Clinicopathological Features and Long-Term Prognostic Role of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2 Low Expression in Chinese Patients with Early Breast Cancer:A Single-Institution Study

Objective This study aimed to comprehensively analyze and compare the clinicopathological features and prognosis of Chinese patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-low early breast cancer(BC)and HER2-IHC0 BC.Methods Patients diagnosed with HER2-negative BC(N=999)at our institution between January2011 and December 2015 formed our study population.Clinicopathological characteristics,association between estrogen receptor(ER)expression and HER2-low,and evolution of HER2 immunohistochemical(IHC)score were assessed.Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare the long-term survival outcomes(5-year follow-up)between the HER2-IHC0 and HER2-low groups.Results HER2-low BC group tended to demonstrate high expression of ER and more progesterone receptor(PgR)positivity than HER2-IHC0 BC group(P<0.001).The rate of HER2-low status increased with increasing ER expression levels(Mantel-Haenszelχ^(2)test,P<0.001,Pearson’s R=0.159,P<0.001).Survival analysis revealed a significantly longer overall survival(OS)in HER2-low BC group than in HER2-IHC0 group(P=0.007)in the whole cohort and the hormone receptor(HR)-negative group.There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of disease-free survival(DFS).The discordance rate of HER2 IHC scores between primary and metastatic sites was 36.84%.Conclusion HER2-low BC may not be regarded as a unique BC group in this population-based study due to similar clinicopathological features and prognostic roles.

The Association between Exposure to Second-Hand Smoke and Disease in the Chinese Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective To analyze the association between exposure to second-hand smoke(SHS) and 23 diseases,categorized into four classifications, among the Chinese population.Methods We searched the literature up to June 30, 2021, and eligible studies were identified according to the PECOS format: Participants and Competitors(Chinese population), Exposure(SHS),Outcomes(Disease or Death), and Study design(Case-control or Cohort).Results In total, 53 studies were selected. The odds ratio(OR) for all types of cancer was 1.79(1.56–2.05), and for individual cancers was 1.92(1.42–2.59) for lung cancer, 1.57(1.40–1.76) for breast cancer, 1.52(1.12–2.05) for bladder cancer, and 1.37(1.08–1.73) for liver cancer. The OR for circulatory system diseases was 1.92(1.29–2.85), with a value of 2.29(1.26–4.159) for stroke. The OR of respiratory system diseases was 1.76(1.13–2.74), with a value of 1.82(1.07–3.11) for childhood asthma. The original ORs were also shown for other diseases. Subgroup analyses were performed for lung and breast cancer. The ORs varied according to time period and were significant during exposure in the household;For lung cancer, the OR was significant in women.Conclusion The effect of SHS exposure in China was similar to that in Western countries, but its definition and characterization require further clarification. Studies on the association between SHS exposure and certain diseases with high incidence rates are insufficient.

Lung Cancer Risk Attributable to Active Smoking in China:A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective No consensus exists on the relative risk(RR)of lung cancer(LC)attributable to active smoking in China.This study aimed to evaluate the unified RR of LC attributable to active smoking among the Chinese population.Methods A systematic literature search of seven databases was conducted to identify studies reporting active smoking among smokers versus nonsmokers in China.Primary articles on LC providing risk estimates with their 95%confidence intervals(CIs)for“ever”“former”or“current”smokers from China were selected.Meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled RR of active smoking.Results Forty-four unique studies were included.Compared with that of nonsmokers,the pooled RR(95%CI)for“ever”“former”and“current”smokers were 3.26(2.79–3.82),2.95(1.71–5.08),and 5.16(2.58–10.34)among men,3.18(2.78–3.63),2.70(2.08–3.51),and 4.27(3.61–5.06)among women,and2.71(2.12–3.46),2.66(2.45–2.88),and 4.21(3.25–5.45)in both sexes combined,respectively.Conclusion The RR of LC has remained relatively stable(range,2–6)over the past four decades in China.Early quitting of smoking could reduce the RR to some extent;however,completely refraining from smoking is the best way to avoid its adverse effects.

Geographic Distribution of Coal Enterprises and Workers Exposed to Coal Dust in China in 2020

Prolonged exposure to coal dust may lead to various lung diseases, especially coal workers’ pneumoconiosis(CWP)[1]. Developed countries such as the United States experienced a resurgence of pneumoconiosis in the early 20t h century[2], and this phenomenon has become even more critical in developing countries[3]such as China and India.

Evaluating the Quality of Case-control Studies involving the Association between Tobacco Exposure and Diseases in a Chinese Population based on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Post-hoc Power

According to the 2017 Global Burden of Disease Study,smoking is among the four leading risk factors contributing to deaths and disability-adjusted life years(DALYs)in China.In the past 20 years,there has been a substantial increase in the number of studies focusing on the association between tobacco exposure and disease.

Single-copy Loss of Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor 10(arhgef10)Causes Locomotor Abnormalities in Zebrafish Larvae

Objective To determine if ARHGEF10 has a haploinsufficient effect and provide evidence to evaluate the severity,if any,during prenatal consultation.Methods Zebrafish was used as a model for generating mutant.The pattern of arhgef10 expression in the early stages of zebrafish development was observed using whole-mount in situ hybridization(WISH).CRISPR/Cas9 was applied to generate a zebrafish model with a single-copy or homozygous arhgef10 deletion.Activity and light/dark tests were performed in arhgef10^(−/−),arhgef10^(+/−),and wild-type zebrafish larvae.ARHGEF10 was knocked down using small interferon RNA(siRNA)in the SH-SY5Y cell line,and cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined using the CCK-8 assay and Annexin V/PI staining,respectively.Results WISH showed that during zebrafish embryonic development arhgef10 was expressed in the midbrain and hindbrain at 36-72 h post-fertilization(hpf)and in the hemopoietic system at 36-48 hpf.The zebrafish larvae with single-copy and homozygous arhgef10 deletions had lower exercise capacity and poorer responses to environmental changes compared to wild-type zebrafish larvae.Moreover,arhgef10^(−/−) zebrafish had more severe symptoms than arhgef10^(+/-) zebrafish.Knockdown of ARHGEF10 in human neuroblastoma cells led to decreased cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis.Conclusion Based on our findings,ARHGEF10 appeared to have a haploinsufficiency effect.