The change in water content within a cloth during contact with air of various relative humidity levels was measured by weighing the cloth exposed to humid air flow. The experimental results were analyzed with a model of moisture absorption which consists of the moisture transfer within air, the adsorption and desorption reactions at the surface of cloth and the moisture transfer within the cloth. The mass transfer coefficient of moisture within air, the adsorption and desorption rate constants and the mass transfer coefficient of moisture within the cloth were determined. Though the adsorption rate constants of cloths made of natural fibers (wool, silk and cotton) was about twice that of those made of synthesized fibers (nylon and polyester), the variation of the adsorption rate constants was comparatively small for the fiber species used. The adsorption rate constant varies little with the relative humidity of air, but the desorption rate constants of cloths made of natural fibers increase with the increase in the relative humidity up to 50%. The desorption rate constant varies largely with the clothing material, and that of polyester cloth is twenty times as large as that of wool cloth. The mass transfer coefficient within the cloth decreases rapidly with contact time, and the value of polyester cloth is larger and decreases in less time than other cloth species. The effective diffusion coefficients of moisture within cloths can be estimated from the mass transfer coefficients, and the values were in order between 10^-10 and 10^-9 m²/s. This indicates that the moisture transfer within cloth is dominated by the diffusion of water within fiber. The change in water content within the cloth could be reproduced by the calculation using the air phase mass transfer coefficient, the adsorption and desorption rate constants and the cloth mass transfer coefficient. The mass transfer coefficients obtained here can be applied only to the present experimental conditions, because the moisture transfer within air or cloth is affected by the shape of the cloth or by the structures of the textile and yarn.

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  In order to enhance detergency of textiles by laundering, soiled fabrics were exposed to an atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) jet. Plain-woven polyester, nylon 6, acryl, acetate and cotton fabrics were soiled with carbon black, oleic acid and stearic acid as model contaminants. Each artificially soiled fabric was cleaned together with its original fabric in aqueous detergent solutions with applying mechanical actions. An increase in soil removal and a decrease in soil redeposition due to the APP exposure were observed for hydrophobic polyester fabric and stearic acid. A drastic sterilization effect of the APP was also confirmed. The APP impact damage to the fabrics was evaluated from the changes in the surface reflection spectrum and the tensile extension parameters, and was found to be small. Conclusively, it is shown that APP exposure can be utilized for the pre-treatment of commercial laundering and wet cleaning.

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  A study was carried out to identify ways in which clothing design can be adapted to conform to the changing body shape of the elderly. A questionnaire was administered to 971 subjects in four age groups (60,70,75,80) for each sex.
  The following observations were made:
  1 Men have no serious problem in clothing preferences. Women expressed a greater desire than men for clothes to reflect their changing physical shape. It was noted that women in their seventies especially have an interest in using brassieres to provide shape to their bodies. In this regard, there is a particular need for the location of the Bust Point (B.P.) to be discussed.
  2 Using data from the study, a size 11 AR (JIS standard) tailor's dummy was created. This was made to approximate the shape of a typical Japanese female in her seventies. The shape was incorporated such aging characteristics as rounding of the upper back, forward thrusting of the neck and general thickening around the waist. This procedure is considered to be most useful for those elderly women who demand that their clothing better fit the changing contours of their body.
  3 By pinning paper patterns to the dummy, new clothing designs for the elderly could be manufactured. Starting with a basic pattern used for ordinary women, the following adjustments were made: Front panel, The shoulder seam and neckline were lowered. The resulting surplus of cloth was folded into the chest line. The bust point (B.P.) was also lowered, as were the armhole (A.H.) darts. Back panel, The shoulder darts were made much deeper. The waist darts were made much longer. The side seams were adjusted to reflect the changes in the position of the armholes. By responding to clothing preferences in this way, the elderly can enjoy a healthier and more comfortable lifestyle.
  If the relevance of the issues described in this study is likely to become more pertinent as the numbers of elderly rapidly expand, it is to be hoped that improvements in the design of both ready-to-wear and custom-made clothes will reflect the changing needs of mature consumers.

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  This study examined the effects of different amounts of air bubbles on the properties of and preferences for prebaked French meringue. The study also explored the suitability of baked meringue in a liquid form as a dysphagia diet. The texture of the prebaked meringue sample corresponded to Level Ⅱ or Level Ⅲ of the approved criteria for a dysphagia diet. The apparent rupture stress of the prebaked meringue with a 7-minute whipping was the smallest. The baked meringue in liquid form corresponded to Level Ⅲ of the approved criteria. A sensory evaluation of the baked meringue sample in liquid form was rated with the highest score. This study demonstrates that it was possible to prepare prebaked and baked meringue samples as a dysphagia diet by controlling the amount of the air bubbles contained in the meringue by the whipping time.

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  Between July 2 and August 1 2011, we selected 75 Community Centers from throughout Japan that had been active in 'support for Education in the Home', and issued them with a questionnaire. The aims of this research were as follows: to gain an understanding of the actual situation of the educational support activities in the home carried out by Community Centers from the perspective of cooperation between the organizations involved, to establish the contents of the services provided and the effects of their implementation, to identify what they had achieved, and to provide background information to Community Centers on how to improve their activities. The results of this research were: Cooperation with PTAs (Parent-Teacher Associations) is the most important aspect, followed by the child care support circles. The services provided mainly consist of lectures, hands-on experience, and workshops. The main themes are dietary education, health, and discipline. As regards to the best effects of implementation, as a result of the cooperation between the organizations and bodies involved, it is clear that Community Centers have been able to meet the needs of their users. Secondly, they have enhanced parental communication and have also provided a comfortable place for those who need help with home education.

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