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THE ABILITY OF sensors to test the quality of air and water could be drastically improved following a breakthrough at the Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN).
The Trinity-based science laboratory has developed a sensor that is composed of a single layer of graphene on a silicon surface, which is both conductive and light.
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Sensors that contain graphene can detect even the slightest change in signal. The material is a one-atom thick sheet of carbon, and is 200 times stronger than steel.
CRANN believe that this new sensor will have commercial applications in air quality control systems such as the air conditioning systems in cars, as well as being able to better detect the presence of bacteria and parasites in drinking water supplies.
Potential medical applications include the improved identification of bacteria in a patient’s exhaled air, leading to a quicker, more accurate diagnosis in the case of certain diseases.
Professor Georg Duesberg, who is one CRANN’s 19 principal investigators, said that the discovery was “one of the most exciting in sensor-development to date.”
It could lead to sensors that are much more functionally advanced, cost effective and energy efficient than those currently available and could vastly improve the monitoring of air and water quality.
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Said it before and I’ll say it again. Those with severe mental illnesses and those with serious medical needs should take precedence over everyone else on housing lists, and also be located nearest hospitals and services they need long-term.
All able bodied men and women, with or without children, should be relegated on the list.
50: The number of days Brendan Bjorn has been bedridden due to his pressure sore opening back up for the third time this year.
104: The number of days so far this year that Brendan Bjorn has been bedridden in total due to that pressure sore.
2: The number of days Brendan will be in overnight respite at LauraLynn starting tonight while Declan and I spend my birthday away for a couple of days.
15: The total number of nights I get off per year via respite at LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.
0: The number of in-home respite hours I’ve had in the past 5 months.
24: The number of hours I work per day.
7: The number of days per week that I work.
0: The number of retirement pensions I have to look forward to.
9: The number of years since I’ve been able to work in my professional career field.
2: The number of weeks I’ve been waiting for the county’s tissue viability nurse to ring me just to set the appointment to come out and examine Brendan’s pressure sore.
1: The number of days Brendan Bjorn has made it to school this school year.
30: The number of days since I rescheduled Brendan’s spinal fusion assessment with a promise they would ring me back that same day to reschedule, but with no word since.
6: The number of months since Brendan was placed on the “urgent” spinal fusion list, which is to be no longer than a 4 month wait.
1: The number of years I’ve been trying to find a suitable rental house via HAP that will fit all of Brendan’s special care requirements, but with no luck at all.
1: The number of years the boys and I have been stuck living in an unfinished, unsuitable, unsafe, unregistered house on the private rental market.
2: The number of rental houses I will go view today, again hoping to be selected for the crumbs of an insecure tenancy lease in what will obviously not be a forever, stable, fully suitable or modifiable family home for my boys.
1,100: The number of euros it will cost each month to rent one of the above mentioned houses (but this one actually has a wet room and a ground floor bedroom!).
3: The number of days until New Year’s Eve: A day I will set aside all of these worries; a day I hope Brendan’s pressure sore will be healed by so that he can be taken out of his bed and brought into the sitting room to watch his little brother around the Christmas tree. And a day I will focus solely on the gifts I have: my 2 beautiful sons.
Apparently Leo’s low point for the year was Francis Fitzgerald having to resign for “allegedly” failing in her job.
All the best to you and yours Tracy don’t expect Leo to be worrying about you……..
What a Mother, what a lady. Me and my partner watched this program and it touched us deeply. This has to change as Tracey, Declan and Brenden deserve much better than this shameful government has done to date.
I hope Brendan you get the care you need and your mum ( a hero) gets the support she needs and deserves god bless ye hopefully 2018 Will be less stressful year xxx
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