Engineering Commons^™

The Impact Of Nanopulse Treatment On The Tumor Microenvironment In Breast Cancer: Overturning The Treg Immunosuppressive Dominance, Anthony Nanajian

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Nanopulse treatment (NPT) is a high-power electric engineering modality that has been shown to be an effective local tumor treatment approach in multiple cancer models. Our previous studies on the orthotopic 4T1-luc breast cancer model demonstrated that NPT ablated local tumors. The treatment consequently conferred protection against a second live tumor challenge and minimized spontaneous metastasis. This study aims to understand how NPT mounts a potent immune response in a predominantly immunosuppressive tumor.

NPT changed the local and systemic dynamics of immunosuppressive cells by significantly reducing the numbers of regulatory T cells (Tregs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and tumor-associated macrophages …

Quantifying Cyber Risk By Integrating Attack Graph And Impact Graph, Omer F. Keskin

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Being a relatively new risk source, models to quantify cyber risks are not well developed; therefore, cyber risk management in most businesses depends on qualitative assessments. With the increase in the economic consequences of cyber incidents, the importance of quantifying cyber risks has increased. Cyber risk quantification is also needed to establish communication among decision-makers of different levels of an enterprise, from technical personnel to top management.

The goal of this research is to build a probabilistic cybersecurity risk analysis model that relates attack propagation with impact propagation through internal dependencies and allows temporal analysis.

The contributions of the developed …

Development And Applications Of Adjoint-Based Aerodynamic And Aeroacoustic Multidisciplinary Optimization For Rotorcraft, Ramiz Omur Icke

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is one of the most popular proposed solutions for alleviating traffic problems in populated areas. In this context, the proposed types of vehicles mainly consist of rotors and propellers powered by electric motors. However, those rotary-wing components can contribute excessively to noise generation. Therefore, a significant noise concern emerges due to urban air vehicles in or around residential areas. Reducing noise emitted by air vehicles is critically important to improve public acceptance of such vehicles for operations in densely populated areas.

Two main objectives of the present dissertation are: (1) to expand the multidisciplinary optimization to …

Wiener-Fliess Composition Of Formal Power Series: Additive Static Feedback And Shuffle Rational Series, Subbarao Venkatesh Guggilam

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The problem statement for this dissertation is two-fold. The first problem considered is when does a Chen-Fliess series in an additive static feedback connection with a formal static map yield a closed-loop system with a Chen-Fliess series expansion? This work proves that such a closed-loop system always has a Chen-Fliess series representation. Furthermore, an algorithm based on the Hopf algebras for the shuffle group and the dynamic output feedback group is designed to compute the generating series of the closed-loop system. It is proved that the additive static feedback connection preserves local convergence and relative degree, but a counterexample shows …

A Digital One Degree Of Freedom Model Of An Electromagnetic Position Sensor, Michelle Elizabeth Weinmann

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to improve an existing system currently in use by NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The 6-inch Magnetic Suspension and Balance System (MSBS) built at MIT is operational with control in three degrees of freedom, with two additional degrees of freedom exhibiting passive stability. The means for measuring model displacement within the magnetic environment is an Electromagnetic Position Sensor (EPS), consisting of excitation coils at 20 kHz and multiple sets of pickup coils. The pickup coil voltages are proportional to model displacement in each degree of freedom. However, the EPS electronic signal processing system is …

Impact Of Geomaterial Properties And Roller Parameters On Intelligent Compaction Measurement Values Using Lumped Parameter Modeling, Jesús Castro Pérez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Roads consist of layers of geomaterials and asphalt or concrete to provide an optimal service life according to their exposure to traffic and the environment. Each layer that forms a pavement structure requires achieving specific quality and mechanical properties that are often obtained only through a proper compaction process. Traditionally, compacted layers are tested using spot methods, which rely on the assumption that the properties measured from a small sample of material represent an entire section. This limitation has led to quality management techniques that continuously monitor the acceleration records from a sensor installed on the roller's drum. These techniques …

Design, Synthesis, And Optimization Of Additively Manufactured Functional Ceramics And Its Composites, Anabel Renteria Marquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The goal of this research consist in the design, synThesis and optimization of functional piezoelectric ceramics and composites that can be fabricated by Direct Ink Write (DIW) 3D printing technique for the use of sensors and energy storage applications. The synThesis optimization of lead-free ceramics for printing was evaluated by analyzing the impact of raw particle size of BaTiO3. A novel approach to evaluate the effect of bimodal distribution raw particle size of BaTiO3 ceramics is presented and their influence on packing density, piezoelectric coefficient and dielectric relative permittivity. Additionally, multi-material DIW printing was adapted as a novel method to …

What Internal Variables Affect Sensorimotor Rhythm Brain-Computer Interface (Smr-Bci) Performance?, Alex J. Horowitz, Christoph Guger, Milena Korostenskaja

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

In this review article, we aimed to create a summary of the effects of internal variables on the performance of sensorimotor rhythm-based brain computer interfaces (SMR-BCIs). SMR-BCIs can be potentially used for interfacing between the brain and devices, bypassing usual central nervous system output, such as muscle activity. The careful consideration of internal factors, affecting SMR-BCI performance, can maximize BCI application in both healthy and disabled people. Internal variables may be generalized as descriptors of the processes mainly dependent on the BCI user and/or originating within the user. The current review aimed to critically evaluate and summarize the currently accumulated …

What External Variables Affect Sensorimotor Rhythm Brain-Computer Interface (Smr-Bci) Performance?, Alex J. Horowitz, Christoph Guger, Milena Korostenskaja

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Sensorimotor rhythm-based brain-computer interfaces (SMR-BCIs) are used for the acquisition and translation of motor imagery-related brain signals into machine control commands, bypassing the usual central nervous system output. The selection of optimal external variable configuration can maximize SMR-BCI performance in both healthy and disabled people. This performance is especially important now when the BCI is targeted for everyday use in the environment beyond strictly regulated laboratory settings. In this review article, we summarize and critically evaluate the current body of knowledge pertaining to the effect of the external variables on SMR-BCI performance. When assessing the relationship between SMR-BCI performance and …

Journal Of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-Peer) Annual Report From January 1, 2020 To December 31, 2020, Senay Purzer, Kami N. Schwatz

Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER)

Over the last ten years, the Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (J-PEER) has been disseminating research that seeks to investigate, enhance, and transform pre-college engineering education and, ultimately, to create an engineering‐literate society. The 2020 annual report presents readership metrics and statistics of the decade, trends and metrics on J-PEER's authorship in 2020, and our reflections on the last year.

Properties Of Concrete Containing Crushed Limestone As Total Replacement Of Natural Sand And Recycled Engine Oil, Mohammad El Bast M. El Bast, Jamal Khatib, Oussama Baalbaki, Adel Elkordi

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The rapid growth in the construction industry at the global level has made concrete the most widely used construction material throughout the world. Accordingly, the consumption of natural sand which is one the main raw material constituent of concrete is continuously growing. The demand for river sand is highly increasing due to its scarcity in the market. Manufactured sand produced by crushed rock is being considered as an appropriate alternative to replace river sand in concrete. In recent years, there is a growing interest in the use of crushed sand obtained from limestone quarries in some countries where river sand …

Dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction Analysis: Detecting The Reliability Of Modelling The Piles As A Plate Element For A Multistory Building Resting On Deep Foundation, Zeinab Hussein Zein Z.H.Zein, Lina Jaber L. Jaber, Yehya Temsah Y. Temsah

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The assessment of seismic responses of buildings in dynamic-soil-pile-structure interaction problems has been one of the main interests among researchers in recent decades. Simulating such problems is usually done by two-dimensional models to overcome the difficulties encountered in 3D models. Commonly, piles were represented by plate elements of infinite length, disregarding the soil flowing between piles. Recently, Plaxis – a finite element software- implemented a new feature known as “the embedded pile row” that allows the definition of piles' out of plane spacing in a 2D model. Many researchers proved its validity in accurately simulating the real 3D pile’s behavior. …

A Novel Probabilistic Framework Of Rc Corroded Structures Under Dynamic Loading, Rawan Mouin Mashmoushy Eng., Wael Slika, Adel Elkordi

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Steel corrosion in reinforced concrete structures can lead to severe deterioration damage under static and seismic loads. In practice, it is essential to mitigate failure risk by quantifying the extent of damage and simulating the structural response of damaged structures. However, numerical modeling of the dynamic behavior of corroded structure is challenging due to high nonlinearity of the problem and its multidisciplinary nature. In addition, corrosion damage exhibits various sources of uncertainty that impede accurate deterministic modeling of the dynamic response of RC structures. Therefore, this study presents a simplified framework, to simulate the non-linear response of corroded structures under …

Technology Of Mobility Hubs In Autopian Futuristic Cities, Mohamad Abdallah M.Abdallah, Marwan Halabi, Hiba Mohsen, Maged Youssef

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Utopias envision perfect societies, however in practice, when imperfect humans attempt perfection they fail miserably. Hence, if Utopia means no place, then Autopia is the alternative place where progress is steadfast and measured by securing a better world for tomorrow. In 2012, the UN issued a report stating that population growth will increase exponentially, reaching up to 9 billion by 2040. The report also states that melted ice due to global warming will eventually cover up to 7% of the world’s land. At this rate, humans will require three times the earth’s land area to keep up with their required …

Optimization Of Supermarket Checkout Counters Using Integrated Greedy Algorithm, Ramzi Fayad, Hadi Abou Chakra

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Supermarkets worldwide are facing a service dilemma whether to increase or decrease their number of counters used at checkouts. A higher number of checkouts will undoubtedly reduce waiting time at checkout, a factor in improving customer satisfaction and service quality but this will come at a cost to the Supermarket. The work conducted in this paper will therefore focus on this tradeoff between improving the customer shopping experience versus the Supermarket Cost and profitability margins. It will do so by using an optimization algorithm that can help find the optimum number of checkouts and utilization of staff resources. The optimization …

Comparative Study Of Nano-Rod And Nano-Sphere Based Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Refractive Index Biosensors, Mariam M. Moussilli M. M. Moussilli, Abdul Rahman El Falou

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) waves generated by the interaction of light with noble metal nanoparticles has been of great interest in recent years due to the high sensitivity of the extinction spectra of these nanoparticles to the medium's surrounding refractive index up to the atomic level.

In this article, we simulate the extinction spectra of noble metal sphere and rod nanoparticles in order to study the effect of the geometrical shape and size of the nanoparticle on the sensitivity and detection accuracy performance parameters of the extinction spectra. We also simulated the response of the sphere and rod nanoparticle's …

An Improvement Of Cross Entropy Thresholding For Skin Cancer, Nancy Aref Zreika N, A. Zreika, Ali El Zaart, Abdallah Al Shakik

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

Image processing procedures in medical diagnosis are used to improve diagnosis accuracy. An example of this is skin cancer detection using the thresholding approach. Thus, research studies involved in identification of inherited mutations predisposing family members to malignant melanoma have been performed in the Cancer Genetics field. Melanoma is one of the deadliest cancers, but could be cured when diagnosed early. A fundamental step in image processing is segmentation that includes thresholding, among others. Thresholding is based on finding the optimal thresholds value that partitions the image into multiple classes to be able to distinguish the objects from the background. …

Unsteady Rotational Motion Of A Micropolar Fluid Inside A Right Circular Cylinder Using State Space Approach, Sarah Ahmad Slayi S.A.Slayi, Emad Ashmawy

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

In this work, the unsteady rotational motion of an incompressible micropolar fluid inside a right circular cylinder is investigated. The classical no-slip and no-spin boundary conditions are proposed. The problem is solved analytically using the state space approach together with Laplace transform technique. The inverse Laplace transform is carried out numerically using a numerical technique based on Fourier series expansion. Numerical results for the flow field functions are represented graphically for different values of the time and micropolarity parameters.

Impact Of Regional Climate Changes On Changes In River Water Content In Uzbekistan, A.T. Salokhiddinov, P.A. Khakimova, R.V. Toryanniova, O.A. Ashirova, A.G. Gofurov

Irrigation and Melioration

The paper presents the research results on the analysis of the climate change impacts on the potential of water resources in Central Asia. We analyzed the materials of an extensive database of monitoring data from numerous gauge stations on different river basins and satellite data information. A quantitative assessment of the transformation of river hydrographs, the growth of flow variability in the Republic of Uzbekistan's major rivers, in connection with climate change, was performed. The specific features of the impact of climate changes on changes in the water content of rivers in Uzbekistan in large and small river basins are …

Washing Technology For Medium And Highly Saline Soils, B.K. Saliev, M. S. Yuldashev, N.O. Shaimanov

Irrigation and Melioration

The article discusses the issues of conducting field experiments to assess the reclamation conditions of soils, which are a particular issue of managing salinity and water-salt regime, as well as increasing the efficiency of desalination. Today, 46.6% of the irrigated lands of the Republic of Uzbekistan have salinization of varying degrees, of which 30.9% are weak, 13.3% are moderate and 2.5% are highly saline. Medium and highly saline lands make up 15.8%. The essence of the proposed method of flushing from the traditional one is that in late autumn or winter, the collectors-ditches are closed, and the groundwater is artificially …

Distribution Of Calcium And Its Reserve Forms In Widespread Irrigated Gray Meadow Soils Of The Syrdarya Region, A. Akhatov

Irrigation and Melioration

The article examines the uneven distribution of calcium in reserve (general, potential, close and labile) forms in irrigated and gray-earth-meadow soils of the experimental section of the NIISSAVKH of the Gulistan district of the Syrdarya region and the farms "Sokhil" and "Ak altin" in irrigated meadow soils the form of a close reserve in the soil profile is 310 mg per 100 gr of soil. The upper layer of highly saline, medium loamy soil gradually decreases at a depth of 60-76 cm. layer. The labile calcium reserve in irrigated serozem-meadow, highly saline, medium loamy soils varies from 175 to 260 …

Design Of A Channel Straightening Route Using A Combined Dam With A Through Part Made Of Tetrahedra, M.R. Bakiev, A.B. Хаlimbetov, С.Э. Шукурова, I.J. Asamatdinov

Irrigation and Melioration

The design of the route when regulating riverbeds, the direction of the flow to the point of water intake will require solving some issues, including the amount of deviation of the dynamic axis of the flow, constrained by regulatory structures. The main purpose of this work is to develop a method for calculating the deviation of the dynamic axis of a flow that is one-way constrained by a combined dam, then through part of which is made of tetrahedra. The problem is realized using the Varignon theorem and the flow conservation equation written for the streamlines where the household state …

Improvement Of Informational-Methodological Provision On Foreign Languages For Teachers, G. Eshchanova

Irrigation and Melioration

The article discusses the innovative areas of activity, related to the use of information and communication technologies in the educational process of teachers in foreign languages in the world practice, the development of teachers professional communicative competence in teaching English, the use of information and communication, advanced pedagogical technologies in teaching to ensure the solution of such issues, as the increase in the level of development of foreign language skills, diagnostic technologies among teachers.

Дождеваsome Aspects Of Water Management In The Republic Of Uzbekistan During The Period Of Independence (Reality And Forecast), S. Khodjaev

Irrigation and Melioration

To date, there is no alternative to the introduction of the principles of integrated water resources management (IWRM), this is proved by the research of SIC ICWC on the territory of the South Fergana main canal, where the specific water supply per hectare of irrigated area has been reduced by 32% on an area of 120 thousand hectares, that is up to 7 thousand m³/ha, instead of the limited ones 10 thousand m³/ha. Researches recommend cutting off all types of collector-drainage waters (CDW) from the river trunks of the Aral Sea basin, including the Syr-Darya and Amu-Darya, since CDW are …

The Influence Of Gender Approaches On Education Efficiency, G. Eshchanova

Irrigation and Melioration

The given article covers the influence of gender approaches on education efficiency on the basis of statistical and scientific data, and the need to rely on the basis of the necessary knowledge for the ecologically sustainable development of women's knowledge, competence and entrepreneurship are shown. The educational process based on Gender differences and equality contributes significantly to the development of society.

Economic Assessment Of Factors Affecting The Decision Of Households To Engage In Non-Farm Activities, Sh.A. Muratov

Irrigation and Melioration

In this study, non-farm activities and their importance were studied, and it is analysed the influence of push and pull factors on the decision of family heads to engage in non-farm activities by Probit model regression. Furthermore, it is determined their elastic coefficients. The analysed data are collected by conducting an online survey from 134 respondents. The results are showed that the decision of family heads to engage in non-farm activities was greatly influenced by their gender, education, and number of family members, electricity supply, transport services, and size of their land. Namely, the decision of the head of the …

Connected Water Heater Load Shifting And Energy Efficiency Evaluation For The Southeast: Winter Laboratory Assessment, Final Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Karen Fenaughty

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The University of Central Florida's FSEC Energy Research Center (FSEC) and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are conducting laboratory electrical load shifting experiments using the CTA-2045-A standard to demonstrate the viability of grid-connected heat pump water heaters (HPWH), compared to electric resistance water heaters (ERWH), in providing load shifting in the Southeastern United States (U.S.). The investigation applied different CTA-2045 shed and critical peak (CP) control command designs under two different water draw profiles. The highly-controlled laboratory experiments were conducted on four HPWHs and one ERWH from December 2020 through February 2021.

The research aimed to evaluate the load shifting …

Design For Living

DePaul Magazine

With health care increasingly moving online, DePaul has emerged as a leader in cutting-edge digital technology leveraged for the greater good. From harnessing design as a vehicle for social change to creating an app to help close racial inequity gaps in care, 21st-century advances with an eye toward Vincentian values are unfolding every day at DePaul thanks to the inventiveness and ingenuity of its faculty, staff and students.

Exploring Robustness Of Neural Networks Through Graph Measures, Asim Waqas, Ghulam Rasool, Hamza Farooq, Nidhal Carla Bouaynaya

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Departmental Research

Motivated by graph theory, artificial neural networks (ANNs) are traditionally structured as layers of neurons (nodes), which learn useful information by the passage of data through interconnections (edges). In the machine learning realm, graph structures (i.e., neurons and connections) of ANNs have recently been explored using various graph-theoretic measures linked to their predictive performance. On the other hand, in network science (NetSci), certain graph measures including entropy and curvature are known to provide insight into the robustness and fragility of real-world networks. In this work, we use these graph measures to explore the robustness of various ANNs to adversarial attacks. …

Flavour Chemicals, Synthetic Coolants And Pulegone In Popular Mint-Flavoured And Menthol-Flavoured E-Cigarettes., Esther E. Omaiye, Wentai Luo, Kevin J. Mcwhirter, James F. Pankow, Prue Talbot

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently banned flavours from pod-style electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), except for menthol and tobacco. JUUL customers have quickly discovered that flavoured disposable e-cigarettes from other manufacturers, such as Puff, are readily available. Our goal was to compare flavour chemicals, synthetic coolants and pulegone in mint-flavoured/menthol-flavoured e-cigarettes from JUUL and Puff, evaluate the cytotoxicity of the coolants and perform a cancer risk assessment for pulegone, which is present in both JUUL pods and disposable Puff products.