FGS - Electronic Theses and Practica

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http://hdl.handle.net/1993/6

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This collection contains University of Manitoba electronic theses and practica.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 26802

Open Access
On joint communication and sensing in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless systems
(2025-04-04) Perera, Thakshila; Mezghani, Amine (Electrical and Computer Engineering); Sherif, Sherif (Electrical and Computer Engineering); Hossain, Ekram
This thesis advances the understanding of integrated beamforming design for joint communication and sensing (JCAS) systems, where a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) base station (BS) supports downlink communication users while simultaneously estimating parameters of a sensing target. The focus is on characterizing the Pareto boundary between communication performance (measured by mutual information (MI), sum-rate capacity) and sensing performance (measured by Fisher information (FI)), subject to practical system constraints. Two key scenarios are investigated: (1) a single-user, single-sensing-object system with and without equivalent isotropic radiated power (EIRP) constraints, and (2) a multi-user, single-sensing-object system, both subject to a total transmit power budget. In the single-user scenario without EIRP constraints, a closed-form solution is derived for the Pareto-optimal beamforming design, which is parameterized by a single scalar variable governing the trade-off between MI/sum-rate and FI. This solution is validated against iterative algorithms (e.g., projected gradient descent) and convex optimization (CVX) frameworks, demonstrating its optimality. For the EIRP-constrained case, the problem is reformulated using Lagrangian and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions and solved via a customized gradient descent algorithm. The results confirm that joint beamforming outperforms independent strategies, with the Pareto boundary influenced by the user’s and target’s angles of departure (AoD), antenna configurations, and EIRP limits. In the multi-user scenario, uplink-downlink duality is used to decouple the multi-objective optimization problem. Through Lagrangian methods and block-coordinate ascent, an efficient algorithm is developed to maximize the weighted sum of MI/sum-rate across users and FI for sensing. This approach shows that joint beamforming remains Pareto-optimal, efficiently allocating resources to mitigate interference while enhancing sensing accuracy. Numerical evaluations across various configurations validate the theoretical findings, revealing that EIRP constraints tighten the Pareto boundary, highlighting the need for adaptive power allocation strategies in practical systems. This work provides a foundation for designing next-generation JCAS systems, emphasizing integrated beamforming as a means to harmonize communication and sensing objectives. The derived frameworks and numerical tools offer valuable insights for optimizing MIMO-based dual-functional networks in applications such as vehicular radar-communication coexistence and 6G perceptive networks. Keywords: Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS), Pareto Boundary, Mutual Information (MI), Sum-rate, Fisher Information (FI), Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP), joint beamforming, uplink-downlink duality.
Embargo
Investigating the metabolic landscape of recurrent group 3 medulloblastoma
(2025-04-16) Senthil, Harshal; Anderson, Chris (Pharmacology and Therapeutics); Werbowetski-Ogilvie, Tamra (Biochemistry and Medical Genetics); Sharif, Tanveer
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children, accounting for approximately 25% of all pediatric brain tumors. Among medulloblastoma, group 3 medulloblastoma (MBG3) carries the poorest prognosis, with a 5-year overall survival of less than 60%. The current standard of care consists of maximal surgical resection followed by radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. However, despite this aggressive treatment approach, approximately 30% of MBG3 patients experience tumor relapse. These recurrent tumors are often metastatic and resistant to therapy, underscoring the critical need to understand the mechanisms underlying therapy resistance in MBG3 cells. To investigate this, we examined cellular metabolic adaptations in response to the stress induced by chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Our findings revealed a distinct upregulation of mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle enzymes in MBG3 cells following CRT exposure. However, this increase was not accompanied by a corresponding rise in mitochondrial activity. Instead, we observed that these enzymes were selectively upregulated within the nuclear compartment of CRT-treated (CRT-T) cells. The presence of TCA cycle activity in the nucleus suggests a potential role for metabolite-driven epigenetic modifications in response to CRT. To explore this, we examined key histone modification sites commonly altered in MBG3: histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27), histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9), and histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4). Our analysis confirmed significant changes in both acetylation and methylation, indicating that CRT promotes a transcriptionally active state that may enable MBG3 cells to adapt by upregulating genes associated with stress response and survival. Moving forward, identifying these transcriptional changes will provide critical insights into the mechanisms driving tumor relapse in MBG3, potentially uncovering novel therapeutic targets to overcome treatment resistance.
Open Access
Evaluating factors that influence appetite and glycemic response to wild rice and wild rice blends in humans
(2025-03-20) Chukwu, Nnedinso; Bandara, Nandika (Food and Human Nutritional Sciences); Joseph, Sijo (Food and Human Nutritional Sciences); Levin, David (Biosystems Engineering); MacKay, Dylan; Mollard, Rebecca
Background: Wild rice (WR) has been reported to have better nutritional profile compared to white rice (WhR) and brown rice (BR). It has also shown numerous health benefits in animal models and in vitro studies. But no study has reported the effects of WR consumption on postprandial appetite and glycemic response (PPGR) in humans. Objectives: To investigate the effects of cooked Canadian WR and wild rice blends consumption on palatability, postprandial appetite and PPGR in adults and evaluate the nutritional components that could be responsible for the study outcomes. Design: The acute trial followed a randomized crossover controlled design. Participants (n=19, 10 males and 9 females) consumed 140 g of treatment; stovetop cooked WR, BR, WhR (control), a wild rice blend of 15% wild rice and 85% brown rice (WRB), and microwaved WRB with 250 mL water. Their blood glucose concentration and appetite were measured at intervals from 0 to 120 min. Palatability of the treatments was measured following consumption. To explore the potential impact of parboiling on blood glucose results, WR was parboiled and nutritional composition of the treatments used in the study and the parboiled WR were analyzed and compared. Results: From the trial, it was observed that the stovetop cooked WR had about 32.7% increase in the PPGR when compared to parboiled WhR (p ≤ 0.05). No differences were observed for appetite among the treatments. Parboiled WhR (70.7%) and BR (72.4%) were more palatable than WR (61.3%) and WRB (57.1% for microwave and 64.0% for stovetop). Based on these results we explored the impact of parboiling on WR. We found that parboiling improved the protein, dietary fibre, amylose, total phenolic content, fat, and reduced the rapidly and slowly digestible starch, starch damage, total flavonoid content, and carbohydrates in WR. Also, the cooked parboiled WR showed intermediate estimated glycemic index (eGI) of 64 in in vitro digestion calculation compared to cooked non-parboiled WR with eGI of 77. Conclusion: Short-term consumption of 140 g of cooked non- parboiled WR led to higher PPGR compared to parboiled BR and WhR in adults, despite WR having better nutritional profile than WhR and BR. Parboiling WR could be an excellent method to reduce blood glucose response to WR consumption, without meaningfully decreasing its positive nutritional properties. Further studies are needed to investigate insulin response following WR consumption and the effects of cooked parboiled WR on postprandial appetite and PPGR in humans.
Embargo
Design and analysis of an end-of-arm robotic drilling tool for aerospace manufacturing with active vibration control
(2025-04-23) Kazemiesfahani, Mahdi; Ferguson, Philip (Mechanical Engineering); Wang, Jay (Mechanical Engineering); Khoshdarregi, Matt
Automated drilling is crucial in aerospace manufacturing, significantly impacting production efficiency, quality, and safety. This thesis presents the design, prototyping, and analysis of the Advanced Collaborative Multifunctional End-Effector (ACME), a robotic drilling tool specifically developed for aerospace applications. ACME addresses key industry challenges by integrating lightweight design, collaborative robot (cobot) compatibility, precise positional control, and advanced vibration suppression capabilities. ACME utilizes mechanisms for efficient planar movement, combined with a passive self-normalizing drilling head capable of maintaining normality on complex, double-curvature surfaces. The device is engineered to provide high clamping forces essential for multi-layered material stacks, while remaining within the payload limits of commercially available cobots. Experimental verification confirmed ACME’s operational efficacy, achieving target performance metrics including a maximum clamping force exceeding 1000 N, rapid drilling cycles of approximately 12 seconds per hole, and an optimal workspace suitable for typical aerospace panel configurations. Despite minor deviations in geometric hole quality compared to CNC benchmarks, results were within acceptable aerospace standards. A comprehensive dynamic model, developed and verified experimentally through frequency response functions (FRF), effectively characterizes system behaviors and supports precise vibration control. The thesis further investigates active vibration control (AVC) methods employing voice coil actuators (VCAs), demonstrating significant reductions in operational vibration amplitudes and enhancing overall drilling precision. The outcomes highlight ACME’s potential as a cost-effective, flexible, and high-precision automated drilling solution for aerospace manufacturing, laying the groundwork for future advancements in robotic automation and vibration control strategies.
Open Access
Detection of lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the Winnipeg River using environmental DNA (eDNA)
(2024-12-09) Anderson, Morgan; Roth, James (Biological Sciences); Jeffries, Ken (Biological Sciences); Anderson, Gary; Docker, Margaret
Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens), a species of ecological and cultural significance in North America, face population declines due to habitat loss, overharvesting, and environmental changes. Effective monitoring tools are essential for conserving and managing their populations. This thesis explores the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a non-invasive tool for detecting the presence and absence of Lake Sturgeon in the Winnipeg River system and its potential to identify spawning events. The spatial and temporal distribution of Lake Sturgeon was examined using mitochondrial (Cyt-b) eDNA, revealing seasonal patterns that aligned with previously documented behaviours, such as spawning, foraging, and overwintering. Fifteen sites were sampled once a month from May through to October in both 2021 and 2022. A total of 55/78 samples (70.5%) amplified Lake Sturgeon DNA in 2021 and 45/65 samples (69.2%) in 2022. The relative location of the collection site to the hydroelectric generating stations was found to be a significant influence on the presence of eDNA. The application of nuclear and mitochondrial eDNA for detecting Lake Sturgeon spawning events using a newly developed ITS-1 assay was found to be successful in a field setting. The nuclear assay only amplified Lake Sturgeon DNA in 14/57 samples (24.6%), all during the suspected spawning period when compared to ideal spawning conditions, successfully detecting the presence of reproductive adults during peak spawning periods. The eDNA results corresponded closely with conventional field observations, including egg deposition and adult sampling. The assay is sturgeon-specific but not species-specific, suggesting its broader applicability for monitoring other North American sturgeon species, though further validation across diverse environmental contexts is required. The findings of this research underscore the versatility and promise of eDNA as a non-invasive tool for Lake Sturgeon conservation. By identifying critical habitats and reproductive events, eDNA provides an efficient and scalable approach to monitor sturgeon populations and inform targeted conservation strategies. This work lays a foundation for further research into refining eDNA techniques and integrating them into long-term monitoring programs to address ongoing challenges in freshwater species conservation.

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