Interaction Index Research Articles

DeeBERT-S3WD: Three-Way Multigranularity Decision for Interactive Information Sentiment Analysis Research

Interactive information between listed companies and investors is an emerging form of information disclosure in the stock market and has a crucial impact on stock market analysis. Interactive information interferes with investors’ decision-making by influencing their sentiments, significantly affecting the stock market’s health. Due to the unique nature of interactive information, the existing approaches to dynamic interactive information sentiment analysis rarely consider a multistep study under the tradeoff of cost and accuracy. To address this problem, we propose a novel unified framework combining DeeBERT with the sequential three-way decision based on the early exiting mechanism and continually mining uncertain regions for interactive information sentiment analysis. Specifically, we treat the question-answer pair interaction information as an entire sample and leverage DeeBERT to allow the samples to exit early without traversing through all the Transformer layers. Subsequently, the uncertain samples are selected at each Transformer layer to be reinvestigated at the next granularity of time-evolving data. Besides, we utilize a manual modification method to assign the determined samples to training sets to update the model. Lastly, a series of comparative experiments demonstrate that our proposed model has outstanding performance in terms of time efficiency and interactive information sentiment index.

Temporal stability of productivity is associated with complementarity and competitive intensities in intercropping.

Year-to-year stability in crop production is a crucial aspect of feeding a growing global population. Evidence from natural ecosystems shows that increasing plant diversity generally increases the temporal stability of productivity; however, we have little knowledge of the mechanisms by which diversity affects stability. In fact, understanding the drivers of stability is a major knowledge gap in our understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem function in general. We varied resource inputs into crop monocultures and intercropping of maize/pea and maize/rapeseed for 3 years in field experiments to create a wide range of values for temporal stability, complementarity effects, selection effects, competition, and facilitation. We correlated whole-system temporal stability in productivity with these values and the stability of competitively subordinate species and competitively dominant species in the intercrops. We then used structural equation modeling (SEM), which combines complex path models with latent variables, to estimate how interspecific interactions for water, nitrogen, and phosphorus affected the relationships between stability and these values. Intercropping treatments did not increase stability, but the wide range of stability created by our experiments allowed us to explore the relationship of many factors with stability. Complementarity correlated positively with the temporal stability of grain yield and aboveground biomass, suggesting that either facilitative interactions or niche partitioning shifted over time in ways that promoted stability. Furthermore, the temporal stability of total productivity of intercropping relied most on the stability of more productive species. However, facilitation tested by relative interaction index independently did not correlate with stability, but the temporal stability of the whole system increased as the competitive effects of competitively dominant species (pea and rapeseed) on competitively subordinate species (maize) decreased and was highest when these competitive effects were virtually zero. SEM indicated that as competition for soil nitrogen from competitively dominant species on competitively subordinate species decreased, the overall temporal stability of whole-system aboveground biomass increased. This stability then led to greater stability in grain production. Our findings indicate that complex shifts in complementarity and competitive intensities are likely to be key mechanisms that maintain temporal stability in species-diverse agriculture and, potentially, in natural systems.

-Comparison of σ/ π-hole aerogen-bonding interactions based on C2H4···NgOX2 (Ng = Kr, Xe; X = F, Cl, Br) complexes.

The geometric structure, energy properties, and electronic properties of the aerogen-bonding interaction formed by C2H4 and NgOX2 (Ng = Kr, Xe; X = F, Cl, Br) have been studied at the B2PLYP-D3(BJ)/ aug-cc-pVTZ (PP) level. Two kinds of aerogen-bonding interactions were observed among the title systems: the σ-hole and the π-hole complexes. The σ-hole aerogen-bonding complex has a binding energy in the range of - 6.29 ~ - 8.17kcal/mol, which is the most stable. The binding energies of C2H4···NgOX2 increased as X = F < Cl < Br and Ng = KrOX2 < XeOX2 for the σ/π-hole aerogen-bonding complexes. The atoms in molecules (AIM), the non-covalent interaction (NCI) index, and the LMO-EDA energy decomposition analysis were adopted to study the nature of the σ/π-hole aerogen-bonding interaction. The results show that the electrostatic term contributes the most to the total interaction energy for the σ/π-hole aerogen-bonding complexes.

Do YouTube Videos Provide Enough Reliable Information to Patients about White Spot Lesions? A Video Content and Quality Analysis

This study examines the quality and reliability of videos about white spot lesions (WSLs) uploaded to YouTube. The keyword required for searching was analyzed using the Google Trends online application, which determined a “white spot lesion.” The first 140 videos about WSLs were watched and 85 of them were evaluated. The videos watched were divided into two categories according to their reliability score (RS): low reliability and medium/high reliability. The videos also examined the global quality index (GQS) and video information and quality index (VIQI) data for the videos. Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and multivariate analysis of variance were used to evaluate the data. It was determined that there were more videos about WSLs with medium/high reliability (65.9%) than with low reliability and that most of the videos were uploaded by clinics (49.4%). The videos contained more information about WSLs in terms of definition (70.6%), treatment indication (77.6%), treatment advantage (77.6%), and treatment procedure (76.5%). It was also determined that the mean GQS, VIQI, and RS values differed according to video reliability category, and only the mean interaction index values differed significantly according to video source (p < .05). Most YouTube videos about WSLs examined in this study were of medium/high reliability. Thus, it can be concluded that the videos about WSLs on YouTube are generally reliable.

Changes in Social Relationships and Physical Functions in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Social relationships are associated with physical function. However, little scholarly attention has been focused on the effect of changing social factors on physical function. This study was designed to examine the effects on physical function of changes in social relationships in adults aged 65 years and older. This study is part of a longitudinal, prospective cohort study that was conducted on community-dwelling older adults in a suburban area of central Japan. Baseline self-report data were collected in 2011, and a follow-up survey was conducted in 2017. Social relationships were assessed using the Index of Social Interaction, and physical function was evaluated using a subscale of the Kihon Checklist. Chi-square tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to analyze data from 442 older adults who were functionally independent at baseline. After controlling for covariates in 2011, negative changes in social relationships (odds ratio [ OR ] = 3.20, 95% CI [1.18, 8.69]) were found to be associated with physical function decline. Moreover, 1-point increases in the different social-relationship values between baseline and follow-up were associated with protective effects against functional decline ( OR = 0.71, 95% CI [0.63, 0.80]). Furthermore, median trends between baseline and follow-up revealed associations between decreasing ( OR = 4.18, 95% CI [1.53, 11.39]) and continuously low ( OR = 2.98, 95% CI [1.42, 6.28]) social relationships and physical function decline. The findings support a strong association between negative changes in social relationships and physical function decline and highlight the importance of promoting social relationships to delay physical function decline in older adults.

Interaction analysis of lipid accumulation product and family history of diabetes on impaired fasting glucose and diabetes risk in population with normotension in Eastern China: a community-based cross-sectional survey

BackgroundLipid accumulation product (LAP) is considered to be a new convenient useful indicator to assess the visceral fat. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the risk factors of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes, and explore the possible interacting influences of LAP with other factors on the risk of IFG and diabetes among Chinese normotension adults.MethodsA multistage stratified cluster sampling method was conducted to select urban residents in Bengbu, China. For each eligible participant, data on questionnaire survey, anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests were obtained. The effects of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to height ratio (WHtR) and LAP for predicting IFG and diabetes were performed by multiple logistic regressions and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. The interaction effects were evaluated by relative excess risk of interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) and synergy index (SI).ResultsSix thousand, four hundred sixty-seven normotension subjects (2695 men and 3772 women) were enrolled in our study, the prevalence of IFG and diabetes were 9.37% and 14.33%, respectively. When assessed using ROC curve analysis, LAP exhibited higher diagnostic accuracy for identifying IFG and diabetes than BMI, the area under the AUC curve was 0.650 (95% CI: 0.637 to 0.662). After adjustment for age, sex, educational level and other confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that subjects with the fourth quartile of LAP were more likely to develop IFG (adjusted OR: 2.735, 95% CI: 1.794–4.170) and diabetes (adjusted OR: 1.815, 95% CI: 1.297–2.541) than those with the first quartile. A significant interaction between LAP and family history of diabetes was observed in participants (RERI = 1.538, 95%CI: 0.167 to 3.612; AP = 0.375, 95%CI: 0.118 to 0.631; SI = 1.980, 95%CI: 1.206 to 3.251). However, a significant interaction between LAP and abdominal obesity was indicated by the value of RERI (1.492, 95%CI: 0.087 to 3.723) and AP (0.413, 95%CI: 0.014 to 0.756), but not the value of SI (1.824, 95%CI: 0.873 to 3.526).ConclusionOur results demonstrated that there might be synergistic effect between LAP and family history of diabetes on the risk of IFG and diabetes.

Polychlorinated Biphenyls Interactions with Water—Characterization Based on the Analysis of Non-Covalent Interactions and Energy Partitioning

Although polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been long banned from use, both they and dioxins are still considered persistent organic pollutants. The reason is twofold: their relative inertness (especially to oxidation) and their ability to accumulate in fat tissue. The current study sheds light on the interactions of PCBs with water, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide. Necessary insight is gained from Atoms in Molecules (AIM) and Non-Covalent Interactions (NCI) index and analyses for the 1:1 complexes of PCBs with water and chlorine (Cl2) molecules. Further, Symmetry-Adapted Perturbation Theory (SAPT) calculations reveal the strength and nature of the intermolecular interactions, and the presence of halogen bonding is demonstrated in AIM, NCI, and SAPT studies. The stability of water, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide (ClO2) complexes with PCBs is discussed using the supramolecular MP2 approach. Finally, analysis of microsolvation shells of PCBs showed the origins of the hydrophobicity and environmental persistence of these chemicals. Our results are applicable to the sustainability of water treatment strategies providing a description of forces and interactions at the molecular level.

Interaction of meloxicam and phenylbutazone on the level of cyclooxygenase-2 in mice

The reason for the recent study was to inspect the therapeutic efficacy of meloxicam and phenylbutazone alone with their analgesic interaction and their subsequent inhibitory interaction at the level of cyclooxygenase-2 in mice. Meloxicam and phenylbutazone had the analgesic-median effective doses (ED50s) of 15.57 and 119.73 mg/kg, i.p., respectively, given once to mice separately as determined by the up-and-down procedure using a hot plate method. The estimated analgesic ED50s for meloxicam and phenylbutazone combination were at 12.84 and 98.75 mg/kg, i.p., correspondingly when given together at a ratio of 1:1 of their ED50s. The isobolographic analysis reveals that the analgesic interaction between meloxicam and phenylbutazone was antagonistic, as indicated by the interaction index of 1.65. The ELISA technique was used to estimate the cyclooxygenase-2 activity, reflecting that meloxicam or phenylbutazone significantly inhibited the cyclooxygenase-2 activity by 72 and 90%, respectively, compared to the control group. The combination composed of meloxicam and phenylbutazone has a lower limit of inhibition of the cyclooxygenase-2 activity (33%) in comparison to meloxicam or phenylbutazone. Meloxicam and phenylbutazone coadministration were significantly different from the control, meloxicam, and phenylbutazone groups concerning the cyclooxygenase-2 activity in mice. The sum of the data concluded that meloxicam and phenylbutazone have an excellent analgesic efficacy when administered alone. In contrast, the mixture of these two drugs has no benefit because of the antagonistic interaction at cyclooxygenase-2 in mice.

Pregabalin potentiates the analgesic effect of tramadol, diclofenac and paracetamol in chicks: Isobolographic analysis

The study aimed to reveal pregabalin’s median effective analgesic dose (ED50) and determine the type of analgesic interaction with tramadol, diclofenac, and paracetamol in chicks. The electrical stimulator device was used to detect pain before and after treatment, and through ascending and descending in doses and depending on the up and down method, the median effective analgesic doses were determined for all drugs used in the study, and then the interaction experiment was conducted at a fixed ratio 0.5:0.5 of pregabalin with each of tramadol, diclofenac and paracetamol of their individual ED50 values, the results were subjected to the isobolographic analysis to determine the type of interaction. Results showed that ED50s for pregabalin, tramadol, diclofenac, and paracetamol in chicks were 156.5, 0.82, 5.65, and 10.74 mg/kg, respectively. Concomitant administration of drugs pregabalin: tramadol, pregabalin: diclofenac and pregabalin: paracetamol at a fixed ratio 0.5:0.5 of their individual ED50 values reduced their ED50s to 36.2:0.18, 64.3:2.3 and 64.3:4.3 mg/kg respectively. Isobolographic analysis showed synergistic analgesic effects of both drugs interaction. The calculated interaction indexes were 0.45, 0.81, and 0.81, respectively. We conclude from the outcomes that the analgesic interaction was synergistic between pregabalin and tramadol significantly, while the analgesic interaction of pregabalin with both diclofenac and paracetamol was also synergistic, but to a lesser extent.

Joint association of smoking and physical activity with mortality in elderly hypertensive patients: A Chinese population-based cohort study in 2007-2018.

BackgroundAlthough associations of physical activity and smoking with mortality have been well-established, the joint impact of physical activity and smoking on premature mortality among elderly hypertensive population was still unclear. This study aimed to assess association of physical activity, smoking, and their interaction with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk in elderly hypertensive patients.MethodsWe included 125,978 Chinese hypertensive patients aged 60–85 years [mean (SD) age, 70.5 (6.9) years] who had records in electronic health information system of Minhang District of Shanghai, China in 2007–2015. Cox regression was used to estimate individual and joint association of smoking and physical activity on all-cause and CVD mortality. Interactions were measured both additively and multiplicatively. Additive interaction was evaluated by relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) and synergy index (S).ResultsAmong 125,978 elderly hypertensive patients (median age 70.1), 28,250 deaths from all causes and 13,164 deaths from CVD were observed during the follow-up up to 11 years. There was an additive interaction between smoking and physical inactivity [RERI: all-cause 0.19 (95% CI: 0.04–0.34), CVD 0.28 (0.06–0.50); AP: all-cause 0.09 (0.02–0.16), CVD 0.14 (0.04–0.23); S: all-cause 1.21 (1.04–1.42), CVD 1.36 (1.06–1.75)], while the concurrence of both risk factors was associated with more than 2-fold risk of death [hazard ratio (HR): all-cause 2.10 (1.99–2.21), CVD 2.19 (2.02–2.38)].ConclusionOur study suggested that smoking and physical inactivity together may have amplified association on premature death compared to the sum of their individual associations, highlighting the importance of improving behavioral factors in combination and promoting a comprehensive healthy lifestyle in hypertensive elderly.

Interaction effects of screen time and fast-food consumption on suicidal behaviours: Evidence from a nationwide survey among Chinese adolescents

BackgroundAlthough screen time and fast-food consumption have been linked to suicidal behaviours, it is unclear whether their combined effects are associated with suicidal behaviours among adolescents. MethodsA sample of 16,853 Chinese adolescents answered a standard questionnaire on screen time, fast-food consumption, and suicidal behaviours. A binomial logistic regression model was used to analyse the association between the three. An interaction model was used to examine the interaction effects of screen time and fast-food consumption on suicidal behaviours in adolescents. ResultsThere were positive correlations between screen time, fast-food consumption, and suicidal behaviours, even after adjusting for confounding factors. Interaction analyses indicated that increased screen time on weekdays and fast-food consumption were associated with suicidal ideation. The relative excess risk of interaction, attributable proportions, and synergy index of interaction were 0.41, 0.15, and 1.32, respectively. Increased screen time on weekends and fast-food consumption were associated with suicidal ideation. The relative excess risk of interaction, attributable proportions, and synergy index of interaction were 0.37, 0.14, and 1.27, respectively. Similar additive interaction effects were exhibited in increased screen time and fast-food consumption on suicidal planning. Positive additive interaction effects were observed in increased screen time on weekdays and fast-food consumption on suicide attempts. LimitationsA cross-sectional study design was used; therefore, causal associations remain unclear. ConclusionsScreen time and fast-food consumption are cross-sectionally associated with suicidal behaviours among Chinese adolescents. Strategies should be considered to reduce screen time and fast-food consumption among adolescents.

Antagonistic, synergistic, and additive antibacterial interaction between ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin against Staphylococcus aureus.

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the interaction between ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin against beta-lactamase-producing Staphylococcus aureus. Concentration-dependent curves for each individual drug were carried out to obtain the mean inhibitory concentration in the agar well diffusion assay. Then, different ratios of the ciprofloxacin-amoxicillin combination (0.5:0.5, 0.8:0.2, 0.2:0.8, 0.9:0.1, 0.1:0.9, 0.95:0.05, and 0.05:0.95) were assessed. Data were analyzed using the isobolographic analysis and interaction index. The isobolographic evaluation shows that the 0.9:0.1 and 0.95:0.05 ratios of the ciprofloxacin-amoxicillin combination produced a synergistic antimicrobial interaction, the 0.8:0.2, 0.2:0.8, 0.1:0.9, and 0.05:0.95 proportions showed an additive antibacterial effect, and the 0.5:0.5 proportion induced antagonistic antimicrobial effects. The interaction index showed similar outcomes to the isobolographic analysis. In conclusion, the data of this study mainly show antimicrobial additive results of the ciprofloxacin-amoxicillin combination against beta-lactamase-producing S. aureus.

Quality of Information in YoutubeTM Videos on Dental Sedation

Aim:We aimed to identify and analyze the quality of YouTubeTM videos on dental sedation.&#x0D; Materials and Methods:YouTube website was independently searched by researchers for videos on dental sedation published before December 27, 2020. Appropriate videos were determined according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the research. All data about each video was recorded. Included videos were classified according to standardized quality criteria.&#x0D; Results:106 of the first 202 videos reached were included in the study. Most of the videos were from health professionals (88.68%). It was determined that the video contents of 15 videos were poor (14.15%), 81 moderate (76.42%), and 10 excellent (9.43%). There was no significant relationship between the content quality of the videos and the interaction index (p=0.108) and viewing rates (p=0.302). Significantly greater quality difference was seen between video sources (p= .013)&#x0D; Conclusions: The videos on YouTubeTM about dental sedation procedures cover some important aspects of treatment; however, data such as risk, contraindications, and cost are shared insufficiently in general. YouTubeTM, which is accessed frequently around the world, needs to work with healthcare professionals to provide accurate information, especially for content related to medical procedures, and offer some filtering options for these videos.

Evaluating YouTube as a Source of Patient Information for Blefaroplasty.

This study aims to evaluate the content and quality of popular videos about blepharoplasty treatment in YouTube. Four keywords "blepharoplasty," "upper blepharoplasty," "lower blepharoplasty," and "blepharoplasty information" were searched in YouTube. After the videos were sorted by the number of views, the last 50 videos were based on general characteristics, primary purpose, information content, relevance, audiovisual quality, as well as viewer interaction index DISCERN score (minimum-maximum: 16-75), Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) score (minimum-maximum: 0-4), and Global Quality score (minimum-maximum: 0-5), and view rate formulas were calculated for each video. A total of the best 49 videos were evaluated in our study. The total number of views of these videos was 10,938,976. The total duration of these videos was 409minutes. The average duration of the videos was 8.35±8.38 (standard deviation [SD]). There was no significant (p>0.05) correlation between the measurement of DISCERN scores of the two observers. A significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between the JAMA score measurements of the two observers. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the GQS score measurements of the two observers. Currently, YouTube is not a viable resource for patients to learn about blepharoplasty. Physicians should be aware of the limitations and provide up-to-date and peer-reviewed content on the web site, and patients should also be warned about obtaining information.

Higher facilitation for stress‐intolerant ecotypes along a metal pollution gradient are due to a decrease in performance in absence of neighbours

The study of variation in plant–plant interactions along metal‐pollution gradient is in its infancy, although this is worth to be assessed for both restoration and theoretical perspectives. Additionally, the mechanisms of facilitation at stake in these particular stressed conditions are poorly known. We aim at understanding the importance of species and ecotypes stress‐tolerance in competitive and facilitative responses to neighbours along metal‐pollution gradients. We addressed this goal in a field experiment conducted in a former mining area located in a subalpine grassland of the French pyrenees. Two ecotypes of Armeria muelleri (a highly tolerant species to metal stress) and Agrostis capillaris (a less stress‐tolerant species) were harvested at the highest and lowest levels of pollution within their distribution range and transplanted with and without neighbours along a strong metal‐pollution gradient. The relative interaction index (RII) was used to assess both the effect of neighbours at different stress levels and the effect of metallic stress with and without neighbours. With increasing pollution, plant–plant interactions shifted from negative to positive for Agrostis, but did not vary significantly for Armeria. At high pollution level, the unpolluted Agrostis ecotype was more facilitated than the polluted one, and in benign habitats the polluted Armeria ecotype was more sensitive to competition than the less polluted ecotype. Interestingly, the increase in facilitation with increasing metal stress for the stress‐intolerant Agrostis ecotype was primarily due to a decrease in performance without neighbours, whereas the increase in competition with decreasing metal stress for the stress‐tolerant Agrostis ecotype was primarily due to an increase in performance with neighbours. More generally, these results suggest that the high size‐plasticity of competitive (and stress‐intolerant) species or ecotypes may explain both their competitive effects in benign habitats through neighbour‐trait effects and facilitative responses in stressed habitats in the context of environmental‐severity effects.

Does a History of Cancer Influence the Effectiveness of Statins on Outcomes After Stroke?

Evidence is growing on anticancer effects of statins. We investigated whether the effectiveness of treatment with statins after ischemic stroke on mortality is influenced by a history of cancer. Analyses of 90-day survivors of ischemic stroke (2012-2016; 45 hospitals) using linked registry and administrative data. Dispense of statins within 90 days postdischarge was determined from pharmaceutical records. Participants were followed from 91 days postdischarge until death or June 30, 2018. History of cancer was determined from hospital data. Propensity score-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the association between being dispensed statins and survival. The influence of history of cancer on this association was assessed based on the concepts of (1) statistical interaction and (2) biological interaction using 3 indices: relative excess risk due to interaction>0, attributable proportion due to interaction >0, or synergy index >1. Among 9948 eligible participants (median age=72 years, 42% female), there were 1463 deaths. In adjusted analyses, there was no statistical interaction between being dispensed statins and history of cancer on mortality (P=0.156). However, being dispensed statins had a significant positive biological interaction with having a history of cancer on mortality: relative excess risk due to interaction, 2.80 (95% CI, 1.56-5.05), attributable proportion due to interaction, 0.45 (95% CI, 0.23-0.66), and synergy index, 2.14 (95% CI, 1.32-3.49). Treatment with statins after ischemic stroke may confer additional survival benefits for people who also have had cancer.

Analysis of Eligibility for Lung Cancer Screening by Race After 2021 Changes to US Preventive Services Task Force Screening Guidelines

Lung cancer incidence and mortality have disproportionate consequences for racial and ethnic minority populations. The extent to which the 2021 changes to the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) screening guidelines have reduced the racial disparity gap in lung cancer screening eligibility is not known. To assess the consequences of the changes in USPSTF low-dose computed tomography eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening between 2013 and 2021 among Black and White community-dwelling adults. This cohort study analyzed data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study, a prospective longitudinal cohort study of community-dwelling Black and White adults 45 years and older who were initially recruited across the US between January 2003 and October 2007, with ongoing follow-up. All participants who would have been potentially eligible for lung cancer screening based on the 2021 USPSTF guidelines (N = 14 285) were included. Follow-up data for the current cohort study were collected and analyzed between January 2013 and December 2017, with final analysis performed in 2021. Self-reported Black vs White race. Differences in the proportion of Black vs White participants eligible for lung cancer screening according to 2013 and 2021 guidelines were assessed using modified Poisson models with robust SEs. Associations between important covariates (demographic characteristics and social factors associated with health), including interaction and dissimilarity indices (2 measures of residential segregation), and differences in screening eligibility were also examined. Among 14 285 participants (mean [SD] age, 64.7 [7.5] years; 7675 men [53.7%]), 5787 (40.5%) self-identified as Black and 8498 (59.5%) as White. Based on the 2013 USPSTF guidelines, 1109 of 5787 Black participants (19.2%) and 2313 of 8498 White participants (27.2%) were eligible for lung cancer screening (difference, -8.06 percentage points; 95% CI, -9.44 to -6.67 percentage points). Based on the 2021 guidelines, 1667 of 5787 Black participants (28.8%) and 2940 of 8498 White participants (34.6%) were eligible for screening (difference, -5.73 percentage points; 95% CI, -7.28 to -4.19 percentage points). After adjustment for differences in individual characteristics and residential segregation, the 2013 difference in screening eligibility among Black vs White participants was -12.66 percentage points (95% CI, -14.71 to -10.61 percentage points), and the 2021 difference was -12.15 percentage points (95% CI, -14.37 to -9.93 percentage points). In this study, 2021 changes to the USPSTF lung cancer screening guidelines were associated with reductions in but not elimination of existing eligibility disparities in lung cancer screening among Black and White adults. These findings suggest that accounting for factors beyond age and pack-years of smoking is needed when tailoring guidelines to improve screening eligibility among groups at high risk of lung cancer.

Synthesis of Stober silica nanoparticles in solvent environments with different Hansen solubility parameters

• Changing the solvent in the Stober synthesis is a good tool to control particle size. • The addition of non-polar liquids results formation of smaller particles. • Dispersion and polar thermodynamic parameters influence on nanoparticle size. • A decrease of hydrogen interaction index leads to size increase of nanoparticles. The most commonly used technique for obtaining SiO 2 nanoparticles of controlled size is the Stober synthesis. In this paper, a series of Stober syntheses in media with different thermodynamic parameters are described and the obtained nanoparticles were characterized by electron microscopy. As a result, it was shown that the solvent variation in the Stober synthesis is a working tool for controlling the particle size of silica. The addition of nonpolar liquids to the reaction mixture led to the formation of smaller particles. Also, it was found that an increase in the dispersion and polar parameters of the solvent leads to an increase in the size of the resulting SiO 2 nanoparticles. The same observations were obtained with a decrease in the index of hydrogen interactions between solvent molecules.

Associação entre segregação residencial racial e mortalidade por homicídio nos municípios de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract This article aims to evaluate the association between racial residential segregation and homicide mortality in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. We conducted an ecological study in which the units of analysis were municipalities in MG. The outcome was homicide deaths between 2008 and 2012 and the exposure variable was residential segregation measured using the racial interaction index, calculated using data from the 2010 Demographic Census. The covariables were per capita family income and the Gini index. The variables were presented in tables and thematic maps and associations were measured using Bayesian hierarchical models. The results of the model adjusted for per capita family income showed a negative association between the racial interaction index and homicide mortality (coefficient=-1.787; 95%CI=-2.459; -1.119). Homicide mortality was lower in municipalities with higher levels of racial interaction.

Association between racial residential segregation and homicide mortality in municipalities in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

This article aims to evaluate the association between racial residential segregation and homicide mortality in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. We conducted an ecological study in which the units of analysis were municipalities in MG. The outcome was homicide deaths between 2008 and 2012 and the exposure variable was residential segregation measured using the racial interaction index, calculated using data from the 2010 Demographic Census. The covariables were per capita family income and the Gini index. The variables were presented in tables and thematic maps and associations were measured using Bayesian hierarchical models. The results of the model adjusted for per capita family income showed a negative association between the racial interaction index and homicide mortality (coefficient=-1.787; 95%CI=-2.459; -1.119). Homicide mortality was lower in municipalities with higher levels of racial interaction.