The Customer Satisfaction Index Model: An Empirical Study of the Private Healthcare Sector in Malaysia

Ahmad Azmi M. ARIFFIN,Norhayati M. ZAIN,Bama V.V. MENON3,Norzalita A. AZIZ 한국유통과학회 2022 The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Busine Vol.9 No.1

The main purpose of this study was to gauge the patient satisfaction index and subsequently discuss the Importance-Performance (IP) matrix analysis of the inpatient services in the context of the private hospital setting. The Malaysian Customer Satisfaction Index Model was employed as the theoretical framework for the above purposes. This study involving 242 patients in Malaysian’s private healthcare sector used a Web-based survey as the main method of data collection. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized for data analysis. Using Fornell et al. (1996)’s formula, the resulting patient satisfaction index was slightly lower than the “very satisfied” category, the target level required for positioning as one of the world’s premier medical tourism players. The IP matrix showed that medical quality is the main competitive advantage of the private hospitals that can propel their growth in the global healthcare marketplace. The results also indicate that outcome quality, patient rights, and privacy, and service quality are the three quality domains that need to be prioritized for further improvement. On the other hand, the servicescape quality domain needs to be strategized as the unique selling proposition as the performance of the private hospitals in this regard is already extremely good.

Moment-curvature relationships to estimate deflections and second-order moments in wind-loaded RC chimneys and towers

Menon, Devdas Techno-Press 1998 Wind and Structures, An International Journal (WAS Vol.1 No.3

Second-order moments of considerable magnitude arise in tall and slender RC chimneys and towers subject to along-wind loading, on account of eccentricities in the distributed self-weight of the tower in the deflected profile. An accurate solution to this problem of geometric nonlinearity is rendered difficult by the uncertainties in estimating the flexural rigidity of the tower, due to variable cracking of concrete and the 'tension stiffening' effect. This paper presents a rigorous procedure for estimating deflections and second-order moments in wind-loaded RC tubular towers. The procedure is essentially based on a generalised formulation of moment-curvature relationships for RC tubular towers, derived from the experimental and theoretical studies reported by Schlaich et al. 1979 and Menon 1994 respectively. The paper also demonstrates the application of the proposed procedure, and highlights those conditions wherein second-order moments become too significant to be overlooked in design.

Optimizing Nutrition Support in Cancer Care

Menon, Kavitha Chandrasekhara Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.6

Involvement of a multidisciplinary team in cancer care may have added benefits over the existing system of patient management. A paradigm shift in the current patient management would allow more focus on nutritional support, in addition to clinical care. Malnutrition, a common problem in cancer patients, needs special attention from the early days of cancer care to improve quality of life and treatment outcomes. Patient management teams with trained oncology dietitians may provide quality personalized nutritional care to cancer patients.

Fuzzy logic based estimation of effective lengths of columns in partially braced multi-storey frames

Menon, Devdas Techno-Press 2001 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.11 No.3

Columns in multi-storey frames are presently categorised as either braced or unbraced, usually by means of the stability index criterion, for estimating their effective length ratios by design aids such as 'alignment charts'. This procedure, however, ignores the transition in buckling behaviour between the braced condition and the unbraced one. Hence, this results in either an overestimation or an underestimation of effective length estimates of columns in frames that are in fact 'partially braced'. It is shown in this paper that the transitional behaviour is gradual, and can be approximately modelled by means of a 'fuzzy logic' based technique. The proposed technique is simple and intuitively agreeable. It fills the existing gap between the braced and unbraced conditions in present codal provisions.

Mutation Analysis of the Dimer Forming Domain of the Caspase 8 Gene in Oral Submucous Fibrosis and Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Menon, Uthara,Poongodi, V,Raghuram, Pitty Hari,Ashokan, Kannan,Govindarajan, Giri Valanthan Veda,Ramanathan, Arvind Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.11

Background: Missense and frame-shift mutations within the dimer forming domain of the caspase 8 gene have been identified in several cancers. However, the genetic status of this region in precancerous lesions, like oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), and well differentiated oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) in patients from southern region of India is not known, and hence the present study was designed to address this issue. Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA isolated from biopsy tissues of thirty one oral submucous fibrosis and twenty five OSCC samples were subjected to PCR amplification with intronic primers flanking exon 7 of the caspase 8 gene. The PCR amplicons were subsequently subjected to direct sequencing to elucidate the status of mutation. Results: Sequence analysis identified a frame-shift and a novel missense mutation in two out of twenty five OSCC samples. The frame-shift mutation was due to a two base pair deletion (c.1225_1226delTG), while the missense mutation was due to substitution of wild type cysteine residue with phenylalanine at codon 426 (C426F). The missense mutation, however, was found to be heterozygous as the wild type C426C codon was also present. None of the OSMF samples carried mutations. Conclusions: The identification of mutations in OSCC lesions but not OSMF suggests that dimer forming domain mutations in caspase 8 may be limited to malignant lesions. The absence of mutations in OSMF also suggests that the samples analyzed in the present study may not have acquired transforming potential. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study to have explored and identified frame-shift and novel missense mutations in OSCC tissue samples.

ON gpr^µ-CLOSED MAPPINGS AND gpr^µ-OPEN MAPPINGS

Menon, Vidhya,Ilango, Gnanambal The Youngnam Mathematical Society 2017 East Asian mathematical journal Vol.33 No.5

In this paper we define new types of mappings known as $gpr^{\mu}$-closed mappings, $gpr^{\mu}$-open mappings and discuss its properties. Furthermore we introduce the concepts of supra $pre^*$-normal spaces and also investigate its properties.

Regional Trading Agreements and Intra-industry Trade

Menon, Jayant,Dixon, Peter B. 세종대학교 국제경제연구소 1996 Journal of Economic Integration Vol.11 No.1

Do Regional Trading Agreements(RATs) promote intra-industry trade (IIT)? In attempting to answer this question, previous researches have looked at two issues: (i) whether IIT has increased following the formation of the RTA, and (ii) whether IIT is more important in intra versus extra RTA trade. To answer the first question, researchers have used movements in the value of the Grubel and Lloyd(1975,GL) index over time, while the second has been dealt with by comparing the value of the GL index for intra versus extra RTA trade. Employing the GL index in these ways to answer these questions can lead to error. In this paper, we develop a new methodology for analyzing both of these questions which overcomes this problem. First, we derive a formula which decomposes the growth in total trade (TT) into the contributions of growth in IIT and net trade (NT). Second, we show how to measure the contribution of intra and extra RTA trade to the growth in a country's total multilateral IIT and NT. These formulas are employed to examine the effects of the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trading Agreement (ANZCERTA) on Australian and New Zealand trade.

EXCHANGE RATE PASS - THROUGH : AUSTRALIAN IMPORTS OF MOTOR VEHICLES

MENON, JAYANT 한국국제경제학회 1993 International Economic Journal Vol.7 No.3

The study examines the pass-through relationship of exchange rate changes to prices of Australian imports of passenger motor vehicles (PMVs) for the period 1981.3 to 1990. 2. A model that relates the import pricing decision to changes in the exchange rate, production costs and competing prices is estimated. Having identified a cointegrating relationship, the Engle-Granger two-step procedure is employed to estimate the model. Unlike previous findings, our results suggests that the pass-through of exchange rate changes to import prices is incomplete in the long run. The presence of quantitative restrictions (QRs) and the pricing practices on intra-firm sales of multinational firms are put forward as possible explanations for the incomplete pass-through finding. [F14]

Polymeric nanoparticles as dual-imaging probes for cancer management

Menon, Jyothi U.,Jadeja, Parth,Tambe, Pranjali,Thakore, Dheeraj,Zhang, Shanrong,Takahashi, Masaya,Xie, Zhiwei,Yang, Jian,Nguyen, Kytai T. Techno-Press 2016 Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering Vol.3 No.3

This article reports the development of biodegradable photoluminescent polymer (BPLP)-based nanoparticles (NPs) incorporating either magnetic nanoparticles (BPLP-MNPs) or gadopentate dimeglumine (BPLP-Gd NPs), for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the study is to compare these nanoparticles in terms of their surface properties, fluorescence intensities, MR imaging capabilities, and in vitro characteristics to choose the most promising dual-imaging nanoprobe. Results indicate that BPLP-MNPs and BPLP-Gd NPs had a size of $195{\pm}43nm$ and $161{\pm}55nm$, respectively and showed good stability in DI water and 10% serum for 5 days. BPLP-Gd NPs showed similar fluorescence as the original BPLP materials under UV light, whereas BPLP-MNPs showed comparatively less fluorescence. VSM and MRI confirmed that the NPs retained their magnetic properties following encapsulation within BPLP. Further, in vitro studies using HPV-7 immortalized prostate epithelial cells and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) showed > 70% cell viability up to $100{\mu}g/ml$ NP concentration. Dose-dependent uptake of both types of NPs by PC3 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells was also observed. Thus, our results indicate that BPLP-Gd NPs would be more appropriate for use as a dual-imaging probe as the contrast agent does not mask the fluorescence of the polymer. Future studies would involve in vivo imaging following administration of BPLP-Gd NPs for biomedical applications including cancer detection.

Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells expressing S-TRAIL as a cellular delivery vehicle for human glioma therapy.

Menon, Lata G,Kelly, Kathleen,Yang, Hong Wei,Kim, Seung-Ki,Black, Peter M,Carroll, Rona S AlphaMed Press 2009 Stem Cells Vol.27 No.9

<P>Glioblastoma is among the most aggressive and treatment resistant of all human cancers. Conventional therapeutic approaches are unsuccessful because of diffuse infiltrative invasion of glioma tumor cells into normal brain parenchyma. Stem cell-based therapies provide a promising approach for the treatment of malignant gliomas because of their migratory ability to invasive tumor cells. Our therapeutic strategy was to use human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) as a cellular vehicle for the targeted delivery and local production of the biologic agent tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) at the glioma tumor site. hMSCs were transduced with a lentivirus expressing secretable TRAIL (S-TRAIL) and mCherry (red fluorescent protein). Our results clearly demonstrate the retention of tumor tropic ability of hMSC S-TRAIL cells by in vitro and in vivo migration assays. In vitro assays confirmed the expression, release, and biological activity of S-TRAIL produced by hMSC S-TRAIL cells. For the in vivo assessment of therapeutic efficacy, hMSCs were injected ipsilateral to an established intracranial glioma tumor in a mouse xenograft model. Genetically engineered hMSC S-TRAIL cells were effective in inhibiting intracranial U87 glioma tumor growth (81.6%) in vivo and resulted in significantly longer animal survival. Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated significant, eight fold greater tumor cell apoptosis in the hMSC S-TRAIL-treated group than in controls. Our study demonstrates the therapeutic efficacy of hMSC S-TRAIL cells and confirms that hMSCs can serve as a powerful cell-based delivery vehicle for the site-specific release of therapeutic proteins.</P>