Publications by authors named "Megan Mooney"

Together with increasing environmental and anthropogenic pressures, pathogenic diseases are one of the important factors contributing to the ongoing decline of seagrass meadows worldwide; yet the diversity and ecology of the microorganisms acknowledged as seagrass parasites remain critically understudied. Here, we investigate phytomyxid parasites (Rhizaria: Endomyxa: Phytomyxea) of three different eelgrass (Zostera spp.) species found in the Northern hemisphere.

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Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare primary neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract, accounting for 1% to 2% of all gastrointestinal neoplasms worldwide. GISTs are frequently discovered incidentally during workup for other diagnosis or intestinal obstruction, as they can present with few or no symptoms. Simultaneously, GISTs confer a high degree of malignant transformation, with a progression in about 10% to 30% of cases.

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Article Synopsis
  • Traditional rehabilitation for basal joint arthroplasty typically involves extended postoperative immobilization, but this study investigates whether early motion could yield similar outcomes.
  • Patients were assigned to two groups: one with early motion in a removable splint and the other with prolonged immobilization.
  • Results showed that while the accelerated group had better DASH scores at 6 weeks, both groups were similar by 12 weeks, indicating early mobilization might not negatively affect long-term recovery.
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Introduction: Recent literature has associated pseudarthrosis and pedicle screw loosening with subchronic infection at the pedicle of the vertebra. The positive culture results of a previous retrieval analysis show that such patients have a high frequency of bacterial contamination. The objective of this study is to visually capture the architecture of these undiagnosed infections, which have been described in other studies as biofilms on supposedly "aseptic" screw loosening.

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Introduction: Morel-Lavallée lesions (MLLs) are a post-traumatic degloving injury which the superficial fascia and skin are separated from the deep fascia through shearing forces. This process leads to the development of a potential space in which blood products and necrotic material can collect, potentially resulting in abscesses, cellulitis, or osteomyelitis. Most of these cases occur at the greater trochanter, gluteal musculature, proximal femur, and around the knee.

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Introduction: Ganglion cysts represent the most common benign soft-tissue masses of the hand and wrist, most are treated nonoperatively, with relatively few local recurrences. Few studies have identified risk factors for recurrence in the pediatric population. The aim of this study is to identify risks of cyst recurrence and to establish if ultrasonographic imaging aids in the prediction of recurrence.

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Intraoperative fluoroscopy has facilitated improvements in surgical procedures across various subspecialties but has resulted in increased radiation exposure to the patient and surgeon. The results of a survey administered to 447 orthopedic surgeons and radiological technologists show that there is no standard universal c-arm language, that significant confusion and miscommunication exists between surgeons and technologists because of this, that unnecessary radiation exposure occurs as a direct consequence of this miscommunication, and that the vast majority of respondents would accept a standardized language similar to the one proposed in this study. This could potentially lead to less miscommunication and radiation exposure.

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Aim: To define a ten-step protocol that reduced the incidence of surgical site infection in the spine surgery practice of the senior author and evaluate the support for each step based on current literature.

Methods: In response to unexplained increased infection rates at our institution following spine surgery, a ten-step protocol was implemented: (1) preoperative glycemic management based on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c); (2) skin site preoperative preparation with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate disposable cloths; (3) limit operating room traffic; (4) cut the number of personnel in the room to the minimum required; (5) absolutely no flash sterilization of equipment; (6) double-gloving with frequent changing of outer gloves; (7) local application of vancomycin powder; (8) re-dosing antibiotic every 4 h for prolonged procedures and extending postoperative coverage to 72 h for high-risk patients; (9) irrigation of subcutaneous tissue with diluted povidone-iodine solution after deep fascial closure; and (10) use of DuraPrep skin preparation at the end of a case before skin closure. Through an extensive literature review, the current data available for each of the ten steps was evaluated.

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Unlabelled: Osteomyelitis in children commonly affects long bones such as the femur, tibia, and humerus. There have been relatively few documented studies of osteomyelitis at unusual locations, such as the calcaneus. The objective of this study is to systematically review information on the diagnostic and treatment methods of calcaneal osteomyelitis as well as associated complications.

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The National Association of Social Workers developed practice standards for social workers using technology in their practice. These standards were derived from the foundation of the social work code of ethics and are helpful as social workers explore the use of new tools for the benefit of their clients. Hospice caregivers, both active and bereaved, are in great need of support but are often unable to attend traditional support groups.

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Objective: Although hospice agencies are required to provide informal caregivers (family or friends of the patient) with formal bereavement support when their loved one passes, most bereavement interventions lack standardization and remain untested. We employed the Dual Processing Model of Bereavement as a theoretical framework for assessing the potential of a secret Facebook group for bereaved hospice caregivers.

Method: A mixed-methods approach was utilized to analyze online communication (posts and comments) in the secret Facebook group, and self-reported outcome measures on depression and anxiety were compared pre- and post-intervention.

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Terminal illness affects the entire family, both the one with the illness and their loved ones. These loved ones must deal not only with the loss but with the challenges of managing daily care. The purpose of the systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature was to identify and explore depression and related interventions for caregivers of hospice patients.

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Objective: We tested the hypothesis that older adults are more likely than younger adults to consider their current mental health status when estimating their own recovery from psychiatric illness because many older people were first hospitalized for psychiatric illness prior to the emergence of the recovery movement in the 1990s, before recovery was redefined to include life improvements other than symptom alleviation.

Method: Seventy-one members of a rehabilitation program (age 23 to 69; M = 49) were asked to rate satisfaction with their own recovery and with their current mental and physical health. The study hypothesis was tested in two hierarchical regression analyses that examined variation in the correlation between mental health and recovery self-ratings first by age and then by year of first hospitalization.

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Due to a flaw in the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification coding system, epidemiology of skin and soft-tissue infections (SSTIs) has conflated abscess with other SSTIs. We analyzed emergency department visits during 1997-2007, finding that the odds of abscess relative to any other diagnosis increased 11% per year, or 3.1-fold, whereas other SSTIs increased minimally.

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This study examined the reliability and validity of the DSM-IV Major Depressive Episode (MDE) symptoms in a sample of outpatients based on clinician ratings of assessment interviews, videotape of these interviews, and chart information. A group of 44 patients admitted to a university based outpatient community clinic were rated by trained clinicians on the nine MDE symptom criteria (A1-A9). Patients also completed a self-report measure of depressive symptomatology.

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This study investigates the effectiveness of short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) for depression in a naturalistic setting utilizing a hybrid effectiveness/efficacy treatment research model. Twenty-one patients were assessed pre- and post-treatment through clinician ratings and patient self-report on scales representing specific DSM-IV depressive, global symptomatology, relational, social, and occupational functioning. Treatment credibility, fidelity, and satisfaction were examined, all of which were found to be high.

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