College of Science and Humanities

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ALPHA-CHYMOTRYPSIN PROTEASE-CATALYZED PEPTIDE SYNTHESIS OF ALTERNATING ARGNINE-TRYPTOPHAN PEPTIDES AND THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES
(2026-04-16) Lessa, Timothy; Edson, Cody
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an increasingly popular topic in research due to their effectiveness against drug-resistant bacteria and pathogens. These peptides target the cell membrane of the bacteria and that makes them very difficult for bacteria to build resistance to. Due to this, AMPs are being developed to help treat viral infections, aid in wound healing, act as a safe preservative for agriculture, and could be used to target cancer cells. The conventional synthesis methods for antimicrobial peptides however often involve harsh chemicals, large amounts of waste, and high costs. Therefore, to investigate more environmentally and economically favorable synthesis strategies for AMPs we used an alternative synthesis method in Protease-Catalyzed Peptide Synthesis (PCPS). PCPS is conducted using water as a solvent and is relatively cheaper, uses less toxic reagents, and utilizes renewable protease enzymes as catalysts. We specifically sought to form a repeating Arginine-Tryptophan amino acid sequence because of tryptophan’s ability to anchor to a cell wall and arginine’s ability to destroy it, making them a great antimicrobial agent. The protease enzyme I chose to investigate this synthesis with is Alpha-Chymotrypsin, because while it favors the hydrolysis of Tryptophan-Arginine amide bonds, we can target the reverse aminolysis reaction by using Arginine-Tryptophan dipeptide units which interact with the active sight of the enzyme differently and favor aminolysis over hydrolysis. We predict that the Alpha-Chymotrypsin will yield a bell-curve like distribution of alternating peptide chains ranging from 2-16 amino acids in length, which is the typical range of amino acid chain length for PCPS reactions. We will also conduct an antimicrobial assay to determine the oligopeptide’s effectiveness against gram + and gram -bacteria and determine the minimum inhibition concentration.
ANTIBACTERIAL EFFICACY AND SACCHARIDE COMPOSITION OF HONEY DETERMINED BY MICROBIAL ASSAYS AND GC-MS
(2026-04-16) Beaulieu, Sierra; Edson, Cody
Honey is a food product that has been used for centuries as a natural remedy. In light of growing concern regarding antibacterial resistance, honey has been investigated as an antibacterial agent. This presentation considered the efficacy of honey as an antibacterial agent and quantified biochemical properties that may allow honey to be used as an alternative therapy. To determine this, testing began by utilizing an agar disc diffusion method to determine how different types of honey inhibited the growth of bacteria, these included E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and B. subtilis. No significant differences were observed between the two honey types, where a raw honey product and a commercially available honey were each tested. Further analysis was conducted to determine a minimum inhibitory concentration of honey, where each honey type was diluted 10-fold in a 96-well plate containing an E. coli and B. subtilis culture. Further testing was performed to deduce what biochemical properties contribute to the antimicrobial characteristics of honey. A two-step derivatization process allowed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to be used as the main method to identify saccharides in honey samples by utilizing retention index values compared to a set standard. Further testing was performed to calculate the exact concentrations of fructose, glucose, and sucrose in each honey sample. Additional testing on the heavy metal contents of honey was also carried out as a means to further compare the raw and commercially available honeys, along with their antibacterial efficacy. Together, these methods help determine the value of honey as an alternative therapy. This presentation highlights the need for further research on alternative antibacterials and provides a foundation for methods and possible antimicrobial agents.
Becoming a Scholar: Genre Knowledge, Self-Regulation, and a Graduate Student’s Transition from MA to PhD
(2020) Roderick, Ryan; Moreau, Craig
This study takes a close look at how prompted self-reflection on writing intervenes in a graduate student’s development of self-regulation and genre knowledge as he transitions from MA to PhD program in rhetoric. We present the case of one graduate student, ‘Eric,’ who was explicitly taught conventions and strategies for writing and prompted to reflect on writing projects over several semesters using an in-process protocol. Aligning data from in-process protocols, interviews, and drafts of Eric’s writing, we construct a fine-grained narrative that shows a complex and recursive relationship among Eric’s development of knowledge about academic genres, self-regulation practices, and sense of scholarly identity. This narrative raises questions about how genre knowledge and self-regulation inform each other in graduate-level writing, and it offers an example of a self-regulation intervention that may help graduate students develop specialized ways of writing.
BENEFITS OF THERAPEUTIC LIES IN DEMENTIA CARE
(2026-04-16) Johnson, Jayda; Smith, Rachelle
Although deception in healthcare is generally considered to be unethical, therapeutic lies are often used in dementia care, creating a controversial ethical dilemma. Given the frequent use of therapeutic lying by nurses, family members, and other healthcare professionals, I conducted a literature review to investigate the possible benefits of therapeutic lies in dementia care. I hypothesized that patients with dementia would benefit from therapeutic lies, primarily because such lies would reduce their distress. Studies were collected from databases from the Husson University Library, including Academic Search Ultimate, and the National Institute of Health. Participants in the studies reviewed included healthcare workers, family caregivers, and dementia patients. Eighty-eight percent of the studies examined demonstrated clear benefits associated with therapeutic lies. Specifically, despite ethical concerns regarding deception, these lies were found to help decrease distress and lessen agitation for people with dementia. Although one study emphasized the negative impacts of lying to patients with dementia, all other evidence showed that when used appropriately, therapeutic lies provided more psychological and health benefits than telling the truth. The advantages of using therapeutic lies with people with dementia was found to be situation-dependent. Such lies only provided benefits when the patient was unaware of the deception and when honesty would exacerbate distress. These results provide healthcare workers with insight into caring for their patients by using therapeutic lies and highlight the importance of context to ensure ethical behavior. Future research is needed to compare the psychological outcomes between patients who are exposed to therapeutic lying with those who are only told the truth. Additionally, given the empirical benefits of the use of therapeutic lies, guidelines need to be developed to help ensure cohesive and ethical use.
BEYOND CHEATING: CULTIVATING AI LITERACY THROUGH WRITING AND ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORKS
(2025-04-17) Roderick, Ryan
As generative AI technologies become increasingly integrated into educational environments, it is essential to consider how they shape human learning, creativity, and decision-making. While generative AI presents significant opportunities for augmenting knowledge creation, it also introduces challenges around ethical use, assessment, and pedagogy. To address these complexities, this poster presentation focuses on the evolving concept of AI Literacy—a broad and multifaceted skill set that includes prompt engineering, human-AI co-creation, ethical AI engagement, and AI-augmented higher order thinking. Drawing on frameworks from rhetoric and composition studies, I define AI Literacy as a social and rhetorical competency: the ability to critically interact with AI systems, understand their embedded biases, and navigate their use within specific contexts. Rather than treating AI as a replacement for human cognition, I consider how it can supplement and extend it by building on Bloom’s Taxonomy. A widely adopted framework in educational assessment, Bloom’s Taxonomy offers a starting point for exploring how learners collaborate with AI through iterative prompting, evaluation, and adaptation. By examining these interactions, we uncover strategies for recognizing and cultivating AI Literacy in educational settings. This work aims to support educators in designing learning experiences that promote critical, ethical, and effective engagement with generative AI.
CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCES WITH MANDATED REPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IN PENNSYLVANIA
(2026-04-16) Vermileon, Todd
Many phenomenological factors influence counselors when navigating mandated reporting and deciphering reasonable suspicion, such as beliefs, emotions, culture, decision-making, training opportunities, and past experiences (Levi & Crowell, 2011). The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of clinical mental health counselors with mandated reporting of child abuse and neglect in Pennsylvania. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to analyze the lived experiences of eight clinical mental health counselors. The hermeneutic circle guided data analysis in a parts-to-whole process, which enabled interpretations to transform into phenomenologically crafted texts (Gadamer, 1988, 2004; Heidegger, 1962). Findings revealed global themes among participants relating to the reporting process, decision-making factors, and preparation for the role of mandated reporter. The identification of global themes addressed the study’s research questions and gaps in the counseling field. Implications from the study will be used to inform counselors’ reporting practices, counselor educators’ curricula when training masters-level counseling students, and awareness to facilitate systemic change.
Constructing Adult Literacies at a Local Literacy Tutor-Training Program
(2013) Roderick, Ryan
This study investigates how literacy was constructed at an adult literacy organization’s volunteer tutor-training program. By drawing on qualitative analysis of training texts used during training, such as training evaluations, and data gathered from interviews with experienced tutors, it is possible to identify the assumptions about literacy constructed by the training program and tutors’ training practices. Tutors seemed to present mixed assumptions about literacy: students simultaneously were given authority over their own literacy practices and literacy goals, while a sentiment of universally valued reading and writing skills was also present in terms of achieving fluency.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ITS LONG-LASTING IMPACT ON WOMEN’S HEALTH
(2023-04-20) Helwig, Shelby; Wagner, Alexis
Domestic violence (DV), also known as intimate partner violence, is experienced by many women. In fact, 1 in 7 Maine women report abuse from their intimate partners. In this research, I conducted a literature review to investigate the types of DV and how each impacts women’s mental health. I investigated this research question in two ways: (1) I examined published studies regarding DV and how it impacts the victims involved and (2) I determined if there is a correlation between abuse and long-lasting mental health problems. I searched for relevant articles on DV, domestic abuse, intimate partner violence, and mental health. I selected eight representative articles published between 2002 – 2021 in journals such as Partner Abuse, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Violence Against Women, and Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. All of these articles demonstrated that women who are abused currently or have previously been in an abusive relationship are negatively impacted mentally, emotionally, and financially. Women can experience many forms of abuse: physical, mental, emotional, and financial. Victims of each type of domestic abuse reported high rates of depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms with suicide attempts being three times higher in intimate partner violence survivors. Even further, DV impacts women’s physical health and many women are murdered by current or ex intimate partners. 40% of women who are murdered are killed by intimate partners and, in Maine, 43% of all murders are DV homicides. Moving forward, It is critical that healthcare and other organizations develop strategies to recognize the red flags of abuse and help protect women from their abusive situation before it escalates even further. In Maine, programs that can address a higher volume of victims with a focus on women scared to report could assist with the epidemic of DV.
EFFECTS OF TASK-SWITCHING AND PROACTIVE CONTROL ON METATMEMORY REGULATION
(2025-04-17) Hacker, Jessica
Past researchers have proposed a relationship between cognitive control and metamemory and several studies have provided the most support for a relationship between task-switching and metamemory regulation. Nevertheless, the evidence has been correlational. To my knowledge, the present study was the first to include an experimental manipulation incorporating a dual-task that required task-switching within a feeling of knowing (FOK) paradigm to directly observe the effects of task-switching on FOK accuracy. Research on cognitive control has demonstrated that engaging in proactive cognitive control typically leads to better performance in cognitive tasks and that young adults are naturally biased to engage in proactive control. Furthermore, cognitive control styles can be manipulated through a variety of means. I had a secondary interest in participants' metamemory awareness. Particularly if knowledge of task demands would lead participants to study word pairs longer in the dual-task block study phase relative to the single-task block study phase. The sample consisted of 191 healthy young adults (Mage = 19.34, SD = 1.57). I predicted that task switching would decrease FOK accuracy as well as the ability to engage in proactive control. These hypotheses were supported; however, study duration did not differ between the single and dual-task blocks. Importantly, the present study provided empirical evidence for a relationship between task-switching and metamemory regulation and provided a basis for which to further investigate this relationship.
ENGAGING FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS IN CHEMISTRY: RESILIENT AND INCLUSIVE APPROACHES IN HIGHER EDUCATION
(2025-04-17) Wenting, Hu
This poster presents strategies for creating equitable chemistry classrooms that engage first-generation students. It includes specific examples of inclusive practices and culturally relevant approaches, demonstrating how these methods can be integrated into lessons. Historically underserved students, such as first-generation college students and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students, in STEM education, often lose interest in STEM fields due to barriers like isolation, inadequate preparation, and prejudice in STEM programs. Social psychology and sociology offer approaches to addressing these challenges. Social psychology typically focuses on individual-level factors such as student engagement, belonging, and achievement, while sociology emphasizes the broader, systemic forces, such as race, gender, and class inequalities that affect STEM education. To address these issues, focusing on "meso-level" interventions, which operate between individual and macro-level (structural) factors, can be a useful solution. These interventions, particularly in faculty and peer instructor development, can help reduce inequalities by addressing both the systemic influences and individual experiences in STEM education. This is especially true in college education of Chemistry, one of the most challenging science subjects for many STEM students. Inclusive pedagogy, which encourages instructors to reflect on the historical and sociological influences on teaching, is a key tool for faculty development because they facilitate a supportive, inclusive environment for minoritized and First-Generation students. Resilient and inclusive interventions and approaches of faculty can interrupt the cycle of inequality in chemistry education, improving student achievement and ultimately influencing broader systemic change. They include multiple aspects such as effectively engaging students and incorporate inclusive practices. For online chemistry education, it is critical to show students the enthusiasm of the faculty considering that there is less face-to-face interpersonal communication.
ENHANCING OR ALTERING FOOD FLACORS OR TEXTURES TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHIER EATING
(2026-04-16) Davis, Colby; Hacker, Jessica
This paper is a literature review of recent developments in olfactory reception and general sensory influences on food perception. Different brain processes coordinate to formulate taste perception, including the orbitofrontal cortex, insula, nucleus of the solitary tract, cranial nerves V, VII, IX, and X, and taste buds (Shaikh et al., 2023, p. 2). One can train these sensory receptors to be more open to healthy foods. Various methods have been identified, such as positive imaging while eating (Kaya et al., 2025), listening to pleasant music (Guedes et al., 2025), and utilizing proper mindful fasting techniques to alter appetite (Coletta et al., 2009). Combining mindful eating, pleasant presentation, environmental manipulation, and less restrictive eating can help one overcome misconceptions about healthy foods and improve one’s diet. Keywords: taste perception, healthy eating, obesity, emotional food connection, visual masking
HERBACEOUS PLANT COMPOSITION IN THE HUSSON UNIVERSITY FOREST PRIOR TO INVASION BY EMERALD ASH BORER
(2026-04-16) Talbott, Rowan; Menzmer, Austin; McKnight, Aly; Crowley, Katherine
The Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis, EAB) is an invasive species quickly killing ash trees across the eastern United States. With the EAB soon to arrive on our campus forest, we proposed a study to establish baseline pre-invasion data on woody, herbaceous, avian, and small mammal populations. Husson’s ash forest contains both upland deciduous forest and wetlands. We established six sites in the forest, each with multiple ash trees present: three in the upland and three in the wetland. Following the collection of pre-invasion herbaceous data in July 2025, we analyzed the diversity, composition, and canopy openness between site types. We found a significant difference in composition between the upland and wetland sites, but no difference in diversity or canopy openness. The lack of difference in diversity between upland and wetland plots may be due to an overall low number of species throughout the forest, while the lack of difference in canopy openness suggests that the cause of the compositional difference between the upland and wetland is not related to varying levels of light reaching the forest floor. Indicator species analysis revealed five species that represented the upland (p=0.01, 0.03, 0.03, 0.04, 0.04) and two species that represented the wetland (p=0.01, 0.001). We recommend monitoring the water table and measuring nutrient availability as a possible means to explain the compositional difference between the wetland and upland environments. Collecting data earlier in the season may reveal the presence of transient wetland species. Research post-invasion should focus on the species identified as indicators of their respective environments.
Improving Instructor Ethos through Document Design
(2019) Wolfe, Joanna; Roderick, Ryan; Francioni-Rooney, Andrea
Despite much attention given to visual rhetoric in Composition, there is evidence that most first-year writing instructors overlook document design, both in their instruction and in the documents they produce for their students. These instructors may be underestimating the role that visually informative prose (that uses document design features such as chunking and visual hierarchy) can play both in helping students understand assignment objectives and in establishing a student-centered ethos in their classrooms. To illustrate how visually informative prose helps shape student perceptions of instructors, 166 first-year undergraduates responded to two assignment prompts: a visually informative and a minimally designed prompt. Students perceived the instructor who wrote the visually informative prompt as more experienced, enthusiastic, and caring than the instructor who wrote the minimally designed prompt, and they found the task more interesting when it was presented in the visually informative prompt. These findings suggest that creating visually informative classroom materials is a relatively low-cost/high-payoff strategy that can positively shape students' perceptions of the instructor and assignments.
IN PROGRESS (ALWAYS) – A RETORSPECTIVE EXHIBITION
(2026-04-16) Delicata, Janelle; Smith, Kathi
Janelle Delicata, MFA, adjunct faculty in Fine Arts will present 25 mixed media artworks, which include a combination of paintings, drawings and assemblage in the WBRC Gallery, Gracie Theatre. In the discipline of Fine Arts, scholarship includes the dissemination of creative works through exhibition. This body of work encompasses visual exploration with abstract and landscape-based forms created over the last 30 years. The works in this show were selected from pieces from the 1990s to 2025. As the artist looked through the work, she recognized recurring forms and shapes. Delicata looks beyond the surface of her motifs and explore what’s not readily visible. Her explorations start in reality but she works intuitively. Delicata believes that her art, like in her life, is a work in progress. It’s an ongoing journey, a constant search and exploration—in progress, always. This sentiment is shared both conceptually and aesthetically by many Modernist art movements, including but not limited to the Abstract Expressionist, Cubists, and even Surrealist artists of the 20th century. Delicata takes a contemporary lens to a familiar subject of form inspired by landscape. Delicata believes that all art is autobiographical in that each artist’s work is influenced and informed by his/her perceptions and life experiences. She interprets influences and forms from land, water, sky and elemental forces to create a personal iconography and language. Her earlier work incorporates more dimensional elements whereas the more recent work, while layered, has more flat surfaces. All include explorations in texture, color, line, and movement. Janelle Delicata was born and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. She lived and worked throughout the eastern United States and Canada before settling in Maine in 1986. She works in several media and likes to “mix things up,” incorporating elements from one medium into another. Delicata earned a BFA at the Maryland Institute, College of Art, Baltimore, MD in 1975 and an MFA at Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts, Rochester, NY in 1983 with a major in Weaving & Textile Design and a minor in Jewelry & Metals. She is an artist member of the Maine Crafts Association and a member of the Union of Maine Visual Artists. She owns a small business creating and selling my jewelry and artwork.
INFLUENCE OF SOIL MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON RASPBERRY CROPS
(2023-04-20) Northington, Robert; Eisenmann, August
Different soil management strategies have been shown to increase crop yields for farmers in many places. Raspberries are a very common crop grown during the warmer months in New England, which makes them a good candidate for crop research. Over the past two semesters, I have been working in gardens in multiple locations to distinguish how different soil management strategies affect raspberry crops. These sample locations included Husson University Garden, the personal raspberry crop of HU professor Roberta Trefts, and Butternut Farm in New Hampshire. The techniques used to farm these crops were all unique, so the data will show more about how these techniques affect the health of the raspberry crop. During the summer of 2022, samples of soil and raspberry plants were taken from the three farms over a three week period in order to determine plant biomass, soil texture, soil water content, and nutrient concentrations. The data showed that the chemistry and characteristics of the soils in Butternut farm and the Husson garden were very similar, and both farms had crops with fruit on them. Trefts farm soil had unique characteristics and chemistry compared to the other sites and the crops lacked fruit. The traditional management practices of the Husson Garden and Butternut Farms likely affected both the soils and the crops compared to the unique, but more natural methods found on Trefts farms. The data shows that the location of plants and how they are cultivated are important considerations for predicting yields of important agricultural crops.
INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF LOTR-1, SMG-2 AND F52B5.3 IN THE GERM LINE OF C. ELEGANS
(2024-04-18) Kervin, Elizabeth; Marnik, Elisabeth
LOTR-1 is a newly characterized protein found in the germline of Caenorhabditis elegans. LOTR-1 is known to associate with the germ granule in C.elegans where it helps to maintain fertility through regulating what RNAs are made into protein and assists in proper germ granule function. When the germ granule is disrupted, C.elegans show impairment in fertility, as well as improper differentiation of the germline into other cell types. LOTR-1 is thought to be the worm homolog of the human proteins TDRD5 and TDRD7. In humans, these two proteins are normally found in the germline, but are often misexpressed in cancerous cells. Thus, learning more about how their homologs function may help us to understand what might be happening in human cancer cells. Previous research was conducted to identify proteins interacting with LOTR-1 in the germline, however how many of these proteins function is unknown. This project focused on two main things 1) Identifying the homologs of proteins associating with LOTR-1, particularly SMG-2 and F52B5.3 to get insight into their potential role in the germline. 2) Use RNAi and other techniques to determine if reducing the amount of these proteins altered C.elegans fertility. Our work found that F52B5.3 is homologous to a DNA/RNA helicase DHX36 which is known to have a role in spermatogenesis and maintaining genome integrity during transcription and replication. SMG-2 was found to be homologous to UPF2, a regulator of transcripts and to DNA/RNA helicases such as SSBP2 and ELOA2. This gives us a starting foundation to understand more about how these proteins may function in the C.elegans germline. Additionally, we determined that reducing levels of SMG-2 through RNAi reduced the brood size of C.elegans compared to controls, suggesting that SMG-2 is important for maintaining normal fertility. Interestingly, the F2B5.3 RNAi treated worms appeared to have a higher brood size compared to controls, this potentially suggests that F2B5.3 is a negative regulator of fertility. In general, these findings support that these two proteins do have a role in the germline, but more research is needed to understand how they may be functioning.
LAND USE EFFECTS ON LOCAL STREAM ECOSYSTEMS IN AND AROUND BANGOR, ME
(2023-04-20) Belmont. Megan; Northington, Robert
The goal of this project is to gain an understanding of the impacts cities and increased human influence can have on a stream, because it is important to see the toll that human activity takes on the streams and life within them for the health of the environment. Two different streams were tested for this project, one in an urban area, and one in a rural area. Urban areas and rural areas have very different land uses, so this project will allow insight on the effect that land use has on its local streams. The first stream studied was the Kenduskeag Stream which is in a more urban setting, tested within the city limits of Bangor. The second stream was Little Birch Stream in Milford which is in a rural area located within the Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge. Water quality was assessed using both biological and chemical methods, including insect sampling, chlorophyll-a analysis, and water nutrient sampling for nitrogen and phosphorus. These methods helped to provide quantitative and qualitative data to determine the direct impacts of land use on water quality. Through use of the Hilsenhoff Biotic Index, the aquatic insects found in Kenduskeag Stream are more tolerant to organic pollution than the insects living in Little Birch Stream which are more intolerant to organic pollution. Chlorophyll-a trends for late summer show an average concentration of about 0.02 mcg/m2 for Little Birch Stream and 0.09 mcg/m2 for Kenduskeag Stream, indicating higher human influence at the urban site. Data suggests there are water nutrient differences between the two sites. Between insect and chlorophyll-a analysis, Kenduskeag Stream shows that it could be impacted by pollution due to human influence, while Little Birch Stream shows little to no evidence of pollution due to human influence.
“LIKE LITTLE NICKS TO THE SOUL”: FIRST RESPONDERS EXPERIENCES WITH MORAL SUFFERING AND RESILIENCE
(2026-04-16) Dooley, Amanda
First responders are an interdisciplinary group of professionals who are the first to answer calls for help in emergency situations. A widespread problem first responders are facing across disciplines is an increased risk of a myriad of mental health issues and inadequate access to appropriate resources and supports to address such concerns. A potentially significant contributing factor that has been largely unexamined in the scientific literature and remains widely unknown among first responders themselves is moral suffering. Moral suffering refers to a continuum of physical, psychological, and spiritual symptoms that can occur after exposure to a moral stressor. A moral stressor is any event that creates an inner conflict with ones’ moral values. First responders frequently encounter moral stressors on duty due to the nature of their work. The purpose of this qualitative study was to 1) gain a deeper understanding of first responders’ lived experiences with moral suffering and resilience and how they cope with moral stressors encountered in the line of duty and 2) use this knowledge to contribute to addressing the problem through raising awareness with relevant community stakeholders, including first responders themselves, policy makers, and mental health professionals. A small, purposive sample of participants shared their experiences through semi-structured interviews. A detailed analysis using the methodological approach of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) yielded four themes and seven sub-themes that describe participants’ experiences with moral stressors through the types of moral stressors they encountered, how they were affected by their experiences, and how they coped with their experiences. Awareness was raised through the creation of a training presentation on moral suffering and resilience in first responders. The results of this study add to the small, but growing body of research that suggests moral suffering is a significant occupational hazard for first responders.
LYING AND DECEPTION IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RELATIONSHIPS
(2026-04-16) McLaughlin, Alyiah; Smith, Rachelle
Domestic violence is widely recognized as a significant social and psychological issue, however, much of the research has historically focused on physical violence while less attention has been given to the role of deception within abusive relationships. The following literature review examines how lying and deception function within intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly as mechanisms of control used by perpetrators and as survival strategies used by victims. Major psychological concepts discussed include gaslighting, coercive control, trauma bonding, cognitive dissonance, and power-and-control dynamics. Peer reviewed research from psychology and interpersonal violence journals was gathered from Husson University Library, including Academic Search Ultimate. They were then reviewed to understand how deception operates within abusive relationships and the psychological consequences of such deception. Findings across these studies suggest that deception is frequently used by perpetrators to manipulate victims, deny abusive behavior, and maintain power within the relationship. Research also indicates that victims may engage in deception as a protective strategy to avoid escalation of violence or social stigma. To add to this, chronic exposure to deception, particularly gaslighting, has been linked to psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and trauma symptoms. Overall, the literature supports that deception plays a central role in sustaining abusive dynamics and complicating victims’ ability to seek help. Understanding the psychological mechanisms behind deception in domestic violence relationships is critical, as it can help improve intervention strategies, clinical assessment, and support services for survivors.
MICROBUBBLES: THE NEW DELIVERY VESICLES
(2024-04-18) Smith, MacKenna; Purington, Emilia
Microbubbles are bubbles that are composed of an outer shell and an inner core. They are called micro because they can get as small as a red blood cell, <10μm. The core is usually a perfluorocarbon gas, or a thick oil like PEG-40S. The shell is typically a protein or lipid monolayer, allowing for it to be broken down by the body without serious side effects. Microbubbles have been used as contrast agents in ultrasound imaging, but recently came under topic of discussion for other biomedical applications because of their size and composition. The microbubbles in this research project are composed of a thick oil core with a lipid monolayer shell. Microbubbles are currently used as abstract agents for ultrasonic imaging. However, recent studies show they might be used for other things like gene therapy or drug delivery. Through research it is found that microbubbles can have drugs linked onto a lipid shell, either negatively charged drugs linked onto them positive head of the lipid, or drugs can link to the hydrophobic tail of the microbubble. If the drug is not linked to the lipid shell, it is encapsulated in the gas/oil core of the microbubble as it is made. To further reduce side effects of drug delivery, targeting ligands can be added onto the bubble shell in the same linking process as the drugs, to make sure the bubbles are delivered to the correct area. With all the information about microbubbles: size, composition, lack of immune system response etc; leads to the question: what else can it do? Since it is the size of a red blood cell it means it should pass through the blood brain barrier, leading to the potential use for brain diseases.

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