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We describe important and common management and labor needs across more than 80 federal agencies as identified by the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) and offer evidence-based interventions for addressing them based on organizational science research. Our recommendations have the synergistic goals of improving employee wellbeing, employee productivity, and agency performance and innovation, which will result in increased agency efficiency and effectiveness for the taxpayer. Specifically, we describe empirical findings and offer suggestions for interventions to improve (a) employee motivation through engagement, empowerment, and embeddedness; (b) employee voice; and (c) within- and across-unit cooperation, communication, and collaboration. We offer recommendations that are sufficiently general to be relevant to many agencies, while also being concrete and actionable. We also offer suggestions for associated research that could be conducted in federal agencies interested in these topics.

Chih-Hsien Chang,1,2 Shin-Yi Liu,3 Chih-Wen Chi,3 Hsiang-Lin Yu,1 Tsui-Jung Chang,1 Tung-Hu Tsai,4 Te-Wei Lee,1 Yu-Jen Chen3–5 1Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan, Taiwan; 2Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, 3Department of Medical Research MacKay Memorial Hospital, 4Institute of Traditional Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, 5Department of Radiation Oncology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan Abstract: External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) treats gross tumors and local microscopic diseases. Radionuclide therapy by radioisotopes can eradicate tumors systemically. Rhenium 188 (188Re)-liposome, a nanoparticle undergoing clinical trials, emits gamma rays for imaging validation and beta rays for therapy, with biodistribution profiles preferential to tumors. We designed a combinatory treatment and examined its effects on human esophageal cancer xenografts, a malignancy with potential treatment resistance and poor prognosis. Human esophageal cancer cell lines BE-3 (adenocarcinoma) and CE81T/VGH (squamous cell carcinoma) were implanted and compared. The radiochemical purity of 188Re-liposome exceeded 95%. Molecular imaging by NanoSPECT/CT showed that BE-3, but not CE81T/VGH, xenografts could uptake the 188Re-liposome. The combination of EBRT and 188Re-liposome inhibited tumor regrowth greater than each treatment alone, as the tumor growth inhibition rate was 30% with EBRT, 25% with 188Re-liposome, and 53% with the combination treatment at 21 days postinjection. Combinatory treatment had no additive adverse effects and significant biological toxicities on white blood cell counts, body weight, or liver and renal functions. EBRT significantly enhanced the excretion of 188Re-liposome into feces and urine. In conclusion, the combination of EBRT with 188Re-liposome might be a potential treatment modality for esophageal cancer. Keywords: Radionuclide therapy, liposome, teletherapy, biodistribution

Feng-Yun J Huang,1 Te-Wei Lee,2 Chih-Hsien Chang,2 Liang-Cheng Chen,2 Wei-Hsin Hsu,2 Chien-Wen Chang,1 Jem-Mau Lo1 1Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan; 2Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Longtan, Taiwan Purpose: In this study, the 188Re-labeled PEGylated nanoliposome (188Re-liposome) was prepared and evaluated as a therapeutic agent for glioma.Materials and methods: The reporter cell line, F98luc was prepared via Lentivector expression kit system and used to set up the orthotopic glioma-bearing rat model for non-invasive bioluminescent imaging. The maximum tolerated dose applicable in Fischer344 rats was explored via body weight monitoring of the rats after single intravenous injection of 188Re-liposome with varying dosages before the treatment study. The OLINDA/EXM 1.1 software was utilized for estimating the radiation dosimetry. To assess the therapeutic efficacy, tumor-bearing rats were intravenously administered 188Re-liposome or normal saline followed by monitoring of the tumor growth and animal survival time. In addition, the histopathological examinations of tumors were conducted on the 188Re-liposome-treated rats.Results: By using bioluminescent imaging, the well-established reporter cell line (F98luc) showed a high relationship between cell number and its bioluminescent intensity (R2=0.99) in vitro; furthermore, it could also provide clear tumor imaging for monitoring tumor growth in vivo. The maximum tolerated dose of 188Re-liposome in Fischer344 rats was estimated to be 333 MBq. According to the dosimetry results, higher equivalent doses were observed in spleen and kidneys while very less were in normal brain, red marrow, and thyroid. For therapeutic efficacy study, the progression of tumor growth in terms of tumor volume and/or tumor weight was significantly slower for the 188Re-liposome-treated group than the control group (P

Wen-Chuan Lee1,*, Chih-Hsien Chang2,3,*, Chih-Min Huang1, Yu-Tse Wu1, Liang-Cheng Chen2, Chung-Li Ho2, Tsui-Jung Chang2, Te-Wei Lee2, Tung-Hu Tsai1,41Institute of Traditional Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 2Division of Isotope Application, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan, 3Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, 4Department of Education and Research, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workBackground: The combination of a radioisotope with a chemotherapeutic agent in a liposomal carrier (ie, Indium-111-labeled polyethylene glycol pegylated liposomal vinorelbine, [111In-VNB-liposome]) has been reported to show better therapeutic efficiency in tumor growth suppression. Nevertheless, the challenge remains as to whether this therapeutic effect is attributable to the combination of a radioisotope with chemotherapeutics. The goal of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and correlation of Indium-111 radioactivity and vinorelbine concentration in the 111In-VNB-liposome.Methods: The VNB-liposome and 111In-VNB-liposome were administered to rats. Blood, liver, and spleen tissue were collected to determine the distribution profile of the 111In-VNB-liposome. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry system and gamma counter were used to analyze the concentration of vinorelbine and radioactivity of Indium-111.Results: High uptake of the 111In-VNB-liposome in the liver and spleen demonstrated the properties of a nanosized drug delivery system. Linear regression showed a good correlation (r = 0.97) between Indium-111 radioactivity and vinorelbine concentration in the plasma of rats administered the 111In-VNB-liposome.Conclusion: A significant positive correlation between the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of 111Indium radioactivity and vinorelbine in blood, spleen, and liver was found following administration of the 111In-VNB-liposome. The liposome efficiently encapsulated both vinorelbine and Indium-111, and showed a similar concentration-radioactivity time profile, indicating the correlation between chemotherapy and radiotherapy could be identical in the liposomal formulation.Keywords: Indium-111, vinorelbine, liposome, pharmacokinetics, radiochemotherapy

Chia-Che Tsai1, Chih-Hsien Chang1, Liang-Cheng Chen1, Ya-Jen Chang1, Keng-Li Lan2, Yu-Hsien Wu1, Chin-Wei Hsu1, I-Hsiang Liu1, Chung-Li Ho1, Wan-Chi Lee1, Hsiao-Chiang Ni1, Tsui-Jung Chang1, Gann Ting3, Te-Wei Lee11Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan, 2Cancer Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, 3National Health Research Institutes, Taipei, Taiwan, ROCBackground: Nanoliposomes are designed as carriers capable of packaging drugs through passive targeting tumor sites by enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effects. In the present study the biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, micro single-photon emission computed tomography (micro-SPECT/CT) image, dosimetry, and therapeutic efficacy of 188Re-labeled nanoliposomes (188Re-liposomes) in a C26 colonic peritoneal carcinomatosis mouse model were evaluated.Methods: Colon carcinoma peritoneal metastatic BALB/c mice were intravenously administered 188Re-liposomes. Biodistribution and micro-SPECT/CT imaging were performed to determine the drug profile and targeting efficiency of 188Re-liposomes. Pharmacokinetics study was described by a noncompartmental model. The OLINDA|EXM® computer program was used for the dosimetry evaluation. For therapeutic efficacy, the survival, tumor, and ascites inhibition of mice after treatment with 188Re-liposomes and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), respectively, were evaluated and compared.Results: In biodistribution, the highest uptake of 188Re-liposomes in tumor tissues (7.91% ± 2.02% of the injected dose per gram of tissue [%ID/g]) and a high tumor to muscle ratio (25.8 ± 6.1) were observed at 24 hours after intravenous administration. The pharmacokinetics of 188Re-liposomes showed high circulation time and high bioavailability (mean residence time [MRT] = 19.2 hours, area under the curve [AUC] = 820.4%ID/g*h). Micro-SPECT/CT imaging of 188Re-liposomes showed a high uptake and targeting in ascites, liver, spleen, and tumor. The results were correlated with images from autoradiography and biodistribution data. Dosimetry study revealed that the 188Re-liposomes did not cause high absorbed doses in normal tissue but did in small tumors. Radiotherapeutics with 188Re-liposomes provided better survival time (increased by 34.6% of life span; P < 0.05), tumor and ascites inhibition (decreased by 63.4% and 83.3% at 7 days after treatment; P < 0.05) in mice compared with chemotherapeutics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).Conclusion: The use of 188Re-liposomes for passively targeted tumor therapy had greater therapeutic effect than the currently clinically applied chemotherapeutics drug 5-FU in a colonic peritoneal carcinomatosis mouse model. This result suggests that 188Re-liposomes have potential benefit and are safe in treating peritoneal carcinomatasis of colon cancer.Keywords: biodistribution, dosimetry, 5-fluorouracil, micro-SPECT/CT, 188Re-liposomes

We describe important and common management and labor needs across more than 80 federal agencies as identified by the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) and offer evidence-based interventions for addressing them based on organizational science research. Our recommendations have the synergistic goals of improving employee wellbeing, employee productivity, and agency performance and innovation, which will result in increased agency efficiency and effectiveness for the taxpayer. Specifically, we describe empirical findings and offer suggestions for interventions to improve (a) employee motivation through engagement, empowerment, and embeddedness; (b) employee voice; and (c) within- and across-unit cooperation, communication, and collaboration. We offer recommendations that are sufficiently general to be relevant to many agencies, while also being concrete and actionable. We also offer suggestions for associated research that could be conducted in federal agencies interested in these topics.

The (188)Re-labeled pegylated nanoliposome (abbreviated as (188)Re-Liposome) was prepared and evaluated for its potential as a theragnostic agent for glioma. (188)Re-BMEDA complex was loaded into the pegylated liposome core with pH 5.5 ammonium sulfate gradient to produce (188)Re-Liposome. Orthotopic Fischer344/F98 glioma tumor-bearing rats were prepared and intravenously injected with (188)Re-Liposome. Biodistribution, pharmacokinetic study, autoradiography (ARG), histopathology, and nano-SPECT/CT imaging were conducted for the animal model. The result showed that (188)Re-Liposome accumulated in the brain tumor of the animal model from 0.28%±0.09% injected dose (ID)/g (n=3) at 1 hour to a maximum of 1.95%±0.35% ID/g (n=3) at 24 hours postinjection. The tumor-to-normal brain uptake ratio (T/N ratio) increased from 3.5 at 1 hour to 32.5 at 24 hours. Both ARG and histopathological images clearly showed corresponding tumor regions with high T/N ratios. Nano-SPECT/CT detected a very clear tumor image from 4 hours till 48 hours. This study reveals the potential of (188)Re-Liposome as a theragnostic agent for brain glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable screening test for limited health literacy for older Korean adults. METHODS: A pool of 102 items was generated based on empirical referents, which, after expert review, field study, and content validity, was reduced to 29 items with three subscales. Construct validity and reliability were established using a convenience sample of 411 community dwelling elderly participants and exploratory factor analysis, and Cronbach's alpha was employed. Rasch analysis was also performed to assess the unidimensionality of the construct and item adequacy. RESULTS: Rasch analysis showed that the scale was unidimensional and the majority of the items demonstrated good fit. The final instrument, the Korean Health Literacy Scale (KHLS), is a 24-item questionnaire containing short passages, pictures, and graphs with multiple-choice answer format, with an internal consistency of .891. There are 13 comprehension and numeracy questions and 11 questions about health-related terms; the test requires 15-20min for administration. CONCLUSION: KHLS is culturally suitable as a screening test for limited literacy for older Korean adults in the community. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Korean investigators now have a validated health literacy tool for research with elderly participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives. The specific aims of the study were (1) to identify community residents' health problems and community health practitioners' activities, (2) to explore community health practitioners' perception of the practice guidelines and (3) to provide recommendations for the development of a new practice guideline in the future. Background. Community health practitioners in Korea are recognised as a critical component of the public health workforce in rural areas. Community health practitioners are registered nurses with six months special training, who have the chief responsibility of delivering primary health care to remote or isolated communities. Although there has been numerous changes in focus of community health practitioners practice over the two decades, community health practitioners guidelines have never been updated since being first developed in 1981. Design. This investigation employed a cross-sectional survey and focus group interview. Methods. The samples included two different groups: 1003 community health practitioners participated in a survey and a group of 12 community health practitioners participated in a focus group interview. A measure of perception of the guideline was developed from Mansfield's work. Goolsby's criteria were revised and used to guide the focus group interview. Results. The participants recognised that the role of community health practitioners is in a process of transition and expect to use well developed guidelines that will allow an appropriate response to the needs of the community. Community health practitioners are generally supportive of practice guidelines although they report various contextual, social and resource barriers to the use of practice guidelines. Finally, the researchers have provided recommendations for the development of new community health practitioners practice guidelines. Conclusion. A newly developed community health practitioners guideline should assist in articulating new roles and responsibilities in the practice of community health practitioners and establish a foundation for knowledge, skills and training necessary for them to work independently. Relevance to clinical practice. New services made available for under-recognised health problems may be a direct outcome of newly developed guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has changed the way spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is managed. Benefits of VATS include less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, and attenuated postoperative inflammatory response are evident compared with open thoracic procedures. Furthermore, the increasing acceptance by patients and referring physicians is testament to its success. Recent studies and the authors decade of experience in management of SP by VATS show that it is quick, safe, and effective, with recurrence rates generally comparable to open procedures, with some exceptions. However, selecting the correct procedure and patient, as well as knowing the limitations of the surgeons and techniques are paramount for success. Even to this day, there are considerable variations in the treatment of SP and large scale controlled studies are needed to better define timing of surgery and the role of the different procedures in the treatment and prevention of SP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of the demonstration health promotion projects on whether knowledge, perceptions, and competencies of health care workers in health centers improved as a result of participating in the health promotion projects. A total of 1,955 community health care workers were recruited for the study. Health care workers from 18 demonstration health centers (n = 728) were assigned to the study group. The remaining 1,227 health care workers from 36 health centers, who have not participated in the demonstration projects, were assigned to the control group. Mailed-out questionnaires were used to measure knowledge and perceptions related to health promotion programs, and competencies in carrying out health promotion programs of health care workers for both groups. The results indicated that knowledge, perception, and competency of health care workers who participated in the demonstration projects were significantly higher than those who had not; but at the same time, those participants of demonstration projects might be under stress due to the extra assignments required by the projects. For effective health promotion programs, there is a need to supplement the staff in the health centers to take charge of health promotion programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objectives: Quality of life (QOL) following video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) major lung resection has not been systematically studied. This study was designed to evaluate the intermediate to long-term QOL in patients with lung cancer following resection, comparing VATS with thoracotomy.Design: Cross-sectional study, telephone survey.Methods: Of 136 disease-free surviving patients with non-small cell lung cancer operated on between 1994 and 2000, 45 patients were excluded because of large tumors (> 5 cm) or locally advanced disease, and another 27 patients were excluded because of adjuvant therapy, coexisting cancer from another source, or psychiatric illness. At the time of the survey, 13 patients were found to be either unsuitable or unwilling to participate. This left a total of 51 patients, with 27 patients in the VATS group and 24 patients in the thoracotomy group (open group), for the final analysis. QOL was assessed using Chinese versions of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ)-C30 and the EORTC QLQ-LC13, supplemented with nine self-developed surgery-related questions.Results: Mean follow-up time was 33.5 months in the VATS group (median, 20.8 months; range, 6.0 to 84.2 months) and 39.4 months in the open group (median, 37.7 months; range, 7.0 to 75.1 months). Both groups had good QOL and high levels of functioning despite a fairly high incidence of symptoms. There was a trend for VATS patients to score higher on the QOL and functioning scales and to report fewer symptoms. However, these differences did not lead to statistical significance.Conclusions: This study showed that lung cancer patients with resectable disease following surgical treatment without recurrence have good QOL and high levels of functioning on intermediate to long-term follow-up, with no significant differences between the VATS and open groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olanzapine, an atypical antipsychotic, is often regarded as a safe choice for psychosis management. We hereby report an aged case that presented with conscious depression, bradycardia, hypotension, miosis and hypothermia. Olanzapine was thought to be the offending agent. His condition improved with supportive therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neurobehavioral assessment of N,N-bis(2-mercapatoethly)-N',N'-diethylenediamine (BMEDA), which can form a chelate with rhenium-188 ( 188 Re) to produce the 188 Re-BMEDA-liposome, was evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential neurobehavioral changes by using the functional observational battery observation procedures when intravenous injection of BMEDA to Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were administered BMEDA at dose levels of 1, 2, and 5 mg/kg. No mortalities were observed. There are some observations related to BMEDA treatment found in the 5 mg/kg dose group at 10 min post-dose. Tremor was observed in one male rat and seven female rats. The increased respiration, vocalization, not easy to handle and/or loss of tone in the limb were observed in both males and females, and increased body temperature was observed in male animals. Based on the results, a single intravenous dose of BMEDA administered to rats resulted in increased respiration, vocalization, not easy to handle and/or loss of tone in the limb increasing at the dose level of 5 mg/kg. No neurobehavioral effects were noted after BMEDA administration up to the dose level of 2 mg/kg. The information of this study will provides a point of reference to design appropriately therapeutic studies for future human use., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The correlation between surface roughness and energy density in the down surface area of AlSi10Mg alloy manufactured by selective laser melting was analyzed. This study investigated the relationship between the contour melt pool shape and surface roughness in the down surface area across an energy density range of 10-150 J/mm³. As the energy density increased, the contour melt pool in the down surface area became more stable, which significantly influenced surface roughness. Low energy density resulted in the unstable formation of the contour melt pool, leading to a deterioration in surface quality, whereas high energy density promoted the stable formation of the melt pool. Sufficient energy density is essential for the complete formation of the contour melt pool on the down surface, which plays a crucial role in reducing surface roughness. However, within the energy density range where the contour melt pool is fully formed, keyhole defects may occur, and it can be anticipated that these defects may worsen at energy densities exceeding the critical threshold., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Applying transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) at 40 Hz to the frontal and parietal regions, either unilaterally (left or right) or bilaterally, can improve cognitive dysfunctions. This study aimed to explore the influence of tACS at gamma frequency over right fronto-parietal (FP) region on attention. The analysis is based on retrospective data from a clinical intervention. We administered test of variables of attention (TOVA; visual mode) to 44 participants with various neuropsychiatric diagnoses before and after 12 sessions of tACS treatment. Alternating currents at 2.0 mA were delivered to the electrode positions F4 and P4, following the 10-20 EEG convention, for 20 mins in each session. We observed significant improvement across 3 indices of the TOVA, including reduction of variability in reaction time ( p = 0.0002), increase in d-Prime (separability of targets and non-targets; p = 0.0157), and decrease in commission error rate ( p = 0.0116). The mean RT and omission error rate largely remained unchanged. Artificial injection of tACS at 40 Hz over right FP network may improve attention function, especially in the domains of consistency in performance, target/non-target discrimination, and inhibitory control.

Electrolyte-gated organic synaptic transistors (EGOSTs) can have versatile synaptic plasticity in a single device, so they are promising as components of neuromorphic implants that are intended for use in neuroprosthetic electronic nerves that are energy-efficient and have simple system structure. With the advancement in transistor properties of EGOSTs, the commercialization of neuromorphic implants for practical long-term use requires consistent operation, so they must be stable in vivo. This requirement demands strategies that maintain electronic and ionic transport in the devices while implanted in the human body, and that are mechanically, environmentally, and operationally stable. Here, we cover the structure, working mechanisms, and electrical responses of EGOSTs. We then focus on strategies to ensure their stability to maintain these characteristics and prevent adverse effects on biological tissues. We also highlight state-of-the-art neuromorphic implants that incorporate these strategies. We conclude by presenting a perspective on improvements that are needed in EGOSTs to develop practical, neuromorphic implants that are long-term useable., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Tae-Woo Lee reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea. Seung-Woo Lee reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea. Somin Kim reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea. Kwan-Nyeong Kim reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea. Min-Jun Sung reports financial support was provided by National Research Foundation of Korea. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Polycrystalline perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have shown great promise with high efficiency and easy processability. However, PeLEDs using single-cation polycrystalline perovskite emitters have demonstrated low efficiency due to defects within the grains and at the interfaces between the perovskite layer and the charge injection contact. Thus, simultaneous defect engineering of perovskites to suppress exciton loss within the grains and at the interfaces is crucial for achieving high efficiency in PeLEDs. Here, 1,8-octanedithiol which is a strong nucleophile, is used to increase the luminescence efficiency of a single-cation perovskite by suppressing non-radiative recombination within the grains of their polycrystalline emitter film as well as at their interface with an anode. The dithiol additive performs a multifunctional role in defect passivation, spatial confinement of excitons, and prevention of exciton quenching at the interface between the perovskite layer and the underlying hole-injection layer. Photoluminescence studies demonstrate that incorporating the dithiol additive significantly enhances the charge carrier dynamics in perovskites, resulting in an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of up to 23.46% even in a simplified PeLED that does not use a hole-injection layer. This represents the highest level of EQE achieved among devices utilizing polycrystalline single-cation perovskites., (© 2024 The Author(s). Small published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

A weak van der Waals (vdW) force in layered materials enables their isolation into thin flakes through mechanical exfoliation while sustaining their intrinsic electronic and optical properties. Here, we introduce a universal roll-printing method capable of producing vdW multilayer films on wafer-to-meter scale. This process uses sequential exfoliation and transfer of layered materials from the powder sources to target substrates through a repeated rolling of a cylindrical metal drum. We achieve uniformly coated films with a library of vdW powders on various mechanically rigid and flexible substrates. The printed films are configured into different devices including light-emitting diodes and photodetectors. The presented technique offers substantial benefits in terms of cost efficiency and a low thermal budget while offering high material quality.

2H-phase molybdenum disulfide (2H-MoS 2 ) has been considered to be a chemically stable two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial. Nonetheless, the persistence of 2H-MoS 2 in the presence of environmental redox-active matrices, such as naturally occurring oxidants (e.g., manganese dioxide (MnO 2 )) and natural organic matter (NOM), remains largely unknown. Herein, we examined the interplay between 2H-MoS 2 , MnO 2 (a common natural oxidant), and NOM species (i.e., Aldrich humic acid (ALHA) and Suwannee River natural organic matter (SRNOM)). The results show that MnO 2 accelerates the oxidative dissolution of 2H-MoS 2 , regardless of the presence of dissolved oxygen. The effect of NOM on the MnO 2 -induced fate of 2H-MoS 2 was found to depend on its affinity for 2H-MoS 2 and the functionality of NOM. ALHA preferentially adsorbed on hydrophobic 2H-MoS 2 nanosheets due to the enrichment of reductive polycyclic aromatics and polyphenolic constituents. The preferential ALHA adsorption counteracted the MnO 2 -triggered oxidative transformation of 2H-MoS 2 , as revealed by the cathodic response of 2H-MoS 2 (i.e., decreased the open circuit potential by 0.0338 V) and the emergence of reductive Mo‒C bonds at 228.8 and 231.9 eV upon the addition of ALHA. This work evaluated the persistence of 2H-MoS 2 , illustrating its susceptibility to decomposition by naturally occurring oxidants and the influence of NOM on it. These findings are crucial for revealing the fate and transport of MoS 2 in aquatic environments and provide guidelines for related applications in natural or engineered systems for MoS 2 and potentially other 2D materials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Skin-mountable electronic materials are being intensively evaluated for use in bio-integrated devices that can mutually interact with the human body. Over the past decade, functional electronic materials inspired by the skin are developed with new functionalities to address the limitations of traditional electronic materials for bio-integrated devices. Herein, the recent progress in skin-mountable functional electronic materials for skin-like electronics is introduced with a focus on five perspectives that entail essential functionalities: stretchability, self-healing ability, biocompatibility, breathability, and biodegradability. All functionalities are advanced with each strategy through rational material designs. The skin-mountable functional materials enable the fabrication of bio-integrated electronic devices, which can lead to new paradigms of electronics combining with the human body., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Metal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have exceptional color purity but designs that emit deep-blue color with high efficiency have not been fully achieved and become more difficult in the thin film of confined perovskite colloidal quantum dots (PeQDs) due to particle interaction. Here it is demonstrated that electronic coupling and energy transfer in PeQDs induce redshift in the emission by PeQD film, and consequently hinder deep-blue emission. To achieve deep-blue emission by avoiding electronic coupling and energy transfer, a QD-in-organic solid solution is introduced to physically separate the QDs in the film. This physical separation of QDs reduces the interaction between them yielding a blueshift of ≈7 nm in the emission spectrum. Moreover, using a hole-transporting organic molecule with a deep-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (≈6.0 eV) as the organic matrix, the formation of exciplex emission is suppressed. As a result, an unprecedently high maximum external quantum efficiency of 6.2% at 462 nm from QD-in-organic solid solution film in PeLEDs is achieved, which satisfies the deep-blue color coordinates of CIEy < 0.06. This work suggests an important material strategy to deepen blue emission without reducing the particle size to <≈4 nm., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Introduction: One of the most common applications of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) at low current intensity is to induce a relaxed state or reduce anxiety. With technical advancement, different waveforms, montages, and parameters can be incorporated into the treatment regimen. We developed a novel protocol to treat individuals with anxiety disorders by transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)., Methods: A total of 27 individuals with anxiety disorders underwent tACS treatment for 12 sessions, with each session lasting 25 min. tACS at 5 Hz was applied to F4 (1.0 mA), P4 (1.0 mA), and T8 (2.0 mA) EEG lead positions (tripod), with sinewave oscillation between T8 and F4/P4. We evaluated the primary and secondary outcomes using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and neuropsychological assessments., Results: Of the 27 patients, 19 (70.4 %) experienced a reduction in symptom severity >50 %, with an average reduction of BAI 58.5 %. All reported side effects were mild, with itching or tingling being the most common complaint. No significant differences were noted in attention, linguistic working memory, visuospatial working memory, or long-term memory in neuropsychological assessments., Conclusion: The results suggest the potential of this novel tripod tACS design as a rapid anxiety alleviator and the importance of a clinical trial to verify its efficacy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All authors declare no conflicts of interest. This work has not been published previously and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The publication is approved by all authors, and if accepted, it will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English, or any other language, including electronically without the written consent of the copyright holder., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Programmable and reconfigurable optics hold significant potential for transforming a broad spectrum of applications, spanning space explorations to biomedical imaging, gas sensing, and optical cloaking. The ability to adjust the optical properties of components like filters, lenses, and beam steering devices could result in dramatic reductions in size, weight, and power consumption in future optoelectronic devices. Among the potential candidates for reconfigurable optics, chalcogenide-based phase change materials (PCMs) offer great promise due to their non-volatile and analogue switching characteristics. Although PCM have found widespread use in electronic data storage, these memory devices are deeply sub-micron-sized. To incorporate phase change materials into free-space optical components, it is essential to scale them up to beyond several hundreds of microns while maintaining reliable switching characteristics. This study demonstrated a non-mechanical, non-volatile transmissive filter based on low-loss PCMs with a 200 × 200 µm 2 switching area. The device/metafilter can be consistently switched between low- and high-transmission states using electrical pulses with a switching contrast ratio of 5.5 dB. The device was reversibly switched for 1250 cycles before accelerated degradation took place. The work represents an important step toward realizing free-space reconfigurable optics based on PCMs., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is an extremely rare, chronic granulomatous inflammatory condition thought to arise secondary to a combination of obstruction, recurrent bacterial infection and an incomplete immune response although the etiology of XGP is more complex. We would like to report a case of XGP occurring in a patient with polycystic kidney disease (PCKD), which has not been previously documented in etiology. A 29-year-old woman presented to our hospital with right upper quadrant pain for 5 days. She had experienced a low-grade fever, generalized weakness, and myalgia throughout her body for 2 weeks. She had no history of renal stones or recurrent UTIs. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed a well-enhancing large septated cystic mass in the right kidney and numerous cysts in the liver and both kidneys. Open right radical nephrectomy was performed due to the suspicion of renal cell carcinoma, as there was no response to antibiotics over 7 days. Gross specimen demonstrated architectural distortion due to xanthomatous nodules and a dilated pelvico-calyceal system filled with pus and blood. Microscopic examination revealed infiltration of neutrophils and lipid-laden macrophages. The patient is currently being followed up in the outpatient clinic without recurrence of XGP. This is the first reported case of XGP in a patient with underlying PCKD. Physicians should consider PCKD as a potential underlying cause of XGP., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Kang, Lee, Bae, Jang, Jung, Lee, Chang and Park.)

Introduction: The accumulation of microbiota-derived trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the atrium is linked to the development and progression of atrial arrhythmia. Butyrate, a major short-chain fatty acid, plays a crucial role in sustaining intestinal homeostasis and alleviating systemic inflammation, which may reduce atrial arrhythmogenesis., Objectives: This study explored the roles of butyrate in regulating TMAO-mediated atrial remodeling and arrhythmia., Methods: Whole-cell patch clamp experiments, Western blotting, and immunocytochemistry were used to analyze electrical activity and signaling, respectively, in TMAO-treated HL-1 atrial myocytes with or without sodium butyrate (SB) administration. Telemetry electrocardiographic recording and echocardiography and Masson's trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry were employed to examine atrial function and histopathology, respectively, in mice treated with TMAO with and without SB administration., Results: Compared with control cells, TMAO-treated HL-1 myocytes exhibited reduced action potential duration (APD), elevated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium content, larger L-type calcium current (I Ca-L ), increased Na + /Ca 2+ exchanger (NCX) current, and increased potassium current. However, the combination of SB and TMAO resulted in similar APD, SR calcium content, I Ca-L , transient outward potassium current (I to ), and ultrarapid delayed rectifier potassium current (I Kur ) compared with controls. Additionally, TMAO-treated HL-1 myocytes exhibited increased activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress signaling, along with increased PKR-like ER stress kinase (PERK)/IRE1α axis activation and expression of phospho-IP3R, NCX, and Kv1.5, compared with controls or HL-1 cells treated with the combination of TMAO and SB. TMAO-treated mice exhibited atrial ectopic beats, impaired atrial function, increased atrial fibrosis, and greater activation of ER stress signaling with PERK/IRE1α axis activation compared with controls and mice treated with TMAO combined with SB., Conclusion: TMAO administration led to PERK/IRE1α axis activation, which may increase atrial remodeling and arrhythmogenesis. SB treatment mitigated TMAO-elicited ER stress. This finding suggests that SB administration is a valuable strategy for treating TMAO-induced atrial arrhythmia., (Copyright © 2024. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)