ObjectiveTo investigate the migration and distribution characteristics of chemical constituents in blood and hippocampal tissues before and after vinegar processing of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride（CRPV）， and to explore the potential material basis and mechanisms underlying their regulatory effects on emotional disorders by comparing the effects of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS） was employed to characterize and identify the chemical constituents of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV extracts， as well as their migrating components in blood and hippocampal tissues after oral administration. Reference standards， databases， and relevant literature were utilized for compound annotation， with data processing performed using PeakView 1.2 software. Seventy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into seven groups， including the blank group， model group， diazepam group（2.5 mg·kg^-1）， raw CRPV low/high dose groups（0.6， 1.2 g·kg^-1）， and vinegar-processed CRPV low/high dose groups（0.6， 1.2 g·kg^-1）， with 10 mice per group. Except for the blank group， all other groups underwent chronic restraint stress（2 h·d^-1） for 20 d. Each drug-treated group received oral administration at the predetermined dose starting 10 d after modeling， with a total treatment duration of 10 d. Following model-based drug administration， mice underwent open-field， forced swimming， and elevated plus maze tests. After anesthesia with isoflurane， whole brains were collected from each group of mice， and hippocampi were dissected. Reactive oxygen species（ROS） level in hippocampal tissues was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe hippocampal tissue morphology. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect neuronal nuclei（NeuN） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha（PPARα） expressions in hippocampal tissue. Then， pharmacodynamic evaluations were conducted to assess the effects of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV on mood disorders， exploring the potential mechanisms. ResultsVinegar processing caused significant changes in the chemical composition of CRPV， with 18 components showing increased relative content and 35 components showing decreased relative content. The primary changes occurred in flavonoid compounds， including 20 flavonoids， 20 flavonoid glycosides， 3 triterpenes， 3 phenolic acids， 1 alkaloid， and 6 other compounds. Twenty-one components were detected in blood（15 methoxyflavones， 4 flavonoid glycosides， and 2 phenolic acids）， with 17 shared between raw and vinegar-processed CRPV. Seven components reached hippocampal tissues（all common to both forms）. In regulating emotional disorders， Vinegar-processed CRPV exhibited superior antidepressant-like effects compared to raw products. HE staining revealed that both treatments improved hippocampal neuronal morphology， particularly in the damaged CA1 and CA3 regions. Immunofluorescence and ELISA analyses demonstrated that both raw and vinegar-processed CRPV significantly modulated NeuN and PPARα expressions in hippocampal tissue while alleviating oxidative stress induced by excessive ROS（P<0.05）. ConclusionThe chemical composition of CRPV undergoes changes after vinegar processing， but the migrating components in blood and hippocampus are primarily methoxyflavonoids. These components may serve as the potential material basis for activating the PPARα pathway， thereby negatively regulating ROS generation in the hippocampus， reducing oxidative stress， and promoting the development of NeuN-positive neurons. These findings provide experimental evidence for enhancing quality standards， pharmacodynamic material research， and active drug development of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV.

ObjectiveTo screen and evaluate the antidepressant compounds of Curcumae Rhizoma， and explore its mechanism of regulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2（Nrf2）/glutathione（GSH） peroxidase 4（GPX4）/GSH pathway from an antioxidant perspective. MethodsThe antioxidant activities in vitro of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma， including curcumol， curgerenone， curdione， curzerene， curcumenol， curcumenone， dehydrocurdione， isocurcumenol， furanodienone， furanodiene and zederone， were detected using 1，1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl（DPPH） and 2，2'-azinobis-（3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid） diammonium salt（ABTS） radical scavenging assays. The depression in Drosophila melanogaster was induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress（CUMS）， and W1118 wild-type male D. melanogaster were randomly divided into blank group， model group， curcumol group， curgerenone group， curdione group， curzerene group， curcumenol group，curcumenone group， dehydrocurdione group， isocurcumenol group， furanodienone group， furanodiene group， zederone group and fluoxetine group（10 μmol·L^-1）. The treatment groups received a dose of 0.1 g·L^-1 of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma， while the blank and model groups were administered equivalent volumes of solvent. The sucrose preference test， climbing test and forced swimming test were used to evaluate the behavioral indicators of depression in D. melanogaster. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry（LC-MS） was used to detect the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine（5-HT） and dopamine（DA） in the brain of D. melanogaster， and the entropy weight method was used to comprehensively evaluate neurobehavioral and neurotransmitter indicators， resulting in the identification of the antidepressant active components of Curcumae Rhizoma. In addition， a mouse depression model was established by CUMS， and C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， low and high dose groups of curzerene（0.5， 1 mg·kg^-1）， and fluoxetine group（10 mg·kg^-1） to confirm the antidepressant effect of the optimal active ingredient by behavioral analysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect the content of reactive oxygen species（ROS） in the hippocampus of mice from each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the contents of adenosine triphosphate（ATP）， superoxide dismutase（SOD）， catalase（CAT） and GSH. Transmission electron microscope（TEM） was used to observe the effect of curzerene on the ultrastructure of mitochondria in hippocampal tissue. Western blot was performed to determine the level of Nrf2 protein， and Nrf2 inhibitor（ML385） was used to verify the relationship between the antidepressant effect of curzerene and regulation of Nrf2. Real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was employed to detect the effect of curzerene on the mRNA expression level of GPX. ResultsIn vitro antioxidant experiments showed that curzerene and curgerenone exhibited the most significant ability to scavenge free radicals， and comprehensive evaluation results of entropy weight method indicated that curzerene stood out as the most promising active component. Compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited a significant decrease in sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center（P<0.01）， as well as a significant increase in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests（P<0.01）， and the ROS content in hippocampus significantly elevated（P<0.01）， while the ATP content significantly reduced（P<0.01）. In the hippocampal neurons of the model group， mitochondrial cristae were disordered， with vacuolation of the inner membrane and severe damage. Nrf2 protein expression level in the model group was significantly decreased（P<0.05）， and the antioxidant enzymes SOD， CAT and GSH contents were also significantly reduced（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the gene expression levels of GPX1， GPX4 and GPX7 were significantly decreased（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose group of curzerene showed a significant increase in the sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center（P<0.05）， as well as a significant decrease in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The ROS content in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly reduced（P<0.01）， while the ATP content was significantly increased（P<0.05）. The neuronal mitochondrial damage in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was alleviated， and the expression level of Nrf2 protein was significantly increased（P<0.05）. The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the improvement of curzerene on depressive behaviors in CUMS mice. The GSH content in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased（P<0.01）， while there were no significant differences in SOD and CAT contents. The expression level of GPX4 gene in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased（P<0.05）， while there were no significant differences in other GPX genes. ConclusionCurzerene is the best component with antidepressant activity in Curcumae Rhizoma. It may improve mitochondrial dysfunction to exert its antidepressant effect by regulating Nrf2 and its downstream GPX4/GSH pathway rather than CAT or SOD pathways.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Yuejuwan on lipid metabolism in serum， prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of depressed mice based on lipidomics， and to explore the potential pathways for improving lipid metabolism to prevent depression. MethodsSeven-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， Yuejuwan group（3.6 g·kg^-1） and fluoxetine group（10 mg·kg^-1）， and chronic unpredictable mild stress（CUMS） was used to establish the depression model. After 3 weeks of modeling， each administration group was gavaged with the corresponding drug solution according to the dose， and mice in the blank and model groups were given an equal volume of deionised water by gavage， one time/d for 2 weeks. After administration， the antidepressant effect of Yuejuwan was evaluated by neurobehavioral indices such as sucrose preference test， open field test， tail suspension test and forced swimming test. An automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure contents of total cholesterol（TC）， triglyceride（TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol（LDL-C）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol（HDL-C）， aspartate aminotransferase（AST） and alanine aminotransferase（ALT） in mouse serum. Lipidomic analysis of mouse serum， prefrontal cortex and hippocampus was performed based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-linear ion trap-electrostatic field orbitrap mass spectrometry（UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS）， and the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin（mTOR）， ribosomal protein S6 kinase（S6K）， phosphorylation（p）-mTOR， p-S6K in gastric tissues of mice was detected by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the blank group， mice in the model group exhibited significantly reduced sucrose preference rate and center movement time in the open field test（P<0.01）， the immobility times in the tail suspension test and forced swimming test were significantly increased（P<0.01）， and serum levels of TC， TG， LDL-C， HDL-C， AST and ALT were significantly elevated（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the Yuejuwan group showed a significant increase in the sucrose preference rate and center movement time in the open field test（P<0.01）， the immobility times in the tail suspension test and forced swimming test were significantly reduced（P<0.01）， and the serum levels of TC， TG， LDL-C， AST and ALT were significantly decreased（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Lipidomic analysis revealed that Yuejuwan had a significant effect on lipid metabolism in serum， prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of depressed mice， and The differential lipid metabolites were mainly enriched in the metabolic pathways of glycerophospholipid metabolism， sphingolipid signaling， and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein biosynthesis， among which the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway was the most significant. Western blot results showed that compared with the blank group， the relative expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p-S6K/S6K in the gastric tissues of mice in the model group were significantly increased（P<0.01）. In comparison with the model group， the relative expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p-S6K/S6K in the gastric tissues of mice in the Yuejuwan group were significantly decreased（P<0.01）. ConclusionThe intervention of Yuejuwan on lipid metabolism is one of the potential pathways for its antidepressant effect， which may be related to the regulation of mTOR/S6K signaling pathway upstream of lipid metabolism in the gastric tissues.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus， in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure， and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2（ITS2） high-throughput sequencing， combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis， were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7， 14， 21 d（numbered Y1-Y3 for the former， and numbered F1-F3 for the latter）， respectively. At the same time， the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）， combined with principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and compound retention time， parent ions， characteristic fragment ions and other information， the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method， while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method， there was a significant difference with the fermentation process， and at the genus level， the dominant genus of samples Y1， Y2， Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus， while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable， and the microbial community structure was more stable， which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis， including 70 flavonoids， 38 coumarins， 10 alkaloids， 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation， two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition， multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods， mainly including flavonoids， organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively， the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable， the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high， which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation， the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds， and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus， as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus， in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure， and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2（ITS2） high-throughput sequencing， combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis， were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7， 14， 21 d（numbered Y1-Y3 for the former， and numbered F1-F3 for the latter）， respectively. At the same time， the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）， combined with principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and compound retention time， parent ions， characteristic fragment ions and other information， the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method， while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method， there was a significant difference with the fermentation process， and at the genus level， the dominant genus of samples Y1， Y2， Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus， while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable， and the microbial community structure was more stable， which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis， including 70 flavonoids， 38 coumarins， 10 alkaloids， 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation， two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition， multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods， mainly including flavonoids， organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively， the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable， the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high， which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation， the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds， and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus， as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.

Aquatic organisms can secrete biomacromolecules through specialized organs, tissues, or structures, enabling adhesion to underwater material surfaces and leading to severe biofouling issues. This phenomenon adversely impacts aquatic ecosystem health and human activities. Biofouling has emerged as an emerging global environmental challenge. Adhesion serves as the foundation of biofouling, representing a critical step toward a comprehensive understanding of the adhesion mechanisms of aquatic organisms. Biomacromolecules, including proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, are the primary functional components in the adhesive substances of aquatic fouling organisms. Research indicates that these biomacromolecules exhibit diversity in types and characteristics across different aquatic organisms, yet their adhesion mechanisms show unifying features. Despite significant progress, there remains a lack of comprehensive reviews on the adhesion mechanisms mediated by biomacromolecules in aquatic fouling organisms, particularly on the roles of lipids and carbohydrates. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing literature, this review systematically summarizes the mechanistic roles of three classes of macromolecules in aquatic biofouling adhesion processes. Proteins demonstrate central functionality in interfacial adhesion and cohesion through specialized functional amino acids, conserved structural domains, and post-translational modifications. Lipids enhance structural stability via hydrophobic barrier formation and antioxidative protection mechanisms. Carbohydrates contribute to adhesion persistence through cohesive reinforcement and enzymatic resistance of adhesive matrices. Building upon these mechanisms, this review proposes four prospective research directions: optimization of protein-mediated adhesion functionality, elucidation of lipid participation in adhesion dynamics, systematic characterization of carbohydrate adhesion modalities, and investigation of macromolecular synergy in composite adhesive systems. The synthesized knowledge provides critical insights into underwater adhesion mechanisms of aquatic fouling organisms and establishes a theoretical foundation for developing mechanism-driven antifouling strategies. This work advances fundamental understanding of bioadhesion phenomena while offering practical guidance for next-generation antifouling technology development.

Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are more likely to experience neurocognitive impairments compared to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. This paper reviews recent research on the neurocognitive development of SGA children. SGA can lead to a "brain-sparing effect" due to growth restriction, which may affect cerebral blood flow and brain structure. However, this does not guarantee normal brain development. Restrictive blood flow can result in changes in brain structure, such as reduced total white matter and gray matter volume in various brain regions, including the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, ultimately leading to decreased head circumference. SGA children also exhibit lower scores in all neurocognitive domains, including intelligence, attention, memory, and executive function. This may result in poor academic performance and an increased risk of social, behavioral, and neurological problems, such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, visual and hearing impairments, as well as comorbidities like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), autism spectrum disorder(ASD), anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Several risk factors for SGA-related neurocognitive impairments have been identified, including gestational hypertension, abnormal gestational weight, smoking, and catch-up growth. Studies have shown that the best interventions to improve cognitive dysplasia include nutrient supplementation, continued breastfeeding, high-quality education, and appropriate early intervention (responsive parenting) are effective in improving cognitive outcomes for SGA children.

Through a compound induction method, combined with neurobehavioral, macroscopic characterization and objective pathological evaluation indicators, a murine depression model of liver depression transforming into fire syndrome was constructed and confirmed. The model was constructed using a combination of sleep deprivation, light exposure, and alternate-day food deprivation. Evaluation was conducted at three levels: face validity, constructs validity, and predictive validity. The establishment of the liver depression transforming into fire syndrome depression model was further validated through the counterproof of traditional Chinese medicine formulas. In terms of face validity, compared to the control group, mice in the model group exhibited typical depressive symptoms in neurobehavioral assessments; the general observation of the model group mice reveals disheveled and lackluster fur, along with delayed and easily agitated responses. Additionally, there is a substantial increase in water consumption. In the sleep phase detection of mouse, the model group showed a significant increase in the proportion of time spent in the wake phase during sleep, accompanied by a significant decrease in the proportions of time spent in both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep phases. There are significant differences in physiological indicators such as average blood flow velocity, blood flow rate, tongue, urine, and claw color (r values) in the internal carotid artery. Structural validity demonstrated that levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the hippocampus of model mice decreased significantly, while acetylcholine (ACh), tryptophan (Try), and glutamic acid (Glu) levels increased significantly. Treatment with Danzhi Xiaoyao San led to varying degrees of restoration in the aforementioned neurotransmitters. In terms of predictive validity, the antidepressant paroxetine effectively ameliorated depressive behaviors in the model mice, and the classic formula Danzhi Xiaoyao San demonstrated varying degrees of improvement in depression-related indicators. In conclusion, this study has established a novel animal model of liver-stagnation with the fire depression, thereby expanding the repertoire of traditional Chinese medicine depression models. This development contributes to the diversification of melancholic syndrome models in Chinese medicine, offering a broader spectrum of options for scientific exploration, efficacy evaluation, and drug screening in the future prevention and treatment of depression with traditional Chinese medicine. Animal experiments were conducted with the approval and supervision of the Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ethics number: 20230313040).

Exploring the action targets (groups) of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important proposition to promote the innovation and development of TCM, but it has attracted a lot of attention as to whether it is related to the efficacy or the disease. Our team found that the metabolomic signature molecules in the development of diabetes mellitus (DM) were significantly associated with the clinical efficacy of Yuquan Pill through a large clinical sample study. Taking this as a clue, our team intends to expand the information on the omics features of DM development, and discover the key targets (groups) and their lead compounds for the hypoglycemic effect of Yuquan Pill. The project includes: ① Based on the retrospective clinical trials, using omics technology integrated with generative artificial intelligence, mining the characteristic information of proteome and microbiome, forming driving factors together with metabolome characteristic molecules, and characterizing the molecular trajectories of diabetes evolution and their interference by Yuquan Pill; ② Taking the evolving molecular trajectories as a link and pointer, using anthropomorphic modeling and molecular biology techniques such as chemical proteomics to discover the key targets (groups) of Yuquan Pill's hypoglycemic effect, with the prospective clinical samples for validation; ③ Evaluate the overall response of key targets (groups) using graph neural network technology, and search for drug-derived/endogenous lead compounds with proven clinical pathologies and clear mechanisms of action, so as to provide a new paradigm and technology for the discovery of complex active ingredient targets (groups) of TCM that are related to their clinical efficacy, as well as for the discovery of innovative medicines.

eToyBox is a learning management system for preschool teachers to improve their health literacy, which ultimately aims to improve children’s obesity-related behaviour. As part of the development process of eToyBox, assessment on digital literacy, acceptance of digitization of education materials, and perceived barriers in adopting online learning is needed. Fifty-four preschool teachers under the Community Development Department (KEMAS) in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, and Sarawak, who participated in ToyBox Study Malaysia intervention in 2018, took part in this cross-sectional study. An online self-administered questionnaire was used to assess sociodemographic background, use of communication tools and media, and teacher’s views on adapting the ToyBox modules to digital education materials. Respondents were contacted, and questionnaire link was shared through WhatsApp messages. Most participants (74.0%) were Malay females aged 31 to 40 years old. Most participants had internet access (94.4%) and owned at least a smart phone, laptop or tablet (94.4%). Participants perceived their computer skills to be average (75.0%). Majority of respondents (65.0%) reported advanced and higher abilities in word processing and email, but only 22.0% in spreadsheet skills. The main barrier to accessing online material was unstable internet connection (74.1%). Most respondents (90.0%) agree that adapting effective modules to online learning will be beneficial for professional development and teaching practices. In conclusion, most participants supported digitizing Toybox Study Malaysia educational content and were comfortable 72 with its implementation via an online learning platform. The findings from this study can advise future development of online learning materials for preschool teachers in Malaysia.