Hui-Chun Chang, Yung-Kai Lin, Chia-Hua Liang, Hsin-Wei Huang, Yung-Hao Lin, Yung-Hsiang Lin, Wei-Chun Hu and Chi Fu Chiang
Population aging was a global trend, and the most obvious thing after aging was the change in skin appearance. Therefore, the active ingredients that delay skin aging were…
Abstract
Purpose
Population aging was a global trend, and the most obvious thing after aging was the change in skin appearance. Therefore, the active ingredients that delay skin aging were particularly noticed. Past studies had pointed out that Chinese herbal extracts can improve skin elasticity, reduce wrinkles and melanin precipitation. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether combining hydrolyzed collagen with Chinese herbal extracts can improve skin conditions and achieve anti-inflammatory effects.
Design/methodology/approach
Fifty subjects were randomly divided into collagen or placebo groups, and one bottle of collagen or placebo drink was used every day for four weeks, after which skin and inflammatory factors were tested.
Findings
In comparison with the baseline results, the skin parameters were improving after four-week intervention. In addition, the IL-6, IL-8, TNF-a were significantly decreased and tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) was increased after four-week hydrolyzed collagen intervention.
Originality/value
This study showed that hydrolyzed collagen combined with Chinese herbal extracts can improve the condition of the skin, and can also reduce inflammatory associated factors, thereby achieving anti-aging effects.
Details
Keywords
Hien Thi Thanh Nguyen, Wu-Yuin Hwang, Thao Pham, Tuyen Thi Thanh Truong and Hsin-Wei Chang
This study aims to examine the effects of the proposed mobile Web library application (MWLA) on the search experience and its impact on learners’ engagement, interaction and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effects of the proposed mobile Web library application (MWLA) on the search experience and its impact on learners’ engagement, interaction and overall learning outcomes within an institutional repository. Furthermore, the study investigates learners’ acceptance of the MWLA system.
Design/methodology/approach
The study suggests implementing an MWLA with Algolia’s search service to improve the institutional repository and enhance learners’ access to reliable information. It involved an experiment with 85 undergraduate students divided into experimental and control groups (CGs), where the experimental group (EG) used MWLA for search tasks, and the CG used the traditional library website. The study evaluated the acceptance and learning behaviours of the EG towards MWLA, considering factors such as usefulness, ease of use, mobility, accessibility, satisfaction and intention to use.
Findings
The findings of this study provide empirical evidence that the EG, which used the MWLA, demonstrated superior performance compared to the CG across all institutional repository collections, resulting in improved learning outcomes. Participants were highly satisfied with MWLA and found it user-friendly and beneficial for improving search skills. MWLA’s portability and accessibility motivated active learner engagement.
Originality/value
The powerful search bar of MWLA significantly enhanced learners’ search efficiency, resulting in more effective retrieval of relevant materials. Moreover, learners who actively engaged with previews and full-text content, using appropriate keywords and syntax, achieved higher scores and were more likely to access previews, abstracts and full texts of documents using the sorting-by-year or by-advisor feature.
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Jian Wang, Yan Zhang, Xiaoyu Wang, Nan Zhu, Wei-Hsin Liao and Qiang Gao
This study aims to present a novel topology optimization method for effectively minimizing the frequency response over a given frequency interval considering anisotropic features…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present a novel topology optimization method for effectively minimizing the frequency response over a given frequency interval considering anisotropic features and fiber angles simultaneously.
Design/methodology/approach
The variable thickness sheet (VTS) method is used to obtain a free material distribution under the specified volume constraint. The anisotropic equivalent stiffness matrix based on the material fiber angles is considered in the orthotropic material properties model, which ensures a sufficiently large design space to minimize the frequency response. To lessen the computational burden, the quasi-static Ritz vector (QSRV) method is integrated to approximate the structural response.
Findings
Compared to considering only one element, the optimization process simultaneously considers the spatially-varying fiber angles and the material distribution, allowing for a broader design space to minimize the frequency response of additive manufacturing (AM) structures. The orthotropic properties play an important role in determining optimal material distribution of the structure. Moreover, the QSRV method makes the frequency response analysis more efficient.
Originality/value
The anisotropic stiffness and spatially-varying angles of the fiber materials induced by the layer-by-layer printing process of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) are simultaneously considered to further minimize the frequency response of AM structures, which improves the performance of AM-CFRP structures.
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Hsin Hsin Chang and Hsin‐Wei Wang
The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of e‐service quality, customer perceived value, and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty in an online shopping…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of e‐service quality, customer perceived value, and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty in an online shopping environment.
Design/methodology/approach
There were two studies performed in this research. Study 1 validated the self‐regulating processes; Study 2 tested the moderating effects of customer perceived value between satisfaction and loyalty. Structural equation modelling techniques and linear hierarchical regression models were used to test the causal model.
Findings
The study demonstrated that e‐service quality and customer perceived value influence customer satisfaction, and then influence customer loyalty. In addition this study found that customers with a high perceived value have a stronger relationship between satisfaction and customer loyalty than customers with a low perceived value.
Research limitations/implications
We found that there are emotional and rational routes influencing customer loyalty in the online shopping process. This will contribute to other research that clarifies the influencing process of online shoppers' motivation and behaviour.
Practical implications
In the pre‐purchase stage, online retailers should focus on attracting consumers by the quality of e‐service. In the purchase stage, online retailers should address the emotional factors, such as customer satisfaction. In the post‐purchase stage, rational factors – such as customer perceived value – play important roles because they can strengthen the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty.
Originality/value
This study viewed the purchase process as a different stage as consumers may make a choice at each of the purchase stages. Moreover this study found a way to examine the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty by exploring the moderating effects of customer perceived value.