Intra-rater reliability of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of erector spinae and gluteus medius muscles in patients with low back pain.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common conditions in the United States. Dysfunctional patterns of the erector spinae (ES) and gluteus medius (GM) muscles often accompany episodes of LBP.

Objectives: To evaluate the intra-rater reliability of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) in obtaining thickness measurements of the ES and GM muscles at rest and during submaximal contraction.

Cognitive dissonance in tuberculosis stigma: A mixed methods analysis of tuberculosis stigma measurement in South Africa.

Background: The Patient and Community Perspectives Towards Tuberculosis are the most common measure of tuberculosis (TB) stigma in sub-Saharan Africa. The instrument and its sub-scales (patient and community) have been quantitatively validated but have not undergone qualitative exploration in South Africa.

Methods: We explored whether the Patient Perspectives Towards Tuberculosis adequately represents stigma as experienced by people with TB in South Africa.

Isolation of Small Extracellular Vesicles (sEVs) from the Apoplastic Wash Fluid of Nicotiana benthamiana Leaves.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membranous vesicles secreted by cells into their surrounding extracellular environment. Similar to mammalian EVs, plant EVs have emerged as essential mediators of intercellular communication in plants that facilitate the transfer of biological material between cells. They also play essential roles in diverse physiological processes including stress responses, developmental regulation, and defense mechanisms against pathogens.