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Banked Blood May Not Be As Effective As Hoped
URSpider alerts us to two separate research reports published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences pointing to the rapid breakdown of nitric oxide in donated blood as a reason why such blood loses its ability to transfer oxygen, and is sometime implicated in problems such as strokes and heart attacks. Nitric oxide depletion is significant after 3 hours of storage; yet current guidelines allow for storing donated blood for up to 42 days. The article notes: "Several of the researchers, including Stamler, have consulting and/or equity relationships with Nitrox/N30, a company developing nitric oxide based therapies."
Little known fact: the first blood transfusion was a complete and utter failure.
It was for one of the popes, and they drew blood from 3 young boys and fed it to the pope. Yes, fed it to him. The pope died, since he simply digested the blood rather than being able to use it as blood. The boys... well... they died from infections from being bled out to feed a dying pope their blood.
Great story, huh? Death by bleeding and infection: It makes pedophilic anal rape seem like nothing in comparison. Gotta love those crazy pseudo-christians. The funny thing is, if they were really doing things the christian way, they wouldn't be having blood transfusions in any form at all. "Abstain from blood" and all that, you know...