Purpose. This study aims to explore the safety and efficacy of a novel treatment-intense pulsed light (IPL) in MGD eyes. Methods. This study is a prospective and open label study. Forty eyes of 40 MGD patients were recruited in the study and received 4 consecutive IPL treatments on day 1, day 15, day 45, and day 75. Ten ocular surface symptoms were evaluated with a subjective face score at every visit. Best spectacle corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), conjunctival injection, upper and lower tear meniscus height (TMH), tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal staining, lid margin and meibomian gland assessments, and meibography were also recorded at every visit, as well as the adverse effects on the eye and ocular surface. Results. Significant improvements were observed in single and total ocular surface symptom scores, TBUT, and conjunctival injection at all the visits after the initial IPL treatment (P < 0.05). Compared to baseline, the signs of eyelid margin, meibomian gland secretion quality, and expressibility were significantly improved at every visit after treatments. There was no regional and systemic threat observed in any patient. Conclusion. Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy is a safe and efficient treatment in relieving symptoms and signs of MGD eyes.

OBJECTIVES: Although it is widely believed that China is facing a major shortage of pediatricians, the real situation of the current national status of pediatric human resources and their working conditions has not been evaluated to date. METHODS: We administered a survey to 54 214 hospitals from all 31 provinces in mainland China from 2015 to 2016. Hospital directors of all secondary and tertiary hospitals with pediatric services and a random sample (10%) of primary hospitals provided information on number of pediatricians and their educational levels, specialties, workloads, dropout rates, and other hospital characteristics. A data set of medical resources and socioeconomic information regarding each region (1997–2016) was constructed from the Chinese National Statistics Bureau. The Gini coefficient was used to describe the geographical distributions of pediatricians and hospitals. RESULTS: There were 135 524 pediatricians in China or ∼4 pediatricians per 10 000 children. Pediatricians’ average educational level was low, with ∼32% having only 3 years of junior college training after high school. The distribution of pediatricians was extremely skewed (Gini coefficient 0.61), and the imbalance of highly educated pediatricians was even more skewed (Gini coefficient 0.68). The dropout rate of pediatricians was 12.6%. Despite an increase in the Chinese government’s financial investment in health over the last decade, physicians have been burdened with a greater workload. CONCLUSIONS: Uneven development of the pediatric care system, inadequately trained pediatricians, low job satisfaction, and unmet demand for pediatric care are the major challenges facing China’s pediatric health care system.

Aims/Introduction Diabetes prevalence in China has increased, but the trend in gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence is unclear. The objective of the present study was to examine the prevalence of gestational diabetes in Xiamen, China, and its association with maternal risk factors. Materials and Methods This linked‐database cohort study used the Medical Birth Registry of Xiamen. Between 1 March 2011 and 30 March 2018, 78,572 women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were enrolled in the study. Maternal factors associated with the prevalence of GDM were examined using multivariate logistic regression. Results A total of 13,738 (17.6%) pregnant women were diagnosed with GDM according to the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria. GDM prevalence ranged from 15.5% (2012) to 19.9% (2017). Increasing age was associated with GDM; women aged >40 years versus those aged >25 years had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 5.91 (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.202–8.314). A positive correlation was observed between weight and GDM risk; obese women versus normal‐weight women had an adjusted OR of 2.508 (95% CI 2.253–2.792). Family history of diabetes and hypertension were more commonly observed among women with GDM. Multivariate analysis showed that family history of diabetes (OR 1.101, 90% CI 1.028–1.180), weight gain during early pregnancy (OR 1.087, 90% CI 1.052–1.124) and systolic blood pressure (OR 1.015, 90% CI 1.011–1.020) were risk factors associated with GDM incidence. Conclusions GDM affects 17.6% of all pregnant women in Xiamen. Age and maternal obesity were major contributors to GDM. The trend of GDM risk remained stable during the study.

Leukemic stem cells (LSCs) greatly contribute to the initiation, relapse, and multidrug resistance of leukemia. Current therapies targeting the cell cycle and rapidly growing leukemic cells, including conventional chemotherapy, have little effect due to the self-renewal and differentiated malignant cells replenishment ability of LSCs despite their scarce supply in the bone marrow. Micheliolide (MCL) is a natural guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone (GSL) which was discovered in michelia compressa and michelia champaca plants, and has been shown to exert selective cytotoxic effects on CD34+CD38− LSCs. In this study, we demonstrate that DMAMCL significantly prolongs the lifespan of a mouse model of human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Mechanistic investigations further revealed that MCL exerted its cytotoxic effects via inhibition of NF-κB expression and activity, and by generating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results provide valuable insight into the mechanisms underlying MCL-induced cytotoxicity of LSCs, and support further preclinical investigations of MCL-related therapies for the treatment of AML.