Updates in Coccidioidomycosis.

Coccidioidomycosis is the clinical disease caused by the dimorphic pathogenic fungi Coccidioides immitis and C posadasii. The number of clinically recognized coccidioidomycosis cases continues to increase yearly including in regions outside the traditional regions of endemicity. Following inhalation of Coccidioides spores, the course may range from asymptomatic exposure with resultant immunity, to a subacute pulmonary illness, to life-threatening disseminated infection.

Histological Validation of Multi-Echo Gradient Echo (MGRE)-Derived Myelin Water Fraction (MWF) at 9.4 T and the Influence of Orientation on Quantification.

Myelin is essential in the nervous system of mammals. As the location and degree of myelin loss can reflect varied pathophysiological status, noninvasive measurement of myelin is of high importance. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique of myelin water fraction (MWF) derived from multi-echo gradient echo (MGRE) sequence is a promising tool for the quantification of myelin content due to the low specific absorption rate (SAR) compared with the spin-echo sequence, time efficiency, and wide availability.

Development of a novel patient-reported outcome measure for disseminated coccidioidomycosis (valley fever).

Background: Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) is a dimorphic fungal infection endemic to the southwest United States, Mexico, Central and South America, which can lead to chronic debilitating illness and death.

Objectives: This qualitative study was conducted to develop a bespoke patient-reported outcome measure for patients with chronic disseminated coccidioidomycosis to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impacts.

Patients And Methods: Online, first-person narratives of patient experiences of disseminated coccidioidomycosis were used to create a patient-centred conceptual model of symptoms and impacts of the condition.

A Parallel Process of Staff-Family Distress in Long-Term Care: A Challenge to Collaboration.

Introduction: Supporting persons living with advanced dementia in long-term care (LTC) homes requires strong collaborative partnerships between staff, family members, and residents. Yet, relational tensions-such as differing expectations around care decisions-can inhibit the implementation of collaborative partnerships at this critical point in the trajectory of care.

Objective: This study aims to explore the emotional experiences of families and staff during shared decision-making processes for individuals with advanced dementia in LTC.

How I Do It: Managing Cavitary Coccidioidomycosis Expert Opinions for Improving Patient Outcomes.

Coccidioidomycosis (CM), caused by the dimorphic fungi Coccidioides immitis (C. immitis) and C. posadasii, is recognized as an increasing threat both nationally and worldwide.