Aberrant Cerebellar Development in Mice Lacking Dual Oxidase Maturation Factors

Background: Thyroid hormone (TH) plays a key role in the developing brain, including the cerebellum. TH deficiency induces organizational changes of the cerebellum, causing cerebellar ataxia. However, the mechanisms causing these abnormalities are poorly understood. Various animal models have been used to study the mechanism. Lacking dual oxidase (DUOX) and its maturation factor (DUOXA) are major inducers of congenital hypothyroidism. Thus, this study examined the organizational changes of the cerebellum using knockout mice of the Duoxa gene (Duoxa?/?). Methods: The morphological, behavioral, and electrophysiological changes were analyzed in wild type (Wt) and Duoxa-deficient (Duoxa?/?) mice from postnatal day (P) 10 to P30. To detect the changes in the expression levels of presynaptic proteins, Western blot analysis was performed. Results: The proliferation and migration of granule cells was delayed after P15 in Duoxa?/? mice. However, these changes disappeared by P25. Although the cerebellar structure of Duoxa?/? mice was not significantly different from that of Wt mice at P25, motor coordination was impaired. It was also found that the amplitude of paired-pulse facilitation at parallel fiber?Purkinje cell synapses decreased in Duoxa?/? mice, particularly at P15. There were no differences between expression levels of presynaptic proteins regulating neurotransmitter release at P25. Conclusions: These results indicate that the anatomical catch-up growth of the cerebellum did not normalize its function because of the disturbance of neuronal circuits by the combined effect of hypothyroidism and functional disruption of the DUOX/DUOXA complex.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140263/1/thy.2015.0034.pd

Ca' Foscari Japanese Studies 7, Arts and Literature 2, Rethinking Nature in Japan from Tradition to Modernity

It is a pleasure for us to present this book, with the contributions of the Inter- national Symposium Rethinking Nature in Japan: from Tradition to Modernity held at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice in the Auditorium Santa Margherita. This was the Second International Conference organized in Venice: in 2013 we celebrated the first Symposium Rethinking Nature in Contemporary Japan. Science, Economics, Politics, published by Edizioni Cafoscari in 2014. The aim of the Symposium was the analysis of Japanese society and the international relationships after the accident at Fukushima nuclear plant in March 2011. Its wide-ranging consequences on everyday life of Japanese citizens brought into the limelight issues such as the protection of the environment, the man- agement of natural resources, and food safety, both within the country and abroad, as fundamental challenges to our globalised society. In 2013, the participation of scholars from Europe, Japan and United States helped us to achieve a deeper insight into this multifaceted issue, combining several disciplines under a multidisciplinary and comparative approach. At the root of all these problems stand the basic theme of the relation between man and nature. Historically, Japan has developed through the centuries an extremely rich tradition on this complex topic, in the intel- lectual field as well as in terms of material culture. That is the reason why we decided to choose as the theme of this Sym- posium in 2014 the cultural representations of the idea of Nature in the transition from tradition to modernity. This Symposium, “Rethinking Nature in Japan: From Tradition to Mo- dernity”, was centered on Fine Arts, Religion and Thought, Literature, Theatre and Cinema. We had four panel sessions: “Nature and Environment in Japanese Fine Arts: from Tradition to Modernity”, in Japanese Literature, in Japanese Thought and in Performing Arts. First of all, as a representative of Ca’ Foscari University and of our colleagues, we would like to thank all students, guests and colleagues for their presence at the Symposium, and thank also our special guests from Japan, from the United State, from Europe and from Italy for their (pre- cious) contributions. We believe for all the participants [students, scholars, lecturers, for you and for us] our Symposium was very interesting and fruitful and we hope that the same will be also for this book We would like to thank the representatives of our University, the Rector of Ca’ Foscari University, prof. Carlo Carraro and prof. Tiziana Lippiello, Director of the Department of Asian and North African Studies for their constant support. We are much indebeted to the Director Matsunaga Fumio and to the Japan Foundation for their special attention to the Japanese Studies Sec- tion of our Department. As for our sponsors, we would like to express our thanks to SAGA [School of Asian Studies and Business Management] for the generous financial support. We are also grateful to the artist Miyayama Hiroaki who painted the wisteria branch in the poster of the program and generously allowed us to use it as the logo of our Symposium, and prof. Caterina Virdis Limentani of Padua University who organized the exhibition: Splendori dal Giappone, Le storie del principe Genji nella tradizione Edo e nelle incisioni di Miyayama Hiroaki and the relation between this work and Miyayama’s prints in Padua at Palazzo Zuckermann from March 1st to 31st, 2014. Last but not least, we would thank again all the students who attended the Symposium, the speakers/contributors from Japan, United State, Eu- rope, Italy, the student staff, all our colleagues of the Japanese Section, our young researchers, the organizing committee: Paolo Calvetti, Massimo Raveri, Luisa Bienati, Aldo Tollini, Marcella Mariotti, Giovanni Bulian, Ca- terina Mazza, Toshio Miyake, Andrea Revelant and Pierantonio Zanotti, to all the administration st

Disruption of paired-associate learning in rat offspring perinatally exposed to dioxins

The prevalence of cognitive abnormalities in children has partly been ascribed to environmental chemical exposure. Appropriate animal models and tools for evaluating higher brain function are required to examine this problem. A recently developed behavioral test in which rats learn six unique flavor-location pairs in a test arena was used to evaluate paired-associate learning, a hallmark of the higher cognitive function that is essential to language learning in humans. Pregnant Long-Evans rats were dosed by gavage with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin (TBDD) at a dose of 0, 200, or 800 ng/kg (referred as Control, TCDD-200, TCDD-800, TBDD-200, or TBDD-800, hereafter) on gestational day 15, and the offspring was tested during adulthood. Paired-associate learning was found to be impaired in the TCDD-200 and TBDD-200 groups, but not in either group exposed to 800 ng/kg, the observations of which were ensured by non-cued trials. As for the emotional aspect, during habituation, the TCDD-200 and TBDD-200 groups showed significantly longer latencies to enter the test arena from a start box than the Control, TCDD-800, and TBDD-800 groups, suggesting that the TCDD-200 and TBDD-200 groups manifested anxiety-like behavior. Thus, both the chlorinated dioxin and its brominated congener affected higher brain function to a similar extent in a nearly identical manner. Use of the behavioral test that can evaluate paired-associate learning in rats demonstrated that in utero and lactational exposure to not only TCDD but also TBDD perturbed higher brain function in rat offspring in a nonmonotonic manner

Japanese popular culture in Latvia: Lolita and Mori fashion

Lolita fashion – one of the elements of Japanese popular culture as a fashion subculture was created in Japan, taking inspiration from Victorian-era costumes and Rococo period clothing. Amazingly, through the global dissemination of Japanese popular culture this fashion found its way back to Europe. In Riga cosplay events, staging various costumes from Japanese manga and anime world take place since 2004 with the start of the 1st. Anime Festival. Since then, every year various other events like Cosplay Con, Christmas, Halloween parties and individual gatherings attract several hundreds of participants who are given a possibility to show their various costumes inspired from Japanese anime and manga world. Among them there is a group of girls in Riga who like Lolita fashion and organize different meet-ups and events like and picnics, teaparties, museum visits, photosessions of Lolita costumes in Old Riga, Riga gardens and parks. The photos obtained in these events reveal a unique cultural phenomenon: a harmonious blend of two cultures and mentalities: Japanese and Latvian. The modern costumes inspired by Japanese popular culture fit well in Riga historical settings several hundreds of years old.The author was fascinated by their Japanese-like youthful crave for unusual, bizarre, unacustomed, extravagant, well balanced with elegant correctness typical to North Europe. Another factor is worth mentioning: most of the costumes were self made, revealing individual taste in the choice of colors and materials. Handling the topic of Japanese fashion they adjusted it to local environment and individual taste. Some of their peculiar, antique accessories were borrowed from collections that once belonged to their grandmothers and grandfathers showing yet another aspect how old and new, different cultural customs intertween in the global era. The interviews taken with „Riga Lolitas” give insight how these girls took interest in Japan, Lolita fashion, how they created their costumes, what they think of Japanese culture, etc. Lolita fashion in Latvia is also analyzed from the points of relationship with kawaii culture, connection with Goth culture, sign/language system used by members of certain subcultures, women sexuality, transnational political economy. It is discussed also in terms of creativity, rebellion against the conventions of contemporary society, feminine lifestyle, self development, psychological impact. Mori (Forest) Girl – another Japanese fashion subculture evident in Latvia, that is to some extent similar to Country Lolita or Mori Lolita, emerged in Japan in 2007 as a reaction against Japan’s super urbanization, and displays common appreciation of nature, natural materials, practicality, casualness, interest in the old, traditional in the two countries – Latvia and Japan. Mori fashion can be interpreted in some features as the representation of wabi-sabi principles in the modern fashion form.Lolitos mada – vienas iš japonų populiariosios kultūros elementų, kuris, kaip mados subkultūra, atsirado Japonijoje, įkvėptas Viktorijos laikų kostiumų ir rokoko periodo aprangos. Visų nuostabai, globalios japonų populiariosios kultūros sklaidos dėka ši mada rado savo kelią atgal į Europą. Rygoje cosplay renginiai, kuriuose pasirodoma įvairiais Japonijos komiksų (mangos) ir animacijos (anime) pasaulio kostiumais, vyksta nuo 2004 m., kuomet ir įvyko pirmasis Anime festivalis. Nuo to laiko kasmet įvairūs renginiai, pvz., Cosplay Con, šv. Kalėdos, Helovino vakarėliai ar privatūs sambūriai pritraukia šimtus dalyvių, turinčių galimybę pasirodyti savo kostiumais, kurie yra įkvėpti Japonijos komiksų ir animacijos pasaulio. Tarp tokių dalyvių yra grupė merginų, kurioms patinka Lolitos mada: jos organizuoja susitikimus, iškylas, arbatos vakarėlius, muziejų vizitus, Lolitos kostiumų fotosesijas senojoje Rygoje, jos soduose ir parkuose. Šių renginių nuotraukos atskleidžia unikalų kultūrinį fenomeną – harmoningą dviejų kultūrų ir mentalitetų (japoniško ir latviško) derinį. Modernūs kostiumai, įkvėpti populiarios japonų kultūros, puikiai tinka istorinei kelių šimtų metų senumo Rygos aplinkai. Autorė buvo sužavėta merginų gebėjimo suderinti japonams būdingą jaunatvišką troškimą kažko neįprasto, keisto, ekstravagantiško ir elegantišką korektiškumą, būdingą Šiaurės Europai. Kitas dalykas, kurį svarbu paminėti: didžioji dalis kostiumų buvo pagaminti jų pačių, jie atskleidė merginų individualų skonį renkantis spalvas ir medžiagas. Išlaikydamos japoniškos mados temą jos pritaikė ją prie vietinės aplinkos ir individualaus skonio. Kai kurie išskirtiniai, antikvariniai aksesuarai buvo pasiskolinti iš kolekcijų, kurios kažkada priklausė jų senelėms bei seneliams, o tai tik dar vienas iš pavyzdžių, iliustruojančių, kaip sena ir nauja, skirtingi kultūriniai papročiai susipina globaliame amžiuje. Interviu su „Rygos Lolitomis“ leido suprasti, kaip šios merginos susidomėjo Japonija, Lolitos mada, kaip jos kūrė savo kostiumus, ką jos mano apie japonų kultūrą ir t.t.Publication of this volume of “Regioninės studijos” is sponsored by Japan Foundatio