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Objective: To cater to the demands for personalized health services from a deep learning perspective by investigating the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution 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 introduced the attention mechanism (AM), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The models’ performance was evaluated before and after optimization using the F1-score, accuracy, precision, and recall. Results: The research analyzed a total of 31 655 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 operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) values exceeding 70% and 0.78, respectively. This indicates that while the model possesses a certain level of constitutional differentiation ability, 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 stagnation 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, demonstrated an improved prediction accuracy rate of 54%. Conclusion: This study constructed MLP, LSTM, and DBN models for predicting TCM constitution 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 establishment and optimisation strategies of TCM constitution prediction models,and a novel idea for the treatment of non-disease.

Author(s): Hongjiang Wu 1, Aimin Yang 1,2, Eric S. H. Lau 1, Xinge Zhang 1, Baoqi Fan 1, Ronald C. W. Ma 1,2,3, Alice P. S. Kong 1,2,3, Elaine Chow [...], Background Clinical trials have demonstrated that remission of type 2 diabetes can be achieved following sustained weight loss. However, the feasibility of achieving diabetes remission through weight management in real-world settings remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to examine the association of weight change at 1 year after diabetes diagnosis with long-term incidence and sustainability of type 2 diabetes remission in real-world settings in Hong Kong. Methods and findings This was a population-based observational cohort study. The territory-wide Risk Assessment and Management Programme for Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) provides regular comprehensive assessments of metabolic control and complication screening for people with diabetes in Hong Kong. We included 37,326 people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who were enrolled in the RAMP-DM between 2000 and 2017, followed until 2019. Diabetes remission was defined as 2 consecutive HbA1c Conclusions In this study, greater weight loss within the first year of diabetes diagnosis was associated with an increased likelihood of achieving diabetes remission and a decreased risk of returning to hyperglycaemia among those who had achieved diabetes remission. However, both the incidence of diabetes remission and the probability of its long-term sustainability were low with conventional management in real-world settings, in an era when the importance of weight loss was not fully appreciated. Our study provides evidence for policymakers to design and implement early weight management interventions and diabetes remission initiatives.

Pathogenic intracellular bacteria pose a significant threat to global public health due to the barriers presented by host cells hindering the timely detection of hidden bacteria and the effective delivery of therapeutic agents. To address these challenges, we propose a tandem diagnosis-guided treatment paradigm. A supramolecular sensor array is developed for simple, rapid, accurate, and high-throughput identification of intracellular bacteria. This diagnostic approach executes the significant guiding missions of screening a customized host-guest drug delivery system by disclosing the rationale behind the discrimination. We design eight azocalix[4]arenes with differential active targeting, cellular internalization, and hypoxia responsiveness to penetrate cells and interact with bacteria. Loaded with fluorescent indicators, these azocalix[4]arenes form a sensor array capable of discriminating eight intracellular bacterial species without cell lysis or separation. By fingerprinting specimens collected from bacteria-infected mice, the facilitated accurate diagnosis offers valuable guidance for selecting appropriate antibiotics. Moreover, mannose-modified azocalix[4]arene (ManAC4A) is screened as a drug carrier efficiently taken up by macrophages. Doxycycline loaded with ManAC4A exhibits improved efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-infected peritonitis. This study introduces an emerging paradigm to intracellular bacterial diagnosis and treatment, offering broad potential in combating bacterial infectious diseases. In this work, authors present a supramolecular fluorescent sensor array that enables the accurate discrimination of intracellular bacteria, also demonstrating that this can be modified as a host-guest drug delivery system to combat these bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent advancements in dermatological therapeutics have highlighted the need for treatments that enhance skin regeneration and healing. Diamond‐Augmented Zinc Oxide (ND‐ZnO) technology combines zinc oxide with diamond particles in a unique core‐shell structure, offering a multifaceted approach to overall skin health. Aims: This study evaluates the efficacy of ND‐ZnO in promoting human dermal fibroblast migration and growth, enhancing total collagen synthesis, and improving transdermal delivery of active ingredients as a daily comprehensive skin regeneration topical therapy. Patients/Methods: In vitro assays assessed wound healing, collagen production, and skin absorption. Human Dermal Fibroblasts (HDFs) were used in scratch wound assays. Collagen synthesis was quantified using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Permeation tests were performed on reconstructed human epidermal tissues to evaluate niacinamide absorption. Clinical case studies validated ND‐ZnO efficacy in post‐CO₂ laser treatments and Actinic Keratosis removal recovery. Results: ND‐ZnO increased HDF migration by 198% compared to controls. Collagen synthesis assays showed a 71.3% restoration of collagen production in aged HDFs. Skin permeation studies revealed a 203% increase in niacinamide skin absorption with ND‐ZnO. Clinical case studies demonstrated faster and more effective healing post‐ablative CO₂ laser and significant improvements in Actinic Keratosis recovery. Conclusions: ND‐ZnO technology enhances wound healing, collagen synthesis, and active ingredient delivery, offering substantial benefits for daily skin regeneration and other dermatological applications. This innovative approach holds promise for advancing dermatological therapeutics, providing comprehensive skin care solutions that address both protective and regenerative needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is relatively scarce data regarding the association between primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) and incident diabetes in large population‐based longitudinal studies. We aimed to evaluate the risk of incident diabetes in individuals with and without PHPT and investigate the association between serum calcium concentrations and the risk of incident diabetes in patients with PHPT. Methods: We included 2749 PHPT patients and 13,745 age, sex and index year matched non‐PHPT individuals during 2000–2019. We used Cox regression models to compare the risk of incident diabetes in individuals with and without PHPT, and the risk of incident diabetes in PHPT patients with serum calcium concentration above and below the median value. The association between serum calcium concentrations and the risk of incident diabetes was examined by restricted cubic spline analyses in patients with PHPT. Results: During a median follow‐up time of 5.17 years (IQR 2.17, 9.58), 433 patients (15.75%) with PHPT and 2110 individuals (15.35%) without PHPT developed diabetes, respectively. Patients with PHPT had a higher incidence rate of diabetes compared to non‐PHPT individuals (27.60 [95% CI 25.00, 30.30] vs. 23.90 [95% CI 22.80, 24.90] per 1000 person‐years, log‐rank test p =.007]. Crude Cox regression model showed PHPT was associated with a 15% higher risk of incident diabetes (HR 1.15, 95%CI 1.04, 1.28). In patients with PHPT, a 44% higher risk of incident diabetes was found in patients with serum calcium concentrations above the median value (2.63 mmol/L), compared to those below the median value (HR 1.44, 95%CI 1.08, 1.90). Restricted cubic spline analyses confirmed a positive linear association between serum calcium concentrations and the risk of incident diabetes in those with PHPT (p‐value for nonlinear =.751) Conclusions: Patients with PHPT had a higher risk of incident diabetes compared to non‐PHPT individuals. A positive linear association was found between serum calcium concentrations and the risk of incident diabetes in patients with PHPT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Author(s): Hongjiang Wu 1, Aimin Yang 1,2, Eric S. H. Lau 1, Xinge Zhang 1, Baoqi Fan 1, Mai Shi 1, Chuiguo Huang 1, Ronald C. W. Ma 1,2,3, Alice [...], Background Type 2 diabetes affects multiple systems. We aimed to compare age- and sex-specific rates of all-cause and cause-specific hospital bed-days between people with and without type 2 diabetes. Methods and findings Data were provided by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority. We included 1,516,508 one-to-one matched people with incident type 2 diabetes (n = 758,254) and those without diabetes during the entire follow-up period (n = 758,254) between 2002 and 2018, followed until 2019. People with type 2 diabetes and controls were matched for age at index date (±2 years), sex, and index year (±2 years). We defined hospital bed-day rate as total inpatient bed-days divided by follow-up time. We constructed negative binominal regression models to estimate hospital bed-day rate ratios (RRs) by age at diabetes diagnosis and sex. All RRs were stratified by sex and adjusted for age and index year. During a median of 7.8 years of follow-up, 60.5% (n = 459,440) of people with type 2 diabetes and 56.5% (n = 428,296) of controls had a hospital admission for any cause, with a hospital bed-day rate of 3,359 bed-days and 2,350 bed-days per 1,000 person-years, respectively. All-cause hospital bed-day rate increased with increasing age in controls, but showed a J-shaped relationship with age in people with type 2 diabetes, with 38.4% of bed-days in those diagnosed Conclusions In this study, we observed that type 2 diabetes was associated with increased risks of hospital bed-days for a wide range of medical conditions, with an excess burden of mental health disorders in people diagnosed at a young age. Age and sex differences should be considered in planning preventive and therapeutic strategies for type 2 diabetes. Effective control of risk factors with a focus on mental health disorders are urgently needed in young people with type 2 diabetes. Healthcare systems and policymakers should consider allocating adequate resources and developing strategies to meet the mental health needs of young people with type 2 diabetes, including integrating mental health services into diabetes care.

Improving the reproductive ability and fertility of male ruminants is a central concern in animal husbandry. Phytogenic feed additives, known for their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties, are commonly used in animal feed. Icariin (ICA), the primary flavonoid glucoside derived from Epimedium, is a traditional tonic in Chinese herbal medicine. However, its potential to enhance the reproductive performance of male ruminants remains unclear. In this study, twelve healthy adult male dairy goats were divided into two groups. The goats received oral administration of ICA at doses of 0 (control) and 50 mg/kg body weight daily for a consecutive period of 80 days during the breeding season. The effects of ICA on the reproductive performance was analyzed by histological examinations, semen quality analysis, and ELISA experiments. ELISA results showed a progressive increase in serum levels of GnIH, LH, and testosterone with the prolonged ICA treatment (p < 0.05). However, the serum concentration of GnRH in the ICA group initially increased, followed by a subsequent decrease (p < 0.05). The hypothalamic concentrations of dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were significantly higher in the ICA group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The CASA system analyzed sperm kinematics and revealed that ICA increased ejaculate volume, with both total motile and progressive motile sperm gradually increasing over time (p < 0.05). ICA did not affect the body weight of the goats but significantly increased the organ coefficient of the testes (p < 0.01). Additionally, there was an upregulation of hormone receptor expression in testicular tissue and an improvement in the antioxidant capacity of the testes after ICA treatment (p < 0.01). Furthermore, ICA was implicated in testosterone synthesis by modulating the expression of key enzymes associated with steroidogenesis and promoting the differentiation of spermatogonial stem cell to enhance spermatogenesis. In conclusion, our results indicate that icariin, as a phytogenic feed additive incorporated into the diet of ruminants, offers potential benefits in improving the reproductive performance of male dairy goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large lateral displacement of tail ropes increases the risk of their wear and fracture, posing hidden dangers to the safety of the hoisting system. However, no suitable method is available to recognize the lateral swing of tail ropes online. A target-free visual measurement method, which includes the dual-branch SiamSeg, was proposed in this study. Considering the slender characteristics of tail ropes, the receptive field of the feature extraction network was enhanced via the Receptive Field Module (RFM), thereby strengthening the discriminability and integrity of tail rope features. The consistency loss constraints were added to the segmentation loss function to maximize the time sequence information of the video and further improve the accuracy of pixel-level displacement. Compared with other methods, the proposed approach achieved better segmentation effects. Comparison results synchronously measured by sensors revealed the effectiveness of this method and its potential for practical underground applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Author(s): Hongjiang Wu 1, Eric S. H. Lau 1, Aimin Yang 1,2, Xinge Zhang 1, Baoqi Fan 1, Ronald C. W. Ma 1,2,3, Alice P. S. Kong 1,2,3, Elaine Chow [...], Background The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has increased in both young and old people. We examined age-specific associations and population attributable fractions (PAFs) of risk factors for all-cause and cause-specific mortality in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods and findings We analysed data from 360,202 Chinese with type 2 diabetes who participated in a territory-wide diabetes complication screening programme in Hong Kong between January 2000 and December 2019. We compared the hazard ratios and PAFs of eight risk factors, including three major comorbidities (cardiovascular disease [CVD], chronic kidney disease [CKD], all-site cancer) and five modifiable risk factors (suboptimal HbA1c, suboptimal blood pressure, suboptimal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, smoking, and suboptimal weight), for mortality across four age groups (18 to 54, 55 to 64, 65 to 74, and [greater than or equal to]75 years). During a median 6.0 years of follow-up, 44,396 people died, with cancer, CVD, and pneumonia being the leading causes of death. Despite a higher absolute mortality risk in older people (crude all-cause mortality rate: 59.7 versus 596.2 per 10,000 person-years in people aged 18 to 54 years versus those aged [greater than or equal to]75 years), the relative risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality associated with most risk factors was higher in younger than older people, after mutually adjusting for the eight risk factors and other potential confounders including sex, diabetes duration, lipid profile, and medication use. The eight risk factors explained a larger proportion of mortality events in the youngest (PAF: 51.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [39.1%, 64.0%], p < 0.001) than the oldest (PAF: 35.3%, 95% CI [27.2%, 43.4%], p < 0.001) age group. Suboptimal blood pressure (PAF: 16.9%, 95% CI [14.7%, 19.1%], p < 0.001) was the leading attributable risk factor for all-cause mortality in the youngest age group, while CKD (PAF: 15.2%, 95% CI [14.0%, 16.4%], p < 0.001) and CVD (PAF: 9.2%, 95% CI [8.3%, 10.1%], p < 0.001) were the leading attributable risk factors in the oldest age group. The analysis was restricted to Chinese, which might affect the generalisability to the global population with differences in risk profiles. Furthermore, PAFs were estimated under the assumption of a causal relationship between risk factors and mortality. However, reliable causality was difficult to establish in the observational study. Conclusions Major comorbidities and modifiable risk factors were associated with a greater relative risk for mortality in younger than older people with type 2 diabetes and their associations with population mortality burden varied substantially by age. These findings highlight the importance of early control of blood pressure, which could reduce premature mortality in young people with type 2 diabetes and prevent the onset of later CKD and related mortality at older ages.