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E-Cigarettes vs. Traditional Cigarettes: Assessing Potential Links to Gum Disease and Oral Cancer
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Comparing temporal patterns of horseshoe crab parasite loads in Long Island Sound from 2021-2023
Get PDF1.1 The American Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) is an important species in the ecosystem on the Eastern coast of the United States. Horseshoe crabs in high densities serve as a foundational species, increasing local biodiversity by providing food to many other organisms. The population of horseshoe crabs in the Long Island Sound has been declining in recent decades due to overharvesting, pollution, and loss of shoreline habitat. Additionally, horseshoe crabs are susceptible to gill parasites such as the limulus leech (Bdelloura candida). Horseshoe crabs were studied between 2021 and 2023 along the Connecticut (CT) coast to determine what factors influence parasite loads over time and if parasites could be impacting the population overall. Gills were ranked based on percent covered in parasite eggs as well as the presence of adult parasites on a scale of 0-4. In addition to parasite load, sex, size and nesting beach were also recorded for each crab. The data are pending further analysis, but preliminary results indicate that larger crabs have more parasites. Limulus observed in 2023 seemed to have higher parasite loads compared to crabs observed in 2021. This data has meaningful implications for horseshoe crab conservation and management in CT
The Role of Public Relations and Media in Shaping Public Perception of Prohibition
No full textThis essay examines how the 1920s\u27 emergence of consumer culture and the influence of advertising shaped the cultural myths of the time by influencing both the support for and opposition to Prohibition. Through this essay I explored the significant influence that propaganda had in shaping public opinion about Prohibition and how that opinion still shapes how we view the Roaring Twenties. I wanted to focus on a topic that combined both of my majors - History and Strategic Communications, PR, and Advertising - together into one over archiving narrative. This paper aims to expose the intricacies of Prohibition, which were frequently simplified in popular depictions, by examining the relationship between government propaganda, consumer culture, and media representations. This essay explores how myths about Prohibition, such as speakeasies and flappers, were influenced by advertising and how this affected public opinion and opposition to the law.
I discovered that advertisements and media representations actively shaped the narratives surrounding Prohibition rather than just reflecting the social environment. A complex environment that both supported and opposed the law was produced by the entertainment industry\u27s glamorization of illegal drinking and the temperance movement\u27s use of propaganda. This research made me aware of how profoundly the media\u27s portrayal of the 1920s has influenced historical memory, creating a romanticized image of the time period that frequently obscures the difficulties in implementing Prohibition. This paper includes a better understanding of how myths are created and how they influence public policy discussions by examining these historical and cultural changes
Reducing the Use of Opioids in Post-Operative Pain Management: A Pilot Patient Education Quality Improvement Project
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The opioid crisis highlights the urgent need for safer postoperative pain management. Many patients lack knowledge about proper opioid use, associated risks, and alternative options, increasing the risk of misuse. This pilot quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the impact of preoperative patient education on opioid knowledge and use at a high-volume orthopedic practice in the Northeast.
Project Goals
The primary goals were to assess the feasibility of implementing a full-scale quality improvement initiative, reduce postoperative opioid use, and enhance patient understanding of opioid therapy, including safe use and alternative pain management strategies.
Methods
Using the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice, five patients completed a preoperative survey assessing opioid knowledge and prior use. Participants received a pamphlet and video covering opioid safety, risks, non-opioid and non-pharmacologic options, and proper disposal. A follow-up postoperative survey evaluated changes in knowledge, opioid use, and satisfaction with pain control.
Results
Preoperative data revealed limited understanding of opioid safety. Postoperatively, 60% (n=3) reported learning new information and stated that the education provided influenced their use of prescribed opioids. Just two participants used opioids after surgery, and none completed their prescriptions. Additionally, 40% (n=2) reported using non-opioid alternatives, and no participants experienced uncontrolled postoperative pain.
Conclusion
This pilot demonstrates the feasibility of integrating opioid education into preoperative care. The intervention improved knowledge and reduced opioid reliance without compromising pain control, supporting the need for broader implementation in surgical settings
Expediting Toxicological Evidence Collection in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Report of Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA): A Quality Improvement Project
No full textTitle: Expediting Toxicological Evidence Collection in Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault: A Quality Improvement Project
Background/Significance: Drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) involves substance use to incapacitate victims, with rapid drug metabolism necessitating prompt evidence collection. Delays in blood collection reduce toxicology detection rates, compromising legal outcomes. In one New York ED, DFSA kits (Part B) were routinely collected after biological evidence (Part A), creating a critical gap.
Purpose: To improve compliance with evidence-based prioritization of blood collection (Part B before Part A) for DFSA cases through a structured QI initiative.
Methods: The project synthesized evidence from a systematic review of CINAHL, Cochrane, and PubMed databases between 2019-2024, where 5 studies were appraised using Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt’s rapid critical appraisal and synthesis criteria, confirming optimal 12-24h blood collection windows. The project setting was carried out in a busy New York City ED and guided by the IHI Model for Improvement. Interventions included SAFE examiner education, visual workflow cues, and EHR documentation prompts, with compliance tracked via monthly chart reviews (October-December 2024) using PDSA cycles for iterative refinement.
Results: Initial compliance peaked at 100% (3/3 cases) post-implementation but declined to 80% (4/5) in November and 50% (2/4) in December. Barriers included examiner venipuncture discomfort (reliance on ED nurses) and patient consent timing.
Conclusion: While the blood before bio protocol is evidence-based, sustained adherence requires workflow integration, examiner skill-building, and patient-centered consent processes. This project demonstrates the feasibility of practice change when guided by synthesized evidence and QI methodology, with implications for forensic nursing standards