Consequences of "zombie-making" and generalist fungal pathogens on carpenter ant microbiota.

The bacterial microbiome of the ant has been well characterized across body regions and maturation levels. However, potential effects of entomopathogens on the gut microbiome, and the fungal communities therein, are yet to be assessed. Additionally, the mycobiome remains often overlooked despite playing a vital role in gut ecology with potential implications for health and infection outcomes.

Development and alpha-testing of a patient decision aid for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia regarding dose reduction.

Background: Dose reduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is an option for some chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients to minimize side effects while maintaining efficacy. Shared decision-making (SDM) and patient decision aids (PDAs) are advocated to make informed choices such as reducing the dose of TKIs. This paper describes the development and alpha-testing of a PDA for patients with CML receiving TKI dose reduction.

Invasion of the four kingdoms: the parasite journey across plant and non-plant hosts.

Parasites have a rich and long natural history among biological entities, and it has been suggested that parasites are one of the most significant factors in the evolution of their hosts. However, it has been emphasized less frequently how co-evolution has undoubtedly also shaped the paths of parasites. It may seem safe to assume that specific differences among the array of potential hosts for particular parasites have restricted and diversified their evolutionary pathways and strategies for survival.

Environmental Outcomes of Reducing Medication Waste by Redispensing Unused Oral Anticancer Drugs.

Importance: Medications are associated with substantial environmental outcomes, yet frequently end up being unused by patients. Waste-minimizing interventions, such as redispensing of quality-approved oral anticancer drugs remaining unused by patients at home, could reduce the environmental footprint of cancer treatment.

Objectives: To assess the environmental outcomes of redispensing quality-assured oral anticancer drugs and to explore how redispensing could be environmentally optimized.