Thermally stimulated current (TSC) of blends of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) having various ratios in miscible state has been investigated. The blends were prepared by the solvent casting method, and removal of residual solvent was carefully confirmed. The thin film having exactly same thickness and contact area attached to electrodes was used, and thermally stimulated depolalization current (TSDC) was detected. The thin blend film was polarized at 110 °C for 30 min under 100 V⁄mm, cooled down to -130 °C, and then the depolalized current was measured by heating at a rate of 7 °C⁄min to 110 °C. The α peak temperature was located below the temperature expected from the additive rule as a function of PMMA content. The integrated area of the α peak of TSDC was plotted as a function of PMMA content, giving also the strong negative tendency that the α peak temperature is located below the temperature expected from the additive rule. These TSC results were interpreted by the idea that the acrylonitrile groups having strong dipole moment were interacted with the methacrylate groups in the miscible state, resulting in diminishing the polar capacity.

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Polyester Shin-gosen fibers were heat-set and subjected to supercritical CO₂ fluid treatment (SFT, 125 °C, 25 MPa, 60 min) or pressurized water treatment (PWT, 130 °C, 60 min), where the shrink behavior and the mechanism were compared. As for PWT, heat-set temperature over than 160 °C was enough for the suppression of shrinkage lower than 2%. On the contrary, as for SFT, the shrinkage could not be suppressed at the same level even in the case for the fibers heat-set at 200 °C. The large shrinkage seems to be brought about by the migration of oligomer through SFT. The oligomer migration lowered the tensile modulus, and gained the elongation of the treated fibers. However, the tensile strength of the fiber was hardly affected by SFT.

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The change in hue of interference-colored fibers, which are consisting of alternating multilayer structure of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polyamide 6 (Ny-6) covered with PET clad, was investigated in comparison with that of ordinary dyed PET fibers. The results indicated that, when an incident light was applied to the dyed PET fibers either parallel to or vertical to the fiber axis, although the chromaticness index (a^*, b^*) plotted on a^*- b^* coordinates changed in distance from the origin as the receiving angle β was increased from -30° to 70°, no change was observed in its track direction. On the other hand, the track of the chromaticness index for the interference-colored fibers changed substantially between incident lights parallel to and vertical to the fiber axis. In the former case, the chromaticness index plots were virtually all near the origin even though β was varied and tended to move substantially away from the origin in the range of specular reflection angles between 44° and 46°. In the latter case, however, the track of the chromaticness index moved counterclockwise in an arc shape from the second quadrant to the third and fourth quadrants with increasing β, clearly indicating a substantial change in hue. The interference-colored fibers were regarded as an alternating multilayer structure, and their reflection spectra were simulated taking into account the refractive index anisotropy (birefringence) of PET and Ny-6. The chromaticness index was found from the data thus obtained and plotted as coordinates in the same way as described above. As a result, the index was evaluated on the basis of an analysis of the simulation results and its track was plotted on the a^*- b^* coordinates. It was observed that the tendency of the chromaticness index track relative to the change in β was nearly the same as that seen when an incident light was vertical to the fiber axis. It is thought that the change in hue of the interference-colored fibers due to β is mainly attributable to the variation in the length of the optical path in their alternating multilayer structure.

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The method evaluating the wrinkle appearance objectively with the CCD laser displacement sensor (CCD-LDS) system was described in the paper. A CCD was employed as the light-receiving element in the system, whose sensor enables to obtain the stably, highly accurate displacement measurement, regardless of the light quantity distribution of the beam spot. The wrinkle grades of standard replicas and fabrics were measured and analyzed with the system, which was an excellent tool for investigating 3-D surface shapes of wrinkles. The contours of wrinkle surfaces were also analyzed with the fractal method. Following conclusions were obtained: 1) it provided the high precision for measuring wrinkle shapes; 2) Fractal dimensions of wrinkle surfaces could quantify the wrinkle grades of replicas; 3) the system enabled to measure the multicolored, patterned, or low reflective targets.

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This study investigated the effects of the clothing pressure of pantyhose with controlled loop length in the wale and course direction on skin blood flow and skin temperature of the peripheral part of a leg, heart rate and core temperature. Fifteen women were employed as subjects. Differences of physiological response due to the age of subjects were also investigated. By wearing high-pressure pantyhose, skin blood flow decreased. The effect of clothing pressure on the calf and the thigh on skin blood flow was more marked than that on the ankle. The changes in skin temperature resembled that in skin blood flow. Wearing support-type pantyhose reduced heart rate and core temperature. However, wearing the trial support-type pantyhose of which the loop length was controlled in the wale and course direction reduced the decrease rate of skin and core temperature without depending on the age of women subjects.

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A novel biological treatment system using Paracoccus denitrificans, which do not require organic compounds , was developed for denitrification. In this method, a porous carbon electrode was used as an electron donater source. Tetramethylhydroquinone was used as an electron transfer mediator between the electrode and respiratory chain of the bacterial cell. Nitrate is reduced to nitrogen gas by the biocatalytic reaction in anaerobic condition. The denitrification efficiency in batch- and flow type cells was compared. The respective denitrification rates, which were calculated on the basis of the nitrate reduction within the initial 24 h, were estimated 114 and 35 mg of N per hr for 1m² of the electrode geometric area. It was found that the commercially available carbon felt is useful as an immobilization carrier of denitrifying bacteria to develop a large-scale nitrogen removal system.

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