GOOD NEWS FROM AMAZING ISRAEL: MICHAEL ORDMAN
www.verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Detecting the dangers in ICU. Israeli startup Intensix is trialing an Intensive Care Unit patient monitoring system at Tel Aviv Sourasky (Ichalov) hospital. Using data collected from 8,000 patients over the past 8 years, the system gives an early warning of impending sepsis and organ failure that kills 30% of ICU patients.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/has-an-israeli-start-up-solved-the-mystery-of-sepsis/
Control disease – deactivate genes. Scientists at Israel’s Technion have discovered how to use proteins to suppress unwanted gene activity. It could lead to a cure for cystic fibrosis and sickle-cell anemia, as well as more common diseases that are caused by gene activity or mutations, such as many forms of cancer.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-new-way-to-keep-genes-down-could-lead-to-cancer-cure/
Protecting USA from radiation sickness. (TY The Tower) I previously reported (here) on the therapy from Israel’s Pluristem for treating patients exposed to lethal radiation doses. Pluristem is to join the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases program designed to protect people from catastrophic incidents.
http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/US-government-to-stocking-Israeli-bio-tech-cure-to-lethal-radiation-in-2017-445620
Keeping hip and spinal surgeons on target. Another great invention from the students of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s BioDesign Medical Innovation program. Their BendGuide system monitors and detects minute changes in guide-wire trajectory during hip and spinal surgery. Surgeons can correct drilling trajectories, prevent guide-wire breakage and significantly reduce operation time while increasing safety.
http://new.huji.ac.il/en/article/29354 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sco43bbo3Yk
Another test for Alzheimer’s. (TY Hazel) Researchers from Tel Aviv University, the Technion and Rambam Medical Center propose testing the blood biomarker ADNP for cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease. ADNP is essential for brain formation and cognitive function. I reported another blood test in January (here).
http://www.israel21c.org/alzheimers-could-be-diagnosed-with-common-blood-test/
Alzheimer’s therapy is available. (TY Hazel) I reported previously on the neuroAD transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and cognitive training from Israel’s Neuronix (see here). NeuroAD now has CE approval and is commercially available in Israel, Europe and Asia. US FDA approval is subject to results of latest trials.
http://www.israel21c.org/drug-free-alzheimers-treatment-to-seek-fda-approval/
Exercise and dance to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. (TY Hazel) I reported previously (in August) that dancing can treat Parkinson’s. Now Israeli Alex Kerten has developed a mind-body therapy for Parkinson’s called Gyro-Kinetics. It includes breathing exercises, relaxation and dance.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/how-an-israeli-healer-treats-parkinsons-through-talk-and-dance/
An app to check your eyesight. Israeli startup 6over6’s GlassesOn smartphone app helps check your latest lens prescription without having to visit an optometrist. It can also help those buying spectacles on-line and in developing countries. The app won the startup contest at the mHealth Israel Conference in Tel Aviv.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-start-up-presents-the-optometrist-in-your-iphone/
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Huge Israeli presence at Mobile World Congress. The largest mobile expo in the world – the annual GSMA Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona – showcased 2,100 companies, including a delegation of over 100 Israeli high-tech companies in the field of mobile solutions and apps.
The Coolest Israeli Startups Presenting This Week At The GSMA Mobile World Congress
Best mobile innovation. Israel’s Anagog, developer of the world’s largest crowdsourced parking network, won the ‘Best Mobile Innovation in Automotive Award’ at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Anagog can detect if a smarphone user is at home or at work, walking, driving, riding a bus, where he parked and more.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/anagog-announced-winner-best-mobile-140000405.html
Laying the foundations for 5G networks. One of the companies showcasing at the Mobile World Congress is Israel’s Ceragon and its 5G wireless backhaul technologies. Commercial 5G services are expected to begin by 2020, bringing increased capacity, the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine to machine (M2M) solutions.
https://www.ceragon.com/about-us/media-center/news/item/1421-ceragon-showcases-5g-at-mwc-2016
A most innovative company. Fast Company magazine has included Glide – Israel’s mainstream video messaging app – in their Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Video list (#7). Glide was specifically recognized for its efforts to “provide a social communication tool for the deaf community.”
http://www.fastcompany.com/company/glide
http://www.fastcompany.com/most-innovative-companies/sectors/video
Top of the world in fire safety. Israel has invested 2 billion Shekels ($505 million) in its firefighting service since the 2010 Carmel forest fire. Hundreds of new firefighters helped reduce average response times from 14 minutes in 2010 to six minutes in 2015. There were 70 fatalities in 2010; 23 in 2011; 17 in 2013 and 9 in 2015.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-ranks-top-in-world-in-fire-safety-says-fire-chief/
Award-winning seedless papaya. (TY Dan) The Aurora, a seedless papaya from Israel, was crowned winner of the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) 2015. It began as an accidental mutation which breeder Assaf Avizohar spent 12 years developing hybrids with better taste and color.
Israeli papaya breeder wins Fruit Logistica Innovation Award
A better way to get a better job. Israeli job-matching start-up Woo matches the right people with the right job via an anonymous employment platform that provides tailor-made offers for each user. Woo’s platform recognizes that 75-80% of people don’t actively look for new jobs, but would accept a better job if offered.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-start-up-woos-americans-with-disruptive-job-search-platform/
The Israeli tech in Lady Gaga’s Grammy performance. Intel Israel showed at the Grammy Awards ceremony what the Israeli-developed RealSense 3D camera is capable of. As Lady Gaga began her “David Bowie tribute” performance, her dynamic makeup was digitally projected onto her face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fGBZhsa4VU
http://www.timesofisrael.com/the-israeli-tech-in-lady-gagas-ziggy-stardust-makeup/
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Majority of Haredi men are employed. (TY Janglo) More than 50 percent of ultra-Orthodox Israeli men are participating in the workforce for the first time in recorded Israeli history, the Central Bureau of Statistics said. In 2003, Haredi male employment was only 36%. The employment rate for Haredi women is now 73%.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/majority-of-ultra-orthodox-men-now-working/
Mapped in Jerusalem. (TY Janglo) MadeinJLM has produced a new interactive map with more than 500 Jerusalem startups. http://madeinjlm.org/locations
New Ryanair route Bratislava to Eilat. Ryanair has launched a new route from Bratislava, Slovakia, to Eilat Ovda, Israel. The route is part of Ryanair 2016 winter plan, with two flights per week scheduled. This new route adds to the 3 routes already operating by the airline to Ovda, from Budapest, Hungary, Kaunas, Lithuania, and Krakow, Poland. http://www.touristisrael.com/ryanair-starts-flights-from-bratislava-to-ovda-israel/18086/
Oracle buys Israeli cloud startup for $500 million. Israeli cloud software start-up Revello Systems has been purchased by Oracle – the world’s second largest software developer – for an estimated $500 million. Ravello’s software enables the transfer of data between different cloud platforms and servers.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/oracle-makes-it-rain-for-israeli-cloud-tech-firm-to-tune-of-500m/
Nissan to use Israeli self-driving technology. Japanese car giant Nissan and Israel’s Mobileye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to integrate Mobileye’s new Road Experience Management digital maps technology into Nissan’s fleets. The Nissan deal, follows similar ones with General Motors and Volkswagen.
http://www.globes.co.il/en/article-israeli-autonomous-driving-co-mobileye-teams-with-nissan-1001106145
Honduras buys Israeli radar to stop smugglers. (TY UWI and algemeiner) Honduras is currently in the implementation stage of installing 3 radar systems developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. The systems, worth $30 million, will help Honduras combat South American smugglers.
http://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/content/honduras-acquired-israeli-radars
Taxi startup wants happier drivers. (TY Dan) Israeli ride-hailing startup Juno is building a driver-friendly business to compete against its rival Uber. Firstly, it will take only a 10% cut of each fare (Uber takes 20-25%). Secondly, Juno’s drivers will be shareholders in the startup. Juno is to launch in New York City in the spring.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/19/technology/meet-uber-competitor-juno/
A business matchmaker. (TY Dan) Jeremy Lustman set up the Israel branch of DLA Piper law firm in 2009. Like a Jewish matchmaker, he introduces clients and builds relationships. In just the first half of 2015, he helped facilitate seven M&A (merger and acquisition) transactions that collectively exceeded $1.5 billion.
http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2016/2/15/a-date-with-israels-start-up-shadchan#.VsJwQ8dOLzI=
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Simultaneous festival with Turkey. The Sound Ports Festival, Istanbul – Tel Aviv, is a unique music event at its first edition. Taking place simultaneously in Tel Aviv and Istanbul, from March 9 to 12, the music, lectures, exhibitions and culinary events aim to create a bridge between the two cultural capitals of the Middle East.
http://www.touristisrael.com/sound-ports-festival-tel-aviv/18103/
The first art to be made in outer space. Israeli concept artist Eyal Gever is working with NASA to produce a digital representation of a human laugh. The image will be uploaded to the International Space Station and will be the first piece of art to be made in outer space when it is turned into a sculpture using a 3D printer designed to work in zero gravity. http://unitedwithisrael.org/israeli-artist-to-create-first-sculpture-in-outer-space/ http://www.eyalgever.com/laugh/
When the Jerusalem shuk shutters close. When the Jerusalem market closes, 300 shutters go down, to reveal one of Israel’s cultural marvels. 300 portraits of inspiring individuals that built the State of Israel. Spray-painted on the shutters themselves. http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/the-shuk-gallery/
The daughters of Tzelofchad. (TY Sharon) The Rebecca Crown Auditorium of the Jerusalem Theater was filled to capacity when the talented women and girls from the Gush Etzion, Raise Your Spirits Theater (RYS) performed, “Sisters: The Daughters of Tzelofchad” to an all-female audience.
http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=70653
World Windsurfing Championships in Eilat. Eilat – Israel’s most southern spot – where the combination of warm tropical waters and beautiful coral reef running along the sandy shores of the Red Sea provide the perfect venue for the RS:X World Windsurfing Championships and RS:X Under 21 Windsurfing Championships
http://www.rsxclass.com/2016-rsx-world-windsurfing-championships-at-eilat-israel-day-1/
http://www.rsxclass.com/worlds2016/?page_id=188
THE JEWISH STATE
Piecing together the Dead Sea Scrolls. A German-Israeli research project is building a digital environment to connect thousands of fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The project involves the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), Haifa University, Tel Aviv University and the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/new-dead-sea-scrolls-project-will-use-latest-technology-to-solve-ultimate-jigsaw/
Do unto others. Volunteering at Israeli cancer charity Ezer Mizion often requires self-sacrifice. Eli refused his specialist’s cancellation appointment, in order to take a patient to hospital and support her when she asked for help. Just then, Eli’s father was brought in on a stretcher – and was amazed to see Eli already there to greet him.
How to beat terror – by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Forty years ago, the Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke precisely about the current situation. Read about his solution in this article.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/18441#.VswnadDn95Q
100 Israelis enliven wedding celebration. (TY David F) Only 20 invited guests were able to attend the party of Judd and Ma’ayan who came from the US to get married in Israel. Guests at a nearby Bat Mitzva party noticed and used Facebook to enlist over 100 friends to boost the numbers and cheer up the wedding couple.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/dozens-of-israelis-drop-in-to-enliven-us-couples-nuptials/
Making Aliya from China. Five women, descended from the ancient Chinese Jewish community of Kaifeng, are returning to the Jewish homeland. The women have studied Hebrew and Judaism for several years in order to convert, and are being brought home by Jerusalem-based nonprofit Shavei Israel.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/208571#.VtAC_dDn95Q
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