A randomized controlled trial of training in Motivational Interviewing for child protection.

There has been interest in developing more evidence-based approaches to child and family social work in the UK in recent years. This study examines the impact of a skills development package of training and supervision in Motivational Interviewing (MI) on the skills of social workers and the engagement of parents through a randomized controlled trial. All workers in one local authority were randomly assigned to receive the package (n = 28) or control (n = 33). Families were then randomized to trained (n = 67) or untrained (n = 98) workers. Family meetings with the worker shortly after allocation were evaluated for MI skill. Research interviews gathered data including the WAI. Follow-up interviews 20 weeks later repeated the WAI, and other outcome measures including Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) and rating of family life. Between group analysis found statistically significant difference in MI skills, though these were not substantial (2.49 in control, 2.91 MI trained, p = .049). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in any other outcome measures. The package of training and supervision did not create sufficient increase in MI skills to influence engagement or outcomes. Implications for understanding the relationship between skills, engagement and organizational change are discussed

Studies on meso-zeaxanthin for potential toxicity and mutagenicity

a b s t r a c t The purpose of these studies was to examine the potential toxicity and genotoxicity of meso-zeaxanthin (MZ). Toxicity was assessed by administering MZ daily to rats for 13 weeks followed by a 4-week recovery period. Potential genotoxicity was assessed in separate experiments using the Ames test method. Rats were randomly assigned to four groups to receive corn oil (control) or MZ at dose levels of 2, 20 and 200 mg/kg/day by oral gavage (10/sex/group). Additional rats (five of each sex) in the control and the 200 mg/kg/day groups were retained for the recovery period. No compound-related clinical, biochemical or pathological signs or symptoms were noted and the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of MZ was >200 mg/kg/day. To investigate genotoxicity, MZ was tested for its ability to induce reverse mutations (±microsomal enzymes) at 2 genomic loci; the histidine locus of 4 strains of Salmonella typhimurium and the tryptophan locus of Escherichia coli strain WP2uvrA. Six doses of MZ ranging from 10 to 5000 lg/ plate were tested twice with vehicle and positive controls using 3 plates/dose. MZ did not cause any increase in the mean number of revertants/plate with any bacterial strain, with or without microsomal enzymes, and was therefore unlikely to be mutagenic

'Vulnerability' to human trafficking : a study of Viet Nam, Albania, Nigeria and the UK: report of a shared learning event in Tirana, Albania, 24-26 October 2017

Report describes the first stages of an ethically-led, two year research study into understanding the causes, dynamics, 'vulnerabilities' to and capabilities against human trafficking in three source countries - Albania, Viet Nam and Nigeria. The focus of this report is on Viet Nam, detailing emergent themese following a two-day Shared Learning Event held in Tirana, Albania between 24-26 October 2017

'Vulnerability' to human trafficking : a study of Viet Nam, Albania, Nigeria and the UK: report of a shared learning event in Lagos, Nigeria, 17-18 January 2018

Report describes the first stages of an ethically-led, two year research study into understanding the causes, dynamics, 'vulnerabilities' to and capabilities against human trafficking in three source countries - Viet Nam, Albania and Nigeria. The focus of this report is on Viet Nam, detailing emergent themese following a two-day Shared Learning Event held in Lagos, Nigeria, between 17-18 January 2018.

'Between two fires' : understanding vulnerabilities and the support needs of people from Albania, Viet Nam and Nigeria who have experienced human trafficking into the UK

Final report of a two-year research study into understanding the causes, dynamics and 'vulnerabilities' to human trafficking in three source countries - Albania, Viet Nam and Nigeria - plus the support needs of people from these countries who have experienced trafficking to the UK. The study was carried out as a partnership between the University of Bedfordshire and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

'Vulnerability' to human trafficking : a study of Viet Nam, Albania, Nigeria and the UK: report of a shared learning event held in Hanoi, Viet Nam 6-7 December 2017

Report describes the first stages of an ethically-led, two year research study into understanding the causes, dynamics, 'vulnerabilities' to and capabilities against human trafficking in three source countries - Viet Nam, Albania and Nigeria. The focus of this report is on Viet Nam, detailing emergent themese following a two-day Shared Learning Event held in Hanoi, Viet Nam, between 6-7 December 2017

Adjusting plasma ferritin concentrations to remove the effects of subclinical inflammation in the assessment of iron deficiency: a meta-analysis

Background: The World Health Organization recommends serum ferritin concentrations as the best indicator of iron deficiency (ID). Unfortunately, ferritin increases with infections; hence, the prevalence of ID is underestimated. Objective: The objective was to estimate the increase in ferritin in 32 studies of apparently healthy persons by using 2 acute-phase proteins (APPs). C-reactive protein (CRP) and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP), individually and in combination, and to calculate factors to remove the influence of inflammation from ferritin concentrations. Design: We estimated the increase in ferritin associated with inflammation (ie, CRP >5 mg/L and/or AGP >1 g/L). The 32 studies comprised infants (5 studies), children (7 studies), men (4 studies), and women (16 studies) (n = 8796 subjects). In 2-group analyses (either CRP or AGP), we compared the ratios of log ferritin with or without inflammation in 30 studies. In addition, in 22 studies, the data allowed a comparison of ratios of log ferritin between 4 subgroups: reference (no elevated APP), incubation (elevated CRP only), early convalescence (both APP and CRP elevated), and late convalescence (elevated AGP only). Results: In the 2-group analysis, inflammation increased ferritin by 49.6% (CRP) or 38.2% (AGP; both P <0.001). Elevated AGP was more common than CRP in young persons than in adults. In the 4-group analysis, ferritin was 30%, 90%, and 36% (all P < 0.001) higher in the incubation, early convalescence, and late convalescence subgroups, respectively, with corresponding correction factors of 0.77, 0.53, and 0.75. Overall, inflammation increased ferritin by approximate to 30% and was associated with a 14% (CI: 7%, 21%) underestimation of ID. Conclusions: Measures of both APP and CRP are needed to estimate the full effect of inflammation and can be used to correct ferritin concentrations. Few differences were observed between age and sex subgroups. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;92:546-55

Evaluation of independent child trafficking advocates trial: final report

This report presents the findings from an evaluation of a 1 year trial of the independent child trafficking advocates