Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz, 1984. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-113).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1984. / Typescript. Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-78).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1966. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

M.A. / The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological barriers to the cessation of smoking behaviour as experienced by addictive smokers in a South African context, and also to assess the relative importance of these barriers. These barriers were viewed as arising from perceptions of the costs and benefits or pros and cons of smoking and smoking cessation. This cognitive appraisal process was understood as being a series of schema for comprehending both the cognitive and motivational aspects of human planning for future action. The transtheoretical or stages of change model was used as a theoretical framework upon which the research was constructed. The model holds that two interrelated dimensions are necessary in order to adequately assess the behaviour modification of smoking and other such health compromising behaviours: stages of change and processes of change. Stages of change refer to the temporal, motivational, and constancy aspects of change while processes of change focus on activities and events that facilitate successful modification of a problem behaviour such as smoking, and represent coping activities used to modify smoking behaviour. The study hypothesized firstly that precontemplative smokers would demonstrate the highest ratings on the risks of smoking cessation and the lowest ratings on the benefits, while smokers in the contemplation stage would demonstrate a greater balance of risks and benefits of smoking cessation and smokers in the preparation stage would demonstrate highest ratings on the benefits of smoking cessation and the lowest ratings on the risks. In this way the study assessed the validity of various stages of change research in a South African context regarding the weighing up of the pros and cons of smoking behaviour and the expected linear shift in perceptions as the action stage is approached. However, for the purposes of the research conducted, the contemplation and preparation stages were combined to form what was referred to as the planning stage. Secondly, the study hypothesized that at each of the various stages, certain perceptions of the risks and benefits of smoking cessation would emerge as being of greater significance than others. A positivist approach to theory and investigation was utilized for the purposes of conducting the research. In accordance with this approach, quantitative self report data was collected. The Perceived Risks and Benefits Questionnaire was used as a means of assessing the perceived risks and benefits associated with smoking cessation. The results of this study demonstrated that stages of change did indeed have an effect on the way in which the risks and benefits of smoking cessation were perceived. In this regard, the variations between the various stages were in accordance with the findings of prior stages of change research. Certain risks and benefits also emerged as being of greater significance than others for smokers in the various stages. Results also underlined the importance taking a smokers stage of change of change into account when considering smoking cessation programmes. Processes of change as identified within the transtheoretical model emerged here as having a potentially important role to play, but more research investigating the matching of stages and processes of change in a South African context is required. In addition, it is also recommended that future research in this area be conducted within a variety of demographic and socio-economic contexts in South Africa. Research that is longitudinal in nature is also viewed as being potentially beneficial, as is research of a qualitative nature. Such investigations are viewed as important because they would continue to enrich our understanding of the journey towards smoking cessation as experienced by South African smokers. / Dr. Hilton Rudnick

The purpose of this study is to look at compulsive eaters' attitudes toward their feelings and also to study general attitudes toward fat and thinness in our society. This work was stimulated by Susie Orbach's (1978) reformulation of why women eat compulsively. Before reviewing her theory in detail, it seems useful to look at how overeating has been studied in the past. It is important to keep in mind that while Orbach is concerned with overeating, she is less concerned with overweight per ce (obesity), but rather with eating not related to physiological hunger. Thus obese individuals would be seen as a subset of compulsive eaters, with the other group consisting of those people who are at their normal weight but maintain this weight only through obsessing about their weight and dieting in general.

Methadone is currently the most widely used agent to manage opioid dependence, but clinical experience has highlighted some limitations with its use. In particular, a relatively high proportion of patients complain of breakthrough withdrawal symptoms ( non - holding ) at apparently adequate methadone doses. Levo - alpha - acetylmethadol ( LAAM ) is a long acting opioid that is likely to benefit methadone non - holders ; however, relatively little is known about its pharmacology at steady state. The primary aim of this thesis was to evaluate LAAM as an alternative maintenance pharmacotherapy to methadone for the treatment of non - holders ; subsidiary aims were to elucidate the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of LAAM and its active metabolites ( nor - and dinor - LAAM ), and to examine the in vitro activity of LAAM, nor - and dinor - LAAM. Sixteen methadone maintenance patients ( non - holders = 8 ) were recruited to participate in a randomised, crossover trial of LAAM and methadone. At steady state there were two testing sessions ( 24 h for methadone and 48 h for LAAM ) that featured the concurrent measurement of plasma drug concentrations and both subjective and physiological indices of opioid effect. Cognitive and psychomotor functions were also assessed once during each inter - dosing interval study. Ten age - and gender - matched controls were also tested. The peak magnitude of methadone ' s and LAAM ' s effects were similar. Compared to methadone, LAAM was associated with more stable and less severe withdrawal and mood disturbance. The general pattern of symptom complaints and cognitive function was similar for both drugs. Severity of mood disturbance and withdrawal was similar in holders on methadone and LAAM, but was greater in non - holders when they were taking methadone than LAAM. In comparison to plasma ( R ) - ( - ) methadone, plasma nor - and dinor - LAAM concentrations fluctuated little over the dosing interval. Furthermore, nor - and dinor - LAAM were both more potent in the guinea - pig ileum bioassay, and had greater affinity for mu opioid receptors in receptor binding studies, than LAAM. In conclusion, LAAM converted methadone non - holders into LAAM holders. It is proposed that it is the relatively flat plasma concentration - time profile for nor - and dinor - LAAM that confer stability of opioid effect, minimising withdrawal. Therefore, LAAM may have a role in selected patients, whose response to methadone is suboptimal. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Medical Sciences, 2006.

Synthesis and Pharmacology of Potential Site-Directed Therapeutic Agents for Cocaine Abuse Susanna Moore 235 Pages Directed by Dr. David M. Collard and Dr. Howard M. Deutsch Stimulants such as cocaine continue to dominate the nations illicit drug problem. An effective medication for any aspect of cocaine addiction has not been developed. Cocaine binds, although not selectively, to the dopamine transporter (DAT) and disrupts normal dopamine (DA) neurotransmission between neurons. While the dopamine hypothesis for the mechanism of action of cocaine has been widely accepted, cocaine also possesses the ability to block the uptake of serotonin at the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and norepinephrine at the norepinephrine transporter (NET). The purpose of the work described herein is directed towards synthesizing and testing compounds selective for the DAT, leading to the identification of candidates as potential pharmacotherapies for cocaine dependence. A series of disubstituted and trisubstituted [2.2.2] and [2.2.1]bicycles were synthesized and tested for inhibitor potency in [3H]WIN 35,428 (WIN) binding at the DAT and for inhibition of [3H]DA uptake. Based on results from some of the pharmacology data new regio- and stereochemical isomers of bicyclic [2.2.1]heptanes and [2.2.2]octanes were synthesized. This will lead to further structure-activity-relationships, which will provide a better understanding of the structural requirements needed to bind at the DAT.

Thesis (M. Nurs.)--University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Title from title frame. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 107-117).

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