Human Calcitonin Delivery in Rats by Iontophoresis

Abstract— In-vitro iontophoresis (0·33 mA cm⁻²) of calcitonin (50 μg mL⁻¹, pH 4) was performed with the hairless rat skin model. Direct current was as potent as pulse current (2·5 kHz on/off 1/1) iontophoresis in promoting transdermal permeation of calcitonin. Increase in duration of current application from 20 min to 1 h did not increase calcitonin flux. Results suggest that calcitonin can be blocked in the skin pores through which it travels or can accumulate in the skin and be progressively released from the depot. Invivo experiments showed that transdermal iontophoretic administration of calcitonin induced a hypocalcaemic effect in rats.     

COPPER BINDING AT PNS NODES OF RANVIER DURING DEMYELINATION AND REMYELINATION IN THE PERINEURIAL WINDOW

Nodes of Ranvier of peripheral nerves are associated with mucopolysaccharide which is capable of binding a wide variety of cations. The present study has determined the changes in the binding properties of the node of Ranvier during demyelination and remyelination in the perineurial window. The location of copper ion binding, visualized as a dense copper ferrocyanide precipitate, was studied in teased fibres from 60 rat peroneal nerves with single perineurial windows and from 8 normal nerves. In normal nerves, precipitate was present over the nodal axon and at the borders of the paranodal axon. Before demyelination, severely beaded fibres sited within the perineurial window displayed a reduction or a loss of nodal precipitate. During the period of myelin phagocytosis and demyelination, precipitate was absent throughout the denuded axon but present at adjacent, uninvolved nodes. At the commencement of remyelination, precipitate appeared at the newlycreated nodal and paranodal regions and at interfaces between preserved and remyelinating internodes. The density increased with myelin thickening. These findings indicate: (1) severely beaded regions lose their normal binding property before undergoing demyelination, (2) demyelinated regions do not bind copper ions, (3) remyelinating fibres bind copper ions at newly-created nodes and (4) Schwann cells are responsible for the production of nodal mucopolysaccharides.     

REBREATHING IN A DOUBLE T-PIECE SYSTEM

A double T-piece paediatric system is described. During spontaneousrespiration, the system will perform like a Magill system ifthe fresh gas flow is delivered via the distal T-piece; theproximal T-piece will provide an outlet. During controlled ventilationthe set will perform like a Rees system if the fresh gas flowis delivered via the proximal T-piece; the distal T-piece willprovide a control outlet. As judged by the degree of rebreathing,distal inflow is more efficient than proximal inflow duringspontaneous respiration. Distal and proximal inflow are equallyefficient during controlled hyper-ventilation.     

Behavior Change Interventions to Improve the Health of Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations: A Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches

Context

Adapting behavior change interventions to meet the needs of racial and ethnic minority populations has the potential to enhance their effectiveness in the target populations. But because there is little guidance on how best to undertake these adaptations, work in this field has proceeded without any firm foundations. In this article, we present our Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches as a framework for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers interested in delivering behavior change interventions to ethnically diverse, underserved populations in the United Kingdom.

Methods

We undertook a mixed-method program of research on interventions for smoking cessation, increasing physical activity, and promoting healthy eating that had been adapted to improve salience and acceptability for African-, Chinese-, and South Asian–origin minority populations. This program included a systematic review (reported using PRISMA criteria), qualitative interviews, and a realist synthesis of data.

Findings

We compiled a richly informative data set of 161 publications and twenty-six interviews detailing the adaptation of behavior change interventions and the contexts in which they were undertaken. On the basis of these data, we developed our Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches, which contains (1) a forty-six-item Typology of Adaptation Approaches; (2) a Pathway to Adaptation, which shows how to use the Typology to create a generic behavior change intervention; and (3) RESET, a decision tool that provides practical guidance on which adaptations to use in different contexts.

Conclusions

Our Tool Kit of Adaptation Approaches provides the first evidence-derived suite of materials to support the development, design, implementation, and reporting of health behavior change interventions for minority groups. The Tool Kit now needs prospective, empirical evaluation in a range of intervention and population settings.