Neurochemistry study of spinal cord in non-human primate (Sapajus spp.).

The spinal cord is involved in local, ascending and descending neural pathways. Few studies analyzed the distribution of neuromediators in the laminae of non-human primates along all segments. The present study described the classic neuromediators in the spinal cord of the non-human primate Sapajus spp. through histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) method showed neuronal somata in the intermediolateral column (IML), central cervical nucleus (CCN), laminae I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and X, besides dense presence of nerve fibers in laminae II and IX. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was evident in the neuronal somata in laminae V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, CCN, IML and in the Clarke's column (CC). Immunohistochemistry data revealed neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) immunoreactivity  in neuronal somata and in fibers of laminae I, II, III, VII, VIII, X and IML; choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in neuronal somata and in fibers of laminae VII, VIII and IX; calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was noticed in neuronal somata of lamina IX and in nerve fibers of laminae I, II, III, IV, V, VI and VII; substance P (SP) in nerve fibers of laminae I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, CCN, CC and IML; serotonin (5-HT) and vesicular glutamate transporter-1 (VGLUT1) was noticed in nerve fibers of all laminae;  somatostatin (SOM) in neuronal somata of laminae III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX and nerve fibers in laminae I, II, V, VI, VII, X and IML; calbindin (Cb) in neuronal somata of laminae I, II, VI, VII, IX and X; parvalbumin (PV) was found in neuronal somata and in nerve fibers of laminae III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and CC; finally, gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) was present in neuronal somata of laminae V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X. This study revealed interesting results concerning the chemoarchitecture of the Sapajus spp. spinal cord with a distribution pattern mostly similar to other mammals. The data corroborate the result described in literature, except for some differences in CGRP, SP, Cb, PV and GABA immunoreactivities present in neuronal somata and in nerve fibers. This could suggest certain specificity for the neurochemistry distribution in this non-human primate species, besides adding relevant data to support further studies related to processes involving spinal cord components.

Inhibition of long-term potentiation in the schaffer-CA1 pathway by repetitive high-intensity sound stimulation.

High-intensity sound can induce seizures in susceptible animals. After repeated acoustic stimuli changes in behavioural seizure repertoire and epileptic EEG activity might be seen in recruited limbic and forebrain structures, a phenomenon known as audiogenic kindling. It is postulated that audiogenic kindling can produce synaptic plasticity events leading to the spread of epileptogenic activity to the limbic system. In order to test this hypothesis, we investigated if long-term potentiation (LTP) of hippocampal Schaffer-CA1 synapses and spatial navigation memory are altered by a repeated high-intensity sound stimulation (HISS) protocol, consisting of one-minute 120 dB broadband noise applied twice a day for 10 days, in normal Wistar rats and in audiogenic seizure-prone rats (Wistar Audiogenic Rats - WARs). After HISS all WARs exhibited midbrain seizures and 50% of these animals developed limbic recruitment, while only 26% of Wistar rats presented midbrain seizures and none of them had limbic recruitment. In naïve animals, LTP in hippocampal CA1 neurons was induced by 50- or 100-Hz high-frequency stimulation of Schaffer fibres in slices from both Wistar and WAR animals similarly. Surprisingly, HISS suppressed LTP in CA1 neurons in slices from Wistar rats that did not present any seizure, and inhibited LTP in slices from Wistar rats with only midbrain seizures. However HISS had no effect on LTP in CA1 neurons from slices of WARs. Interestingly HISS did not alter spatial navigation and memory in both strains. These findings show that repeated high-intensity sound stimulation prevent LTP of Schaffer-CA1 synapses from Wistar rats, without affecting spatial memory. This effect was not seen in hippocampi from audiogenic seizure-prone WARs. In WARs the link between auditory stimulation and hippocampal LTP seems to be disrupted which could be relevant for the susceptibility to seizures in this strain.

Sleep disturbances in hepatitis C patients undergoing treatment: minisleep questionnaire as a screening tool.

AIM: Sleep disturbances are frequently reported by patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) during treatment with interferon (IFN) α plus ribavirin. Poor sleep quality is related to the onset of depression and impaired quality of life in patients receiving treatment. The aims of this study were to apply the Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ) as a screening tool to assess the self-reported sleep quality and the prevalence of sleep disorders. METHODS: We conducted a transversal, observational, descriptive study comprising 41 subjects with HCV, divided into two groups, treatment (N.=16) and control (N.=25). A structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic and clinical data and the MSQ was applied to assess the sleep quality. A Chi-square test was applied to compare sleep quality between groups. RESULTS: Significant differences between groups in the classification of sleep quality were observed (P<0.05). The group of patients under treatment presented higher frequency of sleep disorders (63%) when compared to the control group (12%). Additionally, the apnea domain was the most impacted. CONCLUSION: This study identified a higher prevalence of sleep disorders and self-reported poor sleep quality in HCV patients under treatment. The MSQ may be useful as a screening tool for sleep disorders in HCV patients during the treatment with IFN-α plus ribavirin.

Extraoral implants for orbit rehabilitation: a comparison between one-stage and two-stage surgeries.

The aim of the study was to compare the osseointegration success rate and time for delivery of the prosthesis among cases treated by two-stage or one-stage surgery for orbit rehabilitation between 2003 and 2011. Forty-five patients were included, 31 males and 14 females; 22 patients had two-stage surgery and 23 patients had one-stage surgery. A total 138 implants were installed, 42 (30.4%) on previously irradiated bone. The implant survival rate was 96.4%, with a success rate of 99.0% among non-irradiated patients and 90.5% among irradiated patients. Two-stage patients received 74 implants with a survival rate of 94.6% (four implants lost); one-stage surgery patients received 64 implants with a survival rate of 98.4% (one implant lost). The median time interval between implant fixation and delivery of the prosthesis for the two-stage group was 9.6 months and for the one-stage group was 4.0 months (P < 0.001). The one-stage technique proved to be reliable and was associated with few risks and complications; the rate of successful osseointegration was similar to those reported in the literature. The one-stage technique should be considered a viable procedure that shortens the time to final rehabilitation and facilitates appropriate patient follow-up treatment.

Spontaneous reversibility of damage to outer hair cells after sodium salicylate induced ototoxicity.

BACKGROUND: High sodium salicylate doses can cause reversible hearing loss and tinnitus, possibly due to reduced outer hair cell electromotility. Sodium salicylate is known to alter outer hair cell structure and function. This study determined the reversibility and cochlear recovery time after administration of an ototoxic sodium salicylate dose to guinea pigs with normal cochlear function. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective experimental investigation. METHODS: All animals received a single 500 mg sodium salicylate dose, but with different durations of action. Function was evaluated before drug administration and immediately before sacrifice. Cochleae were processed and viewed using scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: Changes in outer hair cell function were observed to be present 2 hours after drug administration, with recovery of normal anatomy beginning after 24 hours. Subsequently, derangement and distortion of cilia reduced, with effects predominantly in row three. At 168 hours, cilia were near-normal but with mild distortions which interfered with normal cochlear physiology. CONCLUSIONS: Ciliary changes persisted for up to 168 hours after ototoxic sodium salicylate administration.

Study of spontaneous recurrent seizures and morphological alterations after status epilepticus induced by intrahippocampal injection of pilocarpine.

Epileptic seizures are clinical manifestations of neuronal discharges characterized by hyperexcitability and/or hypersynchrony in the cortex and other subcortical regions. The pilocarpine (PILO) model of epilepsy mimics temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in humans. In the present study, we used a more selective approach: microinjection of PILO into the hilus of the dentate gyrus (H-PILO). Our main goal was to evaluate the behavioral and morphological alterations present in this model of TLE. Seventy-six percent of all animals receiving H-PILO injections had continuous seizures called status epilepticus (SE). A typical pattern of evolution of limbic seizures during the SE with a latency of 29.3 ± 16.3 minutes was observed using an analysis of behavioral sequences. During the subsequent 30 days, 71% of all animals exhibited spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs) during a daily 8-hour videotaping session. These SRSs had a very conspicuous and characteristic pattern detected by behavioral sequences or neuroethiological analysis. Only the animals that had SE showed positive Neo-Timm staining in the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus (sprouting) and reduced cell density in Ammon's horn pyramidal cell subfield CA1. However, no correlation between the intensity of sprouting and the mean number and total number of SRSs was found. Additionally, using Fluoro-Jade staining, we observed neurodegeneration in the hilus and pyramidal cell subfields CA3 and CA1 24 hours after SE. These data indicate that H-PILO is a reliable, selective, efficient, low-mortality model that mimics the acute and chronic behavioral and morphological aspects of TLE.

Histological effects of intratympanic gentamicin on the vestibular organ of guinea pigs.

BACKGROUND: Transtympanic administration of gentamicin may be suitable to achieve unilateral vestibular ablation, in order to control unilateral Ménière's disease. In low doses, gentamicin appears to affect selectively the vestibular system, with relative sparing of the cochlea. An experimental study on guinea pigs was conducted to determine what single dose of gentamicin would produce a unilateral vestibular organ lesion when applied to the middle ear. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental and prospective. METHODS: Four groups of guinea pigs received different gentamicin doses (1, 5, 10 and 25 mg) administered to the middle ear. The animals' vestibular organs were then assessed by scanning electron microscopy, in order to quantify the level of vestibular damage. RESULTS: Study of the utricular macula and the ampullar crista of the lateral semicircular canal revealed vestibular neuroepithelial lesions in all infused ears. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of the vestibular neuroepithelial lesions was dose-dependent. Lower gentamicin doses were observed to damage vestibular structures more than cochlear structures.

Limbic epileptogenicity, cell loss and axonal reorganization induced by audiogenic and amygdala kindling in wistar audiogenic rats (WAR strain).

Audiogenic seizures are a model of generalized tonic-clonic brainstem-generated seizures. Repeated induction of audiogenic seizures, in audiogenic kindling (AuK) protocols, generates limbic epileptogenic activity. The present work evaluated associations between permanence of AuK-induced limbic epileptogenicity and changes in cell number/gluzinergic terminal reorganization in limbic structures in Wistar audiogenic rats (WARs). Additionally, we evaluated histological changes after only amygdala kindling (AmK) and only AuK, and longevity of permanence of AuK-induced limbic epileptogenicity, up to 160 days. WARs and Wistar non-susceptible rats were submitted to AuK (80 stimuli) followed by both 50 days without acoustic stimulation and AmK (16 stimuli), only AmK and only AuK. Cell counting and gluzinergic terminal reorganization were assessed, respectively, by using Nissl and neo-Timm histochemistries, 24 h after the last AmK stimulus. Evaluation of behavioral response to a single acoustic stimulus after AuK and up to 160 days without acoustic stimulation was done in another group. AuK-induced limbic epileptogenicity developed in parallel with a decrease in brainstem-type seizure severity during AuK. AmK was facilitated after AuK. Permanence of AuK-induced limbic epileptogenicity was associated with cell loss only in the rostral lateral nucleus of amygdala. Roughly 20 generalized limbic seizures induced by AuK were neither associated with hippocampal cell loss nor mossy fiber sprouting (MFS). AmK developed with cell loss in hippocampal and amygdala nuclei but not MFS. Main changes of gluzinergic terminals after kindling protocols were observed in amygdala, perirhinal and piriform cortices. AuK and AuK-AmK induced a similar number and type of seizures, higher than in AmK. AmK and AuK-AmK were associated with broader cell loss than AuK. Data indicate that permanent AuK-induced limbic epileptogenicity is mainly associated to gluzinergic terminal reorganization in amygdala but not in the hippocampus and with no hippocampal cell loss. Few AmK-induced seizures are associated to broader and higher cell loss than a higher number of AuK-induced seizures.

Morphometry and histochemistry of the semitendinosus muscle of tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella Linnaeus, 1758).

Considering monkeys are animals closely related to the human, and semitendinosus muscle has been used in many postural research experiments, we have decided to study its histochemical characteristics. Samples were removed from the proximal, middle and distal regions of the semitendinosus muscles of five adult male tufted capuchin monkeys and observed for reaction with m-ATPase (with alkaline and acid pre-incubation), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide tetrazolium reductase, and haematoxylin and eosin. The muscle fibres were classified as fast glycolytic (FG), fast oxidative glycolytic (FOG) and slow oxidative (SO) and quantified in terms of frequency and area. The three regions of the semitendinosus muscle showed no significant differences in frequency or area of the respective fibre types, and therefore the muscle can be considered histoenzymologically homogeneous. FG fibres presented higher frequencies and larger areas. The sum of FOG and SO fibres was 57.5%, suggesting that the semitendinosus muscle of the tufted capuchin monkey is adapted to an action involved in posture maintenance and in long arboreal dislocation. The present data agrees with the notion of differentiated quadrupedalism in some primates, which support a lower percentage of their weight on the fore limbs.

[Effect of sucrose-containing gum and fluoridated dentifrice on in situ remineralization of artificial caries]. / Efeito da goma de mascar contendo sacarose e do dentifrício fluoretado na remineralização in situ de lesões de cárie artificiais.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the remineralization of incipient carious lesions in bovine enamel in situ. Artificial carious lesions were produced and fixed in removable lower appliances in the region of the lingual surfaces of first molars, in six volunteers with ages between 18 and 22 years, who were subjected to 3 distinct experimental periods of 1 week each. In the first period (control group), patients brushed their teeth with a non-fluoridated dentifrice 4 times a day (after meals), and, in the second period (group I), patients used a dentifrice containing 1,500 ppm of fluorine (in the form of MFP). In the third period (group II) volunteers brushed their teeth with non-fluoridated dentifrice and used chewing gum containing 60% of sucrose during 20 minutes, 4 times a day (after meals). Before and after each treatment, the specimens underwent Vicker's hardness test (200 g of load), and the remineralization percentage (alpha) was calculated. The control group showed 2.78% of demineralization, and groups I and II showed 3.36 and 5.21% of remineralization, respectively. Statistical analysis (with Kruskal-Wallis and Miller's tests) showed significant difference (p < 0.05) between the control and experimental groups (I and II). Group II showed greater alpha than group I, but this difference was not significant. These results suggest that the use of sucrose-containing chewing gum and fluoridated dentifrice has a considerable effect on the remineralization of incipient carious lesions and may be a valuable alternative for their prevention.

[A case report of human lagochilascariasis coming from Pará State, Brazil]. / Relato de caso de Lagochilascariose humana procedente do Estado do Pará, Brasil.

A new case of lagochilascariasis is reported in a child from Xinguara, PA, Brazil. The patient had an abscess in the right cervical region, which was drained at the Clinical Hospital of UFG. Eggs and adult stages of Lagochilascaris minor were found in the secretion of the abscess. Treatment with albendazol, at a dosage of 400 mg/day for 30 days, associated with antibiotics promoted regression of the lesion.

Hair cell loss and regeneration in the chick cochlea after treatment with gentamicin.

Hair cells can be damaged by countless agents, among them aminoglycoside antibiotics. In the chick cochlea, the hair cell loss can be recovered by regeneration. The objectives of the present investigation were to study the time progression of injury caused by gentamicin and the regeneration process in chick hair cells. Gentamicin was administered in a single subcutaneous dose of 125 or 250 mg/kg to two groups of 3-day old chicks. The cochleae were processed for analysis by scanning electron microscopy on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 20th day after injection. The cellular sequence of degeneration and regeneration was studied. On the 20th day, most it he damaged cochlear area showed regenerated hair and support cells. Stereocilia and microvilli were observed on the apical surface of the regenerated hair cells.

Hair cell loss and regeneration in the chick cochlea after treatment with gentamicin.

Hair cells can be damaged by countless agents, among them aminoglycoside antibiotics. In the chick cochlea, the hair cell loss can be recovered by regeneration. The objectives of the present investigation were to study the time progression of injury caused by gentamicin and the regeneration process in chick hair cells. Gentamicin was administered in a single subcutaneous dose of 125 or 250 mg/kg to two groups of 3-day old chicks. The cochleae were processed for analysis by scanning electron microscopy on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 20th day after injection. The cellular sequence of degeneration and regeneration was studied. On the 20th day, most it he damaged cochlear area showed regenerated hair and support cells. Stereocilia and microvilli were observed on the apical surface of the regenerated hair cells.

Assessment of ivermectin therapeutic efficacy on third-stage larvae of Lagochilascaris minor in mice experimentally infected.

In this study we evaluated the potential action of ivermectin on third-stage larvae, both at migratory and encysted phases, in mouse tissues after experimental infection with Lagochilascaris minor. Study groups I and II consisted of 120 mice that were orally administered 1,000 parasite eggs. In order to assess ivermectin action upon migratory larvae, group I (60 mice) was equally split in three subgroups, namely I-A, I-B, and I-C. On the 7th day after inoculation (DAI), each animal from the subgroup I-A was treated with 200 micrograms/Kg ivermectin while subgroup I-B was given 1,000 micrograms/Kg, both groups received a single subcutaneous dose. To assess the drug action on encysted larvae, group II was equally split in three subgroups, namely II-A, II-B, II-C. On the 45th DAI each animal was treated with ivermectin at 200 micrograms/Kg (subgroup II-A) and 1,000 micrograms/Kg (group II-B) with a single subcutaneous dose. Untreated animals of subgroups I-C and II-C were used as controls. On the 60th DAI all animals were submitted to larva search. At a dose of 1,000 micrograms/Kg the drug had 99.5% effectiveness on third-stage migratory larvae (subgroup I-B). Ivermectin efficacy was lower than 5% on third-stage encysted larvae for both doses as well as for migratory larvae treated with 200 micrograms/Kg.

Heart aneurysm in Chagas' disease.

This prospective study on 41 autopsy collected human hearts concerns the "apical" lesion in Chagas' disease. Previous report did not show a correlation between lesion frequency and heart weight then discarding a vascular factor in its pathogenesis. The present paper involves other variables besides the heart weight to evaluate the relative coronary insufficiency. Distinct colored gel (green and red) injected through the capillary beds of both coronary arteries defined the extent of both vessels before separating the atria and removing the sub-epicardium fat. The Right Ventricle (RV) and Left Ventricle (LV) free walls furnished the RV/LV mass ratio. The myocardium mass colored green (right coronary artery--RC) and the whole Ventricular Weight (VW) determined the RC/VW mass ratio. The heart weight plus these mass ratios, graded and added, composed a score inversely proportional to the myocardium irrigation condition. It intended to be a more sensitive morphologic evaluation of the relative ischaemia to correlate to the apical lesion. This study showed a right deviation for the relative accumulated frequency of lesions plotted as a score function and a significant difference for higher scores in hearts with aneurysm. It suggests a ischaemic factor intervening in the apical lesion pathogenesis in Chagas' cardiopathy.

Myocardial ventricular mass related to coronary artery distribution in human hearts.

This prospective study of 120 autopsy collected human hearts correlates the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" free walls mass ratio and the ventricular mass fraction supplied by the right coronary ("Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight"). Different coloured gel injected through both coronary artery's capillary beds allowed ventricular myocardium separation to obtain the weights. In hearts without hypertrophy, mean +/- standard deviation of the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" mass ratio was 0.54 +/- 0.09 for males and 0.62 +/- 0.23 for females; "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" mass ratios were 0.39 +/- 0.08 and 0.39 +/- 0.04, respectively. Mean +/- standard deviation of the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" and "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" ratios were 0.37 +/- 0.05 and 0.36 +/- 0.10, respectively in hearts with "Left Ventricle Hypertrophy"; 0.56 +/- 0.07 and 0.38 +/- 0.11 in hearts "Without Hypertrophy"; 0.54 +/- 0.08 and 0.39 +/- 0.08 in hearts with "Biventricular Hypertrophy"; 0.89 +/- 0.16 and 0.49 +/- 0.06 in hearts with "Right Ventricle Hypertrophy". Means and variances are narrower for the "Right Coronary/Ventricular Weight" than that observed for the "Right Ventricle/Left Ventricle" mass ratio. It is due to the special double coronary arrangement in which every artery irrigates both ventricles. These results suggest that the usual pattern of the human coronary arteries' anatomy acts as a buffer for the ventricular mass distribution to be irrigated by both arteries in hypertrophy.

Typical and atypical lung carcinoids: clinical and morphological diagnosis.

Forty cases of carcinoid tumors of the lung were studied retrospectively from 1989-1993 in the Pathology Department of Hospital Pulido Valente in Lisbon. The mean age of patients was 44 years old, and the presenting symptoms included hemoptysis, cough, thoracic pain, fever, and dyspnea. An endobronchial mass was seen in 75% of the cases. The histopathological study was based on the following morphological criteria: disorganized architecture with increased cellularity (8 cases; 20%), nuclear pleomorphism (14 cases; 22%), the presence of coarse chromatin (19 cases; 30%), increased mitotic activity (13 cases; 21%), enlarged nucleoli (17 cases; 27%), necrosis (12 cases; 25%), vascular permeation (8 cases; 15%), distant metastasis (6 cases; 14%). Chromogranin was the most strongly reliable immunostaining for the diagnosis. In our series the initial routine diagnosis and the diagnosis after morphological criteria evaluation matched, and in 14 cases the final diagnosis was of atypical carcinoids.

Secondary alcohol dehydrogenase as a marker of the conversion between progestagens and androgens in the rat testis.

Supraphysiological doses of LHRH-Analogue blocked the C21 to C19 steroid conversion in the mature Wistar rats testis. It was associated with inhibition of the NAD-dependent secondary alcohol-dehydrogenase (A-D II) histochemical reaction in the Leydig cells. Under this condition the treated group exhibited lower testis, seminal vesicle and prostate weights, intratesticular (IT) and plasmatic (PL) increased progesterone (P4) and decreased testosterone (T) concentrations. We also observed a decrease in the IT androstenedione (delta 4) concentration without pregnenolone (P5) change. All these data confirm a chemical castration pointing to a blockade at the level of the P450C21scc (17 alpha-hydroxylase/17-20 desmolase) enzyme complex. After hCG administration there is no difference in sexual gland weights, while steroid's biosynthesis are stimulated and all IT and PL steroid concentrations increase. A-D II showed a lower optical density in the LHRH-A treated groups and no differences in the hCG rats. The hydroxylase or lyase activity of the P450C21scc may change under certain hormonal conditions as occurs in adrenarche, probably due to conformational changes in the active site of the enzyme system since it is encoded by only one gene. We suppose that the secondary alcohol itself and not the coenzyme reacts with the enzyme active site inhibited by the LHRH-A, since the NAD dependent 3 beta, hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase (3 beta HOST-D) is affected in the opposite sense. This study shows A-D II reaction as a marker of the mediated P450C21scc enzyme complex activity in the rat testis Leydig cells.

Middle turbinate headache syndrome.

The middle turbinate and nasal septum are innervated by the anterior ethmoidal nerve, a branch of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. As reported in the classical work of Wolff (1948), stimulation of these regions causes pain in the medial canthus of the supraorbital region. Periorbital pain due to middle turbinate compression against the septum or the lateral wall of the nose may be due to congestion of the nasal mucosa or to pneumatization of the middle turbinate (concha bullosa). The diagnosis is made by exclusion and requires a high index of suspicion, anterior rhinoscopy, computerized tomography (CT), and confirmation by the lidocaine test. We present five cases of middle turbinate headache syndrome, all with concha bullosa. Four were treated surgically by partial middle turbinectomy and septoplasty more than 1 year ago, with excellent results. One patient refused surgical treatment which was suggested after failure of medical treatment with antihistamines, decongestants, and a topical corticosteroid, and continues to be symptomatic. Despite the small number of cases studied, the authors concluded that the procedure used was effective for the resolution of headache.

Effect of chronic ethanol consumption on the activities of residual small bowel brush-border enzymes after proximal jejunum resection in the rat.

Ethanol consumption has a toxic effect on the epithelium of the small bowel, but enterocyte maturity is very difficult to measure under these circumstances. However, when ethanol intake is combined with enterectomy, enterocyte immaturity is greater, permitting an easier separation of these two effects. In a group of rats (13 male Wistar rats weighing approximately 220 g) fed a liquid diet containing 35% ethanol for 4 weeks after resection of the proximal jejunum, the residual small intestine brush border maltase, sucrase, and lactase activities were similar to those of a pair-fed control group (13 animals). However, alkaline phosphatase activity was decreased in the mucosa and in the enterocyte brush border, probably because of the lower activity of this enzyme in the jejunum-ileum remnant of the alcoholic group.