[The image of God in old age]. / Gottesvorstellungen älterer Menschen.

The image of God in old age was explored in a group of 32 probands over 65 years (18 women, 14 men; mean age 71.4) and a control group of youths between 20 and 29 years (15 women, 16 men; mean age 20.6) using different questionnaires -- the God concept, personal relationship to God and emotional inclinations and feelings towards God as well as 3 scales for the determination of mental health status. The findings show a tight relationship between the concepts (images) of an emotional, protecting God and feelings of being sheltered and being near to God. Also there was a highly positive correlation between self reflection, life affirmation and stable emotionality and the concepts of a guiding, shelter giving God, whose nearness can be directly experienced. The image of God of the older probands showed special characteristics like "a God who guides", "an empathetic God", and "a God, whose nearness can be experienced", but also "a strict and punishing God" and "a God who created everything". An interesting gender difference in the image of God was found dominantly in the old aged: while the old men stressed a strict law and order God, the old women emphasized the aspects of emotionality, care, and nearness. The results of this study show the necessity of emphasizing an age- and gender-specific pastoral health care, so that the religious dimension could be a constructive coping strategy for successful aging.

Cissus stem gum as potential dispersant in pharmaceutical liquid systems 2: The emulsifying and suspending properties.

The emulsifying and suspending properties of a new gum derived from the stem of cissus rufescence family Amphelidaceae were studied. Stability of the liquid paraffin emulsions prepared using this mucilaginous substance was compared with that containing tragacanth or acacia. The rate of globule coalescence was determined using Sherman's equation for concentrated emulsions. The suspending ability of the polymer was compared with that of tragacanth or compound tragacanth. The rate of deflocculation, K, was found to obey a power law equation: beta t = beta 0 e-kt in zinc oxide suspensions. At concentrations above 0.75% w/v, cissus gum produced liquid paraffin emulsion with minimal separation. The rate of globule coalescence was in the order acacia > cissus > tragacanth and rate of creaming was tragacanth > acacia > cissus. At concentrations of 0.6 to 1.0% w/v, cissus gum produced highly flocculated zinc oxide suspensions, which exhibited good redispersibility. Stability of the agglomerated, dispersed particles was similar to that produced using tagacanth mucilage.

Cissus stem gum as potential dispersant in pharmaceutical liquid systems: rheological characterization.

A Co-axial viscometer, the Haake-Rotovisco, was used studying the rheological behaviour of aqueous dispersion of cissus stem gum. At concentrations of 4% w/v and above, the mucilage is both pseudoplastic and thixotropic. Two equations derived from a power law expression for apparent viscosity(h): h = ekc + b were solved simultaneously (c = 4 and 8% w/v) in the determination of material constants k and b for cissus gum. The apparent viscosity of the polymeric liquid system was affected by concentration of the gum, pH, temperature and aging.

Use of acryclic and metacrylic acid derivatives as sustained release matrices for theophylline hydrate tablets.

Carbopol 941, an acrylic acid polymer and "Eudragit L100-55, a metacylic acid polymer, were compared as sustained release matrix devices for theophylline hydrate tablets. The theophylline tablets containing 0 to 30% of either of the polymer were prepared using the direct compression method. In vitro drug release studies were carried out in 0.1 N HCl, simulated gastric fluid without pepsin (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid without pancreatin (SIF). A relatively prolonged release of theophylline from the two polymer matrices for an 8 hr-release period was detected. At 20% w/w and in 0.1 N HCl there were no significant drug releases from the two matrices within the first 2 hrs; after this period, carbopol 941 exerted a more retardant effect on drug releases. At 30% w/w, release rate from Eudragit L100-55 was faster for a 6 hr period with a steady state release maintained at 50% for 4 hrs. The rates of theophylline release from the matrices depended on the pH of the dissolution media and on the properties of the two matrices. While drug release from Carbopol 941 was faster in acidic media, faster release occurred from Eudragit L100-55 in alkaline medium. Drug release kinetics from the two matrices was of a general mixed order, but the first order and the diffusion-controlled mechanism were occurring simultaneously. We can conclude that carbopol 941 can be considered a better-sustained release matrix in directly compressed theophylline tablets comparing with Eudragit L100-55.

In vitro properties of ciprofloxacin suppositories formulated with glycerogelatin and theobroma oil bases.

Ciprofloxacin suppositories formulated with glycerogelatin approximately nd theobroma oil bases were evaluated for in vitro bioavailability in 0.01N sodium hydroxide (pH approximately 10) and in phosphate buffer (pE- approximately 7.8). The release of ciprofloxacin from the two bases under conditions which simulated the conditions in the rectum was assessed using isolated pig rectum. The release of ciprofloxacin was faster from theobroma oil base than from glycerogelatin base using 0.01N sodium hydroxide as the dissolution medium. The cumulative amount of ciprofloxacin released was markedly reduced from each of the two bases in the presence of isolated pig's rectum and in phosphate buffer.

Use of dika fat in the formulation of sustained release frusemide encapsulated granules.

Sustained release frusemide granules were formulated with Dika fat, a vegetable oil extracted from the kernels of Irvingia gabonesis Var excelcia. Granules containing 60% w/w, of Dika fat and 200% w/w frusemide and lactose were prepared using the fusion method. Prepared granules (passed through 0.600 micron stainless steel sieve) were encapsulated such that each capsule contained frusemide granules equivalent to 75mg of the pure drug. Granules of same size fraction containing 10% w/w maize starch, or alginic acid and 60, 20, and 10% w/w of Dika fat, frusemide and lactose respectively were similarly prepared and encapsulated. Dissolution profiles of the encapsulated granules were assessed in 0.1 sodium hydroxide, simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) without enzymes. Results obtained indicated sustained release of frusemide in the presence of Dika fat. The presence of maize starch modulated the release of frusemide while the presence of alginic acid could not show significant (P < 0.05) enhancement on frusemide release. Dissolution of frusemide was greatest in 0.1N NaOH and least in SGF. Drug release from the matrices was of mixed order with diffusion controlled mechanism and leaching process occurring together to a greater extent.