Construction and optimization of traditional Chinese medicine constitution prediction models based on deep learning

Objective To cater to the demands for personalized health services from a deep learning per-spective by investigating the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitu-tion data and constructing models to explore new prediction methods.Methods Data from students at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine were collected and organized according to the 24 solar terms from January 21,2020,to April 6,2022.The data were used to identify nine TCM constitutions,including balanced constitution,Qi deficiency constitution,Yang deficiency constitution,Yin deficiency constitution,phlegm dampness constitution,damp heat constitution,stagnant blood constitution,Qi stagnation constitution,and specific-inherited predisposition constitution.Deep learning algorithms were employed to construct multi-layer perceptron(MLP),long short-term memory(LSTM),and deep belief network(DBN)models for the prediction of TCM constitutions based on the nine constitution types.To optimize these TCM constitution prediction models,this study in-troduced the attention mechanism(AM),grey wolf optimizer(GWO),and particle swarm op-timization(PSO).The models’performance was evaluated before and after optimization us-ing the F1-score,accuracy,precision,and recall.Results The research analyzed a total of 31655 pieces of data.(i)Before optimization,the MLP model achieved more than 90%prediction accuracy for all constitution types except the balanced and Qi deficiency constitutions.The LSTM model's prediction accuracies exceeded 60%,indicating that their potential in TCM constitutional prediction may not have been fully realized due to the absence of pronounced temporal features in the data.Regarding the DBN model,the binary classification analysis showed that,apart from slightly underperforming in predicting the Qi deficiency constitution and damp heat constitution,with accuracies of 65%and 60%,respectively.The DBN model demonstrated considerable discriminative power for other constitution types,achieving prediction accuracy rates and area under the receiver op-erating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC)values exceeding 70%and 0.78,respectively.This indicates that while the model possesses a certain level of constitutional differentiation abili-ty,it encounters limitations in processing specific constitutional features,leaving room for further improvement in its performance.For multi-class classification problem,the DBN model’s prediction accuracy rate fell short of 50%.(ii)After optimization,the LSTM model,enhanced with the AM,typically achieved a prediction accuracy rate above 75%,with lower performance for the Qi deficiency constitution,stagnant blood constitution,and Qi stagna-tion constitution.The GWO-optimized DBN model for multi-class classification showed an increased prediction accuracy rate of 56%,while the PSO-optimized model had a decreased accuracy rate to 37%.The GWO-PSO-DBN model,optimized with both algorithms,demon-strated an improved prediction accuracy rate of 54%.Conclusion This study constructed MLP,LSTM,and DBN models for predicting TCM consti-tution and improved them based on different optimisation algorithms.The results showed that the MLP model performs well,the LSTM and DBN models were effective in prediction but with certain limitations.This study also provided a new technology reference for the es-tablishment and optimisation strategies of TCM constitution prediction models,and a novel idea for the treatment of non-disease.

Characteristics and demographic factors of traditional Chinese medicine constitution types among elderly individuals in China:A national multistage cluster random study Author links open overlay panel

Objective:To reveal the distribution characteristics and demographic factors of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution among elderly individuals in China.Methods: Elderly individuals from seven regions in China were selected as samples in this study using a multistage cluster random sampling method.The basic information questionnaire and Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire(Elderly Edition)were used.Descriptive statistical analysis,chi-squared tests,and binary logistic regression analysis were used.Results: The single balanced constitution(BC)accounted for 23.9%.The results of the major TCM constitution types showed that BC(43.2%)accounted for the largest proportion and unbalanced constitutions ranged from 0.9%to 15.7%.East China region(odds ratio[OR]=2.097;95%confidence interval[CI],1.912 to 2.301),married status(OR=1.341;95%CI,1.235 to 1.457),and managers(OR=1.254;95%CI,1.044 to 1.505)were significantly associated with BC.Age>70 years was associated with qi-deficiency constitution and blood stasis constitution(BSC).Female sex was significantly associated with yang-deficiency constitution(OR=1.646;95%CI,1.52 to 1.782).Southwest region was significantly associated with phlegm-dampness constitution(OR=1.809;95%CI,1.569 to 2.086).North China region was significantly associated with inherited special constitution(OR=2.521;95%CI,1.569 to 4.05).South China region(OR=2.741;95%CI,1.997 to 1.3.763),Central China region(OR=8.889;95%CI,6.676 to 11.835),senior middle school education(OR=2.442;95%CI,1.932 to 3.088),and managers(OR=1.804;95%CI,1.21 to 2.69)were significantly associated with BSC.Conclusions: This study defined the distribution characteristics and demographic factors of TCM constitution in the elderly population.Adjusting and improving unbalanced constitutions,which are correlated with diseases,can help promote healthy aging through the scientific management of these demographic factors.

Constitution identification model in traditional Chinese medicine based on multiple features

Objective To construct a precise model for identifying traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitutions;thereby offering optimized guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment plan-ning;and ultimately enhancing medical efficiency and treatment outcomes.Methods First;TCM full-body inspection data acquisition equipment was employed to col-lect full-body standing images of healthy people;from which the constitutions were labelled and defined in accordance with the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire(CCMQ);and a dataset encompassing labelled constitutions was constructed.Second;heat-suppres-sion valve(HSV)color space and improved local binary patterns(LBP)algorithm were lever-aged for the extraction of features such as facial complexion and body shape.In addition;a dual-branch deep network was employed to collect deep features from the full-body standing images.Last;the random forest(RF)algorithm was utilized to learn the extracted multifea-tures;which were subsequently employed to establish a TCM constitution identification mod-el.Accuracy;precision;and F1 score were the three measures selected to assess the perfor-mance of the model.Results It was found that the accuracy;precision;and F1 score of the proposed model based on multifeatures for identifying TCM constitutions were 0.842;0.868;and 0.790;respectively.In comparison with the identification models that encompass a single feature;either a single facial complexion feature;a body shape feature;or deep features;the accuracy of the model that incorporating all the aforementioned features was elevated by 0.105;0.105;and 0.079;the precision increased by 0.164;0.164;and 0.211;and the F1 score rose by 0.071;0.071;and 0.084;respectively.Conclusion The research findings affirmed the viability of the proposed model;which incor-porated multifeatures;including the facial complexion feature;the body shape feature;and the deep feature.In addition;by employing the proposed model;the objectification and intel-ligence of identifying constitutions in TCM practices could be optimized.

Twenty Years of the Implementation of the Human Rights Clause in the Constitution:Achievements,Implications,and Research Topics

On March 14,2004,the Second Session of the 10th National People’s Congress of China adopted the fourth amendment to the Chinese Constitution,the most noticeable highlight of which is the addition of the paragraph“the state respects and protects human rights”as the third clause in Article 33 of Chapter II“Basic Rights and Obligations of Citizens”in the Constitution.The inclusion of the clause of human rights in the Constitution is considered an important milestone in the history of human rights development in the People’s Republic of China.The implementation of the human rights clause not only showcases the values of the Party and the state in respecting and protecting human rights,but also promotes the development of human rights,shapes the culture of human rights,and endows the rule of law with a rich humanistic spirit.Over the past 20 years,the publicity,research and practice of the human rights clause have made the Chi-nese people realize that human rights are not only a“great term”,but also a common value shared by mankind.Amid the once-in-a-century changes of the world,although the development of human rights is facing various challenges,the humanistic spirit contained in the hu-man rights clause has become the internal driving force for building consensus in the whole of society.Reinterpreting the significance and value of the human rights clause can help us conscientiously draw on the experience in the implementation of the clause over the past 20 years and contribute Chinese wisdom and experience to global human rights governance with a more open mind and inclusive attitude.

The Connotations of the Constitutional Clause on Human Rights Protection From the Perspective of Foreign-related Rule of Law

The inclusion of the human rights clause in the Chi-nese Constitution is the core normative manifestation of the constitu-tionalization of human rights,and points to the relationship between international law and the Constitution in the sense of positive law.The inclusion of the human rights clauses in the Chinese Constitution itself is an inherent part of the development of China’s socialist constitution,and socialism has already contributed valuable concepts and practices of human rights protection to the modern world in its early stage.The constitutionalization of human rights protection does not necessarily lead to the superiority of international law over the constitutional order of a country,but rather to the convergence of international law and domestic law through the constitutional order.The relevant rules of international law will be effective only when they are transformed into domestic law through the Constitution and the human rights clause in the Constitution.Correspondingly,the domestic legal order is brought into line with the international legal order through the Con-stitution and its human rights clause.Behind the system of fundamen-tal rights in the constitutional order is the value foundation of the en-tire legal system.The advancement of foreign-related rule of law has brought new opportunities for China’s judicial practice to further pro-mote the protection of human rights.In the future,we should further integrate the human rights values embedded in socialism into China’s constitutional practice,enhance human rights protection around the country,and take a more active part in global human rights gover-nance.

Research hotspots andfrontiersanalysisoftraditional Chinese medicine constitution identification:Avisual analysis of literature based on CiteSpaceand vosviewer

Objective:To explore the development and hotspots in the field of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution identification since the year 2000.Methods:Using CiteSpace and VOSviewer software,literature from five prominent databases including VIP,WanFang,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),PubMed,and Web ofScience was analyzed.Visual methods were used to examine the annual publications,keywords,authors,and collaborative networks.Results:After deduplication with EndNotes,a total of 5,747 articles meeting the criteria were included.Since 2000,the publications of TCM constitution identification shown three major stages:a significant increasing trend with the year before 2016,a fluctuating trend from 2016 to 2021,and a decreasing trend with the year after 2021.The co-occurrence analysis ofkeywords revealed health management,hypertension,and constitution as hot directions in this field of research.CiteSpace was used for keyword clustering and burst analysis,health management,medical life,and constitution emerged as the latest hotspots in the past three years,which will be the main development directions in the future.Clusters such as hypertension,preventive treatment,and health management were identified,representing the main research themes at present.VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used for co-occurrence and clustering analysis of authors,revealing collaborative research networks,with prominent groups represented by WANG Qi,WANG Ji,LI Lingru,HOU Shujuan,ZHU Yanbo,etc.Conclusion:Research related to TCM constitution identification is developing rapidly,involving various aspects of medical care and daily life.However,there is still a need to build an extensive academic platform,strengthen the dissemination of Chinese medicine culture,standardize,intellectualize and universalize the identification of TCM constitution assessments,and construct a health service system with Chinese characteristics.

思想史视域下的宪政主义——兼议“constitutionalism”的译法

"宪政"是否有一种"主义",目前在国内尚存争议,但从思想史或概念史的角度去审视"宪政"的英文对应词"constitutionalism",在"制度"和"思想史"两种维度上将"constitutionalism"分别译为"宪政"和"宪政主义"既科学合理,也符合学界的一贯用法。并且,理解作为一种思想观念的宪政主义也能辨识作为制度实践的"宪政"在我国政治或法律进程中的历史方位。

Inverse design of mechanical metamaterial achieving a prescribedconstitutive curve

Besides exhibiting excellent capabilities such as energy absorption,phase-transforming metamaterials offer a vast design space for achieving nonlinear constitutive relations.This is facilitated by switching between different patterns under deformation.However,the related inverse design problem is quite challenging,due to the lack of appropriate mathematical formulation and the convergence issue in the post-buckling analysis of intermediate designs.In this work,periodic unit cells are explicitly described by the moving morphable voids method and effectively analyzed by eliminating the degrees of freedom in void regions.Furthermore,by exploring the Pareto frontiers between error and cost,an inverse design formulation is proposed for unit cells.This formulation aims to achieve a prescribed constitutive curve and is validated through numerical examples and experimental results.The design approach presented here can be extended to the inverse design of other types of mechanical metamaterials with prescribed nonlinear effective properties.

Nonlinear constitutive models of rock structural plane and their applications

Structural planes play an important role in controlling the stability of rock engineering,and the influence of structural planes should be considered in the design and construction process of rock engineering.In this paper,mechanical properties,constitutive theory,and numerical application of structural plane are studied by a combination method of laboratory tests,theoretical derivation,and program development.The test results reveal the change laws of various mechanical parameters under different roughness and normal stress.At the pre-peak stage,a non-stationary model of shear stiffness is established,and threedimensional empirical prediction models for initial shear stiffness and residual stage roughness are proposed.The nonlinear constitutive models are established based on elasto-plastic mechanics,and the algorithms of the models are developed based on the return mapping algorithm.According to a large number of statistical analysis results,empirical prediction models are proposed for model parameters expressed by structural plane characteristic parameters.Finally,the discrete element method(DEM)is chosen to embed the constitutive models for practical application.The running programs of the constitutive models have been compiled into the discrete element model library.The comparison results between the proposed model and the Mohr-Coulomb slip model show that the proposed model can better describe nonlinear changes at different stages,and the predicted shear strength,peak strain and shear stiffness are closer to the test results.The research results of the paper are conducive to the accurate evaluation of structural plane in rock engineering.

Time-domain dynamic constitutive model suitable for mucky soil site seismic response

Soil nonlinear behavior displays noticeable effects on the site seismic response.This study proposes a new functional expression of the skeleton curve to replace the hyperbolic skeleton curve.By integrating shear modulus and combining the dynamic skeleton curve and the damping degradation coefficient,the constitutive equation of the logarithmic dynamic skeleton can be obtained,which considers the damping effect in a soil dynamics problem.Based on the finite difference method and the multi-transmitting boundary condition,a 1D site seismic response analysis program called Soilresp1D has been developed herein and used to analyze the time-domain seismic response in three types of sites.At the same time,this study also provides numerical simulation results based on the hyperbolic constitutive model and the equivalent linear method.The results verify the rationality of the new soil dynamic constitutive model.It can analyze the mucky soil site nonlinear seismic response,reflecting the deformation characteristics and damping effect of the silty soil.The hysteresis loop area is more extensive,and the residual strain is evident.

Damage constitutive model of lunar soil simulant geopolymer under impact loading

Lunar base construction is a crucial component of the lunar exploration program,and considering the dynamic characteristics of lunar soil is important for moon construction.Therefore,investigating the dynamic properties of lunar soil by establishing a constitutive relationship is critical for providing a theoretical basis for its damage evolution.In this paper,a split Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB)device was used to perform three sets of impact tests under different pressures on a lunar soil simulant geopolymer(LSSG)with sodium silicate(Na_(2)SiO_(3))contents of 1%,3%,5%and 7%.The dynamic stressestrain curves,failure modes,and energy variation rules of LSSG under different pressures were obtained.The equation was modified based on the ZWT viscoelastic constitutive model and was combined with the damage variable.The damage element obeys the Weibull distribution and the constitutive equation that can describe the mechanical properties of LSSG under dynamic loading was obtained.The results demonstrate that the dynamic compressive strength of LSSG has a marked strain-rate strengthening effect.Na_(2)SiO_(3) has both strengthening and deterioration effects on the dynamic compressive strength of LSSG.As Na_(2)SiO_(3) grows,the dynamic compressive strength of LSSG first increases and then decreases.At a fixed air pressure,5%Na_(2)SiO_(3) had the largest dynamic compressive strength,the largest incident energy,the smallest absorbed energy,and the lightest damage.The ZWT equation was modified according to the stress response properties of LSSG and the range of the SHPB strain rate to obtain the constitutive equation of the LSSG,and the model’s correctness was confirmed.

Mao Zedong and Legislation on Constitution of 1954

1954年9月20日，第一届全国人民代表大会第一次会议通过的《中华人民共和国宪法》（下称“五四宪法”）是中华人民共和国的第一部宪法。毛泽东全程参与了“五四宪法”的起草、修改和讨论工作。毛泽东确立“五四宪法”的立法指导思想，一是“五四宪法”是过渡性的宪法，二是“五四宪法”是治国的的总章程；立法基本原则为：原则性和灵活性相结合的原则，领导和群众相结合的原则，借鉴本国历史上和外国有益经验的原则。这些立法指导思想和基本原则，对当代中国立法具有普遍的指导意义。

Effect of Temperature and Phase Constitution on Kinetics of La Diffusion

The diffusion of La in ε-Fe 2～3N(ε)and γ′-Fe 4N (γ′)phases produced by plasma nitriding was studied. It is found that with increasing nitriding time, the ε phase continuously decomposes into γ′ one under employed experimental conditions and compared with γ′ phase or ε+γ′ ones, the mono one ε has an impedient effect on depth of La diffusion. The growth of La layer in dual phases and mono one follows an approximate exponential law and a parabolic one, respectively, and this kinetics law does not change with increasing temperature. The effect of increasing temperature in the range of 520 to 560 ℃ on La diffusion depth is less than that of phase constitution change such as the decomposition of ε phase into γ′ one.

Analysis of Constitutional Factors in Patients with Gallstone Disease

Objective: To summarize the common constitutional types in patients with gallstone disease and analyze influencing factors. Research Hypothesis: Qi stagnation constitution may be a potential predisposing constitution for gallstone disease, whereas the Balanced Constitution and Yin deficiency constitution have a lower tendency towards the development of the disease;gallstone disease is more prevalent among young men engaged in mental labor. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 180 patients with gallstone disease who were hospitalized in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), from July 2017 to July 2023. Additionally, 180 healthy individuals undergoing physical examinations at the Health Examination Center of the same hospital were selected as the normal control group. Both groups underwent general condition surveys, TCM constitution scales, Eysenck Personality Questionnaires, Brief Coping Styles Questionnaires, and Social Support Rating Scales to determine risk factors and common types. Results: Independent variables such as gender, Qi stagnation constitution, Balanced Constitution, negative coping scores, positive coping scores, and stressful life events were included in the model. The OR values for Balanced Constitution, gender, positive coping style, and overall social support were all less than 1, and the maximum value of the 95% confidence interval was also less than 1. After selecting the intercept into the model and analyzing the standardized regression coefficients, it was found that negative coping scores had a significant impact on the model, while stressful life events showed extremely high relevance to the study. Compared with the normal group, the frequency of Qi stagnation constitution in the study group significantly increased, with a significant difference (P χ2 = 11.109, P = 0.0009, indicating a significant difference (P χ2 = 4.0890, P = 0.0432, indicating a significant difference (P 0.05). However, when comparing mental workers with physical workers within the patient group, the frequency of Qi stagnation constitution in mental workers was significantly higher, with χ2 = 6.8467, P = 0.012, indicating a significant difference (P Conclusion: Qi stagnation constitution is a potential predisposing constitution for gallstone disease, whereas the tendency to develop the disease is relatively low for Balanced Constitution and Yin deficiency constitution. Gallstone disease is more commonly found in young male mental workers.

Constitution Water in Mantle-derived Megacryst and Xenolith Pyroxene of an Ultrabasic Pipe in Anyuan, Jiangxi

This paper studies the hydrous facies of mantle-derived megacrystclinopyroxenes and pyroxenes of xenoliths of pyroxenolite and spinel peridotite as well as garnetpyroxenolite in a kimberlitic lamprophyre pipe in Anyuan, Jiangxi, by Fourier Transform Infrared(FTIR). It explores the relationship between the water content of pyroxene on the one hand and itscomposition and source depths on the other hand. All the samples contain constitution water. Spectraof the clinopyroxene are dominated by two groups of bands: 3607-3630 cm^(-1) and 3522-3542 cm^(-1).Spectra of the orthopy-roxene are dominated by three groups of bands: 3410-3424 cm^(-1), 3510-3516cm^(-1) and 3560-3595 cm^(-1). The water content of the clinopyroxenes has a positive correlationwith their FeO and Al_2O_3 contents. The source depths of mantle-derived clinopyroxene megacrysts,pyroxenolite, spinel peritotite and garnet pyroxenelite increase gradually in order. The Al_2O_3 andwater contents of four pyroxenes have similar correlation with the source depths.

Consistency between traditional Chinese medicine constitution-based classification and genetic classification

Background:We studied the consistency between two classification systems for categorizing patients:traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)constitution-based methods,versus genetic clustering.Genetic classification in constitutional identification was also evaluated.Methods:A TCM physician evaluated the constitution of each patient,according to four examinations(inspection,auscultation-olfaction,interrogation,and palpation).Those who met the criteria for Yang-deficient,Yin-deficient,and balanced constitutions were enrolled in the study.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the participants,and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were separated from the samples within 2 hours.Total RNA extraction from the white blood cells was performed;and an Affymetrix HG-U133 Plus2.0 array was used to determine the peripheral blood gene expression profiles.The samples were classified using a support vector machine genetic classifier,and the“leave-one-out”method was used for validation.Results:The global gene expression profiles of 32 samples were grouped into three categories,and the samples in each of the gene categories corresponded with the three constitution categories.The three constitution types were distinguished using the genetic classifier with 165 genes.The accuracy of the prediction classification was greater than 95%using mathematical method.Conclusions:Participants with Yin-deficient,Yang-deficient,and balanced constitutions have varying physical characteristics and gene expression patterns.Additionally,the results from TCM constitution classification matched those obtained by genetic classification.Finally,our preliminary gene classifier distinguishes among Yin-deficient,Yang-deficient,and balanced constitutions,and provides a methodological basis for identifying the different constitutions.

Trust Shell Based Constitution Model of Trusted Software

Since the guarantee of trustiness is considered inadequate in traditional software development methods,software developed using these methods lacks effective measures for ensuring its trustiness.Combining agent technique with the support of trusted computing provided by TPM,a trust-shell-based constitution model of trusted software(TSCMTS)is demonstrated,trust shell ensures the trustiness of software logically.The concept of Trust Engine is proposed,which extends the "chain of trust" of TCG into application,and cooperates with TPM to perform integrity measurement for software entity to ensure the static trustiness;Data Structure called trust view is defined to represent the characteristic of software behavior.For the purpose of improving the accuracy of trustiness constraints,a strategy for determining the weights of characteristic attributes based on information entropy is proposed.Simulation experiments illustrate that the trustiness of software developed by the TSCMTS is improved effectively without performance degradation.

Development and Application of a Power Law Constitutive Model for Eddy Current Dampers

Eddy current dampers (ECDs) have emerged as highly desirable solutions for vibration control due to theirexceptional damping performance and durability. However, the existing constitutive models present challenges tothe widespread implementation of ECD technology, and there is limited availability of finite element analysis (FEA)software capable of accurately modeling the behavior of ECDs. This study addresses these issues by developing anewconstitutivemodel that is both easily understandable and user-friendly for FEAsoftware. By utilizing numericalresults obtained from electromagnetic FEA, a novel power law constitutive model is proposed to capture thenonlinear behavior of ECDs. The effectiveness of the power law constitutive model is validated throughmechanicalproperty tests and numerical seismic analysis. Furthermore, a detailed description of the application process ofthe power law constitutive model in ANSYS FEA software is provided. To facilitate the preliminary design ofECDs, an analytical derivation of energy dissipation and parameter optimization for ECDs under harmonicmotionis performed. The results demonstrate that the power law constitutive model serves as a viable alternative forconducting dynamic analysis using FEA and optimizing parameters for ECDs.

A macro-mesoscopic constitutive model for porous and cracked rock under true triaxial conditions

The complex mechanical and damage mechanisms of rocks are intricately tied to their diverse mineral compositions and the formation of pores and cracks under external loads.Numerous rock tests reveal a complex interplay between the closure of porous defects and the propagation of induced cracks,presenting challenges in accurately representing their mechanical properties,especially under true triaxial stress conditions.This paper proposes a conceptualization of rock at the mesoscopic level as a two-phase composite,consisting of a bonded medium matrix and frictional medium inclusions.The bonded medium is characterized as a mesoscopic elastic material,encompassing various minerals surrounding porous defects.Its mechanical properties are determined using the mixed multi-inclusion method.Transformation of the bonded medium into the frictional medium occurs through crack extension,with its elastoplastic properties defined by the DruckerePrager yield criterion,accounting for hardening,softening,and extension.MorieTanaka and Eshelby’s equivalent inclusion methods are applied to the bonded and frictional media,respectively.The macroscopic mechanical properties of the rock are derived from these mesoscopic media.Consequently,a True Triaxial Macro-Mesoscopic(TTMM)constitutive model is developed.This model effectively captures the competitive effect and accurately describes the stress-deformation characteristics of granite.Utilizing the TTMM model,the strains resulting from porous defect closure and induced crack extension are differentiated,enabling quantitative determination of the associated damage evolution.

Fecal-associated microbiome differences between traditional Chinese medicine qi-deficiency and balanced constitutions

Objective:To explore the structural and functional characteristics of the fecal-associated microbiome(FAM)in a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)qi-deficiency constitution(QDC)by comparing with balanced constitution(BC)and screen the related biomarkers.Methods:In this cross-sectional study,the TCM constitutions of subjects were determined based on published the Classification and Determination of constitution in TCM and further confirmed by a TCM clinician.Clinical characteristics were recorded,and fecal samples were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing using the Illumina Miseq platform.The FAM structure was described using alpha-diversity indexes,beta-diversity indexes,and the relative abundances of the dominant taxa.Differences in the FAM distribution and function were analyzed with a Wilcoxon rank-sum test,MetagenomeSeq,and LEfSe analysis,after which a receiver operating characteristic curve based on the specific operational taxonomic units(OTUs)was constructed to calculate the area under the curve.Results:Our study population was composed of 22 BCs and 9 QDCs.There were no significant differences between the two groups in the distribution of clinical characteristics or alpha-diversity indexes,except for the sweets preference and blood glucose level.In principal coordinate analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis,the bacterial communities in the BC group samples and QDC group samples clustered separately.Notably,there were 214 OTUs significantly distributed between groups in the MetagenomeSeq analysis,200 OTUs identified by the Wilcoxon rank-sum test,and 6 OTUs found by the LEfSe analysis.Predicted function analysis revealed that six metabolic pathways were distinctly distributed between the two groups.The area under the curve for the receiver operating characteristic curve based on the four specific OTUs was 0.88.Conclusion:Unique FAM structural and related functional characteristics are displayed in individuals with a QDC,and four specific OTUs could be used as QDC biomarkers to assist in clinical diagnosis.