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Sleep may be one of the most important factors for well-being; yet, according to the CDC, one in three adults does not get enough. Lack of sleep can lead to potential cognitive declines, chronic diseases and death. Now, research from the University of Missouri finds that older adults who have trouble sleeping, could benefit from participating in social activities, in particular attending religious events.

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According to the CDC, approximately one in 68 children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) each year. These children have difficulties with social communication and social interaction and require specific interventions in terms of education and health care. The Training Experts in Autism for Missouri (TEAM) program run by Jena Randolph and Karen O’Connor, assistant research professors in the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri, is making significant strides to implement quality training for educators and health professionals working with children with autism across Missouri.

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Fluoroscopy makes guiding a catheter through a blood vessel possible. However, fluoroscopy, a form of real-time moving X-ray, also exposes the patient to radiation. Now, a University of Missouri School of Medicine researcher has evaluated technology that may be used to replace fluoroscopy, eliminating the need for X-ray during cardiac ablation procedures.

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Extreme heat can pose several health risks, such as dehydration, hyperthermia and even death, especially during sustained periods of high temperatures. However, a uniform definition of a heat wave doesn’t exist. As a result, public health agencies may be unsure of when to activate heat alerts, cooling centers and other protective measures. A University of Missouri School of Medicine researcher has developed a uniform definition of a heat wave that may help public health agencies prepare for extreme temperatures.

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As many as 4 million people could be infected with the Zika virus by the end of the year, according to the World Health Organization. The Zika virus is transmitted by mosquito bites to people predominantly in Central and South America. Although the most typical symptoms of the virus are mild and similar to the flu, pregnant woman face more serious dangers: Cases of microcephaly, a birth defect that could causes a baby’s head to stop growing after birth, may be associated with the virus. University of Missouri researchers say a combination of different strategies is needed to fully tackle the mysteries of the Zika virus.

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Historically, when a family member is terminally ill, the caregiving responsibility falls disproportionately on women. However, in recent years, more men have assumed caregiving roles, and previous research has found that gender differences in caretaking have decreased. Now, a researcher at the University of Missouri School of Medicine has found women still report more negative caretaking experiences than men. The researcher says that interventions are needed to support female caregivers and teach alternative ways to cope and ask for help in stressful situations.

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New research from the University of Missouri has found associations between trouble sleeping and behavioral problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Men have many reasons to add high-impact and resistance training to their exercise regimens; these reasons include building muscle and shedding fat. Now a University of Missouri researcher has determined another significant benefit to these activities: building bone mass. The study found that individuals who continuously participated in high-impact activities, such as jogging and tennis, during adolescence and young adulthood, had greater hip and lumbar spine bone mineral density than those who did not.

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Randomized controlled trials often are considered the gold standard of research studies that help guide the medical care of patients across the world. However, in hospices, randomized controlled trials are difficult to conduct since patients are so close to the end of their lives, causing a gap in research that could improve the quality of hospice care overall. Now, a University of Missouri School of Medicine researcher has found that only 10 randomized controlled trials have taken place in U.S. hospices since 1985. The researcher said more randomized trials by hospice researchers could lead to improved care for hospice patients.

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The University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing today announced they are achieving leading results in their Missouri Quality Initiative for Nursing Homes, as reported in Project Year Three Final Annual Report, Evaluation of the Initiative to Reduce Avoidable Hospitalizations Among Nursing Facility Residents, released by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

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The Disaster and Community Crisis Center (DCC) at the University of Missouri is developing tools that can help children and youth affected during this disaster as well as future events. Recently, the program released animated, online disaster preparedness videos that will aid teachers and counselors who work with school-aged children.

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An estimated 1 in 68 children in the United States has autism. The neurodevelopmental disorder, which impairs communication and social interaction skills, can be treated with medications and behavioral therapies, though there is no cure. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found that a medication commonly used to treat high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats may have the potential to improve some social functions of individuals with autism.

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Silvia Jurisson, a researcher at the University of Missouri, and her interdisciplinary team recently received a U.S. patent for a delivery method using nuclear isotopes to help target, diagnose and treat prostate, pancreatic, breast and small-cell cancers in the body.

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Kattesh Katti, Ph.D., Curators’ Professor of Radiology and Physics, director of the MU Institute of Green Nanotechnology and Margaret Proctor Mulligan Distinguished Professor of Medical Research at the MU School of Medicine, was named the 2016 Person of the Year in Science by Vijayavani, the leading daily newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka. Katti received this recognition for his breakthrough research in the fields of nanomedicine and green nanotechnology.

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In use for more than 20 years, the varicella zoster virus vaccine for chickenpox and shingles is considered an essential medicine by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found, in rare instances, a link between the vaccine and corneal inflammation. It is a finding the researchers say should be discussed by primary care physicians and patients with a history of eye inflammation before getting vaccinated.

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According to the World Health Organization, influenza causes serious illness among millions of people each year, resulting in 250,000 to 500,000 deaths. Those most at risk include infants younger than six months, because they cannot be vaccinated against the disease. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have identified a naturally occurring protein that, when added to the flu vaccine, may offer protection to babies during their first months of life.

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Colorectal cancer is the third most common form of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The chance of developing colorectal cancer increases with age. Now, a study by University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers shows that minority and ethnic groups are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at younger ages and more advanced stages than non-Hispanic whites.

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As the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders continues to rise, medical professionals have emphasized early diagnosis, intervention and treatment. However, less attention has been given to children with autism once they reach their teen years and adulthood. Now, one University of Missouri researcher is working to find ways to support teens with autism and their caregivers so the teens can transition into adulthood successfully and independently.

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Two University of Missouri researchers will present Panacea’s Cloud, a new disaster management system, at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show on Jan. 6-9, 2016, in Las Vegas.

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A gene that is known to suppress the growth and spread of many types of cancer has the opposite effect in some forms of colorectal cancer, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have found. It is a finding that may lay the foundation for new colorectal cancer treatments.