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PurposeTo evaluate the association between lifetime personal cigarette smoking and young-onset breast cancer (YOBC; diagnosed

Abstract: Previous studies have found that tobacco exposure is associated with an increased risk of premenopausal breast cancer (BC) overall and some studies suggest that risk is only increased for Luminal A BC. Few studies have described the association between tobacco exposure and BC risk with characterization of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) subtype. This analysis explored associations between smoking over the life course and BC risk overall and by BC subtype among a socioeconomically diverse population of young non-Hispanic (NH) Black and White women. Data were examined from a population-based case-control study in women under 50 years of age, the Young Women’s Health History Study. In total, 1,812 women with invasive BC (1,130 NH White, 682 NH Black) and an area-based sample of 1,381 (716 NH White, 665 NH Black) control women, frequency matched to cases by five-year age group, study site and self-reported race were identified from the Los Angeles County and Metropolitan Detroit SEER registry areas. Lifetime smoking histories were collected from in-person interviews. Sample-weighted logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the association between lifetime cigarette smoking status (never versus ever smoker) and BC risk adjusted for known BC risk factors and study site. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted for analyses by BC subtype. Heterogeneity in the odds ratio (OR) estimates by BC subtype and cross-product interaction terms of smoking status by race and by household percent poverty (HHP) were evaluated by the Wald test. In adjusted models, BC risk overall was not significantly associated with ever smoking at least 1 cigarette a day for 6 months or more (OR 1.18; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.97- 1.43). By BC subtype, ever smokers displayed a statistically significant 30% increase in Luminal A BC risk compared to never smokers (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.03-1.64) and a 90% increased risk of HER2-type BC (OR 1.90; 95% CI 1.17-3.08). Smoking was not associated with risk of Luminal B or Triple Negative BC. Associations between ever smoking and BC risk significantly differed by BC subtype (Pheterogeneity=0.02). Statistical interactions by race or by HHP were not observed. However, we noted that in stratified models the association between smoking and risk for HER2-type BC was higher among NH White compared to NH Black women and among women with HHP ≥150% compared to HHP

Abstract: The etiology of breast cancer (BC) among young women is not well understood. Recent studies have suggested that tobacco exposure is associated with an increased risk of BC but few studies have evaluated risk among women under age 50 or racial and socioeconomic disparities in risk. We hypothesized that racial and socioeconomic differences in age at smoking initiation and lifetime cigarette smoking contribute to disparities in BC risk among young women. Data were examined from a population-based case-control study in women under 50 years of age, the Young Women’s Health History Study. In total, 1,812 women with invasive BC (1,130 Non-Hispanic (NH) White, 682 NH Black) and an area-based sample of 1,381 control women (716 NH White, 665 NH Black), frequency matched to cases by five-year age group, study site and race were identified and interviewed from the Los Angeles County and Metropolitan Detroit SEER registry areas. Lifetime smoking history (including age at initiation, duration, and frequency) were collected from structured in-person interviews. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between lifetime cigarette smoking and BC risk adjusted for matching and known BC risk factors. Additionally, cross-product interaction terms of smoking exposure by race and by socioeconomic position (SEP; based on household percent poverty) were evaluated by Wald’s test. Among controls, 36.5% reported ever smoking at least 1 cigarette a day for at least 6 months in their lifetime with White women compared to Black women (38.3% vs. 32.3%) and women of lower SEP (

This study aimed to examine and track the transformations in the mathematics intended curriculum during the latest reform in China from a neutral and objective perspective. Following the document analysis used in TIMSS (the Third International Mathematics and Science Study), the results indicated that a more modern system of mathematics knowledge had been constructed after the reform and the curriculum standard emphasized more on its facilitating role. Compared to TIMSS top-achieving countries and regions, it found that the pattern of topics in curriculum guide in China exhibited a similar coherent pattern to those high achieving countries but more concentrated. Moreover, the decentralization in the curriculum standard was unable to figure out the pattern of topics on the intended curriculum level. Lastly, the influence of decentralization in the curriculum standard was discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

In this work, we explored the relationship of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) to student achievement. Building on techniques developed for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), we found a very high degree of similarity between CCSSM and the standards of the highest-achieving nations on the 1995 TIMSS. A similar analysis revealed wide variation in the proximity of state standards in effect in 2009 to the CCSSM. Finally, we used regression and analysis of covariance techniques to assess the relationship between the proximity of a state's standards to the CCSSM and performance on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). After adjusting for cut-points on state assessments and controlling for state demographics related to socioeconomic status and poverty, we found that states with standards more like the CCSSM, on average, had higher NAEP scores. (Contains 1 note, 4 tables and 5 figures.)

This article utilizes the 1999 TIMSS-R data from U.S. states and districts to explore the consequences of variation in opportunities to learn specific mathematics content. Analyses explore the relationship between classroom mathematics content coverage and student achievement as measured by the TIMSS-R international mathematics scaled score. District/state-level socioeconomic status indicators demonstrated significant relationships with the dependent variable, mathematics achievement, and the classroom-level measure of content coverage. A three-level hierarchical linear model demonstrated a significant effect of classroom content coverage on achievement while controlling for student background at the student level and SES at all three levels documenting significant differences in mathematics learning opportunities as a function of the U.S. education system structure. (Contains 5 figures, 5 tables, and 6 notes.)