KKL-JNF is leading Israel’s activities for International Clean Up Day 2013. (Shutterstock)highlights include: Israeli doctors have used robots to treat two children and a Parkinson’s sufferer. Israel’s Teva has just funded 46 Israeli university projects into brain diseases. Indonesia is to use Israeli technology and skills to build its roads. A new design Israeli aerosol contains no gas. Israel’s Ornat has built the largest geothermal power plant of its type in the world. Israeli start-ups attribute their success to the help they get from their competitors. A Jerusalem family discovered a 2000-year-old house underneath their home.
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
The first robotic brain surgery. Dr. Nizam Razack successfully performed the world’s first deep brain stimulation (DBS) using Renaissance robotic guidance system from Israel’s Mazor Robotics, at Celebration Health Hospital in Orlando, Florida.
Israeli doctors use robots to treat children. For the first time in Israel, doctors at Rambam hospital used surgical robots to perform advanced pediatric surgery. Using the Rambam’s da Vinci robot they corrected congenital defects on two Israeli children. Surgeons from Boston Medical Center trained the Israeli doctors.
Multiple studies produces research breakthrough. Dr. Ayelet Erez studied at the Technion, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Baylor College Texas and now Weizmann. Her wide experience led her to discover the link between the enzyme ASL and Nitrous Oxide, which is essential for regulating blood pressure.
Skin defect can trigger allergies. Scientists at Tel Aviv and Northwestern Universities have discovered that mutations in the molecule desmoglein 1 in skin cells can disrupt the immune response and lead to allergic reactions.
Exciting new cancer research. Ariel Munitz of Tel Aviv University is researching a type of white blood cell called macrophages. Exposed to a certain stimulus and they’ll promote healing of cancer and fibrosis. But exposed to a different stimulus and they actually make the condition worse. You can see where this is heading.
Against all odds. Toddler Zion Rubenstein was diagnosed at the age of 6 months with a rare inflammation of the spinal cord that invariably leads to paralysis. A year after intravenous injections of high levels of antibodies and steroids coupled with accelerated physical therapy, Zion can now walk and climb stairs.
Israel’s network of excellence in Neuroscience. Teva has established Israel’s “National Network of Excellence” (NNE) to boost therapeutic developments for Alzheimer’s, MS, dementia and other brain diseases. Teva has just granted funds to 46 scientists at seven universities and teaching hospitals in Israel.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Improved police ties with Arab community. (Thanks to Hazel) Central District Assistant-Chief Bruno Stein said that the past ten years have seen a significant change in the Arab sector’s cooperation and faith in the police. The Arab public is requesting more police posts to help fight drugs and illegal firearms.
Support group for siblings of sick children. The Center for Children with Chronic Diseases in Hadassah Mt. Scopus has announced a new support group for siblings of chronically ill or handicapped children. Siblings struggling with emotional, familial and social challenges will receive weekly counseling starting in November.
Indonesia to use Israeli advanced technology. (Thanks to Hazel) The world’s largest Muslim country will utilize advance technology from Israel to build roads in its most eastern and poorest province of Papua. Authorities have issued permits for the import of a chemical hardener and use of manpower from Israel.
World Bank invests in Israeli agri-tech company. The private sector investment arm of the World Bank is set to become a major investor in Israeli seed and breeding-technology company Kaiima. Kaiima focuses on developing strains of plants that are more resilient and yield more grain.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Cars that talk to each other. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israel’s Autotalks is a world leader in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems. The purpose of V2V systems is to cut the millions of road traffic deaths and injuries by warning drivers of impending hazards.
No gas in new Israeli aerosols. (Thanks to Israel21c) Israeli startup GreenSpense has developed an eco-friendly system for dispensing liquid products. Instead of compressed air or chemicals, a thin elastic sleeve inside the product generates high pressure. There is also no need for the container to be metallic or cylindrical.
Technion graduates make top US CEOs. According to Bloomberg Rankings, graduates of Israel’s Technion Institute make up the seventh highest number of Chief Executives of the top technical companies in the USA. Bloomberg analyzed 250 CEOs of US hi-tech companies with a turnover of over $1 billion.
Israeli printers print futuristic clothing. (Thanks to NoCamels) Award-winning Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato used a Stratasys (Objet500 Connex) multi-material 3D printer to design bibs that combine numbers and images of human muscles, emphasizing his perception of clothing as an “extension of the body.”
The highest percentage of twins in the world. (Thanks to Israel21c) In Israel, 51 of every 1,000 births result in twins. The next highest – Holland – has 20 twins per 1,000 births. Israel’s fully funded fertility treatments are chiefly responsible. (N.B. This may not be good news in every case!)
Advanced science on the ground. Bar Ilan University archaeologists have purchased a $70,000 X-Ray Florescent Spectrometer Handheld (XRF) to go with the Fourier Transform IR spectrometer (FTIR) already being used. The devices provide the best in-the-field atomic and molecular analytic capabilities in the world.
A shoe for diabetics. (Thanks to NoCamels.com) Young Israeli designer Lilach Steiner, from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, has come up with a shoe designed to improve blood circulation. Her “diabetic shoes” are modeled on the mechanism of a horse’s hoof, which acts as a pump to return blood to the legs.
One button to rule them all. It can be frustrating that it takes so many actions and so much time to get your Android smartphone to do a simple task – like take a photo. Now Israeli start-up Pressy does everything for you at a press of a button attached to your headphone socket. (Great youtube video)
Geothermal power station completed. Israel’s Ormat Industries has completed the 100-megawatt Ngatamariki geothermal power plant in New Zealand. The plant is the largest singular binary power plant in the world. Ormat has now built 14 geothermal power plants in New Zealand totaling 350 megawatts.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
A good business, in anyone’s language. Israel-based One Hour Translation (OHT) provides online professional translation of documents for half of the Fortune 500 companies. Each month OHT translates 100,000 projects for 15,000 business customers. OHT’s 17,000 professional translators work in 75 languages.
El Al security catches thieves at JFK. When passengers flying through New York’s main airport complained about missing valuables, the Israeli airline monitored the baggage handlers. El Al caught the luggage thieves stuffing their clothes with thousands of dollars of goods, and recovered several items later in their homes.
The secret to Israel’s start-up success. Avishai Abrahami writes that a key factor in generating a successful start-up is the “pay it forward” philosophy. Even competitors helped him to found Wix. When he asked why, the answer was invariably the same: “We were helped when we were starting out. Now it’s our turn.”
2000 Israeli traders head to China. The Canton Fair in mid-October accounts for about 25% of China’s foreign trade volume, and houses about 25,000 exhibits on an area of 1.1 million square meters. Israeli companies are eager to add to the $10 billion of trade with China last year.
China buys into Israeli treatments. China’s Acebright Holdings is investing $1 million in NasVax Ltd for two of its treatments. One is NasVax’s Anti-CD3 technology for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or fatty liver disease. The other is its BBS technology for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Israel to mine phosphates in Vietnam. Israel Chemicals says that the agreement is part of its plan to expand and diversify its mining sources outside of Israel, broaden its global phosphate operations, and provide a growth engine for its primary markets.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Beautiful Israeli art. A new website promises to deliver the works of artists such as Yaacov Agam, Marc Chagall, Yosl Bergner, Reuven Rubin and Joseph Zaritsky, straight to your living room or office, anywhere in the world. I am not advertising the site, but it does give the opportunity to view some wonderful paintings.
Hummus takes center stage at Budapest Israel festival. (Thanks to Size Doesn’t Matter and Ynet) At the opening of the Israel festival in Budapest, hundreds of Hungarians tucked into the biggest plate of hummus ever to be seen in Hungary. The Israeli market contained produce, exhibitions and tourist information.
Eilat’s international sports center. The cornerstone has been laid for Eilat’s new international sports complex. In the near future, sports teams from Europe will be able to come for training in Eilat during the winter. The complex will include a football stadium, five training fields, basketball hall, gym and spa.
Celtic sign Israeli international. (Thanks to Size Doesn’t Matter and Ynet) Scottish soccer champions Celtic have signed Israeli midfielder Nir Biton from FC Ashdod. The 21-year-old joins fellow countryman, Beram Kayal. Celtic said that the club was “delighted” to have signed the “talented Israeli” on a 4-year contract.
THE JEWISH STATE
Living history. Miriam Siebenberg lives in a very unusual house – her Jerusalem home was built on top of another home, one that existed over 2,000 years ago. “Both my roots and the roots of our people are right underneath this house,” she says. The Siebenberg House Museum is definitely worth a visit.
Israel, lone light in a dark region. This article lists some of the main differences between the Jewish State and its neighbors.
StandWithUs holds International Law conference. The Israel advocacy group StandWithUs hosted a 4-day Student Conference on International Law – Turning Theory into Practice. The 35 participants came from 17 countries and speakers came from the Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the IDF and Israeli media.
200,000 volunteers ready for Clean Up Day. (Thanks to Israel21c) On Sept 9, some 200,000 volunteers are expected to take part in Clean Up Day in Israel. KKL-JNF is leading councils, government bodies and schools who will head out to the country’s forests and open spaces with garbage bags and rubber gloves.
Knesset to install solar panels. In 2014, the Knesset will become one of the world’s first parliaments to generate its own electricity. Plans have been progressed to install photovoltaic panels for the generation of electricity on the Knesset building’s roof. Solar panels on the White House roof were removed due to cheap oil.
Happy New Year to all our workers. Over 1.8 million Israeli employees and contract workers received gifts from their employers in the week before the Jewish New Year. The average gift was NIS 700 ($200).
