Effects of general anesthetics on seizure termination, mortality, and neurological prognosis in a rat model of pediatric refractory status epilepticus: A comparative randomized controlled study.

Tea is among the most widely consumed beverages worldwide, characterized by a remarkable diversity of varieties and flavor profiles that result from its broad geographic origins and diverse processing techniques [,]. While green teas are traditionally valued for their freshness, others such as Pu-erh tea are renowned for improving in quality with aging []. In particular, raw Pu-erh tea (RPT), a post-fermented tea produced from sun-dried green tea (crude Pu-erh tea, CPT) of large-leaf tea species grown in Yunnan, China, is often described as “the aged, the better,” with long-term natural storage developing kokumi (thickness, mouthfulness, and continuity) taste and unique aging aroma [,]. These sensory attributes also increase the market value of RPT increase with aging, and well-preserved products fetch premium prices in both domestic and international markets []. Storage is increasingly recognized as an extension of tea processing, wherein heat, moisture, oxygen, and light continuously drive the transformation of intrinsic compounds, actively shaping tea quality rather than merely preserving it []. Variations in temperature and humidity during storage can markedly alter microbial community structures and metabolic profile, leading to diverse chemical and sensory outcomes. Comparative studies have demonstrated that wet-hot storage conditions accelerate the degradation of flavan-3-ols, amino acids, and flavonol glycosides, while promoting the formation of flavoalkaloids and other polyphenol-derived metabolites that enhance sensory quality [,]. In contrast, dry-cold conditions induce slower transformations, requiring extended storage durations to develop comparable mellow and smooth mouthfeel characteristics. Additionally, environmental differences affect the volatile profiles, with wet-hot conditions favoring the formation of aged and woody aroma compounds, while dry-cold conditions tend to preserve fresh and floral notes []. However, the specific microbial contributions to these transformations during tea storage remain poorly understood and appear to be highly influenced by environmental conditions. Recent studies have demonstrated that chemical transformations during tea storage are not solely governed by abiotic factors, but are also strongly influenced by microbial metabolism, which plays a pivotal role in shaping tea quality []. For instance, the “jinhua” (golden-flower) fungus , which develops during natural aging, has been shown to dramatically alter volatile organic compound profiles, catalyze flavonoid conversions, and reduce bitterness and astringency while enhancing floral, woody, and mellow notes in both ripened Pu-erh tea (RiPT, produced from CPT by moisture-assisted pile-fermentation) and white teas []. Similarly, during white tea storage, core bacterial genera such as and , along with fungal genera including and , have been linked to the degradation of glycosylated flavonoids, the accumulation of flavonoid aglycones, and the decline of free amino acids, likely due to microbial utilization and conversion into flavor-active metabolites []. Moreover, key “core” taxa of stored dark teas was identified by microbial community analysis, such as , , , and that contributed to the transformation of polyphenols and other key compounds, promoting reactions such as flavonoid methylation and glycosylation and thereby facilitating the progressive development of flavor and aroma [, , ]. Overall, tea processing altered the chemical composition of tea leaves, which subsequently leads to the selective enrichment of specific microbial communities and reshaping of core taxa, ultimately influencing the development of post-fermentation flavor [,]. Evidence from naturally aged RPT also supports that microbial community succession contributes to aroma differentiation during long-term storage, while recent advances in pile-fermented Pu-erh tea have further clarified the close linkage between microbial metabolism and flavor compound transformation, suggesting that microorganisms under different moisture conditions can drive flavor-active metabolite conversions [,]. This process is likely mediated by microbial secreted enzymes that link microbial metabolism with the conversion of tea flavor precursors []. However, storage conditions, particularly the availability of water, also play a critical role in shaping microbial structure and activity, yet their specific effects remain insufficiently elucidated [].