Stored blood ages

R & D Magazine (Sept. 5) -- Using advanced optical techniques, University of Illinois researchers, led by ECE professor Gabriel Popsecu, measured the stiffness of the membrane surrounding red blood cells over time. They found that, even though the cells retain their shape and hemoglobin content, the membranes get stiffer, which steadily decreases the cells’ functionality. Also: Counsel & Heal (Sept. 5), Laboratory Equipment (Sept. 5), Medical Daily (Sept. 5), ScienceBlog (Sept. 5), Medical Xpress (Isle of Man, Sept. 5), Science 2.0 (Sept. 6), Science 360 (NSF, "Picture of the Day," Sept. 9), Bergen Record (Bergen, N.J., Sept. 9), Scientific Computing (Rockaway, N.J., Sept. 8), Fox News (Sept. 5), Science World Report (Sept. 8), Bioscience Technology (Sept. 5), Lab Manager Magazine (Sept. 6), TheHealthSite (Sept. 6), Medical Research News and Interviews: MedicalResearch.com (Sept. 6), China Topix (Sept. 7).