Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Impact Of Carboxylated Polystyrene Nanoplastics In The Liver Using Cell Lines And Precision-Cut Liver Slices, Namrata Pandey, Paula Boeira, Nathaniel J. Clark, Eleanor T. Walker, Somaiah Aroori, Jemimah Denson, Richard C. Thompson, Matthew E. Cramp, Shilpa Chokshi, Ashwin Dhanda

Peninsula Medical School

Background and Aims: Increasing reports of plastic accumulation in human tissue have raised concerns about potential adverse health outcomes. Evidence of negative effects of nanoplastics is heterogeneous and provides limited insights into the underlying pathogenic toxicity mechanisms in humans. Methods: In the present study, carboxylate-modified fluorescently labelled polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) were used to investigate uptake and cytotoxicity in three different hepatic models of varying complexity, including HepG2 cells, IHH cells, and human precision-cut liver slices (hPCLS). Results: The results show model- and dose-dependent effects on hepatocytes. 74.2% ± 13.4% of the IHH cells showed PS NPs uptake at 0.1 …

Designing A Mobile App For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Insights From Lived Experience And Clinical Practice, Rohit Shankar, Richard Laugharne, Michael Loizou, Marius Varga, Sivia Lin, Bojana Daw Srdanovic, Roger Farrell

Peninsula Medical School

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disabling anxiety disorder precipitated by severe trauma. Many people with this condition have little access to clinical interventions, especially in low-middle-income countries. For the development of any digital health intervention, it is vital to know the opinions of PLE and clinicians to guide the developers. We conducted two focus groups, one with clinicians (n = 5) and one with people with lived experience (PLE) (n = 11), to gain knowledge of their views on the development of a PTSD App. Transcripts of both focus groups were coded and thematically analysed. The key themes that …

Assessing The Application Of Optical-Photothermal Infrared Spectroscopy For Single-Grain Chemical Palynology, Laura Scoble, Hao Meng, Simon J. Ussher, Mark F. Fitzsimons, Lauren Ansell, Mustafa Kansiz, Billy Simmonds, Nick Stone, Ralph M. Fyfe

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Single-grain pollen analysis is essential for advancing chemical palynology, which classifies morphologically similar taxa based on taxon-specific pollen and sporopollenin chemistry. Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and microspectroscopy (μFT-IR) are widely used to differentiate morphologically similar grains but face limitations from Mie scattering and coarse spatial resolution. Here, we present the first application of Optical-PhotoThermal Infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy to chemically treated single pollen grains, using Molinia caerulea as a model taxon to fully test and evaluate the technical capabilities and limitations of this technique. O-PTIR achieves sub-micron “super-resolution” infrared spectroscopy through non-contact, non-destructive measurements by exploiting the photothermal effect. O-PTIR spectra …

Academics’ Experiences Of Work-Life Balance And Work-Life Conflict In A Familialist State: The Case Of Bosnia And Herzegovina, Sara Clavero, Caitriona Delaney

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

Background: This paper explores how women academics in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) navigate work-life conflict and the main strategies they deploy to balance their work and personal lives. It examines the range of institutional support available to them and assesses their effectiveness in facilitating work-life balance and reducing work-life conflict. Methods: Drawing on 12 semi-structured interviews with female academics at various career stages from public and private universities across BiH, this study captures personal narratives of managing work and caregiving responsibilities. Results: Thematic analysis revealed the respondents’ personal strategies to find work-life balance while trying to achieve their career goals, …

Prevention Beyond Deterrence, Benjamin A. Barsky

Faculty Scholarship

This Article reconceptualizes preventive justice—the public safety paradigm that seeks to prevent harm before it occurs. Scholars have long documented how cities have advanced this paradigm through largely punitive measures, notably variants of broken windows policing, which posit that aggressive misdemeanor enforcement deters more serious crime. Yet in the aftermath of the 2020 George Floyd protests, and as underscored recently in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, these measures have faced a legitimacy crisis—prompting calls for nonpunitive responses to nonviolent incidents.

This Article establishes a preventive justice approach that advances health and safety without emphasizing crime deterrence. It draws on …

"Junk Science" Or Admissible? The Role Of Psychological Profiling In Serial Homicide Trials, Alice Gnesin

Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

In many homicide trials, juries have to consider more than just forensic and testimonial evidence. Sometimes, a perpetrator’s actions can appear illogical or unexplainable, and in this case, juries have to examine and consider the mental state, possible motivations, and behavioral patterns of the perpetrator. Psychological profiling, also known as behavioral analysis, has been used in criminal investigations for years. But even after all these years, many still question its legitimacy. This article examines the effectiveness of behavioral analysis when used as expert testimony in serial homicide cases through the evidentiary standards under Frye v. United States, Daubert v. Merrell …

Pro-Actively Reforming American Labor For A Better Future, Benjamin Skinner

Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

The United States has been resistant to the various labor movements over its history. Workers had to combat their employers to secure improved working conditions and protections at the Battle of Blair Mountain. The Labor Wars, as the era was called, had a long history of private suppression efforts, and in some instances, having the federal government send forces to suppress workers’ ability to fight for their rights. Though the federal government and companies were notorious for their suppression of workers’ rights, the National Labor Union was established in 1866 and was successful in creating an 8-hour workday, as the …

The New York Times Company V. Microsoft Corporation Et Al.: Reforming The Fair Use Doctrine, Riya Dusara

Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

On December 27, 2023, The New York Times filed a complaint against OpenAI, one of the fastest growing artificial intelligence (AI) companies in the world. Due to allegations of copyright infringement, OpenAI, alongside its primary investor, Microsoft, has faced significant backlash in recent years for “stealing” articles from the New York Times. While facing this backlash, OpenAI and Microsoft responded by arguing that their use of the New York Times’ articles falls under fair use. The fair use doctrine, throughout its existence, has been a defining factor in many cases of copyright infringement. However, the doctrine has not yet been …

About The Journal, Kris Barrios

Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Copyright Statement, Kris Barrios

Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

No abstract provided.

A Pilot Study Assessing The Oral Microbiome In Women Of Menopausal Age: Do Oral Nitrate–Reducing Bacteria Play A Role?, Katie Muddiman, Amazon Doble, Abish Stephen, Raul Bescos Garcia, Charlotte Illsley, Tomas Nicholas, Sally Hanks, Lisa Du Toit, Zoe Brookes

Peninsula Dental School

Introduction The links between oral health and female ageing are poorly understood, but many changes occur in the oral cavity of menopausal women that affect quality of life, and few current oral health interventions consider gender as part of their approach. The aim of this pilot study was to test the hypothesis that the oral microbiome and microenvironment change during female ageing and are thus worthy of further consideration both experimentally and clinically. Methods This observational pilot study retrospectively assessed women aged 18 to 89 years (n = 60) attending a UK primary care dental school facility for blood pressure …

Seeing Anxiety: Ecological Video Ethnography And Simulation To Understand Anxiety And Decision-Making In Dental Care, Mona Nasser, Hannah Drayson, Sally Hanks, Nicholas Peres, Michael Punt

Peninsula Dental School

BACKGROUND: Dental anxiety is a widespread barrier to care, often contributing to appointment avoidance, treatment disruption, and emotional strain for both patients and clinicians. While extensively studied as a psychological trait, less attention has been paid to how anxiety manifests situationally and relationally, through non-verbal, affective, and spatial cues within clinical encounters. Moreover, in certain contexts, such affective signals can intersect with decision-making processes, shaping how patients interpret, engage with, or withdraw from clinical choices.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how anxiety manifests within the micro-choreography of dental encounters, develop a taxonomy of 'anxious tells', and assess the utility of ecological video …

Meeting The Occupational Needs Of Older Adults With Long-Term Conditions: An Exploration Of Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Sam Wakley

School of Health Professions Theses

This thesis investigated the occupational needs of older adults with long-term conditions to determine how these needs could be met through primary care, acknowledging this as a contemporary area of occupational therapy practice. Combining three studies offered a comprehensive, occupationally centred analysis of a growing area of practice that remains underexplored. Strand One involved conducting a scoping review to map existing models of primary care for adults with long-term conditions. It demonstrated that current approaches largely neglect occupation, favouring biomedical outcomes and fiscally related priorities. However, growing awareness to quality of life and the role of an integrated multidisciplinary team …

From Dreams To Degrees: Building Sustainable Mentorship Bridges For Student Success, Alicia O'Gwynn

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

No abstract provided.

Smart Goals, Better Outcomes: Transforming English Language Learning Through Student Goal-Setting, Nicole Brun-Mercer

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

For decades, educational psychologists have emphasized the importance of setting learning goals, with student goal setting being linked to academic achievement. When students have a declared interest in their academic goals, they are more willing to spend time studying, which is a key factor in academic success (Hudig et al. 2022; Morisano et al. 2010; Schippers et al. 2020).

Study Of Soil Erodibility In Its Relationship With Coffee Plant Productivity Based On Agroforestry In Silaen Sub-District, Toba Regency, Fitra Syawal Harahap, Rahmawaty Rahmawaty, Abdul Rauf, Rahmanta Rahmanta, Delvian Delvian, Badaruddin Badaruddin

Baghdad Science Journal

Coffee plants (Coffea sp.) are currently a plantation crop in great demand among farmers in Silaen Sub-district. However, the soil conditions in Silaen Sub-district are dominated by sandy soil, which can trigger soil sensitivity to high erosion potential. One of the efforts to mitigate the decline in coffee production can be done through estimating the soil erodibility index in Silaen Sub-district. This research aims to estimate the soil erodibility index and obtain its relationship with agroforestry-based coffee production in Silaen Sub-district, Toba Regency. The method for determining land boundaries using land map units (SPL) in the form of land …