To examine color-related differences in gustatory and visual impressions, images of hospital meals served on trays with different color hues were presented to 35 obstetric/gynecological inpatients (inpatient group) and 35 healthy females (healthy group) for comparison. All tray colors were pale, and 10 hue variations were created using image editing software. On examining gustatory impressions, the red-purple hue was associated with sweetness more frequently in the inpatient compared with healthy group. Through factor analysis, 3 factors were selected: “the appropriateness of food environments”, “atmosphere of the dining”, and “diets for different sexes/generations”. Pale red-purple trays corresponded to both “the appropriateness of food environments” and “atmosphere of the dining”. When focusing on “the appropriateness of food environments” in the same hue, the healthy group showed significantly higher mean scores for pale orange, yellow, and yellow-green than the inpatient group. Based on this, trays with cheerful and vibrant colors associated with health may be inappropriate for obstetric/gynecological patients. Furthermore, the inpatient group’s mean score for “the appropriateness of food environments” was lower than that of the healthy group, highlighting the importance of creating favorable food environments for these patients.

An automotive ventilation method using air quality estimation by traffic flow has been studied. Assuming observation forward is operated by cameras, the ventilation ON/OFF was controlled using traffic flow points that is calculated by body points and effectiveness. The ventilation judgment was determined by elapsed time using a table based on CO₂ concentrations and number of passengers. The air quality in the automotive was measured by an optical CO₂ meter, a metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor and sensory odor detection. As results of the experiments of real driving in towns, significantly increase of CO₂ was detected without any ventilation and several odor were measured for all-time ventilation. Low level CO₂ and few odor detection was found using the proposed method. It is verified that the novel ventilation method is possible to prevent incoming exhaust gas and keep approximately 1500ppm of average CO₂ concentration.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between living environment factors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of elderly people aged 65-74 (young-old) and those aged 75 or over (old-old) in winter. The survey of elderly people aged 65 or over living in western Yamaguchi Prefecture revealed that satisfaction with the living environment is greatly connected with the HRQOL among old-old individuals. It has also been confirmed that, among old-old individuals, the mental component summary (MCS) drops as the satisfaction with the lighting environment decreases, and that lower physical component summary (PCS) is linked to low satisfaction with the amount of living space. Because the above relativity was only found among old-old individuals, it is indicated that the HRQOL is more easily affected by living environment factors as people reach 75 years old and older.

To examine color-related differences in gustatory and visual impressions, images of hospital meals served on trays with different color hues were presented to 30 female and 30 male university students for comparison. All tray colors were pale, and 10 hue variations were created using image-editing software. In addition to the warm colors reported in a previous study (Okuda et al., 2002), the red, purple, and red-purple hues were frequently associated with sweetness, regardless of the sex. Various purple foods are currently available, and the experience of eating these foods may have influenced the students’ gustatory impressions. Thus, gustatory impressions may be subject to change, according to trends in food environments. The yellow-green hue was associated with saltiness significantly more frequently among females, who remembered a new food product with a yellow-green package, representing their higher level of interest in food. Through factor analysis, 3 factors were selected “tranquil food environments”, “clean food presentation” and “the attractiveness of food choices for young people”. Based on the results, trays with 3 hues: pale red, orange, and yellow, may be appropriate for both sexes. The usefulness of the symbolism and impression of each color to create healthy food environments was also suggested.