Your health: A step toward universal blood donation

A step to universal blood donation

Every two seconds someone in the United States needs donated blood, the equivalent of more than 41,000 three-pint donations every day, The Washington Post reports.

There's a perennial need for more donors — particularly donors of type O-negative blood, which doesn't have the A- or B-type antigens that can provoke an immune reaction in some people. But fewer than 7 percent of Americans have O-negative blood.

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers describe a way to transform A and B blood into a type that, like O, could be universally donated.

A team led by Stephen G. Withers of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver noted that blood type is determined by the presence of certain sugars, and scientists knew that those sugars could be removed by enzymes. But the natural enzymes were “inefficient,” not removing enough of the sugars.

Using an approach called “structure-guided directed evolution,” researchers channeled the mutations of one of these enzymes and created a version that improved its ability to remove the targeted sugars by 170-fold.

“This is a significant step toward developing (methods) for the complete removal of blood group antigens,” the researchers write, “allowing for blood transfusions, and organ and tissue transplants from donors that would otherwise be mismatched.”

A Spanish-speaking rape crisis hotline

More than 17 percent of women who speak Spanish have experienced some form of sexual violence, according to a study funded by the Department of Justice.

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network recently announced a new crisis hotline to accommodate them. The number now for both English and Spanish speakers is 800-656-HOPE.

“They want to understand what happened to them,” RAINN President Scott Berkowitz said. “They want to talk to someone who's been trained in helping survivors take steps toward recovery. It's a difficult issue to talk about — and it helps to do it in your own language.”

Talking isn't everything. Beyond mere words, a counselor who grew up speaking a survivor's language may also better understand the cultural factors that can intensify anguish.

The Spanish hotline is a valuable new tool for native speakers who may feel isolated. Psychologists say going over an attack in a safe space can reduce anxiety and depression.

Evidence also suggests there are differences across races in how psychological symptoms develop after a sexual assault. Researchers at the University of Illinois, for example, found female African-American college students who experienced an earlier attack were more likely than their white counterparts to blame themselves for their most recent sexual assault, which further damaged their self-esteem.

Hispanic survivors face specific barriers to seeking help, according to “No Mas,” a survey of 800 people who identify as Latino or Latina in the United States. Forty-one percent of respondents said the primary reason a sexual assault survivor may not come forward is fear of deportation. Thirty-nine percent said fear of losing their children may stop someone from reaching out.

The act of discussing and reporting rape is already stressful, Berkowitz said. There shouldn't be an additional fear of losing your home or family. “We often hear from survivors this common feeling of: I was responsible,” he said. “We want you to know: It wasn't your fault.”