This spring’s outbreak of a virulent form of Escherichia coli in Germany and France provoked a rapid response from public health authorities and the research community. Not only did the response represent a triumph of global collaboration in rapidly characterizing the Shiga toxin–producing strain but it also prompted an on-the-fly clinical trial of one of the world’s most expensive biotech drugs—Alexion’s humanized monoclonal antibody Soliris (eculizumab)—previously approved for the rare disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). As thousands fell ill with the enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strain O104:H4 from eating tainted food—a substantial fraction developing potentially fatal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—German and then French doctors turned to Soliris, which prevents the cleavage of complement component 5 (C5) and activation of the hemolytic cascade.
The cemetery in the final shootout of The Good The Bad and The Ugly is just north of Clunia, so we decided to shoot and edit a remake in homage to Blondie, Angel Eyes, Tuco, and the rest. If you go there, I recommend turning on the film soundtrack just as you leave Santo Domingo de Silos, the nearest village, for an atmospheric drive over the hills. Thanks to Iza for the photos; I was too busy assisting the director.
Joan took me bouldering. Next time we want to bring some ropes and technical gear to climb some of the bigger rock faces at the site, too. Though according to the New York Times, bouldering is in fashion now…
Our first excursion was to the Valle de los Lobos, where a chapel nestles among outrageous cliffs and caves. The guide showed us fossilized snails and remnants of ancient plankton in the stones at the foot of the chapel.
View from inside the cave looking at the chapel.
The students in medieval burial niches at the Necropolis de Cuyacabras en el Alto Arlanza (thanks Aixa!).
We returned by way of the Garganta de Yecla, a narrow canyon. I was there last year with my long lens so I can share photos of the buzzards which inhabit the towers above the canyon.
Looks like I set the ISO really high. Bummer. But that is one well-fed buzzard.
Caracena is another contender for most spectacular excursion. It’s out on a moor with cliffs dropping off one side and a canyon on the other. We visited the afternoon after the Tiermes lunar festival.
Journalist covering global development by way of science and technology.
This spring’s outbreak of a virulent form of Escherichia coli in Germany and France provoked a rapid response from public health authorities and the research community. Not only did the response represent a triumph of global collaboration in rapidly characterizing the Shiga toxin–producing strain but it also prompted an on-the-fly clinical trial of one of the world’s most expensive biotech drugs—Alexion’s humanized monoclonal antibody Soliris (eculizumab)—previously approved for the rare disease paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). As thousands fell ill with the enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strain O104:H4 from eating tainted food—a substantial fraction developing potentially fatal hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—German and then French doctors turned to Soliris, which prevents the cleavage of complement component 5 (C5) and activation of the hemolytic cascade.
