Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006. / Prepared for: Dept. of Psychology. Bibliography: leaves 100-127. Also available online.

Thesis (M. Med. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rhode Island, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-141).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2005. / Typescript (photocopy). "December 2005." Includes bibliographical references. Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Pharmacy)) - Rhodes University, 2007.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University / The purpose of the present study was to determine whether positive reinforcement, chlorpromazine and secobarbital alter the ability of chronic schizophrenics to maintain sustained attention and whether these affect their psychomotor functioning. Eight male, chronic schizophrenic patients, with an age range of 25-50 and in good physical health, served as the subjects. All subjects had been hospitalized continuously for at least three years. Medication was discontinued for all subjects two months before the study started. In the course of the study, each subject was tested twice under all of the following conditions: no-drug, placebo, chlorpromazine 100 mg, chlorpromazine 200 mg, secobarbital 100 mg, secobarbital 200 mg. The drugs were given once weekly in single doses. A testing day consisted of four sessions: 1/2, 1 1/2, 2 1/2, and 3 1/2 hours post-medication. The different drug conditions were administered according to a modified Latin Square design with each active drug following each other active drug an equal number of times. Half of the trials in each session were reinforced by candy and cigarettes and the other half were not. Two tests were employed: The Continuous Performance Test (CPT), and the Subject Paced Test (SPT). On the CPT, a test of sustained attention, a subject is required to respond, by pulling a lever, to one of twelve letters which are randomly exposed at the rate of 1.10 sec. for a period of .10 second.[TRUNCATED]

Background: Non-prescription medicines (NPMs) may be misused, abused and lead to dependence. Aims and methods • To determine the prevalence of self-reported NPM misuse, abuse and dependence in the general population and to explore factors predictive of misuse or abuse using a cross-sectional postal survey (n=411). • To identify the perceived barriers and enablers to seeking treatment for NPM dependence using qualitative semi-structured interviews with individuals dependent on NPMs (n=8). • To establish how NPM dependence is managed by specialist clinicians using an online survey (n=83) and to identify the perceived barriers and enablers to providing treatment using qualitative semi-structured interviews with a subset of survey respondents (n=11). Results A response rate of 43.4% (411/946) was achieved for the general population survey. The lifetime prevalence was 19.3% for NPM misuse, 4.1% for abuse and 2% for dependence. Factors significantly predictive of misuse or abuse were younger age, having a long-standing illness requiring regular use of NPMs and ever having used illicit drugs or legal highs. The most frequently mentioned barriers to seeking treatment were insufficient knowledge about treatment and how to access it, and a perceived lack of services or healthcare professionals which could provide appropriate help. Most clinicians had encountered cases of NPM dependence and prescribed opiate replacement therapy to treat it. The most frequently identified barriers to providing treatment were limited resources or capacity and the challenges presented by individuals dependent on NPMs. Conclusion There is a need for greater awareness of the potential for NPM misuse, abuse and dependence among the general population and healthcare professionals. The general population should be made aware that treatment is available and how to access it. Healthcare professionals should be equipped to provide treatment or signpost individuals to appropriate services that will provide treatment.

Elemental detection is an emerging area in bioanalysis. Thanks to the rapid advancement in instrumentation such as inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), low detection limit and quick analysis can be achieved. Besides, ICP-MS also suffers less matrix effect as compared to molecular mass spectrometry, so a precise and accurate detection of toxic or essential elements can be provided. Different types of sample introduction or separation systems such as laser ablation (LA) and liquid chromatograph (LC) are excellent hyphenation options for the elemental detection apart from the total analysis of standalone ICP-MS analysis. Spatial analysis and speciation of the two mentioned techniques provide additional merits to the elemental detection in bioanalysis.;LA-ICP-MS makes use of a laser to ablate the solid sample, and the generated sample aerosol is then transferred to ICP-MS for detection. It can be used for bioimaging. There are examples of LA mapping of biological tissues to reveal the spatial distribution of metal, to study the neurodegenerated disease in brain or the accumulation in metallodrug in tumor mass. In order to incorporate the imaging tool in drug development, in the first part of this thesis, LA-ICP-MS bioimaging of liver and kidney was performed to compare the differential spatial distribution of two structurally different platinum-based anti-cancer drug candidates. It was expected that this approach can assist the chemical modification in drug development.;To put this idea a step further, the spatial analysis tool was tested for its potential in therapeutic drug monitoring. Hair profiling in whiskers of mice treated with vanadium anti-diabetic complex or gadolinium-based contrasting agents at different dosage levels were conducted. Results shown that different deposition behaviors and accumulation/elimination profile can be observed, demonstrating a great potential in routine clinical application.;On the other hand, LC-ICP-MS offers the possibility for speciation study. Several accessories for organic solvent introduction in ICP-MS make the coupling of reverse phase chromatography using high percentage of organic solvent in the mobile phase more convenient. To demonstrate the advantage of this configuration, a speciation of bromine-containing drug in mice urine and plasma was included in the last part of this project for metabolite profiling study.;In Short, this work presents several useful hyphenated techniques of ICP-MS in bioanalysis, proving the tremendous potential of elemental detection in drug development (assisting molecular modification in drug design and metabolite profiling) and therapeutic drug monitoring (hair profiling)

No description available.

Various potential metabolites of steroids with alkylating properties were synthesised, with important cellular in order that their reaction constituents and their mutagenicity could be investigated by Dr. Grover of the Chester Beatty Research Institute. Promising compounds were also investigated by Dr. Traynor, of Loughborough University, as part of an ongoing project to find selectively toxic compounds to estrogen dependant tumours.