by Choi, Chi Fung. / "September 2007." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1980.

It has been proposed that the protective systems (photorespiration, the anti-oxidant system and non-radiative energy dissipation) alleviate or reduce photoinhibitory damage under high light conditions. To investigate the role of these mechanisms in C4 photosynthetic species, nine day old Zea mays seedlings were photoinhibited (30 minutes of 2500 J,Lmol m-2 s-1 PPFD) in the presence of various concentrations of 02 or CO2; or by photoinhibiting leaves in N2 after they had been fed glycolate or phosphoglycerate via the transpiration stream. The extent of the photoinhibition and the subsequent recovery from the photoinhibitory treatments was monitored with both CO2 gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorometry. Photoinhibitory treatments resulted in both a decrease in the rate of CO2 fixation and an interruption of PSII electron transport. CO2 response curves were used to monitor the efficiency of the carboxylation processes and the level of carbon metabolism substrate cycling during recovery following photoinhibitory treatments. Both were decreased by the treatment and recovered once leaves were returned to normal conditions. Low concentrations of 02 (2%) markedly reduced the extent of the photoinhibition. This protection could not be accounted for by photorespiration, which would be inoperative at such a low 02 concentration. Leaves fed glycolate exhibited enhanced photoinhibtion. It is also unlikely that the anti-oxidant system (Mehler reaction and associated glutathione and ascorbate reactions) could utilize sufficient reductant at such low 02 concentrations to produce the observed protection. Leaves inhibited in the presence of 02 had decreased maximum fluorescence yields (Fm) and little altered initial fluorescence yields (F0)' resulting in decreased PSlI efficiency (Fv/Fm)' Photoinhibition resulted in a small increase in the slow relaxing component (60 minute) of non-radiative energy dissipation. This component became more predominant as the 02 concentration was increased. The rate constant for photochemistry was also decreased by the inhibitory treatment. Leaves supplied with CO2 at a concentration above 50 J,Lmol mol-1 exhibited little photoinihibition suggesting that the protection was not due to a quantitative utilization of energy. PGA, fed via the transpiration strea~ enhanced the photoinhibition, suggesting that more than just the Benson-Calvin cycle is required to protect C4 plants from photoinhibition. At CO2 concentrations below this, the Fv/FID ratio was decreased due to large increases in the F0 values. Fm was little altered. These changes are characteristic of a decrease in the rate constant for photochemistry. The rate constant for non-radiative energy dissipation was little altered by the photoinhibition. The protection observed in the presence of either CO2 or 02 was not due to a quantitative utilization of energy and the different responses of F0' Fm and the rate constants KD and Kp, suggest that different mechanisms were operative in the presence or absence of oxygen. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1990.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Brown University, 2005. / Vita. Thesis advisor: Samuel I. Beale. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-146). Also available online.

published_or_final_version / Biochemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Two separate aspects involving the thiophenes of the Tageteae (Asteraceae) were investigated. The first concerned the distribution of four thiophenes in Tagetes patula L. which were examined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The derivatives were found to be differentially distributed throughout hydroponically grown plants. The predominant thiophenes in roots were 5-(4-acetoxy-1-butenyl)-2,2'-bithienyl (BBT-OAc) and 5-(buten-3-ynyl)-2,2'-bithienyl (BBT). BBT-OAc was the main derivative in shoots, whereas 2,2':5',2''-terthienyl (alpha-T) was the major compound in flower petals. BBT and one unidentified compound were found to occur in leaf glands. The levels of BBT-OAc in shoots and BBT-OAc and BBT in roots increased over the life of the plant and reached a plateau following flowering. Alpha-T in roots and both alpha-T and BBT in shoots remained at low levels over the life of the plant while 5-(4-hydroxy-1-butenyl)-2,2'-bithienyl (BBT-OH) was found to be an minor component of roots or shoots. Fourteen species from four genera of the tribe Tageteae were also screened for the presence of thiophenes by HPLC. Representatives of Dyssodia, Porophyllum, and Tagetes all contained thiophenes, but none were detected in species of Pectis. The second part of this study concerned the photobiocidal effects of isolated thiophenes on Escherichia coli B which was used as a model biological system. Alpha-terthienyl (alpha-T), in the presence of UV-A irradiation (320nm-400nm), was found to be a Type II photosensitizer which required oxygen for the expression of biological activity. Scavenger studies with sodium azide and BHT suggested that both singlet oxygen and superoxide were generated by the photosensitized reaction. Cellular inactivation by alpha-T was sensitive to temperature and studies with recombination deficient mutants of E. coli K-12 did not indicate that damage to cellular DNA occurred. Proteins were found to be substantially affected by the photoactivated reaction. SDS-gel electrophoresis revealed that both cytoplasmic and membrane-associated proteins might be. crosslinked following treatment with alpha-T and UV-A. / Science, Faculty of / Botany, Department of / Graduate

Metallophthalocyanine complexes containing non-transition metals are very useful as sensitizers for photodynamic therapy, a cure for cancer that is based on visible light activation of tumour localized photo sensitizers. Excited sensitizers generate singlet oxygen as the main hyperactive species that destroy the tumour. Water soluble sensitizers are sought after for the convenience of delivery into the body. Thus, phthalocyanine (pc), tetrapyridinoporphyrazines (tppa) and tetramethyltetrapyridinoporphyrazines (tmtppa) with non-transition central metal atoms of Ge, Si, Sn and Zn were studied. First was the synthesis of these complexes, followed by their characterisation. The characterisation involved the use of ultraviolet and visible absorption spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electrochemical properties and elemental analysis. Photochemical properties of the complexes were then investigated. Photolysis of these macrocycles showed two processes; -reduction of the dye and photobleaching, which leads to the disintegration of the conjugated chromophore structure of the dye. Photobleaching is the reductive quenching of the excited state of the sensitizers. The intensity of the quenching decreased progressively from tmtppa, tppa to pc metal complexes with photobleaching quantum yields, 6.6 x 10.5⁻¹, 1.8 x 10.5⁻¹ and 5.4 x 10⁻⁶ for Zntmtppa, Zntppa and Znpc, respectively. Efficiency of singlet oxygen sensitization is solvent dependent with very different values obtained for the same compound in different solvents, for example, 0.25 and 0.38 were observed as singlet oxygen quantum yields for Gepc complex in DMSO and DMF respectively. In DMSO the efficiency of ¹O₂ generation decrease considerably from pc to tppa and finally tmtppa. In water Getmtppa exhibits much higher singlet oxygen quantum yield, hence promising to be effective as a sensitizer for photodynamic therapy.

Pancreatic cancer kills over 1700 people each year in Australia. In 2000, there were 1908 new cases diagnosed and it remains one of the least treatable malignancies. In the USA, it was the fourth leading cause of cancer death in 2004, with 31,860 new cases and 31,270 recorded deaths. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel, potentially useful treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer with only limited research and clinical work addressing this until now. PDT induces non-thermal, cytotoxic and ischaemic injury to a targeted volume of tissue. During PDT, a photosensitizer is activated by non-thermal light in the presence of oxygen, generating cytotoxic oxygen species and inducing cellular injury and microvascular occlusion. The aim of this thesis was to conduct an animal safety study using two second generation photosensitizers, talaporfin sodium and verteporfin, to assess the risks of pancreatic PDT by looking at injury to organs adjacent to the pancreas and assessing recovery from PDT treatment of the pancreas. The Syrian Golden hamster animal model was used to compare the results of this research to previous work by other authors. The study design incorporated a number of additional experiments, including quantitative tissue fluorescence techniques, plasma level analysis and histopathology techniques. The methods for the animal safety study were similar to the approach used in the clinical setting and provided vital data on the likely risks and side effects of phototherapy in humans. The first study, looking at talaporfin sodium, found likely risks of duodenal injury, gastric injury and death with a limited effect on normal pancreas at photosensitizer doses likely to be employed for pancreatic cancer PDT. The second study, using verteporfin, found similar results with a more potent effect on the normal pancreas at studied drug doses. Both agents had short drug-light intervals, ranging from 15 minutes to 2 hours, reducing the need for pre-treatment hospitalization and short photosensitivity periods of about one to two weeks. Some animals suffered minor cutaneous photosensitivity injuries. A human pancreatic cancer PDT pilot study is feasible and the risks and complications should be acceptable.

Pancreatic cancer kills over 1700 people each year in Australia. In 2000, there were 1908 new cases diagnosed and it remains one of the least treatable malignancies. In the USA, it was the fourth leading cause of cancer death in 2004, with 31,860 new cases and 31,270 recorded deaths. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel, potentially useful treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer with only limited research and clinical work addressing this until now. PDT induces non-thermal, cytotoxic and ischaemic injury to a targeted volume of tissue. During PDT, a photosensitizer is activated by non-thermal light in the presence of oxygen, generating cytotoxic oxygen species and inducing cellular injury and microvascular occlusion. The aim of this thesis was to conduct an animal safety study using two second generation photosensitizers, talaporfin sodium and verteporfin, to assess the risks of pancreatic PDT by looking at injury to organs adjacent to the pancreas and assessing recovery from PDT treatment of the pancreas. The Syrian Golden hamster animal model was used to compare the results of this research to previous work by other authors. The study design incorporated a number of additional experiments, including quantitative tissue fluorescence techniques, plasma level analysis and histopathology techniques. The methods for the animal safety study were similar to the approach used in the clinical setting and provided vital data on the likely risks and side effects of phototherapy in humans. The first study, looking at talaporfin sodium, found likely risks of duodenal injury, gastric injury and death with a limited effect on normal pancreas at photosensitizer doses likely to be employed for pancreatic cancer PDT. The second study, using verteporfin, found similar results with a more potent effect on the normal pancreas at studied drug doses. Both agents had short drug-light intervals, ranging from 15 minutes to 2 hours, reducing the need for pre-treatment hospitalization and short photosensitivity periods of about one to two weeks. Some animals suffered minor cutaneous photosensitivity injuries. A human pancreatic cancer PDT pilot study is feasible and the risks and complications should be acceptable.

This study was designed to determine the effect of environmental lighting on growth, reproduction and behavior in turkeys. During the growth phase a Large White and a Medium White line of turkeys were reared on an intermittent (2L:2D) or a diurnal (12L:l2D) light regimens under white, red (650 nm) or blue (450 nm) light environments. The turkeys grew faster under blue light than under red or white light up to 16 weeks of age. However, by 24 weeks of age, the rates of gain were significantly greater under the white and red lights. Growth rates were significantly greater under the intermittent regimen as compared to the diurnal regimen for both lines and sexes. The greatest acceleration in growth rate was observed from 4 to 10 weeks of age with this advantage still evident at 24 weeks of age. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency due to regimen or color. Early mortality was highest under blue light but late mortality was greater under red and white light. Mortality was higher for the LW than MW birds. Live grades were unaffected by light regimen or color but feather condition was poorest for birds reared under white diurnal regimen. The light color and regimen had no significant effect on the histological and physiological parameters measured. However, measurements of sexual development tended to be lower in both sexes for birds reared under blue light. Turkeys growing under the blue light regimens were the most placid while those reared under the white diurnal regimen were the most nervous. In the reproductive phase, medium white turkeys from each growth phase regimen and color combination were placed into white, red and blue light pens. Mating behavior measures were higher under red and white light than under blue light. In addition, rearing of turkeys under blue lights appeared to reduce sexual behavior in Experiment 2. For most mating behavior measures, the optimum light color combination appeared to be the white growth-white reproductive light program. While all mating behavior measures were continually lower for turkeys reared under intermittent light than those reared under a diurnal regimen, these differences were not significantly different. Turkeys exhibited two types of agonistic behavior. Fights between toms and hens occurred regularly in the blue reproductive light pens and rarely in the others. The majority of the fights occurred among hens and toms reared under red light. Toms from blue growth phase pens and subsequently placed in the red reproductive light environments, exhibited a super-aggressive behavior towards any human entering those pens. Egg production and semen volume measures were significantly greater for turkeys in the red and white reproductive pens than for those under the blue light conditions. The hens in the red and white growth pens came into egg production prematurely at 27 weeks of age when maintained on an intermittent light regimen during the growth phase. / Ph. D.