“I’ve changed so much within a year”: care leavers' perspectives on the aftercare planning process

ABSTRACT

Increasing the participation of children and young people in matters related to their care and aftercare is regarded as international best practice. While research demonstrates that children and young people benefit from involvement in care-related processes, participation continues to pose challenges for social work practitioners. Studies to date have tended to focus on in-care engagement and, consequently, relatively little is known about the experiences of young people as they age out of care, particularly in terms of their perceived involvement and engagement in the planning-to-leave care process. This paper examines young people’s experiences of the aftercare planning process in Ireland drawing on data from the first phase of a qualitative longitudinal study of young people leaving care. Sixteen participants were recruited at baseline and interviewed in-depth. The approach to interviewing was flexible and encouraged participants to talk about their experiences of care and the aftercare planning process. The findings indicate considerable diversity in how young people experience and attach meaning to the transition out of care. They also reveal complexities surrounding youth participation in the leaving care planning process and uncover a number of distinct facilitators and barriers to participation. Conclusions are drawn and the implications for practice are discussed.     

Saturated and trans-fatty acids in UK takeaway food

The aim of the study was to analyze the saturated fatty acid (SFA) and trans-fatty acid (TFA) contents of popular takeaway foods in the UK (including English, pizza, Chinese, Indian and kebab cuisine). Samples of meals were analyzed by an accredited public analyst laboratory for SFA and TFA. The meals were highly variable for SFA and TFA. English and Pizza meals had the highest median amount of SFA with 35.7?g/meal; Kebab meals were high in TFA with up to 5.2?g/meal. When compared to UK dietary reference values, some meals exceeded SFA and TFA recommendations from just one meal. Takeaway food would be an obvious target to reduce SFA and TFA contents and increase the potential of meeting UK recommendations. Strategies such as reformulation and smaller takeaway portion sizes warrant investigation.     

Histologic comparison of regeneration in human intrabony defects when osteogenin is combined with demineralized freeze-dried bone allograft and with purified bovine collagen.

A bone-inductive protein, osteogenin, has been isolated from long bones of humans and offers promise as a grafting material. Studies, however, suggest that osteogenin must be combined with a bone-derived matrix in order to initiate bone differentiation. The purpose of this study was to determine if osteogenin combined with demineralized freeze dried bone allograft (DFDBA), a bone-derived matrix, and with a bovine tendon-derived matrix will enhanced regeneration of intrabony defects in humans. The tendon-derived matrix and DFDBA used alone served as controls. The ability of each material to form a new attachment apparatus was evaluated independently in submerged and nonsubmerged environments in 2 patient populations. Lymphocyte testing was performed to assess development of an immune reaction to osteogenin. The most apical level of calculus on the root served as the histologic reference point to measure regeneration. Biopsies were obtained at 6 months and regeneration was measured histomorphometrically by 2 blinded evaluators. Serial sections from 36 submerged defects in 8 patients and 50 nonsubmerged defects in 6 patients were submitted for statistical analysis. Mean results indicate that osteogenin combined with DFDBA significantly enhanced regeneration of a new attachment apparatus and component tissues in a submerged environment. DFDBA plus osteogenin and DFDBA alone formed significantly more new attachment apparatus and component tissues than either the tendon-derived matrix plus osteogenin or the tendon-derived matrix alone in both submerged and nonsubmerged environments. There were no significant differences between the tendon-derived matrix plus osteogenin and the tendon-derived matrix alone in either the submerged or nonsubmerged environment. Osteogenin does not impair normal lymphocyte blastogenesis at 6 months postsurgical challenge.     

Hydrolytic and depolymerising enzyme activity of Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens

OBJECTIVE: Prevotella intermedia has been reported to be associated with periodontal disease whilst P. nigrescens has predominantly been isolated from more specific conditions and healthy sites. The aim of the present study was to compare the enzyme activity of these species.
MATERIALS AND METHODS Nine strains of P. intermedio and 12 strains of P. nigrescens were studied. Lipolytic. saccharolytic, nucleolytic and proteolytic activity was determined by traditional microbiological and chromo-genic substrate methods.
RESULTS: All strains hydrolysed gelatine, casein. DNA and RNA. Lipase activity was produced by all strains except P. nigrescens ATCC 33563^T. Lipolytic activity of P. nigrescens strains decreased as the environmental glucose concentration was increased. Only two strains, both P. intermedia , hydrolysed benzyl-arg-p-nitroanilide. All strains hydrolysed alkaline pnitrophenolphosphate (except P. intermedia DAL 100). produced glycylprolyl dipeptidase activity and demonstrated elastase-like activity. All but three strains (2 P. intermedia and I P. nigrescens) hydrolysed suc-ala-ala-pro-phe-p-nitroanilide. Overall, no qualitatively analysed enzyme activity was exclusive to all strains of either species. Quantitatively analysed activity exhibited a high degree of variability both within and between species.
CONCLUSIONS: P. intermedia and P. nigrescens degrade natural and synthetic substrates, but intra- and interspec-ies activity is variable.