Studying the Urumea River

The article you are about to read was published at Environmental Expert:

A flood study of the Urumea River in The Basque Country

Source: DHI Water & Environment

The Urumea river catchment area which is located in the Basque Country in the northern part of Spain has historically been seriously affected by flooding. The districts most affected by the frequent inundations are the municipalities of San Sebastian, Astigarraga and Hernani. As recently as October 2008 a minor flood was experienced in Hernani. In 2006 and 2004 major flood events with significant damage occurred.

To improve this situation, the Department of Environmental Affairs of the Basque government will in the coming years invest 60 million € in construction of 18 preventive measures. The overall objective of the project is to 'Let the river breathe' and consequently reduce the frequency of flooding of the Urumea River.

The preventive measures include substitution of a number of exciting bridges, which at the moment are obstructing the river flow, establishment of by-pass channels, enhancements of the riverbed in defined sections, and creation of public recreational areas. All actions amid at increasing the flow capacity of the river, while respecting the environment and natural flow path of the river.

In order to investigate in detail these 18 predefined interventions, DHI was contracted to set up a 2D model (MIKE FLOOD) of the 15 km stretch from Hernani in the south to San Sebastian in the north.

In the First phase of the study a model of the actual situation was established, incorporating all relevant bridges and hydraulic structures. The model was calibrated against observed data from the flood event that occurred in the winter of 2004 and it was verified against the smaller flood event in 2006.

Following the calibration/verification the model was executed for the three return periods T=10, 100, and 500 years.

In the second phase the 18 corrective measures was incorporated into the model, and simulations of the T=10, 100, and 500 years return periods was carried out.

The projects design return period was set to T=500 year, which means that the planed flood protection measures should be capable of withstanding a flood that statistically should happen once every 500 years. (Which could be tomorrow!)

The result of the 500 year event simulation is shown below: The green color shows the extent of the flood in the actual situation, while the blue color represents the future situation with the improvement in place.

Comparison of the simulation results of the actual situation and the future situation when all the improvements are in place.

It is obvious that the flood prevention measures will have the desired effect; - the simulated 500 year flooding will not extend beyond the defined floodplain (yellow line).

The third phase of the study consisted in visualization the results as video animation, which was used for the Basque government press releases and information material. The videos were generated partly by incorporating the results in Google Earth using the DHI GE plug-in and partly by using the Result viewer.

Notes regarding the model configuration.
The bathymetry/topography of the floodplains was defined using available LIDAR data (1x1m), while the description of the riverbed was based on HEC-RAS cross section data. The HEC RAS data was first converted into a MIKE11 model, which then was used to create a bathymetry specifically for the riverbed. This riverbed bathymetry was then “burnt” into the floodplain bathymetry, and thereby generating a bathymetry that integrates the LIDAR data with the detailed data from the HEC RAS model.

Fifteen bridges were incorporated into the model. The description of the flow through (and over) the bridges was accomplished either by directly incorporating the bridge pillars into the bathymetry or by modeling the bridges in MIKE11 and then linking then dynamically to the 2D model via MIKEFLOOD. The decision on which one of the two methods to apply was taken based on the physical dimensions and the design of each bridge.

The model was calibrated against observed data from the flood event that occurred in the winter of 2004 and it was verified against the smaller flood event in 2006.

The model displayed an excellent correspondence with the observed data, except in the lower part of the river. This inconsistency was suspected to derivate from erosion of riverbed that will occur in the real life situation. Meaning that, the concrete erosion of the riverbed material will increase the rivers flow capacity and thereby function as natural flood prevention measure.

The phenomenon was investigated a bit further by use of a simple relation between the calculated maximum water velocity and the erosion depth. The figure below shows a specific river cross-section without erosion (the brown line) and with erosion (grey line). The red line represents the flow velocity.

The river cross sections with sedimentation and without sedimentation.

The results of the two simulations for the 2004 event are shown below, - without erosion to the left and with erosion to the right-. As it can be observed, the situation without considering erosion exhibits a much larger inundation than the situation where the erosion is taken into consideration.

If we compare the simulated flood maps with the actual flood event of 2004, the simulation with erosion (right) correspond almost perfectly to what was observed during the flood, while the simulation without, overestimates the floods.

Results of the simulations of the 2004 event: Left: without erosion, right: with erosion.

The conclusion of the analysis was that the suspicion is largely supported by the modeling results, but considering the very simple erosion description applied, the phenomenon should be investigated more thoroughly using real sediment data and a more sophisticated model 3 dimensional model (MIKE 3 FM).

.... ... .

Light and Dark

This article comes to us thanks to Basqueresearch:

Throwing light on the dark side of the Universe

Although we may believe humans know a lot about the Universe, there are still a lot of phenomena to be explained. A team of cosmologists from the University of the Basque Country are searching for the model that best explains the evolution of the Universe.

We usually have an image of scientists who study the Universe doing so peering through a telescope. And, effectively, this is what astrophysicists de: gather data about the observable phenomena of the Universe. However, in order to interpret this data, i.e. to explain the majority of the phenomena occurring in the Universe, complicated calculations with a computer are required and which have to be based on appropriate mathematical models. This is what the Gravitation and Cosmology research team at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) is involved in: analysing models capable of explaining the evolution of the Universe.

Supernovas, witnesses to acceleration

One of the phenomena that standard models of physics have not yet been able to explain is that of the accelerated expansion of the Universe. Although Einstein proposed a static model to describe the Cosmos, today it is well known, thanks to supernovas amongst other things, that it is, in fact, expanding. Supernovas are very brilliant stellar explosions that, precisely due to this, provide useful data for exploring very distant regions of the Universe. By measuring the quantity of light that gets to us from a supernova, we can calculate its distance from us, and its colour indicates the speed at which it is distancing itself from us – the more reddish it is, the faster it is travelling. In other words, comparing two supernovas, the one that is distancing itself more slowly from us is a more bluish colour. According to observations by astrophysiscists, besides supernovas distancing themselves from us, they are doing so more and more rapidly, i.e. distancing themselves at an accelerated velocity, just like the rest of the material of the Universe.

Looking for dark energy

The energy known to exist in the Universe, however, is not sufficient to cause such acceleration. Thus, the theory most widely accepted within the scientific community is that there exists a ‘dark energy’, i.e. an energy that we cannot detect except by the gravitational force that it produces. In fact, it is believed that 73% of the energy of the Universe is dark. The dark energy debate is not just any theory: its existence has not been proved but, without it, standard models of physics would not be able to explain many of the phenomena occurring in the Universe.

So, what is dark energy exactly? What are its characteristics and have these properties always been the same or have they changed over time? These are questions, amongst others, that researchers at the Faculty of Science and Technology at the UPV/EHU, under the direction of Dr. Alexander Feinstein, are seeking to answer.

The unique characteristic of dark energy known to us is that it possesses repulsive gravitational force. That is, unlike the gravity we know on Earth, this force tends to distance stars, galaxies and the rest of the structures of the Universe from each other. This would explain why the expansion of the Universe is not constant, but accelerated. Nevertheless, this phenomenon can only be detected when achieving observationally enormous, almost unimaginable distances. This is why it is so difficult to understand the nature of dark energy.

The theory of phantom energy

To what point can the Universe expand? If this repulsive force is ever more intense, might it be infinite? This is one of the problems that the UPV/EHU researchers are focusing on. Such powerful dark energy is known as phantom energy, with which the Universe is able to expand to such an extent that the structures we know today would disappear.

This research group considers that the phantom energy model may be the most suitable to explain the accelerated expansion of the Universe. Amongst other things, the team has come to this conclusion after analysing the distribution of galaxies and the background microwave radiation which has inundated all of the Cosmos since shortly after the Big Bang. These waves travel in every direction and enable the exploration of what occurred at tremendously remote instants in time, moments close to the start of it all.

.... ... .

Wave Energy in Euskal Herria

Here you have another article from Basqueresearch:

Iberdrola and Tecnalia install first prototype for producing wave-sourced energy

Iberdrola and Tecnalia Technological Corporation have installed, within the framework of the Oceantec Project, the first prototype for producing energy using the movement of waves along the coast of the Basque province of Gipuzkoa - specifically Pasaia. The initiative has a budget of 4.5 million euros and aims to launch a high performance, low-cost-wave energy capture device.

This first prototype, built on a scale of 1:4, will be ready for trials within months in order to test its performance and ensure that it does not represent a risk for the surrounding area. If the technical verifications are favourable, Iberdrola and Tecnalia anticipate developing a new, full-size device and connected to the electric grid.

This second installation in which both companies are working has a power output of 500 kilowatts (kW) and can produce enough renewable energy in one year to supply the domestic consumption of 950 homes.

The Oceantec Project will enable generation of business based on developing a renewable energy source, the creation of opportunities for industrial growth and rationalisation in the Basque Country and support for making the most of energy resources along the coast of Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia, in the Basque Country Autonomous Community.

Along these lines, it can be pointed out that a number of Basque firms have taken part in the manufacture of various systems contributing to this prototype, such as Vicinay Cadenas and Metalúrgica Marina.

Iberdrola and Tecnalia Technological Corporation have undertaken this initiative through Perseo, the promotion body for R+D+i investment in electricity launched this year. With an annual budget of 6 million euros, its main aim is the support of high value technological projects in the field of renewable energy and the environment.

.... ... .

Lineages in the Cantabrian Coast

This article comes to us via the Basqueresearch page:

Study confirms importance of lineages in the Cantabrian coast of the Bay of Biscay in the European genetic map

A PhD thesis at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) involved a detailed study of the maternal lines (mitochondrial DNA) of three autochthonous human populations in the Cantabrian coast area of the Bay of Biscay and which aimed to clarify the role of these populations in the postglacial recolonisation in Europe. The study, carried out by Dr. Sergio Cardoso Martín, confirmed the importance of the proposed H1 and V lines as well as considering lines J1c, U5b and T2b as significantly important demographic landmarks in the history of the evolution of European human populations.

One of the aspects that has sparked most interest in recent years in the field of Population Genetics is the postglacial repopulation of Europe that happened about 15,000 years ago. A great amount of this research has focused on the analysis of mitochondrial DNA or maternal lines, using them as a tool to assess the impact of large human migrations in the make-up of the genetic heritage of current European populations.

With his thesis entitled, “Diversity of the mitochondrial genome in autochthonous populations in the Cantabrian coast area: Traces of postglacial recolonisation in Europe”, Dr. Sergio Cardoso Martín explored the involvement of the Franco-Cantabrian populations of the Franco-Cantabrian refuge during the postglacial recolonisation of Europe, by analysing the variability of mitochondrial DNA. The Franco-Cantabrian refuge, extending from the south-east of France to the eastern end of the Cantabrian coast, is considered to have been the main settlement for groups of humans who arrived from the north of Europe during the last glacier age, in order to escape from the extremely adverse weather conditions.

Sergio Cardoso Martín has a degree in biochemistry and is currently working in postdoctoral research. His PhD thesis was directed by Dr.Marian Martínez De Pancorbo of the Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology at the Faculty of Pharmacy (UPV/EHU) and of the General Genomic Research Service: DNA Bank, and by Dr. Miguel Ángel Alfonso Sánchez, of the General Genomic Research Service: DNA Bank.

Looking for genetic markers

In order to carry out this research, an analysis was undertaken of a sample made up of 194 individuals belonging to three autochthonous populations from the Cantabrian coast: from the Arratia and Goierri valleys in the Basque Country, the Valley of Baztan in Navarre and from the Pas valley in Cantabria. The HVI and HVII segments from the mitochondrial DNA control region of the 194 participating individuals were sequenced. Moreover, the complete mitochondrial DNA for 43 of the individuals was sequenced with a twin objective: to reconstruct the development of the various maternal lines from the Franco-Cantabrian refuge area and to confirm the results of the analysis of the sequenced segments. The results of this analysis enabled the classification of the individuals under study into genetic families known as haplogroups. The frequency of the various haplogroups was also analysed - their spatial distribution throughout Europe and the age of the most recent common ancestor to the various lines was estimated.

Reduced genetic diversity

Most of the 194 individuals analysed presented mitochondrial haplogroups characteristic of the European populations. Additionally, very infrequent haplogroups were found and exceptionally individuals, carriers of a haplogroup of African origin, were found in the Pas Valley.

The most frequent haplogroup amongst our samples from the Basque Country and Navarre turned out to be H, and, more concretely, the subhaplogroup H1. Also notable amongst these two populations was the high frequency of the J1c line, and particularly in the case of the north of Navarre, lines U5b and T2b also registered notable frequencies. In the Pas Valley, on the other hand, the greatest frequency corresponded to haplogroup V. The adverse climate and the orography of the terrain would have favoured a marked isolation of the populations and, in consequence, a local genetic microdifferentiation that is reflected today in the predominance of some or other maternal lines in each of the analysed populations.

Apart from presenting caracteristic haplogroups, as regards diversity, the research showed that the three autochthonous populations studied were characterised by reduced values for genetic diversity with respect to other European populations, even with respect to the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. The populations of the Basque Country and the Pas Valley, together with that of Galicia, demonstrate the lowest diversity of lines within the European context. The population of the north of Navarre showed values within the range of European populations taken as reference. The author of this study has put forward these differences in mitochondrial genome diversity as being related to the lower isolation of northern Navarre, given the powerful influences of the presence of Romans, Arabs and Jews in the region, as well as its location on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela.

The comparison undertaken with other European populations showed that certain mitochondrial haplogroups presented their maximum level of frequency in the area of the Franco-Cantábrico refuge. It can be deduced from these findings that the definitory mutations of these haplogrupos could have originated in the refuge zone, or otherwise could have been transported by humans who retreated from the north of Europe, thus substantially increasing their frequency subsequently as a consequence of the genetic drift, a phenomenon known as the “founder effect”.

Genetic markers of recolonisation in Europe

The study enabled the confirmation of the importance of lines H1 and V – the most abundant amongst the sample of analysed individuals – as genetic markers of the postglacial recolonisation from the refuges of southeast Europe. Also, the study’s findings showed that the T2b, J1c and U5b haplogroups constitute “paleolithic maternal lines”, well conserved to date and with relevant frequencies in the Franco-Cantabrian refuge area. This is why it is recommendable to include the area in future studies aimed at finding genetic tracks of the postglacial repopulation of Europe and at the evaluation of the impact of this grand demographic event in the reconstruction of the genetic patrimony of contemporary European populations.

.... ... .

Science News in Euskal Herria

This article comes to us thanks to Basqueresearch.com:

Technology, health, information science and the environment are the main topics in science news

Technology in general, health, information technology and the environment were the main topics in science news stories appearing in newspapers published in the Basque Country in the first four months of 2008. This said, the front pages of these dailies give health matters priority, followed by the environment and then technology.

These were some of the conclusions drawn from a research study and published by the Elhuyar Foundation. They analysed 11 daily newspapers (Berria, Deia, Diario de Navarra, El Correo, El Diario Vasco, Gara, Le Journal du Pays Basque, Diario de Noticias, Noticias de Gipuzkoa, Noticias de Alava and Sud Ouest) from the 1st of January to the 30th of April, 2008. The methodology of analysing the profile of science stories in the press was to gather the texts of articles published about science, technology and innovation. 6,448 texts in total were collected and a study of these led to the following conclusions:

Most texts (82%) were published in Spanish, the majority of the newspapers analysed being published in this language. The Vocento Group dailies (the El Correo Español and the Diario Vasco) published most of the articles (932 and 741 respectively); third place in this classification was the Noticias de Gipuzkoa with 715 texts.

Science is not important

Most of the texts published (1,089) were of little importance, according to the Richard Budd scale (space given over to the news, the page the news item appears on and the use of graphics or otherwise), and the number of items of especial importance was only 55.

The research results showed that the topics chosen by journalists in providing information on science, technology and innovation were focused basically on technology in general, health, information technology and the environment.

The daily newspapers usually give mere information — brief news items —, although it could not be said that they totally discard an interpretation of such items.

The study also showed that the dailies do not publish many opinion articles on science, technology and innovation and less so editorial opinion on these matters. In the period under study, the eleven newspapers analysed published only 26 editorials on topics related to science, technology and innovation.

Positive view

However, we can say that these dailies maintain a favourable attitude to science, technology and innovation, although this is not directly demonstrated. Thus, the perspective of most of the news items in these fields is positive, although in journalism bad news tends to have greater possibilities for publication than good news.

Above all, the newspapers publish news stories of an official nature related to science, technology and innovation and which are generally related to the Basque Country or to the European Union; more than half (60%) of the sources for the news stories were government bodies. It also has to be pointed out that 25% of news is of unknown origin (the source of or the person responsible for the item is not known), as the newspapers do not provide this information.

Finally, the topics chosen by journalists in the Basque Country to inform about science, technology and innovation are similar to those selected by their European homologues. Moreover, the problems Basque journalists have in trying to identify the origin/author of the news related to these topics are also those mentioned by European communication media professionals.

.... ... .

Energy Forum at BEC

This note comes to us via EITb:

Bilbao Exhibition Centre to host European Future Energy Forum

09/29/2008

The Centre has been chosen by organizer 'Turret Middle East' to host a meeting which is scheduled to take place next year from the 9th to the 11th of June.

As from 2009, the Bilbao Exhibition Centre is to add another international event to its calendar: the Centre has been chosen by organizer Turret Middle East to host the European Future Energy Forum, the first edition of which is scheduled to take place next year. In the final stage of the selection process, Bilbao completed with Copenhagen, Reykjavik and Frankfurt for the honour of staging the European edition of what has become a strategic event following on from the first World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) in January this year.

The candidature of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre was part of a package which included support from the Basque government, the Department of Innovation and Economic Promotion of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Bilbao City Hall, Bilbao Convention Bureau and Destino Bilbao. The city's selection is made all the more significant by the standard of the other candidates short listed: Germany is Europe’s leading player for renewable energy sources in terms of consumption, output and technological advances, Denmark is the world's leading producer of wind power and Iceland boasts exceptional geological and geothermal resources.

The balance was tipped in favour of Bilbao by the level of investment in the country, the extraordinary recent growth in renewable energy sources, the prominent position of the Basque Country in the field, with strong support from business and institutions, and the success of Gastech 2005, an event which broke records at the Exhibition Centre.

World Future Energy Summit

The first ever World Future Energy Summit featured 220 exhibitors and attracted over 11,000 visitors from 77 countries, including royalty, heads of state, energy and environment ministers, top entrepreneurs and other high-ranking personalities.

In the wake of the success of the summit, and seeking to provide a global benchmark event for policies on energy, investment development and alternative, renewable infrastructures, organising firm Turret Middle East decided to organise a forum outside the Near East every two years, so as to extend the brand to a broader geographical area.

As a result, the Bilbao Exhibition Centre will host a biennial blend of commercial exhibitions and technical seminars on renewable energy sources and their application. This is an area which is undergoing spectacular growth, involving specialists from the fields of energy, architecture and finance.

Organizers with proven prestige

Turret is an English-based firm with broad experience as an event organizer in many different sectors all over the world. It has also maintained links with RAI, DMG and Reed Exhibitions among others, so its representatives work at the highest possible levels. Around 18 months ago it established a subsidiary in Abu Dhabi (to cover the Middle East market), where it has already organised five fairs in the fields of recycling, foodstuffs and renewable energy sources, all of them highly successful. The firm's prestige and track record in organising specialist events means that expectations are high for the success of this fair at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre, aimed at the energy market.

.... ... .

Basque DNA Research in Boise

This not comes to us via Idaho News Now:

Researchers gather DNA from Idaho Basques

by Ysabel Bilbao

BOISE -- Idaho’s largest ethnic group will be celebrating this weekend on Boise’s Basque block.

While a festival for some, it will be an experiment for others.

This block will fill with people for the annual San Inazio Basque Festival.

While Basques enjoy the celebration, two research students from the University of the Basque Country will be gathering DNA for medical research.

For many the Basque Center is a place to have a drink with friends, but this week it’s turned into part bar and part research lab.

Ph.D. students from the University of the Basque Country, Adrian Odriozola and Eneko Sanz, are taking DNA samples from local Basques as part of a worldwide research project.

The two have gathered samples from hundreds of Basques living in Idaho, Nevada, and California.

Each person gargles a liquid, which collects cells from the sides of people’s cheeks.

From the back of the bar their work is then transferred to a lab at Boise State University.

It's here under the guidance of Dr. Greg Hampikian, that Odriozola and his American counterpart Michael Davis extract DNA samples.

"We are trying to establish a collection of Basque Community DNA around the world. And in Boise there are a lot of Basque in Idaho, it's a strong DNA, Basque community," said Odriozola.

It's that strong community and strong genetic link to the old country that has drawn the researchers abroad. Dr. Hampikian says the best form of genetic research comes from twins separated at birth. Studying their DNA helps researchers know if disease or illness comes from nature or nurture.

Studying the Basque here and in their homeland provides that on a much larger scale.

"Finding two populations that have the same genetics that are located in different places is a huge benefit to all of humanity," said Hampikian.

The research students are focusing their studies on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, but their research will include a variety of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

"We want to establish a strong collection about the Basque community, not only for use in DNA Bank, we want to offer this to the scientific community," said Odriozola.

"These types of studies are ongoing, not just with Europeans or the Basques, but really a worldwide phenomena," said Michael Davis, BSU graduate student.

The Basque researchers will leave Boise next week and head back to the Basque country to input data.

Afterward, they will continue traveling to Central and South America to collect DNA samples from Basques living there.

My only question is, are you to do this before or after your first kalimotxo?

.... ... .

How Trees Protect Themselves

This article about some recent research conducted in the Basque Country regarding how trees (and plants in general) protect themselves during harsh times comes to us thanks to Basque Research:

Measuring the stress of forested areas

Plants undergo stress because of lack of water, due to the heat or the cold or to excess of light. A research team from the University of the Basque Country have analysed the substances that are triggered in plants to protect themselves, with the goal of choosing the species that is best suited to the environment during reforestation under adverse environmental conditions.

Droughts, extreme temperatures, contamination, and so on – all are harmful to plants. On occasions, the damage is caused by humans. For example, as a consequence of cutting down trees, plants used to shady conditions may be exposed to an excess of light. However, in most cases it is nature itself that causes the stress. In spring, plants have sufficient average humidity and temperatures, i.e. what scientists deem ‘optimum conditions’. But in winter they have to withstand considerable cold and in summer, on the other hand, high temperatures and droughts: adverse environmental factors that generate stress situations. Thus, in winter and in summer, the light which under normal conditions would be a source of energy becomes excessive, given that the metabolism of the plants under these conditions is not able to assimilate it. This process is known as photo-oxidative stress.

Some plants are incapable of withstanding this stress – unable to dissipate the excess energy, generating a chain reaction by which they deteriorate and die. Other species, on the other hand, undergo processes of acclimatising themselves to the new situation and trigger chemical compounds that act to protect them. These species are the object of interest of a research team from the Department of Plant Biology and Ecology at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The members of this team – called EKOFISKO and led by Dr. Txema Becerril – are studying the plants’ defence mechanisms in order to predict damage before it is produced. They measure the photo-protector substances created by the plants and analyse their behaviour, using them as biosensors of photo-oxidative stress.

Amongst all these plants, they have been studying trees and other forest species, given that they are long-cycle species and it is important that they acclimatize correctly to the environment before reforestation is embarked upon. The autochthonous species of the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (CAPV), especially the southern part thereof, being where the two climatic regions - the Atlantic and the Mediterranean – meet, would be the first to suffer the consequences of climate change. The study mainly involves species with ecological, economic or landscape interest, and analyses both the deciduous species and the perennial varieties; particularly the latter as they withstand the cold winter temperatures without shedding their leaves.
On the trail of the box tree

The box is a model species and a good example for analysing the defence mechanisms of plants: it is capable of withstanding quite different environments (both dry and sunny climes as well as damp and shaded conditions), thanks to its resistance and adaptability. When it is under stress, the leaves go red, as other species do in autumn, but its peculiarity is that it is able to convert its chromoplasts (where the red pigments accumulate) into chloroplasts (with green pigments) and once again capture energy when the stress conditions disappear.

In order to measure the biomarkers of photo-oxidative stress the research team also simulated the winter or summer conditions in the greenhouse and in the growing rooms at the Faculty of Science and Technology, i.e. they artificially induced in the plants the conditions which they would have to be subjected. This makes it possible to isolate each one of the stress agents and to study its consequences, leaving aside the rest of the variables found in nature.

According to what the research team at the UPV/EHU have shown, the secret to being the most adaptable species lies in accumulating antioxidants, such as vitamin E and special carotenoids (carotenes and xantophylls); precisely the substances that provide colour to plants. On receiving too much light, the VAZ cycle is triggered and the balance between three xantophylls (corresponding to these 3 initials) is altered so that the excess energy does not harm the plants. The human body, for example, is not capable of creating these highly important substances itself and it has to ingest vegetables in order to obtain antioxidants (from plants). Besides studying the VAZ cycle, Mr Txema Becerril’s team has contributed to the discovery of a new cycle (the lutein epoxide cycle), present in many forest species such as beech, laurel, holm oak or oak and the team is currently studying what exactly is its protective function.

I personally dedicate this post to Keith Johnson and his claim that the Basques were unable to conduct any such research because they were being educated in Euskera.

.... ... .

The Basques : Another View

This article tackles one of the issues that fuel this blog, the way the media corporations have been following Spain's lead when it comes to poisoning the view of what the Basque Country is. Madrid has implemented a propaganda campaign in which the term Basque is usually used as a synonym for terrorist, as a result, anything and everything Basques means violence. Paris is all too happy Madrid does the dirty job involved in denying the Basque Country its right to regain its sovereignty.

Well, this article from New Zealand opens a gap in the curtain of lies and deception against Euskal Herria, it comes to us thanks to Stuff:

A Basque solution to growth

WORLD OF SCIENCE - BOB BROCKIE

The Dominion Post | Monday, 14 July 2008

Think of Basques, think of bombs. Right? But there's more to Basques than bombs. The tiny Basque country is renowned for its science.

The region, on the north coast of Spain, is smaller than Wellington province and is home to 2.1 million people. Their common language is Spanish, but about a quarter of them speak the strange Basque language. If you want to say "Nice to meet you" in Basque you'd say "Potzen nau zu ezaguteak".

In the past 200 years, millions of Basques have emigrated to America. Ten per cent of Argentineans have Basque ancestors. Today's Basques, with a gross domestic product per capita income of NZ$48,000, are among the wealthiest people in Europe and much better off than New Zealanders. In the 1980s, Basques' traditional fishing and shipbuilding industries collapsed but, since then, their government has developed a spectacularly successful growth strategy built on scientific knowledge, technological innovation and entrepreurship.

Basques' biggest company, the Mondragon Cooperative, is hugely successful and has tentacles all through Spain and South America. It even has its own university.

The country's wealth is now built on new technologies – aeronautical and energy technology, and making fine machine tools, wind turbines and rolling stock. They are into nanotechnology and miniaturisation in a big way, developing high-performance hybrid materials for hi-tech industries, making precision miniaturised desktop type machinery for mass hydro-forming, stamping and cold- forging bulk materials, and improving high-resolution electron microscopy and lithography.

They are developing new catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells, designing a hydrogen-driven car (H2CAR), installing 16 sea-wave energy turbines, doing stem-cell research, and have developed new implant materials for healing wounds and for plastic surgery. Among other things they are developing miniaturised throw-away medical laboratories – each the size of a credit card and read with a hand-held gadget.

Basque technologists are on to "microwire technology" enabling huge amounts of data to be stored on microscopic wires. These wires have military uses, but Basques paste them on goods in supermarkets. To reach the checkout, your shopping trolley must pass through an electronic arch which instantly calculates the total cost.

They have research centres devoted to climate change, applied mathematics and health innovation. They also have an ambitious plan to "coordinate information and communication technologies around cognitive systems, pervasive computing, digital security and natural interfaces", and participate in the European space programme.

This tiny Basque country has 12,500 scientists and technologists at its universities, polytechnics or in private companies and puts a lot of money into attracting leading foreign scientists to work there, or join forces with them. This month they are advertising internationally for 30 more scientists.

The Basques' capital city, Bilbao, is about the size of Wellington and has become world- renowned for its new, fabulous, elegant, jaw-dropping, avant-guard, titanium-clad museum, and then, in September, there's their popular mixed-sex annual 5000-metre foot race along the beach at low tide, in the nude. First prize a holiday in the Canary Islands.

We have a lot to learn from the Basques.

Just one thing though, the capital city of the Basque County is Iruñea, not Bilbao.

.... ... .

Tartalo

Remember how not too long ago an US "journalist" accused the Basque society of being unable to compete in the modern world because of its stone-age language suited only for sheepherding?

Well, seems like things are not so bad in Euskal Herria when it comes to technology, check out this article appeared at Physorg.com:

Tartalo the robot is knocking on your door

A research team from the University of the Basque Country, led by Basilio Sierra, is devising a robot that can get around by itself. Tartalo is able to identify different places and ask permission before going through a doorway.

We are accustomed to seeing robots programmed to carry out a concrete task such as the robotic arms well known in industry. What is surprising is to see a robot walking without help and making decisions for itself. This is precisely what the Autonomous Robotics and Systems Research Team at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) are involved in: increasing the autonomy of robots so that they are evermore capable of carrying out more tasks on their own. Some years ago they developed Marisorgin, the robot for distributing mail and now they have put Tartalo into operation.

Those working on the third floor of the Computer Science Faculty in the Basque city of Donostia-San Sebastián find it normal and everyday to meet Tartalo in the corridors- meet, not bump into! This 1.5-metre tall, intelligent machine side-steps any obstacle in its path, thanks to sensors that have been installed around its "body": sonars that emit and detect ultrasounds, infrared sensors and laser rays. The laser, for example, measures the distance of the robot from any object within a radius of 180 degrees. Mr Basilio Sierra's team, although it did not build the robot, having acquired it, but it is developing and enhancing its abilities.

With these sensors and the computer that is the robot's 'brain', Tartalo will have the wherewithal to move from one place to another without problems; in fact, to wander. What the research team at the Department of Computational Sciences and Artificial Intelligence want to achieve, however, is a robot capable of going anywhere it is told to.

Finding one's way inside buildings

The machines best known for guiding one from a starting point to a given goal are GPS navigation systems. However, these do not function inside buildings and neither would it be realistic to create a database with the plans for every building in the world. For this reason the UPV/EHU researchers use biomimetic systems as a basis for developing the robot, meaning that Tartalo does the same as a person or animal on entering a new place: explore the terrain and take in points of reference. But, for a machine to carry out what living creatures do by, as it were, instinct, the computer programmers have to nevertheless put in a huge quantity of data, programmes and calculations.

Buildings are semi-structured environments wherein determined common spaces are always found. Tartalo has been "taught" (programmed) to recognise four of these: room, corridor, front hall and "junction". Thus, if we were to take the robot to our home, the first thing it would have to do is to carry out a process of auto-location, going around the apartment in order to memorise the location of these four places. By this process the machine creates a species of topological map and the homeowner only has to teach it what each space is called. For this to be possible, UPV/EHU researchers are designing systems of interaction between machine and persons. For example, in order for the robot to understand instructions, they are perfecting a voice recognition system and touch screen.

Single eye, sharp vision

In order to identify what is in front, to distinguish between a room and a corridor, for example, Tartalo uses this single eye - which gives it its name ?as a camera. It measures the images received through the eye-camera, compares them with its database and then evaluates probabilities to decide what the image that it has ahead looks like. The robot knows, for example, that if the space is long and narrow, it is a corridor.

The most important skill that Tartalo has been taught is to recognise doors. In fact, in order to access most of the places instructed to do so, the robot will have to pass through a doorway first. This is why the camera is located at the level of the doorknob or handle, which is what enables the identification of the door. When this happens, the system is programmed so that, when moving down a corridor, it seeks and negotiates doorways. If the door is closed, as it is not yet fitted with an arm to open it, it knocks two or three times on the door with its "feet".

The aim of the UPV/EHU research team is to develop the navigation system of the robot and the recognition of doors is fundamental to this end. From now on, Tartalo will have to learn to distinguish between many other things, such as faces, voices or any object that it is asked to fetch. But each one of these actions requires a specific programme and this, for the time being, is outside the remit of the research being undertaken by the UPV/EHU Autonomous Robotics and Systems Research Team. Nevertheless, little by little the skills developed by other teams will be incorporated into this robot.

Source: Elhuyar Fundazioa

But where did the robot got its name?

Here you have the answer, via Wikipedia:

Tartalo

In Basque mythology, Tartalo is an enormously strong one-eyed giant very similar to the Greco-Roman Cyclops. It is speculated that the name may derive from the Greek underworld Tartaros. He lives in caves in the mountains and catches young people in order to eat them. He also eats sheep. In Biscay, it's known as Alarabi. There is a story about him that appears to be derived from the Odyssey.

Story

One day, while two brothers of the Antimuño baserri (a kind of basque farm) were hunting, a storm broke, so they decided to take refuge from the rain in a cave, which was Tartalo's cave. Soon after, Tartalo appeared with his flock of sheep. He saw the two brothers and said: "Bat gaurko eta bestea biharko" ("one for today and the other for tomorrow").

That same day he cooked and ate the eldest one, and then, he went to sleep. While he was sleeping, the youngest brother stole Tartalo's ring and then he stuck the burduntzi ("roasting spit" in Basque) in his only eye. Tartalo was blind, but not dead yet.

He started to look for the boy among his sheep, but he put on a sheep's skin and escaped from Tartalo. But, unluckily, when he got out of the flock of sheep, the accuser ring started to shout: "Hemen nago, hemen nago!" ("Here I am, here I am!").

Tartalo got out of his cave and he started to run after the ring, hearing its shouts. The young one wasn't able to take off the ring, so, when he arrived to the edge of a cliff, he cut off his finger, and since Tartalo was near, he decided to throw it down the cliff. Tartalo, following the ring's shouting, fell off the cliff.

.... ... .

Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys

This article was published at Gizmag:

Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys to create robotic claws with nanometer precision

Robotics

May 26, 2008 Researchers at the University of the Basque Country have used ferromagnetic shape memory alloys to develop experimental devices that can position objects with an incredible accuracy of 20 nanometers. The devices do not consume energy after being put in place, and have applications ranging from medical science to positioning mirrors in high-power telescopes.

Shape memory alloys are metals that, after being bent, are triggered to return to their original state after being heated. The phenomenon was first observed in 1932, but it was only with the commercialization of the Nickel-Titanium alloy, or nitinol, that their applications were properly explored. Researchers at the Ohio State University have proposed using nitinol instead of stainless steel when reconstructing broken bones – the urge of the metal to return to its form exerts a constant pressure on bones, forcing them to stay in place. Stiquito, a small robot often used in university courses, uses the expansion and contraction of nitinol as a method of propulsion.

However, ferromagnetic shape memory alloys only transform back to their original configuration when exposed to a magnetic field. Since the application of the field is instant, the transformation is also rapid, as compared to the gradual heating and cooling of metal in regular shape memory alloy transitions. Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys do not exist commercially, and are currently only created as part of research.

The Automation Group at the Department of Electricity and Electronics of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the Leioa campus of the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) is studying the stimulus-response characteristics of shape memory alloys and ferromagnetic shape memory alloys, with the aim of using them to facilitate precise movements in electrochemical systems in robotics. The researchers used shape memory alloys to build a prototype of a lightweight gripping claw - nitinol wire was placed between two elastic metal sheets, which contracted when a current was applied to the wire, gripping any objects around it. The claw has a point of precision to within a micron. The University hopes to further refine the ferromagnetic shape memory alloy actuators, which are already precise within 20 nanometers.

All these devices, currently at a laboratory stage, are useful for testing the basic characteristics of the materials, but in the future they could be end-product commercial prototypes for robotic devices and in micro and nanopositioning.

.... ... .

Basque Research on Molecules

This note comes to us thanks to EITb:

Sci/Tech

Important progress

Basque scientists' research work hits the "Science" cover

04/18/2008

Donostia International Physics Center and U.S. scientists have discovered that some organic molecules have similar electronic properties to the atoms.

A joint research work by Basque and U.S. scientists on the electronic properties of organic molecules hit on Friday the cover of the prestigious scientific magazine Science. The discovery proves that organic molecules have conductivity properties similar to those of the metal materials

The discovery is a joint work carried out by scientists of the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC) of the Basque city of Donostia-San Sebastian and the University of Pittsburgh (U.S.), who coined the term "superatom" to refer to these molecules.

The research team is led by Hrvoje Petek, a Croatian physicist professor at the University of Pittsburgh working at the moment at the Donostia International Physics Center within a Basque Government's scheme to employ top-level scientists.

According to the DIPC, the "superatoms" have conductivity properties similar to those of the metal materials, "which could be very useful in the future for the development of nanometric electrical devices".

According to Petek, the discovery "creates a new perspective on the electronic properties of the materials" as to prove that hollow-shell molecules can have similar conductivity properties to the metal materials paves the way to the creation of new materials with custom-designed chemical and electronic properties".

.... ... .

Usurbil and Jupiter

Another example of a group of Basque scientists spearheading important scientific research, this time it has to do with Jupiter.

This note appeared at Space Daily:

The Mystery Of Jupiter's Jets Uncovered

by Staff Writers
Usurbil, Basque Country (SPX) Jan 25, 2008

At the end of March 2007, scientists all over the world observed with surprise and awe a rare change in the atmosphere of Jupiter. A giant perturbation occurred amongst its clouds and two extremely bright storms erupted in the middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere, where its most intense jet stream - reaching speeds of 600 kilometers per hour - resides.

Research into these unusual storms (previous ones had been seen in 1975 and 1990) and the reaction of the jet to them, undertaken by an international team coordinated by Agustin Sánchez-Lavega, from the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), gives a more precise idea about the origin of these current flows and likewise can help to gain a better understanding of terrestrial meteorology.

The work, entitled "Depth of a strong Jovian jet from a planetary-scale disturbance driven by storms', is the cover of the 24 of January issue of the journal Nature.

The team, made up of scientists from the UPV/EHU, researchers from the Fundacion Observatorio Esteve Durán in Barcelona and from several North American centres: NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Universities of Berkeley and Arizona, as well as the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, amongst others, monitored the event with a spatial and temporal resolution without precedent.

On the one hand, they used the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and, on the other, the NASA telescope at the mountain tops of Hawaii and the telescopes in the Canary Islands, due to the infra-red light of which, the highest clouds and temperature changes can be observed. Moreover, also decisive was the help of a whole battery of smaller telescopes located around the Earth's southern hemisphere, from where planet Jupiter can currently be seen in better conditions.

Fortunately, the beginning of the storm was observed by the HST as a backup of the observations that the New Horizons spaceship undertook in its overflight on its way to far off Pluto. They observed how the storm grew quickly from 400 km to 2,000 km in less than 24 hours, explained Mr Sánchez-Lavega.

According to the study, the very bright storms are formed amongst the deepest clouds of water on the planet, rising vigorously and injecting a mixture of ice ammonia and water up to 30 km above the visible clouds. The storms move with the maximum velocity of the jet, - more than 600 kilometers per hour, creating disturbances and generating a stele of turbulence of reddish clouds that circle the whole planet. The infrared images show the brilliant festoons that make up the storms abandoning the jet stream to leeward.

Surprisingly, and despite the enormous amount of energy deposited by the storms and the mixture and whirlwinds generated thereby, the jet stream stayed practically still during all this perturbation and, when it was over, this stayed robust, despite the event suffered. The computer models simulating the progress of the phenomenon suggested that the jet stream goes deep into Jupiter's atmosphere, to more than 100 km below the visible cloud level and where solar energy cannot reach.

This confirms the results previously obtained by the Galileo probe when it penetrated Jupiter's atmosphere in December 1995. Although the regions studied are meteorologically different, everything points to Jupiter's jet streams going very deep and suggests that the internal energy source plays an important role in its generation, states Mr Sánchez-Lavega.

The comparison of the currently observed phenomenon with the previous cases of 1975 and 1990 show surprising similarities and coincidence, although without an explanation for the time being. The three eruptions have had a periodicity of between 15 to 17 years, strange for Jupiter as they do not bear any obvious relationship with the known natural periods of this planet.

The storms arose at the peak of the jet, where the velocity is maximum, not to the North or to the South and there have always been two storms (not one or more or one less) and, finally, in all cases they move at the same speed. If, at some time in the future, we are able to crack this riddle, we will know the mysteries that lie beneath Jupiter's clouds, comments Mr Sánchez-Lavega.

The atmosphere of the giant gaseous planet of Jupiter, ten times the size of the Earth and where the day lasts only 10 hours, is in a permanent state of agitation. Atmospheric circulation is dominated by a system of jet streams, alternating in latitude and that distribute their clouds in bright and dark rings parallel to its equator - all these phenomena being unexplained. The changes in the cloud rings are sometimes violent ones circling the planet.

Their origin and that of the energy source generating them as well as the jet streams are all matter for controversy amongst meteorologists and planet scientists. They might be generated by the deposition of solar radiation as on Earth or by the intense internal energy source emanating from Jupiter's interior or perhaps by a combination of both.

Knowing the mechanisms that operate in these phenomena is important for terrestrial meteorology - which is home to many storms and where jet streams also dominate atmospheric circulation. In this manner Jupiter represents a natural laboratory where scientists can study the nature of and the interrelation between jet streams, storms and violent atmospheric phenomena.

.... ... .

Basque Robotics

Here you have an example of how advanced science and technology are in Euskal Herria, just in case you read Keith Johnson's piece of slander against Basque society.

It was published by Medical News Today:

Robotics Project: Led By Tekniker-IK4

Main Category: Medical Devices
Article Date: 25 Jan 2008 - 4:00 PST

The "ROBAUCO: mobile, autonomous and collaborative robots" project was recently initiated, being led by Tekniker-IK4 and also involving the participation of another Basque technology centre, Fatronik, the Valencian Instituto Tecnologico de Informatica (ITI) and CARTIF, the technology centre in Castilla-Leon. Moreover, university teams outstanding in robotics research have also collaborated - from the Carlos III University in Madrid, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the University of Seville and the University of the Basque Country. The project is to last 30 months and has a budget of nearly 2 million euros, of which somewhat more than 650,000 euros has been allocated to Tekniker-IK4, coordinator and proponent of the idea.

The principal objective of the project is the generation of the technologies necessary for the development of mobile robots able to carry out complex tasks with a high degree of autonomy and capacity for collaboration. These robots, moreover, have to share tasks with people in the most friendly and natural way possible.

The technological areas in which solutions are to be developed are:

~ The perception of the robots. Using sensors and sensorial systems which, with a holistic approach, are capable of recognising the complex environment (given that the idea is for exterior applications, over unknown terrain and changing situations).

~ Communications. Between the robots themselves and with humans, in such a way that mutual collaboration leads to success in the targets set.

~ Person-robot interaction Here the idea is that the robot is not limited to just obeying control orders that are formulated electronically, but they are also enabled to interact with their human collaborators and in the most natural manner, including with voice and, above all, with gestures which, for tasks in the exterior and in extreme conditions, may be the most reliable channel of communication.

~ Autonomous behaviour. In this case the idea is to resolve complex problems of navigation on surfaces and in spaces that are difficult and equip the robots with self-perception in such a way that they are aware of their state, can undertake self-diagnosis and adopt measures in case of breakdown or limitations to their capacities.

~ Mecatronic components. The problem to be tackled in principle is the movement through and overcoming of obstacles in all media, terrestrial, aquatic and aerial.

It is hoped to materialise all these developments in a terrestrial robot prototype which, in all probability, will be a test bank for solutions to emergency situations such as forest fires, rescues, etc. In order to know the peculiarities and skills these tasks require and thereby to orientate the prototype accordingly, contacts have been made with SOS Deia (the Basque Emergency Rescue Service) and it also expected to know other viewpoints from other autonomous emergency services.

The project is one of 6 which, at a Spanish State-wide level, is being financed by the State Office for Small and Medium Enterprises of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, through the programme of partnered projects designed to stimulate a synergic effect from the collaboration of various technological centres.

.... ... .

Science Park

Check out this note that appeared at EITb:

Sci/Tech

Presentation of the project

Basque Public University to build science park in 2008

12/10/2007

The new project includes 14 buildings in the Leioa campus and will be "strategic" to achieve the targets of competitiveness and innovation in the Basque Country.

The construction of a science park in the Leioa campus of the Basque Public University will start in 2008, UPV rector Juan Ignacio Pérez confirmed last week during the presentation of the project.

The new park, which will include 14 buildings for technological firms, will have a budget of €123 million and will be finished by 2018.

The target is to "bring firms and technological activities" as well as "offer a transfer of communication" between the firms and the Basque Public University.

The park will promote the settlement of technological firms in the Basque Country, will employ about 2,500 people and will be "strategic" to achieve the targets of competitiveness and innovation in the Basque Country.

The science park will have a surface of 188,000 square meters and will also include a residence to house 280 students and scientists.

Hmmm, not too bad for a people with a language best suited to herd sheep and cows.

~ ~ ~

The Basque Astronaut

Today at EITb:

Sci/Tech

International space station

First Basque astronaut to install new laboratory Columbus

11/27/2007

Columbus is the most important European mission to date and the cornerstone of Europe's contribution to the ISS.

NASA's Space Shuttle Atlantis Flight STS-122 is scheduled to launch on Thursday 6th December 2007 from flight pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA. The STS-122 Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will deliver and install the European science laboratory Columbus. The Shuttle's crew of seven includes ESA German astronaut Hans Schlegel and ESA first Basque astronaut Leopold Eyharts, both on their second spaceflights.

Columbus is the most important European mission to date and the cornerstone of Europe's contribution to the ISS. Once launched and operational, ESA will become a co-owner of mankind's only permanent outpost in space. As the first European laboratory devoted to long-term research in space, Columbus will further expand the science capabilities of the International Space Station. The 7 meter long and 12.8-tonne laboratory will provide internal payload accommodation for experiments in the field of multidisciplinary research into material science, fluid physics and life science. In addition its external payload facility hosts experiments and applications in the field of space science, Solar science, Earth observation and technology.

Columbus will be transported into Earth orbit in the Shuttle's cargo bay, together with five internal rack facilities (Biolab, the Fluid Science Laboratory, the European Physiology Modules, the European Drawer Rack and the European Transport Carrier). Two of its external experiment facilities (EuTEF and SOLAR) will be stowed separately in the Shuttle's cargo bay and attached to the outside of the laboratory module structure.

ESA German astronaut Hans Schlegel will play a key role in two of the three spacewalks or EVA (Extra-Vehicular Activity) scheduled for the mission. During the mission's first EVA Schlegel will help to install and power up the laboratory. Just hours after opening the hatch between the laboratory and the ISS some of Columbus' multidisciplinary science facilities will start research operations. On his second EVA, Schlegel will remove and replace a Nitrogen Tank Assembly. EuTEF and SOLAR will be installed during the third EVA. After 12 days in space Hans Schlegel will return to Earth with Shuttle STS-122, while Leopold Eyharts will remain on the ISS for a further two months.

During his stay on the ISS Eyharts will play a key part in the installation, activation and in-orbit commissioning of Columbus and of its experimental facilities. He will become the first European astronaut to test and operate in-orbit all the systems of Columbus and the European science facilities and experiments carried on board. Because of his extended ISS stay, Eyharts is also likely to be onboard for the arrival of Jules Verne, Europe's first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), an unmanned supply ship carrying 7.1 tonnes of cargo to the ISS, including food, air and water. Eyharts will return to Earth on Shuttle mission STS-123.

With the launch of Node-2 in October and the upcoming launch of Columbus, followed by the first launch of an ATV, Europe has entered into a new era as a partner in the ISS Programme. Europe will have taken up home in space, owning its share in the ISS, contributing to the logistics and having permanent access to science and research opportunities in orbit.

The Columbus and ATV control centres in Oberpfaffenhofen (Germany) and Toulouse (France) will become nerve centres of Europe's ISS operations. Moreover, the Columbus Control Centre is linked into a network of User Operations Centres across Europe, where scientists will be able to control their experiments and often even receive the data and results in real time via this unique networked infrastructure.

Two more ESA astronauts are already training for future missions to the ISS: Frank De Winne from Belgium (who is also the backup for Leopold Eyharts on flight STS-122) and Andrew Kuipers from the Netherlands are next in line for a stay of some two to three months on the ISS.

~ ~ ~

Structural Biology Unit in Derio

This article comes to us via Basqueresearch:

CIC bioGUNE Centre inaugurates first Structural Biology Unit in the State

The Cooperative Centre for Research, CIC bioGUNE, has inaugurated the Structural Biology platform, unique in the State and, at a European level, a state-of-the-art installation.

Fitted with the most up-to-date Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Diffraction equipment, the platform will be available to the scientific community in order to stimulate the use of the most up-to-date techniques in structural biology amongst researchers and enterprises in the Basque Country.

Whether at a national or a European level, there is no other research centre which integrates these three techniques under the same roof.

The installations are located at the CIC bioGUNE research centre at the Bizkaia Technological Park in Derio.

Structural biology is an area of research the aim of which is to determine the structure of macromolecules and of supramolecular complexes. The function of proteins is linked to their structure and, knowing their folding pattern provides transcendental information on the way in which their molecular role develops. The identification of therapeutic targets, their action mechanisms, the design of pharmaceutical drugs, the understanding of intracellular interactions, as well as the prevention or treatment of numerous illnesses, require knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of proteins and other molecular complexes.

In this respect, the Structural Biology Unit generally aims to investigate the structure of and interactions that occur between biological macromolecules with the objective of understanding how chemical reactions central to life develop and how their malfunctioning can give rise to the appearance of relevant pathologies. Detailed knowledge of molecular interactions open new paths to the development of effective therapies.

50 researchers

The Structural Biology Unit will have 50 researchers directly and in the order of 100 indirectly involved in shared, international projects. The funding of the Unit has been promoted by the Basque Government, through its Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, and also financed by the Bizkaia Provincial Government, the Basque Technological Parks´ Network and the European FEDER funds. Also various aid packages from the Spanish State and the European Union have been availed of.

The Structural Biology Unit will be, together with the Proteomic platform, a key infrastructure at CIC bioGUNE. In fact, a large number of the projects being undertaken at the Centre require the infrastructure and equipment this Unit possesses. Moreover, its creation improves research possibilities for all those others within the Basque R+D+i network. Also, it will boost the participation of foreign research groups such as private bodies in the health sector.

The Structural Biology Unit will have three laboratories specialised in techniques of structural resolution: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Electron Cryomicroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction. There is no other centre, within the State, that integrates the three laboratories in the same installations.

NMR

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) determines three-dimensional structures and the interactions of bio-macromolecules. The NMR spectroscope, moreover, provides highly valuable dynamic information and is specially suitable in the study of structural variations due to changes in the environment such as variations in temperature or pH and the presence of metallic ions, etc. NMR is an excellent tool for carrying out scans to reveal the degree of folding of proteins. The RMN equipment available in this Unit is an 800 MHz spectrometer and another of 600 MHz. The first has a greater signal dispersion sensitivity in order to detect phenomena arising in strong magnetic fields.
Electronic microscopy

Electron Microscopy is a highly flexible method for structural analysis which enables the study of molecules over a very wide range of resolutions. Electron Cryomicroscopy, together with image processing techniques, has enables the use of electron microscopes in the molecular domain.

X-Ray Crystallography

X-Ray Crystallography is currently the most powerful analytical tool for determining atomic structure. This technique employs X-Rays in order to determine the atomic order in a crystalline sample. It can be applied to all types of macromolecules without any limit to size and, moreover, the data therefrom can be integrated into large-aggregate functional models analysed using Electron Microscopy.

CIC bioGUNE - scientific state of the art in Euskadi

The Structural Biology Unit, as well as CIC bioGUNE overall, falls within the strategic remit of bioBASK 2010 – aiming to boost the generation and development of knowledge in order to facilitate business advances in the biosciences sector. To this end, the policy is to reinforce and enhance research capacity, to establish scientific-technological advances and to put co-operative research centres into operation.

Within this strategic line in January 2005 CIC bioGUNE was inaugurated, a co-operative research centre dedicated mainly to biosciences and, within these, the health sector. Here, high social impact illnesses such as cancer are studied, as well as their prevention, their diagnosis and the identification of pharmaceutical drugs for dedicated therapies.

The principal mission of CIC bioGUNE is the undertaking of basic research of excellence at an international level, targeting strategic objectives of global interest while not forgetting the needs of the biotechnology industry in the Basque Country.

At CIC bioGUNE they are striving to make the research industry in the Basque Country more international, incorporating foreign researchers at all levels and strengthening this international cooperation, given that excellence today is defined in global terms.

CIC bioGUNE has somewhat more than 100 researchers from more than a dozen countries.

In 2005 and 2006 CIC bioGUNE launched technological platforms for genomics, proteomics, metabolics and animal experiment stations; in 2007 it will be working on the genic silencing platform.

Research projects

CIC bioGUNE is currently taking part in important, international-level projects such as HUPO (Human Proteome Organisation) the aim of which is to carry out the analysis of the proteome, i.e. to know precisely the role carried out by each one of the proteins.

CIC bioGUNE is the scientific body that is leading the HUPO work at the level of the State (of Spain) and, at the same time it is actively participating in the Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP), an international research project on the proteins of the liver, within the framework of HUPO, involving a network of 17 scientific, biotechnological, centres and hospitals such as the Clínic de Barcelona and the Príncipe de Asturias hospital in Madrid, and which incorporates all the proteomic services within the Spanish State. This Spanish node is known as Proteored.

It is also participating in the HEPADIP project, representing the first attempt, at a European level, to undertake a research project on the liver and adipose tissue. In this respect, the most important project on Metabolic Syndrome financed by the EU has a budget of 12 million euros for the next five years.

The HEPADIP project consortium is made up of 26 members – belonging to 11 European countries -, 20 of the members being academic institutions and six small or medium-sized biotechnological businesses. The project is organised along lines of research wherein studies are being carried out on the biology of adipose tissue and the liver, on the integrated function of adipose tissue and the liver in the human organism, and on the genetics and clinical profile of metabolic syndrome in well-defined populations.

.... ... .

Medical Breakthrough

This note was published by EITb:

Trichonomas vaginalis

Basque scientist contributes to a breakthrough in medicine

Felix Bastida, together with other scientists, made a great step forward in research on a sexually transmitted human pathogen. The breakthrough was echoed by important scientific publications.

The prestigious science magazine Science published a paper that describes the genome sequence of the protist Trichomonas vaginalis, a sexually transmitted human pathogen. One of the researches was the Basque Felix Bastida, actually leading Vacunek, a company of technology transference created by Neiker-Tecnalia.

The research of Felix Bastida and a group of scientists of the University of California had been recognised by its publication by Science, one of the most prestigious magazines.

After a journey at several U.S. universities, the young Basque scientist is actually living in the Basque Country and collaborating with the Department of Production and Animal Health of Neiker-Tecnalia, an ambitious project to find vaccines and products to diagnose animal diseases.

.... ... .

Tears

This health related article comes to us via EITb:

Two Basque firms research into tears' help to diagnose eye illness

The method is similar to pregnancy tests, and the easy use of the system, its immediacy and simplicity will make the daily use of the test possible.

The Technological Centre Gaiker-IK4 and the Clinical Surgical Institute of Ophthalmology of Bilbao (ICQO) have developed a method to diagnose eye illnesses through tears. The system will be working late next year.

The method, similar to pregnancy tests, will initially detect specific characteristics of eye pathologies like conjuntivochalasis.

As the managers of the project explained, its easy use, immediacy and simplicity will make the daily use of the test at the clinic possible.

For late 2008, the firms expect to develop a multiple system that would detect other eye pathologies and to bring it out to market.

The research project started in 2004 and will expectedly finish next year. Its foundations are a report on proteins comparing tear samples of patients affected by conjuntivochalasis and queratocone, and healthy patients.

An only sample allows the analysis of all proteins in a tear that are involved in the progress of a certain eye pathology, identifying different characteristics that could be used to develop multiple diagnosing systems.

.... ... .

Dating From Iruña-Veleia Confirmed

Some important news from the Iruña-Veleia archaeological site have been published at EITb:

Analysis confirms dating of Iruña-Veleia Basque inscriptions

Analysis carried out by the research team confirms the unearthed inscriptions in the Basque language date from the third century AD.

Research carried out in several specialised labs confirmed Friday the authenticity of the inscriptions in Basque language unearthed at a Roman site near the Basque town of Vitoria-Gasteiz some months ago. According to this research work, the inscriptions in the Basque language date from the third century.

Basque linguists hailed the discovery at the time as extraordinarily important. Basque, or euskera to its speakers, is considered to be one of the oldest languages in Europe and scholars have long wondered whether it is derived from African, Caucasian or Etruscan tongues, or if it developed in isolation.

Until now, a text written by a monk in both Castillian Spanish and Basque had been the oldest written example of the language, dating from the year 1040. The new inscriptions, found at the Roman site of Iruña-Veleia, included the names of colours, verbs and references to God, Christianity and the Holy Family etched into bricks, bones and pieces of glass.

Among the words inscribed were the colours "urdin" (blue), "zuri" (white) and "gorri" (red), verbs "edan" (drink) "ian" (eat) and "lo" (sleep), the excavation team said.

Another piece read "Iesus, Ioshse ata ta Miriam ama" (Jesus, the father Joseph and the mother Mary) while another had the greeting "Geure ata zutan" (May the Father be with you). Archaeologists also found pictures depicting the life of Jesus, including what could be a Last Supper.

.... ... .