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Herein, we present a miniaturized chip-based HPLC approach coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry utilizing temperature to achieve high-speed separations. The approach benefits from the low thermal mass of the microfluidic chip and can form an electrospray from the pre-heated mobile phase. With the help of this technology, isothermal and temperature-programmable operations up to 130°C were pursued to perform reversed-phase separations of pesticides in methanol and ethanol-containing eluents in less than 20 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol alters the homeostasis between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters and its intoxication reveals adenosine as responsible to modify several responses including signal transduction. Zebrafish has been recently investigated for knowledge the prolonged effect of ethanol on behavioral and biochemical parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the soluble and membrane adenosine deaminase activities and gene expression in zebrafish brain. Animals were exposed to 0.5% ethanol for 7, 14, and 28 days. There were no significant changes in ADA activity from soluble fraction after all treatments. However, we verified a decrease of ADA activity in membrane fraction after 28 days (44%) of ethanol exposure. ADA1 was not altered whereas mRNA transcript levels for ADAL presented an increase after 28 days of ethanol exposure (34%). ADA2-1 showed a decrease (26%) followed by an increase (17%) of transcripts after 14 and 28 days of ethanol exposure, respectively. However, ADA2-1 truncated alternative splice isoform (ADA2-1/T) demonstrated a reduction after 28 days (20%). ADA2-2 was decreased (22%) followed by an increase (109%) of transcripts after 14 and 18 days of ethanol exposure, respectively. Altogether, the purine catabolism promoted by ADA may be an important target of the chronic toxicity induced for ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol co-laminar flow fuel cells operating at room temperature have rarely been reported, primarily due to problems associated with the kinetics of ethanol oxidation. In this work, we present a study of the effect of ethanol concentration, pH of anodic and cathodic streams, and nature of the oxidant on the performances of an acrylic cell and a paper-based, membraneless co-laminar flow fuel cell (LFFC), with total cell volumes of 14.29 cm 3 and 0.62 cm 3 , respectively. Additionally, this work reports the synthesis of a Pd-NiO anodic nanocatalyst by a simple, fast, and environmentally friendly method in order to match the clean, easy-to-use, and simple fabrication methods of these ethanol co-laminar flow fuel cells. The synthesized Pd-NiO exhibited a crystallite size of 8.1 nm and an average particle size of 8.7 nm for Pd-NiO/C. The highest performances were obtained by combining an alkaline anodic stream with an acidic cathodic stream, increasing the cell voltage, and decreasing cathodic limitations caused by the simultaneous occurrence of oxygen reduction as well as hydrogen reduction reactions. With these improvements, power densities of 108 and 85.5 mW cm −2 were obtained for the acrylic and the paper-based co-laminar flow fuel cell, respectively, which are the highest values reported to date for ethanol LFFCs at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC known as "carqueja" in Brazil has been acknowledged as a medicinal plant in folk medicine for the treatment of stomach aches and gastrointestinal disorders. The present study aimed to evaluate the gastroprotective and healing effects of essential oil from B. trimera (EOBT) against gastric ulcer lesions caused by absolute ethanol and acetic acid, respectively, and to identify the mechanism of action of this essential oil in male Wistar rats. The plant material used to obtain EOBT was collected in the southern region of Brazil and was analyzed by chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) demonstrate its characteristic chemical composition, with carquejyl acetate as its main component. Different doses of EOBT (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) were administered orally in male Wistar rats as an acute treatment against absolute ethanol-induced gastric lesions. The gastric healing effect of EOBT (100 mg/kg) was evaluated once a day after 7, 10, and 14 days of treatment. After treatment, the stomachs of rats from all groups were collected to measure the lesion area (mm2), the activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), and the relative expression of caspases −3, −8, −9, cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and epidermal growth factor (EGF). The zymography method was used to elucidate the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and −9 (MMP-9) in the healing action of EOBT. We also analyzed toxicological parameters (body weight evolution and biochemical parameters) that could result after treatment with this essential oil for 14 days. Pretreatment with EOBT (100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly decreased the severity of gastric damage induced by absolute ethanol and decreased MPO activity in gastric tissue. After 10 and 14 days of treatment with EOBT (100 mg/kg) once a day, the lesion area was significantly reduced by 61% and 65.5%, respectively, compared to the negative control group. The gastric healing effect of EOBT was followed by a decrease in the expression of COX-1 compared to that in the negative control group. Notably, treatment with EOBT for 14 days increased the expression of VEGF compared to that using an anti-ulcer drug (lansoprazole). Additionally, analyses of MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in the gastric mucosa confirmed the accelerated gastric healing effect of EOBT, with a significant decrease in the activity of pro-MMP-2. No sign of toxicity was observed after treatment with EOBT for 14 consecutive days. Conclusion : These findings indicated that EOBT was effective in preventing and accelerating ulcer healing by decreasing MPO activity, increasing VEGF expression, and decreasing MMP-2 activity. These actions collectively contribute to the rapid recovery of gastric mucosa following treatment with EOBT, without any observed toxicity. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent binge drinking is a social problem with a long-lasting impact on cognitive functions. The cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in brain synaptic plasticity, cognition and behavior via receptor localization at specific subcellular compartments of the cortical, limbic and motor regions. Alcohol (EtOH) intake affects the ECS, CB1 and their functions. Evidence indicates that binge drinking during adolescence impairs memory via the abrogation of CB1-dependent synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. However, the impact of EtOH consumption on global CB1 receptor expression in the adult brain is unknown. We studied this using optical density analysis throughout brain regions processed for light microscopy (LM) immunohistotochemistry. CB1 staining decreased significantly in the secondary motor cortex, cerebellum, cingulate cortex, amygdala and nucleus accumbens. Next, as omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) rescue synaptic plasticity and improve EtOH-impaired cognition, we investigated whether docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) had any effect on CB1 receptors. N-3 intake during EtOH abstinence restored CB1 immunostaining in the secondary motor cortex, cerebellum and amygdala, and ameliorated receptor density in the cingulate cortex. These results show that n-3 supplementation recovers CB1 receptor expression disrupted by EtOH in distinct brain regions involved in motor functions and cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To test the screening performance of urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) under routine clinical conditions in a sample of alcohol-dependent outpatients, comparing it against urinary ethanol, self reports and clinical judgment.Methods: A cross-sectional study under routine conditions was conducted in February 2015, where 613 consecutive urinary samples, provided by 188 outpatients with alcohol use disorders, were analyzed for ethanol and EtG (cut-off level = 500 ng/ml). Clinical variables such as the presence of aversive medication, comorbidities and clinician judgment were also collected. The discrepancy between the number of alcohol and EtG positives was recorded. A logistic regression analysis including clinical variables was conducted to assess for predictors of EtG positivity.Results: Urinary alcohol yielded 9 positives (1.5% of all urine samples) belonging to 8 patients. EtG yielded 136 positives (22% of all urine samples) belonging to 74 patients. Of these, 93.4% (127 of 136) were negative for alcohol. All urinary alcohol positives resulted in EtG positives. The clinician judged 48 samples from 26 patients as belonging to not abstinent patients and 550 samples from 178 patients as belonging to abstinent patients. She was unsure in 15 samples from 15 patients. When comparing it against EtG as the gold standard, the area under the curve was 0.592. Self reports were extremely unreliable in this study, with only 5 patients reporting drinking in a total of 6 urine samples. In the logistic regression model, only aversive medications (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.3) and clinician judgment (OR 2, 95% CI 1.4-2.9) resulted in significant effects.Conclusions: EtG performed largely better than ethanol for urine screening in alcohol outpatients, detecting an extra 20.4% (125 out of 613) of positives. It means that for each alcohol-positive sample, there were 15 EtG-positive samples. Although better than ethanol, clinician judgment was also not performed efficiently. If routinely implemented in the screening of alcohol outpatients, EtG might bring relevant changes that merit further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] EtOH and ALD alter glutamate uptake in zebrafish brain structures. [•] The actions of EtOH and its metabolite are concentration and structure-dependent. [•] ALD induces more severe changes on neurochemical functions in zebrafish brain. [•] Neurotoxic effects of alcohol result in changes on MTT and LDH released. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thiswork proposes the use of solar radiation as energy sourceto support energy demands in the optimal control process for ethanolproduction. The control system proposed for the reactor has two layers:the local one composed by PID (Proportional-Integrative-Derivative)controllers for the pH, level, and temperature loops of the reactorand the master controller which uses an advanced MIMO (Multiple-Inputand Multiple-Output) MPC (Model Predictive Control) strategy. Thecontrol of the solar cooling system is performed by means of a switchingcontrol scheme. Since there is no availability of a practical systemwhich integrates the experimental solar cooling plant and a fermentationunit, the Hardware in the Loop technique has been performed on theplant of Centro de Investigación de Energía Solar (CIESOL),located at the University of Almería (Spain), interconnectedwith a simulator that represents the ethanol fermentation in Brazilianfactories. Three scenarios are analyzed in detail, in which the incrementsin ethanol production are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gallic acid positively modulates cholinergic damage caused by exposure to ethanol. • Gallic acid in isolation increases antioxidant activity in the zebrafish brain. • Oxidative stress induced by ethanol is regulated positively by gallic acid. Gallic acid (GA) is a polyphenolic compound that has attracted significant interest due to its antioxidant action through free radical elimination and metal chelation. Ethanol is a highly soluble psychoactive substance, and its toxicity is associated with oxidative stress. In this context, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of GA on neurochemical changes in zebrafish brains exposed to ethanol. GA was first analyzed in isolation by treating the animals at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20 mg/L for 24 h and 48 h. The results revealed that the group exposed to 20 mg/L over a 24/48 h period exhibited increases in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBA-RS) levels and 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein (DCFH) oxidation, demonstrating a pro-oxidant profile. Moreover, decrease in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme activity was observed. To investigate the effects of GA after ethanol exposure, the animals were divided into four groups: control; those exposed to 0.5% ethanol for 7 days; those exposed to 0.5% ethanol for 7 days and treated with GA at 5 and 10 mg/L on day 8. Treatment with GA at 5 and 10 mg/L reversed impairment of choline acetyltransferase activity and the damage to TBA-RS levels, DCFH oxidation, and superoxide dismutase activity induced by ethanol. Results of the present study suggest that GA treatment (20 mg/L) appeared to disrupt oxidative parameters in the zebrafish brain. GA treatment at 5 and 10 mg/L reversed alterations to the cholinergic system induced by prolonged exposure to ethanol in the zebrafish brain, probably through an antioxidant mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beer is a beverage that has been consumed worldwide for thousands of years due to social, religious, and cultural reasons; it contains polyphenolic compounds as well as phenolic acids with a potential positive effect on human health. This study aimed to explore the impact of moderate beer consumption on human health and gut microbiota diversity. Three hundred fifty-five mL of non-alcoholic beer (NAB) or alcoholic beer (AB) were consumed daily by the participants for 30 days in each study. Anthropometric measures, blood samples for biochemistry, and fecal samples for microbiota analysis were collected on Day 1 and Day 30. Microbial diversity was characterized by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rDNA libraries, and data were analyzed using the QIIME pipeline. We found that NAB and AB have effects on the composition of the gut microbiota, favoring the proliferation of Bacteroidetes with respect to Firmicutes. No increase in weight, waist, and hip parameters was observed, and the liver and lipid profile values were not modified for NAB. In addition, the consumption of NAB induced a decrease in fasting blood serum glucose and an increase in functional β cells, while, on the other hand, there was an increase in blood serum glucose and a decrease in functional β cells with the consumption of AB. In general, beer consumption neither changed anthropometric values, nor affected liver function. Although the glucose values decreased with NAB or increased with AB, they remained within the normal range. Our conclusion is that moderate consumption of NAB has a positive effect on human health via supplementation of biological active polyphenol and phenolic acids, and by enrichment of the gut microbiota diversity with beneficial bacteria, while the presence of alcohol in AB interferes with this effect. More work should be done on this topic before general conclusions are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choline geranate (also described as Choline And GEranic acid, or CAGE) has been developed as a novel biocompatible antiseptic material capable of penetrating skin and aiding the transdermal delivery of co-administered antibiotics. The antibacterial properties of CAGE were analyzed against 24 and 72 hour old biofilms of 11 clinically isolated ESKAPE pathogens (defined as Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter sp, respectively), including multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates. CAGE was observed to eradicate in vitro biofilms at concentrations as low as 3.56 mM (0.156% v:v) in as little as 2 hours, which represents both an improved potency and rate of biofilm eradication relative to that reported for most common standard-of-care topical antiseptics in current use. In vitro time-kill studies on 24 hour old Staphylococcus aureus biofilms indicate that CAGE exerts its antibacterial effect upon contact and a 0.1% v:v solution reduced biofilm viability by over three orders of magnitude (a 3log10 reduction) in 15 minutes. Furthermore, disruption of the protective layer of exopolymeric substances in mature biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus by CAGE (0.1% v:v) was observed in 120 minutes. Insight into the mechanism of action of CAGE was provided with molecular modeling studies alongside in vitro antibiofilm assays. The geranate ion and geranic acid components of CAGE are predicted to act in concert to integrate into bacterial membranes, affect membrane thinning and perturb membrane homeostasis. Taken together, our results show that CAGE demonstrates all properties required of an effective topical antiseptic and the data also provides insight into how its observed antibiofilm properties may manifest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabinoid type-1 (CB1 ) receptors are widely distributed in the brain and play important roles in astrocyte function and the modulation of neuronal synaptic transmission and plasticity. However, it is currently unknown how CB1 receptor expression in astrocytes is affected by long-term exposure to stressors. Here we examined CB1 receptors in astrocytes of ethanol (EtOH)-exposed adolescent mice to determine its effect on CB1 receptor localization and density in adult brain. 4-8-week-old male mice were exposed to 20 percent EtOH over a period of 4 weeks, and receptor localization was examined after 4 weeks in the hippocampal CA1 stratum radiatum by pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy. Our results revealed a significant reduction in CB1 receptor immunoparticles in astrocytic processes of EtOH-exposed mice when compared with controls (positive astrocyte elements: 21.50 ± 2.80 percent versus 37.22 ± 3.12 percent, respectively), as well as a reduction in particle density (0.24 ± 0.02 versus 0.35 ± 0.02 particles/μm). The majority of CB1 receptor metal particles were in the range of 400-1200 nm from synaptic terminals in both control and EtOH. Altogether, the decrease in the CB1 receptor expression in hippocampal astrocytes of adult mice exposed to EtOH during adolescence reveals a long lasting effect of EtOH on astrocytic CB1 receptors. This deficiency may also have negative consequences for synaptic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) response data was used to determine the friction coefficient (μ) between soft solid surface and ethanol. A self-assembly of Dodecanethiol (DCT) film on gold was carried out. The number of DCT grafted (Γ) onto gold surface was investigated at concentrated solutions (10–33% v/v). Such large concentration leads to an increase on grafting density, viscosity, roughness and water contact angle favoring the reduction of friction coefficient (∼0.0922). These results allow proposing a soft self-assembled hydrophobic film to reduce friction between fluids into conduit, tube, or some other device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol is a widely used drug, and excess or even moderate consumption of ethanol is associated with changes in several neurotransmitter systems, including the cholinergic system. The incidence of alcoholic dementia and its insults are well supported by multiple studies, although the mechanisms of neurotoxicity are still poorly understood. Considering that zebrafish have a complete central nervous system (CNS) and that several signaling systems have already been identified in zebrafish, this neurotoxicological model has become useful. In the present study, we investigated the long-term effects of ethanol consumption on the cholinergic system, on oxidative stress, and on inflammatory parameters in the zebrafish brain. Animals were exposed to 0.5% (v/v) ethanol for 7, 14, and 28 days. Ethanol inhibited choline acetyltransferase activity after 7 and 14 days but not after 28 days. Acetylcholinesterase activity did not change after any of the exposure periods. When compared to the control group, thiobarbituric acid reactive species and dichlorodihydrofluorescein levels were increased after chronic ethanol exposure. Antioxidant activity promoted by the CAT/SOD ratio was altered after chronic ethanol exposure, suggesting that EtOH can induce oxidative damage in the zebrafish brain. In contrast, nitrate and nitrite levels and sulfhydryl content were not altered. Ethanol did not modify gene expression of the inflammatory cytokines il-1b, il-10, or tnf-α in the zebrafish brain. Therefore, the cholinergic system and the oxidative balance were targeted by chronic ethanol toxicity. This neurochemical regulatory mechanism may play an important role in understanding the effects of long-term ethanol consumption and tolerance in zebrafish model studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Efforts aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm include early detection of risky drinkers as well as detection of early relapse in patients with alcohol dependence. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) has been proven to be a reliable biomarker for the detection of recent drinking; however, no randomized, diagnostic trial to date has tested its impact on drinking outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess, in a randomized design, the implications of EtG screening on alcohol outcomes, compared to screening with a low sensitivity biomarker such as ethanol.Methods: Alcohol dependent outpatients were randomized to either 24 weeks of continuous screening with EtG or ethanol. Patients were aware of screening methods and results. After 24 weeks, all participants were screened with EtG. Self-reports were also gathered. A logistic regression compared the rate of EtG positive results at study end between groups. Generalized estimating equations evaluated the descending monthly rate of EtG positive patients in the EtG group.Results: A total of 162 patients were randomized. During the study period, the ethanol group showed less patients with positive screens (19/64 (29.7%) vs 58/98 (59%)). After 24 weeks, the EtG group showed a greater number of patients having a negative screening test compared to ethanol subjects when they were all screened with EtG (5/62 (8.1%) vs 13/39 (33.3%)). A significant decrease in the rate of EtG positive patients was found for the first three months of the study.Conclusions: Routine screening with EtG seems to reduce drinking and improve abstinence rates in alcohol dependent outpatients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethanol is a widely consumed substance throughout the world. During development it can substantially damage the human fetus, whereas the developing brain is particularly vulnerable. The brain damage induced by prenatal alcohol exposure may lead to a variety of long-lasting behavioral and neurochemical problems. However, there are no data concerning the effects of developmental ethanol exposure on the glutamatergic system, where extracellular glutamate acts as signaling molecule. Here we investigated the effect of ethanol exposure for 2 h (concentrations of 0.0%, 0.1%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1.00%) in embryos at 24 h post-fertilization (hpf) by measuring the functionality of glutamate transporters in the brain of adult (4 months) zebrafish. However, ethanol 0.1%, 0.25% and 0.50% decreased transport of glutamate to 81.96%, 60.65% and 45.91% respectively, when compared with the control group. Interestingly, 1.00% was able to inhibit the transport activity to 68.85%. In response to the embryonic alcohol exposure, we found impairment in the function of cerebral glutamate transport in adult fish, contributing to long-term alteration in the homeostasis glutamatergic signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, an alternative and complementary method to those approaches currently used to estimate alcohol consumption by the population is described. This method, known as wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), allows back-calculating the alcohol consumption rate in a given population from the concentrations of a selected biomarker measured in wastewater.Methods: Composite (24-h) wastewater samples were collected at the inlet of 17 wastewater treatment plants located in 13 Spanish cities for seven consecutive days in 2018. The sampled area covered 12.8% of the Spanish population. Wastewater samples were analyzed to determine the concentration of ethyl sulfate, the biomarker used to back-calculate alcohol consumption.Results: Alcohol consumption ranged from 4.5 to 46 mL/day/inhabitant. Differences in consumption were statistically significant among the investigated cities and between weekdays and weekends. WBE-derived estimates of alcohol consumption were comparable to those reported by its corresponding region in the Spanish National Health Survey in most cases. At the national level, comparable results were obtained between the WBE-derived annual consumption rate (5.7 ± 1.2 L ethanol per capita (aged 15+)) and that reported by the National Health Survey (4.7 L ethanol per capita (aged 15+)).Conclusions: This is the largest WBE study carried out to date in Spain to estimate alcohol consumption rates. It confirms that this approach is useful for establishing spatial and temporal patterns of alcohol consumption, which could contribute to the development of health care management plans and policies. Contrary to established methods, it allows obtaining information in a fast and relatively economical way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ethanol withdrawal increases anxiety in zebrafish. • Ethanol withdrawal increases nitrite in zebrafish brain. • Aminoguanidine blocks both effects. • NOS-2 participates in the neurobehavioral mechanism of withdrawal. Nitric oxide has been implicated in symptoms of ethanol withdrawal in animal models. Zebrafish have been used as models to study neurobehavioral effects of ethanol (EtOH) withdrawal, but the mechanisms associated with these effects are not yet clear. Adult zebrafish were treated with 1% EtOH for 20 min per day for 8 days, injected with the nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS-2) inhibitor aminoguanidine (50 mg/kg), and allowed to experience withdrawal (WD) in their hometanks for 7 days. EtOH WD increased anxiety-like behavior in the novel tank test, an effect that was blocked by aminoguanidine. EtOH WD also increased brain levels of nitrite, an effect that was partially blocked by aminoguanidine. These results underline a novel mechanism by which NOS-2 controls anxiety-like responses to ethanol withdrawal, with implications for the mechanistic study of symptoms associated with chronic ethanol abuse. Preprint: https://dx.doi.org/10.20944/preprints201912.0219.v1 Data and scripts: https://github.com/lanec-unifesspa/etoh-withdrawal/tree/master/NOS2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binge drinking is characterized by excessive alcohol consumption in a short period of time and is associated with a poor quality of life. Zebrafish are commonly used to investigate neurochemical, behavioral, and genetic parameters associated with ethanol (EtOH) exposure. However, few studies have used zebrafish as a model to investigate binge EtOH exposure. In order to elucidate the potential neurobehavioral impairments evoked by binge EtOH exposure in zebrafish, animals were immersed in 1.4% EtOH for 30 min three consecutive times with intervals of one week. Neurobehavioral parameters were analyzed immediately following the third exposure, as well as 2 and 9 days later. Brain choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were reduced 9 days after the treatment. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive species and dichlorodihydrofluorescein levels were increased immediately after the treatment, but both returned to normal levels 2 days after the treatment. Catalase and glutathione reductase were impaired 2 and 9 days after the treatment. No alteration was observed in superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities. EtOH treatment did not alter brain expression of inflammatory genes such as il - 1 β, il - 10 , and tnf -α. Zebrafish displayed anxiolytic-like behavior immediately after the last exposure, though there was no behavioral alteration observed 9 days after the treatment. Therefore, binge EtOH exposure in zebrafish leads to long lasting brain cholinergic alteration, probably related to oxidative stress immediately after the exposure, which is independent of classical inflammatory markers. • Brain AChE and ChAT activities were reduced 9 days after weekly-binge EtOH exposure in zebrafish. • Oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes were altered after weekly-binge EtOH exposure. • Zebrafish behavior was altered 2 days, but not 9 days, after weekly-binge EtOH exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binge drinking is defined as the infrequent consumption of excessive doses of alcohol in a short period of time. Zebrafish is a reliable model to investigate ethanol consumption impact on the CNS, including reward signaling like dopaminergic neurotransmission system. The aim of this study was to evaluate zebrafish brain dopaminergic parameters after intermittent weekly ethanol exposure (WEE), which mimics binge drinking. Thus, adult zebrafish were exposed to ethanol (1.4% v /v) for 30 min, once a week for three consecutive weeks. The groups were divided according to different time points after the third exposure and name as follow: immediately (WEE I), two days (WEE-2), and nine days (WEE-9) after last exposure to ethanol. Brain dopaminergic function was assessed by the activity of the dopamine transporters (DAT); monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity; dopamine and noradrenaline levels by chromatography. The WEE-I and WEE-2 groups presented a significant increase in DAT activity. The MAO activity was decreased for WEE-2 and WEE-9 groups. The WEE-2 and WEE-9 groups presented an increase in brain dopamine levels, while noradrenaline levels were not affected. Therefore, dopaminergic parameters are still altered two and nine days after the last ethanol exposure in this binge experimental model, resulting in a modulatory event in this neurotransmission pathway. Unlabelled Image • This study investigated the effects of weekly ethanol exposure in a zebrafish model. • Dopamine levels were increase 2 and 9-days after weekly-binge ethanol exposure. • Brain MAO activity was decreased after weekly-binge ethanol exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]