DISCUSSION
As environmental heat-load increases, blood is diverted to the skin (via coordinated peripheral vasodilatation and gastrointestinal tract vasoconstriction), orchestrating the partitioning of blood away from the splanchnic bed (Hall et al., 1999). Consequently, the intestinal epithelium can become hypoxic, acidic, ATP depleted, experience oxidative/nitrosative stress, and ultimately apoptosis can occur (Yan et al., 2006).