Although the conflict in Gaza that has been raging for quite some time, Israel continues to demonstrate its generosity towards the Palestinian population despite the fact that the Gaza government continues to lobby rockets against Israeli citizens.
Even though Hamas has been less than affectionate when it comes to Palestinian children, the Israeli's are doing everything in their power to not only avoid civilian causalities, but provide medical attention to the children as well.
This is just one of many examples of how Israel is willing to treat citizens from hostile nations, despite the fact that such actions will win them few political points with their enemies.
(Image: Dr. Alona Raucher-Sternfeld (a volunteer with SACH from Israel) helping out a Chinese baby. Credit: Jewish Exponent).
Israel's Save A Child's Heart (SACH), which has been very active in helping people from around the world has recently made another stop within the Asian giant to help out citizens in need of medical attention.
(Jewish Exponent) Where is Yang's heart?" Dr. Alona Raucher-Sternfeld cooed in Hebrew to 5-year-old Yang Bin as she prepared him for surgery aimed at repairing his tiny heart.
As she danced her fingers on his belly, the language barrier disappeared, and the boy's previously defiant exterior melted into giggles.
Yang Bin was one of about 80 children who traveled, some hundreds of miles, to see the visiting medical staff from Israel, all of whom are volunteers with Save a Child's Heart, a charity based at the Wolfson Medical Center in Holon.
The team of 15 doctors, nurses and medical technicians set up shop at Hebei Children's Hospital in Shijiazhuang, some 170 miles southwest of Beijing, continuing a partnership that began 10 years ago.
While Save A Child's Heart is probably one of the better known examples of Israel displaying hospitality outside of its borders, the Jewish state has been known to show charity towards manyother nations--even ones that are hostile to its existence.
To end it all on a "kosher note," feel free to enjoy this video from Israel 21st Century about a potential cure for diabetes (that looks very promising).
Its no surprise then that doctors have even turned to using lasers (with "a dash" of carbon dioxide) to help seal up wounds as they could help minimize scarring around tissue.
Unfortunately for them, these CO2 lasers were a bit too wild as they either put out too much power (burning the victim) or too little (leaving the wound open for infection).
Fortunately for us, it looks as if Israeli researchers from the Tel Aviv University found a way to control the CO2 lasers, making this technology not only practical but potentially safe as well.
(Israel 21st Century) The scientists, from Tel Aviv University (TAU), have developed a new technique that maintains the heat of the laser at exactly the right temperature for optimal wound healing, allowing surgeons to seal cuts both on our skin and inside our bodies with less scarring, and less exposure to infection.
The new technique, developed by Prof. Abraham Katzir and a team from TAU's Applied Physics Group, is called laser-welding. When the laser begins to overheat and risks burning the tissue, the device reduces laser power, and if the temperature is too low to complete a closure, laser power in increased appropriately. [...]
Katzir is the first researcher to apply the carbon dioxide laser, coupled to optical fibers, for wound closure under a tight temperature control. His innovation is in the use of unique optical fibers made from silver halide developed at the university. The fibers deliver the laser's energy to heat the bonded cut and are used for controlling the temperature. They also make it possible to bond tissues inside the body.
Katzir's "little" invention could have a gigantic impact in the medical field, as Katzir's carbon lasers in a clinical trial proved to be better than the traditional suture as they not only left less scarring, but healed much more quickly.
According to the article the carbon laser is still awaiting approval from the US (via the FDA), although it may unfortunately be a few years before this innovative technology reaches America (not to mention Europe as well).
Despite the on going violence between the two neighbors, it looks as if there are a few Israeli's and Palestinians who are willing to cooperate together in order to enhance each others lives--not to mention science as well.
(Globes Online) Two new projects have brought together scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Al-Quds University. Researchers from the two universities have succeeded in developing a method for checking the level of risk in bilharzia, which has been adopted by the World Health Organization and will soon be applied in Nigeria. At the same time, in the field of nanotechnology in which the two universities have been collaborating for a long time, an Israeli-Palestinian-Hungarian joint project has been established, sponsored and funded by the Hungarian Embassy in Israel. [...]
Laszlo Korani, the Economic Attache at the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv, conceived the idea of bringing Hungary into the story. "One of the roles of the embassy is to encourage joint Hungarian-Israeli research. I read the autobiography of Sari Nusseibeh, president of Al-Quds University, and I then knew that I also wanted to strengthen the connection to his university. It was only natural to build on cooperation that already existed and to add our sponsorship to it."
The Israeli and Palestinian teams hope to come up with a simple way to test for the presence of this pest in the soil that goes beyond the current use of surveys and questionnaires (which may overlook areas still infected by the parasite).
Often seen as an edible source of protein (at least in the form of steaks, hamburgers and Hebrew hotdogs), cows are usually the focus of local butchers, ranchers and grocery stores.
Although these tasty beasts may hold little value to society outside one's stomach, it looks as if some Israeli researches have found a way to use this animals blood protein to help us heal faster.
(Israel 21st Century) Researchers from the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, have "spun" together something brand new. They've created a kind of fiber, which can be applied like a dressing, to help a body stitch together wounds.
Based on a protein found in cow's blood, it can be used like a second skin to heal the type of external wounds created after a C-section, and also internally on abdominal wounds and those created during heart operations, says its inventor Prof. Eyal Zussmann, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion. [...]
Zussmann's solution is closely related to the human protein, human serum albumin, an abundant protein in the body. The new material is such a close match that the human body cannot tell the difference between its own and the cow protein, he explains. This means that wounds will heal better, with less inflammation.
While wounds healing faster may not mean much for a lot of people, this technology could potentially help patients recover much more quickly--which in the end translates into more patients leaving the hospital earlier (not to mention having a less expensive bill).
Note: There is no word on when this will reach Europe or the US, although if anyone has any extra info, feel free to share with all of us in the comment section.
After announcing his plan six months ago to enable doctors to transmit critical medical images to cell phones, it looks as if Professor Boris Rubinsky (from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem) may finally see is innovative idea come to life.
Note: I have seen similar ideas for smart phones (such as the iPhone, which should be entering Israel in the hopefully near future).
After previously helping out children from Iraq and Kenya, it looks as if Israeli doctors from the Save A Child's Heart foundation will be heading off towards the far east in order help out kids in China.
(Haaretz) The Save A Child's Heart medical team, comprising 15 members, said it would try to treat as many children as possible during its stay in China.
This is SACH's eighth mission to China, where Israeli medics working alongside Chinese colleagues have performed surgery on more than 100 children. During the mission, team surgeon Dr. Lior Sasson - who heads the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the Wolfson Medical Center - will workd at the Hebei Children's hospital alongside Dr. Han Jiangang, a surgeon trained in Israel last year. [...]
Already in China, word has spread about the event, prompting hundreds to travel by foot, bicycle and train hoping to benefit from the surgical mission, according to SACH.
According to Haaretz, a camera crew will be tagging along in order to document everything that goes on.
Note: Here is a video from one of their earlier missions to China (with subtitles for those of us who have yet to speak Chinese).
If one were to measure how warm relations between Indonesia and Israel with just one word, "frosty" would probably be the perfect description.
Despite the fact that Muslim clerics in Indonesia have begun to warm up towards the Jewish state, the government has thus far kept its distance.
Regardless of the diplomatic feelings (or rather lack thereof), it looks as if medical teams from both countries will be teaming up in order to help the worlds largest Muslim nation meet the medical needs of its citizens.
(Israel 21st Century) Last week marked another milestone for MDA when Dr. Sudibyo Markus, the head of Indonesia's Muhammadiyah organization, arrived in Israel last week on an official visit to establish cooperation between his organization and Magen David Adom. Official visits between Indonesia and Israel are rare as the countries do not have diplomatic ties.
Markus was the guest of honor at the signing ceremony of a preliminary agreement of cooperation signed by the chairman of the Indonesian Rescue and Emergency Service, Prof. Aryono Pusponegoro, also of the Indonesian College of Surgeons; the chairman of MDA's Board of Directors, Dr. Noam Ifrach, and MDA director-general Eli Bin. Pusponegoro said: "I am 76 years old, and delighted that I have succeeded in fulfilling my childhood dream of coming to Israel." [...]
Muhammadiyah is the oldest and largest Islamic social welfare organization in the world, established in 1912. It is a moderate faith-based group with a mandate to improve civil society, serve the poor, and promote tolerance and pluralism. Muhammadiyah operates dozens of clinics, hospitals, orphanages, schools and universities in Indonesia. It has over 28 million members and has been recognized by the Indonesian government and by international organizations.
This is a good first step between both countries, as it gives the people of Indonesia a glimpse of Israel's medical expertise (not to mention display their more charitable side).
This is not the first time Israel has reached out towards diplomatic enemies, and it probably will not be the last time either. Hopefully this trend will continue, as Israel's medical advances could help heal the divide and open up the Muslim world towards cooperation with the Jewish state.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (or PTSD for short) is a condition that probably affects millions of people around the world who have survived life threatening events (such as war, natural disasters, etc.).
Although a range of treatments has been developed in to help patients overcome PTSD, a group of Israeli scientists from the Ben Gurion University may have found a unique way of thwarting PTSD by using hormones.
(Israel 21st Century) New research by Israeli scientists from Ben Gurion University and Tel Aviv University, suggests that a large dose of a stress hormone may reduce the risk of PTSD, and its associated symptoms. The researchers, who report successful results in an animal model, are hoping this therapy could one day restore life to people who have experienced trauma. [...]
Using mice, the researchers took a control group and a group of mice presented with a stress stimulus: litter soaked in cat urine. In about 25 percent of the cases, those presented with the cat urine litter exhibited symptoms of extreme stress, such as an increased startle response and behavioral freezing when exposed to reminders of the stress. [...]
The researchers found that those mice that were given high doses of a cortisol-related substance, corticosterone, immediately after exposure to a stressor could be spared from the negative consequences of the stress.
While people may be nervous about using drugs (of any type) to deal with a psychological problem, this drug could work as a "last resort" if other means of treating PTSD fail.
Even though more research has to be done before humans are involved (as their is a lot of "red tape" whenever one deals with the government--unless its paying your taxes), this drug may help soldiers returning from the front lines deal with the trauma that they have encountered (not to mention survivors of floods and tsunami's as well).
Of all the muscles in your body, your heart is probably the most valuable. Without this muscle, it would be nearly impossible for your body to pump the 10 pints (or 1 1/4 gallons) of blood that circulate throughout your veins.
But what happens after your heart weakens through disease or from a heart attack? While there are some "natural ways " for patients to help strengthen their favorite muscle, CorAssist has developed a unique method for treating heart failure by targeting a certain muscle that other technologies may overlook.
(Israel 21st Century) While some devices to treat systolic heart failure (SHF) are already in clinical trials, no devices to treat diastolic heart failure (DHF) are available. CorAssist's solution presents the first device-based approach to treat DHF, being a one-of-its-kind product in the market.
After a heart attack, or with heart muscle disease due to obesity and other conditions such as genetic defects, the heart muscles have a difficult time squeezing blood to the body (the systolic phase), and then back again into the heart (the diastolic phase). CorAssist is focusing on the second condition - DHF - where a person's heart inadequately relaxes, and is impaired in its capability to return blood from the body back to the heart. [...]
CorAssist's main product is the ImCardia, which works from outside the heart. It's a self-expanding device that attaches to the external surface of the left ventricle. When the heart muscle squeezes, energy is loaded into the device, which absorbs this energy, and releases it to the left ventricle in the diastolic phase. This keeps the muscles elastic, giving it a small "work out" to improve heart health.
While this new med-tech is promising, ImCardia is still in the early experimental stages, as it only has been tested on three people (all which have been successful according to Israel 21st Century).
CorAssist is currently seeking to conduct a much larger trial, and while they have not mentioned any plans of reaching across the Mediterranean (towards Europe), they do seem eager to enter within the US market.
It looks like the Jerusalem Development Authority has started a program called BioJerusalem, who is currently seeking out bio-med companies (which is med-speak for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device/tech businesses) to migrate towards Israel's eternal capital (which just happens to be Jerusalem).
(BioJerusalem) A half an hour drive from Ben Gurion International Airport and a 45 minute drive from Tel Aviv, the financial hub of Israel, Jerusalem is the only centrally located city in Israel to enjoy national development zone A status. This status entitles technology-based companies and investors to the best grants and tax incentives available in Israel today.
Life sciences companies choosing to launch operations in Jerusalem are eligible for prime financial support incentives and are given special preference. In addition, companies with a presence in Jerusalem can also benefit from a series of municipal incentives offered by the Jerusalem Development Authority which provides support to companies doing business in Jerusalem.
While often seen as a religious/historic city, Jerusalem is home to a thriving biomed community, and it seems as if the local officials want to ensure that the city stays that way (as it could help reshape the cities image globally).
Jerusalem is offering NIS 30,000 (or about $8,000) in grant money per employee, with even more benefits to help convince a few companies (and startups) to consider moving towards the nation's capital (note: can you say tax exempt for ten years).
For those of you who have not been following this story, Israel has allowed a 12-year old boy from Iran suffering from glioblastoma multiforme (aka GBM)--a common form of brain cancer--despite the fact that the child is a citizen of a nation whose leader has not been making unkosher speeches regarding his (falsely assumed) future plans about the Jewish state.
(Jerusalem Post) The boy, whose family speaks only a few words of English and who received special permission for entry from the Shin Bet security service, is being treated by Sheba as a "charity case." The hospital has not made payment a precondition for care and does not have information about the parents' professions or financial condition. [...]
Toren told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that tests the unit had conducted since Guy's arrival showed the cancer was in both sides of his brain and had spread to the spinal cord, which did not mean a good prognosis.
"But you never know. Sometimes therapy can suddenly improve the quality of life," he said.
This is not the first time Israel has reached out to help out kids from unfriendly nations (although it is a first for Iran).
Whether or not this helps bring a about a new relationship between Israel and Iran only time will tell.
Either way, be sure to keep this kid in your prayers, as well as the family and the doctors treating him. You can click on the image below in order to watch the video.
Anyone who has ever suffered a severe stroke (or have friends or family who have or may have in the future) may have heard of a type of substance called anticoagulants which basically prevents the blood from clotting within blood vessels (a very bad thing if one is not cut or bruised).
While anticoagulants can help prevent random clots from forming (especially during surgery), they also have the side effect of "keeping the blood flowing," which could increase the overall risk of bleeding complications.
(Israel 21st Century) The device, called ActiveCare+SFT (Synchronized Flow Technology), combines a mobile unit with calf and foot compression sleeves that can be easily wrapped around the patient's leg or foot during and after surgery. [...]
The unit identifies a patient's venous blood flow pulses and synchronizes itself to these natural rhythms. It compresses the limb sleeves, automatically applying the correct pressure and inflation rate.
According to Dr. Jacob Barak, the company co-founder and chief scientist, this gentle pressure delivers an optimal hemodynamic profile tailored to the patient's specific physiology. "Its higher blood flow speed, compact size, and the fact that it can be worn 24/7 give it a definite advantage over comparable products," he tells ISRAEL21c. [...]
Barak says the device's unprecedented mobility has resulted in a dramatic 50 percent increase in patient compliance compared to standard IPC (intermittent pneumatic compression) systems, which have poor compliance rates among patients, particularly those who start to walk, but are not yet fully mobile. Using MCS's device, patient compliance is actually monitored on the LCD screen, providing feedback for caregivers, physicians and patients themselves.
MCS's ActiveCare device is already attracting the attention of some medical clinics in the US, with a few according to Israel 21st Century deciding to replace anticoagulants with ActiveCare+SFT entirely!
MCS's device has already received FDA approval which means that American doctors can contact the company directly for immediate use of ActiveCare+SFT (instead of having to wait many moons or ask their European friends for information regarding this medical device).
For all of those who have ever broken a bone or sprained an arm/leg/foot, one thing that is quite annoying is seeing your muscles wither away after months of non-use because they sat in a hard, itchy cast.
While the only (current) method of dealing with this is to simply exercise ones muscles in therapy, an Israeli company called StimuHeal has come up with a unique way to stimulate those muscles without endangering your fragile bones.
(Israel 21st Century) An Israeli company believes it has the ultimate solution to keep your muscles strong, even when you are immobilized, and your bones broken. The six-year-old company StimuHeal has invented an electrical stimulation device - the MyoSpare - that sits under your cast, stimulating your muscles to stay strong, even when your biggest workout is switching the channels on the remote control. [...]
Using existing equipment on the market, StimuHeal identified the technical and clinical limitations of activating the muscles underneath casts using Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), a well-recognized tool in the American healthcare system.
If electrodes were to be inserted under the cast, the company recognized, prolonged sweating would be a problem. They also had to develop the perfect stimulation regime so the lactic acid and CO2 wouldn't build up in the muscles, causing pain and discomfort. StimuHeal solved this by developing a microprocessor that calculates a cycle for the muscles to rest.
StimuHeal plans on selling Myospare for about $300 USD (once approved), which may make it attractive towards the sporting industry (who is always trying to find ways to help star players heal faster after an injury).
MyoSpare is currently available in both Israel and Europe, although it is still awaiting FDA approval in the US (perhaps StimuHeal's biggest potential market).
(Israel 21st Century) Starting after Ramadan and the Jewish New Year, a group of Palestinian and Israeli women will be meeting face to face in Jerusalem. Not for political reasons, not to cast blame on who's right or wrong in the Middle East conflict - these women will be focusing on their waistline, and sharing a simple and common desire to lose weight. [...]
"Before, the only Israelis I knew were soldiers at checkpoints, I thought they were all brutal," Palestinian student Enas Smoom told news service Reuters: "But in the group, we forget we are Israelis and Palestinians - we are just women talking about nutrition."
Since the film was released, the concept has grown wider into a community project, funded until next year by UK charity, The Charities Advisory Trust, with four different groups of women having met over the last year in Jerusalem: "We have some women who are overweight and ones who just want to be healthier," Luttwak tells ISRAEL21c.
We need to see more of this. While is always good to see scientists or film makers cooperating from both Israel and Palestine, it is even more encouraging to see ordinary people coming together--even if they only agree on a few things (as it beats exchanging rocket fire with each other).
Exit Question: So, does anyone have any great ideas on how to get a bunch of guys together? I was thinking Rugby. ;-)
Depending on who you talk to, if you mention the phrase "fish farm" you will usually get three reactions--smiles and drooling, an ugly rebuke (note: they are probably an environmentalist) or a shrug on the shoulders (they have no clue what you are talking about).
While fish farming helps satisfy the craving for sea food, it does have its darker side with many critics slamming the practice of caging fish in small areas with little current (or momentum) in the water, causing many fish to die from outbreaks--forcing companies to use drugs to keep them alive (which makes them unattractive to us humans).
In order to help satisfy the corporations, environmentalists and the fish loving masses, one company called Subflex has found a unique way to raise fish en masse without compromising their overall health.
(Israel 21st Century) Unlike moored competing systems made of more rigid materials, the Subflex system is allowed to "roam" from its mooring point in any direction necessary, reducing stress on the cages and enabling natural diffusion of fish waste into the open sea. And, because of its modular nature, new cages can easily be added to a Subflex system to expand capacity when necessary.
One of the biggest problems with deploying a deepwater fish farm is the potential for inclement - even wild - weather that buffets the cages about, with the fish bumping into and damaging each other, causing wear and tear on the cages from the heavy waves, and, with enough stress, possibly causing the whole thing could come apart.
But the Subflex system has that covered, too, says Shapira. "When bad weather arrives, the crew can submerge the whole setup as far as necessary - up to 200 meters - thus keeping the fish out of reach of the heavy waves and winds." Close to the surface, Shapira says, the Subflex system has proven to be stable in surf of up to four meters - "but if necessary, the option exists to drop the cages, and raise them back up after the storm passes."
Subflex has already begun implementing their system for Royal Fish, who (according to Israel 21st Century) noticed that their fish were much tastier than usual, allowing them to charge premium prices (as the fish were in higher demand).
Hopefully Subflex's can export their methods internationally, as this could help not only help meet our planet's ever growing population demand for sea food, but allow us to eat healthier as well.
Often known as the green stuff that occasionally shows up on beaches, seaweed is quickly gaining a reputation beyond the stuff that's included within ice cream.
It looks as if researchers from the Ben Gurion University have discovered an innovative way to use seaweed gel to help patients recover after a serious heart attack.
(Telegraph) Researchers at Israel's Ben Gurion University developed the gel, codenamed BL-1040, which helps to repair heart tissue after it is damaged in a heart attack.
After an attack scar tissue forms which tends to be thinner and weaker than the original. The left ventricle also becomes dangerously enlarged. Consequently the heart has to work harder to function, which can trigger future heart failure.
The gel - derived from an ordinary type of brown seaweed - helps aid regrowth, thickening the tissue and so lessening the risk of a further heart attack.
Tests conducted thus far are promising, with live testing (via humans) being carried out in Germany, Belgium and Israel (of course ;-)).
Israel is already using seaweed for biofuel, which could make this "oceanic grass" invaluable over the next few years.
Perhaps one of the most abundant organisms on our planet, bacteria serve a useful role in helping keep all of us alive. Unfortunately there are a "few" out there who attempt to kill us, promoting many doctors to issue antibiotics in an attempt to fight off some of the more deadly species.
While this generally works for most of the tiny creatures, some bacteria seem to have found a way to fend off being destoyed by slowing down their metabolism. Fortunately for us, an Israeli scientist may have found a way to kill off these pests as well.
(Israel Ministry of Foreign Affiars) Although antibiotics are the preferred treatment against bacterial infection and disease, it has become apparent that some diseases can't be treated simply by administering antibiotics. Sub-populations of some bacteria can avoid the lethal antibiotics by decreasing their metabolism, remaining dormant for days and waiting for the right opportunity to strike again.
Researchers at the Hebrew University studied these dormant bacteria and found two new ways to kill them: either by subjecting the bacteria to a fresh dose of nutrients together with the antibiotic treatment, or by infecting those dormant bacteria with phages, namely viruses that attack bacteria. In both cases the survival of these dormant bacteria was significantly reduced.
While the idea of using phages may make some people nervous (as the word 'virus' usually doesn't bring up thoghts of joy), tempting these harmful bacteria with "sweetened poison" could allow us to finally exterminate these tiny pests, saving doctors as well as patients both time and money (at least for the patient that is).
Hips, like many body parts come in pairs. Unfortunately if one of your hips is injured, your life quickly slows down to a "crawl," with surgery being the usual remedy towards fixing your hips.
While reconstructive hip surgery has come a long ways since they were first pioneered by John Charnley, they may not be too healthy for patients in the long run (note: pun not intended), due to the extra wear and tear upon the surrounding bones.
Fortunately it seems as if a company called Active Implants has developed a unique way of helping both the elderly and the marathon runner protect their injured hips--without causing more damage to their neighboring bones.
(Israel 21st Century) Active Implants' TriboFit Buffer is a pliable, resilient cap that fits snuggly in the socket in the hipbone that connects with the head of the femur to form the hip joint.
Made of a soft, pliable polycarbonate-urethane material invented only in the mid 1990s and already used successfully for cardiac surgery, it provides the same elasticity and cushioning as human cartilage. In addition it mimics the stress distribution functions of a healthy joint, and induces lubrication. [...]
"A healthy hip joint comes with a shock absorber, a layer of cartilage and fluid, that helps to buffer the impact of significant loads and to establish normal stress distribution," Stephen Bradshaw, president and CEO of Active Implants tells ISRAEL21c "With optimum lubrication, you can essentially eliminate wear."
Even though Active Implants technology has yet to clear FDA approval, their product is already attracting attention from investors (according to Israel 21st Century).
With the growing population of humanity entering into their golden years (translation: old age) or becoming more active in high risk sports, we may see Active Implants product become more widespread--at least throughout the western world.
