Bonn Potential and Shell-Model Calculations for 206,205,204Pb

The structure of the nuclei 206,205,204Pb is studied interms of shell model employing a realistic effective interaction derived from the Bonn A nucleon-nucleon potential. The energy spectra, binding energies and electromagnetic properties are calculated and compared with experiment. A very good overall agreement is obtained. This evidences the reliability of our realistic effective interaction and encourages use of modern realistic potentials in shell-model calculations for heavy-mass nuclei.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review

Sleep study, respiratory mechanics, chemosensitive response and quality of life in morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity is a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries alike and leads to a series of changes in respiratory physiology. There is a strong correlation between obesity and cardiopulmonary sleep disorders. Weight loss among such patients leads to a reduction in these alterations in respiratory physiology, but clinical treatment is not effective for a long period of time. Thus, bariatric surgery is a viable option.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The present study involves patients with morbid obesity (BMI of 40 kg/m²or 35 kg/m²to 39.9 kg/m²with comorbidities), candidates for bariatric surgery, screened at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital in the city of Sao Paulo (Brazil). The inclusion criteria are grade III morbid obesity, an indication for bariatric surgery, agreement to participate in the study and a signed term of informed consent. The exclusion criteria are BMI above 55 kg/m², clinically significant or unstable mental health concerns, an unrealistic postoperative target weight and/or unrealistic expectations of surgical treatment. Bariatric surgery candidates who meet the inclusion criteria will be referred to Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital and will be reviewed again 30, 90 and 360 days following surgery. Data collection will involve patient records, personal data collection, objective assessment of HR, BP, neck circumference, chest and abdomen, collection and analysis of clinical preoperative findings, polysomnography, pulmonary function test and a questionnaire on sleepiness.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This paper describes a randomised controlled trial of morbidly obese patients. Polysomnography, respiratory mechanics, chemosensitive response and quality of life will be assessed in patients undergoing or not undergoing bariatric surgery.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>The protocol for this study is registered with the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials - ReBEC (RBR-9k9hhv).</p

Energy Metabolism in H460 Lung Cancer Cells: Effects of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Tumor cells are characterized by accelerated growth usually accompanied by up-regulated pathways that ultimately increase the rate of ATP production. These cells can suffer metabolic reprogramming, resulting in distinct bioenergetic phenotypes, generally enhancing glycolysis channeled to lactate production. In the present work we showed metabolic reprogramming by means of inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDACis), sodium butyrate and trichostatin. This treatment was able to shift energy metabolism by activating mitochondrial systems such as the respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation that were largely repressed in the untreated controls. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Various cellular and biochemical parameters were evaluated in lung cancer H460 cells treated with the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis), sodium butyrate (NaB) and trichostatin A (TSA). NaB and TSA reduced glycolytic flux, assayed by lactate release by H460 cells in a concentration dependent manner. NaB inhibited the expression of glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT 1), but substantially increased mitochondria bound hexokinase (HK) activity. NaB induced increase in HK activity was associated to isoform HK I and was accompanied by 1.5 fold increase in HK I mRNA expression and cognate protein biosynthesis. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and pyruvate kinase (PYK) activities were unchanged by HDACis suggesting that the increase in the HK activity was not coupled to glycolytic flux. High resolution respirometry of H460 cells revealed NaB-dependent increased rates of oxygen consumption coupled to ATP synthesis. Metabolomic analysis showed that NaB altered the glycolytic metabolite profile of intact H460 cells. Concomitantly we detected an activation of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). The high O(2) consumption in NaB-treated cells was shown to be unrelated to mitochondrial biogenesis since citrate synthase (CS) activity and the amount of mitochondrial DNA remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: NaB and TSA induced an increase in mitochondrial function and oxidative metabolism in H460 lung tumor cells concomitant with a less proliferative cellular phenotype