Mice keep their core temperature around 37degrees by heat production. Their energy expenditure level is increased with decreasing temperature. Appetite is also increased with decreasing temperature. This body reaction is caused by desire for much more energy intake to keep their body temperature in low temperature environment. On the other hand, it is not clear about relationship between environmental temperature and food preference. We investigated the effects of habitat temperature on appetite and food preference of mammals. Interestingly, the leptin, peripheral system appetite-regulating hormone, acts not only to suppress appetite, but may also inhibit preference for lipids in low temperature acclimation.

Mammalian hibernation is a survival strategy in cold environments where little food is available despite the increased energy cost of maintaining body temperature. During hibernation, thermogenesis and heat reflexes are actively suppressed, resulting in a hypometabolic and hypothermic state in which the body temperature is lowered to near the ambient temperature. Among mammals, those that hibernate are called hibernators. Hibernators have many interesting properties that non-hibernators such as humans and rats do not have, such as cold tolerance, season-specific enhancement of lipid metabolisms, resistant to muscle disuse atrophy, and circadian rhythms. Recent studies have revealed that these properties can be divided into two categories: intrinsic and acquired. In this paper, I will explain the basic background of hibernation and introduce our approach using a model hibernator, the Syrian hamster, to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of mammalian hibernation.

This study reports the results of interviews with patients with cerebral palsy living in Koriyama City and measurements of their residential thermal environments that were conducted with the aim of obtaining basic data for studies concerning optimal thermal environments for patients with cerebral palsy. The following results were obtained from interviews conducted with 11 men and women and from measurements from six residential heat environments. (1) Many of the patients suffered during winter from the effects of secondary disabilities such as cervical myelopathy and from dryness. (2) Though thermal sensation disorder and sweating disorder could not be confirmed, a high proportion of the patients felt cold in the distal parts of their bodies during winter. (3) Some patients had to live uncomfortably in cold or hot environments, having insufficient means to deal with changes in air temperature. (4) Helpers controlled heating in the patients’ own rooms by operating the heating appliances. (5) There were significant differences in temperature between heated rooms and non-heated rooms, as only the patients’ own rooms were heated. (6) The room temperature in bedrooms was low in the morning, and patients felt cold when getting out of bed．

This paper summarizes previous research on Shiba-mune (Japanese turf house), and the distribution characteristics of their roof plants were clarified through field surveys. There are about 600 Shiba-mune in eastern Japan, mainly in Iwate and Aomori prefectures, of which 90% are in Iwate. In all prefectures except Iwate and Aomori, most of Shiba-mune were designated as cultural properties and have been preserved. However, some of the buildings designated as cultural properties could no longer maintain their Shiba-mune. As for the distribution of roof plants, sod was found in all areas where Shiba-mune were distributed. On the Pacific side of the Tohoku region and in the inland mountainous areas, lilies, tawny daylilies, green onions, and Chinese chives were observed. Roof iris was seen in the Kanto Plain area. Iwahiba was seen around the Kanto Mountains.

Electronic WBGT measuring instruments have been widely used, and JIS standards were established in 2017. On the other hand, measurement errors based on differences in measurement principles have been pointed out, and countermeasures against such errors are urgently needed. In this study, the causes of the measurement error were analyzed, and an effective and simple correction method was investigated. The main reason for the measurement error was that the effect of solar radiation was not evaluated in the estimation of natural wet bulb temperature. A comparison of the correction equations for natural wet bulb temperature showed that the equation based on the thermal equilibrium equation of natural wet bulb was effective. Although an effective and simple correction method is necessary for the calculation inside the electronic WBGT measuring instrument, it was found that a simple and relatively effective correction can be made by using the difference between the globe temperature (T_g) and the air temperature (T_a). In the future, it will be possible to realize an electronic WBGT measuring instrument with higher reliability by using the simple correction method proposed in this study.