Low Level Of Stability Research Articles

Social support as a factor of mental health in wartime conditions: Communication and interaction

According to researchers, social support is a powerful tool for maintaining a person's mental health. The aim of this study was to empirically identify the relationship between social support as a resource and the stability of an individual's mental health in wartime conditions. The following methods were used in the study: “The Mental Health Continuum – Short Form” (E.L. Nosenko, A.H. Chetveryk-Burchak), and the BASIC Ph Model. Mathematical-statistical methods applied included correlation analysis with the determination of the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and the determination of differences using the Student's t-test. The study sample consisted of 382 Ukrainians living in Ukraine (of which 116 were men and 266 were women), with an average age of 21.3 years (ranging from 18 to 43 years). The results obtained demonstrate that more than a third of the respondents have a low level of stability of mental health, which is interpreted as a state of depression, a tense psycho-emotional state, passivity in activity and interaction with others. To overcome this state, the respondents most often resort to cognitive skills, belief and physical activity. Analysis of the relationship between mental health stability and various forms of social support revealed that communication and interaction with friends, family members, and members of organisations or communities to which one belongs are associated with higher indicators of mental health and well-being. Differences in mental health indicators and the use of social support were also found between men and women. Men are less likely to use social support as a method of coping with difficult life circumstances. The obtained data do not exhaust the problem of studying social support as a factor of mental health in wartime conditions, but they confirm that communication and interaction are associated with the psychological health and well-being of the individual

Parameters of sustainability of Russian regions: State and vectors of development in relation to the least stable group

Subject. This article considers the region as a dynamic system. Objectives. The article aims to group the regions of Russia according to the level of stability and determine the prospects for the economic development of these groups from the systems theory point of view. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of logical, cluster, comparative, correlation and regression analyses. Results. The article divides the regions of Russia into six groups (virtual clusters) depending on the level of socio-ecological-economic stability. A reduction in the average life expectancy of the population should be considered as a general indicator characterizing the low level of stability. Conclusions. A decrease in the number of students in universities, a decrease in the level of employment, as well as environmental problems pose a threat in the strategic perspective for the regions of Russia characterized by a low level of sustainability.

The Peak Stability Analysis through Hysteresis Phenomenon on Heterogeneous Networks

The macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) is a nonuniversal changing process over network traffic status which indicates different shapes in different networks. Hysteresis is observed in the MFD of some urban networks. It is a unique phenomenon when the network remains at low stability level and usually appears around the congestion period. This paper analyzed network peak stability through focusing on hysteresis. The formation mechanism of hysteresis is deduced from the mathematical method based on previous research studies. The precondition of hysteresis and the changing process of network state can be figured by mathematical deduction. It indicates that hysteresis only occurs conditionally in the period of macroscopic congestion and is not a universal phenomenon. Heterogeneity is an important factor leading to network instability. The hysteresis patterns of different peaks in MFD are different due to the variation of network flow. Real data are collected from Atlanta’s urban network to verify the analysis of hysteresis. To discuss the changing process of hysteresis in different peaks, a three-stage division is proposed and time series is presented as a third dimension in MFD. It is worth noticing that the existence and form of hysteresis in morning and evening peaks are different. Although there is a higher peak flow in the morning peak, the stability of the evening peak performs better when hysteresis occurs in the network. The different fluctuations in the morning and evening peaks are exhibited through the 3D version of MFD. The otherness of hysteresis in different peaks is explained through a 3D coordinate system with cross-compared corresponding indexes.

SIGNIFICANCE OF CHOOSING FIXATORS FOR OSTEOSYNTHESIS IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH FRACTURES OF PROXIMAL FEMORAL PART

Introduction. Fracture of the proximal part of the femur is one of the most common and most life-threatening injuries in the elderly patients. At the current stage, the surgical method has taken the leading place in the treatment of these patients. The growing number of surgical interventions, along with the increase in the elderly population globally, has led to a corresponding increase in the number of complications related to both the biological and mechanical properties of the fixator used. The optimal location of the fixing elements in relation to the center and edge of the femoral head, the value of the cervical-diaphyseal angle, and the technical characteristics of the implants remains a relevant issue today.
 The purpose of this study was to analyze the cause of complications after surgical treatment in patients with fractures of the femoral proximal part taking into account the biomechanical properties of the fixators.
 Material and methods. Staged results of surgical treatment of 60 patients with fractures of the proximal part of the thigh, who were hospitalized due to complications related to imperfect mechanical fixation of bone fractures, were studied. Patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the type of fixator used.
 Results. Migration of fixators with a low level of stability occurs even with the initial correct placement of the implant. Notably, a relatively higher frequency of migration occurred when the fixator was applied to the left limb (23:37). Analysis of immediate post-implantation frontal and axial radiographs revealed that, in all instances of medial migration (cutout effect) and lateral migration (outout effect), the Tip-Apex Distance exceeded 25 mm. The positioning of the cervical component of the fixator did not align with its optimal placement as per the Cleveland zones in 84.6% of cases. A notable incidence of complications in extramedullary osteosynthesis was diagnosed during the early postoperative period. This observation may be attributed to an imperfect plan of the staged rehabilitation functional regime.
 Conclusions. The use of fixators with a low level of stability does not provide high-quality prediction of the course of the postoperative period in patients with femoral proximal fractures. Placing implants for osteosynthesis of the femoral proximal part should ensure reliable fixation of fragments for successful postoperative rehabilitation by taking into account the number of fixators and the features of their location in the proximal fragment of the fracture.

Comparative Study of Light Cycle Oil and Naphthalene as an Adequate Additive to Improve the Stability of Marine Fuels.

Post the enforcement of the Global Sulphur Cap 2020, large amounts of marine fuel have been produced as a mixture of two or more components to achieve a sulfur level of less than 0.5 wt %. This has led to the wider use of diluents or cutter stocks from different origins to comply with the quality requirements of the ISO 8217 standard. These can often be bio- or alternative components with a lower level of stability. This makes it crucial to select components that are compatible and form a homogeneous mixture. The ISO 8217 standard provides commercial and operational protection; however, the stability of the fuel deteriorates over time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop an adequate component or additive to improve the colloidal stability of marine fuels. A set of laboratory-prepared samples was used to verify the positive effects of the addition of a light cycle oil and also a newly developed additive (containing 30 wt % naphthalene as the simple diaromatic hydrocarbon in tetralin). The prepared fuels (with effective additive dosage), when stored for 60 days, maintained the total sediment accelerated (TSA) parameters, confirming the stability of the fuels. The additive converted the unsaleable fuel into fuel that complied with the requirements of ISO 8217. The developed additive can be used for industrial applications in marine fuel production.

Easy Way To Determine The Feasibility Of Coarse Aggregate On All Pavement Layers Using The Los Angeles Tatonas TA-700 Machine

The use of coarse aggregate with poor quality can cause bumpy roads, cracked roads, potholes, and others. Coarse aggregate wear is an indicator of the aggregate resistance index against friction with other objects. Any aggregate to be used in a pavement mix must meet the wear requirements. Low wear causes the aggregate to be easily crushed when exposed to friction and has an impact on a low level of stability. The purpose of this research is to determine the feasibility of coarse aggregate in Kedak Village, Kediri. One of the feasibility of coarse aggregate is reviewed based on wear with abrasion testing. This research was conducted by using an abrasion test using the Los Angeles TA-700 machine and SNI 2417:2008 as a reference. The specimens were taken at random and met the criteria for passing the number 3/4 sieve and stuck on the 2500 gram sieve number 1/2 and the aggregate that passed the 1/2 sieve was stuck on the 3/8 sieve as much as 2500 grams. The results obtained stated that the average wear of the abrasion test was 26.6%. Based on these results, the aggregate can be said to be feasible because it does not exceed 40% in accordance with the provisions of the 2018 Binamarga General Specifications. So that coarse aggregate from Kedak Village, Kediri can be used for all mixtures of road pavement layers.

Оценка уровня устойчивости функционирования и развития предпринимательских структур в системе индустриальных парков

The need to study the development of business entities in the context of individual categories of industrial parks is connected with different concepts of their development and territorial expansion. The suggested methodological approach to assessment of sustainability level of the business firms functioning in the system of industrial parks includes the following main stages: grouping of industrial parks and the selection of representatives of the groups; rating assessment of stability level of firms functioning in the system of industrial parks; grouping of businesses by the level of sustainability. The technique was tested on data from 150 industrial parks. The results of the implementation of the suggested approach show that more vulnerable positions are typical of businesses operating as part of industrial parks as “greenfield” companies. At the same time, the highest proportion of businesses with a low stability level is typical of developing parks, which indicates the need to expand the range of incentives for these businesses. The most stable cluster of entrepreneurs is business entities of developing parks such as “brownfield” companies. Entrepreneurs operating within developed parks as “brownfield” firms are characterized by a satisfactory level of sustainability. The proportion of entrepreneurial structures with a low stability level remains quite high, which indicates the need to adapt the development strategy of business entities in the system of such structures. The results obtained made it possible to identify the most vulnerable groups to risks, business entities and can be used to form a strategy for their sustainable development in the system of industrial parks.

Comparison of fly ash with Lapindo mud as a land stabilizer for landfill in Pasuruan–Indonesia

The paper discusses the comparison of fly ash with Lapindo mud as a land stabilizer for a landfill in Pasuruan, Indonesia. Land for landfills has a low level of stability due to the condition of garbage that has accumulated and undergoes a process of decay. This land condition is less favorable to support the construction of the building above it if one day the location is used for construction. Therefore, it is necessary to stabilize the soil first. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding a mixture of TPA soil with fly ash and Lapindo mud. The method used by sieve testing and compaction of the specimens for each treatment consisted of a mixture of TPA soil with fly ash and TPA soil with Lapindo mud, while the percentages of fly ash and Lapindo mud to the dry weight of the original soil were respectively 0 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 %. The results showed that stabilization of the landfill with fly ash reduced the silt content while stabilization with Lapindo mud increased the levels of silt in the landfill so that fly ash was better than Lapindo mud for stabilization of the landfill. The specific gravity values for both stabilization mixtures increased equally. Based on the results of the standard compaction test for the addition of a mixture of fly ash, the OMC value decreases and the greater the value of dmaxs indicates that fly ash is good for landfill stabilization, while the addition of a mixture of Lapindo mud increases the OMC the smaller the value of dmaxs. For the direct shear test of the two mixed soils, the value of the internal friction angle (Æ) increased. The percentage value of the optimum mixture of mixed soil+fly ash is 14 % with an internal shear angle (Æ) of 38°, while the stabilization of landfill with Lapindo mud obtained the optimum mixture percentage value of 11 % with an internal shear angle (Æ) of 31°

Chitosan as a Capping Agent of Silver Nanoparticles

Silver nanoparticles have been developed in many applications because of their optical and reactivity properties. One of the disadvantages of silver nanoparticles is their low level of stability because their surface is easy to aggregate. It is necessary to have other materials such as chitosan as a capping agent on the surface of silver nanoparticles to prevent aggregation. This study aimed to determine the ability of chitosan as a capping agent for silver nanoparticles. The ability of chitosan was evaluated based on the stability test and characterization using a UV-Vis, PSA, and FTIR spectrophotometer. The silver nanoparticles formed producing a yellow color with a wavelength of 401 nm and a size of 13.48 nm. The volume of chitosan that gave optimal results in stabilizing silver nanoparticles was 2.0 mL.

The POTENTIAL OF BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER METHANOL EXTRACT AS AN ANTIOXIDANT BY IN SILICO

Abstract: Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea L.) is a flowering plant from the Fabecea family that can grow vines. Butterfly pea flower are known to have chemical components that can act as antioxidants. This study aims to predict the potential of active compounds from methanol extract of butterfly pea flower in inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) based on bond affinity (∆G), the value of Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) and their interactions. The method used was a computational method with in silico technique. The software used was Autodock Vina with visualization using the Biovia Discovery Studio Visualizer 2020. The enzyme receptor was NADPH Oxidase (NOX) obtained from Protein Data Bank and the test ligands were a chemical compound from methanol extract of butterfly pea flower. The results of the in silico study showed that the NO had a innate ligand, namely the GTP ligand which has a ∆G value of -7.3 kcal/mol, an RMSD value of 3.1111 Å and the interaction with the receptor that involves the presence of hydrogen bonds. Based on the results of the analysis of 11 test ligands, the chemical component of caffeine was predicted to have the most potential in inhibiting ROS compounds with a value of ∆G -5.4, RMSD value of 1.328 Å and had the same amino acid residue in hydrogen bonding, namely ASP118, and GLY15. The test ligand had the ability to inhibit ROS compounds with a lower level of stability than the innate ligand.
 Keywords: antioxidant; butterfly pea flower; in silico; NADPH oxidase, ROS

Market Concentration and Income Diversification: Do They Always Promote the Financial Stability of Banking Industry?

This paper analyzes the effects of market concentration and income diversification on the financial stabilityof the world banking system. It uses the GMM estimator proposed by Arellano and Bover (1995) to study 206 countries between 1994 and 2015. The results show that market concentration and income diversification have a positive and nonlinear effect on financial stability; and a negative and nonlinear effect on bank risk. The nonlinearity shape suggests that the effects are reversed when the banking industry has a higher market concentration and income diversification. In these cases, lower levels of stability and higher risks would characterize the banking industry. Nonlinearity establishes threshold values that are relevantfor the empirical discussion oriented to an optimal design of financial policies and banking strategies.

Shariah Governance Characteristics and Risk-Taking of Local and Foreign Islamic Banks in Malaysia: A Conceptual Model

Purpose: In Malaysia, since the global financial crisis in 2007 and 2008, the low level of stability, excessive risk-taking and weak governance structure in the dual banking system has become essential for deliberation. The purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual model on the effect of Shariah governance characteristics on risk-taking between local and foreign of Islamic banks in Malaysia.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: Based on prior review of indicators and findings, this research proposes a conceptual model of effective Shariah governance characteristics and its effect on risk-taking of Islamic banks. A self-develop of Shariah board index (SB-Index) based on SB size, education background, membership with IFSB and attendance in meeting. Insolvency risk, credit risk and liquidity risk are the proxy used for risk-taking measurement. The theory of stewardship and resource dependency theory are used as examples of the theories of corporate governance to support the conceptual framework suggested.
 Findings: The Islamic banks in Malaysia are assumed to have effective Shariah governance and there will be low impact on risk-taking.
 Implications/Originality/Value: The regulators of Islamic banks must prepare for the need to improve the current standards for corporate governance in Malaysia.

Shariah Governance Characteristics and Risk-taking of Local and Foreign Islamic Banks in Malaysia: A Conceptual Model

Purpose: In Malaysia, since the global financial crisis in 2007 and 2008, the low level of stability, excessive risk-taking and weak governance structure in the dual banking system has become essential for deliberation. The purpose of this research is to develop a conceptual model on the effect of Shariah governance characteristics on risk-taking between local and foreign of Islamic banks in Malaysia.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: Based on prior review of indicators and findings, this research proposes a conceptual model of effective Shariah governance characteristics and its effect on risk-taking of Islamic banks. A self-develop of Shariah board index (SB-Index) based on SB size, education background, membership with IFSB and attendance in meeting. Insolvency risk, credit risk and liquidity risk are the proxy used for risk-taking measurement. The theory of stewardship and resource dependency theory are used as examples of the theories of corporate governance to support the conceptual framework suggested.
 Findings: The Islamic banks in Malaysia are assumed to have effective Shariah governance and there will be low impact on risk-taking.
 Implications/Originality/Value: The regulators of Islamic banks must prepare for the need to improve the current standards for corporate governance in Malaysia.

ОЦІНКА ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ СКЛАДОВОЇ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ АГРАРНОГО ВИРОБНИЦТВА В УМОВАХ ВІДКРИТОСТІ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ ЕКОНОМІКИ

Introduction. The article assesses the importance of economic efficiency of agricultural production sustainable development in the conditions of the national economy openness. It is noted that sustainable development as a new form of social dynamics, applies to all spheres of socio-economic life and requires scientific and methodological development of models and mechanisms for its implementation in the practice of management. The least developed aspects of it now remain the problem of assessing the economic component of the agricultural production sustainable development in the conditions of the national economy openness. The purpose of the article is to assess the economic component of sustainable development of agricultural production in the conditions of the national economy openness. Within the achieve-ment of the goal, the following tasks were identified: research into the dynamics of the main indicators of the agricultural production level; estimation of indicators of agricultural enterprises economic activity; research of the self-sufficiency level in Ukraine by the main types of food. Results. It has been researched that in the agricultural sector of agrarian production of Ukraine there are positive changes – yields of all included in the analysis crops tend to increase. However, the indicators of the stability level of such growth (coefficient of variation) show significant differentiation. Despite the low values of the variation coefficients in agricultural productivity (excluding the average daily growth of pigs), the current state of the domestic livestock industry cannot be called satisfactory – because the number of cattle and pigs that are not compensated for the growth of animals continues to decline. As a result, production of milk, beef and pork decreases. In livestock farming, the decrease in production can only be compensated by the increase in poultry meat production. Conclusions. There is an extremely unstable dynamics of agricultural production. In our opinion, the main reason for the sharp fluctuations in production downward was: 1) rapid devaluation of the hryvnia; 2) the loss of traditional markets. The real flow of investment into agriculture demonstrates extremely volatile dynamics. The real dynamics of capital investment in Ukraine’s agriculture, not distorted by inflationary influence, has a low level of stability. Keywords: agricultural production, sustainable development, social infrastructure, rural territories, food security, economic component of sustainable development, production efficiency.

Sustainability of Agro-Gray Soil to Pollution and Acidification, and its Biodiagnostics

The aim of investigations is to study the resistance of agro-gray heavy loamy soil to heavy metal pollution and acidification on the basis of determining corresponding parameters of buffering, as well as microbiological activity, as a biological diagnosis of fertility potential under stress conditions.The object of investigations is the agro-gray soil of different cultivation degrees: fertile and infertile. In fertile soil, the humus content in barren soil was 2.2-2.5 % and that in fertile soil was 5.4 %.A model of soil resistance to heavy metals and acidification has been developed. The low level of stability of the agro-gray soil appears when the maximum Langmuir adsorption value is less than 91 mM / kg for zinc, less than 104 mM / kg for copper, less than 93 mM / kg for lead, and less than 61 mM / kg for cadmium. The average level of stability is provided for zinc, copper and lead in the range from 91 to 143 mM / kg, 104 - 130 mM / kg and 61 - 132 mM / kg, respectively. A high level of soil stability is guaranteed if the maximum adsorption value exceeds 93 - 143 mM / kg. Bio diagnostics included a series of experiments with imitation of pollution and acidification. Soil pollution was modeled by adding 200 and 600 mg / kg of copper to it (experiment 1). In experiment 2, soil was polluted by cadmium at the rate of 10, 30 and 100 MAC. The exposition was 1, 10, 35 and 57 days.Acidification of the soil was simulated by adding dilute sulfuric acid at a rate of 0.018, 0.044, and 0.120 mM / l (experiment 3).In experiment 4, the effect of zinc on the activity of azotobacter in barren and fertile soil was studied. The dose of zinc was 50 and 100 mg / kg.It was established that when the content of humus is not less than 5 %, the average decrease in activity for all groups of microorganisms was not more than 20 % as compared with clean samples. When the humus content was below 3 %, the microbiological activity decreased by more than 30 %.

Monitoring of surface water and bottom sediments at the area of the gas transportation objects in the cryolithozone

This paper presents a program of observation of the surface water and bottom sediments. In accordance with existing regulatory requirements, these elements are directly connected, which allows determination of the water loss and the level of geochemical contamination of rivers and large lakes due to dissolution, migration and accumulation of chemicals in the proper water intake areas, in background and in control points of water bodies. Since monitoring of the surface waters and of the bottom sediments is a part of the complex geoecological monitoring, it is necessary to reflect the feasibility of the work and, accordingly, its objectivity. In addition, results should be reliable and complete, and information received during the observations should be presented in a manner that is convenient for the consumer, which requires additional steps of systematization of the information obtained, data processing and formation of the information banks. When designing a network of monitoring points in the study area, we should follow the same principle that is used for determination of sustainability category of geoecological systems: with other identical conditions, monitoring points should be located in places characterized by low levels of stability and within the zones of exposure to high environmental risk objects.

Creation of High-Efficiency Promising Refractory Materials and Constructions for the Lining of Metallurgical Units

The causes of the low level of stability of the tuyere zone of converters and the reaction zone of rotating furnaces are studied and methods of impregnating standard refractories with different binding agents and effective refractory bodies, glues, gunning bodies, and constructions of linings are developed. A construction of a plant for the fabrication of gunning bodies is proposed. On the basis of tests and the introduction of these measures, the stability of the lining of converters and rotating furnaces can be increased 1.5 – 2-fold at nonferrous metallurgical enterprises and the number of repairs and volume of losses of nonferrous metals reduced.

The size, stability, and consistency of school effects: evidence from Victoria

The bulk of public debate on education focuses on schools and school differences. Ideally, the characteristics of schools that add value to student performance can be identified and implemented for other schools. However, such scenarios assume that school effects are sizable, stable across cohorts, and consistent across subject areas. This study tests these assumptions by analysing school effects in both primary and secondary schools in 5 achievement domains with administrative data from almost all government school students in Victoria, Australia. Gross school effects are reasonably large but show only moderate stability. However, in net progress models which control for prior achievement, school effects are substantially smaller, display only low levels of stability across cohorts, and are not consistent across achievement domains. Therefore, it is difficult to identify schools that consistently increase (or decrease) student performance across subject areas beyond that expected by students’ intake characteristics, most notably prior student performance. Other policy goals are recommended.

Abstract 18763: Characteristics and Anti-Atherosclerotic Properties of (-)-Epigallocatechin Gallate Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles in vitro

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and other developed countries. Macrophages are major cells responsible for atherosclerotic lesion development. (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a natural compound found in green tea, is valuable to prevent atherosclerosis. But EGCG’s low level of stability, bioavailability and targeting specificity in the body makes administering it in therapeutic doses unrealistic. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have successfully synthesized EGCG loaded lipid nanoparticles (ENP), which are composed of biocompatible and biodegradable lipids, surfactants and EGCG. The size of nanoparticles was less than 100 nm in diameter measured using a dynamic light scattering method and a transmission electron microscope. The encapsulation efficiency was around 90%. As compared to native EGCG, ENP significantly increased EGCG stability and macrophage EGCG content at 37°C. Remarkably, ENP significantly decreased human macrophage cholesteryl ester content measured using a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system. ENP also significantly lowered both gene expression and protein secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) in/from human macrophages measured using real-time PCR and ELISA assays, respectively. We also incorporated target ligands on the surface of ENP. The target ligands further increased the binding and uptake of those nanoparticles in human macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: ENP significantly enhanced EGCG stability, increased its cellular bioavailability, decreased cholesteryl ester content and MCP-1 expression in macrophages. Target ligands increased the target specificity of those nanoparticles to human macrophages. ENP with target ligands have a potential for preventing atherosclerotic lesion development through enhancing EGCG uptake by macrophages and decreasing macrophage cholesterol accumulation and inflammatory responses. Funding support: The project described was supported by Grant Number R15AT007013 from NIH NCCAM.

Reliability of ultrasound measurement of automatic activity of the abdominal muscle in participants with and without chronic low back pain

BackgroundUltrasound (US) imaging has been considered as a non-invasive technique to measure thickness and estimate relative abdominal muscle activity. Although some studies have assessed the reliability of US imaging, no study has assessed the reliability of US measurement of automatic activity of abdominal muscles in positions with different levels of stability in participants with chronic low back pain (cLBP). The purpose of this study was to investigate within-day and between-days reliability of US thickness measurements of automatic activity of the abdominal muscles in asymptomatic participants and within-day reliability in those with cLBP.MethodsA total of 20 participants (10 with cLBP, 10 healthy) participated in the study. The reliability of US thickness measurements at supine lying and sitting positions (sitting on a chair, sitting on a gym ball with both feet on the ground or lifting one foot off the floor) were assessed. We evaluated within-day reliability in all participants and between-days reliability in asymptomatic participants.ResultsWe found high ICC scores (0.85-0.95) and also small SEM and MDC scores in both groups. The reliability of the measurements was comparable between participants with and without LBP in each position but the SEMs and MDCs was slightly higher in patient group compared with healthy group. It indicates high intra-tester reliability for the US measurement of the thickness of abdominal muscles in all positions.ConclusionUS imaging can be used as a reliable method for assessment of automatic activity of abdominal muscles in positions with low levels of stability in participants with and without LBP.