NO sensor may detect diseases

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According to this article on Nature Science Update, scientists at MIT have constructed a prototype of a nitric oxide sensor using a polymer that is lined with Co ions that change the conductivity of the chain when NO bonds with them. NO causes blood vessels to dilate, and also is released by some CNS neurons death, which is associated with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's. Detecting NO levels is useful for diagnosing this and various other diseases.