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Assistive Technology: Cost-Effective Adaptive Switches
Full text linkAdaptive switches are crucial in the field of assistive technology and enable people with mobility challenges to interact with their environment. However, the high cost of adaptive switches limits accessibility. While additive manufacturing has reduced cost, existing designs primarily focus on functionality over innovation. The failure to address different types of sensory issues and cost reduction has led to a limited market. The goal of this project was to develop accessible, low-cost options that considered sensory processing issues. We studied materials, electrical and mechanical components, and types of manufacturing to optimize the design and functionality for an adaptive switch. We developed two open-source, cost-effective, adaptive switches with the use of additive manufacturing: one basic model and one premium model. The basic switch consists of a simple push button design consisting of springs and a switch sensor with a removable push button plate, with an estimated cost of 30. This premium switch focuses on addressing tactile and auditory sensory challenges while maintaining user-friendliness. These prototyped switches are cost-effective, functional switches, and enhance future innovation due to their open-source availability. This work demonstrates potential advances in making assistive technology more accessible
Juvenile Competency in Indiana: A Comparative Analysis of Legal Statutes and Forensic Psychological Guidelines
No full textFor this proposal we plan to evaluate recent changes to the Indiana juvenile competency statute. Until December of 2022, Indiana had no juvenile competency statute which does not align with best practice. This poster will review the statute and compare it to Larson & Grisso (2011) statutory guidelines manual which is based on research evidence in psychology. Replicating the Panza (2020) methods, we will compare Indiana to other states\u27 compliance with statutory adherence to Larsons & Grisso (2011) recommendations
Empowering Hispanic Managers in the US through Authentic Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Resilience, and Mindfulness
Full text linkThis research investigates the relationship between authentic leadership, Emotional Intelligence (EI), resiliency, and mindfulness among Hispanic Managers in the US, contributing to the understanding of authentic leadership and its antecedents, particularly in the context of Latinx leaders in the United States. The study suggests that emotional intelligence, resiliency, and mindfulness play key roles in the formation of authentic leadership, especially in the Latinx community, where cultural values such as familismo, personalismo, and collectivism may influence leadership styles. It highlights the potential benefits of these factors, including improved self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to overcome adversity, while also acknowledging challenges and limitations, particularly regarding the practice of mindfulness. Cultural contexts, such as Latinx cultural scripts, may also impact how Latinx managers perceive and express authentic leadership. The results (n =230 Hispanic managers in the US) indicate that emotional intelligence and experience are moderately correlated with authentic leadership, while mindfulness has a positive and significant relationship with authentic leadership, as do emotional intelligence and resilience (ego resilience). The relationship between emotional intelligence and authentic leadership weakens as years of experience increase, potentially influenced by cultural factors like personalismo and familial ties in Hispanic culture. Additionally, the findings suggest that mindfulness and resilience may be influenced by cultural values such as personalismo and interpersonal relationships in Hispanic culture
Leadership in the Accountability Era: Resisting Values Drift through Deliberate System Design
Full text linkThis study introduces values drift— the gradual, often unconscious misalignment between actions and stated commitments, driven less by misconduct than by lack of awareness, inertia, or performance pressure. As an emerging leadership risk, values drift is increasingly amplified by algorithmic influence and efficiency metrics. This research extends the Values Lifecycle Framework to examine how leaders sustain values alignment in high-velocity, data-driven environments. Through qualitative interviews with 19 CEOs, three leadership typologies emerged: Defaulters, who maintain stability through routine; Correctors, who stand at pivotal choice points where recognition and response are possible but not guaranteed; and Balancers, who embed reflection in decision cycles to preempt misalignment. While the Data-Driven Era (1980s–2000s) emphasized objectivity and the Purpose Era (2010–2020) embraced values language, today’s Accountability Era reveals the risks of compromised decision-making as automated systems scale. This paper positions governance strategies as a natural extension of reflective leadership, proposing three tools—Values Integrity Reviews, Decision Disruption Protocols, and Deliberate Pause Practices—that embed reflection by design and interrupt automated momentum to support ethical alignment. These findings contribute to values-based leadership, organizational ethics, and algorithmic governance by offering scalable strategies for sustaining integrity under complexity
A Holistic Approach To Outdoor Air Quality Monitoring Through Multiple Detection Methods
No full textThe process of monitoring air pollution, its source, its health effects, and its continued presence in our daily lives is a nuanced and challenging task. Air pollution is both a global and local issue, with particulate matter (PM) being a highly unmonitored contributor. Breathing in high concentrations of PM is especially concerning as chronic exposure has been linked to respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and developmental issues. As PM often originates from anthropogenic sources, many communities around Northwest Indiana (NWI) that are exposed to heavy industry and emissions are concerned about having poor air quality. To address these concerns, a closer look on informing and supporting these communities about their exposure to PM was investigated. To monitor local levels of PM, PurpleAir (PA) sensors were used as a cost effective and accessible option. Real time PM levels were available across NWI from the network of PA sensors that have been hosted and maintained through community involvement. In efforts to validate the PA sensors’ efficacy, comparisons to federally recognized methods from the Environmental Protection Agency have highlighted discrepancies between the various monitors. More questions about interpreting local air quality parameters and the differences between sensor types are both necessary to understand the benefits and drawbacks to different detection mechanisms. To best serve at-risk communities and prevent chronic exposure to pollutants like PM, a holistic and accessible approach is recommended for the future of air quality monitoring
GPU Performance in a Linux Enviroment
No full textGPUs are used for both recreational purposes and extremely important simulations for things like earthquake prediction in addition to mathematical modeling. In all cases it is critical that the GPUs used are chosen effectively, as these tend to be very expensive components. By benchmarking a variety of GPUs running on GNU/Linux with a roster of different benchmarks, this project provides information of the capabilities of GPUs running with GNU/Linux, which is common in research settings. This is compared to the expected performance levels of each GPU as stated in selected online sources and manufacturer claims, which are typically geared towards Microsoft Windows environments. The GPUs tested on linux devices included mostly NVIDIA GPUs, as they are the current dominant maker. The benchmarks used in the first phase were 3D renderings and focused on measuring clock speed of each GPU. In a secondary round of tests GPU performance was scored with Large Language Models (LLM) tools. The principal tool used was Meta’s PyTorch suite; the Time to First Token (TTFT) as well as the Token per Second (TPS) were chosen as metrics. The findings of the 3D rendering benchmarks did stay consistent with expected rankings of each GPU. Additionally the recorded Clock speed of each GPU was not reduced from the GNU/Linux. The limitations of this design were caused by each GPU being in its own slightly different computer and each benchmark not sharing its exact methods and internals
Modeling the Close Binary Star in Planetary Nebula Pa164
No full textA planetary nebula is one of the many fascinating and important processes in space that can occur in binary systems consisting of a white dwarf and a companion star in a very close orbit. Because of this, understanding this type of system is important to our overall understanding of our universe. These binary systems are born within planetary nebulae. However, only 26 such systems within planetary nebulae have been fully modeled to determine the physical parameters of the system. This is not a large enough number to result in meaningful statistical data. In order to work towards increasing this number, I used computational modeling to determine the physical characteristics of the binary system inside the planetary nebula Pa 164, consisting of a white dwarf star and a main sequence star. The modeled characteristics, or parameters, consist of the temperature, mass, and radius of both stars, secondary albedo, and system inclination. I present here the modeling results
The Effectiveness of Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation Compared to CPAP in Obstructive Sleep Apnea
No full textObjective: This study evaluates whether hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) yields superior improvements in reducing apnea episodes, alleviating daytime sleepiness, and enhancing quality of life compared with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) among adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who are intolerant of CPAP therapy.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, MEDLINE and Google Scholar using combinations of “hypoglossal nerve stimulation,” “obstructive sleep apnea,” and “CPAP.” PubMed yielded 337 records; MEDLINE, 105; Google Scholar, 1,080. After duplicate removal, titles and abstracts were screened against inclusion criteria: adults (≥18 years) with body mass index (BMI) \u3c 32 kg/m², documented CPAP intolerance or failure, apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) 15–65 events/hour, English-language full texts published since 2019. Exclusion criteria were prior upper‐airway surgery, BMI \u3e 35 kg/m², AHI outside 15–65 events/hour, significant anatomical abnormalities (e.g., tonsillar hypertrophy), severe insomnia, or concentric soft‑palate collapse on drug‐induced sleep endoscopy. Selected studies were analyzed for changes in AHI, oxygen desaturation index (ODI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and validated quality‑of‑life instruments.
Results: Across studies of CPAP‑intolerant cohorts, HNS produced considerable AHI reductions, lowered ODI and ESS scores by clinically significant margins, and yielded notable gains on sleep‑specific quality‑of‑life scales. Comparative analyses against CPAP demonstrated that HNS achieves equivalent or superior control of respiratory events and daytime symptoms. High levels of patient satisfaction and adherence were consistently reported.
Conclusion: As an emerging modality for OSA management, HNS offers durable apnea suppression, symptomatic relief, and quality‑of‑life enhancement in patients unable to tolerate CPAP. Its adjustable, patient‑centered design may promote long‑term adherence and supports a paradigm of individualized therapy selectio
Efficacy of Berberine in Glucose and Metabolic Control
No full textObjective: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common chronic disease with significant complications if poorly managed. This study evaluated the effectiveness of berberine--the primary active compound in Rhizoma Coptidis-- compared to metformin, a widely used oral hypoglycemic agent, in managing blood glucose in adults with T2DM. It also examined berberine\u27s impact on metabolic syndrome components, including prediabetes, hyperlipidemia, obesity, and chronic inflammation.
Methods: A literature review was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed with keywords including berberine , Rhizoma Coptidis , metformin , and type 2 diabetes . Included studies were full-text, published in English since 2019, and involved adult humans with T2DM. Eligible studies reported hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as an outcome and compared berberine to metformin or placebo. Animal studies and those involving other diabetes medications were excluded. Key outcomes assessed were HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), two-hour postprandial blood glucose (2hPPG), and metabolic syndrome markers.
Results: Berberine significantly lowered HbA1c, FPG, and 2hPPG levels, showing hypoglycemic effects comparable to metformin. Combination therapy with metformin further improved glycemic control. Berberine also reduced lipid levels, body mass index (BMI), and inflammatory markers, indicating benefits for metabolic syndrome. Reported side effects were generally mild and gastrointestinal in nature.
Conclusion: Berberine is a safe and effective treatment for glucose control in T2DM, with outcomes similar to metformin. Greater glucose control was obtained with berberine and metformin combination therapy. Its additional benefits in addressing metabolic syndrome and its effects in combination therapy suggest broader clinical utility.
Keywords: Berberine, Metformin, Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, Rhizoma Coptidi
