Israel Active

The normally anti-Israel BBC has discovered Israel’s Genetika+ (see previously) which is developing a precision tool that uses Artificial Intelligence to determine if a particular antidepressant will work for an individual.

April is Stress Awareness Month in both the USA and UK, Israeli-US startup myAir has marked it by launching its stressless routine smart food platform. It includes 24/7 personal support from an AI-based nutrition coach to supplement its nutrition bars (see previously).

An Israeli-led study of 105 adults with social anxiety disorder used therapy based on eye-tracking, combined with a musical reward. The “gaze-contingent music reward therapy” (GC-MRT) was just as successful (50%) as the standard psychiatric medicine.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers have discovered that a thin coating of natural, sustainable, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) applied to human skin, decreases the number of mosquito bites by 80%. In combination with the naturally occurring amino acid Indole, it is over 99% effective.  

Israel’s Alpha Tau Medical (see previously) has used its Alpha DaRT radiation therapy to treat its first patient with advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer. The Montreal trial will treat 30 patients with Stage II, III, or IV pancreatic cancer or an inoperable pancreatic tumor.

Tel Aviv University researchers have found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is more effective than medication in reducing fibromyalgia pain caused by a traumatic head injury. 40% of the HBOT group were cured of fibromyalgia, compared to none receiving standard medication.

Doctors at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya implanted a cardiac pacemaker in Rachel Kafri who was born in Tel Aviv under the British Mandate 102 years ago. Rachel said. “I have been through so much in my life, but I am probably not ready to say goodbye to the world yet.”

On a flight from Tel Aviv to Chicago? - of course there is! A pediatric doctor from Jerusalem’s Hadassah hospital, and a United Hatzalah EMT, treated a 60-year-old man who fainted and fell over. Then they were called to stabilize a woman suffering from dehydration. All in a day’s work!

Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Haitham Amal has received a $400k grant from the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation to develop treatments based on his nitric oxide research for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Amal is the first researcher outside the US to be awarded the grant.

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion has announced that the German company BioNTech intends to open a factory in Jerusalem where mRNA vaccines will be developed and produced. BioNTech partnered Pfizer in developing its mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine.