In order to assess the possible skin temperature change in humans induced by smelling a fragrant compound, we continuously recorded the temperature changes with a multi-channel skin thermometer of subjects inhaling the fragrance of essential oils. The body temperature is recognized to be elevated slightly during emotional excitement, and a distinctive feature of fragrance is the genesis of emotions. Sensors were affixed to the tips of the left fingers and the left palm of each subject and the obtained data were stored every 15 s by a personal computer connected to the skin thermometer. The skin temperature curve was then plotted from an arithmetic summation of the data from each channel.
The essential oils examined in this study were those of basil and peppermint, as a previously conducted sensory test had indicated the opposite effect of these essential oils when mental work was undertaken; the inhalation of basil produced a more favorable impression after work than before work, whereas peppermint produced an unfavorable impression under these circumstances. The multichannel skin thermometric measurements indicated an elevation of skin temperature with the inhalation of basil after mental work rather than before work, while no such temperature change was apparent in the case of peppermint.

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The storage stability of a Bangladeshi traditional semi-fermented fish product, chapa shutki, was evaluated. The product was stored for 3 months at 20°C and 35°C under 40% and 80% relative humidity, which were apparently similar atmospheric conditions to those of the winter and summer in Bangladesh, respectively.
The fatty acid composition did not change markedly during storage. The initial carbonyl value (COV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value of the sample were 28.4 meq/kg and 36.1 mg malondialdehyde (MDA) /kg of oil, respectively. These values only slightly changed during 3 months of storage regardless of the storage conditions. The COV and TBARS values were in the range of 19.8-22.0 meq/kg and 31.4-36.4 mg MDA/kg of oil, respectively. These results indicate that the lipids of chapa shutki were essentially not susceptible to oxidative deterioration. No mutagenic activity was detected even in a very concentrated solution of chapa shutki. The initial radical-scavenging activity of chapa shutki was 373.8 mg Trolox eq/100 g of fish on a dry weight basis. The activity gradually decreased throughout the storage period. Storage conditions had no effect on the decrease of the radical-scavenging activity.

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The thermal and rheological properties of mixed 0.9% (w/v) κ-carrageenan and 4.0% (w/v) gelatin gels containing 40% (w/v) sucrose were studied. The mixed gels were prepared in κ-carrageenan/ gelatin ratios of 3/1, 1/1 and 1/3 (v/v). The peak temperature of the DSC curve, storage modulus and rate of syneresis for κ-carrageenen were more strongly affected by sucrose than for gelatin, while the value of the rupture property for gelatin was more strongly affected by sucrose than for κ-carrageenen. The influence of sucrose on the higher ratio component in the mixed gels was strongly shown on the thermal and rheological properties. These results could suggest that mixed κ-carrageenan and gelatin with sucrose formed a phase-separated gel.

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The texture of raw and cooked samples of oval squid, Japanese common squid and arrow squid were compared by a rheological measurement and sensory evaluation. Raw oval squid was found to be sticky and preferable; however, the value for tensile strain was increased by cooking, and it became tough to cut with the teeth. Raw Japanese common squid was the toughest and least sticky, and was not preferable. However, it became easier to chew after cooking, and no textural preference among the varieties was apparent for cooked squid. The cold storage effect was more apparent on raw squid than cooked squid. Cold storage of each raw squid sample decreased the values of tensile strength and firmness, and increased the value for adhesiveness, to form a softer mantle during 24 h. It was also found by a cluster analysis that differences in texture among the varieties of raw squid were much more apparent during storage than those of cooked squid.
The texture of raw and cooked samples of oval squid, Japanese common squid and arrow squid were compared by rheological measurements and a sensory evaluation.
Raw oval squid was sticky and preferable, but cooking increased its tensile strain and made it hard to bite off. Raw Japanese common squid was tough, not very sticky and was not preferable, but cooking made it easier to bite off. The difference in textural preference among the varieties of raw squid was not apparent when cooked.
The rheological measurement and sensory evaluation show that the changes in texture during cold storage were more significant in raw squid than in cooked squid. In all raw squid samples, the tensile strength decreased and adhesiveness increased, all samples of raw squid becoming softer after 24 h of cold storage.
In order to make the differences in texture of the three squid more explicit, a cluster analysis was applied. The textural differences among the varieties were much larger than those observed during storage, although the texture of raw squid changed greatly in 24 h.

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The effects of mono-and divalent metal ions on the pectin estrase (PE) activity and hardness preheated at 60°C for 2 h in aqueous solutions containing sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium ions were studied. The effect of each metal ion on the PE activity could be expressed more generally by the ionic strength than by the molality and is regarded as being almost the same at an ionic strength corresponding to that in the plant tissue. In view of this, the ionic strength of each salt solution was adjusted to 0.15 mol/kg. When Japanese radish was preheated in aqueous solutions containing the metal ions individually or in deionized water alone, hardening took place to a similar extent with or without metal ions added. The hardness of the sample treated with the divalent metal ions was slightly greater than that treated with monovalent metal ions. The deesterification of pectin by PE was the main cause of this hardening, the effect of binding between the divalent metal ions and pectin not being a major factor. The difference in pH value before and after preheating in an aqueous solution containing the metal ions was slightly greater than that in deionized water. In the aqueous solution containing magnesium ions, the effect of reducing the pH value was slightly greater than that with the other ions. When both the calcium and magnesium ions were removed, the solutions containing the monovalent metal ions showed a greater decrease in hardness than those containing the divalent metal ions. The divalent metal ions seemed to indirectly promote interaction among the tissue components.

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The binding isotherms of a cationic surfactant of a long alkyl chain, stearyltrimethylammonium chloride, to three types of human hair (unaltered, bleached, and permanent-waved) were obtained and analyzed. The isotherms showed a Langmuir-type binding, from which the binding constant, the number of binding sites in saturation, and thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The binding mechanism is discussed from the point of view of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, and the location of binding sites estimated by a surface analysis of the hairs by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

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The antimutagenic activities of 10 kinds of herbs and spices used as “yakumi” (black and white peppers, Japanese pepper, red pepper, welsh onion, onion, ginger, garlic, and white and black sesame) were investigated. The antimutagenicity was examined by the suppression of mutagenicity induced by Trp-P1, 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), and activated metabolites of Trp-P1 (act. Trp-P1) and Trp-P2 (act. Trp-P2) toward Salmonella typhimurium TA98 according to the Ames method. The mechanism for the antimutagenic activity was also examined by comparing the antimutagenic intensity against different types of mutagens. Six samples (black pepper, Japanese pepper, red pepper, welsh onion, onion and ginger) of 10 kinds of methanol extract from “yakumi” showed inhibitory effects on the mutagenicity induced by 1-NP, while 6 extracts (white pepper, red pepper, welsh onion, onion, ginger and garlic) were also active against Trp-P1.
Furthermore, the antimutagenic activities of the hexane, benzene, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions from the methanol extracts of several samples were also observed against Trp-P1, 1-NP, act. Trp-P1 and act. Trp-P2. In most cases, the extracts inhibited not only the microsomal activation-dependent mutagen, but also the direct-acting mutagens such as 1-NP and act. Trp-P1. These results indicate that several types of “yakumi” inhibited the mutagenicity induced by various mutagens.

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The Ginkgo biloba has a long history of traditional use as a daily food medicine in China. Since the 1960s it has been introduced by mostly German researchers into modern organic chemistry and clinical practice. The results obtained from purified Ginkgo biloba extract (=EGB) have been remarkable. The highly complex coordination of antioxidation, vasodilatation and activated neurotransmission effects produced by the several flavonoids and terpenoids in EGB brought about marked improvement on dementia and related diseases, while the range of other diseases treatable by EGB is rapidly expanding.
There is a wide range of opinion varying from country to country as to whether this unique preparation (EGB) should be treated as a drug or a food. At present EGB has been approved for pharmaceutical use in European countries, while in the U.S.A. and Japan it is permitted not as a drug but as a natural food.

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