Latest news with #Rhesus
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Seals playing computer games for science reveal how they navigate in murky water
One by one, Nick, Luca and Miro took their places in front of a screen at a German research lab to participate in a video game for science. The task was straightforward. While viewing a simulation of moving through the ocean, the subjects would touch a red target on the left if they thought they were moving left, and a red target on the right if they thought they were moving right — an action these creatures learned by being rewarded with fish. Using a series of dots streaming across a black screen that mimicked particles in murky water, researchers observed whether harbor seals used optic flow, or the movement of objects across one's field of vision, to determine the direction in which they are moving, according to a May 29 study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. Harbor seals are especially adept at navigating open water, which can be 'a strangely claustrophobic experience' for humans as our view drops to just a few centimeters, according to an article published in the Journal of Experimental Biology about the study. Seals are known to use their highly sensitive and dexterous whiskers to navigate and hunt, but the role of visual perception is less studied. The team designed three computer simulations. The first simulated a seal moving through the open sea with dots coming at them; the second simulated the sea floor passing beneath the seal; and the last simulated the sea surface above the seal's head, according to the article. Three humans participated in the simulation for skill comparison, according to the study. The seals' heading accuracy was 'comparable, but slightly inferior to the heading accuracy of humans and Rhesus macaques (a species of monkey),' according to the study. 'The (seals) were perfectly capable of determining which direction they were traveling in based simply on the dots streaming in their view; exactly as the cloudy water, seabed or water surface would appear to move when they are swimming,' the article said. The research team included Laura-Marie Sandow, Ann-Kathrin Thimian, Markus Lappe and Frederike D. Hanke.
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Blood donor who saved 2.4 million babies dies, aged 88
James Harrison, known as the "man with the golden arm," has died in Australia at 88 after six decades of donating blood. He made more than 1,100 donations during his lifetime, from the age of 18 until his retirement at 81, helping to save more than 2.4 million babies. His rare antibody was crucial in developing Anti-D, a treatment preventing Rhesus disease, where the mother's blood attacks her foetus. Harrison previously received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his contributions. Scientists are working on a project to synthetically produce his antibody.
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘Man with a golden arm': Australian whose rare blood helped save millions of babies dies at 88
James Harrison, who helped save more than two million babies by donating blood over 1,100 times across six decades, has died at 88. According to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Harrison, also known as the 'man with a golden arm', had the 'precious antibody in his blood' that was used to make a 'lifesaving medication called Anti-D, given to mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies'. Harrison died in his sleep at Peninsula Village Nursing Home on the NSW Central Coast on 17 February. He began donating in 1954 at 18 and continued regularly until his retirement in 2018 at 81. According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, he has helped save the lives of more than 2.4 million Australian babies. Harrison's daughter, Tracey Mellowship, fondly remembered him as a generous soul with a wonderful sense of humour. 'James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny,' Ms Mellowship said. 'In his last years, he was immensely proud to become a great grandfather to two beautiful grandchildren, Trey and Addison. 'As an Anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations.' She added: 'He was also very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain. It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness. 'He always said it does not hurt, and the life you save could be your own.' Harrison's rare antibodies were crucial in developing Anti-D, the treatment that has protected millions of newborns from Rhesus disease (or Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn) – a condition in which a pregnant woman's blood attacks her unborn baby's red blood cells, potentially leading to brain damage or even death. It occurs when a mother has RhD-negative blood, while her baby inherits RhD-positive blood from the father. If the mother has been sensitised to RhD-positive blood – often during a previous pregnancy – her immune system may produce antibodies that attack the baby's blood as a foreign threat. 'James was a pioneer of our Anti-D programme. More than 3 million doses of Anti-D containing James' blood have been issued to Aussie mothers with a negative blood type since 1967,' Lifeblood said in a statement on their website. 'He has changed my world and I'm sure he's done that for many other families, making him a very incredible human,' said Rebecca Ind, a recipient of Harrison's blood donations during and after her pregnancy 12 years ago. In 1999 Harrison was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia – one of the country's most prestigious honours – for his extraordinary dedication to the Lifeblood and Anti-D programme. His kindness leaves a 'remarkable legacy, and he has put the challenge out to the Australian community to beat it', Lifeblood said in the statement. 'I hope it's a record that somebody breaks, because it will mean they are dedicated to the cause,' Harrison said of his last donation at the age of 81. 'It becomes quite humbling when they say, 'oh you've done this or you've done that or you're a hero,'' Harrison said at the time. 'It's something I can do. It's one of my talents, probably my only talent, is that I can be a blood donor.' At 14, Harrison underwent major chest surgery and relied on the generosity of blood donors to survive. Determined to give back, he vowed to donate as soon as he was eligible – and at 18, he kept his promise, despite a fear of needles. More than a decade later, doctors discovered that his blood contained a rare antibody essential for producing Anti-D injections. Committed to helping others, Harrison willingly switched to plasma donation, ensuring his contributions could save as many lives as possible. 'James was a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,' Lifeblood chief executive officer Stephen Cornelissen was quoted as saying by Australia's Nine News. 'It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors', and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was. 'James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1173 times and expected nothing in return.' Robyn Barlow, coordinator of Australia's Rh Program – designed to prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn (HDFN) – said she had been friends with Harrison for nearly 60 years after first recruiting him as a donor. 'He made my job very easy because he was so keen to donate all the time,' Barlow told 'I never had to worry about him – I never had to call and say: 'when you're coming', nothing like that, he was there standing in front of me.' In an interview with NPR in 2015, Harrison said: 'I was always looking forward to donating, right from the operation, because I don't know how many people it took to save my life.' Several reports pointed out that doctors were not entirely sure why and how Harrison developed this rare blood antibody, though they suspect it may be linked to the transfusions he received at 14 after his surgery. 'Every batch of Anti-D that has ever been made in Australia has come from James' blood,' Jemma Falkenmire, of the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (then known as Australian Red Cross Blood Service), told CNN in 2015. 'And more than 17 per cent of women in Australia are at risk, so James has helped save a lot of lives.' Fewer than 200 people in Australia donate Anti-D, yet their contributions help an estimated 45,000 mothers and babies each year, according to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Scientists from WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) in Melbourne, in collaboration with Lifeblood, are working on a project called 'James in a Jar' to grow the Anti-D antibody in the lab. Using blood and immune cells from Harrison and other donors, the team has successfully recreated and cultivated the antibody, according to Lifeblood. This breakthrough could one day help prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn, benefiting pregnant women not just in Australia but worldwide, the statement said.
Sky News
03-03-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Blood donor who saved the lives of 2.4 million babies dies
The world's most prolific blood donor, whose plasma saved the lives of more than 2.4 million babies, has died in Australia. James Harrison "generously" donated his plasma almost 1,200 times from 1954 until 2018 and was known as the "man with the golden arm". Described as a "humanitarian" who was "proud" to have saved so many lives, he died aged 88 at a nursing home, according to his family. Born in New South Wales, Mr Harrison was "determined to give back" after receiving many lifesaving transfusions following lung surgery when he was 14. His plasma was found to contain a rare antibody which was then used to develop medicine to prevent newborns dying from Rhesus disease. The medicine, anti-D, is given to pregnant mothers whose rhesus negative blood is at risk of attacking the baby's rhesus positive blood. During more than 60 years of donating blood, Mr Harrison never missed an appointment, said Australian Red Cross Lifeblood - and he holds the Guinness World Record for the number of donations. When he stopped donating in 2018 because he had passed the age limit, he said he would still give blood if he was allowed. His daughter, Tracey Mellowship, said: "James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny. "As an anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations. "He was also very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain. "It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness. "He always said it does not hurt, and the life you save could be your own." Australian Red Cross Lifeblood chief executive Stephen Cornelissen said Mr Harrison was "committed to a lifetime of giving". "It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donor's and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was." He added: "James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1,173 times and expected nothing in return." Lifeblood said Mr Harrison's blood "may continue to save lives" as researchers are working with his and other donors' plasma to grow the rare antibody in laboratory conditions.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘Man with a golden arm': Blood donor whose plasma helped save millions of babies dies
James Harrison, who helped save more than two million babies by donating blood over 1,100 times across six decades, has died at 88. According to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Harrison, also known as the 'man with a golden arm', had the 'precious antibody in his blood' that was used to make a 'lifesaving medication called Anti-D, given to mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their unborn babies'. Harrison died in his sleep at Peninsula Village Nursing Home on the NSW Central Coast on 17 February. He began donating in 1954 at 18 and continued regularly until his retirement in 2018 at 81. According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, he has helped save the lives of more than 2.4 million Australian babies. Harrison's daughter, Tracey Mellowship, fondly remembered him as a generous soul with a wonderful sense of humour. 'James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny,' Ms Mellowship said. 'In his last years, he was immensely proud to become a great grandfather to two beautiful grandchildren, Trey and Addison. 'As an Anti-D recipient myself, he has left behind a family that may not have existed without his precious donations.' She added: 'He was also very proud to have saved so many lives, without any cost or pain. It made him happy to hear about the many families like ours, who existed because of his kindness. 'He always said it does not hurt, and the life you save could be your own.' Harrison's rare antibodies were crucial in developing Anti-D, the treatment that has protected millions of newborns from Rhesus disease (or Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn) – a condition in which a pregnant woman's blood attacks her unborn baby's red blood cells, potentially leading to brain damage or even death. It occurs when a mother has RhD-negative blood, while her baby inherits RhD-positive blood from the father. If the mother has been sensitised to RhD-positive blood – often during a previous pregnancy – her immune system may produce antibodies that attack the baby's blood as a foreign threat. 'James was a pioneer of our Anti-D programme. More than 3 million doses of Anti-D containing James' blood have been issued to Aussie mothers with a negative blood type since 1967,' Lifeblood said in a statement on their website. 'He has changed my world and I'm sure he's done that for many other families, making him a very incredible human,' said Rebecca Ind, a recipient of Harrison's blood donations during and after her pregnancy 12 years ago. In 1999 Harrison was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia – one of the country's most prestigious honours – for his extraordinary dedication to the Lifeblood and Anti-D programme. His kindness leaves a 'remarkable legacy, and he has put the challenge out to the Australian community to beat it', Lifeblood said in the statement. 'I hope it's a record that somebody breaks, because it will mean they are dedicated to the cause,' Harrison said of his last donation at the age of 81. 'It becomes quite humbling when they say, 'oh you've done this or you've done that or you're a hero,'' Harrison said at the time. 'It's something I can do. It's one of my talents, probably my only talent, is that I can be a blood donor.' At 14, Harrison underwent major chest surgery and relied on the generosity of blood donors to survive. Determined to give back, he vowed to donate as soon as he was eligible – and at 18, he kept his promise, despite a fear of needles. More than a decade later, doctors discovered that his blood contained a rare antibody essential for producing Anti-D injections. Committed to helping others, James willingly switched to plasma donation, ensuring his contributions could save as many lives as possible. 'James was a remarkable, stoically kind, and generous person who was committed to a lifetime of giving and he captured the hearts of many people around the world,' Lifeblood chief executive officer Stephen Cornelissen was quoted as saying by Australia's Nine News. 'It was James' belief that his donations were no more important than any other donors', and that everyone can be special in the same way that he was. 'James extended his arm to help others and babies he would never know a remarkable 1173 times and expected nothing in return.' Robyn Barlow, coordinator of Australia's Rh Program – designed to prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn (HDFN) – said she had been friends with Harrison for nearly 60 years after first recruiting him as a donor. 'He made my job very easy because he was so keen to donate all the time,' Barlow told 'I never had to worry about him – I never had to call and say: 'when you're coming', nothing like that, he was there standing in front of me.' In an interview with NPR in 2015, Harrison said: 'I was always looking forward to donating, right from the operation, because I don't know how many people it took to save my life.' Several reports pointed out that doctors were not entirely sure why Harrison developed this rare blood type, though they suspect it may be linked to the transfusions he received at 14 after his surgery. 'Every batch of Anti-D that has ever been made in Australia has come from James' blood,' Jemma Falkenmire, of the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (then known as Australian Red Cross Blood Service), told CNN in 2015. 'And more than 17 per cent of women in Australia are at risk, so James has helped save a lot of lives.' Fewer than 200 people in Australia donate Anti-D, yet their contributions help an estimated 45,000 mothers and babies each year, according to the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Scientists from WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) in Melbourne, in collaboration with Lifeblood, are working on a project called 'James in a Jar' to grow the Anti-D antibody in the lab. Using blood and immune cells from Harrison and other donors, the team has successfully recreated and cultivated the antibody, according to Lifeblood. This breakthrough could one day help prevent Haemolytic Disease of the Foetus and Newborn, benefiting pregnant women not just in Australia but worldwide, the statement said.
