A blue spark to shine on the origin of the Universe

An interdisciplinary team of scientists has demonstrated that it is possible to build an ultra-sensitive sensor based on a new fluorescent molecule able to detect the nuclear decay key to knowing whether or not a neutrino is its own antiparticle

UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

 

IMAGE: ARTISTIC REPRESENTATION OF THE NEW FLUORESCENT MOLECULE THAT CAN SHED LIGHT ON THE ELUSIVE NATURE OF NEUTRINOS. view more 

CREDIT: UPV/EHU

Why is our Universe made of matter? Why does everything exist as we know it? These questions are linked to one of the most important unsolved problems in particle physics. This problem is that of the nature of the neutrino, which could be its own antiparticle, as argued by the unfortunate Italian genius Ettore Majorana almost a century ago. If this were so, it could explain the mysterious cosmic asymmetry between matter and antimatter.

Indeed, we know that the Universe is made almost exclusively of matter. However, the Big Bang theory predicts that the early Universe contained the same amount of matter and antimatter particles. This prediction is consistent with the "small Big Bangs" that form in proton collisions at CERN's giant LHC accelerator, where a symmetrical production of particles and antiparticles is always observed. So, where did the antimatter of the early Universe go? A possible mechanism points to the existence of heavy neutrinos that were its own antiparticle, and therefore, could decay into both matter and antimatter. If a second phenomenon occurs, called violation of charge and parity (that is, if the neutrino slightly favors in its decay the production of matter over that of antimatter), then it could have injected an excess of the first over the second. After all the matter and antimatter in the Universe were annihilated (with the exception of this small excess), the result would be a cosmos made only of matter, of the leftovers from the Big Bang. We could say that our Universe is the remnant of a shipwreck.

It is possible to demonstrate that the neutrino is its own antiparticle by observing a rare type of nuclear process called neutrinoless double beta decay (bb0nu), in which concurrently two neutrons (n) of the nucleus are transformed into protons (p) while two electrons (e) are emitted out of the atom. This process can happen in some rare isotopes, such as Xenon-136, which has in its nucleus 54 p and 82 n, in addition to 54 e when is neutral. The NEXT experiment (directed by J.J. Gómez-Cadenas, DIPC and D. Nygren, UTA), located in the underground laboratory of Canfranc (LSC), looks for these decays using high pressure gas chambers.

When a Xe-136 atom undergoes spontaneous bb0nu decay, the result of the process is the production of a doubly charged ion of Barium-136 (Ba2+); with 54 e and a nucleus made of 56 p and 80 n; and two electrons (Xe à Ba2+ + 2e).

So far, the NEXT experiment has focused on observing these two electrons, whose signal is very characteristic of the process. However, the bb0nu process that is meant to be observed is extremely rare and the signal that is expected is of the order of one bb0nu decay per ton of gas and year of exposure. This very weak signal can be completely masked by background noise due to the ubiquitous natural radioactivity. However, if in addition to observing the two electrons, the barium ionized atom is also detected, the background noise can be reduced to zero, since natural radioactivity does not produce this ion. The problem is that observing a single ion of Ba2+ in the midst of a large bb0nu detector is technically so challenging that until recently it was considered essentially unfeasible. However, a number of recent works, the latest of which has just been published in the journal Nature, suggest that the feat may be feasible after all.

The work, conceived and led by the researchers F.P. Cossío, Professor at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Scientific Director of Ikerbasque, and J.J. Gómez-Cadenas, Professor Ikerbasque at the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), includes an interdisciplinary team with scientists from DIPC, the UPV/EHU, Ikerbasque, the Optics Laboratory of the University of Murcia (LOUM), the Materials Physics Center (CFM, a joint center CSIC-UPV/EHU), POLYMAT, and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Gómez-Cadenas has pointed out that "the result of this interdisciplinary collaboration that combines, among other disciplines, particle physics, organic chemistry, surface physics and optics, is a clear example of the commitment that DIPC has recently shown to developing new research lines. The purpose is not only to generate knowledge in other fields, different from the centre's usual ones, but also to look for hybrid grounds and create interdisciplinary projects that, in many cases, like this one, can be the most genuine".

The research is based on the idea, proposed by one of the authors of the article, the prestigious scientist D. Nygren (inventor, among other devices of the Time Projection Chamber technology applied by many particle physics experiment, including NEXT). In 2016, Nygren proposed the feasibility to capture Ba2+ with a molecule capable of forming a supramolecular complex with it and to provide a clear signal when this occurs, thus yielding a suitable molecular indicator. Nygren and his group at UTA then went into designing "on-off" indicators, in which the signal of the molecule is highly enhanced when a supra-molecular complex is formed. The group led by Cossío and Gómez-Cadenas has followed a different path, designing a fluorescent bicolor indicator (FBI) which combines a large intensity enhancement and a dramatic color shift when the molecule captures Ba2+. The synthesis of FBI was done under the direction of DIPC researcher I. Rivilla. If an FBI molecule with no barium is illuminated with ultraviolet light, it emits fluorescence in the range of green light, with a narrow emission spectrum of about 550 nm. However, when this molecule captures Ba2+, its emission spectrum shifts towards blue (420 nm). The combination of both features results in a spectacular enhancement of the signal, thus making it very suitable for a future Ba2+ detector.

It is interesting to note that the experimental multiphoton microscopy systems used in the LOUM by P. Artal's group for the green/blue spectral detection are based on those developed previously for imaging the cornea of the human eye in vivo. This is an example of interlacing the use of a unique technology in the world for biomedical applications on a fundamental problem of particle physics. "The effort to combine basic science and new instrumental implementations is essential to open new research avenues to answer the many questions that we scientists ask ourselves every day," says J.M. Bueno, Professor of Optics at LOUM.

As Cossío has explained, "the most difficult task in the chemical part of the work was to design a new molecule that would meet the strict (almost impossible) requirements imposed by the NEXT experiment. This molecule had to be very bright, capture barium with extreme efficiency (bb0nu is a very rare event and no cation could be wasted) and emit a specific signal that would allow the capture to be detected without background noise. In addition, the chemical synthesis of the new FBI sensor had to be efficient in order to have enough ultra-pure samples for installation within the detector. The most rewarding part was to check that, after many efforts by this multidisciplinary team, actually our specific and ultra-sensitive FBI sensor worked as planned".

Besides the design and characterization of FBI, the paper offers the first demonstration of the formation of a supramolecular complex in dry medium. This landmark result has been achieved preparing a layer of FBI indicators compressed over a silica pellet and evaporating over such a layer a salt of barium perchlorate. Z. Freixa, Ikerbasque Professor at the UPV/EHU says, with a smile: "the preparation of FBI on silica has been a quick-but-not-so-dirty solution for this proof of concept. A bit of home alchemy". The vacuum sublimation experiment was done by the CSIC scientist at CFM C. Rogero and her student P. Herrero-Gómez. Rogero, an expert in physics of surfaces says: "it was one of those Eureka moment, when we realized that we had in my lab just the tools to carry on the experiment. We evaporated the perchlorate and got FBI shinning in blue almost at the first attempt"

The next step of this research project is the construction of an FBI based sensor for the detection of the neutrinoless double beta decay or bb0nu, for which Gomez-Cadenas, F. Monrabal from DIPC and D. Nygren and collaborators at UTA are developing a conceptual proposal.

This work is a significant advance towards building a future "barium-tagging" NEXT experiment to look for noise-free bb0nu events through the identification of the two electrons and the barium atom produced in the reaction. This experiment would have a great potential to find out if the neutrino is its own antiparticle, which could lead to answer fundamental questions about the origin of the Universe.

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Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC)

DIPC is a research centre whose mission is to conduct and catalyse cutting-edge research in physics and related disciplines as well as to convey scientific culture to society. Located in Donostia / San Sebastian, DIPC was born from a strategic alliance between public institutions and private companies. Since 2008, DIPC is a 'Basque Excellence Research Center' (BERC) of the Department of Education of the Basque Government, and recently in 2019 it has been recognized as a "Severo Ochoa" Center of Excellence by the Spanish Research Agency.

http://dipc.ehu.eus

University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)

The University of the Basque Country (Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea) is the main institution of higher education in the Basque Country and one of the most important in Spain in terms of quantity of teaching results, research, and technological innovation and development. It is currently listed among the 500 best universities in the world, according to the Shanghai ranking. The UPV/EHU is present in all the territories of the Basque Autonomous Region. It is a public university, with a research vocation, rooted in the Basque culture, open to the world, which develops an important intellectual leadership within the society in which it is embedded and with a clear ethical and social commitment. Three campuses, twenty study centers and a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs are its academic credentials. More than 50,000 people attend the university every day, including students, faculty and research and management staff, to carry out their work. The UPV/EHU has the status of Campus of International Excellence, awarded by the Ministry of Education after an independent assessment, and has fostered, in collaboration with the University of Bordeaux, a cross-border campus that is unique in Europe.

https://www.ehu.eus

Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science

IKERBASQUE is the result of an initiative by the Department of Education of the Basque Government that aims to reinforce the Basque scientific system through the attraction, recovery and retention of researchers from all around the world.

https://www.ikerbasque.net

Optics Laboratory of the University of Murcia (LOUM)

The LOUM is a research group headed by Prof. Pablo Artal that develops advanced optical instrumentation for use in biomedicine. It is one of the world's leading groups in the implementation of adaptive optics and wavefront manipulation techniques for the evaluation and correction of vision.

http://lo.um.es

Materials Physics Center (CFM, CSIC-UPV/EHU)

Born in 1999 as a joint initiative of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), CFM aims to foster the frontiers of knowledge in advanced materials science research, by bringing together permanent teams with a track record of excellence in scientific research, thereby creating an environment of international excellence, based on diversity and equal opportunities, that actively contributes to promoting scientific culture. The quality of the CFM's activity has been recognised by the Basque Government, which has awarded the MPC association, the CFM's instrumental body, the status of Basque Excellence Research Centre (BERC).

https://cfm.ehu.es

Basque Center for Macromolecular Design and Engineering POLYMAT Fundazioa (POLYMAT, UPV/EHU)

POLYMAT was recognised in 2012 by the Basque Government as Basque Excellence Research Centre (BERC). Located in Donostia / San Sebastian, its mission is to be an internationally oriented and strategic research centre in polymers in collaboration with the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and in cooperation with the main research centres in its field at a national and international level, in accordance with the interests of society, contributing to its development and social welfare. The main objective is to contribute to the social challenges of the 21st century, such as energy, sustainability and health, by promoting the dissemination and transfer of knowledge in polymeric materials for their use by the scientific community and society in general.

http://www.polymat.eu

University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)

The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university in Arlington, Texas, midway between Dallas and Fort Worth. The university was founded in 1895 and was in the Texas A&M University System for several decades until joining The University of Texas System in 1965.

https://www.uta.edu

Virtually captured

Biomechanical analyses and computer simulations reveal the Venus flytrap snapping mechanisms

UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG

 

IMAGE: VENUS FLYTRAP WITH PREY. view more 

CREDIT: PHOTO: PLANT BIOMECHANICS GROUP

Freiburg biologists Dr. Anna Westermeier, Max Mylo, Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck and Dr. Simon Poppinga and Stuttgart structural engineer Renate Sachse and Prof. Dr. Manfred Bischoff show that the trap of the carnivorous plant is under mechanical prestress. In addition, its three tissue layers of each lobe have to deform according to a special pattern. The team has published its results in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.

The diet of the Venus flytrap consists mainly of crawling insects. When the animals touch the sensory hairs inside the trap twice within about 20 seconds it snaps shut. Aspects such as how the trap perceives its prey and how it differentiates potential prey from a raindrop falling into the trap were already well known to scientists. However the precise morphing process of the halves of the trap remained largely unknown.

In order to gain a better understanding of these processes, the researchers have analyzed the interior and exterior surfaces of the trap using digital 3D image correlation methods. Scientists typically use these methods for the examination of technical materials. Using the results the team then constructed several virtual traps in a finite element simulation that differ in their tissue layer setups and in the mechanical behavior of the layers.

Only the digital traps that were under prestress displayed the typical snapping. The team confirmed this observation with dehydration tests on real plants: only well-watered traps are able to snap shut quickly and correctly by releasing this prestress. Watering the plant changed the pressure in the cells and with it the behavior of the tissue. In order to close correctly, the traps also had to consist of three layers of tissue: an inner which constricts, an outer which expands, and a neutral middle layer.

Speck and Mylo are members of the Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS) cluster of excellence of the University of Freiburg. The Venus flytrap serves there as a model for a biomimetic demonstrator made of artificial materials being developed by researchers at the cluster. The scientists use it to test the potential uses of materials systems that have life-like characteristics: the systems adapt to changes in the environment and harvest the necessary energy from this environment.

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The research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the framework of the livMatS cluster of excellence, by the State Ministry of Baden-Württemberg for Sciences, Research and Arts within the framework of the BioElast project, and by the academic research alliance JONAS ("Joint Research Network on Advanced Materials and Systems") established jointly with BASF SE and the University of Freiburg.

Original publication:

Sachse R, Westermeier A, Mylo M, Nadashi J, Bischoff M, Speck T, Poppinga S. (2020) Snapping mechanics of the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula). In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, doi: 10.1073/pnas.2002707117

Contact:

Institute of Biology II
University of Freiburg

Disclaimer: AAAS and Eure

Towards a green future: Efficient laser technique can convert cellulose into biofuel

Scientists developed a novel laser-based strategy for the effective degradation of cellulose into useful products

TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE

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IMAGE: A NOVEL LASER-BASED STRATEGY FOR THE EFFECTIVE DEGRADATION OF CELLULOSE INTO USEFUL PRODUCTS view more 

CREDIT: TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE

With the imminent threat of a climate crisis hanging over our heads, it has become crucial to develop efficient alternatives to fossil fuels. One option is to use clean sources of fuels called biofuels, which can be produced from natural sources such as biomass. The plant-based polymer cellulose is the most abundant form of biomass globally and can be converted into raw materials such as glucose and xylose for the production of bioethanol (a type of biofuel). But, this process is challenging owing to the molecule's rigid and dense structure, which makes it insoluble in water. Chemists and biotechnologists globally have used conventional techniques like microwave radiation, hydrolysis, and ultrasonication to degrade this polymer, but these processes require extreme conditions and are thus unsustainable.

To this end, in a new study published in Energy & Fuels, a research team in Japan, including Dr Takayasu Kawasaki (Tokyo University of Science), Dr Heishun Zen (Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University), Prof Yasushi Hayakawa (Laboratory of Electron Beam Research and Application, Institute of Quantum Science, Nihon University), Prof Toshiaki Ohta (SR Center, Ritsumeikan University), and Prof Koichi Tsukiyama (Tokyo University of Science), developed a novel technique for cellulose degradation. This technique was based on a type of laser called the infrared-free electron laser (IR-FEL), whose wavelength is tunable in the range of 3 to 20 μm. This new method is a promising green technology for the zero-emission degradation of cellulose. Dr Kawasaki says, "One of the unique features of the IR-FEL is that it can induce a multiphoton absorption for a molecule and can modify the structure of a substance. So far, this technology has been used in the basic fields of physics, chemistry, and medicine, but we wanted to use to spur advances in environmental technology."

The scientists knew that IR-FEL could be used to perform dissociation reactions on various biomolecules. Cellulose is a biopolymer composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen molecules, which form covalent bonds of varying lengths and angles with each other. The polymer has three infrared bands at the wavelengths of 9.1, 7.2, and 3.5 μm, which correspond to three different bonds: the C?O stretching mode, H?C?O bending mode, and C?H stretching mode, respectively. Based on this, the scientists irradiated powdered cellulose by tuning the wavelength of the IR-FEL to these three wavelengths. Then, they analyzed the products using techniques such as electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and synchrotron radiation infrared microscopy, which revealed that the cellulose molecules had successfully decomposed into glucose and cellobiose (precursor molecules for bioethanol production). Not just this, their products were obtained at high yields, making this process extremely efficient. Dr Kawasaki explains, "This was the first method in the world to efficiently obtain glucose from cellulose by using an IR-FEL. Because this method does not require harsh reaction conditions such as harmful organic solvents, high temperature, and high pressure, it is superior to other conventional methods."

Apart from generating biofuels, cellulose has several applications--for example, as functional biomaterials in biocompatible cell membranes, antibacterial sheets, and hybrid paper materials. Thus, the new method developed in this study shows promise for various industries, such as healthcare, technology, and engineering. Moreover, Dr Kawasaki is optimistic that their method is useful to process not only cellulose but also other wood constituents and can prove to be an innovative method for recycling forest biomass. He concludes, "We hope that this study will contribute to the development of an 'oil-free' society."

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About The Tokyo University of Science

Tokyo University of Science (TUS) is a well-known and respected university, and the largest science-specialized private research university in Japan, with four campuses in central Tokyo and its suburbs and in Hokkaido. Established in 1881, the university has continually contributed to Japan's development in science through inculcating the love for science in researchers, technicians, and educators.

With a mission of "Creating science and technology for the harmonious development of nature, human beings, and society", TUS has undertaken a wide range of research from basic to applied science. TUS has embraced a multidisciplinary approach to research and undertaken intensive study in some of today's most vital fields. TUS is a meritocracy where the best in science is recognized and nurtured. It is the only private university in Japan that has produced a Nobel Prize winner and the only private university in Asia to produce Nobel Prize winners within the natural sciences field. Website: https://www.tus.ac.jp/en/mediarelations/

Dr Takayasu Kawasaki from Tokyo University of Science

Dr Takayasu Kawasaki is a researcher at the Infrared Free Electron Laser Research Center at the Tokyo University of Science (FEL-TUS). He is specialized in the area of bioorganic chemistry and materials science. A respected and senior researcher, he has more than 20 research articles published in prestigious international journals to his credit.

Funding information

This research was supported in part by the Open Advanced Research Facilities Initiative and Photon Beam Platform Project of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan. This research was also conducted by a joint use research with Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University (Joint Usage/Research Program on Zero-Emission Energy Research, ZE31A-12), SR center, Ritsumeikan University (S19001), and Laboratory of Electron Beam Research and Application, Institute of Quantum Science, Nihon University.

An environmental warning system to monitor the coast

The SBPQ methodology is based on studying the evolution of certain marine species deemed to have bioindicator potential in order to detect changes that may point towards shifts in the environment

UNIVERSITY OF SEVILLE

 

Researchers at the University of Seville Marine Biology Laboratory, working in the research team of Dr. José Carlos García Gómez, have demonstrated the usefulness of using the SBPQ (Sessile Bioindicators Permanent Quadrats) methodology to detect potential shifts in coastal areas. This technique acts a warning of incidents of a local nature, such as water pollution from poorly treated urban wastewater discharges; or of a more global nature, which become evident by monitoring climate change through species that are sensitive to temperature increases; or incidents caused by the intrusion of potential invasive species.

The first step in applying the SBPQ methodology is to select areas where sensitive native species are present and live in their adult form attached to the rocks (sessile), such as corals and sponges. These species have are unable to escape or relocate if environmental conditions deteriorate, meaning they can be used as environmental sentinels. To do this, the evolution over time of their presence in specific enclaves is monitored closely so that it is possible to detect changing circumstances if they begin to disappear. This early detection of environmental impacts in the coastal environment enables researchers to locate the source of the impact and, potentially, to correct it swiftly when the first signs of change are observed.

These conclusions flow from data collected over a ten year period (2005-2014), making this study one of the longest in the field of pre-coral and coral reefs. Long-term series are key to establishing trends and solving many unanswered questions around developments in ecosystems and possible changes to them. The study, published in the scientific journal PloS One, sought to confirm the validity and usefulness of the SBPQ methodology by focusing on a ten-year historical series which it was designed to test.

Furthermore, the researchers were able to confirm the hypothesis that in very stable and biostructured, high diversity beds, coral reef communities are very stable and tend not to vary over time unless disturbed by environmental factors that change the system. For ten years no change was recorded in the presence/absence of the monitored indicator species or in their abundances on the monitored fixed surfaces, meaning that, in that period of time no change--at least no change of significance--occurred leading to lethal or maladaptive effects on selected sensitive organisms in native biota.

Further research, also using the SBPQ method, led to the detection in 2015 of the invasive Asian algae Rugulopteryx okamurae (although not yet formally declared as such) in the Strait of Gibraltar. Its presence was detected for the first time in the area associated with pre-coral enclaves of high stability, spatial structure and associated biodiversity, which are very sensitive to environmental changes in the system. In this case, researchers from the University of Seville Marine Biology Laboratory tentatively linked this shift to global warming, since the invasion of the species occurred in 2015, coinciding with the highest peak in surface water temperature on the Andalusian coast in the period between 2000 and 2017. These considerations were reflected in another recent article by the team led by Dr. García Gómez, published in the scientific journal Science of The Total Environment (STOTEN).

The Strait of Gibraltar is an especially interesting area to test the usefulness of the SBPQ methodology as it presents coral habitats in pristine waters, especially in the Estrecho Natural Park, featuring excellent indicator species which are highly sensitive to environmental changes.

Based on the results obtained, the researchers underscored the importance of promoting a network to monitor environmental impacts in the coastal environment, tracking invasive species and monitoring global warming in the western Mediterranean. "But perhaps the most important thing about the SBPQ methodology is that it is a tool for social participation that reaches out to diving clubs and centres who want to get involved, under scientific supervision, in the underwater environment to monitor our coastal ecosystems," says Professor José Carlos García Gómez, director of the University of Seville Marine Biology Laboratory. "It is a tool that aims to fit into the recent world trend of Citizen Science, which has shown engagement with the conservation of underwater nature". It is a promising line of research developed by the University of Seville to transfer research results and social innovation in the field of marine biology.

The study was conducted thanks to financing from various European projects, the Network of Northern Mediterranean Protected Areas (Med-PAN), the RAC/SPA (Activity Centre for Special Protected Areas), the Department of the Environment of the Andalusian Regional Government (now CAGPyDS), the Port Authority of Seville (APS), the CEPSA Foundation and Red Eléctrica de España. The Port Authority of Algeciras (APBA) is currently studying the idea of including the waters around its facilities

Getting real with immersive sword fights

Computer Scientists at Bath have created Touche: a solution to the challenges of creating realistic VR sword fights.

UNIVERSITY OF BATH

 

IMAGE: COMPUTER SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BATH HAVE FOUND A SOLUTION TO THE CHALLENGES OF CREATING REALISTIC VR SWORD FIGHTS, AND IT'S CALLED TOUCHÉ. view more 

CREDIT: CHRISTOF LUTTEROTH

Sword fights are often the weak link in virtual reality (VR) fighting games, with digital avatars engaging in battle using imprecise, pre-recorded movements that barely reflect the player's actions or intentions. Now a team at the University of Bath, in collaboration with the game development studio Ninja Theory, has found a solution to the challenges of creating realistic VR sword fights: Touche - a data-driven computer model based on machine learning.

Dr Christof Lutteroth, who created Touche with colleague Dr Julian Padget and EngD student Javier Dehesa, said: "Touche increases the realism of a sword fight by generating responsive animations against attacks and eliminating non-reactive behaviour from characters.

"Using our model, a game character can anticipate all possible fight situations and react to them, resulting in a more enjoyable and immersive game experience."

The unpredictability of user actions presents a major conundrum for designers of VR games, explained Dr Lutteroth, who is a senior lecturer in Computer Science, director of Real and Virtual Environments Augmentation Labs (REVEAL) and co-investigator at the Centre for the Analysis of Motion, Entertainment Research and Applications (CAMERA). "VR games offer new freedom for players to interact naturally using motion, but this makes it harder to design games that react to player motions convincingly," he said.

He added: "There are different expectations for screen-based video games. With these, a player presses 'attack' and their character displays a sequence of animations. But in a VR game, the player input is much harder to process."

The Touche framework for VR sword fighting simplifies the necessary technical work to achieve a convincing simulation. It eliminates the need for game designers to add layer upon layer of detail when programming how a character should move in a particular situation (for instance, to block a particular sword attack). Instead, actors wearing motion capture equipment are asked to perform a range of sword fighting movements, and Touche builds a model from these movements. The virtual version of the actor is able to react to different situations in a similar fashion to a flesh-and-blood fighter. Game designers can then fine-tune this model to meet their needs by adjusting high-level parameters, such as how skilled and aggressive the game character should be. All this saves game developers a lot of time and leads to more realistic results.

For the Bath study, 12 volunteers were asked to take part in two three-minute sword fights: for the first fight, they used technology that is currently available and for the second, they used Touche. Touche had a strong positive effect on realism and the perceived sword fighting skills of game characters. Feedback from participants pointed to a convincing preference for Touche, with current sword fights being described as 'unresponsive' and 'clumsy' by comparison.

"Based on this, we are convinced that Touche can deliver more enjoyable, realistic and immersive sword fighting experiences, presenting a more skilled and less repetitive opponent behaviour," said Dr Lutteroth. "I'm convinced this framework is the future for games - not only for sword fighting but also for other types of interaction between game characters. It will save developers a lot of time."

Javier Dehesa Javier, who is based at the Centre for Digital Entertainment, interviewed game developers who had tested this new technology. He said: "Developers see the Touche framework as an important practical step in the industry towards data-driven interaction techniques. We could see this technology appear in commercial games very soon."

Touche: Data-Driven Interactive Sword Fighting in Virtual Reality is published by CHI '20: Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Video to accompany press release: https://vimeo.com/430682565

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Role-play shows which expectant dads will thrive as new fathers

Interaction with doll predicts parenting quality, study finds

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A five-minute role-play done with men before the birth of their first child predicted the quality of their parenting after the baby arrived, a new study showed.

Researchers videotaped 182 expectant fathers during the third trimester of their partners' pregnancy, observing how the men interacted with a doll that they were told represented the baby they were about to have.

Ratings given to the fathers on their levels of "intuitive parenting" while playing with the doll predicted how well they were rated on parenting quality nine months after their baby was born.

"We were able to detect the capacity for positive parenting in these men before they even became fathers," said lead study author Lauren Altenburger, who began the work as a doctoral student at The Ohio State University.

Altenburger is now an assistant professor of human development and family studies at Pennsylvania State University-Shenango, where the study was completed.

The intuitive parenting skills measured as the men interacted with the doll included talking directly to the face of the "baby," using baby talk and smiling, and showing concern for the baby's well-being.

The good news is that the intuitive parenting skills measured in this study can be taught, said Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at Ohio State.

"We can help expectant fathers learn these parenting skills," said Schoppe-Sullivan, who is a senior research associate on the board of the Council on Contemporary Families. "Not all parents start out knowing how to do these things, but they can be shown how."

The research was published online June 22, 2020 in the Journal of Family Psychology.

The couples in the study were participating in the New Parents Project, a long-term study co-led by Schoppe-Sullivan that is investigating how dual-earner couples adjust to becoming parents for the first time.

Researchers visited the couples' homes during the third trimester of the woman's pregnancy.

The procedure using dolls was developed by researchers in Switzerland, but has rarely been used in the United States.

"It may seem silly to have adults play with dolls, but it is actually pretty easy for them to do," Altenburger said.

"The birth is right around the corner, so they are already thinking about what it is going to be like. They took the role playing seriously."

The doll they used was custom-made and consisted of a footed infant sleeper sewn shut with 7-8 pounds of rice inside to make its weight similar to a newborn. A doll's head made of green fabric was sewn onto the footed sleeper.

In the videotaped procedure, an assistant playing the role of a nurse presented the "baby" to the parents.

"We were looking for how natural fathers acted with the baby. Did they hold it properly, smile at it and do things like gently pinching the baby's foot or other positive behaviors that many people just instinctively do with babies," Schoppe-Sullivan said.

Trained assistants viewed the videotape and rated the fathers on their level of intuitive parenting behaviors.

Nine months after the birth of the baby, the fathers' parenting quality was assessed by a different team of research assistants who watched the fathers try to teach their babies to play with either a shape sorter or stacking rings.

The assistants rated how well the fathers paid attention and responded to their child, how engaged they were, and their expression of positive feelings.

"Those dads who were rated as showing more intuitive parenting skills with the doll a year earlier tended to have a more positive interaction with their real child," Altenburger said.

This was true even after taking into account several other factors that could affect how well fathers did at parenting their infant, such as the men's personality traits, their co-parenting relationship with the child's mother and the child's temperament.

Findings showed that dads who showed more high-quality parenting skills when their baby was 9 months old also tended to score higher on tests of two personality traits.

One trait was being open to new experiences, which is obviously helpful for dads becoming parents for the first time.

The other trait was conscientiousness, which is being careful and diligent with your responsibilities.

The researchers found that a good co-parenting relationship between the mother and father - how they worked together to raise their child - also predicted better parenting quality in dads. Co-parenting relationship quality was observed between mothers, fathers, and their 3-month-old baby.

The child's temperament was not related to fathers' parenting quality in this study. But the researchers said this should be interpreted with caution, because temperament was reported by fathers at a single time point.

The New Parents Project involves couples in which both partners have jobs and are mostly white and well-educated, Schoppe-Sullivan said, so the results may not apply in the same way to all fathers.

The researchers said the results could help health care professionals and others who work with expectant couples to identify and help fathers who may need extra help learning their role as a parent.

"Although it is called 'intuitive parenting,' it isn't really intuitive for everyone. We need to work with fathers to make sure they know how to be the best fathers they can be," Schoppe-Sullivan said.

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The New Parents Project was funded by the National Science Foundation, with additional support from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Contact: Lauren Altenburger, lqa5222@psu.edu
Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, schoppe-sullivan.1@osu.edu

Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu

Deep drone acrobatics

UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH

 

IMAGE: A QUADROTOR PERFORMS A MATTY FLIP. view more 

CREDIT: ELIA KAUFMANN

Since the dawn of flight, pilots have used acrobatic maneuvers to test the limits of their airplanes. The same goes for flying drones: Professional pilots often gage the limits of their drones and measure their level of mastery by flying such maneuvers in competitions

Greater efficiency, full speed

Working together with microprocessor company Intel, a team of researchers at the University of Zurich has now developed a quadrotor helicopter, or quadcopter, that can learn to fly acrobatic maneuvers. While a power loop or a barrel role might not be needed in conventional drone operations, a drone capable of performing such maneuvers is likely to be much more efficient. It can be pushed to its physical limits, make full use of its agility and speed, and cover more distance within its battery life.

The researchers have developed a navigation algorithm that enables drones to autonomously perform various maneuvers - using nothing more than onboard sensor measurements. To demonstrate the efficiency of their algorithm, the researchers flew maneuvers such as a power loop, a barrel roll or a matty flip, during which the drone is subject to very high thrust and extreme angular acceleration. "This navigation is another step towards integrating autonomous drones in our daily lives," says Davide Scaramuzza, robotics professor and head of the robotics and perception group at the University of Zurich.

Trained in simulation

At the core of the novel algorithm lies an artificial neural network that combines input from the onboard camera and sensors and translates this information directly into control commands. The neural network is trained exclusively through simulated acrobatic maneuvers. This has several advantages: Maneuvers can easily be simulated through reference trajectories and do not require expensive demonstrations by a human pilot. Training can scale to a large number of diverse maneuvers and does not pose any physical risk to the quadcopter.

Only a few hours of simulation training are enough and the quadcopter is ready for use, without requiring additional fine-tuning using real data. The algorithm uses abstraction of the sensory input from the simulations and transfers it to the physical world. "Our algorithm learns how to perform acrobatic maneuvers that are challenging even for the best human pilots," says Scaramuzza.

Fast drones for fast missions

However, the researchers acknowledge that human pilots are still better than autonomous drones. "Human pilots can quickly process unexpected situations and changes in the surroundings, and are faster to adjust," says Scaramuzza. Nevertheless, the robotics professor is convinced that drones used for search and rescue missions or for delivery services will benefit from being able to cover long distances quickly and efficiently.

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Gear treated with 'forever chemicals' poses risk to firefighters

UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

 

IMAGE: TURNOUT GEAR view more 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

Firefighters face occupational hazards on a daily basis. Now, new research shows they face additional risk just by gearing up.

Fabric used for firefighter turnout gear tested positive for the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), according to the study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, led by Graham Peaslee, professor of physics at the University of Notre Dame. Peaslee embarked on a more extensive study, after initial tests on gear samples showed significantly high levels of fluorine.

"When we ran our initial tests, the fluorine content was so high, there was little question as to whether or not we'd find PFAS in a larger sample of gear," said Peaslee. "Our primary concern -- as is always the case when it comes to these particular chemicals -- became how much of it is coming off the gear and getting into the environment?"

Peaslee's team tested more than 30 samples of used and unused personal protective equipment (PPE) from six specialty textile manufacturers in the United States and found them to be treated extensively with PFAS or constructed with fluoropolymers, a type of PFAS used to make textiles oil and water resistant.

Firefighter's PPE or "turnout gear" is comprised of three layers -- a thermal layer, worn closest to the skin, covered by a moisture barrier designed for water resistance and the outer shell. Peaslee and his team found high concentrations of fluorine on the moisture barrier and outer shell. Some of these chemicals have the ability to migrate off treated surfaces and materials, meaning the PFAS in the moisture barrier and outer shell PPE could potentially contaminate the thermal layer and come in direct contact with skin.

"If they touch the gear, it gets on their hands, and if they go fight a fire and they put the gear on and take it off and then go eat and don't wash hands, it could transfer hand to mouth," said Peaslee. "And if you're sweating and you have sweat pores, could some of these chemicals come off on the thermal layer and get into the skin? The answer is probably." Peaslee's study is the first to identify this potential source of PFAS exposure in firefighting PPE and argues that more studies are needed.

Known as "forever chemicals" PFAS have been found in fast food wrappers and containers, nonstick cookware, child car seats and firefighting foams. The use of PFAS-based foam fire suppressants has been linked to the contamination of drinking water systems, leading the United States Department of Defense to switch to an environmentally safer alternative foam before 2023. In a previous study, co-authored by Peaslee, researchers found the chemicals accumulate in the body after entering the bloodstream, and PFAS have been linked to four of the top eight cancers which have been found more commonly in firefighters including testicular cancer, mesothelioma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and prostate cancer.

The study also presented evidence of the potential hazard of these chemicals in PPE in two other ways. Dust samples taken from a PPE distribution facility in one fire district also tested positive for fluorine, consistent with the ability of these chemicals to shed off the gear onto other surfaces. The team also observed fluorine transfer from the outer shell onto gloved hands upon handling, proving that this could be an exposure source from PFAS to firefighters.

"Further work needs to be done to assess the extent of this risk to firefighters," said Peaslee, an affiliated member of the Eck Institute for Global Health and the Environmental Change Initiative. "But until this risk is estimated, operational steps can be taken to minimize occupational exposure to these PFAS while still using the PPE to keep the firefighters safe on the job." Peaslee suggests that the long-term solution would be to find a healthier alternative to PFAS which can provide equivalent water resistance to the gear.

This is just the latest study in a building collection of literature highlighting the danger and persistence of PFAS in contamination of the environment and threat to public health.

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Co-authors of the study include Nicholas Caterisano, Alec Gonzales, Seryeong Lee, Matthew Roddy, Meghanne E. Tighe and John T. Wilkinson, also at Notre Dame; Simon Mills of Envirolab Group and Krystle Mitchell of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service. Research was conducted at Notre Dame's Nuclear Science Laboratory.

Research was funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the Last Call Foundation.

Read more about Peaslee's research on the presence of PFAS in turnout gear at: http://www.fightingfor.nd.edu/2019/fighting-to-protect-the-brave/.

Marching for change: 2017 Women's March met with mostly positive support online

Penn State research found the event drew little negative commentary on Twitter, despite some controversy

PENN STATE

 

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Large protest events can be divisive, spurring an outpouring of both support and opposition. But new Penn State research found that the 2017 Women's March, which championed goals in support of women and human rights, was met with mostly positive support on social media, with relatively few negative messages.

In an analysis of all geolocated tweets in the continental U.S. on the day of the march, the researchers found that not only were tweets about the march generally positive, but they were actually more positive than other geolocated tweets -- those that have an attached location -- on that day. Tweets about the march rose to a peak of 12% of all geolocated tweets on that day.

Diane Felmlee, professor of sociology, said research into understanding how social justice issues are reflected in social media continues to be relevant given the current protests championing racial justice happening across the country.

"The U.S. has a long history of protest movements, from Colonial times through Civil Rights and Vietnam War protests," Felmlee said. "Recently, however, protests are accompanied by corresponding online reactions in real-time. Furthermore, controversy regarding Twitter's recent move to increase its labeling of tweets that are misleading, glorify violence, or could cause harm, makes studying links between social media and events that advocate social causes especially important."

According to the researcher's, the Women's March -- which took place on January 21, 2017, the day after the inauguration of President Donald Trump -- was at the time the largest single-day protest in American history. More than 4 million people, about 1.3% of the nation's population, participated.

But despite the widespread support and participation, Felmlee said the March also spurred some controversy from certain political and activist groups.

"The Women's March of 2017 was an inspiring, historic event, and my coauthors and I wanted to capture public sentiment before, during, and after it occurred," Felmlee said. "My own research focuses on sexist and racist online harassment, and we were concerned that a backlash toward the March could erupt into extensive, aggressive, harmful messaging on social media."

For the study, the researchers used the Twitter Streaming Application Programming Interface to collect all geolocated tweets in the continental U.S. from Jan. 20 to 22, 2017, that referenced the Women's March and its sister marches. They analyzed the content of the tweets to rank them on how positive or negative they were.

The researchers found that from Jan. 20 to 22, 3.1% of all tweets in the study contained a term about the Women's March. On the day of the March -- Jan. 21 -- more than 40,000 users tweeted more than 64,000 geotagged messages about the Women's March. These tweets made up 2.6% of all tweets.

According to the researchers, while the majority of messages were positive, they did find negative ones. Negative sentiment was mostly tweeted from seven metropolitan areas in Alabama, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota and Washington. However, these tweets made up a small portion of tweets.

Felmlee said she was happy to find few aggressive and bullying tweets that targeted the March or its participants.

"The widespread, largely supportive and positive nature of messages across the continental U.S. was significant," Felmlee said. "I was particularly surprised by these generally supportive reactions to the March, especially given the political divides in our country, and the all too common occurrence of sexist and racist online harassment and abuse."

Additionally, Felmlee said the results -- recently published in PLoS ONE -- give insights into how social media fits into social movements and pushes for change.

"The physical and online worlds are linked -- social movement rallies can be effective tools to gain online public support for social justice causes," Felmlee said. "This is why some governments shut down social media during protests. More positively, it is why so many agencies and organizations use social media to disseminate information."

Justine I. Blanford, associate teaching professor of geography; Stephen A. Matthews, professor of sociology, anthropology, demography, and geography; and Alan M. MacEachren, professor of geography and information science and technology, also coauthored this work.

The Penn State Social Science Research Institute and the Population Research Institute helped support this research.