Statistical Estimation of Healthy Life Expectancy Research Paper

Statistical Estimation of Healthy Life Expectancy - Research Paper Example Model selection was performed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 11.01. Values for Mallows' Cp were computed manually based on values derived from the computerized models. Scatter plot of the models are, however, performed in Microsoft Excel (2003) for more presentable rendition. To facilitate estimation of the most significant predictors of healthy life expectancy (HALE), one-variable linear regression was performed on each of the 22 predictor variables. To assist in the refinement of the first multi-variable model, a scatter plot of p vs. Mallows' Cp is shown in Figure 1. It may be gleaned from the scatter plot in Figure 1 that four predictor variables X2, X9, X20, and X22 are outliers, while the rest of the other predictor variables were concentrated in the area on the plot encircled in red. The predictors were divided into three blocks: (1) block 1 variables consist of those assumed from the results of the one-variable regression models which can most significantly predict HALE; (2) block 2 variables were those assumed to be moderate predictors of HALE; and (3) block 3 variables were those assumed to be least significant predictors of HALE. Criteria used in grouping the results of... Model selection was performed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 11.01. Values for Mallows' Cp were computed manually based on values derived from the computerized models. Scatter plot of the models are, however, performed in Microsoft Excel (2003) for more presentable rendition. Preliminary Analysis To facilitate estimation of the most significant predictors of healthy life expectancy (HALE), one-variable linear regression was performed on each of the 22 predictor variables. To assist in the refinement of the first multi-variable model, a scatter plot of p vs. Mallows' Cp is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. Scatter plot of p vs Mallows' Cp It may be gleaned from the scatter plot in Figure 1 that four predictor variables X2, X9, X20, and X22 are outliers, while the rest of the other predictor variables were concentrated in the area on the plot encircled in red. Modeling and Analysis The predictors were divided into three blocks: (1) block 1 variables consist of those assumed from the results of the one-variable regression models which can most significantly predict HALE; (2) block 2 variables were those assumed to be moderate predictors of HALE; and (3) block 3 variables were those assumed to be least significant predictors of HALE. Criteria used in grouping the results of the one-variable regression models were: (1) computed values of Mallows' Cp which most closely approached the value of p; (2) coefficient of determination (R2), delimited to those capable of predicting the variance in HALE by at least 50% (R = > 0.500); (3) highly correlated, based on the Pearson correlation coefficient (0.70 < r < 1.00); and (4) values of the sum of squares of the residuals are to be less

Russian literature Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Russian literature - Research Paper Example The history of Russian literature is quite old and the ‘Old Russian Literature’ includes masterpieces produced in old Russian languages. Many anonymous works illuminate the history of the Russian literature during this era and the works like ‘The Tale of Igor’s Campaign’ and ‘Playing of Daniel the Immured’. The popular entity by the name of â€Å"Lives of Saints† evolved as a distinct genre of literature in Russian language during this period. ‘Life of Alexander Nevsky’ stands as an exemplary creation of this era. Old epics blended with the literary elements and traditions of Christian and Pagan elements illuminate the literary pieces of this period. Medieval Russian literature bears religious overtones in excess and the adaptations from Church Slavonic languages with major influences from many South Slavic elements have been widely incorporated in the literature during this period. ... Suicide happens to be an infallible theme of all the major works of the period and needs a wider exposition in this regard. Thesis Statement The essay intends to explore and discuss the major theme of suicide is pertinent in almost all the works of the â€Å"Golden Age† of the Russian literature of the nineteenth century evolving as a distinct cultural dimension dissipating men and women in the society. Golden Age of Russian Literature and the Theme of Suicide Nineteenth century literature in Russia is also known by the name of â€Å"Golden Era† of literature in Russian language. Romanticism inspired poetry and the names of the luminaries like Vasily Zhukovsky and afterwards his protege Alexander Pushkin came into prominence. Pushkin instrumented both crystallization and manifestation of innovative parameters of artistic excellence and artistry in Russian literature. His most popular novel written in verse form is â€Å"Eugene Onegin†. This precise period in Russ ian literature witnessed the evolution of a fresh new set of poetic talents in the works of Mikhail Lermontov,  Yevgeny Baratynsky,  Konstantin Batyushkov,  Nikolay Nekrasov,  Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy,  Fyodor Tyutchev and  Afanasy Fet. All these poets followed the creative style of Pushkin and are known in the history of Russian literature as his ardent followers. In the domain of prose, considerable contribution was notified during this period and keeping parity with the development of poetry, prose was also flourishing its canon well. The great Russian novelist of this period was Nikolai Gogol and following him were the names of the luminaries like Nikolai Leskov, Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, who appeared in the monumental history of Russian literature during this era. All

Second (2nd) narrow bridge collapse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Second (2nd) narrow bridge collapse - Essay Example The cause of accidents in the construction of bridges has been attributed mainly to the error committed during the project design. The errors are caused by negligence in the side of the contractors. The fatalities in the construction industry are caused by failure to comply with the industry’s safety and health guidelines. It is important to adhere to safety and health directives and guidelines to avert future disasters such as the second narrow bridge accident. Wienand and Zunde (147-158) confirmed that the second narrow bridge was made of steel metals, timber and reinforced concrete. According to Akesson (124), the construction of new highway bridge in British Columbia began in November 1957. The second narrow bridge had six lanes and was a continuous truss bridge (in all 1992 meter long) with the main 335-navigation span. It was also a cantilever construction having two anchor spans, (142 m each). The second narrow bridge had lanes specifically for the pedestrians and bicycles. It was the second bridge constructed at the Second (east) Narrows of Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was named the Second Narrows Bridge as it connects Vancouver to the north shore of Burrard Inlet, which includes the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and West Vancouver. It was constructed adjacent to the older Second Narrows Bridge, which is currently an exclusively rail bridge. The bridge was a steel truss cantile ver bridge, designed by Swan Wooster Engineering Co. Ltd. On June 17, 1958, the north anchor span through failure of the temporary truss, collapsed without warning and caused death of the sixteen workers and two engineers. Akesson (125) said that on the fateful afternoon of June 17, 1958, the crane was stretched to join the two chords of the arch that was under construction from the north side of the new bridge. Just before

Thw Importance of English Essay Example for Free

Thw Importance of English Essay Language is the ability of human to communicate. Estimated number of languages in the world variesbetween 6,000 to 7,000. One of the most important languages is English language. Why do we think English language is the most important? English plays a major role in many areas including medicine, engineering and education, which in my opinion; is the most importantlanguage to learn. First of all, the reason why English language is important is to help students find better jobs. In the business sector, the most commonly used language is the English language. In order to achieve success in the selected jobs, one should acquire a sound knowledge in the language. As the result, fresh graduates have to know the language well in order to get a better job, and for those who have less knowledge in the language will only be able to acquire less paid jobs. For example, one of my friends’ sister, who was graduated from a well-known university and she has a good command in the language. That helped her to get a better paid job. The next reason for us to be well-versed in the language is to enable us to communicate with people around the world. It is important to get involvewith advancement of the technology. For that reason, we have to learn a common language. A language which could be understaood by everyone. For example, the internet can be used to get access to unlimited information and if our knowledge in the language is limited then getting around with the internet would be difficult task. Last but not least is the importance of the language in education.It is becoming a common practice in every higher education institutions to conduct lessons in English language. If we are good in the language then scoring good results will be easy. In conclusion, university students need to know the language to get access to all kinds of knowledge. In a nut shell, we could say that, it is important to know English language. It is also proved that the languageplays a major role in our lives. If we want to follow themodern trend, new gadgets and technologyin this developing world, we have to know the English language well.

Reverend John Hale in The Crucible

Reverend John Hale in The Crucible Reverend Hale, The Mentor The Character, Reverend Hale, is introduced into The Crucible as a very faithful and respected man. Swiftly being pulled into the ever broadening chaos that ensued in Salem. As days passed Hale is transformed from the man who will extract the witches to the man who will try to save Proctors life. Hale being both a mentor for the village and for Proctor while the story progresses while also keeping the peace. Hale being a 40 year old Reverend of the church and is told to have helped in the witch hunting in another much larger town is seen highly in salem. Reverend Hale is the classic Mentor archetype, whose strong faith but lack of political savvy hinders his ability to save the people of Salem. The Mentor archetype is profiled as His or her task is to protect the main character. (According to Literarydevives.net). Hale fits this perfectly, trying to protect John all along the way. Excellency, it is a natural lie to tell; I beg you, stop now before another is condemned! I may shut my conscience to it no more-Private vengeance is working through this testimony! From the beginning this man has struck me true. By my oath to Heaven, I believe him now, and I pray you call his wife back before we- He spoke on page 119 saying how Elizabeth had just tried to save his name when he went to call out Abigail on Harlotry. Another prime example was when he begged Danforth to not make him confess others on page 148 Excellency, it is enough he confess himself. Let him sign it, let him sign it. The final example was when he began to nearly plead with Elizabeth to beg him to sign it even though John made it extremely clear he wouldnt sign his name away on page 152 Woman, Plead with him! Woman ! It is pride, it is vanity. Be his Helper!-What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him, take his shame away!. In many ways does Hale fit the classic Mentor archetype, he helps the general populace and later Proctor since he cared so much. Reverend Hale has both strengths and weaknesses that show within the play. Hale shows how he has to rely on the court instead of intervening, like when he told Mr. Nurse on page 71 Believe me, Mr. Nurse, if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothings left to stop the whole green world from burning. Let you rest upon the justice of the court; the court will send her home, I know it.. He also shows how he is well liked and his faith is very powerful. On page 36 the narration says about Hale He feels himself allied with the best minds of Europe kings, philosophers, scientists, and ecclesiastics of all churches. All in all Hale was quite a spiritually and faithfully strong character while also having weaknesses within the court in both inability to fight against the court and being fearful. The motivation of Hale resides within his Faith. The narrator says at one point His goal is light, goodness and its preservation, and he knows the exaltation of the blessed whose intelligence, sharpened by minute examinations of enormous tracts, is finally called upon to face what may be a bloody fight with the Fiend himself. One of the other good quotes to show his willingness to fight and drive out the evil is on page 39 where he says We shall find him out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face! His willingness to help anyone and others is shown on page 46 Tituba, turn your back on him and face God-face God, Tituba, and God will protect you. he would even defend a slave. Hales motivation to help and to share the love of God with others, Hales will to help others trumps greed as he is willing to help even accused witches. The archetype of the Mentor perfectly fits for Hale, residing with his will to help others and his strong faith while also being undermined by his issues with the court. The Mentor archetype is based after someone who wants to help lead someone to their cause or is trying to help people in some way. Think of Hale much like other mentors, like Gandalf and Dumbledore, like Obi wan and Mace Windu. They all want to help the hero no matter what happens to them.Reverend Hale, The Mentor The Character, Reverend Hale, is introduced into The Crucible as a very faithful and respected man. Swiftly being pulled into the ever broadening chaos that ensued in Salem. As days passed Hale is transformed from the man who will extract the witches to the man who will try to save Proctors life. Hale being both a mentor for the village and for Proctor while the story progresses while also keeping the peace. Hale being a 40 year old Reverend of the church and is told to have helped in the witch hunting in another much larger town is seen highly in salem. Reverend Hale is the classic Mentor archetype, whose strong faith but lack of political savvy hinders his ability to save the people of Salem. The Mentor archetype is profiled as His or her task is to protect the main character. (According to Literarydevives.net). Hale fits this perfectly, trying to protect John all along the way. Excellency, it is a natural lie to tell; I beg you, stop now before another is condemned! I may shut my conscience to it no more-Private vengeance is working through this testimony! From the beginning this man has struck me true. By my oath to Heaven, I believe him now, and I pray you call his wife back before we- He spoke on page 119 saying how Elizabeth had just tried to save his name when he went to call out Abigail on Harlotry. Another prime example was when he begged Danforth to not make him confess others on page 148 Excellency, it is enough he confess himself. Let him sign it, let him sign it. The final example was when he began to nearly plead with Elizabeth to beg him to sign it even though John made it extremely clear he wouldnt sign his name away on page 152 Woman, Plead with him! Woman ! It is pride, it is vanity. Be his Helper!-What profit him to bleed? Shall the dust praise him? Shall the worms declare his truth? Go to him, take his shame away!. In many ways does Hale fit the classic Mentor archetype, he helps the general populace and later Proctor since he cared so much. Reverend Hale has both strengths and weaknesses that show within the play. Hale shows how he has to rely on the court instead of intervening, like when he told Mr. Nurse on page 71 Believe me, Mr. Nurse, if Rebecca Nurse be tainted, then nothings left to stop the whole green world from burning. Let you rest upon the justice of the court; the court will send her home, I know it.. He also shows how he is well liked and his faith is very powerful. On page 36 the narration says about Hale He feels himself allied with the best minds of Europe kings, philosophers, scientists, and ecclesiastics of all churches. All in all Hale was quite a spiritually and faithfully strong character while also having weaknesses within the court in both inability to fight against the court and being fearful. The motivation of Hale resides within his Faith. The narrator says at one point His goal is light, goodness and its preservation, and he knows the exaltation of the blessed whose intelligence, sharpened by minute examinations of enormous tracts, is finally called upon to face what may be a bloody fight with the Fiend himself. One of the other good quotes to show his willingness to fight and drive out the evil is on page 39 where he says We shall find him out if he has come among us, and I mean to crush him utterly if he has shown his face! His willingness to help anyone and others is shown on page 46 Tituba, turn your back on him and face God-face God, Tituba, and God will protect you. he would even defend a slave. Hales motivation to help and to share the love of God with others, Hales will to help others trumps greed as he is willing to help even accused witches. The archetype of the Mentor perfectly fits for Hale, residing with his will to help others and his strong faith while also being undermined by his issues with the court. The Mentor archetype is based after someone who wants to help lead someone to their cause or is trying to help people in some way. Think of Hale much like other mentors, like Gandalf and Dumbledore, like Obi wan and Mace Windu. They all want to help the hero no matter what happens to them.

The Scaffold Scenes in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet

â€Å"Hester Prynne passed through this portion of her ordeal, and came to a sort of scaffold (51),† Hawthorne tells in the opening seen of the novel, The Scarlet Letter. The scaffold is a place for punishment. â€Å"This scaffold constituted a portion of a penal machine, which now, for two or three generations past, has been merely historical and traditionary among us, but was held, in the old time, to be as effectual an agent in the promotion of good citizenship, as ever was the guillotine,† Hawthorne states in explaining the scaffolds use. The scaffold had wooden steps leading on to it. The steps of the scaffold became the walk of death for many people before they were beheaded. A balcony or open gallery stood over the platform and was attached to the meetinghouse. During Hester’s punishment, the ministers and Governor sat in the gallery in order to question her. The scaffold was located at the â€Å"western extremity† of the market place, near the chur ch. The scaffold was a raised platform made of wood and iron. Men and women who sinned would be forced on the scaffold, either for beheading or, in Hester’s case, extreme embarrassment. The scaffold appears in the book three times, during three major scenes. The scenes are placed equally apart in the book, one at the beginning, in the middle and in the final scene at the end. The first scaffold scene encompasses Hester’s punishment and open confession. While the third scaffold scene includes Dimmesdale's confession. In the second or middle scaffold scene, both Hester and Dimmesdale are on the scaffold in the middle of the night. The scaffold is introduced in the novel for its literal uses, but the scaffold comes to symbolize and embody many other meanings. The scaffold is a symbol of the... ... for his sin. Both in the novel and in everyday use, the scaffold has a certain connotation to it. For instance, a person told that they were going to be scaffolded would most likely be fearful. However, as used scaffolding could simply mean that they were going to be propped up. Likewise, in The Scarlet Letter all Puritans fear chastisement on the scaffold.   In the novel, the scaffold is never used for public speaking or a theatrical performance, but only for the confession of sin. Most Puritans did not realize that the scaffold could have many positive uses. Likewise, to be scaffolded, by definition, is just as likely to be a good action as a bad one. Unfortunately, most historical documentation about the scaffold relates to of executions and punishments. Thus, the word scaffold can do many beneficial things for mankind, yet carries a very negative aura.

A Balanced Curriculum: Standards and Assessments for High Performance

The article of David Squires and Angelique Arrington entitled A Balanced Curriculum: Standards and Assessments for High Performance, presented a conversation-style elaboration of the said topic enabling the readers to have a better understanding of the points from the different perspectives of the people involved in the process.The article basically emphasized on how two teachers and a principal discussed their curriculum and the methods they utilize in educating the students through lectures and activities and what needs to be improved for the student's better performance in national tests (Squires & Arrington, 1999). In analyzing this article, both its positive and negative implications are taken into consideration.The authors basically asserted that after observing a development program introduced in a specific school, pursuing the next step would be to examine the curriculum of the school. In doing so, the discussants will be able to have an overview of how the school is balancin g, aligning and assessing their programs to help prepare the students for state exams.Squires and Arrington asserted that pursuing a balanced curriculum will help children develop their skills and meet their needs to participate in the society.To be able to achieve a balanced curriculum, teachers and administrators attend a series of workshops wherein the said strategy is elaborated and simulated.Then, after the realization of the importance of having a balanced curriculum, these people makes an effort to align their planned curriculum with national and state standards involving a series of modifications and compromises to their own standards (Squires & Arrington, 1999).The balancing process also involves the assessment of the curriculum in two ways: the performance and the format assessments. These two methods were designed to see both the understanding and application of concepts by the students. It is through this last step that the decision-makers examine if they were able to ba lance their curriculum or not and fix those programs that are not able to complement their expectations.As stated earlier, the article poses some strengths and weaknesses. For its strengths, in pursuing a balanced curriculum, the teachers and administrators will find it easier to teach their students while at the same time having an assurance that the students understand the lessons and will be able to integrate such learning in their following years.Moreover, the students will also find it easier to relate to the lessons with an application of the concepts and have a higher chance of performing well in the national exams with the improved preparations made.On the contrary, applying a balanced curriculum requires a lot of work and policy-making skills especially since it involves the process of aligning and assessments. In addition to that, a great amount of effort is needed in aligning one's curriculum to the national standards and framework.To be able to enhance the positive manif estations of a balanced curriculum and to be able to transform the weaknesses to something beneficial for the teachers, the decision-makers should really be consistent and eager in pursuing their desired curriculum especially since it requires a lot of studies and thinking. Moreover, the involved people especially the teachers should continue to have a drive in enhancing their curriculum for the welfare of their students.Lastly, looking back at the article of Squires and Arrington, it is observably an essential and critical study in the development of the teaching methods of teachers and their standards. It is also very important as a basis for other researchers in developing the curriculum utilized by instructors and how the students will be able to cover everything they need for a specific grade level.ReferencesSquires, D.A. & Arrington, A. (1999). A Balanced Curriculum: Standards and Assessments for High Performance. Teacher's College Columbia University.