The Study of the Springback Effect in the UHSS by U-bending Process

Nowadays, the tendency by using the Ultra High Strength Steel (UHSS) in automobile industry has been increased in order to minimize the total weight of the car. The major problem by using of the UHSS in manufacture the automobile parts is springback. The objective of this research is to investigate the springback effect of the UHSS in U-bending process. In the experiment, the various forming parameters were conducted such as punch radius and blank holder force, the experimental materials in this study was JSC780Y, SPCN590R and JSC440W. According to the procedure, the experiment was conducted by specially designed of U-bending die, the U-shaped cross-sections refer to the NUMISHEET 2011, the benchmark for controlling the dimension of tool geometry. Springback angles after bending process were measured and calculated to springback factor for comparing and presenting the tendency of the springback effect.As the experimental results, the influence of forming parameters found the increasing punch radius increased the springback angle while the increasing blank holder force decreased the springback angle. The springback factor value decreased when the springback angle increased. The results are showed the tendency of springback angles, which is useful for predicting springback effect of the UHSS

Emotion and Wellness Profiles of Herbal Drinks Measured Using Different Questionnaire Designs

The emotion and wellness profiles of herbal drinks were assessed using six different questionnaire designs. The questionnaire designs were constructed from two formats of questionnaire items, including words and sentences, and three types of measuring scales, including a rating scale (5-point intensity; 1 = ‘not at all’, 5 = ‘extremely’), a checklist scale (check-all-that-apply, CATA), and a combination of CATA and rating scales (rate-all-that-apply, RATA; 5-point intensity; 1 = ‘slightly’, 5 = ‘extremely’). The 39 emotional terms of the EsSense Profile® and the 45 wellness terms of the WellSense ProfileTM were translated into Thai, then screened for relevance to herbal drinks. The seven positive emotional terms (active, energetic, good, happy, polite, satisfied, and warm), three negative emotional terms (bored, disgusted, and worried), and five wellness terms (comforted, healthy, invigorated, relaxed, and refreshed) were selected and included in the questionnaire. A central location test was performed to determine the emotion and wellness profiles of five herbal drinks: roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) drink, chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat) drink, ginger (Zingiber officinale) drink, Jubliang (a mixture of eight herbs) drink, and Krachai Dam (Kaempferia parviflora) drink. For herbal drinks, measuring emotion and wellness with a questionnaire using full sentences did not show increased benefit over questionnaires using words alone. All three measuring methods—a rating scale, CATA, and RATA—produced similar emotion and wellness profiles. However, each method has different advantages and limitations, which researchers should carefully consider

Production factors affecting antioxidant peptides from tilapia processing byproducts

Abstract This research aimed to elucidate significant factors affecting antioxidant capacity of protein hydrolysates from tilapia processing byproducts. Effects of protein type, substrate concentration (0.4-1.2%) and time of hydrolysis (0-60 min) on antioxidant abilities were investigated. Antioxidant activity of the alkaline-aided protein hydrolysate (APH) hydrolyzed by Protease G6 at 1.2% and 60 min hydrolysis was comparable to the control (minced tilapia muscle hydrolysates) and was more effective than the myofibrillar protein and sarcoplasmic protein hydrolysates. Principal component analysis showed that the APH exert their antioxidant capacity by peroxyl radical quenching ability. These findings provide evidence that the APH from fish byproducts can be alternatively used as a natural antioxidant

Conceptualizing a Gluten-Free Instant Noodle Prototype Using Environmental Sustainability Aspects: A Cross-National Qualitative Study on Thai and Danish Consumers

Gluten-free food products have been developed to satisfy the needs of consumers with celiac disease. However, there has been little research on the product feature development of sustainable gluten-free instant noodles through a qualitative study to explore the customer insights related to environmental attitude and purchase decision. Using a cross-national comparative study between Thai and Danish consumers, this study aims to (1) identify the target customer segments for each country; (2) explore the target customer segments regarding behaviours, desired outcomes, and pain points; and (3) suggest gluten-free instant noodle product prototypes suitable for each country. With a qualitative interview approach, 60 target customers (30 Thai and 30 Danish) were recruited to participate in this research. In addition, a thematic analysis was undertaken to examine their behaviours, desired outcomes, and pain points toward sustainable gluten-free instant noodle products. The findings revealed that convenience-oriented customers were the target segment of gluten-free instant noodle products in Thailand. This segment primarily focused on convenience as the main reason for consuming instant noodles and had common pain points in terms of taste. In contrast, environment-oriented customers were the target customer segment in Denmark. This segment consisted primarily of young women who eat less meat and shared common pain points such as difficulty accessing more sustainable options. Hence, there is a need to educate customers in Thailand (an emerging economy) and increase their awareness regarding environmental sustainability and consumption

Mamao Pomace Extract Alleviates Hypertension and Oxidative Stress in Nitric Oxide Deficient Rats

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced oxidative stress plays a major role in pathogenesis of hypertension. Antidesma thwaitesianum (local name: Mamao) is a tropical plant distributed in the tropical/subtropical areas of the world, including Thailand. Mamao pomace (MP), a by-product generated from Mamao fruits, contains large amounts of antioxidant polyphenolic compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the antihypertensive and antioxidative effects of MP using hypertensive rats. For this purpose, male Sprague-Dawley rats were given Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), an inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), in drinking water (50 mg/kg) for three weeks. MP extract was orally administered daily at doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg. l-NAME administration induced marked increase in blood pressure, peripheral vascular resistance, and oxidative stress. MP treatment significantly prevented the increase in blood pressure, hindlimb blood flow and hindlimb vascular resistance of l-NAME treated hypertensive rats (p < 0.05). The antihypertensive effect of MP treatment was associated with suppression of superoxide production from carotid strips and also with an increase in eNOS protein expression and nitric oxide bioavailability. The present results provide evidence for the antihypertensive effect of MP and suggest that MP might be useful as a dietary supplement against hypertension