theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Young homeless woman dies in Dublin hostel

A young homeless woman has died “ tragically ” in emergency accommodation in Dublin .
In a statement to The Irish Times a Garda spokesman said : “ Gardaí were called to the scene of a sudden death of a female in her late 20s that occurred at approximately 5pm at Parkgate Street , Dublin 8 on Wednesday , January 15th .
A file will be prepared for the Coroner ’ s Court ” It is understood the woman ’ s body was found in her room at the Phoenix Lodge hostel , also known as Judge Darley ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Dublin Region Homeless Executive ( DRHE ) .
DRHE staff were in attendance following the discovery .
The Phoenix Lodge , when contacted , said it could “ not say anything ” about the incident .
The DRHE has yet to issue a statement on the death .
Councillor Anthony Flynn , chief executive of Inner City Helping Homeless , said he was “ saddened ” to hear of the woman ’ s death .
“ Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased woman and her family this morning , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night .
“ We are putting people into inhumane conditions at the most vulnerable time of their life .
People deserve dignity and stability , but the current system , in spite of staff trying their best in difficult circumstances , is simply unfit for purpose .
We can not continue to compound people ’ s suffering at the most vulnerable time in their life.
” The news comes as a homeless man , injured when the tent in which he was sleeping was lifted by a utility vehicle , continues to recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have sustained serious injuries during a “ clean up ” along the Grand Canal by Waterways Ireland .
A vehicle with a mechanical claw lifted the tent which had been verbally checked but not opened by DRHE outreach staff beforehand .
He was taken from the scene by ambulance to St Vincent ’ s Hospital .
Four investigations are now under way into the incident – by gardaí , the Health and Safety Authority as it was a workplace incident , the DRHE and Waterways Ireland .

A young homeless woman has died “tragically” in emergency accommodation in Dublin.
In a statement to The Irish Times a Garda spokesman said: "Gardaí were called to the scene of a sudden death of a female in her late 20s that occurred at approximately 5pm at Parkgate Street, Dublin 8 on Wednesday, January 15th. A file will be prepared for the Coroner's Court"
It is understood the woman's body was found in her room at the Phoenix Lodge hostel, also known as Judge Darley's, where she had been placed by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE). DRHE staff were in attendance following the discovery.
The Phoenix Lodge, when contacted, said it could “not say anything” about the incident.
READ MORE
A spokeswoman said: “The DRHE, on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities, would like to express its condolences to the family and friends of the individual, who tragically passed away yesterday evening Wednesday, January 15th in a facility that provides 24-hour emergency accommodation to people experiencing homelessness. The gardaí and DRHE staff were in attendance.”
Councillor Anthony Flynn, chief executive of Inner City Helping Homeless, said he was "saddened" to hear of the woman's death.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased woman and her family this morning, and the hostel staff that were present last night.
“We are putting people into inhumane conditions at the most vulnerable time of their life. People deserve dignity and stability, but the current system, in spite of staff trying their best in difficult circumstances, is simply unfit for purpose. We cannot continue to compound people’s suffering at the most vulnerable time in their life.”
The news comes as a homeless man, injured when the tent in which he was sleeping was lifted by a utility vehicle, continues to recover in hospital. He is said to have sustained serious injuries during a "clean up" along the Grand Canal by Waterways Ireland. A vehicle with a mechanical claw lifted the tent which had been verbally checked but not opened by DRHE outreach staff beforehand.
He was taken from the scene by ambulance to St Vincent's Hospital. Four investigations are now under way into the incident – by gardaí, the Health and Safety Authority as it was a workplace incident, the DRHE and Waterways Ireland.


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Gardaí in Keane Mulready murder case urge people not to share distressing videos

Gardaí have urged members of the public not to share distressing images and videos purporting to show the remains of murdered Drogheda teenager Keane Mulready-Woods .
The 17-year-old was murdered and his body dismembered in what is believed to be the latest killing in the ongoing criminal feud in the Co Louth town .
In a statement on Thursday , the Garda confirmed they were investigating reports of images and videos circulating on social messaging apps .
“ These images are unverified at this time , ” it said in a statement .
“ They are distressing to Keane ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ images of the deceased and provide false support to the perpetrators of this brutal crime .
Gardaí are asking people not to share this material.
” Limbs discovered in a bag in Dublin were confirmed on Wednesday as those the boy .
Senior Garda officers said they were shocked by the brutality of the murder and the way the 17-year-old ’ s body was dismembered .
DNA testing was being carried out on a second batch of remains discovered in a burning car off Foster Terrace in Dublin ’ s north inner city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe these body parts are also those of the teenager .
The limbs found on Monday night were discovered in a black bag on Moatview Drive in Darndale .
Keane , from Beechwood Drive , Drogheda , had been missing since about 6pm on Sunday .
When he was last seen alive in the vicinity of Dominic ’ s Bridge , Drogheda , Keane was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit , black Hugo Boss runners with brown sole and black laces , a red or orange Canada Goose jacket and a Gucci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that associates of Richard Carberry ( 39 ) were so irate at him being fatally shot last November in Bettystown as part of the Drogheda gang feud that they abducted , murdered and dismembered the teenager .
Keane was linked to the other gang involved in the feud .
Gardaí believe he was murdered on Sunday night in a house in Drogheda which was set to undergo its third day of forensic examination on Thursday .
Blood has been found in the property .
Detectives believe the teenager ’ s remains were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to intimidate members of the rival gang .
Gardaí urged anyone with information as to the origin of the circulating pictures of videos to contact gardaí in Drogheda Garda Station on 041 9874200 , the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 , Crime Stoppers 1800 250 025 or any Garda station .

Keane Mulready-Woods who was last seen in Drogheda on Sunday. Photograph: Facebook
Gardaí have urged members of the public not to share distressing images and videos purporting to show the remains of murdered Drogheda teenager Keane Mulready-Woods.
The 17-year-old was murdered and his body dismembered in what is believed to be the latest killing in the ongoing criminal feud in the Co Louth town.
In a statement on Thursday, the Garda confirmed they were investigating reports of images and videos circulating on social messaging apps.
An undated Garda handout photo of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) from Drogheda. Some of his remains were found in a sports bag in Coolook, Dublin on Monday. Photograph: PA
Gardaí released images of clothing as they appealed for information
“These images are unverified at this time,” it said in a statement.
READ MORE
“They are distressing to Keane’s family and if verified are disrespectful images of the deceased and provide false support to the perpetrators of this brutal crime. Gardaí are asking people not to share this material.”
Limbs discovered in a bag in Dublin were confirmed on Wednesday as those the boy. Senior Garda officers said they were shocked by the brutality of the murder and the way the 17-year-old’s body was dismembered.
DNA testing was being carried out on a second batch of remains discovered in a burning car off Foster Terrace in Dublin's north inner city early on Wednesday. However, gardaí believe these body parts are also those of the teenager.
The limbs found on Monday night were discovered in a black bag on Moatview Drive in Darndale.
Keane, from Beechwood Drive, Drogheda, had been missing since about 6pm on Sunday. When he was last seen alive in the vicinity of Dominic's Bridge, Drogheda, Keane was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit, black Hugo Boss runners with brown sole and black laces, a red or orange Canada Goose jacket and a Gucci baseball cap.
One line of inquiry is that associates of Richard Carberry (39) were so irate at him being fatally shot last November in Bettystown as part of the Drogheda gang feud that they abducted, murdered and dismembered the teenager. Keane was linked to the other gang involved in the feud.
Gardaí believe he was murdered on Sunday night in a house in Drogheda which was set to undergo its third day of forensic examination on Thursday. Blood has been found in the property.
Detectives believe the teenager’s remains were left in public places by his killers to intimidate members of the rival gang.
Gardaí searching an area in Rathmullen Park, Drogheda on Thursday morning in relation to the death of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods. Photograph: Collins
Gardai pictured at a house on Rathmullen Park, Drogheda on Thursday morning. Photograph: Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Gardaí urged anyone with information as to the origin of the circulating pictures of videos to contact gardaí in Drogheda Garda Station on 041 9874200, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111, Crime Stoppers 1800 250 025 or any Garda station.


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Temperatures set to plunge to -4 degrees over weekend

There are four yellow weather warnings in place , as temperatures are set to reach minus 4 degrees over the weekend , Met Éireann has said .
Thursday will be windy , with outbreaks of rain in the morning which will be heavy at times .
Met Éireann issued yellow wind warnings are for Wexford , Cork , Waterford , Kerry , Donegal , Mayo , Galway and Wicklow .
The warnings will end at different times in the day but all will be concluded by 8pm .
The strong winds will bring a risk of coastal flooding in southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say southerly winds veering southeasterly will reach mean speeds of 50km/h to 65km/h , with gusts up to 110km/h .
Bright spells and scattered showers will follow from Thursday afternoon with top temperatures of between 8 and 11 degrees .
It will get cold overnight , with temperatures reaching lows of between -1 and -4 degrees , with frost expected in the west coast .
Friday will bring sunny spells and scattered showers .
Wintry showers are possible on higher ground .
Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees are expected on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the night with minimum temperatures of -4 to zero degrees .
The low temperatures will result in widespread sharp to severe frost across the country .
The frost will gradually clear on Saturday morning to leave a mostly dry day with spells of sunshine .

Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees are expected on Friday. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill
There are four yellow weather warnings in place, as temperatures are set to reach minus 4 degrees over the weekend, Met Éireann has said.
Thursday will be windy, with outbreaks of rain in the morning which will be heavy at times.
Met Éireann issued yellow wind warnings are for Wexford, Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Donegal, Mayo, Galway and Wicklow.
The warnings will end at different times in the day but all will be concluded by 8pm.
READ MORE
The strong winds will bring a risk of coastal flooding in southern counties during high tides.
The warnings say southerly winds veering southeasterly will reach mean speeds of 50km/h to 65km/h, with gusts up to 110km/h.
Bright spells and scattered showers will follow from Thursday afternoon with top temperatures of between 8 and 11 degrees.
It will get cold overnight, with temperatures reaching lows of between -1 and -4 degrees, with frost expected in the west coast.
Friday will bring sunny spells and scattered showers. Wintry showers are possible on higher ground.
Highest temperatures of 4 to 7 degrees are expected on Friday but temperatures will turn to below freezing during the night with minimum temperatures of -4 to zero degrees.
The low temperatures will result in widespread sharp to severe frost across the country.
The frost will gradually clear on Saturday morning to leave a mostly dry day with spells of sunshine.


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Health will be a key issue in the election – but will it affect the outcome?

Health will once again play a central role in the forthcoming general election , but will it make any difference to the eventual outcome ?
Both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin have previously held the post of Minister for Health .
So along with the present occupant , Simon Harris , there is a wealth of experience in the election field of dealing with the challenges of the health service .
Sadly , the performance of all three men can best be described as chequered , in terms of dealing with the day-to-day problems they faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wider vision or pushing through successful reforms .
The fact is that health is widely seen as unfixable .
As a result , the politicians at the helm scaled down their ambitions and went for more straightforward wins : Martin introduced the smoking ban , Varadkar gave us free GP care for under-6s , while Harris majored on social changes such as abortion .
Martin , it is true , created the often benighted Health Service Executive , whose main use to the political class has been to serve as a scapegoat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is currently being unwound , and we may see the restoration of health boards , with local political involvement , within a few years .
It is no accident the Minister of Health of recent years who attracts the most flak is Mary Harney , arguably the politician who tried to introduce the most reforms – such as Fair Deal and consolidated cancer services – to a dysfunctional system during her period in office .
The main problem in health is access .
With about 750,000 people on public waiting lists , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admission to hospital on two separate days earlier this month , it ’ s often hard to see that much of the rest of the system is working reasonably well .
But the figures are going the wrong way , and would be even worse if the Government wasn ’ t spending millions getting the private sector to prop up the system through various outsourcing initiatives .
There were 86,000 patients on trolleys in 2011 , the year Fine Gael came to power .
By 2014 , when Varadkar succeeded James Reilly as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He lasted less than two years in the job , and by the time he left in 2016 , the trolley numbers had jumped to 94,000 .
Last year , the worst yet recorded , the figure stood at 118,000 .
A lack of money is not the reason for this mess ; the health budget has grown by almost €4 billion since Fine Gael entered Government .
The population is rising too , of course – and ageing – but the lack of tangible results for the extra money is discouraging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HSE have jumped , curiously few of these are frontline workers ; fewer than 100 extra GPs since 2016 , the lifetime of the present Government , and fewer than 1,000 extra doctors .
There are positives Fine Gael will undoubtedly point to : hospitals are busier than ever , there have been big improvements in the performance of stroke , cancer and cardiac services , and we are living longer as a population .
The outpatient waiting list fell by 10,000 last month , which is probably why ministers have been saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direction , quickly ” since the campaign began .
But this trend will last only as long as the Government continues to throw large amounts of money at the problem through outsourcing initiatives .
There is a plan for the future , though what the Government candidates won ’ t tell you on the doorstep is that Sláintecare is not properly costed .
So while health will feature centrally in the election campaign , you are unlikely to hear real , implementable , affordable solutions to the problems in the system .
Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; resources need to rationed , and directed towards those who most need them .
However , politicians brave enough to offer this honest medicine over the next three weeks are likely to be as rare as hen ’ s teeth .

Along with the present occupant, Simon Harris, there is a wealth of experience in the election field of dealing with the challenges of the health service. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
Health will once again play a central role in the forthcoming general election, but will it make any difference to the eventual outcome?
Both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin have previously held the post of Minister for Health. So along with the present occupant, Simon Harris, there is a wealth of experience in the election field of dealing with the challenges of the health service.
Sadly, the performance of all three men can best be described as chequered, in terms of dealing with the day-to-day problems they faced, but also with regard to having a wider vision or pushing through successful reforms.
The fact is that health is widely seen as unfixable. As a result, the politicians at the helm scaled down their ambitions and went for more straightforward wins: Martin introduced the smoking ban, Varadkar gave us free GP care for under-6s, while Harris majored on social changes such as abortion.
READ MORE
Martin, it is true, created the often benighted Health Service Executive, whose main use to the political class has been to serve as a scapegoat for failings higher up. That structure is currently being unwound, and we may see the restoration of health boards, with local political involvement, within a few years.
It is no accident the Minister of Health of recent years who attracts the most flak is Mary Harney, arguably the politician who tried to introduce the most reforms – such as Fair Deal and consolidated cancer services – to a dysfunctional system during her period in office.
The main problem in health is access. With about 750,000 people on public waiting lists, and up to 760 sick people waiting for admission to hospital on two separate days earlier this month, it’s often hard to see that much of the rest of the system is working reasonably well.
Mess
But the figures are going the wrong way, and would be even worse if the Government wasn't spending millions getting the private sector to prop up the system through various outsourcing initiatives. There were 86,000 patients on trolleys in 2011, the year Fine Gael came to power. By 2014, when Varadkar succeeded James Reilly as Minister, this had fallen to 77,000. He lasted less than two years in the job, and by the time he left in 2016, the trolley numbers had jumped to 94,000. Last year, the worst yet recorded, the figure stood at 118,000.
A lack of money is not the reason for this mess; the health budget has grown by almost €4 billion since Fine Gael entered Government. The population is rising too, of course – and ageing – but the lack of tangible results for the extra money is discouraging.
And while staff numbers in the HSE have jumped, curiously few of these are frontline workers; fewer than 100 extra GPs since 2016, the lifetime of the present Government, and fewer than 1,000 extra doctors.
There are positives Fine Gael will undoubtedly point to: hospitals are busier than ever, there have been big improvements in the performance of stroke, cancer and cardiac services, and we are living longer as a population.
The outpatient waiting list fell by 10,000 last month, which is probably why ministers have been saying “things are going in the right direction, quickly” since the campaign began. But this trend will last only as long as the Government continues to throw large amounts of money at the problem through outsourcing initiatives.
There is a plan for the future, though what the Government candidates won’t tell you on the doorstep is that Sláintecare is not properly costed.
So while health will feature centrally in the election campaign, you are unlikely to hear real, implementable, affordable solutions to the problems in the system. Health spending internationally can be a runaway horse; resources need to rationed, and directed towards those who most need them. However, politicians brave enough to offer this honest medicine over the next three weeks are likely to be as rare as hen’s teeth.


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Serendipity has played a prominent part in many scientific discoveries

Serendipity is unplanned fortunate discovery and occurs commonly in scientific discovery and product invention .
It has played a prominent part in the discovery of many drugs and medical treatments , including vaccination , insulin to treat diabetes , penicillin , quinine and Viagra ; in many fundamental discoveries including x-rays , radioactivity , pulsars and the cosmic microwave background radiation ; and in discovering many useful products such as teflon , vulcanised rubber , microwave ovens and velcro .
The best-known chance discovery in science is the 1928 discovery of penicillin by Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming ( 1881-1955 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and noticed that a blue-green mould had contaminated a petri dish , killing off all the surrounding bacteria in the culture .
Earlier , in 1922 , Fleming had accidentally shed a tear into a bacterial sample and noted that the spot where the tear landed was free of the bacteria that grew all around it .
After conducting tests he concluded that tears contain an enzyme , lysozyme , that can fight off minor bacterial growth .
Six years later Fleming remembered his teardrop experience and concluded that the fungus growing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staphylococcus bacteria .
He isolated and identified the fungus as belonging to the genus Penicillium and named the active bacterium-killing agent secreted by the mould as penicillin .
Two other scientists , Ernst Chain ( 1906-1979 ) and Howard Florey ( 1898-1968 ) , later purified and characterised penicillin , and publicised it widely as a non-toxic antibiotic capable of killing many bacteria that cause minor and severe infections in humans and animals .
Fleming declared : “ But for the previous experience I would have thrown the plates away as many bacteriologists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penicillin is widely regarded as the birth of modern medicine .
Fleming , Florey and Chain were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1945 .
A modern example of serendipity in drug discovery is Viagra , Pfizer ’ s erectile dysfunction drug .
The active agent in Viagra , sildenafil , was originally developed to treat cardiovascular problems by dilating blood vessels in the heart .
Sildenafil worked moderately well in animal tests and was put into human clinical trial in the early 1990s .
The drug performed poorly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurse noted something odd when checking on the men enrolled in the study – many of the men lay on their stomachs .
The men were embarrassed because they had erections .
Dilation of blood vessels is a major part of the process that causes erection , and blood vessels were dilating in penises and not in hearts .
A formulation of sildenafil ( called Viagra ) was approved by the USDA as an erectile dysfunction drug in 1998 .
German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen ( 1845-1923 ) discovered x-rays in 1895 when examining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partially evacuated glass tubes .
The residual gas in the tubes glowed when current flowed but the glow was not visible in the darkened laboratory because Roentgen covered the tubes with black cardboard .
However , he noted that a nearby fluorescent screen in the laboratory glowed each time the tubes were activated .
Invisible rays coming from the tubes caused the screen to glow .
Roentgen systematically studied the rays , noting they had neither charge nor mass but had great penetrating power .
He tried blocking the rays but many things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made little difference .
However , when he put his hand in front of the tube an image of the bones in his hand was projected onto the screen .
Replacing the screen with a photographic plate recorded the first x-ray image .
The potential of x-rays in medicine was immediately appreciated , and before the end of the century the British army was using mobile x-ray units to locate bullets and shrapnel in wounded soldiers .
Roentgen won the 1901 Nobel Prize in physics .
Serendipity often opens up new unexpected territories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analogous to mutations in biological evolution .
However , the fruits of serendipity do not fall into a scientist ’ s lap like winning the Lotto .
Harvesting the serendipitous observation requires the application of a keen scientific mind .
As Louis Pasteur ( 1822-1895 ) observed sagely : “ In the fields of observation , chance favours only the prepared mind.
” An observation by movie tycoon Sam Goldwyn ( 1882-1974 ) is also pertinent : “ The harder I work , the luckier I get ” .
William Reville is an @ @ @ @ @ @

Serendipity is unplanned fortunate discovery and occurs commonly in scientific discovery and product invention. It has played a prominent part in the discovery of many drugs and medical treatments, including vaccination, insulin to treat diabetes, penicillin, quinine and Viagra; in many fundamental discoveries including x-rays, radioactivity, pulsars and the cosmic microwave background radiation; and in discovering many useful products such as teflon, vulcanised rubber, microwave ovens and velcro.
The best-known chance discovery in science is the 1928 discovery of penicillin by Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming (1881-1955). Fleming was studying the Staphylococcus bacterium and noticed that a blue-green mould had contaminated a petri dish, killing off all the surrounding bacteria in the culture.
Earlier, in 1922, Fleming had accidentally shed a tear into a bacterial sample and noted that the spot where the tear landed was free of the bacteria that grew all around it. After conducting tests he concluded that tears contain an enzyme, lysozyme, that can fight off minor bacterial growth.
Six years later Fleming remembered his teardrop experience and concluded that the fungus growing in the petri dish was killing the powerful Staphylococcus bacteria. He isolated and identified the fungus as belonging to the genus Penicillium and named the active bacterium-killing agent secreted by the mould as penicillin.
READ MORE
Two other scientists, Ernst Chain (1906-1979) and Howard Florey (1898-1968), later purified and characterised penicillin, and publicised it widely as a non-toxic antibiotic capable of killing many bacteria that cause minor and severe infections in humans and animals.
Fleming declared: “But for the previous experience I would have thrown the plates away as many bacteriologists have done before.”
The discovery of penicillin is widely regarded as the birth of modern medicine. Fleming, Florey and Chain were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1945.
Blood vessels
A modern example of serendipity in drug discovery is Viagra, Pfizer’s erectile dysfunction drug. The active agent in Viagra, sildenafil, was originally developed to treat cardiovascular problems by dilating blood vessels in the heart. Sildenafil worked moderately well in animal tests and was put into human clinical trial in the early 1990s.
The drug performed poorly in this trial, but an observant nurse noted something odd when checking on the men enrolled in the study – many of the men lay on their stomachs. The men were embarrassed because they had erections.
Dilation of blood vessels is a major part of the process that causes erection, and blood vessels were dilating in penises and not in hearts. A formulation of sildenafil (called Viagra) was approved by the USDA as an erectile dysfunction drug in 1998.
German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923) discovered x-rays in 1895 when examining the effects of passing electric current through partially evacuated glass tubes. The residual gas in the tubes glowed when current flowed but the glow was not visible in the darkened laboratory because Roentgen covered the tubes with black cardboard. However, he noted that a nearby fluorescent screen in the laboratory glowed each time the tubes were activated. Invisible rays coming from the tubes caused the screen to glow.
Roentgen systematically studied the rays, noting they had neither charge nor mass but had great penetrating power. He tried blocking the rays but many things placed between the tube and the screen made little difference. However, when he put his hand in front of the tube an image of the bones in his hand was projected onto the screen. Replacing the screen with a photographic plate recorded the first x-ray image.
Wounded soldiers
The potential of x-rays in medicine was immediately appreciated, and before the end of the century the British army was using mobile x-ray units to locate bullets and shrapnel in wounded soldiers. Roentgen won the 1901 Nobel Prize in physics.
Serendipity often opens up new unexpected territories and plays a role in scientific research analogous to mutations in biological evolution. However, the fruits of serendipity do not fall into a scientist’s lap like winning the Lotto.
Harvesting the serendipitous observation requires the application of a keen scientific mind. As Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) observed sagely: "In the fields of observation, chance favours only the prepared mind."
An observation by movie tycoon Sam Goldwyn (1882-1974) is also pertinent: "The harder I work, the luckier I get".
William Reville is an emeritus professor of biochemistry at UCC


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Killers may have photographed and videoed Drogheda boy’s body parts

Limbs discovered in a bag in Dublin have been confirmed as those of missing Co Louth teenager Keane Mulready-Woods .
Senior Garda officers said they were shocked by the brutality of the murder and the way the 17-year-old ’ s body was dismembered .
DNA testing was being carried out on a second batch of remains discovered in a burning car off Foster Terrace in Dublin ’ s north inner city early on Wednesday .
However , gardaí believe these body parts are also those of the teenager .
The limbs found on Monday night were discovered in a black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gardaí are investigating reports that the boy ’ s killers photographed and videoed his body parts .
Keane , from Beechwood Drive , Drogheda , had been missing since about 6pm on Sunday .
When he was last seen alive in the vicinity of Dominic ’ s Bridge , Drogheda , Keane was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit , black Hugo Boss runners with brown sole and black laces , a red or orange Canada Goose jacket and a Gucci baseball cap .
One line of inquiry is that associates of Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at him being fatally shot last November in Bettystown as part of the Drogheda gang feud that they abducted , murdered and dismembered the teenager .
Keane was linked to the other gang involved in the feud .
Gardaí believe he was murdered on Sunday night in a house in Drogheda which was set to undergo its third day of forensic examination on Thursday .
Blood has been found in the property .
Detectives believe the teenager ’ s remains were left in public places by his killers to intimidate members of the @ @ @

An undated Garda handout photo of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) from Drogheda. Some of his remains were found in a sports bag in Coolook, Dublin on Monday. Photograph: PA
Limbs discovered in a bag in Dublin have been confirmed as those of missing Co Louth teenager Keane Mulready-Woods.
Senior Garda officers said they were shocked by the brutality of the murder and the way the 17-year-old’s body was dismembered.
DNA testing was being carried out on a second batch of remains discovered in a burning car off Foster Terrace in Dublin’s north inner city early on Wednesday. However, gardaí believe these body parts are also those of the teenager.
Gardaí released images of clothing as they appealed for information
The limbs found on Monday night were discovered in a black bag on Moatview Drive in Darndale. Gardaí are investigating reports that the boy’s killers photographed and videoed his body parts.
READ MORE
Keane, from Beechwood Drive, Drogheda, had been missing since about 6pm on Sunday. When he was last seen alive in the vicinity of Dominic’s Bridge, Drogheda, Keane was wearing a navy Hugo Boss tracksuit, black Hugo Boss runners with brown sole and black laces, a red or orange Canada Goose jacket and a Gucci baseball cap.
The type of hat Keane was wearing when he went missing, according to gardaí
One line of inquiry is that associates of Richard Carberry (39) were so irate at him being fatally shot last November in Bettystown as part of the Drogheda gang feud that they abducted, murdered and dismembered the teenager. Keane was linked to the other gang involved in the feud.
Gardaí believe he was murdered on Sunday night in a house in Drogheda which was set to undergo its third day of forensic examination on Thursday. Blood has been found in the property.
Detectives believe the teenager’s remains were left in public places by his killers to intimidate members of the rival gang.


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--The ‘extraordinary talent and superior genius’ of Sophie Germain

When a guitar string is plucked , we don ’ t see waves travelling along the string .
This is because the ends are fixed .
Instead , we see a standing-wave pattern .
Standing waves are also found on drum-heads and on the sound-boxes of violins .
The shape of a violin strongly affects the quality and purity of the sound , as it determines the mixture of standing wave harmonics that it can sustain .
Joseph Fourier showed how complex wave patterns can be broken down into fundamental components called sine waves .
Before this , scientists struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 18th century , before Fourier ’ s breakthrough , a German physicist called Ernst Chladni devised a clever way to visualise vibrations .
When he drew a bow across the edge of a metal plate fixed at its centre , the bow induced standing waves in the plate , which emitted a musical sound .
When Chladni sprinkled fine sand on the plate , the grains bounced away from the parts that were oscillating strongly and gathered where there was least vibration .
The curves on the plate that do not oscillate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern formed is called a Chladni figure .
In 1808 , Chladni demonstrated his vibrating plates at the Academy of Science in Paris .
Napoleon , who was in attendance , proposed a prize for any scientist who could provide a mathematical explanation of Chladni ’ s patterns .
As Fourier ’ s wave theory was just emerging , the theoretical apparatus to solve the problem had not yet been developed and the leading savants – Lagrange , Laplace and others – felt that it was beyond reach , but a solution came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germain , a daughter of wealthy parents , was captivated by mathematics when she read a book in her father ’ s library of the life and death of Archimedes .
Her parents discouraged her interest , but she was smitten and continued secretly to study mathematics .
Women had no access to university but , using the name of a former student , Monsieur LeBlanc , she managed to obtain from the École Polytechnique the lecture notes of the great Lagrange .
Germain submitted work to the Academy of Science under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it peaked the interest of Lagrange .
Far from being angry when he learned her true identity , Lagrange supported her continuing research , acting as her mentor .
She had an early triumph when she proved a special case of Fermat ’ s Last Theorem , a problem not fully resolved until 1994 .
Following correspondence with Carl Friedrich Gauss , M LeBlanc was again unmasked and , again , the response was generous and supportive .
At a later stage , Gauss described Germain as having “ the most noble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
There is no doubt that she had abundant ability , but she never reached her full potential , due to her haphazard education .
She lacked the rigorous training essential for a leading mathematician , which was available only to men .
When Germain heard of Napoleon ’ s challenge , she decided to seek a mathematical theory for Chladni ’ s patterns .
She was the only competition entrant .
She devised new ways to account for the elastic vibrations of plates , but did not manage a complete solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not award her a prize but , after two further attempts , she became in 1816 the first woman to be awarded the Grand Prize in Mathematics of the Paris Academy of Sciences .
Peter Lynch is emeritus professor at UCD School of Mathematics & Statistics – he blogs at thatsmaths.com

When a guitar string is plucked, we don’t see waves travelling along the string. This is because the ends are fixed. Instead, we see a standing-wave pattern. Standing waves are also found on drum-heads and on the sound-boxes of violins. The shape of a violin strongly affects the quality and purity of the sound, as it determines the mixture of standing wave harmonics that it can sustain.
Joseph Fourier showed how complex wave patterns can be broken down into fundamental components called sine waves. Before this, scientists struggled to explain oscillating systems.
In the late 18th century, before Fourier's breakthrough, a German physicist called Ernst Chladni devised a clever way to visualise vibrations. When he drew a bow across the edge of a metal plate fixed at its centre, the bow induced standing waves in the plate, which emitted a musical sound.
When Chladni sprinkled fine sand on the plate, the grains bounced away from the parts that were oscillating strongly and gathered where there was least vibration. The curves on the plate that do not oscillate are the nodal lines, and the pattern formed is called a Chladni figure.
READ MORE
In 1808, Chladni demonstrated his vibrating plates at the Academy of Science in Paris. Napoleon, who was in attendance, proposed a prize for any scientist who could provide a mathematical explanation of Chladni’s patterns. As Fourier’s wave theory was just emerging, the theoretical apparatus to solve the problem had not yet been developed and the leading savants – Lagrange, Laplace and others – felt that it was beyond reach, but a solution came from a very unexpected source.
Captivated by maths
Sophie Germain, a daughter of wealthy parents, was captivated by mathematics when she read a book in her father's library of the life and death of Archimedes.
Her parents discouraged her interest, but she was smitten and continued secretly to study mathematics. Women had no access to university but, using the name of a former student, Monsieur LeBlanc, she managed to obtain from the École Polytechnique the lecture notes of the great Lagrange.
Germain submitted work to the Academy of Science under the name of LeBlanc, of such excellence that it peaked the interest of Lagrange. Far from being angry when he learned her true identity, Lagrange supported her continuing research, acting as her mentor. She had an early triumph when she proved a special case of Fermat’s Last Theorem, a problem not fully resolved until 1994.
Following correspondence with Carl Friedrich Gauss, M LeBlanc was again unmasked and, again, the response was generous and supportive. At a later stage, Gauss described Germain as having "the most noble courage, extraordinary talent and superior genius".
There is no doubt that she had abundant ability, but she never reached her full potential, due to her haphazard education. She lacked the rigorous training essential for a leading mathematician, which was available only to men.
When Germain heard of Napoleon’s challenge, she decided to seek a mathematical theory for Chladni’s patterns. She was the only competition entrant. She devised new ways to account for the elastic vibrations of plates, but did not manage a complete solution of the problem. The judges did not award her a prize but, after two further attempts, she became in 1816 the first woman to be awarded the Grand Prize in Mathematics of the Paris Academy of Sciences.
Peter Lynch is emeritus professor at UCD School of Mathematics & Statistics – he blogs at thatsmaths.com


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--CAO countdown: Can you afford to go to college? Here’s what it costs

It ’ s easy to choose a college course – but being in a position to pay registration fees , living costs and spiralling rental accommodation is something else Technological University Dublin ’ s annual Student Cost of Living Guide estimates it costs on average almost €12,000 a year to fund a student living away from home .
For those living at home while attending college , the estimated average costs are still steep : just under €7,000 .
It ’ s important to do the maths to make sure whatever option your son or daughter chooses is affordable .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grants agency can be a crucial factor in a student ’ s decision on whether to accept a course offer .
Some 43 per cent of registered students this year are in receipt of a Student Universal Support Ireland ( Susi ) grant .
These students have their €3,000 fees covered , while many also receive a maintenance grant .
Susi will open its online application system for the 2020/2021 academic year in early April .
It typically receives up to 100,000 applications and awards approximately 75,000 of those .
Those who tick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms agree to the CAO sharing their information with Susi .
This always works to students ’ advantage , and enables them to secure funding as early as possible .
Susi deals with applications on a first-come , first-served basis .
Therefore , it is important to apply as early as possible after the April opening date .
You can apply through the Susi website ( susi.ie ) .
There is an “ eligibility reckoner ” on the homepage to get an idea of whether you might be eligible for a grant .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ application will be assessed on gross income from all sources for the period January 1st , 2019 , to December 31st , 2019 .
Where self-employed/farming/rental income forms part of the family income , students will need to submit a full set of trading accounts for 2019 , plus confirmation that the tax returns for the year have been made to the Revenue Commissioners ( known as an acknowledgment of self-assessment ) .
Susi also provides assistance for approved full-time education in further education ( post-Leaving Cert courses ) , postgraduate studies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studying outside the State .
Students attending further education ( typically post-Leaving Cert courses ) can receive a maintenance grant , the value of which is determined by the level of reckonable income in the household for the previous year and the distance the student travels from home to college ( more or less than 45km ) .
As for students at postgraduate level , those eligible for the special rate grant can receive a fee contribution ( max €6,270 ) and maintenance .
Interestingly , eligible students attending courses in many institutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only – may also receive a maintenance grant .
If you are awarded a student grant for your first choice of course in August , you will receive an updated grant award letter when Susi receives details of your accepted course through the CAO .
If you are awarded a grant to study at undergraduate level but don ’ t receive an offer through the CAO and will instead be attending a PLC course , you will need to inform Susi by submitting an online “ course change notification form ” .
Incidentally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grant payments in the coming academic year is during September and for further education ( PLCs ) it is October .
On Friday : Focus on what you want to study , not the highest points requirements

A grant from the State’s grants agency can be a crucial factor in a student’s decision on whether to accept a course offer. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
It’s easy to choose a college course – but being in a position to pay registration fees, living costs and spiralling rental accommodation is something else
Technological University Dublin's annual Student Cost of Living Guide estimates it costs on average almost €12,000 a year to fund a student living away from home.
For those living at home while attending college, the estimated average costs are still steep: just under €7,000.
It’s important to do the maths to make sure whatever option your son or daughter chooses is affordable.
READ MORE
A grant from the State’s grants agency can be a crucial factor in a student’s decision on whether to accept a course offer.
Some 43 per cent of registered students this year are in receipt of a Student Universal Support Ireland (Susi) grant.
These students have their €3,000 fees covered, while many also receive a maintenance grant.
Can I apply now?
Susi will open its online application system for the 2020/2021 academic year in early April.
It typically receives up to 100,000 applications and awards approximately 75,000 of those.
Those who tick the Susi option on their CAO application forms agree to the CAO sharing their information with Susi. This always works to students’ advantage, and enables them to secure funding as early as possible.
Susi deals with applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, it is important to apply as early as possible after the April opening date.
How to apply
You can apply through the Susi website (susi.ie). There is an "eligibility reckoner" on the homepage to get an idea of whether you might be eligible for a grant.
For the 2020/2021 academic year, your application will be assessed on gross income from all sources for the period January 1st, 2019, to December 31st, 2019.
Where self-employed/farming/rental income forms part of the family income, students will need to submit a full set of trading accounts for 2019, plus confirmation that the tax returns for the year have been made to the Revenue Commissioners (known as an acknowledgment of self-assessment).
Susi also provides assistance for approved full-time education in further education (post-Leaving Cert courses), postgraduate studies and, in some cases, to students studying outside the State.
Students attending further education (typically post-Leaving Cert courses) can receive a maintenance grant, the value of which is determined by the level of reckonable income in the household for the previous year and the distance the student travels from home to college (more or less than 45km).
As for students at postgraduate level, those eligible for the special rate grant can receive a fee contribution (max €6,270) and maintenance.
Interestingly, eligible students attending courses in many institutions outside the State – at undergraduate level only – may also receive a maintenance grant.
CAO offers
If you are awarded a student grant for your first choice of course in August, you will receive an updated grant award letter when Susi receives details of your accepted course through the CAO.
If you are awarded a grant to study at undergraduate level but don’t receive an offer through the CAO and will instead be attending a PLC course, you will need to inform Susi by submitting an online “course change notification form”.
Incidentally, the first payment date for maintenance grant payments in the coming academic year is during September and for further education (PLCs) it is October.
On Friday: Focus on what you want to study, not the highest points requirements


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--State exams body defends practice of issuing ‘estimated’ grades

The State Examinations Commission ( SEC ) has defended its practice of awarding hundreds of “ estimated ” grades to students .
Internal records show the SEC takes this approach when some or all of a student ’ s work in not available for marking due to “ unique , unforeseen and exceptional ” circumstances .
It says these “ system failures ” can involve students receiving the wrong exam paper or the time allotted for an exam being cut short .
These issues are typically brought to the SEC ’ s attention by the school , superintendent , examiner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of results shows a much broader array of cases where these estimated grades have been issued .
In a statement , the SEC said it was required to have procedures in place to deal with “ exceptional situations ” where exams fail to execute as expected due to factors outside of the candidate ’ s control .
“ In such circumstances the SEC implements an established process which ensures that full justice is done for the candidate , ” it said .
“ This process is designed to make an assessment of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their level of attainment and predicted level of performance in the subject.
” In resolving these incidents , the SEC said it seeks the assistance of the student ’ s school to help determine the candidate ’ s expected level of performance in the exam .
It said required information can include results of house or mock examinations and an order of merit showing their rank order of performance in their class group .
Senior personnel in the SEC then consider all of the available information in arriving at an assessed result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume of such grades awarded – typically between 100 and 150 in a given year – should be seen in the context of exams with just under 120,000 candidates and more than 1 million grades .
“ The SEC has no concerns in relation to the use of these established procedures in order to ensure that candidates are not disadvantaged by circumstances where examinations fail to execute as expected for reasons entirely outside of their control , ” it said .
“ In its dealings with schools and candidates on such matters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process and the circumstances in which it has arisen .
“ It would be patently unfair to penalise a candidate for examination delivery failures , and on the rare occasions where these arise , it is entirely reasonable to expect that there are arrangements that can be made to ensure that candidates are treated fairly in all aspects of the examinations system .
”

The State exams body said the volume of such grades awarded – typically between 100 and 150 in a given year – should be seen in the context of exams with just under 120,000 candidates and more than 1 million grades. Photograph: iStock
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has defended its practice of awarding hundreds of "estimated" grades to students.
Internal records show the SEC takes this approach when some or all of a student’s work in not available for marking due to “unique, unforeseen and exceptional” circumstances.
It says these “system failures” can involve students receiving the wrong exam paper or the time allotted for an exam being cut short. These issues are typically brought to the SEC’s attention by the school, superintendent, examiner or parent.
However, a breakdown of results shows a much broader array of cases where these estimated grades have been issued.
READ MORE
In a statement, the SEC said it was required to have procedures in place to deal with “exceptional situations” where exams fail to execute as expected due to factors outside of the candidate’s control.
Justice
“In such circumstances the SEC implements an established process which ensures that full justice is done for the candidate,” it said.
“This process is designed to make an assessment of a candidate’s likely examination performance based on their level of attainment and predicted level of performance in the subject.”
In resolving these incidents, the SEC said it seeks the assistance of the student’s school to help determine the candidate’s expected level of performance in the exam. It said required information can include results of house or mock examinations and an order of merit showing their rank order of performance in their class group.
Senior personnel in the SEC then consider all of the available information in arriving at an assessed result for the candidate.
It said the volume of such grades awarded – typically between 100 and 150 in a given year – should be seen in the context of exams with just under 120,000 candidates and more than 1 million grades.
Concerns
“The SEC has no concerns in relation to the use of these established procedures in order to ensure that candidates are not disadvantaged by circumstances where examinations fail to execute as expected for reasons entirely outside of their control,” it said.
“In its dealings with schools and candidates on such matters, the SEC is completely open about the process and the circumstances in which it has arisen.
“It would be patently unfair to penalise a candidate for examination delivery failures, and on the rare occasions where these arise, it is entirely reasonable to expect that there are arrangements that can be made to ensure that candidates are treated fairly in all aspects of the examinations system.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--‘Parallel’ Leaving Cert system may threaten public confidence

The State Examination Commission ( SEC ) mission statement says it is dedicated to providing a “ high quality examinations and assessment system incorporating the highest standards of openness , fairness and accountability ” .
However , internal records which show the existence of a parallel Leaving Cert certification process – based on estimated grades – are likely to raise fresh concerns over the fairness of the system .
Hundreds of Junior and Leaving Cert students have in recent years been awarded grades based on estimates by their schools due to errors such as lost scripts or candidates being given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very valid reasons for many of these awards , where students were disadvantaged through no fault of their own .
However , a detailed breakdown of cases where these expected grades were awarded raises questions over whether they are being fairly applied in all cases .
In one case , a student was given an estimated grade after complaining of being distracted by ants on their desk while sitting a Leaving Cert exam .
In other cases , estimated grades were awarded after students complained of noise outside exam centres , a stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being given rest breaks or being distracted by other candidates .
The fact that this process is not publicly acknowledged or referred to in any published documents raises further questions over the transparency of this process .
In addition , the treatment of students granted estimated grades contrasts sharply with that of bereaved students .
A student whose close family member died had two options up until last year : sit Leaving Cert exams within hours of the funeral ; or re-sit their exams a year later .
Under changes introduced last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sit exams they missed in July .
However , even with these changes , bereaved students are still requested to undertake an exam , unlike those who receive estimated grades .
Rhona Butler , a Tipperary student who who lost her mother during the Leaving Cert exam in 2018 , was instrumental in prompting this change .
She spoke last year of having to sit her business exam the day after her mother died or risk repeating the Leaving Cert the following year .
When contacted about the existence of these estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice seemed unfair given what bereaved students are expected to do .
“ I was shocked when I heard that this was in place : you have to question what are legitimate reasons for awarding these grades , ” she said , “ It boils down to fairness .
It was the main reason I spoke about my experiences .
I wanted to be treated fairly ...
I think if a student feels they have a cause for complaint , they should also have to resit the exam .
It ’ s about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show the SEC considered providing estimated grades – or “ assessed results ” as it calls them – for bereaved students , but ruled it out over fears it could undermine confidence in the Leaving Cert .
The record did not reference that such a system already exists – and the numbers receiving these estimated grades in a given year are significantly more than the number of bereaved students .
In light of the SEC ’ s own comments , it begs an obvious question : will the existence of this system now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exam system ?

Student Rhona Butler had to sit a Leaving Cert exam the day after her mother, Margaret, died. Photograph: Courtesy of Rhona Butler
The State Examination Commission (SEC) mission statement says it is dedicated to providing a "high quality examinations and assessment system incorporating the highest standards of openness, fairness and accountability".
However, internal records which show the existence of a parallel Leaving Cert certification process – based on estimated grades – are likely to raise fresh concerns over the fairness of the system.
Hundreds of Junior and Leaving Cert students have in recent years been awarded grades based on estimates by their schools due to errors such as lost scripts or candidates being given the wrong exam papers.
There are very valid reasons for many of these awards, where students were disadvantaged through no fault of their own. However, a detailed breakdown of cases where these expected grades were awarded raises questions over whether they are being fairly applied in all cases.
READ MORE
In one case, a student was given an estimated grade after complaining of being distracted by ants on their desk while sitting a Leaving Cert exam.
In other cases, estimated grades were awarded after students complained of noise outside exam centres, a stopped clock in an exam hall, not being given rest breaks or being distracted by other candidates.
The fact that this process is not publicly acknowledged or referred to in any published documents raises further questions over the transparency of this process.
In addition, the treatment of students granted estimated grades contrasts sharply with that of bereaved students.
A student whose close family member died had two options up until last year: sit Leaving Cert exams within hours of the funeral; or re-sit their exams a year later. Under changes introduced last year, these students can now, thankfully, sit exams they missed in July.
However, even with these changes, bereaved students are still requested to undertake an exam, unlike those who receive estimated grades.
‘I was shocked’
Rhona Butler, a Tipperary student who who lost her mother during the Leaving Cert exam in 2018, was instrumental in prompting this change.
She spoke last year of having to sit her business exam the day after her mother died or risk repeating the Leaving Cert the following year.
When contacted about the existence of these estimated grades this week, she said the practice seemed unfair given what bereaved students are expected to do.
“I was shocked when I heard that this was in place: you have to question what are legitimate reasons for awarding these grades,” she said,
“It boils down to fairness. It was the main reason I spoke about my experiences. I wanted to be treated fairly... I think if a student feels they have a cause for complaint, they should also have to resit the exam. It’s about treating everybody the same.”
Internal records show the SEC considered providing estimated grades – or “assessed results” as it calls them – for bereaved students, but ruled it out over fears it could undermine confidence in the Leaving Cert.
The record did not reference that such a system already exists – and the numbers receiving these estimated grades in a given year are significantly more than the number of bereaved students.
In light of the SEC’s own comments, it begs an obvious question: will the existence of this system now threaten public confidence in the Leaving Cert exam system?


theirishtimes--2020-01-16--Synchotron shines a light in the darkness of the Middle East

The road to Sesame climbs through the hills on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital Amman , past suburban villages , small farms and fields of olive trees .
The blocky square building could be anything , but inside electrons are speeding around in a particle accelerator , shining a light that is unique in the Middle East .
Not just in scientific terms , but in political terms too .
When Sesame ’ s council meets , Turks sit alongside Cypriots , Israelis beside Palestinians and Iranians .
But they are scientists first .
Holding it all together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this location , Jordan .
“ Jordan is the heart of the Middle East , and all citizens of different countries can come here , ” says Prof Khaled Toukan , Sesame ’ s director .
“ We are talking one neutral language , we are talking science.
” The name “ Sesame ” was chosen as a cultural reference in the region , evoking “ open Sesame ” , but for scientists it stands for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East .
A synchrotron light source is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emitted by electron beams to study a range of properties of matter .
There are about 60 such synchrotrons worldwide , but Sesame is the first in the Middle East .
Modelled on Cern , as an intergovernmental research centre , the project was developed under the auspices of Unesco .
The current members are Cyprus , Egypt , Iran , Israel , Jordan , Pakistan , Palestine and Turkey .
Physicist Vincent McBrierty , professor emeritus at Trinity College , was involved in the project in its early stages , while he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oman .
“ I looked around at one of the early meetings , and I couldn ’ t conceive of any other situation where you could get this disparate group of countries around the same table .
The fact that it got through when tensions were rampant is a real success story.
” The first two beamlines to be installed were the X-ray absorption fine structure/X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy beamline and the IR ( infrared spectra microscopy ) beamline .
On the day I visit , scientists are working on the installation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ materials science .
The three series accelerator complex is enclosed in lead to prevent radiation leaks .
As it ’ s not running today , we ’ re allowed to descend into the tunnels , though the health and safety officer attaches a dosimeter to my jacket just in case .
When it ’ s in operation a microtron generates and pre-accelerates the electrons .
A booster synchrotron accelerates the electrons and transfers the beam to the main storage ring .
The beam circulates for many hours at close to the speed of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light as their trajectories are deflected by bending magnets , while other magnets control the specific characteristics of the beam .
The beamlines then collect the synchrotron light and convey it to the experimental chambers , where optical elements focus the light on the individual samples being studied by scientists .
“ The specialised beamlines can be used for very different disciplines , using the power of synchrotron light , which is so much more powerful than any normal X-ray , ” says Dr Walid Zidan .
“ Applications include life sciences , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others.
” In its first two years of operation Sesame has facilitated more than 70 experiments .
An Egyptian group of scientists focused on Alzheimer ’ s disease used the facility to investigate the deterioration of cells in the brain .
Scientists have also studied the chemical composition of mummies from Egypt and teeth from ancient Iranian sites .
A Turkish group investigated how to increase the lifespan of batteries to reduce their impact on the environment .
The first peer-reviewed paper to emerge from a project at Sesame came from another Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nanomaterials that can convert atmospheric waste , CO2 , and biomass waste glycerol into carbon monoxide ( CO ) and hydrogen ( H2 ) , which can be used by industry .
Accelerators are big users of electricity , which is extremely expensive in Jordan , so Sesame sought funding for a solar power plant .
It is now is the world ’ s first large accelerator complex powered solely by renewable energy , drawn from a 6.48 MW solar plant located next to the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission .
The solar project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the EU , which has been a major donor to the project .
Cern played a significant role in the construction of the main storage ring .
Funding has been a challenge throughout , with several states in arrears with their membership fees .
Politics has played a role too , with sanctions preventing Iran from transferring funds it had committed to capital projects .
Italy has recently funded a guesthouse , which has just been completed , and will allow scientists to stay onsite while their project is using the beamlines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the development of science and build connections between the member countries .
Proposals to use the beamlines are also accepted from other non-members .
Sesame ’ s core staff are themselves multinational and multicultural with at least nine nationalities represented , including Jordanian , Armenian , Italian , Palestinian , Egyptian , Pakistani .
Turkish , British and Algerian .
For universities in the Middle East , Sesame is a way to introduce their students to a world-class research facility and to try and reverse the brain drain in the region .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West Bank is just 50km away .
“ Palestine is very fortunate to have Sesame on its doorstep , ” says assistant professor Dr Ahmed Bassalat .
“ It is a window to international collaboration in science at a very high level and I have used the facility for the training of a number of students in my laboratory.
” It ’ s been a long hard road to get Sesame up and running , but it is probably one of the most successful examples of science diplomacy operating in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceived in 2000 , and there have been so many wars and revolutions since then , ” says Prof Toukan .
“ And yet we made it .
So many issues have been overcome .
It ’ s a sign of our ability to work together and to cultivate potential in an area marred by conflict , by walls , and by division .
It ’ s a light in the region .
”

Sesame scientific director Giorgio Paolucci points out one of the magnetic devices used to accelerate electrons around the synchrotron’s ring at the facility in Jordan. Photograph: GeekWire/Alan Boyle
The road to Sesame climbs through the hills on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital Amman, past suburban villages, small farms and fields of olive trees. The blocky square building could be anything, but inside electrons are speeding around in a particle accelerator, shining a light that is unique in the Middle East.
Not just in scientific terms, but in political terms too. When Sesame’s council meets, Turks sit alongside Cypriots, Israelis beside Palestinians and Iranians.
But they are scientists first. Holding it all together, and making Sesame physically possible, is this location, Jordan. "Jordan is the heart of the Middle East, and all citizens of different countries can come here," says Prof Khaled Toukan, Sesame's director. "We are talking one neutral language, we are talking science."
The name “Sesame” was chosen as a cultural reference in the region, evoking “open Sesame”, but for scientists it stands for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East. A synchrotron light source is an accelerator-based facility, which uses electromagnetic radiation emitted by electron beams to study a range of properties of matter. There are about 60 such synchrotrons worldwide, but Sesame is the first in the Middle East.
READ MORE
Modelled on Cern, as an intergovernmental research centre, the project was developed under the auspices of Unesco. The current members are Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine and Turkey. Physicist Vincent McBrierty, professor emeritus at Trinity College, was involved in the project in its early stages, while he was vice-provost of Sultan Qaboos University in Oman.
“I looked around at one of the early meetings, and I couldn’t conceive of any other situation where you could get this disparate group of countries around the same table. The fact that it got through when tensions were rampant is a real success story.”
The first two beamlines to be installed were the X-ray absorption fine structure/X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy beamline and the IR (infrared spectra microscopy) beamline. On the day I visit, scientists are working on the installation of the third beamline, which will focus on materials science.
The three series accelerator complex is enclosed in lead to prevent radiation leaks. As it’s not running today, we’re allowed to descend into the tunnels, though the health and safety officer attaches a dosimeter to my jacket just in case.
When it’s in operation a microtron generates and pre-accelerates the electrons. A booster synchrotron accelerates the electrons and transfers the beam to the main storage ring. The beam circulates for many hours at close to the speed of light.
The circulating electrons emit synchrotron light as their trajectories are deflected by bending magnets, while other magnets control the specific characteristics of the beam. The beamlines then collect the synchrotron light and convey it to the experimental chambers, where optical elements focus the light on the individual samples being studied by scientists.
Different disciplines
"The specialised beamlines can be used for very different disciplines, using the power of synchrotron light, which is so much more powerful than any normal X-ray," says Dr Walid Zidan. "Applications include life sciences, medicine, archaeology and energy among many others."
In its first two years of operation Sesame has facilitated more than 70 experiments. An Egyptian group of scientists focused on Alzheimer’s disease used the facility to investigate the deterioration of cells in the brain. Scientists have also studied the chemical composition of mummies from Egypt and teeth from ancient Iranian sites.
A Turkish group investigated how to increase the lifespan of batteries to reduce their impact on the environment. The first peer-reviewed paper to emerge from a project at Sesame came from another Turkish group. The researchers looked at novel nanomaterials that can convert atmospheric waste, CO2, and biomass waste glycerol into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2), which can be used by industry.
Accelerators are big users of electricity, which is extremely expensive in Jordan, so Sesame sought funding for a solar power plant. It is now is the world's first large accelerator complex powered solely by renewable energy, drawn from a 6.48 MW solar plant located next to the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission.
The solar project was supported by the Jordanian government and the EU, which has been a major donor to the project. Cern played a significant role in the construction of the main storage ring. Funding has been a challenge throughout, with several states in arrears with their membership fees. Politics has played a role too, with sanctions preventing Iran from transferring funds it had committed to capital projects.
Italy has recently funded a guesthouse, which has just been completed, and will allow scientists to stay onsite while their project is using the beamlines, making the kind of personal contacts that help the development of science and build connections between the member countries. Proposals to use the beamlines are also accepted from other non-members.
Staff
Sesame’s core staff are themselves multinational and multicultural with at least nine nationalities represented, including Jordanian, Armenian, Italian, Palestinian, Egyptian, Pakistani. Turkish, British and Algerian.
For universities in the Middle East, Sesame is a way to introduce their students to a world-class research facility and to try and reverse the brain drain in the region. A Najah National University at Nablus in the West Bank is just 50km away.
"Palestine is very fortunate to have Sesame on its doorstep," says assistant professor Dr Ahmed Bassalat. "It is a window to international collaboration in science at a very high level and I have used the facility for the training of a number of students in my laboratory."
It’s been a long hard road to get Sesame up and running, but it is probably one of the most successful examples of science diplomacy operating in the world today.
“The idea was first conceived in 2000, and there have been so many wars and revolutions since then,” says Prof Toukan. “And yet we made it. So many issues have been overcome. It’s a sign of our ability to work together and to cultivate potential in an area marred by conflict, by walls, and by division. It’s a light in the region.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-17--Talks to resolve Limerick FC’s action against FAI to continue over weekend

Talks aimed at resolving Limerick FC ’ s legal action against the Football Association of Ireland over the club ’ s alleged exclusion from participation in the League of Ireland will continue over the weekend , the High Court heard .
Earlier this week , the club initiated proceedings over the FAI ’ s alleged failure to invite it to submit an application for a licence to allow it play in the League of Ireland First Division during the 2020 season .
When the case returned before the court on Thursday , Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was told discussions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The parties again returned before the judge on Friday when Murray Johnson SC , for the club , said progress was being made but the matter had not resolved .
Counsel said talks are continuing and asked the court for a further adjournment to facilitate those .
The judge granted an adjournment to Monday , saying it was in everybody ’ s interest the matter be resolved .
In its action against the FAI , Munster Football Club Ltd , trading as Limerick FC , which was subject of a failed examinership process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is bound under its own rules to invite the club to submit an application .
It claims the FAI has refused to do so , leading to Limerick FC being excluded from competing in this season ’ s First Division .
It also claims the FAI has allowed Shamrock Rovers ’ B team to enter a team in the First Division , which the other clubs in the division are all opposed to .
Represented by Frank Callanan SC , the club wants various orders , including an injunction requiring the FAI to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FC to submit an application for a licence allowing it play in the 2020 League of Ireland First Division .
It also seeks injunctions preventing the FAI excluding it from the League of Ireland or allocating any of the club ’ s assets , including its underage academy , to any other party .
Other orders are sought to prevent the FAI granting a licence allowing any third party play in the 2020 First Division instead of Limerick FC until the FAI has complied with its obligations under the association ’ s rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FAI , in correspondence with the club , said it had never stated it was unwilling to allow Limerick FC to apply for a licence .
The FAI said the club had not provided it with information required before a licence can be granted before the relevant deadlines had expired .
The club says the deadlines were missed due to certain “ illegitimate demands ” made by the FAI .

Judge granted an adjournment to Monday, saying it was in everybody’s interest the matter be resolved. Photograph: Alan Betson / THE IRISH TIMES
Talks aimed at resolving Limerick FC’s legal action against the Football Association of Ireland over the club’s alleged exclusion from participation in the League of Ireland will continue over the weekend, the High Court heard.
Earlier this week, the club initiated proceedings over the FAI’s alleged failure to invite it to submit an application for a licence to allow it play in the League of Ireland First Division during the 2020 season.
When the case returned before the court on Thursday, Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was told discussions were underway aimed at resolving the dispute.
The parties again returned before the judge on Friday when Murray Johnson SC, for the club, said progress was being made but the matter had not resolved.
READ MORE
Counsel said talks are continuing and asked the court for a further adjournment to facilitate those.
The judge granted an adjournment to Monday, saying it was in everybody’s interest the matter be resolved.
In its action against the FAI, Munster Football Club Ltd, trading as Limerick FC, which was subject of a failed examinership process late last year, claims the FAI is bound under its own rules to invite the club to submit an application.
It claims the FAI has refused to do so, leading to Limerick FC being excluded from competing in this season’s First Division.
It also claims the FAI has allowed Shamrock Rovers’ B team to enter a team in the First Division, which the other clubs in the division are all opposed to.
Represented by Frank Callanan SC, the club wants various orders, including an injunction requiring the FAI to take all necessary steps to permit Limerick FC to submit an application for a licence allowing it play in the 2020 League of Ireland First Division.
It also seeks injunctions preventing the FAI excluding it from the League of Ireland or allocating any of the club’s assets, including its underage academy, to any other party.
Other orders are sought to prevent the FAI granting a licence allowing any third party play in the 2020 First Division instead of Limerick FC until the FAI has complied with its obligations under the association’s rules and regulations.
The court previously heard the FAI, in correspondence with the club, said it had never stated it was unwilling to allow Limerick FC to apply for a licence.
The FAI said the club had not provided it with information required before a licence can be granted before the relevant deadlines had expired.
The club says the deadlines were missed due to certain “illegitimate demands” made by the FAI.


theirishtimes--2020-01-17--Seven-and-a-half years jail for man found with €1.1m worth of drugs in ‘socks’ box

A man who was caught with €1.1 million worth of drugs in boxes labelled “ Sport Socks ” has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years .
James Gannon ( 32 ) of St Mark ’ s Drive , Clondalkin , Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine , cannabis and ketamine for sale or supply at Citywest Storage , Tallaght , on March 22nd , 2018 .
He also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at locations in Lucan on the same date .
On Friday , Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Gannon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions .
The judge noted the value of the drugs was “ very significant ” and she placed the offending at the upper end of the scale .
The court previously heard that on the day in question , undercover gardaí observed Gannon going into Citywest Storage before driving a van to the car park of Ballyowen Castle Shopping Centre , Lucan .
Gardaí spotted another man getting out of Gannon ’ s van and driving away in a car .
This car , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be carrying €34,972 worth of cocaine .
The court heard Gannon had passed these drugs to the other man .
Gardaí later obtained a search warrant for a storage unit in Gannon ’ s name at Citywest Storage .
Inside brown boxes labelled “ Sport Socks ” , they discovered cocaine , cannabis and ketamine with a total combined value of €1,151,157 .
When interviewed by gardaí , Gannon admitted he rented the unit and said he had brought the drugs there the previous week .
He said he had never stored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug debt of €20,000 .
He has two previous convictions for road traffic offences .
Keith Spencer BL , defending , said Gannon used to give sports socks to the homeless .
He described Gannon as “ a man with a very soft nature ” .
The court heard Gannon was a long-term drug addict who is now drug-free .

On Friday, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Gannon to nine years in prison, but suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh
A man who was caught with €1.1 million worth of drugs in boxes labelled “Sport Socks” has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
James Gannon (32) of St Mark’s Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine for sale or supply at Citywest Storage, Tallaght, on March 22nd, 2018.
He also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at locations in Lucan on the same date.
On Friday, Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Gannon to nine years in prison, but suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions.
READ MORE
The judge noted the value of the drugs was “very significant” and she placed the offending at the upper end of the scale.
The court previously heard that on the day in question, undercover gardaí observed Gannon going into Citywest Storage before driving a van to the car park of Ballyowen Castle Shopping Centre, Lucan.
Gardaí spotted another man getting out of Gannon’s van and driving away in a car. This car, when stopped by gardaí, was discovered to be carrying €34,972 worth of cocaine. The court heard Gannon had passed these drugs to the other man.
Gardaí later obtained a search warrant for a storage unit in Gannon’s name at Citywest Storage. Inside brown boxes labelled “Sport Socks”, they discovered cocaine, cannabis and ketamine with a total combined value of €1,151,157.
When interviewed by gardaí, Gannon admitted he rented the unit and said he had brought the drugs there the previous week. He said he had never stored drugs before and that he had a drug debt of €20,000.
He has two previous convictions for road traffic offences.
Keith Spencer BL, defending, said Gannon used to give sports socks to the homeless. He described Gannon as “a man with a very soft nature”.
The court heard Gannon was a long-term drug addict who is now drug-free.


theirishtimes--2020-01-17--Teenage boys and organised crime gangs: A complicated dynamic

The murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods will have come as little surprise to community activists and gardaí working with boys who have been sucked into crime networks , or criminal gangs , in their own communities .
The manner of Keane ’ s murder , and the dismembering of his remains , has shocked the country .
However , that a boy was being used as a foot soldier by a feuding gang in Drogheda and that he so rapidly became a victim of that violence will surprise few at the coalface of policing and community activism .
Keane was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Drogheda linked to the gangland feud in Drogheda and collected debts along with young associates .
He had just received his first custodial sentence ; four months imprisonment suspended after a campaign of intimidating and terrorising a family from the Co Louth town .
A report published just last month – Building Community Resilience , a response to criminal networks – was effectively an academic study of the life Keane Mulready-Woods was involved in .
It documented a dynamic where peer pressure , the need for money and desire for status trapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a very early age .
Its author Dr Johnny Connolly of the University of Limerick ’ s Centre for Crime , Justice and Victim Studies reviewed two criminal networks in Dublin ’ s south inner city .
Children as young as 12 were a key component of the gang structure and day to day operations .
In some cases young children were involved in plans that resulted in murders , according to one Garda interviewee .
Another Garda member said some of the boys who eventually became involved in gangs had been warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they saw friends given money for trainers and other sports clothing by older gang members , as well as cash payments and at times free cannabis so gang-affiliation seemed attractive .
“ Probably 80 per cent of them are using cannabis at least and probably were since they were 14 or 15 and have moved onto at least coke now and maybe some others , ” one Garda familiar with youth offending told the researchers .
“ So the debts .
.
.
they don ’ t have any ability to earn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that age so they are obviously going to get into criminality to pay for that .
So that ’ s where it starts.
” Another Garda member interviewed for the report said young boys dealing drugs on the streets were “ stood down ” from those positions for a period if they were caught with drugs or had otherwise drawn Garda attention .
Other boys were then deployed to fill that position , with the same process occurring if a young street dealer was sent to prison or detention .
The older criminals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the community .
They often policed their local areas and banned some crime types that would draw the unwanted and unnecessary attention of the Garda .
They control the teenage foot soldiers through a combination of financial rewards , and as well as intimidation and violence when required .
Some activists said when they needed to consult with the community they had no option but to go through the senior criminals as it was they who had control and influence .
One of the gardaí interviewed for the research said young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sometimes loose networks because they lived in the same area , went to school together or part of the same large family networks .
Another garda said young boys were being used by the older gang members to deal drugs on the streets as well as for storing drugs , burning out cars as a means of intimidating others and even forcing some families out of particular areas .
The young gang members were also deployed to extort money with menaces from construction sites and had in some cases become involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dynamic of crime gangs with young boys on the lower rungs in these terms : “ It maintains itself because the lads at the top don ’ t allow themselves to get caught doing anything so .
.
.
the head of the snake is always there where everyone else below it is replaceable.
” A community activist working in Dublin with at-risk young children said even those children just starting out in criminal networks were aware of cartel leaders and were drawn to their negative glamour .
“ Some of the young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; even though they never met some of the cartel they talk about they really believe they have a strong connection with this cartel .
That ’ s who they aim to be like.
” Another community worker added : “ I find that the younger people that are coming into that [ criminal ] culture are finding a sense of belonging [ in local crime gangs ] that they are not meeting in their communities .
”

Young boys were being used by the older gang members to deal drugs on the streets as well as for storing drugs, burning out cars as a means of intimidating others and even forcing some families out of particular areas, one garda said. Photograph: David Sleator
The murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods will have come as little surprise to community activists and gardaí working with boys who have been sucked into crime networks, or criminal gangs, in their own communities.
The manner of Keane's murder, and the dismembering of his remains, has shocked the country. However, that a boy was being used as a foot soldier by a feuding gang in Drogheda and that he so rapidly became a victim of that violence will surprise few at the coalface of policing and community activism.
Keane was a suspect for petrol bombings on homes in Drogheda linked to the gangland feud in Drogheda and collected debts along with young associates. He had just received his first custodial sentence; four months imprisonment suspended after a campaign of intimidating and terrorising a family from the Co Louth town.
A report published just last month – Building Community Resilience, a response to criminal networks – was effectively an academic study of the type of life Keane Mulready-Woods was involved in. It documented a dynamic where peer pressure, the need for money and desire for status trapped young boys into a vicious circle from a very early age.
READ MORE
Its author Dr Johnny Connolly of the University of Limerick's Centre for Crime, Justice and Victim Studies reviewed two criminal networks in Dublin's south inner city.
Debts
Children as young as 12 were a key component of the gang structure and day to day operations. In some cases young children were involved in plans that resulted in murders, according to one Garda interviewee.
Another Garda member said some of the boys who eventually became involved in gangs had been warned repeatedly not to do so. However, they saw friends given money for trainers and other sports clothing by older gang members, as well as cash payments and at times free cannabis so gang-affiliation seemed attractive.
“Probably 80 per cent of them are using cannabis at least and probably were since they were 14 or 15 and have moved onto at least coke now and maybe some others,” one Garda familiar with youth offending told the researchers.
“So the debts . . . they don’t have any ability to earn money to pay for the cannabis at that age so they are obviously going to get into criminality to pay for that. So that’s where it starts.”
Another Garda member interviewed for the report said young boys dealing drugs on the streets were “stood down” from those positions for a period if they were caught with drugs or had otherwise drawn Garda attention. Other boys were then deployed to fill that position, with the same process occurring if a young street dealer was sent to prison or detention.
The older criminals who controlled them also had significant control in the community. They often policed their local areas and banned some crime types that would draw the unwanted and unnecessary attention of the Garda. They control the teenage foot soldiers through a combination of financial rewards, and as well as intimidation and violence when required.
Some activists said when they needed to consult with the community they had no option but to go through the senior criminals as it was they who had control and influence.
Negative glamour
One of the gardaí interviewed for the research said young people in gangs initially came together in large and sometimes loose networks because they lived in the same area, went to school together or part of the same large family networks.
Another garda said young boys were being used by the older gang members to deal drugs on the streets as well as for storing drugs, burning out cars as a means of intimidating others and even forcing some families out of particular areas. The young gang members were also deployed to extort money with menaces from construction sites and had in some cases become involved in murder plans.
Another garda described the dynamic of crime gangs with young boys on the lower rungs in these terms: “It maintains itself because the lads at the top don’t allow themselves to get caught doing anything so . . . the head of the snake is always there where everyone else below it is replaceable.”
A community activist working in Dublin with at-risk young children said even those children just starting out in criminal networks were aware of cartel leaders and were drawn to their negative glamour.
“Some of the young ones I’d be working with; even though they never met some of the cartel they talk about they really believe they have a strong connection with this cartel. That’s who they aim to be like.”
Another community worker added: “I find that the younger people that are coming into that [criminal] culture are finding a sense of belonging [in local crime gangs] that they are not meeting in their communities.”