By TAL HEFER

For years it was believed that the immune system has a negative role in the recovery from neurodegenerative diseases, such as strokes. Now, a research team led by scholars from Sweden and Israel and backed by the EU, is reexamining this assumption.

Easy Check, a new device under development in Israel, could allow diabetics to measure the glucose levels in their body simply by sampling their breath. Easy Check is a non-invasive device that can indicate the patient’s glucose levels by measuring the amount of acetone in the breath.

The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the marketing of a device that detects life-threatening cerebral hemorrhages without the need for CT Scans. The device will therefore prevent unnecessary radiation emitted by the scans.

According to a study conducted at Tel Aviv University, about a quarter of Israeli youth may develop hearing disorders due to prolonged exposure to music players and loud noise. 289 adolescents aged 13-17 participated in the study that examined the habits of music listening on MP3 players, mobile phones and computers.

Israeli company Particle Monitoring Technologies (PML) has come up with a dark laser beam that can monitor, separate and identify the tiniest particles in water, cement and fuel, to help ensure higher standards of water purification and a reduction in CO2 emissions.

For most of us who grew up in developed countries, clean water is a given, not something we've ever given much thought. Yet in the United States alone, an estimate of 7 million tons of chemicals are being used in order to clean water every year. What effect do these chemicals have on us and on the environment?

As children, we read stories about bees which taught us to believe that the stingy creatures are only attracted to the sweet nectar of flowers. It turns out that some types of bees just prefer good old plain fruits and vegetables, which makes them invaluable for farmers.

Used in World War I as a choking pulmonary agent, chlorine is now primarily used in drinking water and swimming pools to kill harmful bacteria. EcoVida, an Israeli-based CleanTech company, is introducing a new low cost system to minimize the use of chlorine in water.