2019 MU dissertations - Access restricted to UMhttps://hdl.handle.net/10355/699232024-03-29T06:30:41Z2024-03-29T06:30:41Z2 Feet 4 Life : feasibility of a foot care self-management intervention for older adults without diabetesO'Connor, Jennifer J.https://hdl.handle.net/10355/761812022-09-27T15:50:49Z2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2 Feet 4 Life : feasibility of a foot care self-management intervention for older adults without diabetes
O'Connor, Jennifer J.
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Foot problems are prevalent, impact over 30% of older adults, and can lead to loss of function, falls, and hospitalization. This pilot intervention study, based on Social Cognitive Theory, evaluated the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the 2 Feet 4 Life foot care self-management intervention on foot care knowledge, self-efficacy, self-management behaviors, foot pain and foot health. Thirty-two non-diabetic, community-dwelling older adults were recruited from two senior centers. One community center was randomized to receive the Intervention; the other served as Control. Within the Control group, participants were randomized into two subgroups: True Control and Bias Control. The 2 Feet 4 Life intervention consisted of one hour sessions for four consecutive weeks. Assessments occurred at baseline, one month, four months and seven months. Study recruitment and retention goals were met (90.6% retention rate). The intervention was safely and accurately implemented within the anticipated timelines. Although some participants reported difficulties with select vocabulary used on one or more the patient-reported outcome tools, participants found the intervention content valuable and session length and frequency acceptable. Modest improvements in foot care knowledge, foot care behaviors, and foot health were observed in the Intervention group. Based on our analysis, the estimated between group effect size of 2 Feet 4 Life intervention appears to be large for foot care knowledge, self-efficacy, and behaviors. Our findings suggest that the patient-reported and provider-reported outcome tools used in this study require further refinement and psychometric testing. Future fully powered studies need to include diverse samples of older adults with greater variability in foot health and foot pain.
Includes vita
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZAptamers against viral proteins as a tool to answer biological questionsCamargo, Carolinahttps://hdl.handle.net/10355/700472022-09-27T15:50:50Z2019-01-01T00:00:00ZAptamers against viral proteins as a tool to answer biological questions
Camargo, Carolina
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] There are two experimental chapters in this dissertation in which the fundamental questions center around aptamers and viruses and how these two concepts interlace. The first experimental chapter (chapter two) seeks to utilize previously characterized aptamers against HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase (RT) that will be delivered by a lentiviral vector and which intracellular expression from different human promoters was evaluated. The goal of this study was to identify important elements of vector design that will impact transgene expression in target cells. This study was based on the hypothesis that intracellular expression of RNA aptamers delivered by a lentiviral vector could offer a platform to enable adequate aptamer expression that would translate into viral suppression. And the second experimental chapter (chapter four) describes an in vitro 2'FY-RNA selection against Filoviral glycoproteins and outlines three different strategies that were followed to achieve selection of specific aptamers. Aptamers described in this chapter were able to recognize Ebolavirus glycoprotein ectodomain as well as in its native conformation displayed on the viral surface. Taking the observations obtained in this dissertation, aptamer technology could be expanded into further development for practical applications.
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZBehavioral responses of drosophila suzukii (diptera: drosophilidae) to olfactory and visual cuesBolton, L. Granthttps://hdl.handle.net/10355/722182022-09-28T16:54:03Z2019-01-01T00:00:00ZBehavioral responses of drosophila suzukii (diptera: drosophilidae) to olfactory and visual cues
Bolton, L. Grant
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Selected fruit and leaf volatiles were assessed to determine their attractiveness to Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Two- and four-choice assays were conducted in laboratory cages to observe responses of D. suzukii to several doses of compounds individually and in combination. The addition of [beta]-cyclocitral to ethyl hexanoate resulted in a synergistic response from D. suzukii. Additionally, a simple, high concentration blend of isoamyl acetate + [beta]-cyclocitral + methyl butyrate (in equal proportions) is attractive to both sexes of D. suzukii, not attractive to the non-target species Drosophila melanogaster, and is more attractive to females than blueberry fruit. Moreover, methyl isovalerate, methyl butyrate, and ethyl acetate in various combinations with isoamyl acetate + [beta]-cyclocitral were attractive to D. suzukii and not attractive to D. melanogaster. These compounds should be further investigated to determine optimal ratios and blends to develop a more species-specific lure for D. suzukii. Additional behavior assays investigated interactions between visual and olfactory stimuli. Color cues added to blueberry odors resulted in synergistic interactions for red, black, yellow, green and purple. Yeast had an interaction with red and [beta]-cyclocitral had an interaction with yellow. Overall, the odor source influences the behavioral response towards color.
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZChurch outreach to Latino/a immigrants in Missouri and their mental health issuesChristensen, Chad L.https://hdl.handle.net/10355/721932022-09-27T15:50:50Z2019-01-01T00:00:00ZChurch outreach to Latino/a immigrants in Missouri and their mental health issues
Christensen, Chad L.
[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Latino immigrants have steadily moved into new rural areas of the Midwestern United States. This has involved adapting to a new community context, new cultures and different local traditions, new races of people, and the mental and emotional effects of dealing with this newness and their potentially adverse effects. Research shows that while Latino immigrants have had fewer issues with psychological problems in their country of origin, once in the U.S. they begin to have higher rates of onset of psychological disorders. A significant amount of findings state that Latinos are less apt to acquire mental health counseling than other parts of the U.S. population, and this decreased likelihood is more pronounced when they are less acculturated or are new immigrants. Negative views of Latinos toward mental illness and psychological services inhibits their desire to seek help. For poorer Latinos who do receive mental health care, there is higher probability that they will end treatment too soon. Depression has been viewed as a personal problem not related to health. Yet, among elderly Latino/as, the demand for mental health care has existed, especially for those dealing with depression.
2019-01-01T00:00:00Z