2023 MU Dissertations - Freely available online
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Item Technology towards transcendence : subliminal occultism in German Expressionist cinema(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023) Ochsner, Colton; Sperber, JonathanOver the past century, the groundbreaking legacy of Expressionist cinema has inspired filmmakers and scholars alike with its special effects, visceral characters, and fantastic plotlines. In the Weimar Republic, the strangely stylized sets of what became known as Expressionist film captivated audiences worldwide with movies such as Robert Wiene’s Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920), F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu: eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922) and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis (1927). Though scholars generally agree that no Expressionist movement ever existed in cinema, I assert that the directors, screenwriters, and set designers of movies now called “Expressionist” maintained among themselves a common ideographic layout based thematically on the tropical zodiac of Western astrology, and, within the mise-en-scènes, the minor arcana pips from the standard tarot deck by Arthur Edward Waite (originally from 1910), while basing their characters on the sephiroth of the Hermetic cabala. This layout, which they implemented in all their so-called Expressionist movies, might most aptly be called an occult blueprint. I present this material in order to set forth the argument that the subliminality of occult ideography in Expressionist cinema has been ignored, neglected, and downright unnoticed in the whole of film and historical scholarship. But it is a field that demands to be taken more seriously by professionals and requires the attention of those familiar with the occult publications, arcane practices, and esoteric schools of and around Weimar Germany. Every scholar agrees: movies of this genre are filled with pentagrams, puffs of smoke, and strangelooking costumes. But all that content is nominal occultism. What about the seminal – that is, the truly hermeneutical – presence of the occult in Expressionist cinema? That crucial question is addressed in my paper, which combines history, film studies, and the German language to find some complex and nuanced answers.Item Malaysian English language teachers’ experiences teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023) Wan, Irene Yoke Quin; Lannin, AmyThe aim of this qualitative study was to gain a deeper understanding of Malaysian English language teachers’ experiences teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. This research drew upon the cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) proposed by Engeström (1987/2015) and culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) by Ladson- Billings (1995) as theoretical frameworks. This study was guided by three research questions: (1) What are Malaysian English language teachers’ experiences using resources to teach the English language to culturally and linguistically diverse students? (2) What are Malaysian English language teachers’ experiences with cultural norms, rules, or regulations that influence the ways they teach their diverse students? (3) How do Malaysian English language teachers make meaning of these experiences while trying to provide culturally relevant instruction? Six Malaysian English language teachers teaching in Malaysian national secondary schools were identified as research participants in this study. Data was primarily gathered from interviews with each research participant to explore their experiences teaching the English language to culturally and linguistically diverse students. The findings of this study indicated that Malaysian English language teachers’ experience with CRP practices in their culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms is shaped by the use of teaching resources, navigating rules, and expectations from various stakeholders in education. The study identified three conclusions based on the findings. First, the study identified Malaysian English language teachers’ need for relevant support and autonomy in teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students. Second, the study found challenges Malaysian English language teachers faced in providing quality education to diverse students while adhering to evolving policies and community expectations. Third, the study concluded that CRP practices in Malaysian English language classrooms are multifaceted and require a better understanding of the components and implementation of the pedagogy. Following the conclusions, implications for theory and practice were offered to impart the study’s contributions to the literature. Future research was encouraged to fully expand the complex understanding of CRP practices in multifaceted education settings.Item Missouri excel center program : evaluation of adult high schools(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023) Cole, Joseph; MacGregor, CynthiaIn 2010, Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana opened its first Excel Center adult high schools aimed at assisting adults in obtaining a high school diploma and transitioning those adults into higher education, industry certifications, and the workforce completely tuition free. MERS Goodwill, the largest Missouri branch of Goodwill (excluding Kansas City and western portions of the state), opened its first schools in 2018 (The Excel Center, 2021). The purpose of this study is to conduct a program (impact) evaluation on the Missouri Excel Centers. The following study explores the background, history, and operations of the Missouri Excel Center program. The researcher utilized archival data as reported by graduates to determine what impacts the program has had and who is benefiting by using the Missouri House Bill 680 (99th general assembly) as a benchmark for analysis on outcomes. The Missouri Excel Center program is generating an impact on its graduates via higher education and industry certifications, employment, and wages. The program serves a racially diverse student body who are primarily female with an average age of 37. The implications of the study include a recommendation that Missouri Excel Center program develop methods of tracking wages and government assistance to report the benefits. This includes reduced or eliminated dependency on government assistance programs, increased tax revenues earned by the state, and generational financial impact on families. Future research should use qualitative research to track data based on graduates’ lived experiences to identify aspects of the program that are generating the most impact attributing to graduate success.Item Metabolic alterations in reactive astrocytes and their roles in ischemic stroke(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023) Zhe, Zhang; Ding, Shinghua[EMBARGOED UNTIL 12/1/2024] Focal ischemic stroke (FIS) is a severe neurological disease that lacks effective remedy. Astrocytes are the predominant glial cell types in the central nervous system (CNS) and exert critical influences over neuronal function and neuronal viability under different pathological conditions. Accumulating evidence highlights the capacity of astrocytes to couple neuronal activity and energy metabolism and adjust their metabolic patterns in neurodegenerative disorders, including FIS. However, the precise genetic factors or pathways underlying metabolic alterations in astrocytes remain inadequately understood. Moreover, the effect of astrocytic metabolic reprogramming on neuronal survival following FIS is still obscure. Astrocytes emerge as principal consumers of glucose in the brain and utilize it to produce energy and vital metabolites through glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) serve as crucial cofactors in glycolysis and PPP, respectively. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) play pivotal roles in mediating NAD+ and NADPH levels. However, the functions of these two enzymes in modulating astrocyte metabolism after ischemia are not clear. It also remains uncertain whether astrocytic NAMPT or G6PD could promote neuronal survival and stroke recovery. In Chapter one, I conducted an extensive review of FIS pathology, reactive astrogliosis, metabolic alterations in reactive astrocytes after brain injury and the biological functions of NAMPT and G6PD in the CNS. In Chapter two, I delved into the impacts of NAMPT-mediated NAD+ synthesis in different subcompartments on neuronal bioenergetics. Then, in Chapter three, I unveiled the roles of astrocytic NAMPT in regulating astrocyte metabolism and neuronal protection following FIS. Employing diverse methods encompassing immunostaining, western blot analysis, extracellular flux assays and inducible and conditional NAMPT knockout mice, i.e., ALDH1L1-CreERT2: NAMPTf/f mice, I found that astrocytic NAMPT effectively facilitated neuronal survival following ischemic stroke by upregulating glycolysis and GSH production within astrocytes. In Chapter four, I studied the effect of astrocytic G6PD on stroke outcomes through utilizing both in vivo and in vitro ischemia models. I discovered that overexpression of G6PD in astrocytes significantly reduced neuronal death following ischemic injury through removal of oxidative stress. These findings provide novel insights into the development of therapeutic strategies for FIS, based on modulating metabolic routes in astrocytes. Finally, in Chapter five, I discussed the significance of my studies and future directions.Item Bridging the gap : comparative analysis of a gap filling X-band radar QPE algorithms and their implications for nowcasting and hydrological modeling(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2023) Steward, Christopher; Fox, NeilAccurate Quantitative Precipitation Estimations (QPE) are foundational for hydrological modeling and proactive watershed management. This research examines how a single X-Band radar bridges the gap in QPE estimation and its implications for hydrological modeling and nowcasting. Initially, a comparison between X-band and S-band radars with Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) showed comparable performances within 80km, with both radars surpassing IMERG estimations. However, the X-band's efficacy decreased with range. To address this, the "dynamic distance algorithm" was introduced for X-band radar QPE. This method dynamically adjusts power function coefficients based on distance and significantly reduced the error compared to other advanced methodologies. When applied to the SWAT hydrological model in the Hinkson Creek Catchment, this algorithm outperformed both Multi-Radar Multi- Sensor (MRMS) QPE and rain gauge inputs for days of extreme discharge rates. Lastly, the effectiveness of six nowcasting models were explored with the MZZU radar. The LINDA nowcast system was identified as the most proficient but computationally intensive. Notably, SPROG and STEPS surpassed the extrapolation model in longer simulations. The research highlights the potential of the dynamic distance algorithm in enhancing hydrological modeling and underscores the pivotal role of select nowcasting models in weather forecasting.