Many systemically effective drugs such as cyclosporin A are ineffective topically because of their poor penetration into skin. To surmount this problem, we conjugated a heptamer of arginine to cyclosporin A through a pH-sensitive linker to produce R7-CsA. In contrast to unmodified cyclosporin A, which fails to penetrate skin, topically applied R7-CsA was efficiently transported into cells in mouse and human skin. R7-CsA reached dermal T lymphocytes and inhibited cutaneous inflammation. These data establish a general strategy for enhancing delivery of poorly absorbed drugs across tissue barriers and provide a new topical approach to the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders.

Intergroup dialogue is a public process designed to involve individuals and groups in an exploration of societal issues such as politics, racism, religion, and culture that are often flashpoints for polarization and social conflict. This article examines intergroup dialogue as a bridging mechanism through which social workers in clinical, other direct practice, organizer, activist, and other roles across the micro-macro practice spectrum can engage with people in conflict to advance advocacy, justice, and social change. We define intergroup dialogue and provide examples in not-for-profit or community-based and academic settings of how intergroup dialogue has been applied to conflicts around topics of race and ethnic nationality, sexual orientation, religion, and culture. We recommend practice-, policy-, and research-related actions that social workers can take to understand and use intergroup dialogue.

Social capital refers to the social norms and networks that build trust and enable individuals to pursue shared objectives; it can vary considerably between communities and across time. Considerable evidence suggests that the presence of social capital at the local or state level is associated with improved individual health and lower community-level mortality, chronic illness, and diseases of despair such as substance abuse. Social capital may influence health outcomes because community-engaged institutions are more common in communities with strong social bonds and cross-sector partnerships are more easily leveraged. This study examines the impact of social capital on the effectiveness of health care organizations, specifically hospitals, in establishing population health partnerships which are critical for addressing health disparities and reducing preventable deaths. In a national sample of hospitals, we find that in communities with high social capital, hospitals are more likely to hold partnerships with public health and social service agencies. Social capital within communities may create the conditions in which hospitals are able to easily identify possible partnerships and engage in collaborative efforts to improve population health.

Current academic debate in the social sciences and humanities is revisiting the role of virtue in civic life. This debate is relevant to social policy. We argue that virtue is already an implicit component of policy debates, but that the virtue of compassion has not received sufficient emphasis. To support our argument we review classical and contemporary arguments regarding virtue and its linkage to the 'good society'; articulate the necessity of compassion and its application to specific policies areas (e.g., domestic violence, welfare, emergency care); and assess how compassion intersects with other virtues in the policy environment. Policy implications are identified including: recognition of the realities of suffering, the need for sufficient administrative infrastructure and trained professionals and an often long-term commitment to work in community settings. Weighing the risks, and the overall challenges of virtuous action, our analysis suggests compassion remains a compelling, yet under-utilised, basis for constructing and implementing policies.