2008 MU dissertations - Access restricted to UM
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Item Budgeting charity : a historical perspective on the Kansas Orphans' Home(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008) Chmidling, Catherine, 1972-; Palmer, Craig T.; Wadley, Reed L.[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Orphanages are relatively new, unusual creations in human history. They have existed in significant numbers for less than 200 years, and though now largely defunct in Western societies, the concept was adopted by modern industrializing nations, where many orphanages are still in operation. Whether publicly or privately funded, orphanages put extremely private matters of family structure--child-rearing practices, and the identification and obligations of kin--into the hands of non-kin individuals who have been granted, by the community or government, power over private families. While most total-institutions were established for populations unable to care for themselves due to physical or mental disability, or convicted of criminal behavior, orphanages are unusual because they were created to care for minor children who, through no fault of their own, could not receive adequate care from within their family or kin network. In this case study, I combine James C. Scott's (1998) theory of high-modern social engineering with economic and evolutionary theories of altruism and reciprocal altruism to analyze and interpret both the text and quantitative data in reports spanning 1887 through 1963 from the Kansas Orphans' Home. I supplement official records with personal interviews from former residents and staff, and discuss actions and motives for each of the parties involved. I found conflict between the State and local administration before 1930, and decreasing conflict after 1930, correlating with rising interests in professional child welfare practices and scientific diagnostic methods. Along the same time-frame, I found a transition from humanitarian-based perspectives to economic-based perspectives. This case study supports Scott's (1998) theory of conflict between local and distant administrators. It also supports the evolutionary and economic theories that contend people's decisions and actions, including those nominally altruistic, typically have a reciprocally altruistic component.Item Discovery of epitopes governing MMP-12 specificity for fibrillar substrates : BINDSIght, a method for determining specific sites of substrate surface interactions(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008) Palmier, Mark O., 1951-; Van Doren, Steven R., 1963-[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] What determines MMP-12 elastase activity? We have found that the fibrillar substrate specificity of MMP-12 involves surfaces ranging beyond the intensively studied active site cleft and S1' pocket. This was achieved by discovery of a novel global analysis method. The BINDSIght method of discovering sites governing specificity uses a combination of bioinformatic and NMR detected assays. Using this new technology to guide a mutagenesis study, new light has been shed on the substrate specificity of MMP-12 toward elastin and collagen (V). Using a novel kinetic methodology I developed for analyzing time domain progress curves, the mutational lesions were compared to wild type MMP-12 by activity assays. Residues F202, T205 and H206 in the strand V to helix B loop appear to be significant factors in the binding and catalytic rate of fluorescent mimics of collagen V and elastin. Surprisingly, the unprimed site residues F185 and G227 show up as important keys in modifying activity on these fibrillar substrates. In the primed site region we show that T239 and K241 also directly contribute to MMP-12 elastin and collagen V activity. Mutating these residues significantly impairs activity upon elastin and collagen V substrate mimics without compromising activity upon a small broad range MMP substrate. Since the entire family of MMPs differ very little in sequence of the active site, it makes sense that exosites contribute to MMP-12 activity.Item Missouri higher education reform : moving up on the public policy agenda(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008) Russell, David Randall, 1947-; Donaldson, Joseph Fetzer[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This study identifies and examines 14 contributing factors that, taken together, caused reform of public higher education governance to move up on the public policy agenda within a relatively brief period of time in one state -- Missouri -- and led to the adoption of a sweeping omnibus bill for higher education. The study also evaluates the perceptions of 22 key participants in the public policy process, including state elected officials, leaders in state level higher education governance, and leaders of public universities, with respect to the need for reform of Missouri's public higher education. The qualitative method chosen for this study was the descriptive case study. Data were derived from semi-structured interviews, direct and participant observation, archival records and documents, and physical artifacts. The researcher considers the findings against the backdrop of the three process streams that flow through a policy making system, as described by John Kingdon's (1995) theory of agenda setting: Problem recognition, generation of policy proposals and political events. The study concludes by identifying six guidelines that can be used as a blueprint for action by aspiring agenda setters and policy entrepreneurs.Item A production theory application to modeling Korean beef import demand(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008) Chung, Je-Kook; Johnson, Thomas G.[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This research assesses the import demand for beef in the Korean market by source of origins including domestically produced beef. An indirect translog production function was specified. The results showed that the trade liberalization affected the import beef market in Korea. A test of whether the financial crisis in late 1997 impacted the import beef demand showed that the crisis affected the import beef demand. The BSE outbreak indicated an impact on the demand for beef had occurred. While the relationship between Australia and Korea showed a complementary relationship, the relationship between the U.S. and Australia and that of the U.S. and Korea indicated a mild substitution relationship. These results infer that the Korean beef market might have been in deficit supply. In addition, the study indicated that the Korean importers might have preferences toward U.S. beef, whose quality is close to that of Korean native beef because both are grain fed. Australia beef is preferred less than U.S. and Korean beef because of its different quality compared to U.S. beef and Korean domestic beef.Item The role of the Troops to Teachers program as participants transition into the classroom(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2008) Neiss, Jana, 1963-; Scribner, Jay Paredes, 1963-[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] This dissertation studied the Troops to Teachers (TTT) program at one university in the Midwest. Specifically, it explored the extent to which the TTT program contributes to the preparation of its students. This study looked at participants' perspectives of the quality of their teacher preparation during pre-service and in-service training by identifying how the TTT program helps develop skills and knowledge for teaching. Additionally, this research studied to what extent the TTT program helps facilitate transition from the military into the classroom and the level of support provided through the first year of teaching. Finally this study explored how, and in what ways, military experience contributes to successful teaching in the classroom. In this qualitative case study, participants who had earned initial teacher certification by completing one specific TTT program were identified and interviewed. Document review and interviews with the program's coordinator and instructors provided additional information. Results indicated that TTT participants enter teacher certification programs with substantial content knowledge and life experience from military careers. Participants identified a need for more pedagogical training and classroom management skills. This research identified ways professional development impacts TTT participants' transition into the profession and the first year of teaching. Implications for future TTT participants, TTT program coordinators, and public school administrators are provided. Suggestions for further study include participants' reflections during subsequent years in the classroom, comparing and contrasting other TTT programs throughout the state and nation, and TTT effectiveness as measured by student achievement.