Hannover, Universiẗat, Diss., 2000.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Non-Latin script record Includes bibliographical references (p. 76-87).

It has been demonstrated that EGCG and caffeine, naturally present in green tea, have thermogenic properties in thermoneutral conditions. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of the combined ingestion of EGCG/caffeine on thermogenic responses during a 3h mild cold exposure. Eight healthy males (22± 1 y) were exposed in a randomized, cross over, single blinded fashion to the cold (liquid conditioned suit perfused with 15°C water), after ingesting either a placebo (CON) or an extract of 1600mg of EGCG and 600mg of caffeine (EXP). Thermic, metabolic and electromyographic measurements were monitored at baseline and during cold exposure. After 180min of cold exposure, shivering intensity was significantly reduced by ~32% in EXP condition compared to CON. Area under the curve calculations for total shivering intensity was also reduced by ~21% in EXP (457±99 %MVC.min) compared to CON (361±81 %MVC.min; p=0.007). In contrast, the total area under curve of VO2 was ~25% higher in EXP (33.3±5.5 L O2) compared to CON (25.3±5.1 L O2; p=0.03). Total Heat production (Hprod) also increased by about 11% in the EXP condition (1535±112 kJ) compared to control (1372 ±106 kJ; p=0.002). The decrease in shivering activity combined with an increase in VO2 and Hprod, following the ingestion of EGCG and caffeine in the cold, indicates that nonshivering thermogenesis pathways can be significantly stimulated in adult humans.

It has been demonstrated that EGCG and caffeine, naturally present in green tea, have thermogenic properties in thermoneutral conditions. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of the combined ingestion of EGCG/caffeine on thermogenic responses during a 3h mild cold exposure. Eight healthy males (22± 1 y) were exposed in a randomized, cross over, single blinded fashion to the cold (liquid conditioned suit perfused with 15°C water), after ingesting either a placebo (CON) or an extract of 1600mg of EGCG and 600mg of caffeine (EXP). Thermic, metabolic and electromyographic measurements were monitored at baseline and during cold exposure. After 180min of cold exposure, shivering intensity was significantly reduced by ~32% in EXP condition compared to CON. Area under the curve calculations for total shivering intensity was also reduced by ~21% in EXP (457±99 %MVC.min) compared to CON (361±81 %MVC.min; p=0.007). In contrast, the total area under curve of VO2 was ~25% higher in EXP (33.3±5.5 L O2) compared to CON (25.3±5.1 L O2; p=0.03). Total Heat production (Hprod) also increased by about 11% in the EXP condition (1535±112 kJ) compared to control (1372 ±106 kJ; p=0.002). The decrease in shivering activity combined with an increase in VO2 and Hprod, following the ingestion of EGCG and caffeine in the cold, indicates that nonshivering thermogenesis pathways can be significantly stimulated in adult humans.

Abstract Cisplatin is one of the most effective chemotherapeutic agents used in treatment of a variety of human solid tumors. The most common adverse side effect limiting the use of Cisplatin is nephrotoxicity. Recent studies indicate that inflammatory and oxidative signaling play critical role in pathogenesis of Cisplatin related nephrotoxicity. Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity is associated with lipid peroxidation and the superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenger could prevent acute renal failure through both attenuation of tubular damage and enhanced regenerative response of the damaged tubular cells. It has been shown that green tea polyphenols with antioxidant properties inhibit inflammatory and oxidative responses in mice. However, the evidence indicating the protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major polyphenol found in green tea, on Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity is lacking. The present study is to evaluate the effect of EGCG injection on Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. The male rats were divided into four groups (n = 6 each); control group, Cisplatin group, EGCG group and Cisplatin + EGCG group. The control group received only intraperitoneal normal saline injection. Cisplatin (6 mg/kg) was given single dose intraperitoneally at day 0, EGCG (10 mg/time) was given subcutaneously at day 4, day 2 and day 0 before Cisplatin challenge and day 2 and day 4 after Cisplatin injection. Nephrotoxicity was evaluated by biochemical analysis of blood and histopathological observations of rat kidney. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-£eB) activation, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and malonyldialdehyde (MDA) content were also determined in rat kidney. Cisplatin injection induced an increase in serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and tubular necrosis, and upregulation of NF-£eB and iNOS expression and MDA content in kidney. All the increases were significantly inhibited by EGCG treatment. The results suggest that EGCG may attenuate Cisplatin induced nephrotoxicity through the anti-inflammatory/oxidative effects.

It has been demonstrated that EGCG and caffeine, naturally present in green tea, have thermogenic properties in thermoneutral conditions. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of the combined ingestion of EGCG/caffeine on thermogenic responses during a 3h mild cold exposure. Eight healthy males (22± 1 y) were exposed in a randomized, cross over, single blinded fashion to the cold (liquid conditioned suit perfused with 15°C water), after ingesting either a placebo (CON) or an extract of 1600mg of EGCG and 600mg of caffeine (EXP). Thermic, metabolic and electromyographic measurements were monitored at baseline and during cold exposure. After 180min of cold exposure, shivering intensity was significantly reduced by ~32% in EXP condition compared to CON. Area under the curve calculations for total shivering intensity was also reduced by ~21% in EXP (457±99 %MVC.min) compared to CON (361±81 %MVC.min; p=0.007). In contrast, the total area under curve of VO2 was ~25% higher in EXP (33.3±5.5 L O2) compared to CON (25.3±5.1 L O2; p=0.03). Total Heat production (Hprod) also increased by about 11% in the EXP condition (1535±112 kJ) compared to control (1372 ±106 kJ; p=0.002). The decrease in shivering activity combined with an increase in VO2 and Hprod, following the ingestion of EGCG and caffeine in the cold, indicates that nonshivering thermogenesis pathways can be significantly stimulated in adult humans.

University, Diss., 2004--Mainz.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Research in renewable energy has become a focal point as a solution to the energy crisis. One of renewable forms of energy is solar energy, with the main challenge in the development of the solar cells being the high cost. This has led to the exploration of the use of organic molecules to construct solar cells since it will lead to lowered costs of construction. The focus of this research is on the synthesis and characterisation of the polyaniline derivatives materials and zinc gallate for application in the construction of hybrid solar cells with [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as an acceptor. The polyaniline (PANi) and doped polyaniline derivatives, polyaniline phenathrene sulfonic acid (PANi-PSA), poly[ortho-methyl aniline] phenanthrene sulfonc acid (POMA-PSA) poly[ortho-methyl aniline] anthracene sulfonc acid (POMA-ASA) were produced via chemical synthetic procedures. The zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4) was also produced using a chemical method. The vibrational and electronic spectra of the polymers and zinc gallate were interrogated independently and dependently. Electronic transitions due to charge defects (polarons and bipolarons) were observed for the polymers that are doped. The PANi was the one with the lowest band gap of 2.4 eV with the POMA-ASA having the widest bandgap of 3.0 eV. The XRD and TEM analysis of the polymers revealed characteristics that show that the PANi has the highest level of crystallinity and the POMA-ASA displayed the least level of crystallinity. The electronic data, XRD, TEM data led to the conclusion that the conductivity of the polymers is decreasing in the following sequence, PANi > PANi-PSA > POMA-PSA > POMA-ASA. The photoluminescence of the polymers alone and with the nanoparticles was investigated in solution and on an ITO coated glass substrate. Photoluminescence was observed for the polymers due to relaxation of the exciton and also from the formation of excimers. The relaxation due to the exciton was observed at higher energy levels, while the one that is as a result of the excimer formation was seen at lower energy levels. Enhancement of the peak due to the excimer was observed when the compound is mixed with the nanoparticles in solution. When the analysis was done on the ITO coated glass substrate, it was found that zinc gallate does not lead to quenching of the emission of the polymers; hence it can not be used as an acceptor in this particular system. The electrochemical behaviour of the polyaniline derivatives was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Interaction of the polymers with the PCBM (acceptor) was investigated using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. It was able to quench the photoluminescence of the polymers. Hence it was used as an acceptor in the construction of the photovoltaic cells. The polymers alone and with the nanoparticles were used in the formation of bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells with PCBM as an acceptor. The photovoltaic behaviour was investigated and PANi was the one that displayed the highest efficiency.

It has been demonstrated that EGCG and caffeine, naturally present in green tea, have thermogenic properties in thermoneutral conditions. The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of the combined ingestion of EGCG/caffeine on thermogenic responses during a 3h mild cold exposure. Eight healthy males (22± 1 y) were exposed in a randomized, cross over, single blinded fashion to the cold (liquid conditioned suit perfused with 15°C water), after ingesting either a placebo (CON) or an extract of 1600mg of EGCG and 600mg of caffeine (EXP). Thermic, metabolic and electromyographic measurements were monitored at baseline and during cold exposure. After 180min of cold exposure, shivering intensity was significantly reduced by ~32% in EXP condition compared to CON. Area under the curve calculations for total shivering intensity was also reduced by ~21% in EXP (457±99 %MVC.min) compared to CON (361±81 %MVC.min; p=0.007). In contrast, the total area under curve of VO2 was ~25% higher in EXP (33.3±5.5 L O2) compared to CON (25.3±5.1 L O2; p=0.03). Total Heat production (Hprod) also increased by about 11% in the EXP condition (1535±112 kJ) compared to control (1372 ±106 kJ; p=0.002). The decrease in shivering activity combined with an increase in VO2 and Hprod, following the ingestion of EGCG and caffeine in the cold, indicates that nonshivering thermogenesis pathways can be significantly stimulated in adult humans.

Basal-like breast cancer represents a subgroup of mammary cancers associated with a particularly poor prognosis, as they are refractory to current targeted therapies employed for the treatment of breast cancer. In this work I aimed to explore the therapeutic potential of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), a targeted breast cancer treatment, in combination with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), for the treatment of basal-like breast cancer, using MDA-MB-231 cell as an in vitro model of the disease. A significant reduction in MDA-MB-231 cell number and a significant increase in cytotoxicity was observed following treatment with 25 [mu]M of EGCG in combination with 1 [mu]M of 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) (EGCG+4-OHT) or 4 [mu]M of raloxifene (EGCG+Ral) over a 36 h time course. However, these effects were not resolved in time, with an increase in G₁-phase cell cycle arrest. Changes in the metabolism of EGCG were dismissed as a possible mechanism through which the combination treatments may be eliciting the cytotoxicity. Changes in the expression and phosphorylation of various signaling proteins, important for the proliferation and survival of basal-like breast cancer, were investigated through Western blotting. Interestingly, the two combination treatments produced very similar results; reductions in the phosphorylation of EGFR and AKT occurred after 6, 12, and 18 h with EGCG+4-OHT and 6, 12, 18 and 24 h with EGCG+Ral, while a reduction in S6K phosphorylation was observed following 6, 12, 18 and 24 h of both combination treatments. Interestingly, both SERMs contributed significantly to the net reduction in S6K phosphorylation, induced by the combination treatments. Both combination treatments were also associated with a significant increase in the phosphorylation and total expression of stress activated protein kinases, p38 and JNK1/2 following 12, 18 and 24 h of treatment. As changes were observed at an intracellular signaling level, the effect of the combination treatments were investigated at the transcriptomic level after 18 h of treatment, using human oligonucleotide microarrays. This transcriptomic analysis revealed that both combination treatments reduced the transcript expression of five enzymes involved with cholesterol synthesis, which was confirmed through qRT-PCR. Cholesterol is an important component of the plasma membrane and is critical for the transduction of extracellular signals. Furthermore, both combination treatments induced the transcriptomic expression of the zinc coordinating metallothionein (MT) proteins. This was associated with an increased nuclear localization of MTF-1, the transcription factor responsible for MT expression, after 6, 12 and 18 h of both combination treatments. Finally, nuclear Western blotting of the NF-[kappa]B subunit, p65, revealed that both combination treatments reduced the nuclear localization of NF-[kappa]B following 6, 12 and 18 h. In collating this data, it appears that the combination treatments of EGCG+4-OHT and EGCG+Ral are inducing cytotoxicity through various mechanisms, including reduced cellular signaling through EGFR, AKT and S6K, increased stress signaling through JNK1/2 and p38 and altered gene expression of MTs and enzymes involved with cholesterol synthesis. Therefore, the combination treatment of EGCG+SERMs exhibits therapeutic potential in MDA-MB-231 cells, a model of basal-like breast cancer.