Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal (LURJ)

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Accusing the Christ Figure in Shakespearean Drama: Typological Imitations of Corpus Christi Cycle Trial Narratives
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-01) Berg, Jamie
At first glance, the medieval Corpus Christi plays from N-Town, Wakefield, and York detailing the events of Christ's crucifixion bear little resemblance to secular renaissance dramas, such as the plays of Shakespeare. However, further inspection reveals a fascinating phenomenon that deserves exploration: despite the apparently non-religious nature of the work, secular dramas often present their protagonists as typological representations of Christ. In William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, for example, Antonio resembles Christ in that he is targeted by Shylock, a “wolfish” Jewish figure who insists on upholding the law; this approximates the way in which the Passion plays represent Christ as the victim of bloodthirsty Jewish officials of the law. Similarly, Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale depicts a female character, Hermione, who can be interpreted as a Christ figure due to the events which befall her. Just as Christ was unjustly accused, put on trial, crucified, and ultimately rose again, so is Hermione unfairly accused of adultery, put on trial by her husband, experiences an apparent death, and finally is “resurrected” when her husband discovers her as a living statue at Paulina's house.
The Alamo as a Pyrrhic Victory: The Mexican Experience in the Battle of the Alamo
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-01) Matyszczyk, Stephanie
At the Battle of San Jacinto, General Sam Houston said "Remember the Alamo!" The question however is how should we remember it? Do we remember it as the American icon of freedom and liberty that has forever idolized figures such as Davy Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis? Before this question can be answered, one must first have a more precise understanding of what occurred at the Alamo. This can only be gained by looking at the battle from not only the side of the Texan rebels, but the Mexican troops as well. Little focus has been given to the experience of the Mexicans who were present at the siege. This raises the question of how does the story of what occurred at the Alamo differ when seen through the point of view of these participants. The historical trend has been to focus on the events of the siege of the Alamo through the experiences of its defenders. It is by focusing on the events of the Battle of the Alamo through the experience of the Mexican troops in addition to the experiences of the Texan rebels, that we can be able to gain a better understanding of not only the battle itself, but also be able to see why the Mexicans viewed the Battle of the Alamo as a Pyrrhic victory. Also, by answering this question, insight can be gained into how the outcome of the Battle of the Alamo affected Santa Anna and his troops throughout the rest of the Texas campaign, because it was the "loss" that the troops felt they suffered that brought down their morale and affected their motivation to fight later on in the Texan campaign, thus leading to their loss at San Jacinto. Hence, by examining the Mexican primary sources concerned with the Battle of the Alamo I propose that there was no real victory for the Mexican armies, and that the call for battle in the "Remember the Alamo!" that Houston initiated was a straw man effectively manipulated for many years.
Alu Elements and Human Disease
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-06) Belzil, Camille
As a family, Alu retrotransposons compose the single largest component of the human genome [2]. They are thought to have arisen from the gene coding for 7SL RNA, a component of the signal recognition particle [14, 19, 23]. The only apparent purpose of these highly repetitive sequences is to replicate and copy themselves onto new areas of the genome; this has resulted in an estimated 10% growth in human genome size since our evolutionary divergence with the chimpanzee [2]. Normally cellular proteins methylate the cytosine and guanine rich areas of these transcripts in order to prevent the retrotransposon from displacing. When cellular conditions promote demethylation, Alu regions can be transcribed and insert into new areas of the genome via an RNA intermediate [2]. Insertion into a noncoding region is typically harmless, but introduction into a coding exon can lead to disrupted gene transcription and altered protein synthesis. The original demethylation event is largely a result of environmental conditions and leads to heritable changes in DNA sequence [22]. It is estimated that Alu retrotransposition currently occurs at a rate of about 1 per every 200 births, and alone accounts for an estimated 0.1% of genetic disorders [8]. The recombination of Alu elements could potentially be one of the most important sources of genetic variation, but is also a major source of human genetic disease.
Alzheimer's Dementia
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-01) Belzil, Camille
Alzheimer's dementia is a complex disorder in both its symptoms and its mechanisms. While it is not a normal part of aging, its prevalence increases exponentially with age. As the 'baby-boomer' generation begins to enter the 65+ demographic in the West, we can expect to see an unprecedented number of cases of Alzheimer's in the near future. This paper discusses the methods of diagnosing and treating individuals with Alzheimer's with respect to their rights as individuals. Methods of easing the burden of caregivers through counseling and drug therapy are also covered. The etiology of Alzheimer's is discussed from a chiefly biomedical perspective, with notable attention to the genetic factors leading to higher risk of developing Alzheimer's. Lastly, social and ethical issues including quality of care, euthanasia, and current societal values are considered.
Ambivalence towards Empire in King Solomon's Mines
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2006-04) Vossebelt, Jorina
Children's Literature of the Nineteenth Century was often used to promote imperialist or nationalist ideas, as is evident in H. Rider Haggard's novel King Solomon's Mines. This paper examines Haggard's personal convictions and their manifestation in his narrative with regards to colonialism and imperialism in Africa. It deals with the image of the superstitious, ignorant savages contrasted with the effects of imperialism on the noble savages.
Anorexia Nervosa: Escape From Pre-Defined Roles
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-12) Van Marck, Amy
Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder suffered by primarily women throughout the world. Exploring the causes and treatment methods has been the focus of research of many therapists and psychologists. The traditional perspective surrounding causal factors and treatment options is presented with a new perspective regarding both areas. This is the view point that anorexia may have more to do with women's roles in society and archetypes presenting in their dreaming and waking lives. Looking at the dream content of patients with anorexia, and exploring ideas around women's roles in society may be helpful to the treatment of the disorder.
The Apocalyptic Identity of Richard III
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-06) Hunter, Eve M.
Assertion of Identity Through Marriage and Aging in Lady Mary Wortley Montagu's Writings
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-01) Yates, Lindsay
This essay reviews many poems and letters written by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and relates certain events to her perspectives on a woman's identity. Two important events for Montagu were her marriage and the aging process. Changing appearances and the aging process really worried Montagu and this anxiety presented itself in her works.
Assessing Tsunami Hazard Along Vancouver Islands West Coast Using Viewshed Analysis
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2006-04) Johnson, Davin R. E.
Quick and reliable mapping of Tsunami hazard location and intensity is of great importance to mankind. The conventional methods for assessing these natural disasters rely on models that are both very time-consuming and costly. Unfortunately, these constraints give the models no possibility for evacuation planning to be used directly after a recorded event. This paper presents a new method using viewshed analysis for mapping the locations that will be affected by a Tsunami. The viewshed analysis was run from a hypothetical earthquake epicenter located 100km off the West Coast of Vancouver Island, BC, and overlain on a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Vancouver Island. Results show that Vancouver Island as a whole is relatively safe from Tsunami attack, but some of the more popular regions for tourists would be greatly affected and in need of immediate evacuation.
Bombing Civilians : Grounds for Banning Cluster Munitions and the Responsibility for Removal
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2008-03) Andreasen, Bryce D.
This article argues for banning the use of cluster munitions by the United States and in general. It examines cluster munitions and the effects they have on a population and whether or not they should be used according to a number of different international and national agreements such as The Hague Conventions, Geneva Conventions, the Army Field Manual and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It looks at the responsibility of the states and corporations that produce and use these weapons through Just War Theory and Rule Utilitarianism and why corporations and states need to share the responsibility for the cleanup/removal and any other damage that these weapons inflict on populations where they are used.
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan:1939-1945
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2006-04) Aleman, Bruce
In 1939, the Canadian government reached an agreement with Great Britain and other Commonwealth Dominions that created a monumental training regime within Canada's borders. The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan has been recognized by historians, politicians and economists as a tremendous contribution to the war effort, as it trained nearly 137 000 aircrew for service in the Second World War. The memory of the training plan is dwindling along with the old airfields and this paper seeks to recall the contribution by providing a descriptive overview of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
Can't Buy Me Love: An Analysis of Love, Marriage, and Economics
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-01) Garrod, Joel Zackary
Canada's Health Care Challenge: Recognizing and Addressing the Health Needs of Rural Canadians
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-06) Herbert, Rebecca
This paper examined how the primary health care model essentially lacks effective healthcare delivery for rural residents, by articulating unfavorable trends occurring in the medical arena. Finally, possible solutions that may bridge the health-status gap of Canadians are outlined. The residents of rural Canada are dealing with an unnecessary challenge that demands coordinated effort and change. The concept of “health for all” is the underlying strength in Canada's healthcare system – reminder of such a fact has never been more relevant.
Canadian Immigration Law: A Brief History and Current Issues
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-12) Baingo, Nicholas; Isherwood, Lauren
Canada is a nation that is built on immigration and is fortunate in that it benefits from the diverse skills and abilities that immigrants contribute to the labour pool. Throughout the last century, there have been many amendments to Canada's immigration policy coinciding with the country's economic expansions and recessions. Unfortunately, policymakers have been unsuccessful in creating an immigration policy that is able to sustain a consistent labour force, and they have only been able to propose very short term solutions to the labour surpluses and deficits that accompany economic cycles. Although economic cycles are inevitable, the development of a global policy that encourages the movement of temporary workers is a long term solution to the labour movements that accompany them. Furthermore, such a policy encourages inter-government cooperation which is becoming more important as the issues of individual nations take a back seat to global problems.
Captain Cook as Ethnographer : The Role of Cook's Journals in the Formation of the Ethnographic Genre
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2008-03) Lind, Erica
To study the formation of a genre is to study the evolution of human thought and expression regarding a certain element of our experience. The evolution of ethnography (the descriptive documentation of a culture) in particular is important to study in that it allows us to reflect on how we have identified with one another over time. From this we can see how we have perceived our similar and different modes of social action and our varying perceptions of the world around us, how these have changed over time, and how they have shaped our interactions and, indeed, the majority of history itself. Captain James Cook was writing at a time (1768 to 1779) during which a significant shift in European attitudes was occurring. After centuries of major Euro-ethnocentrism (a European attitude of cultural superiority), Europeans began to take on a more accepting view of other cultures. This shift in ideology is evident in Cook's writing – in fact, Cook's words show a higher degree of anti-ethnocentrism than was common at the time or, indeed, for years after. The evolution of ethnography is not a much-studied subject. The informal roots of formal ethnographic work lie in the information gathered and reflected upon by such early explorers as Cook, not to mention the techniques they employed to record such information, yet informal ethnographies often go unacknowledged. There have been a few writers who have acknowledged Cook's role in early anthropology, and his journals have been thoroughly studied for a variety of purposes. However, neither the journals' rhetoric nor the journals' place within the evolution of ethnography have been thoroughly studied. Throughout the following pages I aim to demonstrate how Cook's journals constitute an early form of ethnography and how they show the formal genre of ethnography taking shape.
Chariots in Space: Preliminary Design Concepts for Low Cost Transportation Systems to Mars by the Use of In-Situ Resources
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2007-01) Sharma, Rahul
Charity as the Perfection of Natural Friendship in Aquinas' Summa Theologiae
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2006-04) Ney, Philip
In contrast to many of today's sectarian religious figures, Thomas Aquinas was interested in engaging the best of secular philosophy; seeing what his tradition could gain from philosophy and how his tradition could contribute to philosophy. Speaking from within the Christian tradition, he offers helpful insights that contribute to our understanding of Aristotle. Aquinas' writings are largely devoted to the project of demonstrating that the works of Aristotle are complementary to, and in agreement with, Christianity. The excerpts of Summa Theologiae examined in this paper deal with friendship and are a sample of Aquinas' larger project. This paper examines how Aquinas undertakes to reconcile the Christian idea of charity (love for enemies) with Aristotle's conception of preferential friendship. Aquinas' finding is that in Christian charity, the classical understanding of friendship has been perfected by grace.
Coleridge's "Kubla Khan":Creation of Genius or Addiction?
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2006-04) Mahar, Karen E.
College Students' Perspectives Regarding Fertility Preservation
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2009-03) Pierre, Dudith
Objective-The purpose of this research is to examine college students' attitudes and knowledge of fertility preservation for cancer patients. The specific hypotheses were that students would have low levels of knowledge about the effects of chemotherapy on fertility and that religion would play a key role in their decision to accept fertility preservation if they had a cancer diagnosis. Method- A sample of 239 students from upper-level classes at the University of South Florida was surveyed in order to assess knowledge and attitudes of college students. The survey consisted of questions derived from a survey administered at the 2007, “Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered” (FORCE) conference, and additional specific questions regarding cancer and fertility preservation aimed at general audience. Result-In the case of a cancer diagnosis, 77.4% of students disagreed that religion would play the most important role, in their decision to accept fertility preservation. Most students (43.5%) agree that their partner would play a more important role than religion. In their decision to accept or reject fertility preservation, and 33.1% of them strongly agreed high percentage of the students (75.3%) knew that chemotherapy caused sterility. Conclusion-The data reinforce that patients from all educational level from all religious and ethnic backgrounds should be informed about the damages chemotherapy can cause and the fertility preservation options available to them depending on their age and gender
Combining GPR and historical aerial photographs to investigate river channel morphodynamics, Oldman River, southern Alberta
(Lethbridge Undergraduate Research Journal, 2009-01) Labey, Katie; St. Pierre, Heather; Sundsten, Jennifer; Seaman, Oliver
River channels are dynamic landforms that play an important role in regulating riparian ecosystems. At a fundamental level, river erosion and deposition produce changes in the riparian zone that lead to the creation of new habitat or reworking of existing habitat. Despite considerable riparian research along the Oldman River in southern Alberta, little is known about historical channel dynamics and the resulting implications for riparian habitat. This research paper documents long term dynamics of a segment of the Oldman River at Fort Macleod, AB. Specifically, historical aerial photographs and a ground penetrating radar (GPR) were used to reconstruct how the river channel and bar features evolved over the last 70 years. Results from the aerial photographs indicate that the channel has undergone pronounced changes since 1938, with a trend of increasing meander curvature and decreasing wavelength. Channel bank reinforcement at Fort Macleod will likely constrict further meander development and force continued downstream meander migration. Subsurface imaging of a channel bar with GPR reveals a dominant mode of vertical accretion by bedload deposition at high flow stages, indicating a compound feature formed by overlapping unit bars. Observations of other bars along the Oldman River indicate similar modes of emplacement. Overall, results from this case study provide important context for assessing recent changes in riparian habitat. Application of this approach to other river segments will be of value in assessing whether similar patterns of channel and bar dynamics exist throughout the Oldman watershed.