Photo by www.shutterstock.com This Weeks SANITY Report highlights include:
- Two Israeli biotechs have developed solutions to eliminate diabetes.
- An Israeli system can train your brain so that you can read without glasses.
- Israeli hospitals are treating Gazan children, UN peacekeepers and the President of Zambia.
- An Israeli alarm system reminds drivers not to leave their baby in a hot car.
- Japan’s research & development agreement with Israel is its first with any foreign country.
- Israel beat Germany and Japan at the Lacrosse World Cup to become world number 7.
- Despite the rockets from Gaza, 900 Jews began new lives in Israel last week.
Thanks to Michael Ordman and Good News from Israel
This Weeks SANITY Report:
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Transforming liver cells to cure type 1 diabetes. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Orgenesis is a pioneer in the field of “cellular trans-differentiation”, a process to transform a type 1 diabetic patient’s own liver cells into new insulin-producing cells. Orgenesis is partnering with Belgium’s MaSTherCell to scale up development.
Minimally invasive implant to cure diabetes. Globes “startup of the week” is Israel’s Endobetix with its implanted device that traps bile fluids and diverts them to another part of the intestine. The result is lower blood sugar without drugs or major surgery; hence no more diabetes.
http://trendlines.com/endobetix-featured-start-week/
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJYxTtHUQTU&w=520&h=315]
Hadassah professor wins Euro Cystic Fibrosis award. Professor Eitan Kerem, MD, Chief of Pediatrics at Israel’s Hadassah University Medical Center, is the recipient of the prestigious 2014 European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) Award, for his research and contribution towards further understanding and treating the disease.
National Education award for experimental hospital school. Hadassah’s Experimental School (HES) has been awarded Israel’s Ministry of Education “National Education Award”. HES serves children of all ages and backgrounds in the Jerusalem area, providing a unique taste of “healthy life”.
FDA approves EarlySense smart chair sensor. EarlySense, developer and marketer of a hospital bed-monitoring device, has developed a chair to perform the same task. The chair monitors heart rate, respiration, and activity level. The product has now received US medical approval for marketing to hospitals in the USA.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-fda-approves-earlysense-smart-chair-sensor-1000951596
Get rid of your reading glasses. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Scientists at Israel’s GlassesOff have developed a proprietary method for improving near vision sharpness, by improving the image processing function in the visual cortex of the brain. A smartphone app can turn back the age clock of your eyes by over 8.5 years.
http://nocamels.com/2014/07/israels-glassesoff-app-said-to-make-eyes-a-whopping-8-6-years-younger/
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=12dlMyjatKI&w=520&h=315]
Another Alzheimer’s breakthrough. Technion scientists have discovered that mutant gene UBB+1 is responsible for preventing the protein ubiquitin from marking other proteins for destruction. The proteins then are more likely to form the deadly plaque associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Mapping autism in the brain. (Thanks to Nevet – www.broaderview.org) Ilan Dinstein, from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University, is using MRIs, DTIs and EEGs to transform the definition of autism from one that is behavioral to one that is biological.
http://jewishsound.org/gray-and-white-matters-mapping-autism-in-the-brain/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Rescuing food virtually. Leket Israel, one of the country’s largest food bank networks, is going high-tech with the introduction of Leket’s Virtual Food Rescue site, where donors can fill up a digital shopping bag with fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and other necessities, sending them on their way to families in need.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/virtual-food-basket-site-triples-donations-to-hungry/
Physical disability doesn’t have to be fate. Staffers at Jerusalem’s Alyn Hospital believe that it is the right of every child – including those suffering from physical challenges – to have the best quality of life possible. A child with one functional toe can get a drink by himself. Even babies can drive robotic cars.
http://www.jpost.com/Health-and-Science/Physical-disability-doesnt-have-to-be-fate-361611
Helping the disabled during rocket attacks. Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel’s leading organization providing support for families with disabilities, has initiated a hotline to help people with disabilities and their families overcome emotional stress and to cope with Israel’s difficult security situation.
Children are not our enemies. (Thanks to Israel21c) While her hometown is under constant missile attack from Gaza, Irena Nosel from Ashdod cares for critically ill Gazan childrens in Israel’s Wolfson Medical Center. Irena is pediatric ICU head nurse for Israeli charity Save A Child’s Heart. Plus another similar article.
http://www.israel21c.org/headlines/children-are-children-they-are-not-our-enemies/
http://www.israel21c.org/news/gazan-children-receive-life-saving-treatment-in-tel-aviv/
Two UN peacekeepers from Syria treated in Israel. Ziv Medical Center in Safed received on Sunday two Filipino UN peacekeepers that were injured in Syria after a mortar shell exploded next to their vehicle. One of the peacekeepers sustained a shrapnel injury to his jaw.
Zambia president receives medical treatment in Israel. (Thanks to Hazel) Zambian President Michael Sata, 76, was receiving medical treatment in Israel. Sata suffered a heart attack in 2008.
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFKBN0F115P20140626
NBA legend Mutombo helps Africa with Israeli charity. Israel’s Innovation: Africa is teaming up with Dikembe Mutombo and eight other NBA All-Stars to bring solar power to Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in his hometown Kinshasa. It will help tens of thousands who currently don’t have access to decent medical care.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/nba-legend-mutombo-israelis-team-up-to-help-africa/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Israel signs Bio-med research agreement with California. Companies from Israel and California will enjoy financial assistance for joint R&D projects. The agreement was signed at the Bio Conference in San Diego. An Israeli delegation consisting of 17 Israel bio-med companies took part in the Israeli pavilion at the conference.
http://www.matimop.org.il/news_california.html
Israeli helps California date farmers. Israel’s Hadiklaim Date Growers’ Cooperative commissioned veteran Israeli date grower Moshe Kirat to bring his date growth expertise to the La Quinta Date Farm in California. In one year, Kirat has reduced water consumption by 43% and boosted productivity, saving over $2.4 million.
US Patent for “quantum search” app. Israel’s NovoSpeech has received a patent for its quantum computing search algorithm for speech recognition. The algorithm will allow a mobile device to translate speech into text as fast as a desktop or server.
http://trendlines.com/novospeech-receives-u-s-patent-quantum-search-application/
The talking car. Those who remember the TV series Knight Rider will be pleased to hear that the Israeli-Californian Robin Labs has designed an intelligent voice recognition and communication system for the driver. It can provide updates on traffic, routes, parking locations, gas prices, weather, and more. It can even tell jokes.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/with-israeli-tech-talking-car-tells-you-jokes-punchline/
Don’t leave baby in a hot car.(Thanks to Israel21c) Israeli start-up Bapeep is developing a car alarm that, when you switch off your car engine, will remind you to take your baby out of the car. On average, 37 US children die every year after being forgotten in a hot car. Bapeep’s Indiegogo Crowdfunding goal is $300,000.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/babeep-beep-your-baby-in-mind#home
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8xKTPM7RD0&w=520&h=315]
http://www.timesofisrael.com/infant-left-in-hot-car-rescued-by-police/
Building a space elevator. Israel Technion’s 2014 TechnoBrain challenge was to build a device that can climb 25 meters at an 80-degree angle without using combustion or open flame energy sources. It must slide down whilst lifting a space elevator carrying practical cargo. This is how teams solved the problem.
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMrbk-m_GZE&w=520&h=315]
Iron Dome saves lives. Not a recent video, but a timely one, in view of the current situation in Israel.
[youtube=youtu.be/-39ZdJjy-u0&w=520&h=315]
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israel’s best quarter for a decade. Israeli high-tech firms raised $930 million from Apr to Jun 2014, the sector’s strongest three-month period in more than ten years. Israeli high-tech firms raised $1.6 billion in the first half of 2014, which is the strongest capital raising period on record for Israel’s high-tech industry.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/tech-sector-continues-surge-with-nearly-1b-quarter/
Record trade with Turkey. Israel’s exports to Turkey are currently surpassing 2013’s record level. In the first fiscal quarter of 2014 there was a surge of nearly 25% to $949.2 million, compared to the same period in 2013.
http://www.i24news.tv/en/news/economy/36266-140704-israel-turkey-trade-on-track-to-reach-record
Israel could become the largest gas exporter in the Middle East. Another report about the Arab countries that are buying some of the 19 trillion cubic meters of gas from Israel’s Leviathan field.
http://www.eurasiareview.com/03072014-israel-become-largest-gas-exporter-region/
And Egypt says Israeli gas is vital for their economy. Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Sherif Ismail does not mind allowing British BG Group to import gas from Israel. “Whatever is in Egypt’s interest must be implemented immediately as we are dealing with an energy crisis,” the minister said.
Israel signs first-of-its-kind R&D agreement with Japan. Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Toshimitsu Motegi has signed an industrial research and development collaboration agreement with Israel’s Minister of Economy Naftali Bennett. Israel is the first country with which Japan has signed such an agreement.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4539301,00.html
Yahoo buys Israeli streaming startup RayV. (Thanks to Israel21c) Yahoo has bought an Israel-based startup specializing in streaming high-quality video to computers and mobile devices. RayV will become part of the Yahoo’s research and development team in Tel Aviv.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/yahoo-buys-israeli-streaming-startup-rayv/
Wilocity exits for $300 million. Multinational Qualcomm has bought Israeli startup chip designer Wilocity in order to bring a faster, short-distance wireless technology to mobile devices. Wilocity pioneered Wireless Gigabit chips – known as WiGig, which transmit data at speeds that can remove the need for physical cables.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-qualcomm-acquires-wilocity-for-300m-1000951327
Gartner buys Senexx. (Thanks to Israel21c) Gartner, a leading provider of research and analysis on the global information technology industry, has acquired Israel’s Senexx, a cloud-based questions and answers platform that identifies and manages expertise within organizations. Senexx will enhance Garner’s web search capability.
http://www.israel21c.org/news/gartner-acquires-senexx/
Another $9 million for joint US-Israeli projects. Following its January investment, the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) foundation has invested a further $9 million in 11 more Israeli-American cooperative projects. They cover 3D printing, agro-technology, information security, and homeland security.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
A day will come. (Thanks to Jacob Richman) The Ein Prat Fountainheads were top of the entertainment at the recent “Salute to Olim” Festival in Jerusalem. The featured video is “Yom Yavo” (a day will come).
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLNQ4lgt-_8&w=520&h=315]
This Weeks SANITY Report
Illustrating Israeli culture. (Thanks to Steve of www.IsraelSeen.com) The Migdal Gallery at the Land of the Israel Museum in Tel Aviv has an exhibit of illustrations in a wide spectrum of techniques created over the past five years by the best Israeli illustrators.
https://israelseen.com/2014/07/06/land-of-israel-museum-presents-illustrating-israeli-culture/
Fifteen amazing photos of Tel Aviv. Beautiful – nothing further necessary to say.
http://blog.localyoo.com/2014/06/15-amazing-pictures-of-tel-aviv.html
NFL players love Israeli sports shoes. Israel’s AposTherapy manufactures shoes that change the gait to relieve those suffering from knee and back pain. Former New York Jets running back Bruce Harper and former New York Giants players Bart Oates and Karl Nelson, tried the shoes, and couldn’t believe the results.
http://www.shalomlife.com/sports/24318/nfl-players-praise-israeli-companys-orthopedic-shoes/
Israel beat Germany 15-1. Israel’s national team defeated Germany, 15-1, at the World Lacrosse Championships in Colorado, USA, and advanced to the quarterfinals. Israel won its three preliminary-round and two knockout-round games, eventually beating 4th seed Japan to secure world number 7 ranking.
http://www.lacrosse.co.il/2014/07/israel-rallies-past-japan-to-secure-no-7-world-ranking/
THE JEWISH STATE
Chabad “Mitzva Tank” joins IDF troops on the front line. A group of Chabad activists traveled to the border with Gaza in their “Mitzvah Tank” – a truck loaded not with weapons or ammunition, but with holy items to provide spiritual and moral support to the soldiers who at any minute could be called into battle.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Controls/SendFriend.ashx?print=1&type=0&item=182756
400 French Jews immigrate despite Gaza terrorists. Some 400 French Jews have just made Aliyah, undeterred by the ongoing rocket fire and conflict with terrorist groups in Gaza. Most of the immigrants are from the Paris area. They include 195 minors and 18 babies. 900 Jews made Aliyah in the past week.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182965#.U8ZoxkCKhD0
http://unitedwithisrael.org/undaunted-by-hamas-rockets-900-new-immigrants-arrive/
Israeli children sing to counter fear of rocket attacks. This song was composed by a local teacher and has been taught to hundreds of schoolchildren within firing range of Gaza’s rockets to help them deal with the fear and trauma of having 15 seconds to run for cover when the Color Red siren sounds.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/125183#.U8Zt8ECKhD0 http://tinyurl.com/njyhjut
Summer camps and excursions for families from the south. Guides from the KKL-JNF quit their regular jobs to assist in activities for the children of Ashkelon in shelters and protected spaces. KKL-JNF also organized a fun day in the forests of Jerusalem for families from Gaza border communities.
This Weeks SANITY Report
