Physical activity promotion in chiropractic: a systematic review of clinician-based surveys

Background: Physical inactivity is a global health pandemic. Allied healthcare providers, including chiropractors, are well placed to integrate individual physical activity (PA) promotion into routine care. A previous systematic review identified that approximately 90% of chiropractors held a positive opinion towards healthier patient lifestyles; however, the extent to which chiropractors promote PA to their patients within routine care is unclear. This systematic review aimed to describe chiropractors' attitudes towards and current practice in advising, counselling, discussing, supporting, or recommending PA to patients. Methods: Five databases were searched from inception to December 2021 for cross-sectional surveys that explored PA promotion by chiropractors in practice. We assessed the risk of bias of the included studies with the ‘Risk of Bias in Cross-Sectional Surveys of Attitudes and Practices’ tool. Descriptive data were extracted, grouping similar survey questions and responses into emerging categories. Chiropractors’ views regarding the perceived importance and/or their preparedness to counsel and provide PA or exercise information are reported. Results: From 661 studies, 15 met the selection criteria. Surveys included 7999 chiropractors primarily from the USA, UK, Australia, and Sweden. All studies were rated as moderate-to-high risk of bias, with methodological weaknesses characterised by inconsistent reporting of missing data, non-representative samples, low response rates (i.e., less than 60%), and unknown validity of survey instruments. Chiropractors frequently recognised the importance of PA promotion, as demonstrated by the proportion of respondents reporting that they: (1) support the importance of providing PA or exercise information and counselling (64% to 100%); (2) are prepared to provide PA or exercise information and/or counselling to patients (91% to 92%,); (3) frequently obtain PA or exercise information from patients (87% to 97%,); 4) frequently discuss PA or exercise and/or provide PA or exercise information to patients (68% to 99%); and 5) frequently provide PA counselling to patients (50% to 81%.). Conclusion: A large majority of practising chiropractors actively engage with PA promotion. However, the results should be interpreted with caution owing to the moderate-to-high risk of bias of the included studies. Forthcoming research initiatives should explore unbiased surveys, further PA education and training as well as capitalising on chiropractors’ own PA participation

ANALYSING DOUBLE-STRAND BREAKS IN CULTURED CELLS FOR DRUG SCREENING APPLICATIONS BY CAUSAL INFERENCE

International audienceDouble strand breaks (DSB) are a hallmark of DNA damage and genetic instability, which are important features of cancer cells. In addition, repair of DSBs provide interesting therapeutic targets. Fluorescence microscopy allows us to visualise DSBs in cells using a dedicated fluorescent marker, which is therefore an informative readout for drug screening applications. We therefore need robust methods in image analysis and statistical analysis to quantify DSBs in single cells and thereby to assess the drug effect with respect to the related pathways. The contribution of this paper is twofold: first, we compare different DSB quantification schemes; and second we provide a sound statistical framework based on causal inference in order to detect drugs acting directly on DSBs. In particular this second aspect is so far notoriously neglected in the field, even though it is essential for the specific assignment of the drug effect

Imaging, Mapping and Modelling Continental Lithosphere Extension and Breakup.

International audienc

Statistical evaluation of data from tractor guidance systems

Statistical tools are discussed for the analysis of data collected from tractor guidance systems. The importance of both accuracy and precision is discussed, and statistical tools for analysis are considered which incorporate important features of the data. In particular, accuracy is modelled using a generalized least squares model incorporating autocorrelation, and variances (inverse of precision) using a gamma generalized linear model. The methods are applied to data collected during an experiment conducted with a Trimble receiver used with a Beeline tractor guidance system. Three different scenarios are considered, then compared: a tractor simulating ploughing a field; the tractor pulling a plough with the receivers on the tractor; the tractor pulling a plough with the Trimble receiver on the plough. The change in the precision and accuracy between the scenarios is discussed. Data were recorded over repeated swaths for each scenario. After discussing specific statistical techniques for analysis of this type of data, the collected data are analysed; major conclusions are: The data from the Trimble receiver showed evidence of autocorrelation in the offsets; the plough recorded a variance about three times that recorded by the tractor

Modeling the impact of heterogeneous spatial distribution of soil microbes on pesticide biodegradation at the centimeter scale

International audienceMicro-organisms and substrates may be heterogeneously distributed in soils. This repartition as well as transport mechanisms bringing them into contact are expected to impact the biodegradation rates. Pinheiro et al [2015] have measured in cm-large reconstructed soil cores the fate of an injection of 2,4-D pesticide for different injection conditions and initial distributions of soil pesticide degraders. Through the calibration of a reactive transport model of these experiments, we show that: i) biodegradation of diffusion-controlled pesticide fluxes is favored by a high Damköhler number (high reaction rate compared to flux rate); ii) abiotic sorption processes are negligible and do not interact strongly with biodegradation; iii) biodegradation is primarily governed by the initial repartition of pesticide and degraders for diffusion-controlled transport, as diffusion greatly limits the flux of pesticide reaching the microbial hotspot due to dilution. These results suggest that for biodegradation to be substantial, a spatial heterogeneity in the repartition of microbes and substrate has to be associated with intermittent and fast transport processes to mix them

ACL Reconstruction Recovery Rates Trend Lower for Athletes with Additional Knee Damage

Currently, the standard Return to Play (RTP) metrics do not encapsulate the competitive level to which an athlete returns post-injury. This study examines the characteristics and performance of male Tier 4 and higher soccer players, and their ability to RTP following both isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and ACL injuries with additional structural damage to the knee. Results indicate that the rate of return to Tier 4 leagues or higher trends lower for athletes with Grade 3 or higher chondral lesions or meniscal pathologies

Tratamento de superfície de implantes dentários: SBF

Various surface treatments of dental implants have been developed in order to ensure anchorage to bone tissue, optimization of the determinants of electronic structure, crystallinity, composition and properties. Coating techniques have been proposed in order tocreate unionbiochemicalable to accelerate the early stages ofbone tissue, combining the positive properties of titanium and its alloys bioactivity of ceramic materials. This paper discusses protocol for handling the SBF coating of titanium alloys. The apatite phase nucleation occurs by immersing the substrate in synthetic solution simulating blood plasma (Simulated Body Fluid). The protocol allows manipulation of the SBF solution to establish guidelines regarding the usestreamlinedand organized to make practical application.Diversos tratamentos da superfície dos implantes dentários têm sido desenvolvidos com o objetivo de garantir ancoragem ao tecido ósseo, otimização dos determinantes de estrutura eletrônica, cristalinidade, composição e propriedades. As técnicas de recobrimento têm sido propostas com o objetivo de criar união bioquímica capaz de acelerar as fases iniciais de formação do tecido ósseo, aliando as propriedades positivas do titânio e suas ligas à bioatividade dos materiais cerâmicos. Este trabalho aborda protocolo de manipulação do SBF para recobrimento de ligas de titânio. A obtenção do recobrimento com nucleação de apatita ocorre por imersão do substrato em solução sintética que simula o plasma sanguíneo (Simulated Body Fluid). O protocolo de manipulação da solução SBF permite estabelecer diretrizes racionalizadas quanto ao uso e organizadas de modo a tornar prática sua aplicação