Prof. Yonina Eldar’s lab at the Technion Faculty of Electrical Engineering is developing a minute and efficient innovative ultrasound system that transmits scans to the treating physician immediately. With such a system, ultrasound scans can be performed in disaster areas, in the case of road accidents in developing countries with limited medical infrastructure, and the team at the site can be given medical instructions based on the findings.
Prof. Yonina Eldar’s lab at the Technion Faculty of Electrical Engineering has developed a new approach to ultrasound examinations. The lab has developed an advanced probe that eliminates the need for the large ultrasound devices that we know from clinics and hospitals. The probe acquires only the relevant data, which is transmitted to a remote processing unit or cloud. The resulting image is then transferred to the treating physician’s smartphone (or tablet). Dr. Shai Tejman-Yarden, a cardiologist at Sheba Medical Center, explains that in the case of injuries, for example, “The development will provide a doctor who is not at the scene with information in real time, enabling him to instruct the paramedic at the scene. This development will also enable remote treatment for patients in developing countries, under the guidance of Israeli doctors.”
2.Cardiologist Dr. Shai Tejman-Yarden demonstrating the use of the system on student Regev Cohen
Ultrasound imaging is one of the world’s most common medical tests. Its advantages: it is non-invasive, does not involve exposure to ionizing radiation, is risk-free and relatively inexpensive. Ultrasound is based on high-frequency sound waves that we cannot hear. During the examination, a probe that transmits sound waves is placed against the patient’s body, and an image of the organs being scanned is created based on the pattern of the waves reflected back to the probe. This technology is used in a wide variety of important medical tests: assessing the condition of the fetus in utero, examining the baby’s brain through the fontanel (the gap between the bones of the skull), diagnosing conditions of the internal organs, evaluating blood flow, diagnosing thyroid problems, cardiac examinations, detecting tumors and infections, and more.
At present, ultrasound examinations are performed at clinics and hospitals using a probe connected to a large, cumbersome and expensive ultrasound device. The results of the scan are collected in the computer and interpreted by a radiologist, who sends the diagnosis to the patient’s doctor (generally the family doctor). This process takes several days, which could be critical in some cases.
Prof. Yonina Eldar (right) and students Tanya Chernyakova and Regev Cohen
Uploading the scan results to a cloud and enabling the patient’s doctor to view the findings on his mobile device could save time, but until now this has been avoided due to the large quantity of data acquired in each ultrasound scan. In addition, because of the device’s high data acquisition rate, the probe must be connected to it by means of a thick, heavy cable.
The good news is that the SAMPL Lab at the Technion Faculty of Electrical Engineering, headed by Prof. Yonina Eldar, has developed a system that dramatically changes the nature of ultrasound examinations. First, with the new algorithm developed at the lab, the data can be reduced at the initial scanning stage, so that it can be uploaded to a cloud without harming image quality and without loss of data on the way. Second, the innovative probe developed at the lab eliminates the need for the large ultrasound devices currently used at most clinics.
Prof. Yonina Eldar’s lab is dedicated mainly to developing innovative data processing methods using only a small portion of the data sampled. Reducing the quantity of data sampled has very dramatic positive implications: shortening the data acquisition and processing time, miniaturizing the systems and accelerating their operation, reducing power consumption and saving money. The idea here is of course finding ways to reconstruct the preliminary data even though it is not transferred in full in this process. This is what the researchers at the lab are working on, and now, as stated, they have recorded a dramatic achievement in the field of ultrasound imaging.
Technion scientists uncover an unknown mechanism in living cells: concealment as a means for genetic suppression. The follow-up study to employ novel DNA printing technology in order to decipher “genomic syntax”
According to the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications, Assistant Professor Roee Amit, a faculty member at Technion’s Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Engineering, discovered a new concept in cell activity: concealment as a means for genetic suppression.
Asst. Prof. Roee Amit
Genetic suppression is a biological term referring to the repression of genetic activity by the cell. Through direct protein function, living cells know how to activate genes through a process known as gene regulation, and to “turn them off” or suppress them through a process known as repression.
A recent study, headed by Asst. Prof. Roee Amit, discovered that the cell has other ways by which to repress a gene: using a physical concealment, that is, through a protein that prevents the interaction between the gene and the factor attempting to activate it. “The concealing protein can be thought of as a tall man sitting in front of you in the cinema. Another analogy is that of a solar eclipse. In fact, this can be described as a kind of ‘genetic eclipse’ where some proteins settle on a DNA segment at a point on the gene which conceals the factor that is supposed to activate it, effectively suppressing the gene.”
Amit’s hypothesis was tested in three ways through the employment of numerical simulations, synthetic biology and bioinformatics. In other words, the model was verified through simulation and analysis of actual genetic segments. “We verified this model through experimentations conducted on 300 synthetic regulatory sequences in bacteria, and it lead us to establish this new concept. We now believe that this mechanism evolved as an effective mechanism for genetic silencing.”
The new concept will be examined in depth through an extensive research framework to be led by Asst. Prof. Amit. The new study, which will be supported by a €4 million grant from the FET Open program through Horizon 2020 by the European Commission, will include five research groups working together to decipher the principle regulatory codes of bacteria, yeast, mammalian cells and flies. “The regulatory code is a type of programming language through which the genome is able to control gene expression in terms of location, timing and intensity. The study will make use of innovative DNA printing technologies in order to rewrite the code and examine the output of synthetic applications in living cells.” The researchers hope to decipher the genomic syntax of living cells by writing tens of thousands of synthetic control sequences.
Near-death experience gives rise to idea for divers’ distress bracelet; concept takes top prize in 3-Day Startup (3DS) entrepreneurship contest
Omer Arad, a student in the Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, was on a routine dive when he had one of the most terrifying experiences of his life.
“More than 80 feet below sea level, a malfunction prevented the airflow from the tank to the regulator in my mouth,” said Arad. “In an instant one of my favorite hobbies turned into a genuine nightmare. I tried to signal my buddy, but he was far away and wasn’t looking in my direction. Luckily, I came out of it alive.”
BLU 1 – the distress bracelet developed by team
The experience led Arad to conceptualize a wearable panic bracelet that lets the diver call his partner even when there is no eye contact between them. The idea earned his team first place at this year’s “3-Day Startup (3DS)” competition, held at the Technion, and organized by the university’s Bronica Entrepreneurship Center.
Dubbed “BLU,” the wearable distress bracelet would be sold in pairs, to be worn by the diver and his diving buddy. A simple press of a button immediately transmits a distress signal – via light and vibration – to the other diver.
“Our mission was to make the diving world safer,” said Arad. “Hundreds of divers die in diving accidents every year, and the currently available solutions for transmitting a distress signal are inadequate, very expensive and designed for professional divers.”
Other members of the BLU team were Aviv Tahar and Oz Meir from the Technion; Manik Arora and Bernadette Che, from Johns Hopkins University; Orit Dolev, a graduate of Shenkar College of Engineering and Design.
This year’s 3DS competition included 45 students from various faculties, selected through a rigorous screening process. Divided into nine teams (“startups”), the students worked with mentors from industry – venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, marketing and business development professionals – and each team presented their concept to a panel of professional investors from leading venture capital funds, including Glilot Capital, AfterDox and the Alon Incubator. The first- and second-place teams earned entries to BizTEC, the Technion’s renowned national student entrepreneurship competition.
Mortimer B. Zuckerman Announces Transformative Program to Support Future Generations of American & Israeli Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fields
Unveiled at VIP event in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks, attended by Nobel Prize Laureates, leaders from business, technology, politics, academia and the arts, Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will be a game-changer for scientific collaboration between the United States and Israel.
Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program intends to provide over $100 million in scholarships and related educational activities to benefit participating scholars and universities
New York, NY–January 25, 2016–American business leader and philanthropist Mortimer Zuckerman announced today the launch of the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program, a transformative initiative designed to support future generations of leaders in science, technology, engineering and math in the United States and Israel and over time, foster greater collaboration between two of the world’s most advanced scientific research centers.
The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will give the highest-achieving American post-doctoral researchers and graduate students the ability to collaborate with leading researchers at Israel’s top research institutions—Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology; Tel Aviv University; and the Weizmann Institute of Science—which are among the world’s most advanced.
By providing American graduate students and post-doctoral researchers with exposure to Israel’s renowned cutting-edge research and startup culture, the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will raise a generation of academic, scientific and industry leaders in the United States infused with a unique spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.
The program will simultaneously bolster Israeli research institutions as world-leading centers for cutting edge research by providing Israeli institutions access to large-scale funding needed to develop top-tier research labs, projects and programs.
The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will, over time, help strengthen the US-Israel partnership as Zuckerman Scholars return to the United States after building long-lasting relationships based in mutual collaboration. Israeli academic leaders returning to research institutions in Israel will similarly advance the overarching collaborative effort in science between the two nations as they continue to build bridges with their American colleagues.
“At a time when collaboration is essential to advanced scientific research, this program gives the next generations of leading American and Israeli academics the ability to work together on cutting edge research in ways that stand to benefit their fields for years to come,” said Mr. Zuckerman. “The result will help transform not just the work of the scholars involved, but the way the United States and Israel approach collaboration and cooperation across the sciences.”
“Mort’s friendship is demonstrated yet again through this important initiative. Together with the Technion, The Weizmann Institute, The Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, this project will help bring back home some of Israel’s most brilliant sons and daughters, allow them to advance their own careers here and in so doing contribute to Israel’s growing scientific excellence. It will also enable some of America’s brightest young scientists to conduct their research in Israel,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“New York and Israel share a deep and unparalleled connection – and the Zuckerman Scholars Program is a prime example of how we can keep that relationship strong today and in the future,” said Governor Cuomo. “By helping some of America’s best and brightest students work and learn alongside leading researchers in Israel, this program gives us a new model for cooperation and partnership that will ultimately better society as a whole. This is a great way to strengthen the bond between Israel and the Empire State, and I applaud Mort Zuckerman for launching this program today.”
The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program will be supported by funding from Mr. Zuckerman’s foundation to inaugurate the program and ensure that the first class of Zuckerman Scholars will begin with the 2016–2017 academic year. The foundation’s long-term intent is to ensure that the Zuckerman Scholars and the program’s related educational activities continue in perpetuity. In the next twenty years alone, the program intends to provide over $100 million in scholarships and related educational activities that will benefit not only the participating scholars and universities, but the general public as well.
Additional information on the program, including how to apply, is available through the program’s website at http://zuckerman-scholars.org
International leaders in science, academia, politics, diplomacy, culture and arts have also expressed their support for the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program:
NOBEL PRIZE LAUREATES
“It is both a pleasure and an honor to join in celebrating the creation of the Zuckerman Scholars Program supporting an American-Israeli Program in science and mathematics,” said Nobel Prize Laureate, Dr. Richard Axel. “This Program embodies what the world truly needs, the freedom to pursue knowledge. Indeed, freedom of inquiry at times of global discord can be fragile and our society depends upon its universities to provide a dialogue. The Zuckerman Scholars Program will nurture a free and open dialogue between young scholars from the two nations in the pursuit of new ideas.”
“Collaboration and cooperation are as essential to modern science as the tools we use,” said Nobel Prize Laureate, Dr. Eric Kandel. “The Zuckerman Scholars Program, with its focus on international collaboration, will allow researchers from the very best research institutions in the world to join forces in carrying out the most imaginative, bold and forward-thinking research collaborations.”
“This program will give leading young scientists from the US a chance to take their research to the next level by giving them access to some of the world’s most advanced laboratories, cutting edge projects and brilliant scientists in Israel,” said Nobel Prize Laureate, Distinguished Professor Aaron Ciechanover. “It’s an incredibly exciting moment for scientific research in both countries.”
“The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program is aimed at providing an excellent response to key issues in concurrent science, as it will open new collaborating paths between American and Israeli young researchers attempting to shed light on basic issues in modern science. It is expected to put strong foundations for the creation of a community based on unique scientific interactions between leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, emphasizing freedom of minds and courage in scientific attitude, essential to progress concurrent science to higher levels of excellence. Naturally, I feel extremely honored and privileged to participate in the celebration of the creation of the Zuckerman Scholars,” said Nobel Prize Laureate, Professor Ada E. Yonath.
POLITICS & DIPLOMACY
“The bonds of friendship between Israel and America are broad and deep, and today — through his support for the Zuckerman Scholars Program in STEM Leadership — Mort is weaving yet another vital thread in that relationship,” said U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer. “Mort Zuckerman understands that developing the minds of the next generation in fields like science, technology, engineering and math will serve only to advance knowledge, prosperity and friendship in both America and Israel. I congratulate Mr. Zuckerman on the launch of such a groundbreaking and important program.”
“The Zuckerman Scholars Program will help foster collaboration among leading academics and researchers from the United States and Israel in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math,” said Senator Kristen Gillibrand. “This exciting program will work to advance United States-Israeli cooperation in scientific research and innovation at the highest levels for years to come.”
BUSINESS & INNOVATION
“I applaud the creation of the Zuckerman Scholars Program,” said Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman and Former CEO of Google. “This significant gift will increase innovation in research and development across all STEM categories. In addition, the personal connections that result from this collaboration will advance development in-progress and expand the reach of the research globally, benefiting all of us.”
“Zuckerman Scholars will reinforce and expand relationships between New York and Israel,” said Kathryn Wylde, President & CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “The program will match the resources of our city’s thriving innovation economy and great research institutions with those of the ‘start-up nation,’ yielding tremendous benefits for both.”
RESEARCH, SCIENCE & ACADEMIA
“Mort Zuckerman has been a crucial supporter of scientific and medical research for decades,” said President of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Dr. Craig Thompson. “With this program, he’s creating more than just a funding project but a framework for helping develop the brightest young researchers into the leading scientific minds of the next generation.”
“Expanding opportunities for talented researchers to collaborate with one another will lead to discovery and innovation that can shape the lives of people around the world,” said Drew Faust, President, Harvard University. “The Zuckerman Scholars Program is a boon for the global academic community-and a gift to humanity at a time of great possibility for scientific achievement.”
“When talented researchers collaborate across institutions, borders, and disciplines, the result is exponentially beneficial to all of us,” said John Sexton, President Emeritus of New York University. “This program is grounded in that premise and offers a model for successful international academic partnerships.”
“Science is the only language with no borders or limits; it belongs to all. The new Zuckerman initiative will strengthen connections between two important academic communities, North America and Israel, at a critical juncture – that where a new generation of scientists begin their careers, who will develop with roots firmly planted in the best institutions in both regions and will continue throughout their careers as catalysts for collaboration, enriching both Israeli and North American science and advancing knowledge for the benefit of humanity,” said Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson, President of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
“At Columbia we know first-hand the breadth of Mort Zuckerman’s intellectual and civic vision through his generous support for a community of great scholars on our campus exploring the fundamental workings of mind, brain and behavior,” said Columbia University President, Lee C. Bollinger. “We admire him all the more for his pioneering new commitment to future generations of leaders across the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics working in partnership with our great peer institutions in Israel. And we’re especially proud that he has enlisted our Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientists among those helping him guide the Zuckerman Scholars.”
“We thank Mort Zuckerman for his bold new vision empowering graduates of this program to become leaders in their respective fields while serving as role models for future candidates to join the program. The best research is collaborative in nature, and in order to be the trailblazers in rapidly changing fields, it is vital to maintain strong networks with scholars abroad, particularly those in North America. The new program will not only help improving scientific research at its highest level, but will also serve as a new and important pillar supporting the foundation on which the ties between Israel and the United States will continue to prosper,” said Prof. Peretz Lavie, President of Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.
“We are pleased and grateful to have Mort Zuckerman as a partner in advancing two top national priorities in Israel — reversing brain drain and deepening the Israeli-American friendship. With the help of this new fund, Israel and the United States will forge a shared tomorrow of scientific and technological excellence,” said Prof. Joseph Klafter, President of Tel Aviv University.
“The Zuckerman Leadership Program is truly visionary in that it will create important links between North American and Israeli science by investing in new scientists at key moments in their careers—the postdoc years—as they establish their global network and begin their research careers. In a terrific synergy, Israeli science and these visiting scientists will nourish one another, and in the process strengthen Israel’s role as a world hub of science and technology. We expect that the relationships that will be built within this framework will generate life-long collaborations that will advance many areas of science. The Weizmann Institute of Science, a world leader in basic research, is looking forward to this new partnership and we are deeply grateful for the friendship and support of Mr. Mort Zuckerman. We look forward to witnessing the success of this program in the years to come, and the great science that will spring forth from it,” says Prof. Daniel Zajfman, President of the Weizmann Institute of Science.
“With this program, Mort Zuckerman is once again demonstrating that the path to progress, peace and prosperity lies in bringing together the great minds to tackle the most difficult problems” said Alan Dershowitz, Professor Emeritus Harvard Law School. “The Zuckerman Scholars Program will be a boon not just to Israeli-American academic partnership but to innumerable scientific fields and the millions of people around the world who will benefit from their discoveries and advances. “The program is also a welcome affirmation of the spirit of openness, excellence and tolerance that Israeli universities and research institutions embody.”
The Zuckerman Scholars Program will initiate with the two main tracks: (1) the Postdoctoral Scholars Program, which is open to highest-achieving postdoctoral researchers from the United States to pursue research at leading Israeli research institutions; and (2) Zuckerman Faculty Scholars, which is designed to support Israeli academic leaders by fostering world-class labs, programs and projects at the Israeli institutions.
Mechanical Stimulation of Cardiac Cells Could Make Better Pacemakers
Discovered importance of mechanical communication could drive development of new therapies for cardiovascular diseases
Schematic representation of the experimental setup: a mechanical device generates periodic mechanical deformations in the underlying substrate. The amplitude and direction of the mechanical deformations mimic those generated by a beating cardiac cell
In a breakthrough that could change the future of pacemakers, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology researchers have used mechanical stimulation to “train” cardiac cells to beat at a given rate.
The team’s findings, published this week in Nature Physics, also demonstrate for the first time that direct physical contact with the cardiac cells is not required to synchronize their beating.
As long as the cardiac cells are in the tissue being mechanically stimulated, they are trained by the stimulation, with long-lasting effects that persist even after it is stopped.
“Cell-cell communication is essential for growth, development and function,” explains, Assistant Professor Shelly Tzlil, of the Technion Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
“We have shown that cells are able to communicate with each other mechanically by responding to deformations created by their neighbors. The range of mechanical communication is greater than that of electrical and chemical interactions. Another significant discovery is that the duration of cell pacing is greater when the stimulus is mechanical, indicating that mechanical communication induces long-term alterations
The stimulation was applied by an artificial “mechanical cell,” consisting of a tiny probe (with a 0.0025 cm tip diameter) that generated (via cyclical indenting and pulling) periodic deformations in the underlying substrate (cardiac tissue). The deformations mimicked those generated by a beating cardiac cell that was also in the tissue. After a brief 10-minute training period, the cardiac cell synchronized its beating rate with the mechanical cell. Furthermore, the cardiac cell maintained the induced beating rate for more than one hour after mechanical stimulation was stopped.
“In this study, we show that an isolated cardiac cell can be trained to beat at a given frequency by mechanically stimulating the underlying substrate,” says Tzlil. “Mechanical communication plays an important role in cardiac physiology, and is essential for converting electrical pacing into synchronized beating. Impaired mechanical communication will lead to arrhythmias even when electrical conduction is working properly. The medical implication is that adding mechanical elements to electrical pacemakers will significantly improve their efficiency.”
Synchronized beating of mechanically-coupled cardiac cells: time-lapse imaging of a pair of beating cardiac cells on a 3.8kPa substrate. Phase contrast (left) and calcium imaging (right). The scale bar is 20 microns.
Pair of cells: Mechanical deformations generated in the substrate by synchronized beating of mechanically coupled cardiac cells: Time-lapse imaging of the deformation field generated by a pair of beating cardiac cells on a 3.8kPa substrate. Mechanical deformations are detected by following movements of fluorescent beads embedded in the gel.
Innovative imaging technology developed at Technion’s Dept. of Biomedical Engineering captures fine, high quality optical images of retinal structures in vivo. The system, which can be easily integrated into any existing two-photon microscope without requiring adaptive corrections, could potentially be transformative for retina research.
Prof. Shy Shoham, Technion
The recent innovation, described in a new publication in Nature Publishing‘s journal Light: Science & Applications, enables non-invasive two-photon imaging of mouse retinas in vivo, and could therefore potentially transform eye research and our understanding of the mechanisms that underlie retinal physiology. The study describes an optical system based on add-on optics that can be easily integrated into essentially any existing two-photon microscope, and includes an electronically tunable lens for motionless scanning of the depth dimension. The system’s simplicity effectively opens up a new range of potential applications for two-photon excitation microscopy – an advanced fluorescence imaging technique already installed today in numerous laboratories. This new imaging technology was developed at the Neural Interface Engineering Laboratory in the Technion’s Faculty of Biomedical Engineering by doctoral student Adi Schejter Bar-Noam, the laboratory head, Prof. Shy Shoham, and research associate Dr. Nairouz Farah.
Two-photon microscopy provides fluorescence imaging with sub-cellular resolution, contributing to the understanding of cells and multicellular structures in biological tissues. The key advantage of this approach is its ability to penetrate relatively deeply into tissues, creating three-dimensional images consisting of a series of two-dimensional cross-sections; this is what turned it in the last two decades into a principal tool in studies focusing on the structure and operation of the brain and nervous system. However, to date, it was not harnessed for in vivo retinal imaging due to focusing constraints arising from the combination of common two-photon imaging lenses and the optics of the mouse eye.
Now, thanks to this novel imaging technology, it is possible to visualize entire regions in the retina, including blood vessels, nerve cells and more – at high resolutions and non-invasively. Since the system uses near-infrared (NIR) light-based two-photon excitation, the microscopic examination does not strongly impact the behavior of the imaged retina and allows it to “see” almost normally during imaging. The researchers used this in order to directly measure in vivo natural neural responses to flashes of light for the first time.
Doctoral student Adi Schejter Bar-Noam
“Our motivation in developing this new technology was for research purposes – to improve the methods available to us as scientists,” explains Schejter Bar-Noam who developed the system. “Perhaps in the future, the new system will accommodate the development of translational vision applications, although our current study was limited to researching the retina and its neurons. The system provides an advanced in vivo microscopic image of the living retina without causing it any damage; we confirmed that prolonged use of the system did not cause any damage to the examined retina.”
“The broader context of our work is Optogenetics,” adds Prof. Shy Shoham, “a scientific area that has flourished over the past decade and allows us to study neurons over time using fluorescent proteins, or to use light-sensitive proteins to activate cells. The new system allows us to make use of the two-photon microscope in both aspects, that is, in the imaging of retinal neurons or for cellular activation by light. Indeed, the extended design process demonstrated its effectiveness for imaging nerve cells and blood vessel.”
The research was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), and by a generous donation by the Cohen-CTS fund.
3D imaging of blood vessels around the optic nerve in the retina. This is a 3D reconstruction of a few “cuts” in the retina depth. The blood vessels were colored with Fluorescein. The length of the white line is 100 micron
Researchers Find Link Between Processed Foods and Autoimmune Diseases
NEW YORK and HAIFA, ISRAEL (January,3rd 2016) – In today’s hustle and bustle world, processed foods are common time-savers. But that convenience factor may come with a bigger price than previously known, says an international team of researchers. In findings published recently in Autoimmune Reviews, researchers from Israel and Germany present evidence that processed foods weaken the intestine’s resistance to bacteria, toxins and other hostile nutritional and not nutritional elements, which in turn increases the likelihood of developing autoimmune diseases.
Professor Aaron Lerner, of the Technion Faculty of Medicine
The study was led by Professor Aaron Lerner, of the Technion Faculty of Medicine and Carmel Medical Center, Haifa and Dr. Torsten Matthias of the Aesku-Kipp Institute (Germany).
The research team examined the effects of processed food on the intestines, and on the development of autoimmune diseases – conditions in which the body attacks and damages its own tissues. More than 100 such diseases have been identified, including type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune hepatitis, and Crohn’s disease.
“In recent decades there has been a decrease in incidence of infectious diseases, but at the same time there has been an increase in the incidence of allergic diseases, cancer and autoimmune diseases,” said Prof. Lerner. “Since the weight of genetic changes is insignificant in such a short period, the scientific community is searching for the causes at the environmental level.”
In their study, the researchers focused on the dizzying increase in the use of industrial food additives aimed at improving qualities such as taste, smell, texture and shelf life, and found “…a significant circumstantial connection between the increased use of processed foods and the increase in the incidence of autoimmune diseases.”
Many autoimmune diseases stem from damage to the functioning of the tight-junctions that protect the intestinal mucosa. When functioning normally, tight-junctions serve as a barrier against bacteria, toxins, allergens and carcinogens, protecting the immune system from them. Damage to the tight-junctions (also known as “leaky gut”) leads to the development of autoimmune diseases.
The researchers found that at least seven common food additives weaken the tight-junctions: glucose (sugars), sodium (salt), fat solvents (emulsifiers), organic acids, gluten, microbial transglutaminase (a special enzyme that serves as food protein “glue”) and nanometric particles.
“Control and enforcement agencies such as the FDA stringently supervise the pharmaceutical industry, but the food additive market remains unsupervised enough,” said Prof. Lerner. “We hope this study and similar studies increase awareness about the dangers inherent in industrial food additives, and raise awareness about the need for control over them.”
The researchers also advise patients with autoimmune diseases, and those who have a family background of such diseases, to consider avoiding processed foods when possible.
In 2016, 47 years after walking on the moon, astronaut Buzz Aldrin will be present at Technion to participate in the events of the International Space University’s Space Studies Program. Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, recently joined the International Space University as Chancellor.
Aldrin walks on the surface of the Moon during Apollo 11 Photo: NASA
The prestigious ISU course, held for the first time in the Middle East, will also be attended by Rona Ramon and Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Space, Ofir Akunis. Various events open to the public will be held, including a rocket launching competition, discussions on the latest innovations in space and a panel discussion on the Columbia disaster.
Each year, the ISUselects a location around the world to host the annual summer session of its Space Studies Program (SSP). Recent sessions have taken place, amongst others, at the NASA Ames Research Center, Beijing, Melbourne (Florida), and at ETS and HEC in Montreal, Quebec. This year, for the first time, the university has chosen an Israeli institution, and the 2016 summer session (the program’s 29th session) will be held at the Technion between July 12 and September 1, 2016. It will be coordinated by the Asher Space Research Institute, headed by Prof. Pini Gurfil.
“Space is becoming more and more international,” explains John Connolly, senior engineer at NASA and director of the International Space University’s Space Studies Program (SSP). “Missions are bigger and more complex, like the international space station, and require cooperation among agencies and among countries. That’s why the Space University operates in a different location around the world each year, and we are happy to be coming to the Technion this year.”
Around 100 participants will take part in the Space Studies Program to be held this summer at the Technion, along with around 150 space experts from academia and industry, astronauts and directors of space agencies from around the world.
ISU participants are carefully selected, based on the concept that they will be the space leaders of the future. Indeed, many graduates of the International Space University’s program already hold senior positions in the global aerospace industry. The Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology, and Space is offering about 10 fellowships of up to 25,000 NIS for individuals who are interested in participating at ISU this coming summer.
The International Space University 2016 at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
“ISU has a long-standing relationship with Israel in general and Technion in particular,” said ISU President Prof. Walter Peeters, “and many participants of Israel were able, thanks in part to the Ilan Ramon Fund, to attend ISU programs previously. It is therefore a genuine pleasure for ISU to further enhance this relationship and convene the SSP16 session in Haifa. It is evident that there will be considerable interest from other countries to discover more closely the amazing hi-tech achievements and cultural richness of the host site.”
“The Technion is proud to host the 29th annual Space Studies Program (SSP) in Haifa,” said Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie. “The Technion is one of the first universities to launch a satellite and has an active space program. We will ensure that the 29th program will be an exciting event that will allow the participants to experience first-hand Technion scientific achievements, and the beauty and culture of Israel.”
ISU’s prestigious summer courses last two months and will offer participants a unique and comprehensive professional development experience covering all aspects of space programs and enterprises, such as space sciences; space engineering; space policy, economics and law; space management; space applications; and human performance in space. This program targets young and seasoned professionals from all disciplines as well as young university graduates. The group projects allow participants to focus on their field as a team, and produce high quality presentations and reports within a few weeks.
The International Space University
The University, founded in 1987 in Massachusetts, US and now headquartered in Strasbourg, France, is the world’s premier international space education institution. It is supported by major
space agencies and aerospace organizations from around the world. The graduate level programs offered by the ISU are dedicated to promoting international and interdisciplinary cooperation in space activities. ISU offers Master of Science in Space Studies and Master of Science in Space Management programs at its central campus in Strasbourg. Since the summer of 1988, the ISU has also conducted nine-week courses at various host institutions around the globe. These courses are delivered by over 100 ISU faculty members in cooperation with experts from around the world. Since its establishment 25 years ago, the ISU has awarded advanced degrees to more than 3,700 students from over 100 countries.
Being rude to medical teams impairs their professional performance and causes actual harm to patients. This is evident from a study conducted at the Technion and Bnai Zion Medical Center.
Prof. Arik Riskin of the Technion’s Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Bnei Zion Medical Center
Rudeness affects people negatively, even when it comes in small doses. Scorn, contempt and insensitivity not only sadden the individual, but also impair his performance in the aspects of memory, concentration, attention to detail, problem solving and performing various cognitive tasks.
Unfortunately, medical teams are frequently the object of rudeness on the part of patients and their families, as well as their superiors. A new study conducted by Prof. Arik Riskin of the Technion’s Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Bnei Zion Medical Center examines the implications of these incidents.
The study, which was published recently in the journal “Pediatrics”, reveals that rudeness, even when moderate, dramatically impairs the medical staff’s performance. This impairment, whose severity increases in stressful situations, is evident in the quality of treatment, the level of diagnostics and the technical skills of the staff.
Twenty-four medical teams from four neonatal intensive care units participated in the study. They were invited to a training workshop on the subject of team reflexivity as a tool for improving quality of care. The workshop examined a scenario involving the treatment of a premature infant whose condition suddenly deteriorated due to necrotizing enterocolitis. This scenario required the participants to identify and diagnose the deterioration and administer treatment, including CPR. It was explained to them that an expert from the United States would be watching them remotely (via camera) and would occasionally comment and advise them by phone.
During the simulation, half of the teams received comments from a neutral expert who spoke in general terms about the importance of training and practice using simulations. The rest of the teams were severely criticized by rude specialist who didn’t even comment on the specific situation and on their performance, and only vigorously criticized the “poor quality of medicine” in Israel. The simulations were recorded on video and presented to judges who evaluated the teams’ performance in accordance with defined criteria: diagnostic capabilities, performance of actions and procedures, and behaviors pertaining to sharing information and asking for help. The judges obviously did not know the identity of the participants (whose faces were blurred) or the nature of the expert that they were exposed to – whether he was polite or rude.
The analysis of the results revealed clear conclusions. “The teams that were exposed to rudeness displayed lower capabilities in all performance metrics,” says Prof. Riskin. “This study demonstrates that rudeness impairs patient safety, all the more so in neonatal intensive care units and intensive care departments, where the slightest error could cause tremendous damage.”
Prof. Riskin conducted the study under the guidance of Prof. Peter Bamberger from the Tel Aviv University School of Management and in collaboration with Prof. Amir Erez from the University Of Florida Warrington College Of Business Administration.
The conceptual modeling language Object-Process Methodology (OPM), developed by Technion Professor Dov Dori, has been adopted and published by ISO as ISO 19450.
Prof. Dov Dori
Many scientific and technological advancements start as a sketch on a napkin. In the past, inventors continued developing this sketch to get a full-fledged design. Nowadays, engineering design of complex systems, products, and services takes place in the digital sphere and integrates a variety of hardware, software, humans, and regulations. Therefore, there is a growing need for a comprehensive, holistic conceptual design, whose objective is to specify the exact architecture – the structure and behavior of the system – such that it would deliver the expected benefit. To achieve this goal, a growing number of organizations are adopting a model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approach as an initial lifecycle stage, during which a conceptual model of the system, product, or service is created in a formal graphical language.
Over the past two decades, Prof. Dov Dori of the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management at the Technion has been developing Object-Process Methodology (OPM) as a language and method for conceptual modeling of complex systems of any kind, be it artificial or natural. An OPM model expresses both graphically and textually the architecture of the system: Interconnected diagrams at varying levels of detail, from a bird’s eye view to any desired number of “nuts and bolts” views, specify any conceptual and logical aspect of the system. Each graphic expression is translated on the fly to a corresponding textual specification in a plain subset of English. Thanks to its simplicity, OPM serves as a common language for all the system’s stakeholders, who can take part in creating the model from the very early requirements engineering phase. At any stage, the model can be visually simulated to examine the system’s operation and verify that it behaves as expected on its way to becoming an actual product or service.
OPM has been adopted by the International Organization for Standardization, ISO, and on December 7, 2015 it was published as a normative ISO 19450 document at https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:pas:19450:ed-1:v1:en. Approval of this standard, which is the first of its kind to be adopted by ISO, marked the end of a six-year effort by a working group under the auspices of ISO Technical Committee TC184/Sub-Committee SC5, led by Mr. Richard Martin, with active participation of Prof. Dov Dori, Mr. David Shorter, and Dr. Alex Blekhman, whose PhD dissertation under Prof. Dori’s guidance was an offspring this endeavour. The work to prepare ISO 19450 included yearly meetings at various locations around the world, including Tokyo, Paris, Tampa (FL), and Haifa, at the Technion. Even before its official publication, OPM is already being used in newly developed ISO standards, serving as a basis for the new generation of standards, which will be model-based, rather than text-based, enabling their systematic review for completeness and integrity.
A basic premise underlying OPM is that one can build a model of any system in any domain and at any level of complexity with the most minimal set of building blocks: stateful objects (objects with states) and processes that create or consume objects, or change their states. Over the last decade, Technion students at the Enterprise Systems Modeling Laboratory developed OPCAT (Object-Process CASE Tool)—a software package that is available freely from the Lab’s website http://esml.iem.technion.ac.il/ and translates the user’s graphic input into simple English in real time. This enables quick model development jointly by the customer and the system architects and engineers, and reliable verification of the model as it is being created.
Professors Orna Grumberg and Assaf Schuster of the Faculty of Computer Science have been recognized as Fellows by the ACM – the world’s largest computing machinery association
Professor Orna Grumberg
The ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), the largest and most important computing society, has announced the addition of 42 scientists from around the world to its ranks as new fellows, including Professors Orna Grumberg and Assaf Schuster of the Technion Faculty of Computer Science. The Fellows Program of the global computing society was founded in order to recognize outstanding contributions by leaders in the computing world.
Prof. Orna Grumberg conducts research on theory and verification of computer hardware and software (Computer Aided Verification – CAV), for automatic testing of complex systems. She is one of the three authors of Model Checking – a book considered the bible of Computer Aided Verification. She has been a member of the European Academy of Sciences since October 2013.
Prof. Assaf Schuster
Prof. Assaf Schusterresearches parallel, decentralized, cloud-based computing and scalability of calculations. Professor Schuster said, “My significant focus is Big Data processing, particularly of data streams in real time, even if they arrive in a geographically dispersed fashion. Examples of such systems can be found in sensor networks, monitoring large/decentralized computer networks, and detection and prevention of computer network vulnerabilities.
“This is an impressive achievement, and our pride is twofold when two faculty members are named ACM Fellows. We admire them and wish them much success in their future endeavors,” said Professor Irad Yavneh, Dean of the Technion Faculty of Computer Science.
Professors Schuster and Grumberg are two out of three Israelis who were recognized this year by the ACM. The third Israeli, Prof. Mooly Sagiv of Tel Aviv University, is a graduate of the Technion Faculty of Computer Science, where he also earned his doctorate.
Photo (right to left) Liz Leibovitz, architect Moshe Tzur, Azrieli Foundation Chairman Danna Azrieli, Noa Gantz and Amit Chelouche Photo Credit: Raphael Delouya
A great honor for the Technion Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning: Two students at the Faculty have won first and second place in the David Azrieli Prize competition for projects by architecture students.
Liz Leibowitz won first place (NIS 60,000) for her work, Musha Musha: A new look at Tel Aviv’s “Hatikva” Neighborhood and a proposal to encourage private initiatives by the neighborhood’s residents. Noa Gantz won second place (NIS 25,000) for her work, Minus 400: Rethinking the meeting between man and the environment at the Dead Sea. Third place (NIS 15,000) went to Amit Chelouche of Bezalel for his work, Total Stage.
The award ceremony was held earlier this week at Tel Aviv Museum of Art, with the participation of leading figures in the world of architecture. This year, the Azrieli Foundation in Israel, headed by Chairman Danna Azrieli, rebranded the award in memory of David Azrieli and increased the value of prizes to NIS 100,000. Fifteen projects by students at schools of architecture throughout Israel participated in the competition.
The event was attended by a special guest, who also served on the panel of judges: Odile Decq, one of the most prominent architects in France. Decq planned and designed major projects around the world, including the new wing at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome, a unique restaurant in the historic building of the Opera Garnier in Paris, and a series of projects in China and North Africa. Decq was highly impressed by the thought, initiative and creativity expressed in the work of the young architects.
The David Azrieli Prize is the highlight of the work of all students of architecture in Israel, and provides an incentive for their excellence.
Danna Azrieli, Chairman of the Israel Azrieli Foundation and the Azrieli Group, said: “This is the 12th year that we have awarded the Azrieli Prize for projects by architecture students, which aims to recognize and strengthen creativity, originality and quality of architecture among architecture students in Israel. This award reflects the values that accompanied my father over the years: commitment to promote quality education, striving to develop the field of architecture, and love of Israel. I congratulate the winners and I have no doubt that the work, wisdom and creativity shared by all the students will shape the future of architecture in Israel.”
“Excellence in education is the main goal of the Technion Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning,” said Faculty Dean Prof. Yehuda Kalay. “The Faculty is committed to train skilled and responsible architects, urban planners, landscape architects and industrial designers, who will be at the forefront of the processes and changes in Israeli society in particular, and humanity in general.
“The David Azrieli Prize is the highlight of the work of all students of architecture in Israel, and provides an incentive for their excellence. We are proud of the accomplishments of Liz Leibowitz and Noa Gantz, and congratulate their teachers – Gabi Schwarz, Fatina Abreek-Zubiedat and Ronen Ben Arieh (Liz Leibowitz’s advisors), and Shmaya Serfaty and Yonatan Natanian (Noa Gantz’s advisors).”
