The prevalence and determinants of physical activity promotion by Australian chiropractors: A cross sectional study

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Background: Approximately one in four adults do not meet the World Health Organisation physical activity recommendations. While health promotion (i.e., physical activity) is common within chiropractic settings, little is known about chiropractors discussing this public health issue with their patients. The aim of our study is to examine the prevalence and characteristics of Australian chiropractors who frequently discuss patient physical activity. Methods: A national cross-sectional survey of chiropractors focusing upon practitioner characteristics, practice settings and clinical management characteristics. Regression analyses were conducted on 1924 survey respondents to identify factors associated with practitioners who frequently discuss physical activity with patients. Results: Eighty-five percent of Australian chiropractors reported ‘often’ discussing physical activity as part of their patient management. The strongest factors associated with chiropractors who frequently discuss physical activity obtained from the multivariate analysis include: often discussing occupational health and safety (odds ratio [OR] = 6.10; 95%CI: 3.88, 9.59), often discussing diet/nutrition (OR = 4.56; 95%CI: 3.12, 6.66), often discussing smoking/drugs/alcohol (OR = 4.41; 95%CI: 2.06, 9.40), often use of specific exercise therapy/rehabilitation/injury taping (OR = 3.76; 95%CI: 2.62, 5.39) and often caring for athletes or sports people (OR = 2.18; 95%CI: 1.56, 3.06) within their practice setting. Conclusion: Discussing physical activity is a frequent feature of patient management among most chiropractors in Australia. The association between these practitioners and discussion of other costly public health burdens could suggest chiropractors have a valuable role to play in chronic disease prevention. Given the growing need for practitioner-led promotion of patient physical activity further research examination of the role and contribution of chiropractors in promoting this important public health topic among patients and communities is needed

Dynamic Scaling of Ion-Sputtered Surfaces

We derive a stochastic nonlinear equation to describe the evolution and scaling properties of surfaces eroded by ion bombardment. The coefficients appearing in the equation can be calculated explicitly in terms of the physical parameters characterizing the sputtering process. We find that transitions may take place between various scaling behaviors when experimental parameters such as the angle of incidence of the incoming ions or their average penetration depth, are varied.Comment: 13 pages, Revtex, 2 figure

Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modeling of Metabolic Pathways of Bromochloromethane in Rats

Bromochloromethane (BCM) is a volatile compound and a by-product of disinfection of water by chlorination. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models are used in risk assessment applications. An updated PBPK model for BCM is generated and applied to hypotheses testing calibrated using vapor uptake data. The two different metabolic hypotheses examined are (1) a two-pathway model using both CYP2E1 and glutathione transferase enzymes and (2) a two-binding site model where metabolism can occur on one enzyme, CYP2E1. Our computer simulations show that both hypotheses describe the experimental data in a similar manner. The two pathway results were comparable to previously reported values (Vmax⁡ = 3.8 mg/hour, Km = 0.35 mg/liter, and kGST = 4.7 /hour). The two binding site results were Vmax⁡1 = 3.7 mg/hour, Km⁡1 = 0.3 mg/hour, CL2 = 0.047 liter/hour. In addition, we explore the sensitivity of different parameters for each model using our obtained optimized values

Electronic structure investigation of Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2, and Ti3GeC2 by soft-X-ray emission spectroscopy

The electronic structures of epitaxially grown films of Ti3AlC2, Ti3SiC2 and Ti3GeC2 have been investigated by bulk-sensitive soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. The measured high-resolution Ti L, C K, Al L, Si L and Ge M emission spectra are compared with ab initio density-functional theory including core-to-valence dipole matrix elements. A qualitative agreement between experiment and theory is obtained. A weak covalent Ti-Al bond is manifested by a pronounced shoulder in the Ti L-emission of Ti3AlC2. As Al is replaced with Si or Ge, the shoulder disappears. For the buried Al and Si-layers, strongly hybridized spectral shapes are detected in Ti3AlC2 and Ti3SiC2, respectively. As a result of relaxation of the crystal structure and the increased charge-transfer from Ti to C, the Ti-C bonding is strengthened. The differences between the electronic structures are discussed in relation to the bonding in the nanolaminates and the corresponding change of materials properties.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure

Renormalization Group Analysis of a Noisy Kuramoto-Sivashinsky Equation

We have analyzed the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation with a stochastic noise term through a dynamic renormalization group calculation. For a system in which the lattice spacing is smaller than the typical wavelength of the linear instability occurring in the system, the large-distance and long-time behavior of this equation is the same as for the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation in one and two spatial dimensions. For the $d=2$ case the agreement is only qualitative. On the other hand, when coarse-graining on larger scales the asymptotic flow depends on the initial values of the parameters.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, revte

Scharp on inconsistent concepts and their engineered replacements, or: Can we mend these broken things?

Kevin Scharp’s influential work on the alethic paradoxes combines an extensively developed inconsistency theory with a substantial conceptual engineering project. I argue that Scharp’s inconsistency theory is in tension with his conceptual engineering project: the inconsistency theory includes an account of concepts that implies that the conceptual engineering project will fail. I recommend that Scharp revises his account of concepts, and show how doing so allows him to resolve the tension. The discussion is important for ongoing work on conceptual engineering. Firstly, it is important to get clear on whether Scharp’s conceptual engineering project is—or could be—successful. Secondly, the issues discussed herein may generalise to other conceptual engineering projects, such as explication and ameliorative projects. In particular, the discussion has implications for how conceptual engineers can think about concepts and their relation to how we use words

How to find an attractive solution to the liar paradox

The general thesis of this paper is that metasemantic theories can play a central role in determining the correct solution to the liar paradox. I argue for the thesis by providing a specific example. I show how Lewis’s reference-magnetic metasemantic theory may decide between two of the most influential solutions to the liar paradox: Kripke’s minimal fixed point theory of truth and Gupta and Belnap’s revision theory of truth. In particular, I suggest that Lewis’s metasemantic theory favours Kripke’s solution to the paradox over Gupta and Belnap’s. I then sketch how other standard criteria for assessing solutions to the liar paradox, such as whether a solution faces a so-called revenge paradox, fit into this picture. While the discussion of the specific example is itself important, the underlying lesson is that we have an unused strategy for resolving one of the hardest problems in philosophy

Ab-initio structural, elastic, and vibrational properties of carbon nanotubes

A study based on ab initio calculations is presented on the estructural, elastic, and vibrational properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes with different radii and chiralities. We use SIESTA, an implementation of pseudopotential-density-functional theory which allows calculations on systems with a large number of atoms per cell. Different quantities like bond distances, Young moduli, Poisson ratio and the frequencies of different phonon branches are monitored versus tube radius. The validity of expectations based on graphite is explored down to small radii, where some deviations appear related to the curvature effects. For the phonon spectra, the results are compared with the predictions of the simple zone-folding approximation. Except for the known defficiencies of this approximation in the low-frequency vibrational regions, it offers quite accurate results, even for relatively small radii.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B (11 Nov. 98

Nonlinear Measures for Characterizing Rough Surface Morphologies

We develop a new approach to characterizing the morphology of rough surfaces based on the analysis of the scaling properties of contour loops, i.e. loops of constant height. Given a height profile of the surface we perform independent measurements of the fractal dimension of contour loops, and the exponent that characterizes their size distribution. Scaling formulas are derived and used to relate these two geometrical exponents to the roughness exponent of a self-affine surface, thus providing independent measurements of this important quantity. Furthermore, we define the scale dependent curvature and demonstrate that by measuring its third moment departures of the height fluctuations from Gaussian behavior can be ascertained. These nonlinear measures are used to characterize the morphology of computer generated Gaussian rough surfaces, surfaces obtained in numerical simulations of a simple growth model, and surfaces observed by scanning-tunneling-microscopes. For experimentally realized surfaces the self-affine scaling is cut off by a correlation length, and we generalize our theory of contour loops to take this into account.Comment: 39 pages and 18 figures included; comments to [email protected]

Cadmium accumulation and interactions with zinc, copper, and manganese, analysed by ICP-MS in a long-term Caco-2 TC7 cell model

The influence of long-term exposure to cadmium (Cd) on essential minerals was investigated using a Caco-2 TC7 cells and a multi-analytical tool: microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Intracellular levels, effects on cadmium accumulation, distribution, and reference concentration ranges of the following elements were determined: Na, Mg, Ca, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Cd. Results showed that Caco-2 TC7 cells incubated long-term with cadmium concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 lmol Cd/l for 5 weeks exhibited a significant increase in cadmium accumulation. Furthermore, this accumulation was more marked in cells exposed long-term to cadmium compared with controls, and that this exposure resulted in a significant accumulation of copper and zinc but not of the other elements measured. Interactions of Cd with three elements: zinc, copper, and manganese were particularly studied. Exposed to 30 lmol/l of the element, manganese showed the highest inhibition and copper the lowest on cadmium intracellular accumulation but Zn, Cu, and Mn behave differently in terms of their mutual competition with Cd. Indeed, increasing cadmium in the culture medium resulted in a gradual and significant increase in the accumulation of zinc. There was a significant decrease in manganese from 5 lmol Cd/l exposure, and no variation was observed with copper. Abbreviation: AAS – Atomic absorption spectrometry; CRM– Certified reference material; PBS – Phosphate buffered saline without calcium and magnesium; DMEM – Dubelcco’s modified Eagle’s medium