Knowledge, Attitudes, and Job Satisfaction in Long-Term Care: A Comparison between Licensed Nurses and Nursing Assistants

Knowledge, attitudes, and job satisfaction of long-term care workers were examined to determine if a relationship existed between these factors and if differences existed between licensed nurses and nursing assistants. Participants included 36 nurses and 60 assistants from five nursing homes in the Midland/Odessa area. Results indicated that nurses had significantly more positive attitudes toward (t(94) = -5.72, p\u3c.05) and increased knowledge of older adults (t(94) = 2.71, p\u3c.05) than assistants. In addition, more positive attitudes were significantly associated with more knowledge of the elderly (r(96) = -0.36, p\u3c.05) as well as increased levels of job satisfaction (r(96) = -0.53, p\u3c.05)

Code of Ethics for Robotics: A Surgery Case Study

The future of robotics is broad and varied. New developments that delve deeper into the use of artificial intelligence and automation, for practices ranging from driver less cars to doctor less surgeries, calls for a defined code of cultural, ethical, and legal regulations that can guide engineers around the most delicate issues that may arise. With the reputation of the field resting on the evolution of a code of ethics this paper compares and discusses existing literature on the subject. With the foundation and influence of the existing literature this paper proposes a refined code of ethics designed to target the specific area of robotic engineering. It is also designed to remain applicable for future developments in the field. Having laid out the code it is then be applied to a case study focusing on surgery robots. Final recommendations and conclusions are made to advise future developments for an ethical code targeted at robotic engineers

The Effect Of Competitive Advantages On Corporate Tax Avoidance: A Determinant Or Excuse?

Recently, managers of U.S. corporations have explained the motivation behind engaging in extreme and public forms of tax avoidance (i.e. corporate inversions) as addressing the inability to gain or maintain global competitive advantages (Security 2014, 1). While prior research explores how a corporation’s overall business strategy can affect tax avoidance behavior (Higgins et al. 2015) and measures the effects of different components of competitive advantages on tax avoidance (Kubick et al. 2015; Gao et al. 2015), how total global competitive advantages impact tax avoidance remains an unanswered empirical question. Therefore, this study considers the following research questions: 1)How does the effective tax rate of a corporation affect the future competitive advantages of a corporation? and 2) How do competitive advantages affect future tax avoidance? To address these questions, this dissertation uses competitive effort proxies derived from accounting data (Dickinson and Sommers 2012), to develop a composite score measuring the corporation’s total global competitive advantages and examines the impact of total global competitive advantages on different proxies for tax avoidance. The results of several univariate and multivariable tests indicate that while effective tax rate measurements do not appear to inhibit the competitive advantages of corporations, corporate executives behave as if they believe the tax rate hinders their ability to compete; as competitive advantages rise, so does the likelihood that the corporation will engage in tax avoidance activities. However, a trend reversal occurs and those corporations with the highest competitive advantages decrease tax avoidance activities. An analysis of the corporations that invert show that they actually decrease in their competitive advantages in the second year after the inversion, which makes them significantly lower than their closest industry peers based on profitability. This study adds to the growing research on the determinants of tax avoidance. It also develops a new composite measurement of total global competitive advantages, which can be useful to future research in strategic management. The results of these analyses should also be of interest to legislators. Corporations continually call for legislation to overhaul the tax code; before doing so, legislators should be aware of the true determinants of problems (such as inversions) before trying to devise a solution

SELECTED SCHOOL BASED FACTORS’ INFLUENCE ON VALUE ADDITION IN SECONDARY EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN RACHUONYO SOUTH SUB-COUNY, HOMABAY COUNTY, KENYA

Educational accountability has mainly focused on final academic performance in judging schools’ effectiveness without regard to where the students started. Judging schools' effectiveness solely based on final academic performance is unfair to school systems. Hence, the need to determine value addition in secondary education taking into consideration KCPE scores as intake abilities and KCSE scores as exit abilities. Moreover, public secondary schools in Rachuonyo South Sub-County recorded the highest negative academic progresses, -3.262 and -3.745, in the secondary education of 2013 and 2014 cohorts in Homa Bay County. However, the cause of the negative academic progresses is unknown. Hence, there is need to examine selected school-based factors’ influence on value addition in the secondary education of the two cohorts. The objectives of the study are to examine performance appraisal’s influence on value addition in secondary education; to examine continuous assessments’ influence on value addition in secondary education and to examine classroom push and pull factors’ influence on value addition in secondary education. A conceptual model developed from the basic model of school effectiveness by Scheerens (2000) and a correlational research design guided the study. The sample of the study comprised 49 Deputy Principals, 49 Directors of Studies and 780 students randomly sampled. Primary data were collected using questionnaires. Findings revealed that TPAD (β=0.386, p=0.029) and CPP (β=0.364, p=0.034) have positive significant relationships with value addition, while CATs have insignificant relationship with value addition (β1=0.277, p=0.104) for 2013 cohort. For 2014 cohort, TPAD (β=0.633, p=0.000) and CATs (β=0.356, p=0.02) have positive significant relationships with value addition, while CPP has insignificant relationship with value addition (β=0.22, p=0.136). Moreover, findings revealed that school-based factors contributed to 19% and 38% variance in academic achievements of the 2013 and 2014 cohorts respectively. The findings of the study may be used as a tool for school improvement, checking school progress and accountability, informing policymaking, reporting to parents and the community about school.  Article visualizations

ANALISIS TINGKAT LITERASI KEUANGAN SYARIAH (STUDI PADA MAHASISWA SARJANA DAN MAGISTER PROGRAM STUDI MANAJEMEN FAKULTAS EKONOMI DAN BISNIS UNIVERSITAS TELKOM)

Indonesia merupakan negara muslim terbesar di dunia, dengan 85% penduduknya beragama Islam. Fakta tersebut menjadikan Indonesia sebagai pasar yang menjanjikan untuk keuangan syariah. Namun hal ini belum diimbangi dengan kemampuan dan pengetahuan masyarakatnya terhadap keuangan syariah. Berdasarkan penelitian tingkat literasi keuangan syariah nasional yang dilakukan Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, tingkat literasi keuangan syariah masyarakat Indonesia hanya 11,1%. Mahasiswa, baik sarjana maupun magister kelak akan terjun langsung menjadi bagian dari masyarakat. Mahasiswa sebagai penerus bangsa diharapkan dapat mengatasi permasalahan ekonomi dan miningkatkan kesejahteraan melalui kemampuan pengelolaan keuangannya. Namun adanya perbedaan pendidikan yang sedang ditempuh mungkin menghasilkan tingkat literasi keuangan yang berbeda pula, sehingga perlu adanya penelitian lebih lanjut untuk melihat perbedaan tingkat literasi keuangan syariah mahasiswa sarjana dan magister. Penelitian ini termasuk kedalam penelitian kuantitatif dengan menggunakan metode analisis deskriptif. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan kuisioner tertutup dengan skala ordinal. Objek penelitian yang dilakukan terhadap Mahasiswa Manajemen Fakultas Ekonomi dan Bisnis Universitas Telkom menggunakan teknnik pengambilan sampel Probability Sampling sebanyak 171 orang. Dengan kriteria tingkat literasi keuangan yang digunakan berdasarkan penelitian Chen dan Volpe (1998). Faktor pengukuran yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu Ekonomi Syariah, Keuangan Pribadi, Perbankan Syariah, Asuransi Syariah, Pasar Modal Syariah, Pembiayaan Syariah, dan Dana Pensiun. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa literasi keuangan syariah mahasiswa Magister Manajemen lebih tinggi daripada mahasiswa sarjana Manajemen. Dengan tingkat literasi masing masing sebesar 71,65% dan 68,44% dan termasuk ke dalam kategori sedang. Kata Kunci: Literasi Keuangan Syaria

Development of Low-Cost Sensing Technologies for Measuring Air Quality

In order to protect human health and the environment, it is necessary to measure ozone concentrations in the atmosphere. State and federal regulatory agencies take continuous measurements of ozone concentrations and fluxes at centralized locations, but current monitoring systems are costly, and the number of sites is limited. The work discussed in this dissertation aims to address this challenge through the development of low-cost instruments that measure ozone flux. We developed low-cost flux chambers that accurately measure ozone dry deposition when paired with 2B ozone monitors. While we concluded that the least expensive sensors available, metal-oxide ozone sensors, are not suitable for use with these chambers, the cost of the chambers in combination with 2B ozone monitors ( $7000) is much lower than the cost of eddy covariance measurement systems. Additionally, many research groups already own ozone monitors, which can be attached to a flux chamber, which results in an additional cost of only$2000. Also, a complete overhaul of the models we use to calibrate metal-oxide ozone sensors for use in ambient ozone monitors resulted in a 42% improvement in the prediction of high ozone concentrations. The modeling algorithms developed in this work can be applied to all of the sensors used by our group, which will improve results for a number of studies

Pembentukan Portofolio Saham Optimal dengan Strategi Aktif dan Pasif Menggunakan Pendekatan Rasio Price to Book Value dan Price Earning to Growth Pada Indeks IDX30 Periode 2013-2018

Fenomena volatilitas pengembalian saham menunjukkan return dan risiko yang dihadapi oleh investor dalam kegiatan investasi. Salah satu metode yang dapat digunakan oleh investor untuk mendapatkan laba maksimum seraya menekan risiko ke level minimum adalah dengan mendiversifikasi investasinya melalui portofolio. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menentukan hasil simulasi pembentukan portofolio saham optimal dengan strategi aktif dan pasif menggunakan rasio Price to Book Value (PBV) dan Price Earning to Growth serta hasil evaluasi kinerja Sharpe, Treynor, dan Jensen pada portofolio yang telah ditetapkan. Penelitian ini termasuk dalam penelitian kuantitatif. Objek penelitian adalah Indeks IDX30 dan 17 dari 30 perusahaan yang secara konsisten diklasifikasikan ke dalam Indeks IDX30 untuk periode 2013-2018 dipilih sebagai sampel penelitian. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa PEG Tinggi secara konsisten memberikan return di dan risiko lebih baik daripada rata-rata, baik dalam strategi pasif, strategi aktif tahunan, atau strategi aktif semesteran. Sedangkan, PBV Tinggi dalam strategi pasif dan aktif tahunan menunjukkan tingkat pengembalian yang melebihi rata-rata, sedangkan dalam strategi aktif semesteran, menunjukkan tingkat risiko terendah. Secara keseluruhan strategi aktif semesteran memiliki tingkat return akumulasi tertinggi dengan tingkat risiko yang relatif rendah. Hasil ini sesuai dengan tujuan pembentukan portofolio yang optimal. Selain itu, hasil evaluasi kinerja menunjukkan bahwa dalam strategi aktif semesteran ini, PEG Tinggi memberikan skor terbaik berdasarkan hasil evaluasi kinerja indeks Sharpe, Treynor dan Jensen. Kata Kunci: Portofolio Optimal, PBV, PE

Evaluation of automated decisionmaking methodologies and development of an integrated robotic system simulation

A generic computer simulation for manipulator systems (ROBSIM) was implemented and the specific technologies necessary to increase the role of automation in various missions were developed. The specific items developed are: (1) capability for definition of a manipulator system consisting of multiple arms, load objects, and an environment; (2) capability for kinematic analysis, requirements analysis, and response simulation of manipulator motion; (3) postprocessing options such as graphic replay of simulated motion and manipulator parameter plotting; (4) investigation and simulation of various control methods including manual force/torque and active compliances control; (5) evaluation and implementation of three obstacle avoidance methods; (6) video simulation and edge detection; and (7) software simulation validation

Evaluation of automated decisionmaking methodologies and development of an integrated robotic system simulation, appendix A

A generic computer simulation for manipulator systems (ROBSIM) was implemented and the specific technologies necessary to increase the role of automation in various missions were developed. The specific items developed were: (1) Capability for definition of a manipulator system consisting of multiple arms, load objects, and an environment; (2) Capability for kinematic analysis, requirements analysis, and response simulation of manipulator motion; (3) Postprocessing options such as graphic replay of simulated motion and manipulator parameter plotting; (4) Investigation and simulation of various control methods including manual force/torque and active compliance control; (5) Evaluation and implementation of three obstacle avoidance methods; (6) Video simulation and edge detection; and (7) Software simulation validation. This appendix is the user's guide and includes examples of program runs and outputs as well as instructions for program use