Expression of c-fos in Rat Brain as a Prelude Marker of Central Nervous System Injury in Response to Methylmercury-stimulation

Objective To probe into the prelude marker of central nervous system injury in response to methyl mercury chloride （MMC） stimulation and the signal transduction molecular mechanism of injury in rat brain induced by MMC. Methods The expression of c-fos mRNA in brain and the expression of c-FOS protein in cortex, hippocampus and ependyma were observed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR） and immunocytochemical methods. The control group was injected with physiological saline of 0.9%, while the concentrations for the exposure groups were 0.05 and 0.5, 5 mg/kg MMC respectively, and the sampling times points were 20, 60, 240, 1440 min. Results The expression of c-FOS protein in cortex and hippocampus increased significantly, the accumulation of mercury in the brain induced by 0.05 mg/Kg MMC for 20 min had no significant difference compared with the control group. The mean value was 0.0044 mg/Kg, while the protein c-FOS expression had significant difference compared with the control group （P〈0.01）. More sensitive expression occurred in hippocampus and cortex, but not in ependyma. Conclusion The expression of c-FOS protein in cortex and hippocampus can predict the neurotoxicity of MMC in the early time, and immediately early gene （lEG） c-fos participates in the process of brain injury induced by MMC.

Consumption of Mercury-contaminated Rice Induces Oxidative Stress and Free Radical Aggravation in Rats

Objective To study the oxidative stress induced by consumption of mercury-contaminated rice in rats, and to assess the possible public health risk of mercury contamination in Wanshan mining area. Methods Sprague Dawley rats were fed the mercury-contaminated rice produced from Wanshan area for 90 days. The antioxidant status and the free radicals in rat serum were evaluated. Results High mercury accumulation in organs of rats fed the mercury-contaminated rice confirmed the server pollution of mercury in Wanshan mining area. The intensity of electron spin resonance （ESR） signal increased by 87.38% in rats fed the rice from Wanshan compared with that in the control rats fed the rice from Shanghai, suggesting that chronic dietary consumption of rice from mercury mining area could induce an aggravation of free radicals. Feeding the mercury-contaminated rice was associated with significant decreases in the antioxidant enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） and concentration of serum nitric oxide （NO）, but it had no effect on serum nitric oxide synthase （NOS） activity. Feeding the mercury-contaminated rice raised the level of serum malonyldialdehyde （MDA）, indicating the occurrence of oxidative stress. Conclusion The long-term dietary consumption of mercury-contaminated rice induces the aggravation of free radicals and exerts oxidative stress.

Effects of pre-harvest chemical application on rice desiccation and seed quality

Pre-harvest desiccation may increase the efficiency of seed production. Field studies were conducted to determine the effects of diquat, paraquat, and ethephon applications on grain moisture, grain weight, and seed ger- mination of hybrid rice Yanliangyou 88 （Oryza sativa ssp. indica） and conventional rice Wuyunjing 7 （Oryza sativa ssp. japonica）. In 2013, we tested 12 treatments applied at four weeks （Yanliangyou 88） and six weeks （Wuyunjing 7） after heading. Results showed that reductions in moisture content were significant two and four days after chemical ap- plication. Chemical applications had no adverse effects on lO00-grain weight, germination percentage, or germination index, but there were negative effects on the percentage of normal seedlings. Desiccation effects increased with increase in the period after application, while the effect of ethephon combined with diquat or paraquat on desiccation was limited compared with that of diquat or paraquat alone in a short period after application. In 2013, chemical ap- plications reduced the moisture content by from 0.5% to 6.4%, the germination percentage by from 0% to 3.3%, and the percentage of normal seedlings by from 13.3% to 100.0%. Among the treatments, diquat applied at 120 g/ha resulted in effective desiccation with fewer negative effects on grain weight and seed germination in 2013 and 2014. Therefore, diquat may have potential as a pre-harvest chemical desiccation treatment for rice. These results may provide a basis for developing and implementing protocols for large scale field trials.