Health Research:About the risks of water intoxication ♦ Novel tool can identify COPD ♦ Researchers link spatial neglect after stroke with poor outcomes

How the retina marches to the beat of its own drum New research sheds light on how the retina sets its own biological rhythm using a novel light-sensitive pigment, called neuropsin, found in nerve cells at the back of the eye.

Researchers link spatial neglect after stroke with poor outcomes Spatial neglect among inpatients with stroke is common, researchers say. At the conclusion of a recent study, the investigators said that affected patients had a higher risk for falls, longer lengths of stay and lesser likelihood of returning home after discharge.

About the risks of water intoxication Knowing the warning signs and responding with the right treatment to of water intoxication can save lives, according to a new report. Exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH), also known as water intoxication, results in an extreme, and potentially fatal, sodium imbalance. As outdoor endurance recreation grows in popularity, so does the risk of EAH.

Novel tool can identify COPD A novel approach for the identification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been developed by a team of researchers. COPD is underdiagnosed, and previous screening tools have relied on smoking history and patient report of cough and sputum. COPD is often uncovered during exacerbations and after significant loss of lung function.

Scientists identify promising drug candidate to treat chronic itch, avoid side effects In a new study, scientists describe a class of compounds with the potential to stop chronic itch without the adverse side effects normally associated with medicating the condition.

Brain Research: Super-small needle technology for the brain ♦ Altered brain development among former NFL players ♦ Molecular origins of Parkinson's disease

New research sheds light on the molecular origins of Parkinson's disease Scientists have identified two proteins that appear to have a protective effect in the set of neurons most affected by this degenerative disease. When their activity wanes, disease sets in. This discovery suggests new avenues for preventing or treating Parkinson's.

Receptor that helps protect brain cells has important role in support cells for the retina A receptor that is already a target for treating neurodegenerative disease also appears to play a key role in supporting the retina.

Altered brain development among former NFL players Former National Football League players who started playing tackle football before the age of 12 were found to have a higher risk of altered brain development compared to those who started playing at a later age. The study is the first to demonstrate a link between early exposure to repetitive head impacts and later life structural brain changes.

Super-small needle technology for the brain A methodology for brain penetration using diameter flexible needles has been developed by scientists. This should further reduce invasiveness and provide tissue penetrations hardly broken than conventional approaches.

Health News:Hospital patients exposed to E. coli ♦ Superbug outbreak ♦ Protein that may help conquer blindness ♦ Spider venom relieves chronic pain ♦ Robots for stroke rehabilitation

Hartford Hospital says patients might have been exposed to E. coli. Hartford Hospital in Connecticut announced March 4 that it will take cultures from 281 patients who may have been exposed to a strain of E. coli that is resistant to some drugs after the hospital learned that two scopes used in procedures on the patients were not properly disinfected Continue Reading

Superbug outbreak extends to Cedars Sinai hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles reported March 4 that 4 patients were infected and 67 others may have been exposed to the deadly carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) superbug from a contaminated scope Continue Reading

Retina protein that may help conquer blindness discovered  A protein in the retina that is crucial for vision has been discovered by researchers who report, for the first time, the key molecular mechanisms leading to visual degeneration and blindness. The research reveals events that may be harnessed for prevention, as well as to slow down progression of retinal degenerative diseases.Continue Reading

Analysis of spider venom reveals promising compounds to relieve chronic pain  New research shows that seven compounds of the countless found in spider venom block a key step in the body's ability to pass pain signals to the brain.Continue Reading

Robots for stroke rehabilitation  A prototype of a robotic glove has been developed which stroke sufferers can use in their own home to support rehabilitation and personal independence in receiving therapies. At the chronic stages of stroke, patients are not likely to be receiving treatment but they continue to live with some impairments -- the glove's goal is to provide therapies to target these impairments.Continue Reading