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We have shown previously that des-acyl ghrelin decreases body temperature in rats through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Here we investigated whether des-acyl ghrelin ameliorates heatstroke in rats exposed to high temperature. Peripheral administration of des-acyl ghrelin significantly attenuated hyperthermia induced by exposure to high-temperature (35 °C) together with high humidity (70–80%). Although biochemical analysis revealed that exposure to high temperature significantly increased hematocrit and the serum levels of aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine and electrolytes (Na + , K + , Cl − ), most of these heatstroke-associated reactions were significantly reduced by treatment with des-acyl ghrelin. The level of des-acyl ghrelin in plasma was also found to be significantly increased under high-temperature conditions. These results suggest that des-acyl ghrelin could be useful for preventing heatstroke under high temperature condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooling effectiveness is one of the most important factors in evaluating the value of a datacenter. The datacenter taken up in this paper is located in a cold district in Japan. Outdoor air cooling helps us to cut the power consumption for cooling. This paper first assesses the efficiency of Ishikari datacenter measuring the temperatures in a building where the cooling air flowing. Second, the author will point out the recirculation through vent holes on a ceiling in the server room and describe the most efficient method for the operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uptake and biological effects of synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) were analyzed using common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Fish were exposed to clobetasol propionate (CP) or clobetasone butyrate (CB) individually or in mixture at 1 μg L-1 for 21 days. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) of CB was calculated as 100, and BCF of CP was less than 16. No effects were found in fish erythrocyte and leukocyte numbers and serum glucose levels after exposure to the selected GCs. On the other hand, serum concentrations of free amino acids significantly increased in GCD-exposed groups. Thus, exposures to synthetic GCs at relatively low concentrations seemed to cause enhancement of protein degradation and subsequent increase of serum free amino acids without a corresponding increase in serum glucose levels, an effect which might be related to partial induction of gluconeogenesis by GCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new non-heating technique was developed for the sterilization of food stuff. Applying a roller compactor, ultra-high pressure sterilization has experimentally demonstrated its ability to sterilize dry powders, such as corn flour and Chinese herbs, with little quality deterioration. Also, the degree of food sterilization was found correlated well with the linear press forces between the rollers, roller gaps, and number of compaction passes. In comparison to the conventional high pressure sterilization technique, the new dry continuous processing method has the advantage of lower investment cost and is more versatile for sterilizing various food powders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Microplastic (MPs) absorbed and accumulated about 70 % of anthracene (ANT) from water. • MPs rapidly accumulated in gastrointestinal tract of the medaka (BCF = 171.4). • MPs changed the pharmacokinetic profile of ANT in medaka via vector effects. • ANT in water and absorbed by MPs might contribute ca. 67 % and 33 % of its accumulation. • The presence of MPs did not notably alter the behavioral impacts of ANT to medaka. To better assess the risk of microplastics (MPs) as a vector for contaminants, it is essential to understand the relative importance of MPs compared to other pathways for chemical transfer as well as the consequences of co-exposure. In this study, we exposed Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) to anthracene (ANT, 0.1 mg/L) in the presence or absence of pristine polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs, 106 beads/L), to quantify the vector effect of PE-MPs on ANT accumulation. Under the ANT-MPs co-exposure conditions, PE-MPs rapidly accumulated in the gastrointestinal tract of the medaka during a 14-day uptake phase, with an average bioconcentration factor of 171.4 L/kg. The PE-MPs could absorb and accumulate approximately 70 % of the ANT from the water sample. The PE-MPs changed the pharmacokinetic profile of ANT in medaka by decreasing both the uptake and depuration rate constants. The one compartment with first-order elimination model estimated that the amounts of ANT in the water phase and absorbed by PE-MPs (i.e., a vector effect) contributed about 67 % and 33 % of the ANT accumulation in medaka, respectively. At the end of the uptake (exposure) phase, however, the presence of PE-MPs did not significantly alter the final ANT concentrations in the fish body or alter the behavioral impacts of ANT. Thus, PE-MPs ingestion may act as a vector to concentrate and transfer ANT to medaka, but the presence of these particles may have limited adverse effects on fish under co-exposure systems of the type used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We examined the effect of tributyltin (TBT) on reproduction in the Japanese whiting, Sillago japonica. Mature fish were placed in indoor 500-L polyethylene tanks (five males and three females per tank) with a flow-through system and received dietary exposure to tributyltin oxide at concentrations of 2, 20, or 200μg/g for 30 days during the active spawning period. Eggs spawned from the fish were collected daily, and the floating egg rate, larval deformity, hatchability, and viable hatch were monitored. TBT concentration in eggs of 200-μg/g group ranged from 85.0 to 159.6ng/g in the evaluation period (days 5–30). In this period, the floating egg rate (83.2%), viable hatchability (82.2%), and total number of viable larvae (422,000 larvae per 100g of female) were all significantly decreased in the 200-μg/g group compared with the control group (93.0%, 91.9%, and 709,000 larvae, respectively). The rate of deformity (2.6%) in the 200-μg/g group was about three times that in the control group (0.8%), although this difference was not significant. From these results, the lowest observed effect concentration of TBT in eggs on reproduction in Japanese whiting was estimated to be less than 159.6ng/g-eggs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]