The changes in the concentration and amounts of free amino acids were analyzed while heating bouillon at three different temperatures; 80℃ (low-temperature heating, LH), 95℃ (gentle boiling, GB) and 98℃ (regular boiling, RB). The concentration and total amount of free amino acids, except for glutamine (Gln), gradually increased during heating because of their extraction and heat-triggered water evaporation in the bouillon. The extraction reached respective peaks after 2hr and 4hr with RB and GB, while the amino acids were not completely extracted even after 5hr with LH. Irrespective of the heating temperature, the major free amino acids in the bouillon were glutamate (Glu), alanine (Ala) and arginine (Arg). Although Gln was initially the most concentrated free amino acid in the bouillon at 0 hr, its concentration gradually decreased during heating. It has been suggested that Gln becomes 2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid (PCA) at a temperature higher than 70℃ in an aqueous solution.

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The deodorizing activity against methanethiol (CH₃SH) of compounds from Houttuynia cordata Thunb, “dokudami" in Japanese, were identified. The main deodorizing compound was isolated from the methanol extract of the dried aerial parts of H. cordata as caffeic acid. This is the first report to identify caffeic acid as the deodorant against CH₃SH in H. cordata, although caffeic acid is an established compound. The reaction products of caffeic acid and CH₃SNa were chromatographed, and three peaks were separated as the conjugates. Their structures were determined by MS and NMR methods to be those of 2-methylthiocaffeic acid, 5-methylthiocaffeic acid and 2, 5-dimethylthiocaffeic acid.

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The purpose of this study is to explore the transfiguration of the image of girls' bodies in the late Victorian era through fashion expression. The material I have used for conducting this research is The Girl's Own Paper, The Graphic, The Queen, and The Science of Dress from the 1880s. An important point to emphasize is the fact that imperialism and the progress of medical science of the late Victorian era affected the transfiguration of body image. First, it was clear that the influence of imperialism on girls' health was important. For promoting health, we could understand the necessity of fresh air, free time and rest, cleanliness, proper exercise, and hygienic principles of dress. Second, the rise of outdoor recreation led to changes in dress; for example, the apron for lawn tennis and the hygienic corset. Third, hygienic dress for girls was discussed in magazines, newspapers, and books in the late Victorian period. In conclusion, the body' image of girls greatly changed in the late Victorian period.

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The residential plots and farmlands on the hillsides and foothills of Shitsukawa Village in Miyoshi County of Tokushima Prefecture are separated by stone walls. The plans of farmhouses during the Meiji period were inferred based on Kaokuezumen published in 1884, which revealed that the most common configuration consisted of two rooms. Two-roomed houses accounted for 57% of the houses in the village, followed by three-roomed houses, which accounted for 16.2%; taken together, these two housing configurations accounted for 75% of the plans used for houses in the village. Restoration analysis of house plans revealed that many of the three-roomed houses were subsequently remodeled into four-roomed houses. The average building area (tsubo) for one-, two- and three-roomed houses was 6.75, 13.63 and 16.90, respectively, which meant that compared to the average building area of one-roomed houses, two- and three-roomed houses were approximately 2 and 2.5 times larger, respectively. In two- and three-roomed houses, a toko and a closet were placed at the back of the omote to give the living space a sense of frontality. Among the different plan types, no significant differences were observed in the number of family members per household. The average number of family members per household in the entire village was 5.76, implying that there were 5 to 6 people per household.

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The effect on appetite of three Imari ware plates A, B and C with different respective proportions of blue to white of 20%, 40% and 60% was investigated. Three types of warm and cold meals were served on these plates and photographed. These pictures were simultaneously shown to three groups of participants and the effect on appetite was evaluated by scoring on a questionnaire. The results indicate that the mean appetite rating for plate B was the highest for all three meals, suggesting that a Sometsuke plate with an approximately 40% blue best matched the different Japanese foods. The mean appetite rating for cold meals served on plate A was higher than that for warm meals, whereas the rating for both meals was high when served on plate B, suggesting that cold meals matched a plate with a blue-proportion of 40% or less.

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The nitrate contents of vegetables and fruits sold in Nara were measured by using ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The average nitrate contents were highest in spinach (4628 ppm) and komatsuna (3861ppm), moderately high in raddish (3022ppm) and potato (2652ppm), and low in fruits (cherry, banana and apple) and tomato. The nitrate contents in vegetables varied according to the type and growing site. Soaking the vegetables in a low concentration of vinegar was found effective for removing the nitrate and nitrite. The results of this study are generally in accordance with those of previous studies, and indicate the necessity to establish limits for the nitrate contents of vegetables as soon as possible.

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The purpose of this study is to consider how to better guide consumer education in home economics courses. The current state of high school students' consumer awareness and consumer knowledge was surveyed. The results show that high school students' consumer awareness is strong, but that their consumer knowledge is inadequate. There was no correlation found between the consumer awareness and consumer knowledge of the high school students surveyed. Also, regarding consumption, this study shows that high school students are impulsive and possess consumer literacy, two aspects of consumer awareness. It was found that high school girls especially, have a high level of impulsivity. Also, a correlation was found between impulsivity and interest in non-brick-and-mortar retailers such as “mail order shopping" and “internet shopping." In closing, it was suggested that it is necessary to examine the current classroom method by which consumer awareness and consumer knowledge are taught in order to find a way to increase both consumer awareness and consumer knowledge. It was also suggested that guidance with regard to non-brick-and-mortar retailers may also be necessary.

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In this paper, we attempt to understand the actual condition of the adaptation by elderly people and people with disabilities who live in privately rented housing of the public housing subsidy. The candidates for investigation are users of the public housing subsidy system. The subsidy has a fixed ceiling. The limit of the subsidy has been changed several times since the subsidy program started. In addition, the maximum amount of the subsidy varies, depending on the income of the user. The renovation cost incurred to provide the housing is influenced by the subsidy cap. Bathroom and squat toilets account for a large percentage of the renovation cost. As the modification requires old fixtures to be replaced with new ones, the cost tends to be high. Many of the house renovations include the installation of handrails in hallways and along staircases. These costs are relatively low in comparison with the replacement of fixtures.

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