The relationship between presenteeism among nurses and patients' experience in tertiary hospitals in China.

This study aims to observe the current situation of nurses' presenteeism and the relationship between presenteeism among nurses and patient perceptions and examine its implications for nursing management. The study design was quantitative, correlational and cross-sectional. The researchers used convenience samples of nurses and patients from five hospitals who agreed to participate in an online survey distributed using Sojump Survey Software. A total of 500 in-service nurses from five tertiary hospitals in Henan Province in China were recruited as the nurse participants. Among them, 433 met the inclusion criteria and completed the general information questionnaire and the presenteeism scale. Patients who were hospitalised for three days or more and were cared for by one or more nurse participants were included in the study. In total, 435 patient participants answered the Inpatient Experience Questionnaire. The responses collected from both groups were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Nurses' presenteeism was a key factor that affected patient experience. Presenteeism among nurses is a common phenomenon. Although patients' experience was overall positive, there is still room for improvement. Reducing presenteeism among nurses is crucial for improving patient experience, creating harmonious nurse-patient relationships and sharing a common mission.

Patient satisfaction with humanistic nursing in Chinese secondary and tertiary public hospitals: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Humanistic care pertains to the abilities, attitudes, and behaviors central to patient-centered care, contributing to patients' sense of safety and wellbeing. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of patients with humanistic nursing care in Chinese secondary and tertiary public hospitals. Methods: A national cross-sectional survey was conducted across 30 provinces and 83 hospitals in China. Patient satisfaction with humanistic care was assessed using the Methodist Health Care System Nurse Caring Instrument (NCI), which encompasses 20 items across 12 dimensions. Each item was rated on a 7-point Likert scale, yielding a total score of 140. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with patients' satisfaction. Results: Moderate satisfaction (mean score 91.26 ± 13.14) with humanistic nursing care was observed among the 17,593 participants. Factors significantly associated with patient satisfaction included age, hospital type, presence of children, educational attainment, place of residence, family monthly income, and medical insurance type. Conclusion: The study findings highlight the importance of tailored interventions, evidence-based practice guidelines, and patient-centered care in improving patients' satisfaction with humanistic nursing care. Continuous emphasis on nursing education and professional development is crucial for enhancing humanistic care and patient satisfaction.

Numerical investigations of influence on thermal conductive heating in DNAPL-impacted soils by heterogeneity.

The treatment of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zones is challenging, particularly in heterogeneous media. Thermal conductive heating (TCH) has the potential to treat DNAPL source zones for its ability to enhance mass transfer. This study uses numerical modeling combined with Monte Carlo simulation to examine the influence of heterogeneity of the permeability field on the DNAPL distribution and TCH remediation. It is found that the longer horizontal correlation length of high-permeable clay lens would contribute to accelerate multiphase convection and then heat conduction in horizontal direction. The presence of DNAPL (both in NAPL phase and dissolved), pressure, and permeability are all contributory factors to phase change. Realizations with shorter horizontal correlation lengths always have a larger vertical spreading of DNAPL. As a shallow vapor extraction well was applied in this study, higher TCE removal rate can be obtained in the realizations with a shorter horizontal correlation length when NAPL phase of TCE is existed in the domain.

A Large-Scale Survey on Perceived Risk, Risk Emotions and Humanistic Care Needs Among Nurses During the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the risk perception, risk emotions and humanistic care needs of nursing staff during the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on the perceived risk, risk emotions and humanistic care needs of 35,068 nurses in 18 cities of the Henan Province, China.We collected a total of 35,188 questionnaires, of which 35,068 were effectively returned, with an effective return rate of 99.7%. The collected data were summarized and statistically analyzed using Excel 97 2003 and IBM SPSS software. Results: Nurses' risk perceptions and emotions vary during the covid-19 pandemic. In order to provide nurses with targeted psychological intervention to prevent nurses from suffering from unhealthy mental states.The results show that the total score of the nurses' risk perceptions of Covid-19 was 3.66 ± 0.39, the highest score of nurses' risk perception part is 5 points, and ≥3 points represent high risk and 88.3% of nurses believed that the Covid-19 risk was high. There were significant differences in the nurses' total perceived risk scores for Covid-19 based on gender, age, prior contact with patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 and previous participation in other similar public health emergencies (P < 0.050). Of the nurses included in the study, 44.8% had some level of fear relating to Covid-19 and 35.7% were able to remain calm and objective. There were significant differences in the total scores for risk emotions relating to Covid-19 based on gender, age and prior contact with patients with suspected or confirmed Covid-19 (P < 0.050). Of the nurses included in the study, 84.8% were willing to receive humanistic care and 77.6% of these expected to be provided with humanistic care by institutions in the healthcare sector. Conclusion: Nurses with different basic data have different risk cognition and risk emotions. Different psychological needs should be considered, and targeted multi-sectoral psychological intervention services should be provided to help prevent nurses from developing unhealthy psychological states.

UV filter ethylhexyl salicylate affects cardiovascular development by disrupting lipid metabolism in zebrafish embryos.

Ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS) is an organic UV filter commonly used in sunscreens to protect people from the UV radiation. The widespread use of EHS will enter the aquatic environment along with human activities. EHS readily accumulates in adipose tissue as a lipophilic compound, but its toxic effects on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular system of aquatic organisms have not been studied. This study investigated the effects of EHS on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular development during zebrafish embryogenesis. The results showed that EHS caused defects such as pericardial edema, cardiovascular dysplasia, lipid deposition, ischemia, and apoptosis in zebrafish embryos. In addition, qPCR and whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) results indicated that EHS treatment significantly altered the expression of genes related to cardiovascular development, lipid metabolism, erythropoiesis, and apoptosis. The hypolipidemic drug rosiglitazone was able to alleviate the cardiovascular defects caused by EHS, indicating that EHS affected cardiovascular development by disrupting lipid metabolism. In addition, severe ischemia caused by cardiovascular abnormalities and apoptosis were observed in the EHS-treated embryos, which was likely to be the main cause of embryonic mortality. In conclusion, this study shows that EHS has toxic effects on lipid metabolism and cardiovascular formation. Our findings provide new evidence for assessing UV filter EHS toxicity and contribute to raising awareness of the safety risks of EHS.

L-selenomethionine affects liver development and glucolipid metabolism by inhibiting autophagy in zebrafish embryos.

Selenium plays a vital role in cancer prevention, antioxidation, and the growth of humans and other vertebrates. Excessive selenium can cause liver injury and metabolic disorders, which can lead to hepatic disease, but few studies have shown the effects of excessive selenium on liver development and its mechanism in zebrafish embryos. In this study, liver development and glucolipid metabolism were investigated in selenium-stressed zebrafish embryos. Under selenium treatment, transgenic fabp10a-eGFP zebrafish embryos showed reduced liver size, and wild-type zebrafish embryos exhibited steatosis and altered lipid metabolism-related indexes and glucose metabolism-related enzyme activities. In addition, selenium-stressed embryos exhibited damaged mitochondria and inhibited autophagy in the liver. An autophagy inducer (rapamycin) alleviated selenium-induced liver injury and restored the expression of some genes related to liver development and glucolipid metabolism. In summary, our research evaluated liver developmental toxicity and metabolic disorders under selenium stress, and confirmed that autophagy and oxidative stress might involve in the selenium-induced hepatic defects.

Authoritarian leadership and nurse presenteeism: the role of workload and leader identification.

BACKGROUND: Nurses' health in the workplace is crucial for ensuring the quality of healthcare. However, presenteeism, the behavior of working in a state of ill health, is widespread in the nursing industry. Considering that the origin of authoritarian leadership and the prevalence of presenteeism are inseparable from Chinese workplace culture, this study aimed to explore the impact and mechanism of authoritarian leadership on presenteeism. METHODS: A total of 528 nurses were recruited from four grade III level A hospitals in the present survey, which was distributed across 98 nursing teams. Participants were required to complete self-report measures on authoritarian leadership, presenteeism, workload, and leader identification. Description, correlation, and multilevel linear regressions were applied for data analysis. RESULTS: The present study found that presenteeism was significantly related to participants' demographic characteristics, such as marital status, educational level, technological title, and general health. There was a positive relationship between authoritarian leadership and presenteeism, and workload acted as a mediator in authoritarian leadership and presenteeism. Furthermore, leader identification moderated the relationship between authoritarian leadership and workload. When nurses were under high leader identification, the positive impact of authoritarian leadership on workload was reinforced. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed the potential antecedents and mechanisms of nurse presenteeism from the perspective of workplace culture. Results indicated that the excessive authoritarianism of leaders and the heavy workload faced by nurses may be the significant triggers for nurses' presenteeism. The role of leader identification is not always protective, which may heighten the relationship between dark leadership and its outcomes. These observations contribute to enriching research on presenteeism and authoritarian leadership, and provide valuable insights for cultivating healthy working behaviors.

The genetic architecture of phenotypic diversity in the Betta fish (Betta splendens).

The Betta fish displays a remarkable variety of phenotypes selected during domestication. However, the genetic basis underlying these traits remains largely unexplored. Here, we report a high-quality genome assembly and resequencing of 727 individuals representing diverse morphotypes of the Betta fish. We show that current breeds have a complex domestication history with extensive introgression with wild species. Using a genome-wide association study, we identify the genetic basis of multiple traits, including coloration patterns, the "Dumbo" phenotype with pectoral fin outgrowth, extraordinary enlargement of body size that we map to a major locus on chromosome 8, the sex determination locus that we map to dmrt1, and the long-fin phenotype that maps to the locus containing kcnj15. We also identify a polygenic signal related to aggression, involving multiple neural system-related genes such as esyt2, apbb2, and pank2. Our study provides a resource for developing the Betta fish as a genetic model for morphological and behavioral research in vertebrates.

Analysis and Review of the Countermeasures Required for Medical Staff's Cognition of Relevant Laws and Regulations in the Coronavirus 2019 Context.

Background: Novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infections are highly contagious and have spread worldwide. Healthcare workers must understand the laws and regulations related to major public health emergencies to work effectively within this environment. Through investigation and analysis, a review was conducted to help gain a better understanding of a Level-1 response to public health events and the relevant laws and regulations applicable to medical staff. Based on the results, this study formulated measures for working in the current COVID-19 healthcare context. Methods: A total of 42,490 medical personnel in 18 cities in Henan Province (China) were reviewed and analysed using the convenience sampling method. A questionnaire was employed to address two areas of cognitive status quo (25 items), ie, "general information" and "major public events and rules of the law". Results: More than 90% of medical staff had a good understanding related to knowledge about prevention and control in the pandemic context, as well as their due diligence and legal responsibility for controlling the pandemic and preventing others from being infected. However, 3.47-32.61% of medical staff still had a minimal understanding of a Level-1 response to public health events and its relevant laws and regulations. Conclusion: The response to public health events required strengthening at all levels through promotion and education, by implementing an optimised treatment system and establishing an improved legal mechanism for the treatment of major conditions, such as hierarchical, stratified and triaged infectious diseases.

Patient satisfaction with nurses' care is positively related to the nurse-patient relationship in Chinese hospitals: A multicentre study.

Background: The nurse-patient relationship and nursing care satisfaction are important factors that represent whether patients experience the care they expect from nurses. However, research is lacking on the relationship between nursing staff and patients, and the correlation between nursing care satisfaction and relationship care in China. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the correlation between the nurse-patient relationship and patients' satisfaction with nursing care, to form a basis for corresponding intervention measures. Methods: A total of 29,108 patients from 107 hospitals in 30 provinces/municipalities in China completed a general information questionnaire, the Nursing Care Satisfaction Scale, and Relational Care Scale. Results: The average nurse-patient relational care scale score was 4.38 ± 0.57, and the average patients' satisfaction with nursing care scale score was 5.40 ± 0.86. Nursing care satisfaction score was significantly related to differences among patients in different age, gender, marital status, education level, occupation, residence, family per capita monthly income, type of medical insurance, medical department, and regional patient characteristics. The correlation analysis showed that the total nurse-patient relational care score and its three dimensions of caring, trust, and professional ethics correlated positively with nursing care satisfaction scores. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that patients' age, marital status, region, department, income, type of medical insurance and the caring, trust, and professional ethics dimensions of relational care predicted nursing care satisfaction. Conclusion: Enhancing nurse-patient relational care improves nursing care satisfaction, reduces nurse-patient disputes, promotes early rehabilitation of patients, and ensures patient safety.

Diagnoses of two new species of Parosphromenus (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) from Bangka Island and Kalimantan, Indonesia.

We describe two new species of Parosphromenus from Indonesia based on morphological and molecular diagnoses. Parosphromenus juelinae, sp. nov., occurs on Bangka Island. Its unpaired fin coloration is similar to that of P. deissneri, but it differs from the latter in having a rounded caudal fin with a non-filamentous branched median ray and a smaller anal fin. Although the new species has the same caudal fin structure as P. bintan, it can be distinguished from the latter by its distinct unpaired fin coloration and the intense red color on the body flanks. Parosphromenus kishii, sp. nov., is found only in a single river system in Kalimantan Tengah. It is distinguished from all other congeners by the unique coloration of its caudal fin. A phylogenetic tree based on the cytochrome b (cytb) gene indicates that the two new species are distinct monophyletic groups constituting distinct phylogenetic branches from their congeners. Cytochrome b Genetic distances between Parosphromenus juelinae, sp. nov., and Parosphromenus kishii, sp. nov., and the other taxa in the phylogenetic tree range from 2.44% to 19.52% and from 8.65% to 17.28%, respectively.

Development and Validity of the Nurse Presenteeism Questionnaire.

This study aimed to develop and test the reliability and validity of a multi-item nurses' presenteeism behaviour questionnaire. Study 1 administered the Nurse Presenteeism Questionnaire (NPQ) to 250 Chinese nurses. Study 2, surveyed 650 nurses with the NPQ, the Sickness Presenteeism Questionnaire, the Stanford Presenteeism Scale, the General Health Questionnaire, and the Emotional Exhaustion Scale using convenience sampling. After item analysis, the subjects were randomly divided into two groups to verify the questionnaire structure. Study 1 revealed the nurses' core symptoms when they go to work with illness, and the NPQ with 11 items was developed. Study 2's item analysis revealed that 11 NPQ items had good discrimination (t = 22.67∼36.11, p < 0.01) and high homogeneity. Besides, the scale had good reliability (Cronbach's = 0.93) and external criterion validity (r = 0.24∼0.84, p < 0.01). Thus, the NPQ can be used to measure presenteeism behaviour in nursing.

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 Promotes Vascular Adventitial Fibroblasts Phenotypic Transformation and Inflammatory Reaction Induced by Mechanical Stretching Stress via p38 MAPK/JNK Pathway.

Remodeling of the arteries is one of the pathological bases of hypertension. We have previously shown that transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) aggravates the vascular adventitial remodeling caused by pressure overload in the transverse aortic constriction (TAC) model. In this study, we sought to explore the functional expression and downstream signaling of TRPM7 in vascular adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) stimulated by mechanical stretching stress (MSS). The expression of TRPM7 was upregulated with a concomitant translocation to the cytoplasm in the AFs stimulated with 20% MSS. Meanwhile, the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of transformation from AFs to myofibroblasts (MFs) was also increased. Moreover, AF-conditioned medium caused a significant migration of macrophages after treatment with MSS and contained high levels of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Pharmacological and RNA interference approaches using the TRPM7 inhibitor 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) and specific anti-TRPM7 small interfering RNA (si-RNA-TRPM7) abrogated these changes significantly. Further exploration uncloaked that inhibition of TRPM7 reduced the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase (p38MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the AFs stimulated with MSS. Furthermore, inhibition of the phosphorylation of p38MAPK or JNK could also alleviate the MSS-induced expression of α-SMA and secretion of inflammatory factors. These observations indicate that activated TRPM7 participates in the phenotypic transformation and inflammatory action of AFs in response to MSS through the p38MAPK/JNK pathway and suggest that TRPM7 may be a potential therapeutic target for vascular remodeling caused by hemodynamic changes in hypertension.

Nurses' Job Insecurity and Emotional Exhaustion: The Mediating Effect of Presenteeism and the Moderating Effect of Supervisor Support.

Presenteeism refers to attending work when one is ill, which not only leads to a decline in the physical and mental health of employees but also negatively impacts organizational productivity and increases an organization's extra costs. Therefore, to explore the antecedents and outcomes of nurses' presenteeism behavior and the acting mechanism among the variables, a sample of 330 nurses from China were investigated with the Sickness Presenteeism Questionnaire, Job Insecurity Scale, Perceived Supervisor Support Scale, and Emotional Exhaustion Scale. The results indicated that (1) job insecurity had a significantly predictive effect on nurses' presenteeism behavior; (2) nurses' presenteeism partially mediated the relationship between job insecurity and emotional exhaustion; and (3) supervisor support moderated the relationship between nurses' presenteeism behavior and emotional exhaustion; i.e., the higher the level of supervisor support, the weaker the positive relationship between nurses' presenteeism behavior and emotional exhaustion. The findings provide theoretical guidance and an empirical basis for prevention and intervention strategies concerning nurses' presenteeism behavior.

Presenteeism in Nurses: Prevalence, Consequences, and Causes From the Perspectives of Nurses and Chief Nurses.

Presenteeism refers to the behavior of people who turn up for work despite complaints of ill health that should prompt rest and absence from work. The high incidence of presenteeism in the nurse population has been extensively investigated using self-reported methods to explore its effects on individual outcomes. However, few studies have examined nurse presenteeism using an "other's" perspective to verify self-reported information. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the prevalence, consequences, and causes of presenteeism in Chinese nurses from the perspectives of nurses and chief nurses. A sample of 481 nurses and 282 chief nurses from five hospitals in Henan Province, China, took part in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Sickness Presenteeism Questionnaire, Social Productivity Loss Questionnaire, and Causes of Nurse Presenteeism Questionnaire. The human capital method was used to estimate the monetary loss because of nurse presenteeism. We found that 94.25 and 82.08% of nurses experienced presenteeism in the past 6 months from the perspective of nurses and chief nurses, respectively. The annual monetary loss was estimated to be ¥4.38 billion and ¥2.88 billion based on the presenteeism reports from nurses and chief nurses, respectively. Workload, leave system, and conscientiousness are the main reasons for nurse presenteeism, and financial need is another important reason that is likely overlooked by chief nurses. This study provides a foundation for future research by presenting new knowledge about the prevalence, consequences, and causes of presenteeism in Chinese nurses. The findings emphasize the need for nursing managers and nursing departments to establish policy systems around paid sick leave, workload, and communication with managers to reduce nurse presenteeism and the subsequent socio-economic financial losses.

The Effect of Presenteeism on Productivity Loss in Nurses: The Mediation of Health and the Moderation of General Self-Efficacy.

Background: Seventy-four percent of Chinese employees have experienced working with illness, but limited number of researchers have paid attention on this phenomenon. Most of the previous research on presenteeism has almost exclusively focused on North America and Europe and have gone to the financial emphasis. The current researches have two shortages, which are laying in the consensus on the definition and measurement of presenteeism, as well as the mechanism of presenteeism and its outcomes have set barriers for scholars to generate deeper understanding of the behavior. The aim of the present study was to explore the current situation of presenteeism among Chinese nurses and the mediating effect of health and the moderating effect of general self-efficacy between presenteeism and productivity loss. Methods: Data were collected from a sample of 340 female nurses from a 3A-graded general hospital in Henan Province, China by using the Sickness Presenteeism Questionnaire (SPQ), the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS-6), the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Results: The results indicated that the mean of SPQ was 3.2 ± 0.7 in this sample, and there were significant differences in age and marital status in SPQ scores. Presenteeism was significantly associated with health and productivity loss, and health was significantly associated with productivity loss, and general self-efficacy was negatively associated with productivity loss. A bootstrap test showed that health fully mediated the relationship between presenteeism and productivity loss in nurses. Hierarchical regression analysis confirmed the moderating role of general self-efficacy between presenteeism and productivity loss. Conclusions: Presenteeism can significantly predict productivity loss in nurses, and hospital management can improve the physical and mental health of nurses and enhance their self-efficacy level to reduce the negative impact of presenteeism on productivity loss.

Adenovirus-Mediated Overexpression of Septin 2 Attenuates α-Smooth Muscle Actin Expression and Adventitial Myofibroblast Migration Induced by Angiotensin II.

Phenotypic transformation from adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) to myofibroblasts (MFs) is critical for vascular remodeling. Septin 2 was found to be downregulated during the differentiation of AFs to MFs induced by angiotensin II (Ang II); however, the role of septin 2 in this process is still unknown. In this study, we investigate whether septin 2 contributes to the adventitial MF phenotypic modulation caused by Ang II. The decreased level of septin 2 and the increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of MFs, were readily observed in Ang II-stimulated MF differentiation. After gene transfer of septin 2, the expression of α-SMA was markedly decreased and the MF migration response to Ang II was inhibited. Furthermore, the inhibition of RhoA, another molecule involved in MF phenotypic modulation, decreased the motility of MFs and the expression of septin 2 triggered in Ang II. Finally, transfection of septin 2 rescued the level of acetyl-α-tubulin in MFs. These findings demonstrate that, as a downstream molecule of RhoA, septin 2 blunted the responses of AFs to Ang II by protecting α-tubulin acetylation, which suggests that septin 2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for vascular injury.

Ascending aortic adventitial remodeling and fibrosis are ameliorated with Apelin-13 in rats after TAC via suppression of the miRNA-122 and LGR4-ß-catenin signaling.

Apelin has been proved to be a critical mediator of vascular function and homeostasis. Here, we investigated roles of Apelin in aortic remodeling and fibrosis in rats with transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to TAC and then randomized to daily deliver Apelin-13 (50µg/kg) or angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1) blocker Irbesartan (50mg/kg) for 4 weeks. Pressure overload resulted in myocardial hypertrophy, systolic dysfunction, aortic remodeling and adventitial fibrosis with reduced levels of Apelin in ascending aortas of rat after TAC compared with sham-operated group. These changes were associated with marked increases in levels of miRNA-122, TGFß1, CTGF, NFAT5, LGR4, and ß-catenin. More importantly, Apelin and Irbesartan treatment strikingly prevented TAC-mediated aortic remodeling and adventitial fibrosis in pressure overloaded rats by blocking AT1 receptor and miRNA-122 levels and repressing activation of the CTGF-NFAT5 and LGR4-ß-catenin signaling. In cultured primary rat adventitial fibroblasts, exposure to angiotensin II (100nmolL-1) led to significant increases in cellular migration and levels of TGFß1, CTGF, NFAT5, LGR4 and ß-catenin, which were effectively reversed by pre-treatment with Apelin (100nmolL-1) and miRNA-122 inhibitor (50nmolL-1). In conclusion, Apelin counterregulated against TAC-mediated ascending aortic remodeling and angiotensin II-induced promotion of cellular migration by blocking AT1 receptor and miRNA-122 levels and preventing activation of the TGFß1-CTGF-NFAT5 and LGR4-ß-catenin signaling, ultimately contributing to attenuation of aortic adventitial fibrosis. Our data point to Apelin as an important regulator of aortic remodeling and adventitial fibrosis and a promising target for vasoprotective therapies.

Novel in situ self-assembly nanoparticles for formulating a poorly water-soluble drug in oral solid granules, improving stability, palatability, and bioavailability.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel lipid-based nanotechnology to formulate poorly water-soluble drugs in oral solid granules to improve stability, palatability, and bioavailability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In one method, we prepared ritonavir (RTV) nanoparticles (NPs) by a microemulsion-precursor method and then converted the RTV NPs to solid granules by wet granulation to produce RTV NP-containing granules. In the other innovative method, we did not use water in the formulation preparation, and discovered novel in situ self-assembly nanoparticles (ISNPs). We prepared RTV ISNP granules that did not initially contain NPs, but spontaneously produced RTV ISNPs when the granules were introduced to water with gentle agitation. We fully characterized these RTV nanoformulations. We also used rats to test the bioavailability of RTV ISNP granules. Finally, an Astree electronic tongue was used to assess the taste of the RTV ISNP granules. RESULTS: RTV NP-containing granules only had about 1% drug loading of RTV in the solid granules. In contrast, RTV ISNP granules achieved over 16% drug loading and were stable at room temperature over 24 weeks. RTV ISNPs had particle size between 160 nm and 300 nm with narrow size distribution. RTV ISNPs were stable in simulated gastric fluid for 2 hours and in simulated intestinal fluid for another 6 hours. The data from the electronic tongue showed that the RTV ISNP granules were similar in taste to blank ISNP granules, but were much different from RTV solution. RTV ISNP granules increased RTV bioavailability over 2.5-fold compared to RTV solution. CONCLUSION: We successfully discovered and developed novel ISNPs to manufacture RTV ISNP granules that were reconstitutable, stable, and palatable, and improved RTV bioavailability. The novel ISNP nanotechnology is a platform to manufacture oral solid dosage forms for poorly water-soluble drugs, especially for pediatric formulation development.