AI links video gaming and research

Posted on January 22, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Today I want to introduce an Artificial Intelligence (AI) application developed by DeepMind, the company which created the famous AlphaGo. AlphaGo is the Go AI application which has beaten many top level human players over the last few years. This new application is a learning environment based on the video game StarCraft II. StarCraft II is a Real-time-strategy game based on a fictional future when several races struggle for survival and dominance in universe.  In the game you start with a base and a few workers. You need to collect resources, develop economy and technology, observe and disturb your enemy, build a strong army and finally destroy the enemy. Both StarCraft II and the original StarCraft are one of the most popular e-sports competitions which viewed by millions of fans.

Figure 1 Rogue, the 2017 StarCraft II World Champion1

Researchers of DeepMind believe StarCraft is the next challenge for research in AI after Go since this game mimic a compelling solution to the issue of evaluating and comparing different learning and planning approaches on standardised tasks. StarCraft resembles an imperfect-information problem due to a partially uncovered map in contrast with the Go that players know all the information about the game. The game possesses a large action space with the control of hundreds of units, and a professional player might need to keep their mind at three or four battle scenes at the same time. It also has delayed credit assignment as early decisions or strategies may have long-term effect after several minutes. Simply speaking, StarCraft II is much harder than Go. Therefore, SC2LE provides a new challenge for research in reinforcement learning algorithms and architectures.

The goal of developing an AI based on this video game is not to design a robot which can beat human players, but to demonstrate that AI could handle such a big amount of information and give immediate response, in contrast with the goal that the information is much less and players have much more time to think and make decision. DeepMind also want to use these famous games to promote their research in AI to players and normal audience.

Figure 2 A scene of StarCraft II Game2

They used similar technology to AlphaGo, reinforcement learning based on neural network. First, the AI need to know the rule of controlling the units and develop including the construction sequence of buildings as well as the conditions of win, i.e.  eliminating all of enemy’s building or forcing them to surrender by giving enough destruction.

Figure 3 Left is a human’s view, right is its layered structure3

Unlike human who read the information from the screen, the AI will observe “feature layers” generated by StarCraft II Application programming interface (API). Each layer represents something special in the game like unit type and hit points. The AI was designed to mimic human players as closely as possible including compound actions. It will generate a sequence of actions to mimic human like use shift to select multiple units then click on the screen to move.

Figure 4 How AI’s actions differ from human’s3

The learning algorithms can study useful strategies from games and replays not only choose strategies from a given pool. There is an in-game award points system based on the player’s performance. Its performances could also be simply examined by winning a game or not and how long the AI player survives in a game if it loses.

Unlike the Go, StaCraft are much more complicated with thousands of possible actions and combinations of these actions. Although now AI could make some good decisions of perform a certain task with accurate action flows, it still behaves very naïve when considering a full game and even much worse than beginner level human players. There is a still long way for AI researchers to go. The day when AI beat top level human players will be a milestone in AI research, because it means the AI technology have made substantial progress and would be much more useful than it is today.

References:

  1. https://wcs.starcraft2.com/en-us/news/21196407/The-World-Champion-Is-Crowned/
  2. https://www.instant-gaming.com/en/169-buy-key-battlenet-starcraft-2-heart-of-the-swarm/
  3. Oriol Vinyals, Timo Ewalds, Sergey Bartunov, Petko Georgiev, Alexander Sasha Vezhnevets, Michelle Yeo, Alireza Makhzani, Heinrich Kuttler, John Agapiou, Julian Schrittwieser, et al. StarCraft II: A New Challenge for Reinforcement Learning. arXiv:1708.04782, 2017.

By Jun Ling

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“Gluten-Free” – Is it as Healthy as We Think?

Posted on January 22, 2018 by | Leave a comment

I’m guessing that the majority of you have seen the increasingly popular “gluten-free” diet trend displayed in many health-related magazines, books or even talk shows. But why is everybody so obsessed with this new diet fad? Well, apparently, it’s supposed to be one of the healthiest changes that you can make to your lifestyle. One scientific study even suggests that a gluten-free diet can reduce the level of “bad” fats in your blood that lead to heart disease, but is gluten-free really as healthy as it’s claimed to be?

Gluten-Free Bread; photo courtesy of Pixabay user Aline Ponce

Being “gluten-free” first arose as a treatment for individuals with celiac disease, a disorder that causes damage to the small intestine from ingesting gluten. Celiacs experience many symptoms, ranging from severe gastrointestinal issues to even developing anemia and behavioural changes. Unfortunately, the only real way to combat this is through the complete elimination of gluten from one’s diet.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. As awareness of celiac disease has increased, so have gluten-free alternatives to popular foods. As a response, many non-celiacs have been transitioning to this diet as well, assuming that it is a healthier lifestyle. However, relatively new evidence suggests that being “gluten-free” isn’t as beneficial to your health as you may believe.

Dr. Travis speaks about the gluten-free diet industry.

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In Digestive Diseases and Sciences, a study observed the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease among non-celiac individuals following a gluten-free diet. The study concluded that there was an association between being gluten-free and weight management, but this is likely because gluten-free individuals do not consume refined wheat products, which are harmful to your health. Interestingly, there was no difference in the risk of metabolic disease or heart disease between gluten-free and non-gluten-free individuals.

Additionally, the Mayo Clinic suggests that those who are adopting a gluten-free diet should be wary of losing some essential vitamins and nutrients, like iron, calcium, and fiber. Whole grains are usually enriched in these, so you would have to be diligent in finding them in other sources.

Gluten-Free Mix; photo courtesy of Flickr user, ‘theimpulsivebuy’

Gluten-free individuals should also be mindful of the fact that many store-bought, gluten-free foods are no better for you than the versions made with gluten. This is because many of these foods actually contain more sugar, fat, and calories than the original versions, leading to weight-gain rather than weight-loss. It is a common misconception that just because something is “gluten-free,” it is also healthier.

Overall, the stance on whether or not a gluten-free diet is beneficial to non-celiacs is very controversial. As long as one is aware of what is actually inside the gluten-free foods that they are consuming, as well as of all the daily nutrients that they should be obtaining, then this diet is potentially beneficial. Although, it may not be worth it if whole grains, in moderation, have shown no detrimental effect on health. The most important thing for non-celiacs to remember is that a “gluten-free” label does not automatically equal “healthy.”

By Silvana Jakupovic

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Olive Oil- a prevention to cardiovascular risk

Posted on January 22, 2018 by | 2 comments

Cardiovascular disease is thought to be solely a result of genetic and environmental factors; however individuals diet is the most significant role player in a healthy heart. Most health gurus and dieticians have raved about the benefits of olive oil. How exactly does this Mediterranean delight help our heart stay healthy?

Dr Bob explains the beneficial properties of olive oil.

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The First International Conference on the Healthy Effects of Virgin Olive Oil (VOO) presented a scientific summary of the health benefits of olive oil. Olive oil consists of bioactive components including the unsaponifiable and the soluble fraction, that contains phenolic compounds. According to the EUROLIVE study, the phenolic content in olive oil reduces serum triacylglycerols and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio in a dose-dependent manner depending on the concentration of phenolic compound. This significantly reduced cardiovascular risk.

In addition, scientists from Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute in Barcelona took measurements of how HDL is working. They found out that individuals that consumed a diet rich in olive oil had better functioning HDL. Hence, they were able to pluck LDL out effectively from the heart vessel walls and move them to the liver for removal. This made them more better able to work antioxidants, giving security against inflammatory related damages that can destroy blood vessels and make them more susceptible to heart attacks.

Dr Gundry conducts an experiment to show the benefits of olive oil to your heart

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The human heart is one of the most essential organ for successful living. The heart is accountable for many functions of your body including transportation of oxygen and a healthy immune system. Apart from your genetics and surrounding environment, your diet plays an significant role in the health of your heart. Olive oil is the miracle power food containing healthy fats that will keep your heart bright and glowing.

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Save the plastic = Save the life

Posted on January 22, 2018 by | Leave a comment


This video is from National Geographic “How the global ocean plastic pollution problem has become ubiquitous”.

Recently, a catastrophic news “Plastic Garbage Patch Bigger Than Mexico Found in Pacific” published last year has caught public attention. It reported a new finding of a huge region of plastic pollution in South Pacific (near the coastal region of Chile and Peru).

The plastic pollution in the ocean not only means floating bottles or buoys which can be easily discovered but also includes the small pieces of plastic debris which may be invisible. So the ocean cleanup is very difficult. Based on the historical data in 2012, the mean abundance of plastic pollution in South Pacific was roughly 71 kg/km2. What a shocking number it is! The extreme increase of the plastic pollution in South Pacific over the last six years has threatened many marine species and seabirds.

The plastic garbage “patch” includes both big piece (macro-plastics) and very small piece (micro-plastics). In a short-term effect, those seabirds and marine species who accidentally ingested or consumed plastics will stick in their tissues forever (just like the image below). The previous research has shown that mussels ingested micro-plastics through gills would transport to the stomach and digestive glands. In biology classes, we learned that toxins will be accumulated through the food chain and magnified in carnivorous species. As a result, more species will be harmed. Eventually, the whole ecosystem may be negatively impacted.

Plastic debris was found in seabird’s stomach; Photo courtesy by Chris Jordan

Right now, the first aid is to clean up the plastic waste in the ocean. This is because the residence time of plastics in the ocean is very long. Also, its degradation time under UV light and water is still uncertain. After breaking into small pieces, micro-plastics will further sink down to the ocean and release toxic chemicals. Although it is a difficult work to clean up all the plastics in the ocean, we still need to try our best to solve the existing garbage. Thus we can prevent further contamination of the marine environment.

Moreover, it is important to increase public awareness of the garbage dumping near coasts. Since most of the containments are anthropogenic, if the general public can get better understandings of the harmfulness of certain behavior, the marine ecosystem will be more sustainable.

In the future studies, scientists should focus more on the problem solving of the ocean plastic pollution, especially appropriate garbage disposal and recycling. Also, an alternative material to plastics that is nontoxic and easily degraded is encouraged to be investigated.

By Jenny Tang

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Here’s Why Coffee Is Good for Your Health

Posted on January 21, 2018 by | 1 comment

We all love our morning coffee. Photo courtesy of blogTO

Coffee has existed since approximately the 15th century – and over these years it has amassed a lot of confusion about its effect on your health.  The media has played a role in pushing a negative view towards the effects of coffee. Us coffee lovers have always had a family member or friend comment with an expression of concern regarding our love for coffee.  It’s about time coffee drinkers put an end to this narrative!

Well, if you are a huge coffee lover, you will be happy to know that scientists have discovered that there is no connection between coffee and an increased risk of cancer or heart disease. In fact, the Universities of Southampton and Edinburgh published a meta-analysis investigating the effects of coffee on health. Amazingly enough, the paper used an extensive sample size analyzing over 200 papers! They found that drinking three to four cups of coffee a day may actually improve your health. Furthermore, they concluded that those who drank coffee were 17% less likely to die an early death, 19% less likely to die of heart disease and 18% less likely to develop cancer, compared to people who did not drink coffee.

Courtesy of Harvard School of Public Health

How does coffee work? The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine. Caffeine stimulates your brain and increases your alertness. Coffee also contains a lot of antioxidants, which are molecules that prevent damage that can cause cancer. Reactive molecules called “free radicals” attack our body and damage cells. Antioxidants stabilizes the oxidants, thus stopping them from harming our body!

David Heber, director of Center of Human Nutrition, UCLA discusses the effects of coffee.

Okay, now we know coffee can be healthy, but we also know that too much of anything is bad. How much coffee is too much coffee? Health Canada recommends adults limit caffeine intake to no more than 400mg/day. This is approximately three 8-ounce cups of coffee. Surpassing these limits could result in increased heart rate, changes in sleep patterns, heartburn, and more.

Remember that it in order to maximize coffee’s health benefits, minimize the amount of cream and sugar you put in your coffee. Sugar can singlehandedly nullify the positive effects you would get from coffee.

Robert Poole, the lead author of this study, says that these findings are “reassuring for coffee drinkers, as long as they drink in moderation”. Future studies will ideally pinpoint which type of coffee beans will have the greatest health benefit.

By Misam Ibrahimi

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Video

Is Chocolate Really Good for your Health?

Ever have that craving for a hit of sugar or the pick-me-up that chocolate delivers? Justify your guilty pleasure by agreeing with the notion that chocolate is good for you? If you answered yes to the any of the above questions, you have just admitted to being a victim of the media’s portrayal of scientific findings.

Chocolate Bars
Published under the Creative Commons License; photo courtesy of Wikimedia user André Karwath.

In recent years, many scientific studies claimed to have proven that chocolate is the next best thing you can eat. Studies conducted by researchers at prestigious universities such as Columbia have targeted and provided evidence for how chocolate helps to reduce memory loss, on a small number of subjects in a very controlled environment. This research finding was published in the media and ballooned by the press, even though it failed to mention that the study was minuscule and that it did not even use chocolate, but rather chocolate flavouring. In addition, when the New York Times, a seemingly credible and well-read media outlet got whiff of the research, they promoted only the positive aspect of how chocolate improves memory, but did not describe the size of the study or the subjects involved. This lack of knowledge reduces the credibility of the article, but nevertheless is believed by readers. The media has a strong impact on what the everyday person believes, and exaggerating scientific findings can be dangerous.

Blood Pressure Monitor
Published under the Creative Commons License; photo courtesy of Wikimedia user Amirhossein Ashrafzadeh.

Furthermore, other studies conducted on the health benefits of chocolate have made the claims that chocolate promotes lower blood pressure, which ultimately reduce the cases of cardiovascular disease. Once again, the media has taken these findings and brainwashed hoards of people suffering from high blood pressure to run to their local supermarkets and load up on the kit-kat. What the media did not mention was the fact that while cocoa has been shown to reduce blood pressure, the research conducted was only on a short time scale; the long-term effects are unknown. Moreover, when chocolate is made, the cocoa is severely degraded as it gets mixed in with sugars and other additives, so the results of the study may not hold true in store bought chocolate products. Again, the media chose not to disclose this to its audience and we are left believing that chocolate will cure high blood pressure. Without all the information, it is scary to think that we let ourselves fall into the “whatever is in the news must be true,” epidemic.

The video below exposes an unbiased view on the benefits, or lack thereof of chocolate.

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Video From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtaUKweEVhY

The case study on chocolate just presents one instance of when the media has taken up studies and hyped up their findings, regardless of their validity, fooling the nation into believing myths. So the next question is, what will the news have us believe tomorrow?

By: Wesley Louie

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Posted on January 21, 2018 by in Issues in Science, Science in News

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SCIE300 Course Blog Section 212

Posted on January 5, 2018 by | Leave a comment

Welcome to the SCIE 300 course blog!

Here are few things to make note of before you get started with your posts. First of all, you should read the blogging resources page under the Create menu. This will help you out a lot if you are brand new to using WordPress. On this page you will find video tutorials about writing posts on this blog, adding media to your posts, tagging, and categorizing. You will also find a link to the rubric we’ll use to grade your blog posts.

Next, check out the blogging guidelines. Here you will find the answer to the question: “What are we supposed to blog about?” You can also check out one of last term’s blogs for some additional inspiration.

There are a few important things to keep in mind when blogging. Please do not assume that just because something is online, it is OK for you to use it. For example, unless it is explicitly stated, an image on the internet can not just be copied, saved, and used in your own post without permission to do so. We’ve provided you with a lot more detail about properly using online content, but if you have questions, let us know.

This blog also contains a lot of resources for you. For example, still under the Create menu, there is a list of suggested software to use for your projects. We’ve also collected some writing and presentation resources. Basic audio/visual equipment can be borrowed from SCIE300. Contact the course coordinator for more info.

Under the Explore menu, you will find some sample podcasts and videos, links that may be of interest or assistance, a list of groups and associations related to communicating science as well as a list of local museums and science centres. The Explore menu also contains a library resources page, which you should definitely have a look at. Finally, there is a bookshelf that lists relevant books that are on reserve for you in Woodward Library.

Let us know if you have any questions about the blog or would like to see any other resources made available. Or, if you find something that you think would be useful to the rest of the class, tell us, and we can add it to the resources. Better yet — write a post about it!

Happy blogging!

The Science 300 Team

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