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Title: UNIDIRECTIONALLY ALIGNED COLLAGEN / COLLAGEN COMPOSITE FIBRILS AND THEIR MODULATION OF CELL BEHAVIORS
Creator: Li, Wen
Date: 2016, 2016-05
Description: One of the main goals of tissue engineering is to create new functional scaffolds with desired chemical and physical features mimicking the...
Show moreOne of the main goals of tissue engineering is to create new functional scaffolds with desired chemical and physical features mimicking the native micro-environment and modulating cell functions or behaviors. As collagen is abundant in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of native tissues, it is widely used to generate artificial scaffolds in in vitro. In this thesis research, aligned collagen and collagen-composite fibirls (COL-CNT and COLI-COLIII) were achieved via epitaxial growth of collagen on muscovite mica surface. It was found that hdpPSCs interacted with collagen fibrils by deforming the cell shape, harvesting the nearby collagen fibrils, and reorganizing the fibrils around the cell body to transform a 2D matrix to a localized 3D matrix. Such a unique 3D matrix prompted high expression of β-1 integrin around the cell body that mediates and facilitates the stem cell differentiation toward neural cells. By compositing collagen with carbon nanotube (CNT), aligned COL-CNT fibril was obtained with 3 times stiffer than pure collagen fibril and a 2 nm D-period increase. The anisotropic morphology and high stiffness of COL-CNT fibrils greatly facilitated the elongation of SKOV3 cells byregulating the cell-matrix adhesion, cytoskeleton arrangement and cell migration rate, finally promoted the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the SKOV3 cells. Aligned COLI-COLIII hybrid collagen fibrils exhibit higher stiffness than pure COLIII and stronger binding affinity than pure COLI. It is found that with the combined advantages of stiffness and binding affinity, aligned COLI-COLIII fibrils lead to fibroblast cytoskeleton elongation and enhanced cellular elasticity with stronger traction strain sulfured, which improves collagen synthesis ability of fibroblast with a higher collagen I percentage.
Ph.D. in Chemistry, May 2016
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Title: SECURE AND RESILIENT OPERATION OF CYBER-PHYSICAL POWER SYSTEMS
Creator: Li, Zhiyi
Date: 2017, 2017-07
Description: For economic reasons, modern power systems are commonly operated close to their secure limits so that they are vulnerable to unexpected severe...
Show moreFor economic reasons, modern power systems are commonly operated close to their secure limits so that they are vulnerable to unexpected severe disruptions such as disastrous cyberattacks and extreme weather events. This thesis is aimed at enhancing the security and resilience of power supplies for facilitating the development of a Smart Grid, when power systems in various parts of the world have been undergoing transitions toward cyber-physical systems. First, this thesis discusses common cybersecurity vulnerabilities in modern power systems and presents physical implications of cyberattacks on power system operations. In particular, this thesis analyzes a specifc type of coordinated cyberphysical attacks that could lead to undetectable line outages. Coordinated with physical attacks causing line outages, cyberattacks comprising topology preserving and load redistribution attacks could mask and potentially exasperate the outages to trigger cascading failures. Such coordinated cyber-physical attacks are analyzed in a bi-level optimization model which is then transformed into a mixed-integer linear programming problem. The proposed model and the two-stage solution algorithm are examined by case studies based on the IEEE 14-bus and 118-bus test systems. Second, this thesis offers the pertinent studies on quantifying the risk of cybersecurity vulnerabilities in power system operations. A type of locally coordinated cyber-physical attacks is analyzed in detail, which would cause undetectable line outages in local areas without the need for complete network information. A risk-based optimization model in the mixed-integer linear programming form is presented for analyzing physical implications resulting from the power ow redistribution. An efficient greedy search-based heuristic method is then developed to offer satisfactory solutions for real-time applications, which are verified by case studies based on a six-bus system and the two-area IEEE RTS-96 system. Third, this thesis studies security measures for mitigating the cybersecurity risk in power system operations. A game-theoretic framework is built for determining the optimal combination of security measures based on the minimax-regret decision rule. The resulting multi-level optimization model is reformulated as a bilevel mixed-integer linear programming problem. An implicit enumeration algorithm is then developed to achieve an exact solution to this complex problem. Acceleration techniques are also provided to improve the computation efficiency for large-scale power system applications. The proposed model and solution methods are validated by case studies based on a six-bus test system and the two-area RTS-96 system. Fourth, this thesis extends the discussion of cybersecurity vulnerabilities to the operation of distributed power systems like microgrids. Since microgrids are regarded as building blocks of a Smart Grid, they strive for cyber-secure operations for sustaining power services to local customers. The assessment and mitigation of the cybersecurity risk in microgrid operations is then presented in depth. Additional opportunities provided by software-defined networking technologies to enhance the microgrid cybersecurity are also realized by the proposed defense-in-depth framework that comprises three lines of defense against cyberattacks. Last, this thesis investigates the role of networked microgrids in enhancing the power system resilience against extreme events. Since resilience is an intrinsically complex property which requires deep understanding of power system operations, a generic simulation-based framework is developed for power system operators to analyze the resilience comprehensively and respond effectively in emergency conditions. The notion that the deployment of networked microgrids catalyzes the resilience enhancement in a Smart Grid is discussed in detail. Besides, the management of networked microgrids for achieving a higher degree of resilience, reliability, and efficiency of power supplies is discussed based on the proposed hierarchical control framework.
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, July 2017
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Title: STEREOTYPE THREAT: THE EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS ON GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SPATIAL REASONING
Creator: Leon, Adeline
Date: 2014, 2014-12
Description: Stereotype threat is a phenomenon in which performance is inhibited due to the psychological threat of an individual’s association with a...
Show moreStereotype threat is a phenomenon in which performance is inhibited due to the psychological threat of an individual’s association with a group believed to underperform on the task at hand (Steele, 1997). Though stereotype threat is typically attributed to race and ethnicity, there is a gender stereotype effect as well, caused by the notion that women are underperformers in spatial reasoning. Mindfulness, with its focus on acceptance and taking a non-judgmental stance, has been associated with broad physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits (Malinowski, 2013) that could counter these negative psychological effects and improve performance during a stereotype threat task. This study explores the relationship between mindfulness and women’s performance on a spatial reasoning task. A total of 256 women were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a stereotype threat primed group or a stereotype threat non-primed group. The study found no statistically significant relationship between mindfulness, spatial reasoning, and priming. However, future studies based on these findings may still contribute to the literature by including a mindfulness intervention, conducting a similar study in person, or assessing potential benefits of mindfulness in ethnic minorities. These studies may lead to more valuable interventions to overcome the effects of stereotype threat.
M.S. in Psychology, December 2014
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Title: MEASURING DEGREE OF BILINGUALISM AND ITS EFFECT ON COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE
Creator: Leon, Adeline
Date: 2017, 2017-07
Description: Bilingualism is a unique experience that has been shown to have a distinct impact on cognitive performance: disadvantages in language...
Show moreBilingualism is a unique experience that has been shown to have a distinct impact on cognitive performance: disadvantages in language production (Gollan, Montoya, Fennema-Notestine, & Morris, 2005) and advantages in executive functioning skills (Bialystok, Craik, Klein, Viswanathan, 2004; Costa, Hernandez, Sebastian-Galles, 2008). However, some researchers assert that bilingual differences do not exist at all (Kousaie & Phillips, 2012a, 2012b; Paap & Greenberg, 2013). These discrepancies can have a substantial effect on neuropsychological assessment results, diagnoses, and treatment recommendations. The purpose of this study was to measure bilingualism in patients presenting for neuropsychological testing to determine the effect of degree of bilingualism on cognitive performance. Bilingualism was measured in an objective, continuous manner using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT; Dunn & Dunn, 2007) to assess proficiency in English and the Test de Vocabulario en Imagenes Peabody (TVIP; Dunn, Lugo, Padilla, Dunn, 1986) to assess proficiency in Spanish. This bilingualism index was used to measure the effect of degree of bilingualism on neuropsychological test performance in English/Spanish bilinguals assessed in their dominant language. Archival data from 99 participants presenting for neuropsychological testing were used to examine the bilingualism effect on the following cognitive domains: shifting of set, divided attention, naming, lexical retrieval, and verbal working memory. With the exception of the BNT, results of linear regression analyses revealed no significant effect of bilingualism on cognitive performance in any of the domains measured. Future research may investigate alternative ways to measure bilingualism to facilitate proper diagnosis and treatment recommendations in a clinical population.
Ph.D. in Psychology, July 2017
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Title: NOVEL SUPERCAPACITORS MADE OF ACTIVATED CARBON WITH MECHANICAL ACTIVATION OR THROUGH MICRO-EXTRUSION OF HIGH CONCENTRATION GRAPHENE SLURRIES
Creator: Li, Ling
Date: 2016, 2016-12
Description: The overarching objective of this project is to investigate a novel concept of three - dimensional (3D) supercapacitors (SCs) with 3D...
Show moreThe overarching objective of this project is to investigate a novel concept of three - dimensional (3D) supercapacitors (SCs) with 3D interpenetrating positive and negative electrodes. Such 3D SCs are expected to be able to convert the high energy and high power densities based on the active electrode materials into comparable high energy and high power densities for assembled SCs. The SCs will be fabricated via micro-extrusion method layer by layer. The electrode will be fabricated from graphene/activated carbon (AC)-based materials. We investigated two types of graphene, graphene slurries preparation and characterization in this study. Activated carbon (AC) was processed with different ball milling conditions. The characterization of graphene and activated carbon with different conditions were performed using SEM, BET, TGA, RAMAN, FTIR methods. Galvanostatically cycling and cyclic voltammetry tests were conducted on AC with different conditions. The ball milled 6-hour AC has specific capacitance high up to 102F/g (209μF/cm2) specific. High energy ball milling can induce oxidization of AC which makes the capacity of materials increases.
Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, December 2016
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Title: AN INVESTIGATION INTO FIRE ENDURANCE OF WOOD AS A STRUCTURAL MATERIAL IN TALL BUILDINGS
Creator: Ling, Lei
Date: 2014, 2014-05
Description: With the global growth in using timber as a structural material for tall buildings to respond to the trend of sustainability, several timber...
Show moreWith the global growth in using timber as a structural material for tall buildings to respond to the trend of sustainability, several timber buildings from 7 stories to 10 stories have already been built in Europe and Australia. However, in the United States, timber buildings are still limited to 6 or less stories [2]. The motivation of this thesis is to respond to the proposal for fire safety challenges of tall wood buildings issued by the Fire Protection Research Foundation. Since using timber as a structural material is just underway, more related studies from different academic departments and organizations are required in order to characterize the fire performance of tall timber structures, investigate the related challenges and necessary research to achieve a high level of safety and property protection equal to those offered by concrete or steel structures, and promote the development of this type of building systems. This thesis presents a literature review of global design cases of timber buildings, corresponding calculations of fire-resistance rating, recent and ongoing fire tests, and adhesive effects of timber members. A gap analysis was developed, with current challenges of building timber buildings presented, focusing on structural design, fire protection, durability, and code regulations requirements. This gap analysis was then compared with other similar published papers in an attempt to have a better understanding of what areas of research are needed, and suggesting for further studies to promote the idea of using timber as a structural material for tall buildings.
M.S. in Civil Engineering, May 2014
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Title: OPTIMIZATION OF WHOLE HOUSE RETROFIT PACKAGES FOR TARGETING 50% ANNUAL ENERGY USE REDUCTIONS IN PRE-1978 CHICAGOLAND HOMES
Creator: Aguilar Leinartas, Honnie
Date: 2014, 2014-07
Description: New standards and guidelines for energy consumption for the various building sectors in the United States are being developed by organizations...
Show moreNew standards and guidelines for energy consumption for the various building sectors in the United States are being developed by organizations such as the US Department of Energy and others. These typically include goals for all existing residential buildings to pursue deep energy retrofits that reduce their energy consumption by at least 50% relative to the regional average for the 2005 stock of that particular building type by the year 2030. To better inform these energy savings goals, this work relies on whole building energy simulation and optimization to construct a “tool-box” of prescriptive deep energy retrofit solutions that can be applied to a large portion of a subset of the housing stock responsible for a significant portion of residential energy use in the Chicagoland area: existing single-family detached homes built prior to 1978. Ten typology groups of pre-1978 single-family homes were considered for energy retrofit package optimization with a target of 50% annual site energy reductions. Simulations were conducted as a two-step process using sequential search optimization functions in BEopt and EnergyPlus as the simulation engine. First, optimizations of the building enclosure for each typology were performed and the combined highest efficiency, least cost packages were applied to the base models. Second, optimizations based on the modified base models were performed using several heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system options, and an optimal cost-effective package was chosen for each typology based on maximizing annual energy reductions, payback periods, and modified internal rates of return (MIRR). Results reveal that prescriptive deep energy retrofit solutions can indeed be defined for each typology that achieve at least 50% site energy reductions, largely through common envelope retrofit measures for all groups and either upgrades to existing HVAC system efficiency or a conversion to mini-split heat pump (MSHP) systems. A scaling analysis suggests that widespread application of the prescriptive deep energy retrofit solutions described herein to the entire Chicagoland residential building stock could save between $400 and $1300 on energy costs per year per home, depending on typology, summing to a total of approximately $280 million per year in savings across all Chicagoland homes.
M.S. in Civil Engineering, July 2014
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Title: VOLATILITY FORECASTING USING A DECISION-BASED ATTRIBUTION FRAMEWORK
Creator: Li, Tingting
Date: 2016, 2016-05
Description: This research develops a portfolio volatility forecasting method for absolute return equity strategies with consideration of managers’...
Show moreThis research develops a portfolio volatility forecasting method for absolute return equity strategies with consideration of managers’ investment skills. Besides the portfolio holdings and prices that are commonly used by existing volatility forecast methodologies, the method proposed in this research takes account of investment skills and their volatility attribution. Investment skills are indicated by decisions of constructing portfolio overtime. Portfolio volatility is attributed to investment decisions through use of decision-based performance attribution model. It is shown that tracking the information contained in the time series of investment decision attribution leads to better volatility forecasts than commonly used forecasting methods which directly use returns and holdings. The forecasting method proposed has advantage of explaining risk forecast in terms of actual investment decisions, and changes to those decisions in real time.
Ph.D. in Management Science, May 2016
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Title: COMPARISON OF NEUROPSYCHOLOCICAL PROFILES OF CHILDREN WITH ATTENTION.DEFIC ITiHYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD), READING DISORDER (RD), AND COMORBID ADHD AND RD
Creator: Hinkle, Clayton D.
Date: 2013, 2013-07
Description: The aim of this study was to expand our understanding of the patterns of executive functioning, memory and learning, and reading achievement...
Show moreThe aim of this study was to expand our understanding of the patterns of executive functioning, memory and learning, and reading achievement in older children and adolescents with ADHD, RD, and comorbid ADHD and RD. Each participant completed neuropsychological assessments, including a measure of intelligence and reading achievement, as well as several measures of executive functioning, memory, and learning. Results suggested that children in these diagnostic groups do significantly differ from each other on these tasks, although those with comorbid ADHD and RD did not demonstrate any specific deficits above and beyond those that manifest in either ADHD or RD alone. Clinical and practical implications, as well as directions for future research are discussed.
PH.D in Psychology, July 2013
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Title: The hazards of grain elevators
Creator: Cloidt, G. W., Maguire, H. B., Roberts, C. H.
Date: 2009, 1907
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/hazardsofgrainel00cloi
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology

Title: CHARACTERIZATION OF A CHROMIUM VANADIUM STEEL IN A HAND TOOL APPLICATION
Creator: Cease, Herman
Date: 2011-04-23, 2011-05
Description: A chromium vanadium steel is characterized for use in a hex wrench hand tool application. The application justi es the need for a high...
Show moreA chromium vanadium steel is characterized for use in a hex wrench hand tool application. The application justi es the need for a high strength and ductile steel. The standard steel alloy used for hex wrenches is 8650. An alternative lower cost steel alloy, 61B60CrV, is considered for the hex wrench hand tool application. The microstructure achieved is tempered martensite. First martensite is formed to create a high strength but brittle material. Then the martensite is reheated and tem- pered to improve the ductility of the material. Both 8650 and 61B60CrV alloys are thermally processed in the same way to create the tempered martensitic structure. The mechanical properties of the proposed steel is evaluated and compared to that of the standard 8650 steel alloy. The 61B60CrV alloy evaluation includes torsion test- ing, hardness and hardenability measurements, and grain size determination. The 61B60CrV alloy is proven to meet the hex wrench hand tool mechanical requirements with a tempered martensitic microstructure. During Jominy hardness testing of the 61B60CrV alloy, it is determined that the hardness requirements are met for a wide range of microstructures. Samples of the 61B60CrV alloy are austempered for di er- ent durations then quenched to room temperature to create samples with di erent amounts of mixed microstructures of bainite and martensite. A range of mixed mi- crostructures are shown to meet the strength, ductility, and hardness requirements for the hex wrench hand tool application without tempering.
Ph.D. in Material Science and Engineering, May 2011
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Title: Heat transmission through condenser tubes
Creator: Kimball, R. W., Edson, N. L.
Date: 2009, 1906
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heattransmission00kimb
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology

Title: Heat treatment of chrome tungsten high speed tool steels
Creator: Perlstein, Harris, Lesser, David Barnes
Date: 2009, 1914
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heattreatmentofc00perl
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology

Title: Heat transmission through insulating materials
Creator: Gusis, Kasimir P
Date: 2009, 1913
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heattransmission00gusi
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology

Title: Heat balance of a Hvid engine
Creator: Jones, L. E, Schwachtgen, E. C
Date: 2009, 1920
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heatbalanceofhvi00jone
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology, 1920 B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, 1920

Title: Heat resistance of inner arc lamp globes
Creator: Enzler, L. J., Hammer, G. O.
Date: 2009, 1916
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heatresistanceof00enzl
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology

Title: Heat transmission in condenser coils
Creator: Anderson, W. J., Judson, L. D.
Date: 2009, 1921
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heattransmission00ande
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology; Bibliography: leaf 33

Title: Heat transmission in a vacuum evaporator
Creator: Dormitzer, H. C., Roleson, E. P.
Date: 2009, 1912
Publisher: Armour Institute of Technology
Description: http://www.archive.org/details/heattransmission00dorm
Thesis (B.S.)--Armour Institute of Technology

Title: PEDESTRIAN URBANISM: THE CULTURAL IMPACTS OF WALKABLE COMMUTES AND TRANSIT USE IN CHICAGO (UNITED STATES), PARIS (FRANCE), AND SEOUL (KOREA)
Creator: Jeong, Hyesun
Date: 2016, 2016-12
Description: In the past several decades, followers of Jane Jacobs have sought to codify her concept of “eyes on the street.” Jacobs used Greenwich Village...
Show moreIn the past several decades, followers of Jane Jacobs have sought to codify her concept of “eyes on the street.” Jacobs used Greenwich Village in New York City to illustrate how her concept could be enhanced through the density and diversity of mixed neighborhoods. This study’s core hypothesis emphasizes density, mixed use, and the cultural pattern of Bohemia on walkability. Mainly based on Jacobs’s argument, this study encourages urban development and neighborhood vitality, and then expands it with walking, bicycling, and public transit use. The study uses a comparative analysis of Chicago (USA), Paris (France), and Seoul (Korea) to examine public policy towards a walkable city in contexts where this policy adjusts to local neighborhoods. The study redefines the concept of Bohemia by numerically codifying and measuring it as a cultural variable together with other urban variables to evaluate their relationship to commuting choice and transit ridership in three cities and their countries. The findings from the statistical analysis show that Bohemia and the presence of the arts are strongly associated with non-auto commuting modes and public transit ridership.
Ph.D. in Architecture, December 2016
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Title: MAKING GOOD DECISIONS: THE ROLE OF TEAM PERSONALITY DIVERSITY AND GROUP POLARIZATION
Creator: Watson, Jeremy Beau
Date: 2014, 2014-05
Description: Making high quality decisions is central to organizations in order to remain competitive, increase productivity, quality, and/or remain...
Show moreMaking high quality decisions is central to organizations in order to remain competitive, increase productivity, quality, and/or remain responsive to customers. Most often, teams are responsible for making vital decisions and decision accuracy is key to obtaining desired outcomes. This study examined the role of team personality diversity as it pertains to decision quality. Additionally, a common phenomenon known as group polarization was studied with regard to cooperative and competitive attitudes as a potential important process. Using several decision scenarios and the Lost on the Moon task, 279 individuals in teams of three (n = 93 teams) participated in a laboratory study to investigate the relationship between team personality diversity, group polarization of cooperative/competitive attitudes, and decision quality. Results indicated that team agreeableness diversity was positively related to group polarization, and team openness diversity was negatively related to decision quality. Previous research, implications, and limitations to this study are also discussed.
PH.D in Psychology, May 2014
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