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December 23, 2005 | |
 [] When bread is not an affliction An Israeli nutritionist is leading a backlash against the trend of low-carb diets. In addition to plenty of vegetables and fruit, the 'Bread for Life' diet developed by clinical nutritionist Olga Raz recommends eating sandwiches every three hours. Thousands of people have reportedly lost weight with the method, and her hit book on the subject has been translated and published in English.
  [] A mobile mission - Israeli researchers help stem mental retardation in Arab village A team of Israeli scientists is helping to turn around the high rate of mentally retarded babies being born in an Israeli Arab village. In addition to identifying the gene that causes the defect, the team has developed a blood test they bring to the village to determine if adults are carriers of the gene or if a young fetus is likely to possess the gene.
 [] Natural relief for prostate enlargement Nearly 50% of men over 60 suffer from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. Now, a food supplement devised from indigenous Israeli plants has been proven to give natural, safe and effective relief for the widespread ailment. Clinical tests showed the results of Naturamed's Bio Active to be comparable to those of conventional pharmaceuticals and better than those associated with current natural remedies. Of equal significance, the product caused no side effects whatsoever.
 [] Israeli researchers fly by the numbers Does it seem like it takes forever until the boarding of a flight is complete? A team of Israeli researchers led by Dr. Eitan Bachmat of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, has proved mathematically what computer simulation models by airline companies - and the gut feelings of passengers - have already demonstrated. Back-to-front row boarding is not the best way to fill airplanes with passengers. According to their study, the most efficient plan is letting the quickest customers get on first and choose their own seats - with unassigned seating.
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 [] Israeli breakthrough mines copper to keep bacteria away Cupron, a small American-Israeli company, is introducing copper into clothing and textiles in order to fight bacteria and viruses and lead to healthier living. The range of products that stand to benefit from the technology include healthcare textiles like curtains, uniforms, towels, and gloves, air filters, mattress covers, and warfare protective clothing. They even promise a pillowcase that can improve your complexion.
[] Israel's Robert Aumann receives Nobel Prize Prof. Robert J. Aumann of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem received the Nobel Prize in economics at a ceremony held on Saturday night in Stockholm, Sweden. The event, held in Stockholm's concert hall, was held in the presence of some 1,600 people, including the prize winners, their families and friends, as well as members of the Swedish government and the diplomatic corps. Also in Stockholm for the festivities were 36 members of Aumann's family -children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren - as well as his colleagues from the Hebrew University's Center for the Study of Rationality (of which Aumann was a founder) and the president of the Hebrew University, Prof. Menachem Magidor. Since the event began immediately after the Sabbath was over, the religiously-observant Aumann family was provided with facilities in a hotel near the concert hall where they were able to dress in the formal wear required for the ceremony and to arrive in time. Prof. Aumann received the Nobel medallion and scroll, as did his co-winner of the prize in economics, Prof. Thomas C. Schelling from the University of Maryland. Aumann and Schelling are among the pioneers in the discipline of game theory.
November 22, 2005
[] Israel - world's leading technological state. A new international report reveals Israel has become country with most promising economic future. According to the research, Israel, which has already achieved a worldwide reputation of a high-tech superpower, has become the leading country in the areas of science and technology. The number of engineers in Israel is the highest in the world: 135 for every 10,000 workers. The United States is ranked second with only 70, followed by Japan (65), Holland (53) and Switzerland (38). Israel is also ranked first in the world in the number of scientists and technicians, with 140 for every 10,000 workers. The U.S. is way behind with 83, followed by Japan (80), Germany (60) and Switzerland (55).
The study also reveals that Israel provides a supporting business environment and a developed banking and financial infrastructure, and encourages investment in technological initiatives. Israel also leads the national expenditure on research and development in relation to its national product. The Industry Ministry's chief scientist, Dr. Eli Ofer, explained how Israel became a technological super power. "If not for the Russian immigration, the number of engineers in Israel would be smaller. A decade ago we absorbed a million people, a huge percentage of whom had academic-technological education," he said. According to Elisha Yanai, chairman of the Association of electronics, Israel has become a silicon valley. "We should not be compared to all of the U.S., but to certain high-tech areas, such as California's Silicon Valley, Boston's high-tech area and Texas' high-tech area. Such a comparison, which is more natural to us, ranks Israel at the third absolute spot, and not just at the relative spot of engineers and technological manpower," he said.
November 10, 2005
 [] Israeli vaccine could provide universal answer to flu epidemics. Israeli company BiondVax is beginning to test its 'universal flu vaccine' against the avian flu virus. The company is optimistic that the vaccine - which is based on nearly two decade of research by world-renowned scientist Dr. Ruth Arnon - will be effective against this potential global health crisis.
 [] Israeli 'clean' solution insures drinking water is disinfected. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the EPA is reporting high levels of hazardous bacteria in Louisiana's water, just one of the many instances of potentially dangerous drinking water. Israeli start-up Atlantium has developed an environmentally-friendly solution called the Rayo System which disinfects water using ultraviolet light. The Rayo system also provides protection against another of today's major worries: bioterrorism in the water systems.
 [] Israeli city joins the great chess capitals of the world. The world's top chess players traveled last week from as far away as China and Cuba to the Israeli city of Beersheva to compete in the World Team Championships. Considered one of the nation's - and one of the world's - chess strongholds, the Negev city is home to eight grandmasters.
 [] Hologram labels make their marks to insure food purity. With the avian flu scare in the headlines, consumers may wonder how they can be sure that the expiration date and related information on their package of chicken isn't counterfeited. With the Israeli HoloPoinT tracking system - installed on the processing line just before final packing - a hologram label is attached that cannot be altered, forged or tampered with to ensure the authenticity and freshness of poultry, beef and fish, and just about any other food product.
 [] Joint Israeli-US team finds thyroid drug reduces colon cancer risk by 50%. A unique partnership between an Israeli and American researcher is producing groundbreaking results in the field of cancer research. Their latest study shows that the drug L-thyroxin - most commonly used for the treatment of an underactive thyroid - can halve the risk of colorectal cancer, the second most common cause of cancer death in the US.
 [] The annual 'once in a lifetime' experience. Discovering Israel via the 'Wheels of Love' charity bike ride for the Alyn Hospital.
Did you know?
Bill Gates called Israel a major player in the high tech world. Learn other interesting facts about Israel
August 4, 2005
[] Solar project could advance 'green' fuel. In a breakthrough that has dramatic implications for energy use worldwide, Israeli researchers have shown that hydrogen fuel can be produced with the help of sunlight - propelling the dream forward of using hydrogen as a 'green' fuel.
The innovative solar technology developed at Weizmann Institute of Science that may offer an environmentally sound solution to the production of hydrogen fuel, has been successfully tested on a large scale, and also promises to facilitate the storage and transportation of hydrogen.
[]Israeli success in curbing Hepatitis A to be model for other countries By Allison Kaplan Sommer, July 24, 2005
Israel's Hepatitis A vaccination program has lowered the incidence of the disease by 95 percent, and is quickly becoming a model for other countries interested in eliminating the disease. When Israeli epidemiologists decided to take a radical new approach to fighting Hepatitis A three years ago, they knew it was a gamble.
But their decision to make Israel the first nation in the world to offer free vaccinations to all of its toddlers against the virus has paid off tremendously, with a stunning drop in the incidence of the disease across the country.
Dr. Ron Dagan, of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who along with colleagues was in charge of combating the proliferation of the disease, decided to come up with a new strategy to fight it. According to Dagan, other countries that are fighting high rates of hepatitis A are paying attention to the events in Israel. "Several Latin America countries - Chile, Argentina, and are consulting with us and are debating whether to introduce the vaccine the same way. Our paradigm has taught people that there exists a very efficient method to specifically target the population who spreads the virus."
March 6, 2005
[] Prof. Ehud Keinan (who is at the Technion in Haifa) and a team of associates have developed a biological computer composed entirely of DNA molecules and enzymes built on a gold-coated chip. Capable of accomodating billions of programs, it can be used for a wide variety of applications including cancer diagnosis.
A member of Keinan's team, Prof. Ehud Shapiro, working from the Weizmann Institute of Science, recently received a World Technology Award for Biotechnology; he was cited for creating a molecular computing device made of DNA and other molecules that is so small that more than a trillion fit into one drop of water. Prof. Shapiro is attempting to identify types of specific cancers in a test tube, diagnose the cancer, and secure the release of drug molecules in response. Ultimately he hopes to develop biomolecular devices that can be injected directly into the body to detect and prevent or cure disease.
February 28, 2005
[] Dr. Michael Alkin, an Israeli-born doctor associated with the Center for Health Sciences at Ben Gurion University's Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva, is a world-renown expert on AIDs. He is part of a team of some 25 doctors who will go to remote areas and teach the locals how to treat AIDs.
His mission is not only to teach professionals how to treat the disease, but to motivate people to be tested and to fight the disease instead of surrending passively. What he is confronting is a social system in which young girls are acculturated not to say no to men who want sex with them, and men who scoff at safe sex. If he is able to help keep alive the people in the area where he sets up a clinic, then a model will have been set up that can be replicated in other African regions.
[] Wondernet, a small Israeli company, has developed Penflow -- a unique, secure and cost-effective method for authenticating hand-written signatures. Convenient to use, it has substantially reduced fraud and fogeries in the institutions and industries where it is used. Banks are primary users of this system. With it, an entire banking chain, rather than one branch, has access to a customer's legitimate signature.
[] Chronic dry mouth -- called xerostomia -- is a problem for many people; they suffer increased tooth decay, difficulty in eating, disturbed sleep and more. It can be caused by auto-immune diseases and a variety of medications.
Now a treatment has been developed that stimulates the salivary glands. A device called the GenNarino has been developed at Israel's Assuta Medical Centers in Tel Aviv as part of a project known as Saliwell. The device, which can be set comfortably into the mouth, applies gentle electronic stimulation to the nerves that lead to the salivary glands.
[] An Israeli startup, Natural Widget, has developed revolutionary software, called NaturalRecorder, which allows mobile phone users to automatically record messages without having to touch the phone.
This first of its kind technology, NaturalRecorder, allows mobile phone users to retain important information from their phone conversations by automatically recording phone calls without any user intervention. And so, for example, if someone gives directions over the phone while a person is driving and cannot write them down, they will have been automatically saved. Beeps emitted during the process advise the caller that the conversation is being recorded. At present it is compatible with Nokia Series 60 cell phones and will soon be supported by other manufacturers.
[] An Israel start-up called GuruNet has developed software that enables users to click on any word on their screen -- whether that word is in a Word document or an e-mail or from the Internet -- and receive an instant pop-up box containing relevent information. The software is available through answers.com, and is called by Forbes "the best Internet innovation in years."
February 10, 2005
[] An innovative new bandage,invented by an American-born Israeli combat medic adapting an improvised IDF field practice of placing a rock onto a bandage to keep pressure on a wound, is saving the lives of U.S. soldiers in Iraq. While in the past injured soldiers were commonly evacuated, the U.S. now believes that immediate treatment on the battlefield saves lives. A wounded soldier may apply the Emergency Bandage himself, using only one hand if necessary. American GIs have come to call it "the Israeli bandage."
January 24, 2005
[] Foreign investments in Israel rose 10 percent to $6.08 billion in 2004 from $5.5 billion in 2003, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. Investor confidence peaked in the November-December period, which brought in one-third of the year's total. The final two months of the year saw $2 billion invested in the economy from overseas, $1.6 billion of which were foreign portfolio investments in debentures and shares. The Bank of Israel said that the increase in foreign portfolio interests in Israel in the last quarter of 2004 helped more Israeli companies raise capital overseas.
[] The European Union has designated the Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation at Hebrew University as a center of excellence. Its citation notes that "the combination of facilities, equipment and expertise at one site appearsto be genuinely rare in Europe," and that "the center is highly regarded by leading brain scientists throughout the European Union."
As a result of this new status, the Center has now been able to sign an agreement to host some 100 researchers from Europe to train them in applying a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the functions of the brain. Seventeen countries have expressed an interest in sending scientists.
[] Haifa's Brain and Behavior Research Center has taken the unusual road of combining the disciplines of neurobiology and psychobiology in its work on Alzheimer's. Most research centers concentrate on the neurobiology, but apparently both discplines are necessary if a cure for this disease is to be found. The Center recently hosted an international meeting of the Haifa Forum for Brain and Behavior, which was attended by 30 of the world's leading researchers in neurobiology in spite of calls for an academic boycott of Israel (a crime that hurts not just Israel but the advancement of science worldwide).
[] Researchers at Hebrew University have isolated a protein from the poplar tree that has been found to have special structural characteristics that will aid in the developent of nanocapsules for delivery of drugs to cancer cells. The protein, called SP-1, is extremely stable and has the ability to survive contact with enzymes, organic solvents and other factors that often break down protein. SP-1 nanocapsules will be capable of delivering cell-destroying drugs specifically to certian types of solid cancer tumors. The protein's structure will allow the carrier to penetrate tumors without harming healthy tissue.
[] An Israeli company called Silent Communications is developing technology that will allow spoken communication by cell phone in places where talking is disturbing. The key is pre-recording of messages that can be activated at will either when you place a call or receive one. Thus if you are, for example, at a concert and would incur the wrath of attendant music lovers if you answered your phone, you can set the phone to vibrate, then press a button that says, "I am in a concert right now and cannot speak, but I can hear what you are saying..." Or, if you are at a meeting that is running late and is very intense, you can call your spouse, and press a button that says, "Honey, I'm in an overtime meeting so I'll be getting home late." Over time a whole repetoire of messages can be recorded for different purposes, or to respond to one-time situations.
[] We all know that some people are more selfless than others. Apparently this may not mean they are simply "nicer," though it could be said they are. According to a study conducted by Prof. Richard Ebstein and associates at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, the tendency of some people to help others is connected to a gene variant on chromosome No. 11. This gene variant boosts receptors for the neurotransmitter dopamine. Quite literally, good works for such people may provide them with a rush of good feeling. According to Ebstein's preliminary research about 2/3 of people possess this tendency.
January 19, 2005
[] Israeli experts are helping to develop an educational program for Aborigine children in Australia. The educators from a Hebrew University institute funded by the National Council of Jewish Women flew to Australia this week. The project, known as the Yachad Accelerated Learning Project, encourages stronger students to work with weaker students to develop math and language skills.
[] Using Israel's 2.8 million Ashkenazi Jews as a base to research genetic causes for common diseases, a Jerusalem company believes it has found a rogue enzyme that may be the key cause of schizophrenia.
[] The winners of The Wall Street Journal's 2004 Technology Innovation Awards competition have been announced. Innovators world-wide were considered. The Gold award went to Sun Microsystems Inc of California for a wireless approach to chip design. The Silver award went to Given Imaging Ltd of Yoqneam, Israel, for 'PillCam', a tiny camera that patients swallow so that doctors can see their digestive tract. The Bronze award went to InSightec Image Guided Treatment Ltd. of Tirat Carmel, Israel, for 'ExAblate 2000', a nonsurgical way to destroy tumors by focusing ultrasound waves on them.
[] Scientists from Israel and Jordan began a joint biological field survey on both sides of the border in the Dead Sea region on Monday. The two-day survey inaugurates field-level activities of the Bridging the Rift (BTR) project. The scientists launched the first phase of a long-term study of the biology of the region, together with U.S. scientists from Stanford, Cornell and Harvard universities. At 22 selected sites, the team is collecting samples of plants and microbes that will be studied using advanced genetic and information technologies. Samples will be analyzed at laboratories at Stanford University and in Israel and Jordan. Scientists from the two countries have been working together for the last 18 months with the support of Jordan's King Abdullah II and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
January 3, 2005
[] An Israeli company - Patus Ltd. - has donated thousands of its OdorScreen olfactory gel product to counter the crippling odors faced by on-scene Tsunami disaster workers.
[] Researchers at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology have developed an antibiotic that not only kills anthrax bacteria but also eliminates the toxins that kill. This is enormously important in the battle against bioterror.
[] Earthquake Alert, developed by Israeli Meir Gitlis, of Antipus, is the size of a shoe box and can be used anywhere. Operating on seismological principles and utilizing a series of pendulums, it picks up primary waves that are the forerunners to an earthquake -- providing people with opportunity to seek cover. The waves are relayed through an electronic circuit to a chip which is able to tell whether the waves are from an earthquake, or sonic bomb, or bomb. It is accurate and does not give off false warnings.
[] And how about this? Adi Barkan, Israeli fashion photographer and owner of the Barkan Modeling Agency in Tel Aviv, has joined forces with Member of Knesset Inbal Gavrieli to keep young women healthy. Recognizing that a trend towards underweight models -- who foster the notion in adolescent girls that skinny is beautiful -- is linked to bulemia and anorexia, have introduced a bill to the Knesset. It would require that models undergo health examinations, and have their BMI (body mass index) checked before entering the modeling profession. It seems to be the first bill of its kind in the world.
December 28, 2004
[] When disaster strikes anywhere in the world, Israelis can be counted on to help. So it's no surprise that within hours of the devastating tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the following humanitarian missions all departed from the tiny Jewish state:
● The Israeli organization Latet ('To Give') filled a jumbo jet with 18 tons of supplies.
● A medical team headed by four doctors from Jerusalem's Hadassah Hospital arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday night (Dec. 27), carrying medicine and baby food. The doctors specialize in rescue operations, trauma and pediatrics.
● An IDF rescue team is now on its way to Sri Lanka with 80 tons of aid material, including 10,000 blankets, tents, nylon sheeting and water containers, all contributed by the IDF.
● A ZAKA rescue-and-recovery team arrived in the disaster areas Monday night, armed with its specialized equipment for identifying bodies.
● A Health Ministry contingent left for Thailand on Monday night to aid in rescue efforts. The group includes doctors, nurses and four members of the IDF.
● Israel has also offered its assistance to India ― a search-and-rescue team from the Home Front Command, as well as consignments of food and medicine.
[] The Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, has developed a superior "glue' for mending broken bones and enhancing healing. Gelrin is a new material that fuses biological and synthetic substances at the molecular level. It promotes healing and provides strength during healing.
[] Israeli researchers from Hadassah Medical Center have developed a vaccine that works in tandem with the AIDS cocktail to strengthen the immune system of patients. The cocktail works against -- and eliminates or comes close to eliminating -- the HIV virus. But a residual effect has been a continuing autoimmune response so that the immune system remains weak even if the HIV virus is no longer present. In some 50% of patients white cells never increase to a satisfactory level and there is risk of death from other diseases. In early tests, this vaccine brought the white cell count of AIDS patients up to a functioning level.
[] In a related development: Rambam Hospital's Immunology, Allergy and AIDS Institute in Haifa, working with doctors in Europe, has developed a sperm washing technique that makes it possible for HIV positive men to father children without risk to the mother or the fetus. While the semen is loaded with the virus, it cannot penetrate the sperm themselves. Separation of the sperm, via a centrifuge, eliminates the risk.
[] ApNano Materials, an Israeli company in Rehovot, has developed NanoLub -- the world's first synthetic lubricant to be based on spherical inorganic nanoparticles. It dramatically outperforms every known commercial solid lubricant marketed today and may some day soon make oil changes obsolete.
December 22, 2004
[] A fruit has been developed in Israel that is a hybrid of a grapefruit and a pomelo that in clinic trials has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels and increase anti-oxidant activity. Called the pomelit, the fruit is being marketed as the Sweetie. It has low acidity and high sugar content. It is easy to peel and not too large to finish in one sitting. Actually though, the juice from the pomelit contains the elements that are effective, so it is not necessary to eat the entire fruit to gain benefit.
[] An Israeli start-up company called Gamida-Cell has developed a revolutionary treatment for leukemia using a stem-cell derived product. Tested on terminal leukemia patients for whom other treatments had failed, it achieved remarkable results.
With conventional treatment, only 10% of the critically ill patients being treated would have been expected to survive a benchmark of 100 days. With the trial for this new treatment, at the end of 100 days, 50% of the patients were still alive.
Treatment to date has involved bone marrow, which presents rejection problems that are not present with the stem cell product.
[] A Jerusalem start-up called VKB has developed a virtual keyboard that uses laser technology. An infared image of a normal keyboard can be projected on to any surface and it can be typed on normally.
[] A revolutionary type of photodynamic therapy, developed in Israel, has shown great promise in treating men with prostate cancer - and could eventually be used to treat a myriad of other cancers as well.
The treatment, currently undergoing very successful trials, utilizes a light-sensitive drug based on chlorophyll. Chlorophyll, used for photosynthesis in nature, has a high capacity to absorb light. The drug in the body is harmless unless exposed to high levels of light. With the use of fiber optic technology, the tumor is flooded with light that destroys the cancer cells. (Chlorophyll has a high capacity to absorb infared light.) This is not a shot-gun approach, but very directed.
November 22, 2004
[] Almost everyone in Israel knows about Yad Sarah (hand of Sarah) -- a huge non-profit, non-sectarian, volunteer operation, and it seems appropriate that everyone else should know about it too. For there is no organization like it in the world, and, while accepted as a routine part of the scene here, is a source of tremendous pride in terms of how we operate:
At the heart of Yad Sarah is a huge lending system, with tens of millions of dollars worth of equipment provided short-term on as needed-basis each year, free of charge. The equipment is primarily medical: crutches, wheelchairs, oxygen concentrators, hospital beds, electronic monitors, etc. and includes items for new mothers. A stock of over 250,000 items is maintained.
Supplemental to this is a variety of other services including rehabilitation centers, drop-in centers for the elderly and chronically ill, and an enrichment center for disabled children. There is even a center for displaying equipment that is not available for loan from Yad Sarah (e.g., orthopedic chairs for long term use), so people can be informed of what is available without needing to do research or shop around.
With 100 locations and a budget of $13 million, Yad Sarah aims to keep the ill and the elderly at home rather than in hospitals to the greatest degree possible. Very often, being able to borrow equipment enables patients to recuperate at home or leave the hospital sooner. Not only is this good for the patients, it is estimated that this system saves Israel $300 million annually in hospitalization costs.
The organization serves as a model and inspiration for health and welfare professionals in other nations. Representatives of Jordan's Red Crescent have visited the organization's national headquarters in Jerusalem to learn about Yad Sarah's services and how they might be adoptedfor their use. Yad Sarah has also helped set up similar 'helping centers' in the former USSR, Cameroon and Angola.
Yad Sarah was founded almost 30 years ago by Uri Lupolianski, the current mayor of Jerusalem and a member of the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community.
On a related note: Within various religious communities here in Israel it is not uncommon to find a local supply of equipment for loan without charge. The loan center, maintained on a volunteer basis and called a g'mach, might offer wedding gowns, cribs, heaters, or assorted other items of use for members of the neighborhood.
[] The NESS-H200, a powerful device developed in Israel by Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Systems Ltd., can restore the use of a hand partially paralyzed due to neurological damage from stroke or spinal chord injury.
It works with a device that fits over the forearm and hand and has built-in electrodes that touch key muscles. It is capable of providing important exercise to muscles, and helps the hand grasp and release objects.
[The name of the device, NESS, is an acronym for the name of the company, but nes also means a miracle in Hebrew.]
[] An Israeli company, Glycominds, has developed a simple blood test that distinguishes between forms of Multiple Sclerosis. Diagnosing the disease is not difficult, but until now it has not been possible to anticipate whether the patient was carrying a benign form of the disease, in which there might be no symptoms for 10 years or more, a virulent form that required very active treatment, or something in-between. As a result, patients often endured undue anxiety or treatment that was not necessary.. Glycominds has identified a marker for MS that is present in higher quantities in people with a more severe form of the disease.
[] Dr. Israel Aviram, a pediatric pulmonologist at Sieff Hospital in Safed, Israel, has developed something called the Child Hood. Brilliant in its simplicity, it alleviates the frustration and struggle familiar to any parent who has had to give a child or infant inhalation therapy for asthma or croup. Until recently, this therapy meant putting an airtight face mask on the child, in order to deliver the aerosol treatment that was required. It also meant a screaming,fighting (sometimes frightened) child. Hoods that were intended to allow aerosol treatment without the use of masks were in existence before Dr. Aviram's invention, but they were of inadequate design. Dr. Aviram drew on experts in biotechnology and environmental engineering to perfect his hood. I is not simply a matter of creating an airtight hood, but also of ensuring that the aerosol flow is directed to the nose and mouth.
October 8, 2004
[] Prof. Avram Hershko and Prof. Aaron Ciechanover, of the Technion, have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry -- the first Israelis to garner this particular Nobel Prize; they will share their prize with Prof. Irwin Rose of University of CA. Their achievement was to identify a process (the ubiquitin system) responsible for the dissolution of cell proteins -- profoundly changing the scientific understanding of how cells destroy unwanted proteins. The ability to do this is vital to cell functioning, as it affects a cell's response to malignant changes, immunity and inflammation. Their breakthrough has led to new treatments for cancer, brain disease, cystic fibrosis, and many other disorders.
[] Ben Gurion University Faculty of Health Sciences (BGU) in Beersheva and Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) in New York City are cooperating in the establishment of a new medical school that teaches international health and medicine. This is a first, as physicians trained at Ben Gurion via this program will be adept in cross-cultural medicine. The physicians in training, who are an extraordinarily altruistic lot, are study language and culture as well as medicine. In the fourth year of the program, they are sent out into the field for two month internships --where they are exposed to such things as HIV patients in Kenya who are 2 or 3 to a bed, exotic parasitic infections in Ethiopia, reconstructive surgery for leprosy patients in India.
[] An Israeli startup called UltraSPECT has developed a system for 3-D x-ray imaging, which makes for more accurate diagnoses.
September 9, 2004
[] Up to 10 of the most severely hurt children from the horrendous terrorist attack in Beslan are being airlifted to Israel, courtesty of the Cherney Fund. Those selected are the ones who stand to benefit most from Israel's highly advanced medical care for victims of terrorist attacks. Together with their mothers, they will be brought to Israel's best hospitals for care.
The Russian Embassy in Israel is working to expedite the arrival of the children.
Michael Cherney, founder of the Cherney Fund commented that "since terror knows no borders, neither should our solidarity in fighting this evil and helping its victims. That is our mission, and we will spare no effort to ease the horrific pain this tragedy has created."
[] Two Israeli companies -- iamba and Flexlight -- are at the forefront of development of new communication technology involving transmisison via light sent over optical glass fibers. These transmissions of colored light move close to the speed of light, far out-distancing digital signals sent over copper wire. High speed Internet, telephone communication and more will be advanced via this technology in the future.
[] An electronic pen, developed by Pegasus, an Israeli company, is going to make it possible to to write on ordinary paper, and immediately transmit what has been written into a computer, wireless telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), or mobile computer, and to transmit the written material by e-mail or fax.
The electronic pen looks like an ordinary pen that writes on paper. Electronic components including a small ultrasonic transmitter are installed in the pen. The receiving unit is then equipped with ultrasonic receivers with very strong processing capacity. Data is constantly processed to obtain a continuous image of what is being written.
July 12, 2004
[] The prospect of using stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease is one step closer after Israeli scientists announced that implanting human stem cells into the brains of rats has alleviated Parkinson's-like symptoms.
According to Dr. Binyamin Reubinoff of the Hadassah Embryonic Stem Cell Research Center at Jerusalem's Hadassah Medical Center, the research represents the first demonstration that human stem cells can replace damaged neurons in an animal model.
The news will bring new hope to the more than one million Americans suffering from the degenerative brain disease that currently has no permanent cure. Reubinoff presented a summary of an abstract that describes his study last week at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Berlin, Germany.
Stem cells are the body's building blocks that can develop into any part of the body, from limbs to blood to brain tissue, and can be obtained from donated embryos, either left over after fertility treatment, or from embryos deliberately cloned for therapeutic purposes. The progressive decline associated with Parkinson's is caused by a loss of brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine.
Reubinoff's team manipulated human stem cells in the laboratory so that the ubiquitous cells were poised to develop into the specialist neurons that become depleted as Parkinson's disease takes hold. These neurons were then transplanted into the brains of rats that had been engineered to show manifestations of the condition.
[] ReWalk, a device being developed by the Israeli company ArgoMedical Technologies, promises to restore upright mobility for paraplegics, quadriplegics and others suffering from walking impairments.
"We aim to end the 200-year monopoly of the wheelchair," says Dr. Amit Goffer, CEO and founder. The device uses a combination of motors and sensors to enable people with lower limb disabilities to carry out routine ambulatory functions such as standing, walking and climbing stairs.
"[It] promises to restore the dignity of disabled persons, enabling them to work and improve their general health and quality of life, as well as significantly reduce medical and other related expenses," says Goffer.
The product is in the prototype stage but Goffer feels that upon completion of fund-raising the company could have a product on the market within 4 years.
The ReWalk is a light, wearable brace support suit which comprises DC motors at the joints, rechargeable batteries, an array of sensors and a computer-based control system. "...when the user indicates he or she wants to move in a certain direction, the sensors recognize this and the user is able to move at will," explains Goffer.
"Also, it`s important to point out that because the ReWalk is snugly fitted on the body and worn underneath the clothing, it also helps the users avoid the type of visible stigma that a wheelchair user faces," he adds.
The novelty of ReWalk is in the unique manner in which the user is actively involved in the walk-restoration and other mobility functions, through the control processes. Utilizing sophisticated algorithms, upper-body motions are analyzed and used to trigger and maintain walk (gait) patterns and other modes of operation (such as transition from sitting to standing), leaving the hands free for self support and/or other functions.
[] One of the biggest obstacles facing rescue teams or military operations around the globe is not knowing what's on the other side of the wall.
Countless wasted hours and even possible loss of life are at risk if a rescue team has to enter blaze-engulfed room without knowing if there are victims inside.
Likewise, police or soldiers attempting to raid a building or room are at an extreme disadvantage by not knowing what awaits them on the other side in terms of manpower and firepower.
Now an Israeli company is actually developing a unique, portable "through-wall imaging micro-power radar," which will enable rescue forces and military units to operate more effectively in saving lives and protecting their own lives.
The Camero system will initially be targeted towards Fire & Rescue, Law Enforcement and Special Forces operatives. Its radar system uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to produce three-dimensional pictures of the space behind a wall from a distance of up to 20 meters. The pictures, which reportedly resemble those produced by ultrasound, are relatively high-resolution and are produced in real time.
April 29, 2004
[] A scientific breakthrough that boggles the mind (from The Jerusalem Post):
Microscopic computers made solely from biological molecules that will function inside living tissues, diagnose diseases, and administer treatment even before symptoms appear have been brought closer with the latest breakthrough by the Weismann Institute in Rehovot.
The team there has programmed the world's smallest computer in a test tube, so that it automatically detected the presence of certain cancers, diagnosed them, and produced a drug molecule to kill the cancer cells.
The input, output and 'software' are all composed of synthetic DNA, while DNA-manipulated enzymes are used as the 'hardware.' Biological computers can have an enormous amount of brainpower because of DNA's potential ability massive amounts of information. Less than a gram of DNA could store as much data as a trillion CD-ROMs.
The team's next assignment will be to package the microscopic computer so it functions within the complex chemical environment of the human body. It will take a long time before this is possible, but one day in the future they hope to create a "doctor in a cell" that will be able to operate inside a living body, identify disease, and apply the necessary treatment before external symptoms appear.
How much the world has to gain from this and other scientific/medical work done here in Israel!! It seems to me that if world leaders were smart -- whatever their political orientation -- they would protect and support us for the sake of everyone. But it's incredibly naive of me to think this, I suppose. Or incredibly shortsighted of the world leaders.
[] Journalist Barbara Sofer has put out her own list of reasons why she loves Israel. I will not list all 56 of her reasons, but provide a few here, because her words about Israel are valuable.
-- For all the talk aobut the greening of the planet, we're the only country in the world that started the 21st century with a net gain of trees.
-- Israel is the first to offer help and send resuce tems to countries coping with disaster.
-- An evening of singing is still a popular grown-up pastime.
-- Israelis give out their cell phone numbers -- the difference between our private and public lives isn't neatly delineated.
-- Street musicians are good enough to play in chamber orchestras.
-- Israel has more start-up companies than any country outside the U.S.
-- Israel has the highest concentration of high-tech companies except Silicon Valley, and also the most yeshivot (institutes of religious learning).
-- Even soldiers carrying heavy M-16s will stop to help a parent with a stroller.
-- Streets bear names of prophets and midieval poets.
-- We change our calendars on Rosh Hashanah.
-- We have more museums per capita than Italy.
-- We raise cows in the desert with yields like those in Holland.
-- After a calamity police have trouble keeping away bystanders who want to help.
-- Even in our prisons Pesach is celebrated with a seder.
-- We celebrate Independence Day by holding a Bible contest.
-- All citizens have health care, and the fight is on to get coverage for foreign residents.
-- On Friday, religious or not, everyone is hurrying towards Shabbat.
-- You don't have to be best friends or kin to be invited to a wedding.
Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2004
Subject: [Ha'aretz] Israel's population on Independence Day is 6.8 million
www.haaretzdaily.com
Israel's population on Independence Day is 6.8 million
By Itim
On the eve of Independence Day, Israel's population stands at
6,780,000, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Of these,
about 81 percent are Jewish - 5,180,000 are registered as Jews and
290,000 are immigrants who are not registered as Jews with the
Interior Ministry - and 19 percent of the population is Arab.
Jerusalem is Israel's largest and most populated city, with 692,000
residents, of which 464,000 are Jewish and 288,888 are Arab.
There are 14 cities in Israel with a population greater than 100,000
and most are located in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. In 1948 the
only city with a population greater than 100,000 was Tel Aviv-Jaffa,
which today has a population of 364,300.
Haifa is Israel's third largest city with a population of 270,500.
The city had a population of less than 100,000 in 1948.
Among the 14 largest cities in the country are several of the first
communities built by Jews who immigrated in the 1880s. Rishon
Letzion, the first such community, is Israel's fourth largest city
today with over 200,000 residents. In 1948 it and a population of
11,000 residents.
Two other pioneer communities, Petah Tikva and Rehovot, also grew
tremendously since 1948 and today have populations of 174,000 and
100,000, respectively.
Sixty-six percent of Israel's Jews were born in Israel. The figures
were reversed In 1948, when 35 percent of the Jewish population was
native. About 30 percent of Jewish residents (1.5 million) were born
to a native Israeli father.
About 1.2 million residents were born in the former Soviet Union, or
to a father who was born in the former Soviet Union. Some 500,000 of
Israel's residents claim Moroccan ancestry, 245,000 claim Iraqi
ancestry, 240,000 claim Romanian ancestry and 220,000 claim Polish
ancestry.
In the past year 144,000 babies were born in Israel and 21,000 people
immigrated to the country. Of the new immigrants, 11,000 came from
the former Soviet Union, 2,600 from Ethiopia, 1,800 from France,
1,600 from the United States and 1,200 from Argentina.
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