Design of a 4x4 bidirectional routing board

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1995.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 44).by Victor Ernest Chin.M.Eng

Language use in packaging : the reaction of Malay and Chinese consumers in Malaysia

This research sets out to determine the changes in attitude, emotion and behaviour of respondents to packaging using Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese in a multicultural Asian country, Malaysia. The findings of this research indicate that respondents reacted more favorably to product packaging imprinted in their own ethnic language. However, there is no significant difference between respondents in their attitude towards the company, indicating that there is a disparity between consumer reaction towards the company and its product packaging

Language use in packaging : the reaction of Malay and Chinese consumers in Malaysia

This research sets out to determine the changes in attitude, emotion and behaviour of respondents to packaging using Bahasa Malaysia or Chinese in a multicultural Asian country, Malaysia. The findings of this research indicate that respondents reacted more favorably to product packaging imprinted in their own ethnic language. However, there is no significant difference between respondents in their attitude towards the company, indicating that there is a disparity between consumer reaction towards the company and its product packaging

Customer service personnel’s perceptions of customers: The case of a telecommunications firm

This paper sets out to extend current knowledge on perception of customer service personnel (CSP) towards customers. It examines these perceptions by employing the CAB Paradigm, utilizing an interview followed by questionnaires based on the interview findings for CSPs in a telecommunications firm in Malaysia. Data collected from the interview was analyzed using frequency distribution and data from the questionnaire was analyzed using factor analysis. Findings indicated the most identified variable was “Interested” and the least was “Gross/Unpleasant”. Factor analysis indicated 9 views of customers termed as Mr. Hot, Mr. Mix Up, Mr. Pushy, Mr. Slow, Mr. Serious, Mr. Professional, Mr. Simple and Mr. Cheerful. The number of respondents and the subsequent weak KMO limit the study. Nevertheless, it provides a basis for the CAB Paradigm to explain why customer service in Sarawak is weak. The implications of the study to management and HRM department are strong as they indicate that CSP’s views of customers are negative, and such personnel thus require further training and supervision on how to treat customers. It is rare to find articles that look at CSP’s view of customers, as the literature is chock-a-block with the views of customers. This study allows for a preview into the mind of CSPs

Knowledge sharing behaviour in innovative working environment: A case of a software developing company

This study examines knowledge sharing behaviour in a highly innovative company.Particularly, the effect of key organizational factors, namely culture, trust, reward system, information system and structure on knowledge sharing is looked into. Team performance is also included as outcome construct to provide greater insights into the role of knowledge sharing.A quantitative approach via questionnaire-based survey was administered in a software development company in Malaysia.Data collected was then tested using correlation and regression analysis.The findings show that all organizational factors under investigation have positive effect on knowledge sharing and subsequently team performance.Despite being innovative and competitive, employees are willing to share knowledge mainly due to the culture, structure and information system of the organizatio

It's not just a brand name: The impact of language on consumer attitude and behavior

This paper notes the impact of language choice in a brand name on consumer’s response. This was measured based on three different language based brand names in the same product category (coffee). The brand names were Aik Cheong, Kopimas, and Power Root, representing Chinese, Malay, and English language respectively. Speech Accommodation Theory (SAT) is used as the basis for this paper as it indicates that a group prefers its own language and will respond positively. Data was collected from Chinese respondents throughout Malaysia using a survey. Questions were from past measurement scales utilizing a 6 point forced scale. The findings indicate that respondents preferred English and Chinese language brand name over Malay language brand name and there was no difference in response for English and Chinese language brand name. Malay language was the least preferred. This paper is limited by the method, breath and scope of data collection

Food neophobia and ethnic food consumption intention

Purpose:The purpose of this paper is to serve as groundwork to investigate the determinants of ethnic food consumption intention in the context of developing markets. Using the theory of planned behaviour as the underlying basis, it is aimed to explain the effect of attitude, subjective norm and perceived behaviour control on consumption intention towards Dayak food. Since Dayak food is relatively unfamiliar compared to conventional food in Malaysia, food neophobia is incorporated into the model so as to assess its moderation effect on every postulated relationship. Design/methodology/approach:A quantitative approach via self-administered questionnaire was adopted. In all, 300 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to non-Dayak Malaysians, and 211 usable copies were subsequently collected, suggesting that non-response bias was not a major issue. A post hoc Harman single-factor analysis was also performed to ensure the variance in the data was not explained by one single factor, thus addressing the common method bias. Structural equation modelling using partial least squares approach was then utilized to assess the relationships of variables under investigation and the moderation effect of food neophobia. Findings:After ensuring the data have acceptable reliability and validity, structural model assessment was performed to test the hypotheses. The findings show that attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control all have positive effect on consumption intention of non-Dayak Malaysians towards Dayak food. However, food neophobia is only found to have a moderation effect on the relationship between subjective norm and consumption intention.Research limitations/implications:First, the sample is largely consisted of college and university students in Malaysia who are believed to be more daring to try new things, including new food. Second and more importantly, the dearth of literature and empirical studies on Dayak food and ethnic food in Malaysia might have actually pointed to the limitation in using only quantitative questionnaire in the study. As salient beliefs are the antecedents in the theory of planned behaviour, knowing consumers’ specific beliefs about Dayak food would have provided a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of consumption intention and the moderating effect of food neophobia.Practical implications:The moderation effect of food neophobia on the relationship between subjective norm and consumption intention towards Dayak food implies the importance of recommendations and favourable word-of-mouth from the significant ones, such as family members and peers, to make people willing to try and consume it. This corresponds to earlier findings pertaining to the collectivistic culture in Malaysia. Unlike countries with individualistic cultures, Malaysians tend to conform to the consumption choices of significant others. This implies that those whom they hold in high regard, are able to influence them both positively and negatively through their advice or opinions. Originality/value:The present study has not only extended the use of theory of planned behaviour in the context of Dayak food consumption intention in a developing country, but it has also deepened the theory by incorporating food neophobia as the moderator to provide additional theoretical explanation to ethnic food consumption intention. Given the wealth of Asian culture, and its significant role in the global marketplace, the understanding of ethnic food consumption intention of the local and foreign consumers using the extended theory of planned behaviour would contribute knowledge not only to consumer behaviour, but also to food and service industry and tourism

Genome maps across 26 human populations reveal population-specific patterns of structural variation.

Large structural variants (SVs) in the human genome are difficult to detect and study by conventional sequencing technologies. With long-range genome analysis platforms, such as optical mapping, one can identify large SVs (>2 kb) across the genome in one experiment. Analyzing optical genome maps of 154 individuals from the 26 populations sequenced in the 1000 Genomes Project, we find that phylogenetic population patterns of large SVs are similar to those of single nucleotide variations in 86% of the human genome, while ~2% of the genome has high structural complexity. We are able to characterize SVs in many intractable regions of the genome, including segmental duplications and subtelomeric, pericentromeric, and acrocentric areas. In addition, we discover ~60 Mb of non-redundant genome content missing in the reference genome sequence assembly. Our results highlight the need for a comprehensive set of alternate haplotypes from different populations to represent SV patterns in the genome

Antitumor agents 273. Design and synthesis of N-alkyl-thiocolchicinoids as potential antitumor agents

As a part of our continuing study of colchicinoids as therapeutically useful antitumor drugs, thiocolchicine derivatives, including their phosphate and other water soluble salts, were synthesized and evaluated for inhibition of tubulin polymerization and for in vitro cytotoxicity. Three compounds, 7, 10, and 11, showed potent inhibition of tubulin assembly (IC50 = 0.88 – 1.1 μM). In addition, compound 7, a water soluble succinic acid salt of N-deacetylthiocolchicine (4), showed potent cytotoxicity against a panel of tumor cell lines, suggesting it might be a potential lead to be developed as a therapeutic antitumor agent. Compound 8, a water soluble succinic acid salt of N,N-dimethyl-N-deacetylthiocolchicine (5), showed selective activities against HCT-8 and SK-BR-3 cells. N,N-Diethyl-N-deacetylthiocolchicine (6) seemed not to be a substrate for the P-gp efflux pump, based on the similar ED50 values obtained against P-gp over-expressing KBvin (0.0146 μg/mL) cells and the parent KB (0.0200 μg/mL) cell line