A medical problem commonly associated with elderly is more universal than some might think. And now, researchers are trying to replace that notion.

A team of researchers at the University of Missouri is conducting research in dogs to use living tissue instead of plastic and metal to replace damaged joints.

After receiving a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Health and collaborating with colleagues at Columbia University in New York, the team's research can proceed. Team members hope their research will advance to help humans soon.

This new technology could prevent patients from dealing with complications from traditional joint replacements and having to repeat joint-replacement surgeries.

"When you walk, it's metal rubbing on plastic," Orthopedic Surgery Professor Dr. Sonny Bal said. "The plastic is better than what it was thirty years ago, but it's not perfect. It ages. It wears."

Veterinary Medicine Professor Dr. James Cook began the research in 1996. He said osteoarthritis is the main diagnosis in joint-replacement patients. And it's more common than most people may think.

Joint replacement surgery isn't only associated with the elderly. About 5.6 million younger Americans, or 12 percent, suffer from osteoarthritis, most notably the result of military service or sports.

The cost of joint replacement surgeries for younger patients equals about $3.1 billion.

"If you get a younger patient, which we have several in clinic today, they're frustrated because they can't go on the way they are and this is not the best option," Bal said. "We want to be able to put their own natural part back."

Living tissue will be able to adapt to a younger patient's growing body, resulting in fewer repeat surgeries and less discomfort.

Researchers are first growing cartilage in petri dishes, molding it into the joint, and even making it exercise before it's placed in the patient.

"We can control the movement of a cell's fluid, mimicking the movement of someone walking," Cook said. "We make them walk. We make them lift weights. We make them run."

Unlike traditional joint-replacements that get worse with time, this new technology will get better with time.

"When you get the natural exercise in there, than it's a living tissue that can respond to it," Cook said. "So it's just like when you are growing."

Robot Aids Stroke Sufferers

Stroke victims are now getting help from a British friend.

In the United Kingdom, a robot helps stroke sufferers get movement back in their hands and arms, the first of its kind. The machine can helps patients with stretching and concentration. It also helps create new pathways in the brain and tells the brain what movements to do.

A doctor from the Stroke Association says his hospital has three or four stroke robots. He says the robots can help about four patients at the same time.

Young Americans Lack Insurance

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says nearly 44 million Americans were un-insured last year. CDC experts looked at information from 75,000 adults last year.They found 65 percent of young Americans had private insurance, the lowest number in 50 years.

Health officials say the poor economy and high health insurance premiums are the cause of the problem. But the study did find the number of children with health insurance has gone up over the past ten years.