Staring at the sun

by Allan Johnson
Published: Nov 16

The problem

THE WORLD IS in need of green energy solutions. Wind, solar, and geothermal are some of the energy-gathering meth- ods capturing researchers’ imaginations as alternative energy sources. Harnessing power from nature depends on geographic location. Solar is the best bet for Spain, while wind might be better for stormy Scotland. So, what type of power should Canada be using?

The researcher

Aaron Muron is an engineering student at the University of Ottawa SUNLab trying to figure out how advanced solar systems can work on campus. His work sits on the Sports Complex rooftop, tracking the sun.

The project

We can see the sun dim when a cloud passes over it, but there’s little data on how this impacts solar energy. Most simulations available are designed for a “standard atmosphere,” which might not accurately describe the climate in Canada.
To get a better sense of Ottawa’s and, subsequently, Canada’s climate, Mu- ron and his associates assembled a solar tracker with various types of solar cells. The cells include ultra-high efficiency triple junction cells that follow the sun throughout the day, generating power. The outputs of the various cells are constantly recorded and sent back to the lab for analysis.

The key

The tracker was also fitted with a spectrometer and a camera that point directly at the sun. This allows the SUNLab team to match changes in the computer systems to changes in the sun’s intensity and spectrum, com- paring them to weather conditions.
Different types of cloud cover have different effects on the sun’s light and can be dealt with differently—low-lying clouds tend to block most of the light while higher, thinner clouds just distort it.
With new information about how the climate changes the sun’s light, researchers can assess how solar energy will fit into Ottawa’s, and Canada’s, future.

Survival of the same

by Tyler Shendruk
Published: Nov 2

The problem

NATURAL SELECTION IS one of the cornerstones of modern science. Genetic mutations cause organisms to be more or less fit to survive; those who can’t compete die, while the strong pass on their genetic strengths to a new generation.
Still, genomes are complicated things. Genes can react to internal and external stimulus by changing the type and amount of proteins expressed at any given time. This allows species to respond to new situations faster than if they had to evolve over many generations.

The researcher

Daniel Charlebois is a PhD student in the physics department at the University of Ottawa who conducts research out of the Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology. A physicist studying biology may be a surprise to some, but Charlebois has an undergraduate degree in biology and his training in physics brings with it an extensive knowledge of non-linear systems and computation, which help him to understand gene expression.

The project

Charlebois wanted to look at the potential survival mechanisms besides genetic mutations. Clones all have the exact same genes, but natural variations in the local environment of each cell cause different genes to be expressed in each individual. This “noise” means even a population of genetically identical clones has some natural diversity.

The key


Charlebois simulated a community of clones, which he subjected to a harmful drug. He didn’t let the virtual-reality cells evolve through mutations. Because the cells couldn’t evolve and had no specialized defence against the drug, traditional evolution theory would say they could never develop any drug resistance and would all die—but that’s not what Charlebois saw.
Instead of all dying, a small amount of cells lived through the attack, because at the time they expressed the exact protein mix needed to survive by chance. The generations, which grew out of this small community, were genetically identical to the clones. No mutation or evolution had taken place, despite survival of the fittest occurring.
Genetic noise isn’t always something annoying to be rid of. Charlebois believes natural fluctuations are a survival mechanism life takes advantage of for adaptation without mutation.

Play on—nom, nom, nom

by Tyler Shendruk
Published:  Nov 2

Illustration by Devin Beauregard

    

New study shows correlation between video games and weight gain

Chaput and his collaborators invited 22 healthy, normal-weight boys between ages 15 and 19 into the lab. The night before the experiment, the boys were instructed not to eat. They arrived at 7:30 a.m. and were all given the exact same breakfast. At 10:30 a.m., they started playing the soccer game FIFA 09 on an Xbox 360 for one hour. Chaput then gave the participants a huge spaghetti lunch. The leftovers were weighed so that researchers could know how much they ate.

The boys usually ate more after gaming. In fact, they ate an average of 163 calories more. This may not sound like much compared to Health Canada’s recommendation of 2,450 calories daily, but these extra calories can have a long-term impact according to Chaput.

“Weight gain is just a small but chronic energy gap over time. Even a surplus of 50 calories per day on a chronic basis can lead to 10 kilograms of weight gain over 25 years,” he explains.

Chaput also wanted to know why boys eat more, so he took blood samples while they gamed. The samples told Chaput heart rates and blood pressure had gone up, but none of the hormones that trigger hunger were found in the work up.

“It seems that it’s more eating in the absence of hunger. Participants don’t feel [hungrier], but they eat more,” says Chaput.

“It’s not explained by the hormones that trigger hunger, so we think that it’s more related to the mental stress aspect of video gaming.”

Chaput’s findings are less than they would be in an outside setting because his subjects played alone, while kids tend to play with friends and usually eat more with others. Chaput also didn’t allow any eating during gaming and the boys played for only an hour.

Chaput also looked at males for a couple of reasons: First, they didn’t want to complicate things by having physical gender differences and “because there are more boys than girls playing video games,” says Chaput.
“Although I would like to know if it’s the same thing with girls,” he adds.
What are the next steps for Chaput’s research? Besides studying adults and interactive gaming, Chaput’s says his study is a warning and direct action is needed.

“Do we find this same pattern in adults? We don’t know … The next step is with active video gaming,” says Chaput. “Of course, we burn more calories when we’re playing this active gaming … but none of those studies have assessed energy intake.”

Chaput adds, “We need to have a better balance between physical work and mental work. We’re doing too much screen time and not enough physical activity.”

Demystifying tradition

by Allan Johnson
Published: Oct 10

The problem

THOUGH TRADITIONAL MEDICINE has been around for thousands of years, only recently has modern science started showing interest in the craft. In the past, peoples, such as the Maya and Native Americans, practiced herbal medicine and developed an extensive knowledge of their environment.
Today, many traditional healers wish to have their methods validated. Their wide expertise on vegetation and medicinal plant properties could provide modern medicine with new pharmaceuticals and a greater appreciation for biodiversity.

The researcher

John Arnason is a professor of biology at the University of Ottawa. His work focuses on ethnopharmacology, which studies the medicinal properties of plants. Like traditional healers, he seeks to validate folk medicine and better understand the role it can play today.

The project

Arnason was invited to Central America by Maya healers to collect plants believed to have medicinal properties. Back in Ottawa, the plants were grown and examined for active compounds, which can be recognized by their similarities to well-known drugs. These plants were then tested on animals in collaboration with the Royal Ottawa Hospital.

The key

Arnason’s team was shown over 70 active and previously unknown plants by the Mayan healers, many of them used for psychiatric purposes. The team applied this knowledge to identifying avenues for further research.
The results clearly show the strength of traditional medicine. The traditional beliefs are grounded; natural medicines can work. The breadth of plant life uncovered shows the value of biodiversity.
“Working with native healers is wonderful because they have a cosmocentric world view,” said Arnason, “I think the world needs a little more ecological vision right now.”

Liquid crystals can be radical

by Tyler Shendruk
Published: Oct 5

The problem

HEY, SCIENCE! WHY haven’t you built me an iPod the size of a single cell yet? I’m waiting.
Currently electronics are built out of bulk materials and have inherent size limitations: A wire can only be carved so small if it’s made from an everyday chunk of copper. But imagine if electronic components could be made from large molecules or organics instead of bulky metals.
One day, organic components might be smaller, cheaper, and even easier to fabricate than traditional wires. Sure, it sounds like a great idea, but is it possible?

The researcher

Alicea Leitch doesn’t know either, but she’s trying to find out. Leitch is a post-doctoral researcher in the chemistry department at the University of Ottawa who likes to work on projects that have concrete applications.
Before she arrived at the University of Ottawa, Leitch had already started working on highly reactive chemical substances called radicals.

The project

Radicals can be extremely reactive because they have an unpaired electron, which is just dying to find its soulmate. It’s not exactly picky—radicals will react with just about anything. However, when they are stabilized, the unpaired electron can become very valuable. Sometimes radicals can help carry charges, making otherwise non-conductive materials more interesting.
This makes radicals tempting for molecular electronics. Unfortunately, chemical stabilization almost always vetoes the properties of interest.

The key

To control the radicals without loosing the conductivity, Leitch doesn’t bother with chemical stabilization. Instead, she attaches the radicals to microscopic discs so the previously troublesome unpaired electron doesn’t belong to a single atom. It becomes shared between all the atoms that make up the disc, making it less reactive but still conductive.
On top of that, using discs has unexpected bonuses: They float in liquid and they like to stack in an orderly fashion, like a crystal. This makes them a liquid crystal. If Leitch can get the liquid crystals just right, the discs will automatically assemble into tiny chains.
This natural stacking is great because the structure of molecular electronic components plays a really important role, but is usually hard to control. Because they are stacked together, the single electron can jump from plate to plate, and eventually make its way from one end of the chain to the other.
Together, the conductivity of the unpaired electron and the discs’ self-assembly into long, flexible chains could make Leitch’s liquid crystals into pretty radical wires.

Why we woo

by Allan Johnson
Published: Sept 21
 

The problem

THE LONG, COLOURFUL tails on peacocks; the loud, distinctive cry of birds; the useless eye-stalks of some flies: All these traits are found in nature, even though all of them make the bearer an easier target for its enemies. But still, these traits are passed on through generations, making researchers wonder about their purpose.
Evolution is full of species that have naturally selected—and potentially dangerous—physical traits. Female peacocks, for example, prefer males with large and colourful tails, even though they make them easier for predators to spot.
A question arises: Why and how do animals choose their mates (something scientists refer to as sexual selection), and how does this selection affect the species? Does it hasten the removal of harmful genes, or does it promote diversity and speed up the development of the species?

The researcher

University of Ottawa biology professor Howard Rundle looks for logic behind sexual selection. Evolution happens at a different rate for different species, based on how long each generation lives and breeds. By using fruit flies for testing, with their short life cycle, he tracks evolutionary changes in populations in years instead of millennia, allowing him to watch evolution as it happens.

The project

Rundle set up many populations of flies and controlled for how they mate. For each population, he allowed some groups of flies to pick their mates themselves, while others were forced to select mates at random rather than according to their normal preferences.
After data from several generations was analyzed, it became clear how genes harmful to the flies were passed on. The answer surprised the researchers.
In theory, if sexual selection allows for harmful genes to be bred out faster than random mating, you’d expect less of those harmful genes in the flies allowed to mate selectively. Instead, Rundle found there were no differences between populations, and for a few genes, there were less copies of the harmful genes in the randomly mated population—completely the opposite of what you’d expect.

The key

With further analysis, the reason for the contradiction became apparent. While female and male flies both chose mates without the harmful genes, there were unforeseen consequences.
When males breed with healthy females, they inject the latter with proteins that put their reproductive systems into overdrive. This brings down their fitness compared to the females carrying the defective genes, hurting the healthy females in the long run.
This problem in studies of sexual selection has long been abundant with theories and absent in data. Experimental biology is finally catching up to

Chemistry as art

by Tyler Shendruk
Published: Sept 9

The problem

UNLIKE MEDIEVAL ALCHEMISTS, who only dreamt of turning lead to gold, modern chemists are experts at reshaping matter. They can produce many molecules, but the process is often wasteful and time consuming. On the other hand, Mother Nature is much more efficient at the task, proving that chemists still have a lot to learn.
Biological processes use enzymes to create specific chemical reactions with little waste and extreme precision. When compounds react to form new chemicals, they must overcome an interaction barrier keeping them separate substances. Enzymes are the tools that these systems use to lower interaction barriers so that a reaction can occur, and new compounds can be created. Enzymes accomplish this by temporarily tethering the reactants together and orienting them so that they approach each other in the best possible way, rather than just randomly reacting.

The researcher

Melissa Macdonald is a PhD candidate in André M. Beauchemin’s lab at the U of O, who knows that if chemists can learn to control and create their own enzymes, many reactions could be recreated more efficiently. In Macdonald’s eyes, chemistry can be an elegant art and not just a series of random reactions.

The project

One reaction in particular stands out for Macdonald: Worthless alkynes can become valuable amines by adding a nitrogen-hydrogen bond. Since amines are a common active ingredient in pharmaceuticals, it is shocking that this seemingly simple transformation is so difficult to reproduce. The usual process involves heating the reactants to extremely high temperatures and using metallic catalysts to lower the interaction barrier. It’s exactly the sort of problem that requires a more elegant, artistic strategy.

The key

By designing an organic catalyst that uses the same tethering method as enzymes, Macdonald tackled this notoriously difficult transformation. The tethering molecule directed the approach of the reactants so intelligently that the interaction barrier was reduced and the reaction could occur at room temperature without the help of toxic metal catalysts.