Think — Issue 13 by Think

JULY 2015 • ISSUE 13

ISSN 2306-0735

I D E A S

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M A LTA

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R E S E A RC H

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P E O P L E

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U N I V E R S I TY

DIGITAL EDITION

FIND US ONLINE

To read all our articles featuring some extra content www.um.edu.mt/think

EDITORIAL

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MALTA: RED, WHITE, AND BLUE?

alta has a love affair with the British. The George Cross is proudly displayed on the national flag, government invited Prince William to celebrate 50 years of Malta’s independence from the British Empire, and if England were

To communicate with us and follow the latest in research news www.twitter.com/thinkuom

to win the World Cup the street parties would last for days. Our cover story (pg. 48) looks into the background behind this relationship. The flipside of this bond has been a strange dislike of the French. The story goes that back in 1798 Napoleon invaded Malta and stole its riches—a history influenced by the Church and British colonisers who had separate but overlapping agendas. Our

To view our latest videos www.youtube.com/user/ThinkUni

cover story focuses on Dr Charles Xuereb’s research, which tries to uncover what has blocked Malta’s memory of the French and what can be done to change this oftennegative view. The issue is packed with other features. Dr Maria Galea tells us about Maltese Sign Language (pg. 42). Her research helped bring a logical framework to the written form of the language, which can help around 400 deaf people in Malta. Cassi Camilleri met an international team of researchers looking inside the human

To read all our printed magazines online www.issuu.com/thinkuni

body using MRI to figure out how it ticks (pg. 26). Anne Marie Dimech writes about Dr Gabrielle Zammit’s work on bacteria that took her from the cliffs of Dwejra, Gozo to Malta’s ancient underground catacombs (pg. 20). The broad range of stories reflects the diversity of research at University. But at THINK we felt we had to go further. Apart from stories from student articles (pg. 17-19), features, reviews (pg. 56-61), and opinion pieces (pg. 12-16), we are introducing Toolkit (pg. 4) that highlights University’s best equipment, Design (pg. 10)

For easy access from the University of Malta Library www.um.edu.mt/library/oar

that features creative projects, and Without borders (pg. 8-11) that sees different disciplines come together to create something new—all this and more in the latest

CONTRIBUTE

issue of THINK magazine.

Edward Duca

EDITOR

edward.duca@um.edu.mt @DwardD

Are you a student, staff, or researcher at the University of Malta? Would you like to contribute to THINK magazine? If interested, please get in touch to discuss your article on think@um.edu.mt or call +356 2340 3451

COVER STORY

CONTENTS I S S U E 1 3 � J U LY 2 0 1 5 TOOLKIT

The Olympus Flouview FV1000-MPE

4 WITHOUT BORDERS

Racing Dreams

Fusing Philosophy and Performance

DESIGN

Mecon

Malta: Stockholm Syndrome (or why we love the British) The cover is a social commentary on Malta's distorted collective memory. The Sette Giugno monument, previously placed in St George's Square and currently situated in Hastings Garden, Valletta is one of the few monuments which symbolises Maltese revolt. The photograph shows the monument's reverse side—a side usually forgotten, much like the monument and what it represents. Photography and image composite by Jean Claude Vancell.

OPINION

Universities, Monopolies, and Public Goods

Final Frontier: Our brain

Students: on Research and Funds

CONTRIBUTORS OPINION ARTICLES Prof. Giuseppe Di Giovanni Prof. Peter Mayo KSU STUDENT ARTICLES Maria Cardona Kristina Farrugia Carmen Sanchez Garcia

FEATURE ARTICLES Anne Marie Dimech Dr Gabrielle Zammit Cassi Camilleri Dr Sonia Waiczies Chetcuti Dr Helmar Waiczies Prof. Kenneth Camilleri Claire Testa Prof. Joseph N. Grima Dr Ruben Gatt Dr Daphne Attard Luke Mizzi Antoine Gatt Dr Maria Galea

FUN ARTICLES Ryan Abela Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone David Chircop Dr James Corby Dr Jurgen Gatt Alexander Hili Costantino Oliva Noel Tanti COMIC STRIP Dr Ġorġ Mallia

PHOTOGRAPHY Dr Edward Duca Jean Claude Vancell Elisa von Brockdorff ILLUSTRATIONS Sonya Hallett WEBSITE Dr Edward Duca Alexander Hili Jean Claude Vancell

THINK is a quarterly research magazine published by the Communications & Alumni Relations Office at the University of Malta To subscribe to our blog log into www.um.edu.mt/think/subscribe and fill in your details. � For advertising opportunities, please call +2340 3475 or get in touch by email on think@um.edu.mt Advertising rates are available on www.um.edu.mt/think/advertise

STUDENTS

Cleaning Contaminated Land with Plants

Colour Chemistry in Water

Chemistry for Medicine

FEATURE

Science... Bacteria... Art...

Seeing the Unseeable

The diverse work of Dr Gabrielle Zammit, from saving shrubs to studying bacteria on art for new medicines

Studying the brain with some new advances, plus a vision for Malta

FEATURE

Connect the Dots

Finding new tricks for old materials

FEATURE

Green Roof Malta

FEATURE

Transforming urban areas into green areas to make Malta green once again

Writing Maltese Sign Language Research that can empower the approximately 400 deaf people on the Islands

FUN

Reviews (Books, Film, Tech, Games) 100 Word Idea: Elective Student Stipends

Does the Kraken Exist?

THINK I D E A S

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R E S E A RC H

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56-61

P E O P L E

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U N I V E R S I TY

JULY 2015 - ISSUE 13

EDITORIAL

Edward Duca EDITOR

62 RESEARCH

Research, Teeth and the Community

ISSN 2306-0735 Copyright © University of Malta, 2015 The right of the University of Malta to be identified as Publisher of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Act, 2001. University of Malta, Msida, Malta Tel: (356) 2340 2340 Fax: (356) 2340 2342 www.um.edu.mt All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of research and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Jean Claude Vancell

The publisher has used its best endeavours to ensure that the URLs for external websites referred to in this magazine are correct and active at the time of going to press. However the publisher has no responsibility for the websites and can make no guarantee that a site will remain live or that the content is or will remain appropriate.

COPYEDITING

Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent issues.

DESIGN

Patricia Camilleri, Daphne Pia Deguara PRINTING

Gutenberg Press, Malta

TOOLKIT The Olympus Fluoview FV1000-MPE using ultrashort pulsed IR laser

Toolkit

QUICK SPECS

• Peak power at 800nm: 312.5kW

• Pulse width: < 100fs

• Average power at 800nm: > 2.5W

• Tuning range: 710-1040nm

• Pulse repetition: 80MHz

• Cost: €0.82 Million

Of Mice and Microscopes At the University the instrument is used by

paved the road for the most significant advance in bio-

six scientists on a daily basis with two foreign

imaging. This year, four scientists (Winfried Denk, Arthur

collaborators in fields which include the evolution

Konnerth, Karel Svoboda, and David Tank) were awarded

of stroke, brain-blood flow dynamics, neurovascular

the prestigious Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research

coupling, epilepsy, potassium channel physiology, and

prize for its invention and development. The method

white matter injury.

has transformed brain research since it allows real-time

The microscope can aquire images through four

examination of the brain’s finest structures. It is powerfully

simultaneous color channels at 30 frames per second.

used to investigate stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, migraine,

During imaging of small anaesthesized animals, the

and epilepsy.

microscope is equipped for monitoring vital signs.

The University of Malta’s microscope combines

The instrument is housed in a temperature of

ultrashort-pulsed infrared laser to excite fluorescent

22°C and <30% humidity controlled environment

molecules up to a depth of 1mm in the rodent brain.

adjacent to a surgical preparation suite and imaging

The technique allows flexible detection of the brain’s

workstation. Two-photon microendoscopy has

geometries and can look 5–20 times deeper than other

started to find clinical applications in cancer. There

types of fluorescent microscopes. The customised setup

are ongoing developments to image deeper brain

can perform live imaging to create 3D brain images.

structures.

Toolkit

n the last 25 years, two-photon excitation microscopy

WITHOUT

BORDERS

Car Stats 2014 ACCELERATION

COST

WEIGHT

TEAM

Without Borders

0-75m 3.95s € €15,500

295kg

28 students from 5 faculties

The UoMR team

Racing Dreams T

he University of Malta Racing (UoMR) team designs, builds, and races a Formula Style racing car in a Formula Student competition every year. Last September (2014) they competed in Parma (Italy)with

their first car. Building this car brought together students from five different faculties with engineering knowledge, costing, marketing, and business proposals for the judges. UoMR is run like a small vehicle manufacturing company. The team is currently working on its second car for Parma 2015. Improvements are being made on weight, speed, and design, bringing a faster and better car. Sponsored by the University of Malta and its Research Trust (RIDT), as well as the Ministry for Education and Employment, Transport Malta, PwC Malta, SKF, Tek Moulds, Trelleborg Sealing Solutions, Playmobil Mould Shop Malta, Continental Cars, Adpro-Instruments, the Farsons Foundation and Alarm Tech.

The design for the 2015 UoMR car

5th

Cost Report

23rd

Presentation

6th

Acceleration

27th

Skidpad

20th

Design

28th

Autocross

22nd

Endurance & Efficiency

Overall 23rd from 55 combustion engines [80 total number of competitors]

Without Borders

Formula SAE Results, Parma 2014

Dr Laura Cull, Dr Stefan Aquilina, Dr Mario Frendo and Dr James Corby during the School of Performing Arts Conference 2015. (Photo by Rene Rossignaud)

Fusing philosophy and performance

nterdisciplinary research and practices blur boundaries. While

Dr Laura Cull’s (University of Surrey) keynote speech on Performance

the premodern approach to research

Philosophy at the conference discussed

distils areas into fine categories

this emerging discipline which ‘involves

and certainties, interdisciplinary

staging an “equality of thought”

ideas spread across different

wherein theories and practices

fields. Performance is charged with

originating in the interdisciplinary

interdisciplinarity.

subject of Performance can encounter

The University of Malta’s School

those originating in Philosophy on an

of Performing Arts conducts

equal plane’. Cull thinks that philosophy

interdisciplinary research that

can ‘turn to performance—as a rich

connects the performing arts with

source of techniques for embodying an

various disciplines in the Sciences

unknowing openness to others, to the

and Humanities. This year’s school

outside: whether as a relation to one’s

annual conference focused on this,

own bodily gestures, to the foreign

in particular on eight overlapping

movements of another body—human,

performance categories: everyday life,

[and] non-human’. It encompasses

the arts, sports, business, technology,

intermedial, intrapersonal, and

sex, ritual, and play. The performing

interspecies collaboration and extends

arts can endlessly combine these

to recent forms of performance that

groupings in ways that range from

traverse theatre, music, and dance.

theatre, dance, and music, drawing

The conference papers show the

material from—but also impinging

breadth of discussion on performance

upon—everyday life, to training in

interdisciplinarity: from architecture to

performance and in sports. These

cognitive behavioural therapy.

efficiency with business, besides

For more information visit

witnessing an increasing use of

www.um.edu.mt/performingarts or

technological innovation.

contact performingarts@um.edu.mt

Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi

Without Borders

arts share the drive for efficacy and

WITHOUT

Without Borders

BORDERS

DESIGN

Assembling a scale prototype of the mecon (above and right).

Design

A rendering of the full scale mecon module as will be exhibited at IASS2015.

Mecon M

econ is an ongoing research project for the 2015 edition of the IASS EXPO, themed

Future Visions which is to be held in Amsterdam between June and August 2015. The project is to design and build a structurally innovative, deployable pavilion in a bid to celebrate Future Visions in the field of engineering design and innovation. Mecon is the solution created by a team of five recently graduated architects. Mecon is a deployable structure which transforms from a cube into a truncated octahedron (mecon is a term coined by Buckminster Fuller). The change in geometry increases its volume thrice which opens a host of new applications. Each cube is only capable of transforming into the mecon if its edges are equal in length and follow a specific path dictated by the unique joints the team designed. The transformation is simple, and the joints can be scaled to produce a mecon of any size, but for the EXPO the team had to abide by strict weight, size, and transportation restrictions. Mecon has only been possible thanks to the support of Prof. Alex Torpiano and Prof. Dion Buhagiar (Faculty for the Built Environment), and Prof. Joseph Grima and the Auxetics Research Group (Faculty of Science, University of Malta), and Lee Bullock from Proto+. After the expo, the pavilion will be reassembled in Malta. If interested in exhibiting this structure, please contact team@mecon.space and like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/mecon.space Design

The Mecon pavilion, consisting of three modules, will be suspended at the Muziekgebouw in Ambsterdam (above and top).

Universities, Monopolies, and Public Goods Prof. Peter Mayo

The proposed setting up of a new private

can be no teaching, certainly within higher

American university in Southern Malta raises

education, without research. This belief is not

issues concerning the environment, transparency,

shared by those, including influential EU people

and its impact on the Maltese Higher Education

like former Commissioner Jan Figel, who argue

scenario. It also rekindles debates on the

that Europe should follow the US model of having

feasibility of a second university in such a small

a different tier league separating research and

country, questioning whether it is a good thing

teaching universities.

to challenge the University of Malta’s traditional ‘monopoly’ in higher education. The University of Malta’s ‘monopoly’ in the

combine research and teaching roles. My

We have witnessed the emergence of other

impression is that these agencies are mainly

degree awarding institutions (such as MCAST).

teaching institutions that coach students to pass

Globalisation’s intensification, through advances

exams set by others. The University of Malta itself also still needs

for fee paying students from a wide market to

to show that it is really combining these roles in

acquire qualifications. These are often supported

all faculties and departments. While University

by scholarships. The market is also bolstered by

has had teaching audits there have been little

the emergence of so called ‘franchise agencies’,

research audits to date, though I hope the

which prepare students for degrees granted

country will be spared the ‘excesses’ of some

by foreign universities. In addition, Middlesex

other countries’ systems (see the literature

University (UK) has a Malta campus.

critical of the UK’s REF audit system).

Units in ministries—such as the Ministry of

Opinion

still need to demonstrate whether they will

awarding of degrees has long been challenged.

in information technology, allows online learning

The franchise agencies that have emerged within the Maltese Higher Education scenario

I have always been in favour of education as a

Education and Employment—are challenging the

public rather than a consumption good. On the

monopoly in research with their own complement

other hand, I have long dreamt of another public

of doctoral graduates. So the term monopoly can

university situated in Southern Malta that,

only be arguably justified when referring to the

while attracting foreign fee paying students at

University of Malta as an institution combining

a reasonable rate (way below the astronomical

both research and teaching. I believe that there

£9,000 per year charged by English universities)

would also generate an economic and cultural

unfair on the Maltese taxpayer. Foreign students

spin-off in specific areas, such as Cottonera.

should, however, be charged moderately not

My ideal choice for this has always been Bighi,

astronomically. The pool of potential students

although now this would be difficult to achieve.

needs to be broadened and not confined to

Think what a good use of an already impressive

Maltese students since, in the latter case, a

building (no need to build a new campus and

second public university would not make sense

claim more of our limited land) can do for the

given the small size of the island, its population,

regeneration of the Cottonera and other areas

and the extra costs involved. Duplication comes

in the South that have the lowest number of

at a considerable expense in a small state with a

university graduates. And the campus can be

small population. Several public European universities charge

City, since there has been little take-up by the

moderate fees. I would like to see Malta

envisaged companies in this intended ICT haven.

adopt this kind of model, which enhances the

A new university would have to be a public

international dimension in higher education with

Maltese institution. I would not like to see any

spin-offs for the surrounding communities that

precious historical and other public resources

can enhance their cultural milieu. And this model

ceded to a private corporate entity. It is also

retains the idea of higher education as a public

important that a proposed second public

good, something which I believe the University

university would not duplicate but complement

of Malta and MCAST are already doing, certainly

MCAST and the University of Malta. To be

when compared to trends witnessed in North

economically viable, a second public university

America and many European countries. It

must be characterised by a strong international

would be an institution that responds to social,

drive that would allow foreigners to be charged

economic, and democratic needs, including

at moderate rates. This international drive would

regional regeneration needs, and not simply

become a key source of revenue.

corporate greed. This approach should also create

Another suggestion is that the stipend for

good quality jobs (not those created by increasing

Maltese students should be topped up as fees

bureaucratisation) while generating cultural

to be paid back, otherwise foreign EU-based

and social renewal in the surrounding area with

students cannot be charged and that would be

potentially long term positive effects.

Opinion

extended to include the area built as Smart

Final Frontier: Our Brain Prof. Giuseppe Di Giovanni

Coordinator of the new Malta Neuroscience Network

The human brain is the most complex organ in

those scientists and clinicians whose shared

the known universe. This complexity makes it

vision is to solve these issues in the 21st century.

the last and hardest frontier in medical research.

neuroscience. Now we have a much deeper

lives of millions of people of all ages suffering from

understanding of the brain’s complexity that has

neurological and psychological conditions, lesions

greatly improved human health. Over the last

and addictions. Brain diseases can affect anyone.

few years, we have made important discoveries

One in three Maltese people and about one

behind human consciousness, the discovery

of condition or disease at some point in their

of mirror neurons, and we have created

lives. Examples like autism, multiple sclerosis,

technologies which allow brains and computers

depression, and dementia are brain disorders

to communicate. We have also increased our

that represent the most important challenge

understanding about the genetic basis behind

to public health in the 21st century. We need

diseases like autism, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s

to develop new ways to cure these conditions

and Alzheimer’s disease.

To find the reasons behind brain disorders

Opinion

like a better understanding of the mechanisms

billion people worldwide suffer from some form

rather than simply treat them.

We are currently in a golden age of

Unraveling the brain’s secrets could change the

These advances are promising, but further steps need funds that allow researchers to

needs the collaboration of many different

translate these findings into treatments. Basic

scientific disciplines and clinicians. Researchers

researchers need to work with clinicians, to

also need the participation of patients, families,

ensure that these new discoveries from the lab

health workers, and related non-governmental

bench end up on the bedside. This is the only

organisations. To encourage this web, I have

approach that will allow us to understand the

created the Malta Neuroscience Network with

brain, protect brain health and benefit patients,

their families, and health workers. These challenges need the strong support

happens when things go wrong. We want the Brain fund to support more excellent and

of the community (government and society).

innovative brain research. We hope that the

Global collaboration efforts such as the BRAIN

Government of Malta will match private and

initiative in the USA and the Human Brain

other donations. The RIDT Brain fund will be

Project in Europe have been fundamental in

the first major investment in brain research ever

fast tracking discoveries in brain research.

made in Malta. We want to turn these funds

Malta is also contributing with many Maltese

into benefits for the Maltese people and others

researchers by publishing high quality research

beyond our shores.

on the brain. This has happened despite the Maltese Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s small investment in

The new Malta Neuroscience Network is

neuroscience research.

a community of researchers (neurologists, psychiatrists, radiologists, biomedical scientists, engineers, psychologists, cognitive

research with commercial potential. The answer

researchers, ICT scientists and others). It will

is logical: both! Unfortunately, Government has

launch a Brain Awareness Week (December

blindly decided to exclusively finance research with

1-6, 2015) with prominent neuroscientist Prof.

immediate commercial potential. In truth, one form

Giacomo Rizzolatti, who discovered mirror

of research cannot live without the other.

neurons and has been nominated for a Nobel

By creating the Malta Neuroscience Network and the University of Malta Research Trust

Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Follow Malta Neuroscience on

(RIDT) Brain Funding program we want to

www.facebook.com/GDGNeuroscience and

raise awareness about the brain and what

@uomneuroscinet on Twitter

Opinion

A big question in research funding is whether the focus should be on basic research or on

Students: on Research and Funds

KSU Why do we need research? Why should the

travel grants abroad, and greater access to

University of Malta invest in research? The

academic resources. These are how KSU is

answer is simple: knowledge. Education has no

trying to incentivise more research and active

meaning without a thirst for new information

participation in student life. We hope that this

through research.

contribution will make a difference for these

Universities should be obliged to generate new

students. This fund receives many applications.

knowledge by creating thinkers and investing

This shows that students want to enhance

in them. This includes creating an environment

their educational experience if they have the

where both students and corporations are eager

necessary resources.

to invest time and money into knowledge worth

Over the last few years the University of

pursuing. How can this be achieved if students,

Malta has invested in its research infrastructure.

once they graduate, lose their enthusiasm to

By participating in EU-wide research projects,

find new knowledge? Postgraduate students are

University is supporting more postgraduate

faced with insufficient funds and extremely short

students, postdoctoral students, and resident

time frames. Our University has already started

academics. The institution has also engaged in

moving in the right direction. However, we lack a

various activities to tap into a number of funds

stable workforce capable of sustaining continued

to step up research activity, in collaboration

research. This is not easy. Only through

with both the industry and international

dedication, planning, and investment can we

counterparts. Significant progress has already

break the surface and become a self-sustaining

been made but there are still financial

organisation worthy of an academic university.

restrictions which hinder the continuous

As a move towards this direction, Kunsill

improvement of local research. The Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Studenti Universitarji (KSU) believes that

Council will continue to put pressure on the

students should be incentivised to embark

Government to invest in this area especially

on projects which will further enhance their

fundamental (basic) research.

educational experience. Projects like these

Research is an important pillar to create a

introduce a more practical approach to study

Third Generation University, which we should all

programmes. Therefore, for the 2014/2015

strive to enhance.

Opinion

scholastic year, KSU enhanced its own Research

and Opportunity Fund by offering â&#x201A;Ź20,000 in

For more information on the KSU Research

funds for students to pursue research.

and Opportunity Fund visit http://bit.ly/

The funds supported research projects,

KSURnIFund.

STUDENTS

Cleaning Contaminated Land with Plants Carmen Sanchez Garcia polluted soil) are expensive and alter

of the most common agricultural soils

crops, forests, and air and water

the site even more. Plants are now being

in Malta: a clay loam, sampled from

quality. Our survival and development

used as a better alternative. Some plants,

the Government Farm in Għammieri

depends on soil. However, a large

known as phytoaccumulators, have the

and a silty loam taken from the Ta'

amount of metals is being released daily

ability to adsorb and accumulate large

Qali area. The plant was efficient at

into the environment through household

amounts of metals in their tissues and

uptaking metals from the soil, which

waste, agricultural practices, and

can be used to clean contaminated

opens the door for future sustainable

industrial activity.

soils. This technique is known as

remediation of Maltese soils for a

phytoextraction and offers a sustainable

cleaner environment.

Soil acts as a ‘sink’ for pollution, and depending on the soil’s chemical

alternative to the conventional

conditions, metals may persist there for

approaches being used. Phytoextraction

This research was performed as part

long periods of time, posing a risk for

is an environmentally friendly technique

of a Master of Science by research

humans and ecosystems. Maltese soils

which does not compromise the future

in Environmental Management and

have a high concentration of lead, zinc,

use of the site. Increasing the greenery

Planning at the Institute of Earth

and copper. At high concentrations,

also brings other benefits that will help

Systems, University of Malta. It

these metals are harmful to many forms

reducing further threats to Maltese soils

is partially funded by STEPS (the

of life and can lead to a host of diseases

such as soil erosion or decreasing organic

Strategic Educational Pathways

including cancer. Carmen Sanchez

matter.

Scholarship—Malta). This scholarship

Garcia (supervised by Dr Anthony Sacco)

Carmen Sanchez Garcia used the

is part-financed by the European

studied how to reduce the level of these

mustard plant (Brassica juncea) to

Union—European Social Fund (ESF)

metals in Maltese soils using plants

reduce lead, copper, and zinc levels

under Operational Programme

instead of conventional methods.

in Maltese soils. The plant is well

II—Cohesion Policy 2007–2013,

known for its ability to accumulate

‘Empowering People for More Jobs

metals. She tested the plant on two

and a Better Quality of Life’.

Conventional soil remediation techniques (like capping or removing the

Students

oil sustains wildlife, landscapes,

Colour Chemistry in Water Maria Cardona

tmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2)

levels have increased dramatically

The molecules are water-soluble due to the incorporation of sulfonate

in the last few decades. Famous for

groups onto the azobenzene-based

causing global warming, CO2 is also

molecules. A sulfonate group is a

resulting in the acidification of seas

charged entity consisting of sulfur

and oceans. This disturbs the rich life

and three oxygen atoms. By its very

of the marine ecosystem, which affects

nature, a sulfonate group is very polar

human communities dependent on

and makes molecules more water-

this environment for their livelihood.

soluble. This contrasts with commercial

For islands like Malta and Gozo, this

azobenzene-based compounds such

problem is particularly important.

as methyl yellow and methyl red

This ‘silent crisis’ has attracted the

that have no charge and are not so

X-prize Competition organisers who

soluble. The indicators’ structure and

have set a $2 million dollar prize to be

mechanism were further studied using

awarded to anyone that can develop

a number of spectroscopic techniques

stable, inexpensive, and precise acidity

to understand how they work.

(pH) sensors to help understand the

The three azobenzene-based pH

acidification of marine environments.

indicators are very brightly coloured.

At the same time, a European COST

This class of compounds is widely used

initiative (Supramolecular Chemistry

as colorants for food and cosmetics.

in Water) is encouraging the design

Pending further tests to show non-

of water-soluble molecules which can

toxicity, the azobenzenes could be

recognise analytes. Most chemical

used in common applications. Though

sensors do not perform well in water.

a number of azobenzenes have been

As a step to solve this problem,

banned from use in edible products, the

Maria Cardona (supervised by Dr

synthesized molecules are promising to

David C. Magri) developed a number of

be much safer because of the presence

water-soluble indicators that monitor

of the two sulfonate groups. They allow

pH levels by changing colour. The

the molecules to be quickly and safely

change is easily visible. The pH is a

eliminated from the body.

measure of the acidity or basicity of a

The synthesis and study of readily

solution. The indicators (pictured) were

soluble pH indicators is one approach

synthesised in the lab using standard

to developing pH indicators to monitor

synthetic techniques.

the acidity of seas and oceans. By

The colorimetric pH indicators are

incorporating sulfonate groups, molecules

based on the dye azobenzene and

can be rendered soluble in water. This

show brilliant and distinct colour

is a significant contribution towards the

changes with transitions between high

detection of acidity in water.

to mild acidity, pH 1 and 4 (pictured). This research was performed as part of a Master of Science in Chemistry at the

Students

Department of Chemistry within the Faculty of Science, University of Malta. It

Test strips containing 1-3 (left to right) adsorbed on filter paper. In each case, the strip on the left is treated with alkali and the strip on the right is treated with acid.

is partially funded by STEPS (the Strategic Educational Pathways Scholarship— Malta). This scholarship is part-financed by the European Union—European Social Fund (ESF) under Operational Programme II—Cohesion Policy 2007–2013, ‘Empowering People for More Jobs and a Better Quality of Life’.

Chemistry for Medicine Kristina Farrugia

n medicine a timely and accurate diagnosis can decide the

of anion detection was due to the deprotonation of the sensor

chances of survival of a patient. Supramolecular Chemistry

molecules, through an acid-base reaction. This major finding

is a field that explores the design of intelligent molecules that

goes contrary to previous research, where anions are reported

can assist doctors when taking lifesaving decisions. These

to interact with the sensor molecules through complexation.

intelligent molecules can identify the type and amount of

Knowing a molecule’s mechanism of action is important since

proteins in a patient’s blood or tissue that would indicate

it will limit how these sensors can be used in patient diagnosis.

disease—in a similar method to blood glucose test strips. Kristina Farrugia (supervised by Dr David C. Magri) recently

The molecules synthesised by Farrugia can serve as the basis for more complex systems. Supramolecular chemistry

designed a series of eight novel intelligent molecules based

shows how chemistry can play a key role in the medicine of

on the thiourea (structurally similar to urea) unit. They were

tomorrow.

key biological processes such as fluoride, chloride, acetate,

This research was performed as part of Master of Science in

and phosphate. A drastic colour change visible to the naked

Chemistry at the Faculty of Science, University of Malta. It is

eye signalled the successful interaction of the anions with the

partly funded by STEPS (the Strategic Educational Pathways

sensing molecules.

Scholarship—Malta). This scholarship is part-financed by

The colour changes were accurately observed by the

the European Union—European Social Fund (ESF) under

techniques called UV-visible absorption and 2D 1H NMR

Operational Programme II—Cohesion Policy 2007-2013,

titration spectrometry. They determined that the mechanism

‘Empowering People for More Jobs and a Better Quality of Life’.

Students

tested for their ability to detect inorganic anions involved in

Feature

Science... Bacteria... Art... Bacteria are everywhere, from the top of the windswept cliffs of Dwejra, Gozo, right to the core of the ancient catacombs in Rabat, Malta. Anne Marie Dimech met Dr Gabrielle Zammit to learn about the unique bacteria discovered growing on artworks in ancient Maltese temples and how these bacteria could be useful to medicine.

ature has provided the source for

is unique in its natural history, biodiversity, and

several medicines that save lives

cultural heritage.’ It is this awareness, together with

on a daily basis. Many medicines

her love of nature, that led her to approach leading

currently in use were originally

botanists Edwin Lanfranco and Professor Radmila

derived from animals, plants, and

Vujicic for her undergraduate and postgraduate

microbes. These include the painkillers morphine

research.

and aspirin, anticancer agents such as vincristine penicillin. With all that has already been found,

SAVING THE SHRUBS

it is hard to imagine that there is anything left to

Zammit developed an efficient way to produce

discover. Dr Gabrielle Zammit (Department of

a large number of two endemic shrubs in the

Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Malta)

lab (using micropropagation): the Maltese Cliff-

showed me just how wrong I was. Dr Gabrielle

orache (Cremnophyton lanfrancoi) and the Maltese

Zammit is currently working on sequencing the

Everlasting (Helichrysum melitense). Both shrubs

genome of new strains of cyanobacteria, an ancient

grow on rocks, technically called a rupestral

type of photosynthetic blue-green bacteria, first

habitat, and are found growing along small areas of

extracted from Maltese catacombs. As we settle

the northwestern and southern cliffs of the Islands.

down in the lab, I learn that Zammit’s initial

In Malta, the project was the first to try using

involvement in research was far-removed from

modern plant cloning techniques to cultivate local

the workings of subterranean bacteria and dealt

endangered plants. These two plants were chosen

with endemic shrubs living on the sheer, coastal

since they spread and grow very slowly in the wild.

cliffs of the Maltese islands. It is soon evident that

Coupled with human pressures, this resulted in

Malta is the one seamless thread that runs through

dwindling populations, and the plants have been

the heart of all of her diverse research. She has

slapped with a ‘critically endangered’ label on the

always been aware that ‘although Malta is tiny, it

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species,

Feature

and vinblastine, and many antibiotics including

which is just one step away from extinction. So important are these plants, that even Zammit needed a special permit to take plant cuttings for her research to try and save them. Photo courtesy of MEPA

Once the cuttings were in hand, tiny sections of plant tissue were extracted from them. These were cultured in media with different growth hormones to identify the culture medium that enabled the growth of masses of undifferentiated cells—a growth callus—as well as shoots and roots in The Maltese Cliff-orache, Cremnophyton lanfrancoi, was described

sterile glass jars. Methods were then

by two Sicilian botanists and named after Edwin Lanfranco. A paper

developed to transfer the plantlets

recently questioned its placement in the genus Cremnophyton

from laboratory growth rooms to

suggesting it should be moved to the related Atriplex—although still a

controlled ambient greenhouses and

matter of hot discussion. Its natural habitat are the seaside cliffs along

shaded glasshouses. The shrubs were

the northwestern and southern coast of Malta and Gozo, but it now

successfully rejuvenated and planted in

grows in an area smaller than 100 km . It became critically endangered

locations ranging from the University’s

due to a combination of factors, which include an endangered habitat,

botanic gardens to other public

replacement by invasive alien species, and very low regeneration due to

gardens, such as Ġnien Indipendenza

an insect (a parasitic hymenopteran discovered by Zammit, belonging

in Sliema. Some of the plantings are

to the same order as bees) that feeds on the endosperm. Apart from

still flowering 15 years later, therefore

the insect, a fungus that seems to infect all mature plants, limiting their

helping to ensure the continued

ability to reproduce.

existence of these two very important

shrubs.

GOING UNDERGROUND After this research, Zammit started lecturing biochemistry to degree students in artwork conservation. This helped her marry her area of expertise Photo by Edwin Lanfranco

with another great passion of hers—art. During this time, she met many conservators, curators, and restoration architects who, discussed with her the nature of growths they saw on underground wall paintings, such as in catacombs and hypogea. Zammit explains that traditionally, ‘even in The Maltese Everlasting, Helichrysum melitense, prefers sunlight and

Melitensia, historians and curators used

grows on intact limestone coastal cliffs. Only one population remains

terms such as moffa, or ħass, indicating

on Gozo and Fungus Rock, covering an area smaller than 25 km2; this

that the films were biological. However,

shrub is probably extinct in the wild in Malta. This has happened due to

there was no knowledge of what was

invading alien species and a drastic decrease in its natural environment

actually going on because no systematic

because of development.

studies had ever been carried out.’

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For Zammit these ‘alterations’

needed to be documented, described,

Dr Gabrielle Zammit (Photo by Edward Duca)

The underground sites are strangely good places for these life forms. A bit of light enters through entrances and artificial lamps.

and mapped. Discovering the nature

she first took non-invasive samples

of the growths, and knowing whether

from wall paintings, ochre inscriptions,

they were chemical or biological, would

and ancient mortars. To understand

help to find ways to control or prevent

the various layers of these sites she

their development and mitigate

also took tiny 1 mm micro-invasive

damage. Inspired by these discussions,

samples. She examined them under

she contacted one of this field’s

various microscopes and saw that the

pioneers, phycologist Professor Patrizia

‘alterations’ were biofilms made up

Albertano (University of Rome). Her

of cyanobacteria and other bacteria,

initial study turned into a fully-fledged

microalgae, fungal spores, and

Ph.D. project and Professor Albertano

occasionally, moss.

eventually became her supervisor. To

The underground sites are strangely

figure out what these ‘alterations’ were,

good places for these life forms. A

Zammit also collaborated with research

bit of light enters through entrances

teams from the Spanish National

and artificial lamps. The temperature

Research Council, the National History

is stable at a reasonable 19–21°C

Museum (UK), and the University

throughout the year, and humidity

of South Bohemia (Czech Republic).

levels are constantly above 97%, so

The research performed, revealed a

moisture is plentiful. The biofilms

wealth of knowledge on how biological

are held together by a thick, sticky

and chemical phenomena were

substance made up of various sugars

deteriorating priceless art works.

called the exopolysaccharide matrix. This matrix is created by the organisms

STUDYING ROCKS

to help them survive. It aids their

Zammit researched the ancient Ħal

it. It also helps capture moisture

Saflieni Hypogeum (see THINK issue

and slowly release it for the growing

10, pg. 34, The Death of the Temple

microorganisms.

Diatoms growing on an ochre inscription

Zammit analysed the chemical

catacomb sites (St. Agatha’s Crypt and

makeup of the samples using

Catacombs, St. Paul’s Catacombs, and

techniques called Elemental Analysis

the Abbattija tad-Dejr Catacombs).

(SEM-EDS), X-ray micro-diffraction

With the necessary permits in hand,

(XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF).

Feature

People) and three paleo-Christian

adherence to the surface to infiltrate

Cyanobacteria are believed to have been among the first living organisms to colonise the earth and to give it its oxygen-rich atmosphere. This eventually let human beings and a host of other animals evolve. Cyanobacteria are unique in being bacteria that can phosynthesise, glide without the aid of flagellae and fix nitrogen through specialised cells, while adapting and surviving in hostile environments. Apart from their importance in evolution, cyanobacteria have recently come back into the spotlight because of wide-ranging biotechnological applications. They are being studied to make biofuels and help degrade plastic. They are also used in the production of cosmetics and lubricants. Molecules made by these bacteria have shown antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties that can lead to the production of new medicines.

She identified soluble salts like halite (sodium chloride) and gypsum (calcium sulphate) that were thought to be reaching the catacombs by rising

Zammit’s research did not stop there.

through the ground or by infiltrating

She next turned to focus on the

the ceiling. Cyanobacteria were

microorganisms forming these biofilms.

commonly found growing on the

She cultured and identified these fungi,

gypsum layers, probably because they

chemoorganic bacteria, cyanobacteria,

use the gypsum as a source of sulphur,

and microalgae. They now form part

an element required for their growth.

of an extensive culture collection of

Halite helps the microorganisms

hundreds of different strains—many

dissolve the rock surface, which is

are new to science. Each strain was

composed of different forms of calcium

studied to identify every stage of the

carbonate.

life cycle, the external and internal

Much of the damage caused to wall

Feature

arrangement of the cell and their

The potential is great, and amongst many possible applications, this sequencing may lead to the development of new medicines.

paintings by these microorganisms

genetic makeup. The genetic studies

is because they dissolve calcium

sequence specific parts of the strain’s

carbonate. Zammit then used

genes to be able to compare them with

other techniques to show that the

other species’. This is done using online

amongst themselves, but are only

cyanobacteria were forming calcite

databases to help describe and classify

92% similar to the Leptolyngbya genus

crystals around them. The bacteria

them.

of cyanobacteria with which they

dissolve the calcium carbonate then

SEQUENCING NEW MICROORGANISMS

In this way, Zammit discovered

were normally clustered. 92% is low

re-form it by biocalcification in specific

a group of cyanobacteria made up

in genetic terms (humans are nearly

shapes and sizes depending on the

of reddish filaments that have a

99% similar to chimps), which meant

type of bacteria. These processes

conspicuous photosensitive tip. The

that these strains contained a new

lead to the formation of layers of

filaments are able to glide to the

genus and species that Zammit named

biomediated calcite over the wall

top of biofilms to be closer to light.

Oculatella subterranea. The first part of

paintings that deteriorate these

The group was composed of seven

the name refers to the photosensitive

artworks.

different strains that are 99% similar

tip, or ‘small eye’ which features in

all the strains. Other groups of novel strains are presently being studied. Zammit is presently collaborating with medical geneticist, Professor Alex Felice to sequence the whole genomes of these new strains of cyanobacteria and microalgae. When genes are read they produce proteins, in our case responsible for eye colour, hair colour, height, and other features. For these microorganisms, this can relate to how sensitive they are to light or the substances they can produce. She is translating the vast amount of data that genome sequencing generates into protein structures using bioinformatics tools. It allows the researchers to build a picture of how the strains metabolise and synthesise different sugars, fatty acids and antibiotics. This picture is needed to figure out how the microorganisms function as a living system that influences Microalgae

the effect they have on their environment. It also facilitates the genetic engineering of the microorganisms, so that they can be used in the industrial production of specific molecules. Bacteria are already vital in making insulin available for

FURTHER READING

diabetics around the world. The potential applications, this sequencing may lead to the development of new medicines. Zammit is passionate about the new developments her research has taken— from saving plants to saving human lives. Her love of Malta’s natural and cultural heritage has driven her work to safeguard Malta and its environment. Although one person’s research is only a sliver in the contribution to scientific knowledge, every step is vital to create a picture that can save others, and perhaps with these efforts nature will provide yet another medicine.

• De Leo F., Iero A., Zammit G., Urzì C. (2012) Chemoorganotrophic bacteria isolated from biodeteriorated surfaces in caves and catacombs. International Journal of Speleology 41(2): 1-12. • Zammit G., Billi D., Shubert E., Kastovsky J., Albertano P. (2011) The biodiversity of subaerophytic phototrophic biofilms from Maltese hypogea. Fottea 11 (1): 187–201. • Zammit G., Billi D., Albertano P. (2012) The subaerophytic cyanobacterium Oculatella subterranea (Oscillatoriales, Cyanophyceae) gen. et sp. nov.: a cytomorphological and molecular description. Eur. J. Phycol. 47(4): 341-354. • Zammit G., Sanchez-Moral S., Albertano P. (2011) Bacterially mediated mineralisation processes lead to biodeterioration of artworks in Maltese catacombs. Science of the Total Environment 409: 2773-2782. Feature

is great, and amongst many possible

Seeing the unseeable Unlocking the mysteries of the brain with MRI

Feature

Everything we think, say, or do depends on our brain. It is the most vital organ of our body but one of the least understood. Recent advances are changing things. With magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scientists and researchers are getting an inside look into what makes us tick. Cassi Camilleri speaks to Dr Sonia Waiczies Chetcuti, Dr Helmar Waiczies and Prof. Kenneth Camilleri about their vision for experimental MRI in Malta. Illustrations by Sonya Hallett. 26

For her Ph.D. (carried out at the Charité Medical

intricate wiring, made up of billions

University between 1999 and 2003) Sonia focused

of neurons firing relentlessly, keeps

her attention on studying the autoimmune reaction

it in constant contact with every part

in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) using animal models.

of the body. No supercomputer can

The pathology underlying MS sees the immune

compare. This level of complexity has made it

system trigger a chain reaction where white blood

deeply difficult for humans to study how the brain

cells called T-cells are recruited by the Central

interacts with the body’s various systems. Treating

Nervous System (CNS), consisting of the brain

it when something goes wrong is even more

and spinal cord. The persistent presence of T-cells

difficult.

here leads to the damage of neurons, an insidious

This is where Dr Sonia Waiczies Chetcuti

process which results in the disintegration of

comes in. Starting her career in pharmacology,

the fatty myelin sheath insulating the neuron—

Sonia experimented with molecules found within

analogous to stripping a copper wire. Its removal

cells with the long-term goal of developing new

inhibits the neuron from firing messages as quickly

therapies for various ailments. However, the

and efficiently as it normally would. At this stage,

microscopic level at which she was working, as

lesions develop in the brain, and, when a sufficient

well as the uncertainty of whether or not her work

number of neurons have been affected, clear

would ultimately be used in the medical field, saw

symptoms begin to manifest, typically diplopia

her interests wander: ‘I believed that looking at

and ataxia, double vision and impaired bodily

the organism as a whole brought you closer to the

movement.

reality of life.’

The all important issue Sonia tackled in her

It was within the field of neuro-immunology,

research, and which is still unanswered, is: ‘What is

the study of the interaction between the immune

this trigger that sets the immune system haywire?

system and the nervous system, that she eventually

What is the root cause?’

found her niche.

While various scientists and researchers have

‘What fascinated me is this balance in the

looked into mapping molecular movement in cells

immune system. On one hand, it can trigger a

when the illness hits, this highly focused approach

healthy response to protect the brain against

has so far failed to properly shed light on the hows

harmful invading organisms, while on the other

and the whys of MS. Many times, the work is

hand, it can go overboard, attacking itself.’ This is

disjointed, with professionals working separately,

the principle of autoimmunity that underlies Sonia’s

focusing on their own fields. Geneticists look at

Ph.D. She believes that ‘understanding [this] will

genetics. Clinicians and epidemiologists look at

help us learn how to control it.’

environmental and socioeconomic factors.

Feature

he brain is a unique machine. Its

Dr Helmar Waiczies

Since MRI is completely noninvasive and makes no use of harmful ionising radiation, it allows researchers to take multiple scans and observe what is happening at various disease stages.

Dr Sonia Waiczies Chetcuti

But the reality is that ‘various factors

where the body replicates endlessly to

need to be considered at the same time

unfortunate consequences: tumours.

for an answer to be found,’ says Sonia.

It is in our interest that tumour tissue

She likens their endeavour to that

is destroyed by these immune cells. To

of looking for a needle in a haystack

this end, she studied this concept (at

and, coincidently, the solution she

the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular

applied elegantly fits both problems.

Medicine), whereby mice with gliomas (a

In both cases, a very powerful magnet

type of brain tumour) were given these

is required. Energised by the concept,

immune cells which had ERK-1 removed

Sonia sought to apply the use of MR

as a cellular therapy. This resulted in a

technology to her study of MS.

halt to the tumour’s growth. Now they

Inspiration came in the shape of

are using fluorine to track these potent

an article by Eric T. Ahrens in Nature

cell therapies in animal models by using

Biotechnology called In vivo imaging

various MRI techniques. In the case of

platform for tracking immunotherapeutic

MS, neuronal damage can be measured

cells. Using fluorine, an element

by quantifying the performance of

not commonly found in nature, the

specific regions of the brain with the use

researchers tagged dendritic cells and

of functional MRI. Magnetic resonance

tracked their movements in a living

spectroscopy also does this by looking

mouse using MRI.

at variations in the metabolites found

Feature

Sonia’s work on the animal model of

in the brain. Since MRI is completely

MS had already succeeded in identifying

non-invasive and makes no use of

a compound, extracellular-related

harmful ionising radiation, it allows

kinase-1 (ERK-1), which has been shown

researchers to take multiple scans and

to be essential to immune system

observe what is happening at various

regulation. Removing the molecule

disease stages. This is not just in the

contributed to more severe autoimmune

case of MS; a plethora of other diseases

disease. This made certain immune

can be studied in this manner, including

cells more prone to attack self tissue

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

in the body they reside in. A few years

This leaves little doubt as to the

back, Sonia figured out that a principle

massive potential MRI technology

would be beneficial to exploit in cancer,

holds. Used as an experimental tool,

Protons in the body are naturally unaligned

Magnetic fields in the MRI machine align the protons

Radio waves produced by the MRI unalign the protons again

As the protons realign due to the magnetic field, radio waves are emitted which are recorded and provide data

MRI Physics A SUMMARY

MRI is a non-invasive medical test that aids doctors and physicians in their diagnoses and treatment of various medical conditions. During an MRI scan, the subject lies in a strong magnetic field with radio-frequency waves directed at them. The magnets in the MRI scanner line up the protons (H+ ions) in the body in the same direction because they are sensitive to a magnetic field. Short bursts of radio waves are then sent to particular areas of the body, knocking the protons out of alignment. When the radio waves are turned off, the protons then realign and in so doing they send out radio signals, which are picked up by receiver coils. These signals provide information about the exact location of the protons in the body. Then, in the same way that millions of pixels on a computer screen can create complex pictures, the signals from the millions of protons in the body are combined to create a detailed image. These images enable physicians to evaluate various parts of the body and determine the presence or

Feature

development of certain diseases.

it enables researchers to develop

clear. In Sonia’s case those skills were

by the electronics, the cables and

treatments. As a diagnostic tool, it

to be found very close to home. Her

other components in the machine. This

allows doctors to make better diagnoses

husband, Dr Helmar Waiczies, was

makes a diagnosis nearly impossible;

and ultimately provide better care.

already working in the field of MRI as a

the image would be unclear. ‘The noise

Radio-frequency engineer. His shared

is like the lawn in a garden. If it is too

experimental MRI technology is not

interest in immune systems made him

high, flowers, signals, will no longer be

streamlined. Sonia is quick to point out

an invaluable source of information.

seen.’ To deal with the issue, Sonia and

Having said that, this use of

that a so-called ‘clinico-radiological

A problem they needed to overcome

Helmar developed a radio frequency

paradox’ remains, meaning that

was that of signal-to-noise ratio, a

coil which they dubbed the ‘Shingled

results from the still-evolving MRI

standard limitation in MRI, says Helmar.

leg coil.’ Its design eliminated the need

techniques have not yet fallen in line

A bad signal-to-noise ratio means that

for extra electrical components on the

with clinical knowledge. In some cases,

the MRI cannot

a patient would come in with obvious

pick up signals

symptoms of MS but no lesions would

from the body

be indicated on the MRI. On the other

due to the high

hand, someone barely showing any

level of noise

symptoms could produce an MRI which

being emitted

shows a brain full of lesions. On a more technical level, one of the biggest hurdles with MRI are the limitations in the laws of physics that govern it. This is where the need for a different set of skills becomes

Auto-immunity HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

Our immune system is there to resist attack from invading microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites.

can be normal in a healthy body. For example, autophagy

White blood cells, particularly T-lymphocytes, are called upon

(the planned and controlled death of cells and their clearing)

by dendritic cells, which tag the invaders to make it clear what

sees potentially harmful products of cell breakdown cleared

the lymphocytes should attack. Dendritic cells will ‘present’

out. In these cases, even though it is our own cells that are

uniquely identifiable proteins, antigens, found on the invading

being done away with, they are cells which are no longer

organisms, much like a cellular ID card. The immune system is

useful or needed, and so tolerance is still maintained. The

then able to make a very important distinction between what

problem with autoimmune disease is when no distinction is

is self and what is non-self, based on these antigens. This is

made anymore between redundant cells and fully functional

called tolerance, whereby self is tolerated, and non-self, is

cells. The functional cells then start being cleared out for no

attacked. It is the only discriminatory act the immune system

good reason. Why this happens is still largely unknown, but

makes.

contributing factors include inheritance of genes that could

Feature

Autoimmunity is what happens when those self antigens,

The cellular process that leads to autoimmunity diseases

disrupt different tolerance pathways (genetic predisposition),

are, for some as yet incompletely understood reason, now

and some environmental trigger. Apart from this autophagy

seen as non-self, and so, would be targeted as if they were

process others have been proposed to explain why the immune

just another troublesome bug.

system can go berserk leading to autoimmune disease.

probe structure. This reduced noise,

clinicians to open the channels of

the returns from having such a facility

thus allowing for signals to be picked up

communication and collaboration. It

on the Island would come in many

better, and resulting in sharper images.

promotes the sharing of ideas, fosters

forms,’ points out Camilleri.

‘The current technological restrictions of MRI means that the role of physicists in this work cannot

discussions, and pushes for research to be applied in the real world. Camilleri is working with Sonia in

Not only would the Centre put Malta on the map in the field of medical and engineering research but

be understated,’ says Sonia. Engineers

bringing her vision for the development

it would also provide various services

need medical professionals to know

of MRI technology to Malta. Through

both locally and internationally.

what ailments can be improved using

the Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Clinical drug studies would become a

technology. Biologists need to know

Group Initiative, they are working

possibility, attracting pharmaceutical

how far technology can go. In MRI

together to establish an experimental

companies from all around the world.

research this interdisciplinary approach

MRI Centre at the University of Malta.

This would offer a new opportunity

is crucial. This is perfectly in line with what

The challenge is difficult because it needs around €3–5 million to set

for the provision of service to various investors.

Prof. Kenneth Camilleri, from the

up. There would also be recurring

Centre for Biomedical Cybernetics at

maintenance costs of half a million Euro

cultural heritage agencies such as

The Centre would also benefit

the University of Malta, thinks. The

each year. ‘There is no denying that

Heritage Malta. Artefacts can be

Centre brings together engineers and

finance has been a problem. However,

scanned in 3D to help restoration and conservation effects, thereby indirectly providing a service to the local tourism

Prof. Kenneth Camilleri

Camilleri is working with Sonia in bringing her vision for the development of MRI technology to Malta.

industry. According to Sonia, however, one of the most important applications of the centre will remain in healthcare. ‘We are living in an aging society. So we really have to invest more in screening people.’ In Germany, regular screenings help identify disease before it becomes incurable. This regular testing also provides a wealth of data for researchers to develop a better understanding of various diseases. In Malta, this has not been adopted systematically. However, with the country’s reputation as a retirement

FURTHER READING

haven becoming entrenched, this makes the Centre even more important.

• Waiczies, S. and Waiczies, H. (2011). Understanding the Pathogenesis of Neuroinflammation using Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Malta Medical Journal 23, 3:56-60. • Ahrens, E., Flores, R., Xu, H. and Morel, P. (2005). In vivo imaging platform for tracking immunotherapeutic cells. Nature Biotechnology, 23(8), pp.983-987.

There is no denying that care is crucial. However, being able to differentiate between diseases better and earlier will prove essential in the long-run. It is about working backwards and trying to improve on what is already known to develop better treatments and improve people lives. As Sonia rightly says, ‘It’s about taking the bull by the horns.’

Feature

• Bushong, S. and Clarke, G. (2014). Magnetic resonance imaging. St. Louis: Elsevier Mosby.

Feature

CONNECT THE DOTS A new hallmark for graphene, the wonder material of the 21st century, has been found. It has a range of applications—from biomedical to new, smart materials. To gain a better understanding of this discovery, Claire Testa met metamaterials researcher Professor Joseph N. Grima and his team (Department of Chemistry, University of Malta). Photos by Elisa von Brockdorff.

he crumpled paper in the dustbin next to your office desk appears like a mundane object. However, if you grab a piece of paper and pull from both ends to open it up, it will grow longer and fatter. This

seemingly unremarkable property could result in the next revolutionary material. Professor Joseph Grima is one of the leaders in the field of auxetic materials. He starts by explaining the obvious. When something is stretched it tends to become longer and thinner. Auxetics defy this logic. They become wider when stretched. The extent to which a material gets fatter or thinner is called the Poisson’s ratio. A positive Poisson’s ratio is when the material gets thinner, a rubberband is a good example; while if a material widens when pulled it has a negative Poisson’s ratio. This makes a material auxetic. This property is ‘scale independent,’ explains Dr Daphne large and small structures.

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Attard—a researcher in Grima’s lab—and may exist in

A STRANGE MATERIAL Graphene has been proclaimed as

‘the wonder material of the 21st century.’ Its potential is astounding with applications in display screens, electrical circuits, tissue engineering,

In 2010, Andre K. Geim and Konstantin

water filtration, and nanotechnology. S. Novoselov received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on this super material. Luke Mizzi, a young Ph.D. student,

explains how graphene is a form of carbon made of single atom-thick layers. They appear like sheets of paper with clouds of electrons on each side. These are really thin layers, graphene is amongst the thinnest materials that ever existed. One graphene layer, for example, is invisible to the human eye being thinner than a soap bubble film, yet nearly as strong as diamond. This unique structure combines strength with an ability to pass electricity and heat. Thus making it promising for several future applications.

MAKING THE CONNECTION Grima compares graphene sheets to the sea in autumn. The small ripples on the surface of the sea resemble graphene sheets, which are not perfectly flat. Graphene has ripples in it. Nevertheless, unlike the crumpled paper mentioned before, graphene is not naturally auxetic. It does not get wider when stretched. Grima’s team shows how graphene’s

Feature

the removal of certain atoms and by the setting up of new connections. This introduced some five-sided pentagons in a layer that previously only contained six-sided hexagons. The presence of these pentagons geometrically disturbs the graphene sheet, which dramatically increases the amount of ripples. Grima’s team succeeded in showing that putting enough defects in graphene imparts it with auxetic properties. As a result of these defects, ‘the imperfect graphene’ adopted a real crumpled shape, giving it the necessary geometry similar to that of a ‘highly wrinkled paper’, so that when one stretches it, it also widens, explains Grima. Additionally, Grima says that

already remarkable properties

one can increase the extent of auxetic

may be improved by modifying its

behaviour by increasing the amount of

nanostructure. Graphene has a perfect

defects.

arrangement of atoms. To make it

Graphene has a perfect arrangement of atoms. To make it auxetic, Grima explains, ‘one needs to disturb its perfect arrangement of atoms which looks like chicken wire.

Grima and his team (including

auxetic, Grima explains, ‘one needs

collaborators from the Polish Academy

to disturb its perfect arrangement of

of Science and Gdansk University of

atoms, which looks like chicken wire.’

Technology) used realistic computer

The atoms in graphene are arranged

simulations to study whether graphene

like a net of hexagons. This can be

could be auxetic in the real world.

performed at ambient conditions by

The simulations took months of

Dr Luke Mizzi

Dr Daphne Attard

Prof. Joseph N. Grima

supercomputer power to verify that

and try to cover your elbow with this

smaller. ‘Imperfect graphene can

this modified graphene works. These

instead. The wrinkled paper drapes

also be potentially used as a nano-

calculations represent the ‘blueprint’

more easily over your elbow because

cushion’, said Grima. Auxetic graphene

for making graphene, as well as other

auxetic materials tend to form a nice

could also be used to make smart

sheet-like materials, auxetic. The

dome shape. A scaledown of this

nanoelectromechanical devices or

possibilities are phenomenal.

fabulous feature could potentially lead

smart filters.

to applications of graphene with a

Grima worked with his whole team

SMALLER THAN SMALL

negative Poisson’s ratio in nano-domes.

to make this discovery. It was well

These domes could make the perfect

known that, by adding defects to

This new material ‘shows a very

protective material.

graphene, it would have more wrinkles,

elegant link between the macroscale

Dr Ruben Gatt, a lead researcher

as was the auxetic nature of a crumpled

and the nanoscale,’ says Grima. He

in Grima’s team, described another

sheet of paper. But they ‘connected the

goes on to state that this is indeed a

amazing property of auxetic materials.

dots’. The dots were already present,

fantastic material with ‘multifunctional

When one tries to firmly press a

but the team linked them all together.

characteristics’. Here, one needs to

cushion, it tends to shrink in all

consider two points. First of all, that

directions. The cushion gets smaller.

which opens up enormous possibilities,

graphene is a super material in itself

Auxetic materials act differently.

‘as broad as the imagination can stretch,’

with numerous applications. Secondly,

They densify where you press, which

explains Attard. This leaves us to

that auxetic materials have wonderful

means that if you try and push the

wonder what other fabulous material

properties. By combining these two

foam, the material gets larger not

Grima’s team will come up with next.

Auxeticity is a marvellous property

features, Grima explains how a highly complex material such as graphene has been shown to mirror almost everything that is typically observed on a large scale into a crumpled sheet

FURTHER READING

of paper.

shaped and it does not cover your elbow properly, explains Grima. Now open up a crumpled sheet of paper

• Grima, J., Winczewski, S., Mizzi, L., Grech, M., Cauchi, R., Gatt, R., Attard, D., Wojciechowski, K. W. and Rybicki, J. (2014). Tailoring Graphene to Achieve Negative Poisson's Ratio Properties. Adv. Mater., 27(8), pp.1455-1459. Feature

Try and wrap a sheet of paper around your elbow. This becomes saddle-

GREEN ROOF MALTA In Malta, buildings cover one third of the Island, leaving greenery in the dirt track. Green roofs are one way to bring plants back to urban areas with loads of benefits. Antoine Gatt, who manages the LifeMedGreenRoof project at the University of Malta, tells us more.

inter in Malta sees

community and increase the quality of life. It

reasonable downpours,

provides ecosystem services, ranging from jobs

flooding roads turning

to cultural benefits, to aid people. Importantly,

some areas into water

it mitigates urban problems that include

wonderlands; summer

flooding, pollution, and the heat island effect.

sees air conditioners being switched on with

This infrastructure makes urban environments

bills skyrocketing and the occasional power cut.

sustainable, providing services that are much

These are common problems for highly urbanised

cheaper than their cost.

areas with few green spaces. Flooding occurs because water cannot seep and percolate into

with the rebirth of green roofs, roofs covered

the underlying rock. Urban areas also act as heat

by vegetation and growing medium. Their

islands because hard surfaces absorb the sun's

development originally began for aesthetic and

energy releasing it during cooler periods that cause

practical reasons. However, over time, roof

air temperatures to spiral upwards. Green areas

greening clearly started showing advantages

reduce these problems.

for the whole community. Research has shown

Malta is not the only place suffering these

that green roofs are capable of mitigating urban

problems. The situation is chronic in large cities

related problems and increase the quality of life.

within mainland Europe. The European Commission

The technology has been so successful that it has

has stepped in by issuing publications to encourage

been replicated on six continents. The majority

member states to move towards sustainable urban

of green roofs have been constructed in Central

areas and is enforcing directives to reduce the

and Northern Europe. These countries invest the

carbon footprint of buildings.

most in research into green roofs and government

Feature

Green infrastructure involves making urban

Germany led the way in green infrastructure

spaces greener to provide services to the

incentives that encourage their installation on buildings.

Although gaining ground, green roof research within the Mediterranean region lags behind. Green roofs have an important part to play in making towns and cities more sustainable and better places to live in. The Mediterraneanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot climate could be mitigated with these roofs. My interest in green roofs germinated during a visit to Monaco years back. It was reinforced when I visited the Jardin Atlantique, a green

Green roofs have an important part to play in making towns and cities more sustainable and better places to live in.

like water leaks. There are other problems. Green roofs in warmer climates often report plant failure especially when using stonecrops (Sedums ssp.), which are normally used in Northern Europe. Water management is another issue with Maltaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poor and irregular rainfall. Another problem is that green roofs cannot use soil. Soils tend to be heavy especially when saturated. They become compacted, loose bulk,

roof atop the Montparnasse station

and contain silt and clays that lead to

in Paris, for a field trip while reading

ponding (water collection). If green

for a degree in landscape architecture.

roof technology is to advance locally

I saw the beauty of these roofs and

it needs to be convenient, easy to

the potential they had back home first

maintain, reliable, and cost effective.

hand.

To solve these problems, back in 2013 the EU funded (LIFE+

GREEN ROOFS IN MALTA

programme) a LifeMedGreenRoof

Green roofs in Malta have never really

about green roof construction and

taken off because of misconceptions

performance in Malta. The idea is to

and the fear of flaws leading to issues

demonstrate the potential green

Feature

project to create a baseline study

Malta is not an easy climate for green roofs. There are issues with high winds and temperatures, plant choice, heavy rains, and soil type.

Feature

high pH levels. Inert industrial waste

construction.

was unavailable. As a result, materials

Malta is not an easy climate for

were sourced from abroad. The use of

green roofs. There are issues with high

local materials would have been ideal

winds and temperatures, plant choice,

since they would have reduced the

heavy rains, and soil type. The growing

green roofs’ carbon footprint, as well as

roofs have to solve urban problems

medium for plant cultivation needs to

reducing waste and transport costs.

by reducing storm water runoff

be suited to Malta’s climate. Rainfall

and improving a building’s energy

is generally sporadic, heavy, and

plants to use. This time we managed to

consumption.

concentrated over a short period of

go local. Plants are essential in making

The Faculty for the Built

set a national standard on green roof

Our next problem to solve was which

time, between late September or early

the roof look beautiful, trap water, and

Environment (University of Malta)

October, and February. The rest of

trap solar energy. Not all plants are

manages the project. Three other

the year is very dry so some irrigation

able to survive the microclimate at roof

partners are involved. Both Minoprio

is necessary. This weather pattern

level. The stonecrops used in Northern

Analisi e Certificazioni (MAC;

means that the media used should be

European temperate climates are not

a horticultural laboratory) and

free-draining but able to retain enough

appropriate for Malta because of its

Fondazione Minoprio (FM; a research

moisture for the plants to survive

semi-arid climate. On the other hand,

and educational establishment

the dry months. Ideally the growing

indigenous species are adapted to local

specialising in horticultural/agribusinss)

media components should be sourced

conditions and generally require less

have ample horticultural knowledge

locally. Tests have been carried out

maintenance—they grow naturally in

in terms of plant choice, propagation

on media made from locally produced

the wild.

and cultivation of green roofs. The

compost, soft-stone and hard-stone

Malta Competition and Consumer

aggregate, and crushed concrete but

Affairs Authority (MCCAA) will be

these were not adequate because of

garigue habitat (xagħri: stony ground

responsible for drafting a document to

their chemical make-up, especially their

with shallow pockets of soil) would

By studying the native flora habitats we decided that plants from the

Jardin Atlantique, Montparnasse Station

be the best contenders. The garigue

has biochar while the other does not.

habitat conditions are very similar to

Biochar is a type of charcoal used in

what plants experience on roofs: they

horticulture to enhance soil fertility.

tend to be exposed to high winds and

In 2014, we planted the test trays

will be replaced by a fully-fledged

solar radiation with limited soil depth.

with one or two species of the selected

green roof. On the building of the

Over 15 species of native perennial

plants. Both growing media mixes had

University’s Faculty for the Built

(long-living) shrubs were earmarked for

the same plant species and planting

Environment a higher roof level will be

testing.

configuration to compare the effect of

used as an open air laboratory, with a

biochar and see how the plants fare on

public garden in the larger lower level.

x 1 m) from recycled plastic and filled

the green roof. The plants are being

This garden will be open to all visitors

them with two different growing

monitored by overhead photography to

so that everyone can appreciate the

media. Our horticultural partner, MAC,

analyse their development. To date, we

potential of green roofs in Malta.

produced them especially for Malta.

have had few losses (less than 5%).

In the coming months, the test trays

The next step will be to test just

They ran lab trials on many different

Plant development has been

how much energy saving and storm

media to identify these two specific

very encouraging. All plants have

water mitigation green roofs in Malta

mixes for the Maltese trials. Our Italian

reacted well to the growing media,

can achieve. The roof and underlying

partners are also running parallel green

although growth in the biochar mix

rooms will being monitored to see if

roof tests in Italy.

has been slow. The plants are growing

these rooms are cooler and need less

Green roof growing media is

healthily especially the Rock Samphire

air-conditioning. Water run-off will be

normally composed of very little

(Crithmum maritimum), Shrubby Crown

monitored to quantify the potential

organic matter, in our case, a maximum

Vetch (Coronilla valentina ssp. glauca),

green roofs have in controlling local

of 25%. The rest of the growing media

Greater Snapdragon (Antirrhinum

flooding. Armed with the above data,

is volcanic aggregate, ranging from

tortuosum), and the native perennial

the project will be in a position to

3–10 mm in diameter. The difference

Mediterranean Stonecrop (Sedum

showcase roof greening in Maltese

between the two mixes is that one

sediforme).

towns and villages. For green roofs to

Feature

We constructed 20 test trays (1 m

THE FUTURE IS GREEN

be effective, the area green roofs cover needs to be large, a single green roof will only benefit the owner and maybe neighbours. The greatest hurdle for green roofs is whether households and businesses

in Malta are long and dry. Whichever

will buy into the technology. Cost is the

plants are used, irrigation is required,

butterfly (Papilio machaon ssp.

main stumbling block, although private

and this might be a drawback for

melitensis), numerous bees, and other

individuals, educational institutions,

buildings without a water cistern or

insects have been recorded. Green

design professionals, and corporate

well. However, water needs depend

roofs might just help Malta become a

bodies have already approached us.

on the plant species used with native

cooler and more beautiful country.

Cost depends on the type of green

vegetation generally requiring less

roof (whether intensive or extensive)

irrigation. Our tests are showing that

To learn more about the

and plant choice. The initial capital

plants cultivated in the biochar growing

LifeMedGreenRoof Project visit

should be recouped relatively quickly.

media require less water. At their driest,

www.lifemedgreenroof.org or follow

A green roof would increase the

the maximum amount of water given

on Facebook www.facebook.com/

property’s value, and the value of

per week to each plant is 1.5 l. Between

lifemedgreenroofproject. To arrange

nearby properties. In Paris, the rent

October 2014 and April 2015 the

a visit contact 2340 3621, antoine.

of apartment buildings around the

plants were not irrigated. Last winter

gatt@um.edu.mt or vince.morris@

Montparnasse station skyrocketed

was particularly wet, but these are still

um.edu.mt. The project is part-

after the Jardin Atlantique was built.

promising trials.

financed by LIFE+ programme which

Feature

After cost, irrigation is the second

To date, the results are very

insects. The Maltese swallowtail

is the EU’s funding instrument for

hurdle. Water is needed to maintain

encouraging. The plants are growing

the environment and climate action

a healthy plant community. Summers

well and have attracted many beneficial

ec.europa.eu/environment/life/about

Feature

WRITING MALTESE SIGN LANGUAGE Feature

Dr Maria Galea writes about her journey into the world of Maltese Sign Language and bringing a logical framework to the written form of the language. This work has the potential to empower the approximately 400 deaf people in Malta.

unable to pursue her passion for dance due to

MALTESE SIGN LANGUAGE

a life-threatening skin condition. Instead, she

In Malta, around 400 people are born deaf. From

invented a notation system that allowed her to

these over 100 people are estimated to use

write body movements for dance choreography.

Maltese Sign Language, which is the local sign

This was the birth of DanceWriting. While Sutton

language with its own hand gestures and other

was teaching at the Royal Danish Ballet, the sign

body movements. Worldwide, around 300 different

language researcher Lars von der Lieth thought her

sign languages are used. I learnt Maltese Sign

system could be adapted to encode sign language.

Language from the Deaf community, and before I

The same notation-system could represent hand-

started my academic work, I was the first full-time

shapes and movements, spatial locations and

sign language interpreter in Malta, hired in 2001

orientations, as well as facial expressions and body

by the Maltese Deaf Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association which

movement. Sutton dedicated her life to the growth

was founded in 1973. For years, I helped empower

and spread of the writing system that can be used

deaf people simply by interpreting and channelling

by deaf people all over the world.

their communication to be able to participate

Today the system has transformed into the fully

fully in Maltese society. During this time, I also

developed International SignWriting Alphabet

noticed how much deaf people enjoy being in each

(ISWA 2010) used worldwide. It consists of 652

otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company and use Maltese Sign Language

BaseSymbols required to write any sign language

spontaneously, a language I learnt and fell in love

in the world. These SignWriting symbols represent

with as well. With SignWriting I saw the beautiful

distinct hand-shapes, their location and orientation

reaction of Deaf people as they discovered the

in relation to the body, facial expressions, and

relationship between signing and written signs,

movements that characterise sign languages.

which corresponds to the relationship between

Deaf signers can represent signs in writing in the

spoken and written language. When they learn

same way as words in spoken languages represent

SignWriting they can express themselves in written

sounds. The main difference is that sign languages

form in their own language to write poetry, novels,

do not use the sounds, but instead use visuals and

or love letters if they wish. They have started to

gestures to create units of meaning.

realise that their language is as important as

Feature

n the 1970s the ballerina Valerie Sutton was

HEAD WITH A SMILE HEAD WITH EYEBROWS RAISED HEAD WITH AIR PUFFED OUT OF MOUTH The signing space is used grammatically in LSM and other sign languages to mark pronominal/agreement locations. Colour white: 1st person, yellow 2nd person, red 3rd person left and right.

Head glyphs with further glyphs representing the ‘smile’, ‘eyebrows-up’ and air puffed out

Left: A few handshape glyphs following the pattern of hand orientation by means of regular shading of the glyphs (Images courtesy of www.signwriting.org)

spoken languages. All of this motivated

My study attempted to use the study

instructs its users in the SignWriting

me to start a doctorate in Maltese

of the grammar to develop a language-

of Maltese sign language was also

SignWriting.

specific SignWriting . My study helped

completed. Deaf people find this very

establish an orthography (language-

manageable and rewarding.

In Malta, no one had ever undertaken a study in Maltese Sign

specific rules of a writing system) that

To this end, between 2008

Language at doctoral level. The

built upon the previous publications,

and 2010, I worked on the Sign

grammar of this language had several

such as the Maltese Sign Language

Language Research project of the

aspects that still needed a description.

Dictionary volumes. A manual that

Institute of Linguistics (University of Malta) to translate children’s stories into Maltese Sign Language. One publication was the Christmas story

WHAT IS SIGNWRITING?

(on CD) that includes excerpts from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew. Such publications help increase

Written Maltese Sign Language may look like hieroglyphs or Chinese

literacy amongst the Deaf, who have

script. However, this writing system has nothing in common with these.

the additional difficulty of never

SignWriting is a featural writing system where every symbol represents

having heard how words are spoken

a feature of sign language such as a handshape or hand movement.

as hearing people do. It is hoped that

SignWriting resembles ancient Korean, where the symbols represent

this work will serve to continue to

the actual physical articulation of the language. For example, in ancient

push towards their empowerment

Korean the ‘t’ sound would be represented by a symbol that shows the

which can only be achieved if more

tongue touching the roof of the mouth that occurs in the production of

interpreting services are made

the sound ‘t’.

available. These services would ensure

Feature

access to the same opportunities as

everyone else.

Karl Borg conversing using his hands to express himself in Maltese Sign Language with Keith Callus who receives it through vision. Photo by Jean Claude Vancell

LET’S AGREE

So if the hand moves straight ahead it

Reference to personal pronouns in

the result means ASK-YOU. On the

in space. The first is a point on the signer’s body. The second a point straight ahead of the signer’s body. The third is a point to the side of the signer’s body. These points relate to the 1st (I/me), 2nd (you), and 3rd person (he/him) person. Now by pointing to these (with an index finger) a signer can create pronouns: me/I, you, and him/her. Coupled with this, there are a certain group of verbs in Maltese Sign Language that ‘agree’ with these points. The hands move towards these points and sort of ‘attach’ (or affix) to them. So in a verb like STAQSA (ASK), the hand is not an index finger shape but more like the handshape of the OK

It is hoped that this work will serve to continue to push towards their empowerment that can only be achieved if more interpreting services are made available.

other hand, if the hand moves to the side of the signer it attaches itself to the 3rd person point and the result is ASK-HIM/HER. Maltese Sign Language agreement verbs need to be properly marked in SignWriting in order to be read with ease. This is because, within what looks like a single sign, often multiple elements can be marked. Just as the single Maltese word fakkarthiela (the equivalent in English of ‘I reminded her of it’) is made up of the verb ‘fakkar’ (to remind) ‘t’ (past tense plus 1st person singular ‘I’) ‘hie’ (feminine ‘it’) and ‘lha’ (to her), the same sign can simultaneously indicate subject, object, as well as adjectives and adverbs.

gesture produced by scuba divers. This

In some cases, simply writing the

hand can move to the different points

notation to indicate left or right does

in space and mean different things.

not adequately indicate to which

Feature

sign language is based on three points

attaches to the 2nd person point and

person the verb refers. Pronouns and

now open to sign language being

person marking on verbs are crucial. If

both a mix of linguistic and gestural

in signwriting Maltese Sign language, I

these are not indicated in the written

features. My findings push forward the

introduced the adoption of an ‘anchor’

form, Maltese Sign Language cannot

argument that agreement marking is

be read properly. Once these are

grammatical. It needs to be learnt and

combination of this anchor with another

clearly marked, subjects and objects

must be marked in the written form.

marker to identify different location

of verbs—the ‘doers’ of actions or who

This strengthens the argument that

points in space can show the different

did what to whom—can be identified.

Maltese Sign Language is a complete

locations for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person

language.

(right and left) points. This allows the

Sign linguists disagree whether agreement marking is properly indicated in grammar or whether agreement simply indicates where to point in space. If pronoun marking does not exist in a patterned systematic way, then some would argue that sign language is not actually ‘language’ (since a signer would be simply pointing to things). Whilst this was a controversial issue

Feature

in the 1970s, most sign linguists are

SignWriting evolved from a ballerina’s invention to write choreography, into a way to write many different sign languages across the globe.

Dr Maria Galea

In order to disambiguate pronominals

(a shoulder glyph). The

relationship between the signer’s chest location and the pronominal points to become graphically clear; the signer can indicate exactly which action is happening to whom. SignWriting evolved from a ballerina’s invention to write choreography, into a way to write many different sign languages across the globe. SignWriting is now so widespread that Sutton, the inventor, is no longer able to list and record all uses of SignWriting worldwide. SignWriting enables all Deaf people to write their native languages, and many languages already have large compilations of texts. The next step involved is the gradual establishment of the different alphabets and different orthography rules to write these different sign languages. My doctorate published the

FURTHER READING

first manual that can help empower now is a concrete push to help bring Maltese SignWriting to all Deaf people in Malta to build a bridge towards their move into literacy of the spoken languages, which is an indispensable tool for educational development. For more information about SignWriting visit www.signwriting.org; www. signbank.org. The Ph.D. was carried out following the award of a STEPS (the Strategic Educational Pathways Scholarship—Malta) scholarship. This scholarship is part-financed by the European Union—European Social Fund (ESF) under Operational Programme II—Cohesion Policy 2007–2013, ‘Empowering People for More Jobs and a Better Quality of Life’.

• Azzopardi-Alexander, M. (2003). Maltese Sign Language Dictionary, Volume 1: Animals. Foundation for the Development of Maltese Sign Language with the Institute of Linguistics and the Association for the Deaf: Malta. • Azzopardi-Alexander, M. (2004). Maltese Sign Language Dictionary, Volume 2: Places. Foundation for the Development of Maltese Sign Language with the Institute of Linguistics and the Association for the Deaf: Malta. • Galea, M. (2008). Rakkonti tal-Milied bil-Kitba tal-Lingwa tas-Sinjali Maltija (LSM) [Christmas Stories in SignWriting of Maltese Sign Language (LSM)]. Malta: Institute of Linguistics, University of Malta. Retrieved February 27, 2014 from http://bit.ly/1JJFNqQ • Galea, M. (2014). SignWriting (SW) of Maltese Sign Language (LSM) and its development into an orthography: Linguistic considerations. Doctoral dissertation, Institute of Linguistics, University of Malta. • Sutton, V. (2011). The SignWriting alphabet: The International SignWriting Alphabet 2010, ISWA 2010. La Jolla: The SignWriting Press. Retrieved February 27, 2014 http://bit.ly/1IylE47 Feature

Maltese deaf people. What is needed

MALTA

Stockholm Syndrome (or why we love the British) Between 1798 and 1800, Malta changed hands three times. The feudal Knights were easily replaced by Napoleonic France, whom the Maltese initially welcomed, then revolted against a mere 82 days later ushering in the British Empire. 'Why?' is a mystery lost in the history books that gloss over the period demonising Napoleon while exalting the British who ruled Malta as a colony till independence in 1964. The Editor met Dr Charles Xuereb to find out.

an you imagine 10% of the

dominant ruler since 1530. They did not tax the

population being killed? Or one in

Maltese or allow them to become knights. When

every 10 people you know losing

Maltese writer and philosopher Mikiel Anton

their life and being forgotten?

Vassalli suggested that Maltese citizens should be

Their sacrifice for Church, God, and

allowed into the Order he was imprisoned.

country was lost in time till Dr Charles Xuerebâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

prominence would have been through the Curia

Collective Memory) brought their sacrifice back

(Catholic Church). The Curia owned one third of

to light.

the Islands through a clever scheme invented a few

I was shocked. 10,000 Maltese died in what

property to the Church in their will. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The income

and the city folk between 1798 and 1800. This

of that property [would fund] masses for your

was a time of fallen-from-grace-knights, French

soul forever,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; explained Dr Charles Xuereb. Instant

Revolution Napoleonic France, Imperialist Britain

forgiveness. Malta must have had quite a few guilty

and an all-powerful Church. And in 1798, Malta

consciences.

Before the arrival of the French, three

Feature

hundred years earlier. Rich sinners could leave their

partly resembles a civil war between rural Malta

became centre stage of this conflict.

Really, the only way for the Maltese to gain

long overdue book (France in the Maltese

The third power centre was the Inquisition, but although strong they were doomed to the history

institutions jostling for power ruled Malta. The

books; that institution should never have lasted so

Order of the Knights of St John had been the

long.

Feature

A BLOODLESS INVASION?

in our hearts something against the

This situation pre-1798 left the

happened] 217 years ago? What’s

Maltese oppressed, exploited, and

the reason? The [Maltese] collective

rather unhappy. Vassalli led around

memory [has been manipulated to]

11,000 insurgents who then merged

demonise the French period.’

French [because of something that

with the Jacobins that helped

Elements of this influence can

Bonaparte take over the Island on

be seen till today. I recently visited

12th June 1798. A year before landing

the new Heritage Malta National

on Malta, Bonaparte stated that

War Museum at Fort St Elmo (built

nearly 40,000 people supported the

by the Order). While nicely laid

French in Malta, just under 40% of

out with proper contextualisation

the population. Xuereb bases these

of colonial powers, the exhibition

statements on several accounts—

puzzled me. It goes at length to

including his own research—through

explain how Napoleon improved

archival letters, meetings, and

Malta: the liberties, education (he

documents, in addition to British,

even encouraged Maltese to study

pro-British Maltese, and just one French account (by Frenchman, Jean de Bosredon de Ransijat). This bloodless event is not the same history I was taught at school. Xuereb contrasts this with Canon Panzavecchia’s account published in 1835, the first Maltese point of view of the reviewed period. Panzavecchia, who was one year old in 1798, influenced many subsequent history books. Panzavecchia describes ‘two years of calamitous occupation’ after an invasion that saw Bonaparte trick the Order into submission. He also mentions a degrading convention, with the Maltese being forced to sign an unfavourable treaty to integrate Malta as part of France in 1798. He forgets to mention the benefits Napoleon

Most Maltese perceive the French as evildoers who pillaged our churches carrying off all our silver, who stole the Knights’ treasures, and caused endless harm to Malta.

brought to the country, the support

Feature

so on, but it failed to explain why the Maltese revolted after less than three months of French rule. It mentions that Napoleon bombarded Valletta, then mentions that no blood was spilled. French ship cannons must have been notoriously inaccurate. Maybe that is why they lost at Trafalgar. It seems to be contradictory with previous smear campaigns while keeping with the facts, leaving an impression of confusion on visitors. Apart from a rigorous historical analysis, Xuereb uses analysis of collective memory theory to figure out why the Maltese memory is blocked. He focuses on Maurice Halbwachs’ presentist theory of collective memory, but mentions many others like Pierre Nora and Paul Ricoeur. Importantly,

he elicited, or the bloodless ‘invasion’.

and caused endless harm to Malta.

this theory coalesced the concept of

Panzavecchia was celebrated and

Xuereb analysed the Maltese collective

collective identity with how memories

achieved a good position soon after the

memory to discover why it was

are shared between countries. The

British approved the publication. The

blocked, and still hinges on this anti-

Maltese collective memory is what

time of press liberty had not yet come.

French attitude. This attitude is bizarre.

gives Maltese people an identity, as

An account like Panzavecchia’s

in Paris), the abolition of slavery, and

Italy and Germany both bombed Malta

remembered through ‘images of the

influenced the Maltese collective

in World War II but ‘we don’t hate

past through places, monuments, and

memory: the shared memory of a group

the Germans for that, we don’t hate

rituals of commemoration’, writes

of people. Most Maltese perceive the

the Italians, they are close to us and

Xuereb. These interpretations are

French as evildoers who pillaged our

remain very close’ he told me during

also always reflected in the present.

churches carrying off all our silver,

our interview, his voice becoming

In Malta, many of our place names,

who stole the Knights’ treasures,

passionate. ‘Why are we still keeping

monuments and public holidays are

British leaning. The British had a lot to gain by making the Maltese love them; but before we get to why the French were demonised, let us continue with our story.

MALTESE WAR CRIMES The stage has been set. 1798: Bonaparte is heading to Egypt while Nelson is fast chasing him. He knows that in Malta, he can quickly and easily overthrow the rich despotic knights thanks to local support, while replenishing his troops and coffers. On 9th June he arrived in Malta and by the 12th he had taken it over without shedding blood. His troops landed in several places including Spinola to water the fleet at the infamous Bjar ta’ With the troops watered and fed,

went with a group of soldiers to St

history books paint this as subterfuge

Napoleon’s next problem was money.

Catherine’s convent in Valletta near St

by the French to sneak an attack on

He cleverly relocated the knights’

Dominic’s church and tried to [steal].’

the Knights, while official documents

Grandmaster to France, while taking

Bonaparte ordered that all of them be

show that the watering process was

over their possessions. With the

executed. He relented by condemning

documented.

Church ‘there was an agreement in

only the most senior officer to the

front of three notaries’ for silver and

firing squad, there and then. Bonaparte

property in exchange for ‘St John’s

clearly wanted to show that pillaging

Co-Cathedral which, up to then, the

was not allowed in Malta. In fact, he

Maltese Curia could not use, but they

had plans to use some of the silver and

were invited as guests occasionally. […]

Church property for education and

The first mass by the Maltese bishop,

hospitals. The French also planned to

Labini, was celebrated on 14th July

tax the Maltese—a new concept—to be

1798 […] and, whenever the French

able to provide government services

took silver, it was documented. [In

for the country. This must have

fact,] there are published calculations

annoyed several nobles and clergymen.

with how much the government

A major thorn blocking the Maltese

received from the Church—written

collective memory from forgiving the

details of every item—a sum that

French is that Bonaparte took many of

amounted to circa €49,000.’ The

the Order’s treasures. British historians

French took a lot of silver to fund

said he loaded L’Orient, his flagship,

Malta’s administration and their war,

with over a million pounds' worth of

but they did not steal it all.

loot. Other historians calculated that

The French did pillage. ‘We know of

this was much less, but the facts are

four small incidents. [French soldiers]

hard to verify. When recent underwater

were reported by parish priests to

searches examined the resting place of

have stolen some silver and priests’

L’Orient in Aboukir no Maltese treasure

vestments. […] Bonaparte, on his

was ever found. The French did take

second day in Malta executed one of

some artefacts, famously La Valette’s

his senior officers because [the officer]

ceremonial sword now exhibited at

Feature

Napuljun (cisterns of Napoleon). The

the Louvre. The French took the item,

the historical and successful peasants’

together with several others, as part

revolt.’ But why would God-abiding

the revolt. It started on 2nd September,

of the legal agreement they signed

clergymen push the Maltese to revolt?

when the government was auctioning

with the Order. But if France is serious

On 10 June 1798, two days before

off appropriated property belonging

about improving the Maltese collective

the Order surrendered, Labini—the

to religious orders. Ironically, this

memory it should be returned—a point

Bishop of Malta—offered Mdina’s

government was made up of ‘two

Xuereb fails to emphasise. It is common

keys to the French and invited French

[French] out of 70 [Maltese]’. The

practice for the old colonial powers to

General Vaubois to lunch at the

initial clashes soon turned into the

return ill-gotten items to their rightful

Episcopal Palace. ‘But then the Church

massacre of over 60 French soldiers

owner. This also applies to the British,

realised that it would lose much of

in Mdina, together with their women

who captured the French Sensible in

the privileges it had over the people

and children. The soldiers were cut

1798, which did have several Maltese

[of Malta].’ These privileges included

open with their livers removed, cooked,

artifacts like Ximenes’ canon that the

growing tithes, stipends from the

and eaten. Maltese sympathisers

British never returned.

Curia, payments for services to the

either ate human liver or faced death.

parishioners (funerals and payments for

Such violence left little choice for the

government and liberal reforms, the

receiving the sacraments), one tenth

peasantry: either force the French out

Maltese revolted against the French

of peasants’ harvest, rent, and a few

or face severe repercussions.

by 2nd September 1798. ‘After 82 days

more. It was a very different Church

Other violent incidents occurred.

[the Maltese] rose against the French,

from today. The revolt was led by a

After Mdina, the peasant army led by

whom they had previously asked for

prominent merchant, clergyman Canon

the clergy circled the built-up harbour

liberation. It doesn’t make sense.’ said

Caruana, and Fraternity Rector Emanuel

region and started the two-year long

Xuereb, ‘I remember him [Xuereb’s

Vitale with a few other businessmen

siege on the 4,000 strong French army

Lyceum history teacher] telling me …

such as cotton entrepreneur Vincenzo

within. In two vicious incidents, two

“Xuereb that is a pertinent question

Borg, who used to supply the Order

young boys and a lady were brutally

but there are no answers. We know

but was now risking failure. For the

killed when leaving the besieged area

so little about what really happened,

successful revolt, the Canon was

for vegetables, while a French soldier

and you have to dig very deeply to find

rewarded by being

the truth.”’ Now Xuereb seems to have

anointed Bishop

found that truth.

of Malta. The

After introducing a new Republican

Feature

In 1798 Malta did not have one

Church had good

unified population (neither does it

reason to counter-

today, being split between a red and

revolt and reverse

blue political split). Xuereb uncovered

Bonaparte’s reform.

a great divide. ‘The upper classes of

The British cleverly

the Maltese [in the harbour region]

realised the power

appeared to favour the French,’ writes

of the Church and

Xuereb, while ‘the illiterate villagers,

supported the

“dominated by the clergy,” executed

Catholics.

Another clue lies in the brutality of

NOTEWORTHY PEOPLE TO REMEMBER Mikiel Anton Vassalli (1764–1829) needs to remembered with a monument in Valletta. In Paris there is a new authentic description of Vassalli that Xuereb found in 2013. Vassalli was not just as a linguist but as a patriot and politician. He has not been wholly rehabilitated. Another monument should be dedicated to the 10,000 people who perished between 1798–1800 no matter which side they fought for. They should be included in a monument that remembers the event without taking sides.

head left on a spike. Xuereb thinks that the clergy and traders bought the services of mercenaries. They then used them to tie the hands of the Maltese peasants into a fully-fledged countryside revolt. These mercenaries were probably the very slaves Bonaparte’s reforms had just freed. On 1st September 1800, Alexander Ball estimated 3,000 troops were occupying the front posts besieging the French. The author Cavaliero had stated that Bonaparte had freed around 2,000 slaves—1,400 Moors and 600 Turks—who would have been treated brutally before being freed, much more likely culprits to the

Malta managed to beat one of the greatest powers of the 18th century, a victory that left at least 10,000 Maltese dead. [...] Till today, the victory is not even celebrated as a national holiday.

atrocities. Xuereb then goes on to say that,

fort and port. When the French surrendered due to the combined efforts of a British sea blockade and Maltese-led land siege, the Maltese were not involved in any treaties. The 5th September 1800 capitulation basically signed Malta off to the British. The British were meant to leave, but did not—not that the Maltese wanted the Order back. This handover was cemented in 1814. In the meantime the Maltese tried to claim their political rights but failed. Malta was deemed unfit to govern itself. The Catholic Church supported British rule in Malta; an uneasy relationship at times, since the Church still owned one third of their colony. However, ‘the British had a trick with

(when hostages empathise with their

the local Church; they used to go to

when the French fell, there were

captors) in the Maltese. For all the

the Holy See first. […] The Holy See

‘summary executions, attacks on

brutalities committed, Malta managed

used to accept a lot of the British

property, punishment, and banishment’

to beat one of the greatest powers

proposals in Malta because it was

of Maltese. Jacobins, doctors, and

of the 18th century, a victory that left

working hard to gain recognition

magistrates were killed, proper trials

at least 10,000 Maltese dead. The

of Catholics in England. Catholics

appearing unnecessary. This seemingly

greatest loss of life ever experienced.

were still barred from all the major

contrasts with a people unable to

Till today, the victory is not even

positions in government. In return, they

commit atrocities, and seems more

celebrated as a national holiday. By

accepted any proposal that [the British]

likely to be committed by mercenaries.

glossing over this part of history, the

wanted for Malta,’ explained Xuereb.

British made sure that the Maltese

Bizarrely, it reached a point where the

would never gain the ‘self-confidence

‘Anglican Head of Church sanctioned

to aim at total autonomy.’

the Head of the Church in Malta.’ For

WHY THE FRENCH HAVE A BAD REPUTATION IN MALTA

The British did not want to empower

example, Archbishop Michael Gonzi

The British had every reason to

the Maltese, but instead wanted a

‘was appointed because the British

encourage the Stockholm Syndrome

servile colony to be used as a military

consented. [Archbishop Joseph

Feature

was beheaded for eating a fig, his

CORRECTING THE COLLECTIVE MEMORY

Feature

The French came to liberate the Maltese from a despotic, ailing Order from the feudal era. Vassalli’s nationalistic aspirations made this possible. After the French Revolution, a republican system of government was put into place in Malta to secularise administration and give people rights. Ecclesiastical leaders aided by the British Navy in the Mediterranean stopped all of this progress and restored privileges to the elite, justifying the counter revolt by demonising the French as anti-religious and anti-Maltese. As a result, public education was delayed for another 80 years and representative government for more than a century. Malta was humbled into a fortress colony and its people deemed unable to govern themselves.

Mercieca] was the first [unsanctioned]

seems to have been made [but] we are

bishop.’ The British made sure that

still far from making history our vehicle

even the Church was British-leaning,

to help future generations ‘self-define

cleverly reversing some French reforms

and identify’ themselves as new proud

and slowly reintroducing what suited

members of a liberated community’,

them with the above tactic.

states Xuereb.

The Maltese also realised that ‘the more they appease the colonisers, the more opportunities they would

BECOMING MALTESE

have to obtain posts, receive business

The manipulation of the perception

privileges, and gain pensions.’ So,

of the British by the Maltese—the

the Maltese started to love their

collective memory—is very extensive.

oppressors, ignoring that the Maltese

Till today, in Malta’s capital there are

education system was pushed ‘back by

‘eight outsized British coats of arms

80 years from when Bonaparte wanted

around the Maltese Presidential Palace

to introduce free education in 1798.

[built by the Order, and] over twenty

The British introduced public education

British monuments, the majority of

in 1878.’ When they did introduce it,

sepulchral nature [that] make more

they controlled it. Back in 1813, British

sense in a British naval cemetery,’

governors of Malta had orders to ‘do

opines Xuereb. Maltese heroes have not

whatever it takes to make the Maltese

received the same standing.

loyal to the British crown’ according

So why have Maltese politicians

to Xuereb. Maltese sovereignty was

with over 50 years of Independence

stalled by over 120 years till the Sette

not put matters straight? Xuereb

Giugno (7th June 1919 bread protests

thinks that British indoctrination is still

with four Maltese shot dead) riots

too widespread—take as an example

forced the British to accede some

how the Anglican British joined local

self-governship rights to Malta. In

band clubs and sat on the right hand

his book, Xuereb goes through a

of the Catholic Archbishop. The largest

rigorous account of how the historical

axe Xuereb grinds is the George Cross

accounts written by ‘British forces

on the Maltese flag. King George

personnel and ecclesiastical appeasers’

VI placed the George Cross on the

distorted history to suit the colonisers:

Maltese flag on 29th December 1943

French are evil, British are good

for Malta’s valour in WWII. ‘It is a

and have saved the Maltese. ‘Since

medal of […] courage, but a medal is

Independence [in 1964] some progress

for a museum. On a flag it becomes

a symbol. […] We are practically

sympathisers or its symbolism is

to distort the French connection, and

one of the last ex-colonies who still

forgotten.

likewise, it would be wrong to erase the

carries the symbol of colonialism on

Removing the George Cross from

British one after Independence.’

our flag.’ Fiji and New Zealand are

Malta’s national flag is not the only

both planning to redesign their flags.

change Xuereb advocates. Our

needs a proper citizenship campaign

Xuereb does not think the Maltese

politicians ‘relegated the Sette Giugno

that identifies what is Maltese and

associate with this colonial symbol

monument to the periphery of our

what a Maltese citizen could be proud

at all. The Maltese Cross—not the

capital city’ while the city’s founder La

of besides modern politicians and

George Cross—is found on Maltese

Vallette was ‘dumped behind the ruins

legends of bravery. Visionary Maltese

Euro coins, in logos, in Malta-branded

of the Opera House, now half-baked

who gave all their energy, personal

patterns, sports, on the National

into some kind of unfinished symphony.’

belongings and, sometimes, their lives

airline, the examples are endless. Back

These decisions need to be corrected.

should be acknowledged even if they

in the 60s and 70s, it made political sense to keep the George Cross:

The Maltese heroes ‘Vassalli,

Xuereb outlines it best: ‘the country

are not well known. Let us stand on

Mitrovich, Sciberras need to be

our two feet and stop feeling inferior

‘Maltese people were

remembered,’ states Xuereb. History

by adopting colonial symbols and

still employed by British

needs to be more balanced with more

monuments erroneously believing that

forces in Malta and

than one narrative taught to children.

it would distinguish us internationally.

there were still Maltese

‘Young Maltese citizens should be

On the contrary, it is only prolonging

on [British-paid]

brought up respecting their own

our mediocrity.’ Throughout our history,

pensions.’ Now, it seems

national story. With research, critical

it seems that the Maltese people have

that the George Cross

analysis, and debate we should put

done their best with the short end of

is either vehemently

each and every past relationship in its

the stick. Malta needs to cure itself of

supported by British

proper dimension. […] It was wrong

the Stockholm Syndrome.

Watch the video interviews on

http://bit.ly/1JR2vLa

channel

www.youtube.com/user/ThinkUni

Feature

Subscribe to our

BOOK REVIEW by Dr Jurgen Gatt

God is Not Great, How Religion Poisons Everything CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS Quill Rating:

lease accept my apologies for reviewing a

Hitchens’ writing style is brilliant and

well-known book by a renowned, and late,

provocative, as one quote will easily prove,

atheist almost ten years after publication. My

‘[...called] Manger Square, the centre of a tourist

reasons for doing so are threefold. Firstly, the book

trap of such unrelieved tawdriness as to put

and author have both lost some of their notoriety

Lourdes itself to shame’.

with younger students. Secondly, the book should

be long-winded and rather undermine the joy of

and will, with luck, generate conversation across

reading the book. Instead, I will consider Hitchens’

disciplines. And finally, the book is brilliantly

most interesting and original argument; religion

written, cleverly argued, and deserves to be read

harms individuals and societies. Hitchens argues

particularly after the dust of the New-Atheist

his point principally by historical arguments, as

movement has started (perhaps) to settle.

any good ex-Marxist would. In this way, Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens was an Oxford-educated

is a man-made construct with which a priestly

whiskey. He is famous for his stance on the Iraq

caste of people attempts to place itself in a position

war (he was a fervent advocate) and for his staunch

of real power in this world. To illustrate his point,

anti-theism. God is Not Great is the culmination

Hitchens suggests that the fatwa against Salman

of a life-long effort to wrestle with the problem

Rushdie issued in 1988 by Ayatollah Khomeini

of religion. It is, perhaps, for this reason that

was an attempt to create an issue to distract his

the book reads like a series of essays united by

Islamic subjects. The argument, as it stands, fails

autobiographical touches and by the author’s

to completely convince and attempts to prove only

presence which hangs on every page.

the second part of Hitchens thesis. Yet Hitchens

atheist. It frequently challenges the reader to

Fun

attempts to prove his fundamental thesis: religion

journalist with a prodigious ability to consume

Yet the book is far more than a memoir of an

To dwell on the author’s many arguments would

appeal to both to humanities and science students

assures that more arguments lie in wait. Finally, a climatic suggestion: the Maltese

reflect on his own beliefs and ideas. It piques

summer is an ideal time to read this book. What

the reader’s interest in a matter of history, an

better, after a much-yearned-for, post-exam swim,

argument, a poem.

than to contemplate the existence of God?

BOARD GAME REVIEW by David Chircop

he ‘draw a card and see what you

family friendly adventure game with a

bits are actual amber), and it has stellar

encounter’ mechanic in board

sticker on it that said ‘with real amber

graphic design. Amber Route stands out

inside!’ I wanted to know more.

for breaking the mould. Call it indie, call

games is strangely appealing. Despite being undeniably simple, it has sparked

In Amber Route you draw a card to

it experimental, whatever it is: I like it.

the imagination of many people over

see what you will encounter next. The

the years—especially in the fantasy

difference here is that, while in Talisman

have gone out of their way to make

adventure genre. Most famously, Steve

you’d fight a generic orc or some other

the game as language independent as

Jackson’s best-selling hit Munchkin,

fantasy trope, in Amber Route, you

possible. All text within the game is, in

controversially used it as the only

draw and try to beat creatures from

fact, replaced with iconography which

tangible mechanic.

slavic folklore. Charming. The gameplay

is a pleasure to interact with. You will

itself is simple and intuitive—perfectly

need to get used to the symbols till

dominator, which has spawned a

fitting for the adventure game’s target

they sink in, and that’s fine. The rules,

multitude of variations and expansions.

audience—and features a few twists.

however, are slightly problematic with

So it has always intrigued me when

Amber Route’s board presents a race

a confusing layout and poor translation.

other companies decide to challenge

to the finish through tiles which fit

I had to make too much effort to find

the well-established franchises. The

into each other in a puzzle-style

the relevant paragraphs every time

genre is old. The simple ‘draw a card

contraption. The result is a sure start,

I turned a page. A couple of other

and see who you meet’ mechanic is

and a finish with a vast range of

problems are that the game is a little

even older. Yet it keeps reappearing.

possibilities of what you fit in between.

too easy and the gameplay itself is

Routes can be short or long, hard or

nothing special, but neither of them is a

Internationale Spieltage SPIEL

easy, random or defined. All dependant

deal breaker.

board game fair last year, at a booth

on the order of strips of land that lock

that really caught my eye. I hadn’t

together. The result is a fascinating,

surprisingly fresh take on an overused

heard of the Polish company called

light, visually gorgeous adventure that

formula. It was an enjoyable product

Bomba Games but their artwork was

does not overstay its welcome—unlike

to explore not only as a game but as a

astounding. They only had two games

Talisman. Most importantly, is that it’s

physical object within itself. Whatever

on display, Black & White, a tactical

different. It explores a new realm, it

you do Bomba, do not fire your art

block war-game, and Amber Route, a

allows you to feel real minerals (yes, the

director.

Talisman is another genre market

I discovered it again at the

The designers of the game seem to

Overall, Amber Route struck me as a

Fun

Amber Route

TECH NEWS by Ryan Abela

Move over Minority Report I

n 1964 a very clever engineer, called

controlled by the movement of a finger.

a demo of the real deal: HoloLens

Douglas Engelbart, invented a tiny

How cool would it be to have these

(available in January 2016 with

device that changed the whole concept

types of devices? What if we could go

Windows 10). The HoloLens is yet

of how we interact with machines. By

beyond the screen and blend the digital

another head-mounted display—

moving the device, a pointer on a screen

and real world? Well, now we can.

similar to Occulus Rift—that ‘inserts’

moved, while tapping a button with your

Microsoft invests a lot of research

holograms or virtual objects in your

finger would cause an action. I’m talking

in augmented reality and virtual space.

display, while still showing the real

about the mouse—a device now taken

In 2010, the Kinect was introduced,

surrounding environment. Imagine

for granted—but back in its inception it

with cameras and an infrared sensor

wearing a pair of clear glasses while

had revolutionised the way we instructed

capable of capturing body and skeletal

looking at a table. Now imagine that

machines. Instead of giving commands

movements. Initially this let people

you put a small sticker of a little teacup

through a keyboard, the mouse made it

play games through body motion,

on your glasses. If you now position

possible to work in 2D.

then others soon started using its APIs

yourself in the right spot you will get

(Application Programme Interface) in

the impression that the cup is sitting

the monitor, with new variations

creative ways like scrolling through the

on the table. The HoloLens works in the

emerging. Nevertheless, despite all of

windows on the monitor, or to apply

same way.

these advancements we are still using

sound effects by combining different

the same concepts from the 60s. Our

hand gestures. This new way to interact

HoloLens? Their demo shows that for

technology is still limited to 2D. We still

was strikingly similar to Minority Report.

the first time we can work in a real 3D

The mouse kept evolving. So did

construct 3D models on a 2D monitor,

Occulus VR™ that made virtual reality

hand-gesture technology with voice

and input our instructions by moving

possible. Their device, called the

recognition technology into one device.

a pointer in 2D space. Thankfully,

Occulus Rift, consists of a head-

Apart from easily visualising your work

science fiction has inspired new

mounted display that is sensitive to

in 3D, the applications of this device

innovations. I remember the first time I

head movements. In a nutshell, what

are endless, with immersive games and

saw Tom Cruise use a glove to control a

you see on the display is related to the

intelligent systems entering your life.

futuristic UI (User Interface) in Minority

way you move your head.

and forth. It seemed like a hologram Fun

environment. Microsoft also combined

play 3D games on our flat screens,

Report by swiping his hands back

The next leap forward was by

So what’s the big deal about

Microsoft retaliated. They pushed the boundaries by showing the world

Watch: http://bit.ly/1xYiiyY for a demonstration.

Dr James Corby

MY 100 WORD IDEA TO CHANGE MALTA Elective student stipends

DOES THE KRAKEN EXIST? Alexander Hili

‘Release the Kraken’ is a very famous quote from Clash of the Titans. In the movie scene, a monstrous being, with characteristics of both squid and octopus, is summoned from The Kraken is clearly a mythological creature, but the

economy, and yet it is chronically underfunded. The

colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) is very real. The

University performs well despite underfunding, so

monstrously large squid grows to an estimated 12–14 m in

imagine the heights that could be scaled with more

length and has sharp swivelling or three-pointed hooks on

adequate support.

its limbs. The bloated carcasses of this organism could have

My idea? Scrap the scandalously outmoded

inspired the ancients. Large adults have never been caught

stipends system. Instead, make student financial

since it is thought to live around 2.2 km beneath the water’s

support entirely elective (students decide whether

surface when it develops. Like the Kraken it is a very elusive

they want support); money is then given to students

creature that is rarely seen.

as an interest-free loan, which they only start to

Illustration by Joery Verweij

the sea to smash a city to the ground. The University of Malta is central to our knowledge

repay once they have graduated and are earning more than a minimum threshold salary. The money saved would be directed into research, postgraduate and postdoctoral initiatives, and infrastructure and technology.

by Ġorġ Mallia

Fun

Don't THINK

FILM REVIEW

by Krista Bonello Rutter Giappone and Noel Tanti

WYRMWOOD KRISTA: I am tired of coming across

N: The parodic nod towards torture

breakneck editing, the ‘iconic’ shots.

things I like and forced to feel excluded.

porn is one of the things I liked most

It’s obviously trying to ride on the crest

This film is so obviously ‘for the boys’.

about Wyrmwood. The Doctor is a

of Mad Max by setting the story in a

All-male group and female victim

great character, a cross between Mr

post-apocalyptic landscape with lots

waiting to be rescued. All ‘pop culture’

Blonde, Walter White and Dr Heiter.

of vehicles and scarce fuel. It bothered

symptoms are there—the ‘woman in

It also exposes what’s wrong with bad

me.

refrigerator’, the ‘smurfette’, the ‘damsel

torture porn. The lab scenes are rather

in distress’. She does rescue herself

disturbing without being too graphic

K: I liked the heightened artificiality

in the end, but that’s two-thirds into

whereas usually it works the other way

of the blue-red colour (well, blue

the film and too late to participate in

round.

and blood) scheme inside the ‘mad

the ‘fun bits’. I’d have preferred to feel

scientist’ truck. That too was a case

included in the intended audience for

K: Agreed. I also liked the ‘magic

of style within a low-budget

armoured vehicles and zombie petrol!

zombie’ touch. Brooke’s unexplained

framework. It contrasted with the grit-

powers nod towards magic

and-grime greyness of the outdoor

NOEL: At first I thought that Brooke

‘necromantic control over the undead’,

sequences.

(Bianca Bradley) would have a more

something we don’t often see in

prominent role. The photoshoot

zombie films. I also liked the little

N: Nobody takes zombies seriously

scene was promising, she sported

visual nods to Romero, the unflagging

anymore so trying to build a sense of

the resourcefulness of Alice from the

pace (which it sustains throughout),

dread is too trite. Even metaphorically,

Resident Evil film franchise. But then

the humour, the violence, and the

zombie films are at a dead end at

it all went downhill. During the lab

action. What distinguished it was the

the moment. So Wyrmwood is the

scenes she was totally upstaged by The

pace. We were thrown into the thick of

antithesis of a film that has something

Doctor (Berryn Schwerdt). She had a

it, so to speak, and it didn’t let up. No

to say. It just plays it for laughs.

comeback of sorts towards the end but

pause in the relentless action.

However this doesn’t mean that the

Fun

it was simply too little too late.

Year of release: 2014 Director: Kiah Roache-Turner Gore Rating: SSSSS

film is ‘silent’. For instance, I found N: Is there a zombie film that doesn’t

its politics a bit dubious. We already

K: ‘Purer’ torture porn that has women

reference Romero? I liked Wyrmwood

mentioned the ‘boys only’ stance.

as vulnerable victims, but focuses

for the same reasons as you however

What about the only indigenous

throughout on their struggle for survival,

I found it too earnest in trying to be

person being the foolish sidekick who

is perhaps less sexist than something

a cult movie. The handheld camera,

sacrifices himself for the greater good

that relegates women to the periphery.

the fast zooming in on close-ups, the

of the ‘white man’? I didn’t like that.

GAME REVIEW by Costantino Oliva

HOTLINE MIAMI 2:

Platforms: Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation Vita Developer: Dennaton Games/Devolver Digital

WRONG NUMBER

ndie games have allowed a new

Hotline Miami 2 keeps all of that

part of the game has been expanded

with a set of new mechanics: players

and the game mechanics have been

to experiment. Nostalgia is a

can now shoot sideways, roll under

completely exploited. Its narrative has

leading trope: defunct genres are

enemy fire, and brandish katanas. The

been exhausted and lost sequential

being resurrected, and the 8-bit

gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest merit is to carefully

logic. It now serves as a backdrop for

aesthetic is a stylistic trademark.

balance unabashed mayhem with

yet another suicide assault.

Adhering to this practice, the first

careful strategy. You will need to

episode of Hotline Miami chewed-

memorise patterns and act quickly at

joy: a well-crafted, ultrafast ride, with

up old-school arcade games and

the right time. And then, do it again

a fantastic, inspired soundtrack. The

nineties ultraviolence, mixing it up

and again.

game is designed to satisfy its fanbase.

generation of creative developers

with a contemporary, psychedelic audiovisual blend.

As a sequel, Hotline Miami 2 feels rather conventional. As expected, every

Hotline Miami 2 is undoubtedly a

The struggle continues between innovation and conservatism.

Research, Teeth, and the Community

Wilfred Kenely

rof. Nikolai Attard was on the other

rolling. We looked at a number of possibilities,

end of the phone and was passionately

including importing a ready-made mobile dental

describing what he had in mind. ‘A

clinic from the UK, but the costs were prohibitive.

mobile dental clinic will be able to

The most plausible option was to purchase a truck

reach out to the community, schools,

and find someone who could convert it into a high

old people’s homes, village squares and we’ll be

quality dental clinic. This would give us enough

collecting epidemiological data on oral health

breathing space for the RIDT to raise the necessary

which can then be fed into existing health data.

funds while the project was in progress. Having

At the same time we’ll be providing a free dental

obtained the necessary quotations it became

examination and advice to thousands of people,

clear that the project needed a hefty €120,000.

which they will then follow up with their personal

In hand we had a clean sheet and zero funds. So

dentist. This could be a first for Malta.’ Nikolai,

we embarked on a fund-raising initiative. In the

Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (University

meantime, Attard and Dr Gabriella Gatt roped

of Malta), is determined to expand the Faculty’s

in engineer Albert Bonnici, who had experience

teaching activities and promote oral health.

setting up dental clinics.

Research

That was August 2012 and we (the University’s

Research Trust; RIDT) immediately set the ball

The first donations started coming in around January 2013. We bought a DAF truck and,

around March, Bonnici started the conversion

oral health to everyone on the Island despite

work. He laid out all the designs and plans

mobility impairments thus contributing to the

for services, including water, electricity, air

socio-economic wellbeing of our country. It will

conditioning, drains, radiation protection, and so

have see a direct impact on the quality of life of

on, while ensuring that the structure of the truck

the Maltese population, whilst providing vital

was strengthened where needed. The works were

information with regard to the current oral health

carried out in one of the mega-garages which

status of the nation.

form part of the Xpress Group Yard in Ħal Farruġ, which Albert converted into a workshop. In the

The Mobile Dental Clinic has been made possible

meantime, donations continued flowing in from a

through the generous contributions of GSK

number of sources.

(Malta) Ltd, Cherubino Ltd, Bart Enterprises Ltd, Suratek Ltd, ProHealth Ltd, Rahuma

to announce that the University of Malta Mobile

International Ltd, the Good Causes Fund, and

Dental Clinic will be on Malta’s roads by the end

Xpress Group Ltd. The Research Trust and

of July this year. The clinic is one of a kind: a

Faculty of Dental Surgery are deeply grateful to

fully equipped dental clinic on wheels on a par

these companies and individuals who made this

with other dental clinics. The clinic will bring

project possible.

Research

Today, almost three years later, we are proud

MEME

Meme

CULTURE GENES

EVENINGS

on campus

31 JULY-13 AUGUST UNIVERSITY OF MALTA TNEMMIS/theatre16+ - FRI 31 JUL & SAT 1 AUG // TWISTED TALES/children - SUN 2 AUG SCIENCE OF HONEY - SUN 2 AUG // THE NOTEBOOK/film12+ (with Maltese Subtitles) - TUE 4 AUG THE AUDITION/theatre18+ - WED 5 & THU 6 AUG // MISTURA/concert - FRI 7 & SUN 9 AUG THE TATTOO CULTURE/infotainment - SAT 8 AUG // FROZEN/filmU (with Maltese Subtitles) - MON 10 AUG COMEDY ON CAMPUS/stand-upcomedy18+ - WED 12 & THU 13 AUG

www.um.edu.mt/eveningsoncampus TICKETS: ticketline.com.mt // 7984 3480 // at the door