To characterize the physiological responses to thermal stimuli in patients with cervical spinal cord injuries, we conducted a study in a total of 19 patients and 37 students resting in a sitting position under the following conditions: room temperature of 21℃, 23℃, 25℃, 27℃, or 29℃, relative humidity of 50%, airflow of 0.15 m/s or less, and amount of clothing of 0.6 clo. The oral temperature in patients tended to decrease at 23℃ or below but increase at 25℃ or above, suggesting that optimum temperature for patients in spring and fall may fall within anantw range. Patients appeared to have difficulty regulating body temperature in response to thermal stimuli because of impaired peripheral vasoconstiiction in the extremities at lower temperatures and impaired peripheral vasodilation in the extremities and a systemic sweating disorder at higher temperatures. The estimated optimum temperature for patients in spring and fall was similarto that in a living room (24±2℃) specified in the standards for assessment of indoor thermal environment for people with physical disabilities determined by the committee on the assessment of indoor thermal environment at the Institute for Science of Labour in 1983. However, the acceptable range may be narrower than±2℃.

View full abstract

Noting polymorphism of iris color, we performed a survey of the status of the awareness ofUVandanti-UVmeass in daily life in 2 groups differing in iris color (brown and blue-green). In addition, color discrimination ability was measured using the 100 hue test under an illumination of 500 or 30 lx, and the results of the test were evaluated according to the frequency of the use of sunglasses. The following results were obtained. As anti-UV measures, the brown his group mainly used parasols and hats, while the blue-green iris group used sunglasses and hats. The purpose of their use was protection against sunburn in the brown iris group and the protection of the eyes in the blue-green his group. Thus, differences were observed in anti-UV measures and awareness between the two groups. Concerning color discrimination ability according to the frequency of the use of sunglasses, in the brown iris group, the total deviation score was slightly higher in individuals not using sunglasses than in those sometimes or frequently using them under 500 as well as 30 lx In the blue-green his group, the total deviation score under 500 lx was significantly higher in individuals not using sunglasses than in those sometimes or frequently using them, showing a poorer color discrimination ability in individuals not using sunglasses. These results suggest the influences of UV in individuals inthe blue-iris group not using sunglasses.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to claril3i the effect ofathermal factor (three conditions of 27,31 and 34℃) and an acoustic factor (two conditions of back ground noise and sound of wind bell) on the gazing behavior of the color. The verification experiment was canied out The followin results were obtained. 1) The tendency was seen that the hotter the thermal sensation vote, the lower the fixation frequency (time) rate to the warm color, and the higher the fixation frequency (time) rate to the cool color. This fact agreed with the study of Sakamoto et al.(2007) 2)The finding of fixation frequency (time) rate in themial sensation vote value '7(hot)' was obtained by the verification experiment in a higher temperature region. 3)The sound of the wind bell produced a tendency that the rate of the fixation frequency (time) to the warm color is low, and the rate of the fixation frequency (time) to the cool color is significantly higher. However, it was suggested that the degree ofthe given effect is different depending on the thermal environment

View full abstract