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Evaluation of multiple community-based approaches to improve Latinas’ breast cancer (BC) screening utilization has resulted in inconsistent findings. Factors contributing to this variation include heterogeneity in approaches (e.g., types of conceptual frameworks) and study quality (e.g., lack of measurement of spillover effects). This pilot study sought to clarify which approach may be most effective by evaluating the relative efficacy of two conceptual approaches using an area-level design with 145 Latinas nonadherent to U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce (USPSTF) BC screening guidelines. Each study arm included identical intervention format and duration (e.g., three group-based sessions, logistic assistance (LA) via five monthly calls and referral to free/low-cost screening programs). However, study content differed. While educate+LA addressed participants’ BC prevention and screening behavior, empower+LA addressed participants’ and their social networks’ BC screening. After adjusting for age, insurance status, and baseline mammography intention, when compared with educate+LA participants, empower+LA participants were more likely to report obtaining mammograms, engaging more individuals about BC, initiating BC conversations in public settings, and discussing mammography specifically. Our study has important implications regarding the utility of evaluating behavioral interventions overall in terms of behavioral and spillover network effects.

Rare earth elements (REEs), which include lanthanides as yttrium and europium became crucial in the last decade in many sectors like automotive, energy, and defense. They contribute to the increment efficiency and performance of different products. In this paper nanofiber membranes have been successfully applied for the selective recovery of Eu(III) and Y(III) from aqueous solutions. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) electrospun nanofibers were impregnated with a commercial organic extractant, Cyanex 272, in order to increase their affinity to rare earth metals ions. The coated nanofibers were characterized by SEM, ATR-FTIR, and TGA. Firstly, the adsorption of Eu(III) and Y(III) were evaluated in batch mode. Experimental data showed that the adsorption of Y(III) and Eu(III) corresponds to pseudo-second order model, with Langmuir sorption model being the best fit for both target ions. The results demonstrated that the adsorption capacity was high, showing a maximum capacity of 200 and 400 mg/g for Y(III) and Eu(III), respectively. Additionally, the presence of interfering ions does not show significative effects in the adsorption process. Finally, experiments in continuous mode indicated that the adsorption of the target elements is close to 100%, showing that PAN-272 is a promising material for the recovery of earth metal ions.

A new hybrid hetero nanocomposite, consisting of ZnO(myristic acid)/Ag-NPs, has been synthesized. The nanocomposite, made up of single ZnO nanosheets sandwiched between myristic acid self-assembled monolayers was synthesized and decorated with metal nanoparticles by chemical solution and tested in the photodegradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation. The product displayed significant photocatalytic activity for degradation of the dye, and the activity was improved by a factor of three compared to bulk ZnO under similar conditions. The observed photodegradation efficiency is discussed in terms of the confinement of the semiconductor in the two dimensional structure, the adsorption ability of the organic component and the plasmonic absorption of Ag nanoparticles, which makes them act as electron wells, thus promoting charge separation and a reduced recombination rate., The authors acknowledge the Universidad Tecnologica Metropolitana, Universidad de Chile, FONDECT Grants 1151189 and 1131112 and CONICYT Grant FB0807 (CEDENNA) and a PhD fellowship.

Purpose: Latinas suffer disproportionately from breast cancer relative to non-Latina Whites, partially due to lower guideline-concordant screening. Multiple approaches are used to address this disparity including educational interventions and empowerment-related interventions, wherein a subset of the population is trained to share information with other members of the priority population. However, little is known about the relative effects of these different approaches. Objective: To analyze preliminary data regarding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of education and empowerment approaches. Methods: This ongoing, quasiexperimental trial is situated in two lower-income Latino communities in Chicago. Eligibility criteria include: 1) age of 52-74; 2) no mammography use within past 2 years; 3) no previous breast cancer diagnosis; and 4) no prior health volunteerism experience. Women are assigned to a cohort and participate in a three-week intervention (education: breast cancer, diet, physical activity; empowerment: breast cancer, sharing information with networks, health volunteerism). For women who wish to obtain mammography (from either arm), the study team provides navigation to free/low-cost services. Data collected at baseline, post-intervention, and six-month follow-up include standard demographics and self-reported mammography use, which are verified by study navigation records. The perspective for cost-effectiveness analyses was the community-based organization implementing the program. Cost data include overhead, non-personnel, and personnel costs (per task, per person encounter). Cost data were standardized to US dollars in 2018 and extrapolated to the duration of study implementation. Results: Our current sample is 97 women (51 education; 46 empowerment). Most women were 52-64 years old (70%), had insurance (58%), had less than a 9th grade education (60%), had an annual household income of Discussion: Empowerment approaches may be more effective and more cost effective in promoting mammography than education approaches among non-adherent Latinas. Limitations concern generalizability due a non-probability based sample, and limited ability for causal inferences due to a lack of randomization. Next steps include incorporating participants' costs and including unintended effects (e.g., number of non-participant women obtaining mammography). Citation Format: Yamile Molina, Liliana G. San Miguel, Catherine Pichardo, Genesis Rios, Leslie Diaz, Stephanie Cardenas, Esmeralda Cardoso-Mendoza, Juanita Arroyo, Maria Medina, Nora Coronado, Araceli Lucio, Olivia Hernandez, Surrey Walton. Empowering Latinas to obtain breast cancer screenings: Comparing intervention effects and cost effectiveness [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2018 Nov 2-5; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl):Abstract nr A030.

A novel hybrid nanocomposite constituted of single TiO nanosheets sandwiched between stearic acid self-assembled monolayers was synthesized and tested in the photodegradation of methylene blue under sunlight. The product showed better photocatalytic performance than anatase under similar conditions, which may be further improved through sensitization with cadmium sulfide., The authors acknowledge the Universidad Tecnologica Metropolitana, Universidad de Chile, FONDECT Grants 1151189 and 1131112, and CONICYT Grant FB0807 (CEDENNA).