Accumulating evidences have demonstrated that there are several markers that can be used to recognize cancer stem cell, such as cell surface marker, enzymatic marker,gene expression marker and some functional markers. Cancer stem cell is characterized by multidrug resistance, enhanced DNA repair and antiapoptotic ability ,and some in vivo niche features that may make cancer cells resistant to conventional therapy.The increasing understanding of aberrantly expressed molecules and signaling pathways in TSC may provide the theoretical foundation for designing of target therapeutic strategies for TSC.

Objective To investigate the expression level of serum miR-193a-3p,miR-337-5p and miR-483-5p in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients and to explore their value for diagnosis and prognosis of ESCC.Methods Serum samples were collected from 63 ESCC patients before and after surgery in Nanjing General Hospital and Xuzhou Cancer Hospital between June 2013 and May 2014 and serum sanples of 63 age-and sex-matched healthy individuals acted as the normal controls.TaqMan Low Density Assay was used to detect the deregulated miRNA in ESCC patients and then quantitative real-time PCR was used to validate the upregulated miRNA miR-193a-3p,miR-337-5p and previously reported miR483-5p that was upregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).Finally,the three miRNA were evaluated for their clinical value in the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of ESCC.Results Compared with normal controls,serum levels of miR193a-3p,miR-337-5p and miR-483-5p in ESCC patients were significantly up-regulated (0.459±0.339 vs 0.195±0.084,U =591;5.686±5.211 vs 2.476±0.808,U=605;32.545 ± 22.479 vs 19.509±10.601,U=1 037,respectively,all P＜ 0.0001) and their levels were significantly reduced after the surgical treatment (P＜0.05).The areas under the ROC curve of serum miR-193a-3p,miR-337-5p,miR-483-5p and miR-Panel were all larger than that of CEA.Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that ESCC patients with low expression level of miR-483-5p in postoperative serum exhibited higher survival rate than those with high level(P=0.022).Conclusion Serum miR-193a-3p,miR-337-5p and miR-483-5p can be potential molecular biomarkers in the diagnosis and predicting prognosis of ESCC.

Objective To explore the clinical,neuroimage,and neuropsychological profiles of semantic dementia (SD).Methods Detailed medical history were collected on 18 SD patients.Brain MRI scans were administered.Neuropsychological evaluation taping semantic memory (things naming),overall cognitive function ( Mini-mental State Examination,MMSE),visuoconstructive skill ( Clock Drawing Test,CDT), daily functional ability (Activities of Daily Living, ADL), neuropsychiatric symptoms (Neuropsychiatric Inventory,NPI),and disease severity (Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration Modified Clinical Dementia Rating Scale,FTLD-CDR) were performed on all patients.Results The mean age at onset was (60.6 ± 8.5 ) years,with 5 cases over 65. All patients developed progressive word-finding difficulty and anomic speech.Ten patients complained significant memory impairment and 14 experienced behavioral disturbance.Five patients were previously diagnosed as Alzheimer' s disease (AD) and 1 as schizophrenia.All patients developed marked semantic memory impairment both for living things and nonliving things.The mean score on MMSE was 10.94 ± 8.86,with 16 cases performed incorrectly on naming.Mean score on CDT copy was 4.61 ±0.85,with 14 cases scored normally.Mean score on ADL was 29.72 ± 8.75.Cases with a 5-year course showed a significant overall decline.Fourteen cases presented behavior symptoms and scored 8.00 ± 7.22 on NPI.All patients scored worst on language domain among all the domains evaluated in FTLD-CDR.Atrophy,typically involving the left anterior temporal was shown on MRI scans.However,predominantly right temporal atrophy was observed in one patient.Atrophy confined to the temporal lobe in patients with early stage and extended to the contralateral temporal,frontal lobe,and parietal lobe as disease progression. Conclusions Current study suggested that SD tend to develop in presenile age.However,about 1/3 cases develop the disease after 65 years. Deficit in language is the earliest and most prominent symptom. Behavior change is prevalent as well. Patients are commonly misdiagnosed as AD or lack a definite diagnosis.Visuoconstructive skill and other abilities are relatively preserved in the early stage.With progression into the 5th years,overall decline comes inevitably.Brain scans can reflect the disease characteristics and progression. Of note,there exists individual with right dominant atrophy.

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for developing zero-profit drug policy and compensation mechanism better in ur-ban public hospitals. METHODS:Taking a public hospital in a city as an example,effects of zero-profit drug policy on hospitals, patients,health insurance fund and single diseases with different drug proportions [cataract (2.94%) vs. chronic renal failure (38.77%)] were investigated by analyzing the canceled drug addition costs and adjusted medical service price data after developing zero-profit drug policy. RESULTS:After developing zero-profit drug policy,the overall compensation rate in the public hospital was 95.20%. The overall burden of urban patients was reduced,average burden cost was decreased 197.73 yuan every time;while the overall burden of urban and rural residents had increased,average burden cost was increased 17.39 yuan every time;and the overall burden of all patients had decreased. Health insurance fund had decreased,in which,the urban workers were decreased 151185500 yuan,and urban and rural residents were increased 4550400 yuan. In medical insurance for urban workers and health insurance for urban and rural residents,hospital increased by 7.00% and 8.99% in income in the treatment of cataract,the medical insurance fund increased by 12.07% and 13.67%,and patients'burden increased by 0.58% and 3.43%,respectively. For chronic renal failure,hospital income increased by 3.23% and 3.93%,medical insurance fund decreased by 3.19% and 3.96%,and pa-tients'burden decreased by 4.27% and 3.63%,respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Zero-profit drug policy is the ideal measure for get-ting rid of"drug-maintaining-medicine". When developing the policy,it should be combined with actual situation and different dis-eases to explore adjustment of medical service prices,reasonable financial compensation models and medical insurance payment mechanism.