. Insects are recognized as serving important roles as indicators of overall ecological health. Specifically, the diversity and presence of ants can serve as indicators of environmental quality due to their ubiquitous presence across many terrestrial environments and their key role in numerous ecosystem processes. The aim of this study is to measure changes in ant biodiversity across an urban gradient in a temperate habitat. Food baits were set out across nine locations representing various degrees of urbanization as measured by percent impervious surface. Results show the abundance of ants significantly increased with increasing urbanization, with more generalist species found in great abundance in highly urbanized areas. However, a significant difference in ant species diversity across the urban gradient was not detected. The findings are consistent with other urban studies that showed an increase in the abundance of generalist species in urban areas. As the southeast United States continue to undergo urbanization to meet the demands of a growing human population, it is important for developers and ecologists to consider ways in which urban design can facilitate biodiversity, as levels of biodiversity will ultimately impact urban ecosystem function and the subsequent health of all occupants.

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are common nematode parasites of dogs and cats, and are capable of causing a variety of pathologies in humans. Human toxocariasis is a ubiquitous and likely under-diagnosed public health concern across the globe. Examination of soils in numerous public spaces worldwide readily detect Toxocara eggs and serological studies indicate a substantial exposure to this parasitic roundworm in human populations. This study sought to determine whether genetic evidence of pathogenic Toxocara species could be found in soils from local public spaces in a Minnesota community. Total genomic DNA was purified from soil samples obtained from public parks and PCR was performed using primers specific to either T. canis or T. cati. Genetic evidence for both species of Toxocara was found in soils surveyed. T. canis was identified in five of 12 public spaces surveyed and T. cati was present in two of the same 12 public spaces. Although the infectious potential of the Toxocara identified was not determined, the presence of this parasite in locations amenable to transmission to humans indicates the need for proper veterinary care of domestic dogs and cats as well as a greater emphasis on public health education and actions to prevent human infection.

Biomaterial rejection has been a topic closely studied due to the development of implants and other medical devices. The goal of biomaterial research is to increase overall biocompatibility which refers to the ability of a biomaterial to work in harmony with surrounding cells. Biomaterial surface properties play an important role in biomaterial rejection which involves the attachment of proteins and cells. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) contains a certain level of hydrophobicity to deter cell adhesion while still maintaining the ability to chemically bind to surfaces. The hypothesis that PEG bound to polyurethane (PU) films can decrease THP-1 cell adhesion was tested. High molecular weight PEG was attached to the surfaces of polyurethane films via an evaporative method in three concentrations (1, 4, and 10%). THP-1 cells were seeded onto polyurethane films, incubated for 2 days, fixed, stained with DAPI, and imaged. An ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc testing showed statistical significance in the number of adhered cells between both 4%, 10% and the control. It was concluded that both 4% and 10% PEG-coated polyurethane films decreased THP-1 adhesion. This preliminary study supports the claim that PEG could be a useful bioinert material to prevent THP-1 macrophage cell adherence, an initial step in the rejection of biomaterials.

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health concern and given the current expansion of the distribution of invasive species of mosquitoes, active arboviral surveillance is necessary to inform public health applications. Metagenomics has been used as a molecular tool to detect and discover pathogens in arthropod vectors. We used the portable next-generation sequencing MinION from Oxford Nanopore Technologies to detect the West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in Oklahoma during the summer of 2019. Our sampling efforts resulted in 3,200 mosquitoes collected from four counties in Oklahoma. The species composition was diverse, with 19 species from five genera. Following species identification and pooling, total RNA was extracted, and samples were screened for mosquito-borne arbovirus by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) using primers targeting conserved regions of the flavivirus arboviral family. A DNA library was constructed with cDNA from samples tested positive for flavivirus and sequenced on single MinION R9.4 flow cells generating 3,190,000 reads. Base-calling was done using the built-in tool in the MinKnow ONT software that implements quality filtering (QC). A total of 2,494,315 reads were analyzed; and 83,016 reads were classified and 2,411,299 were unclassified using the cloud-based EPI2ME data analysis platform from ONT. MinION sequencing uncovered that the dominant superkingdoms were bacteria (51.1%), followed by eukaryote (42.9%), viruses (5.2%), and archaea (0.8%) with 354 reads mapping to the arboviral West Nile virus.