Research progress on the mechanisms of fruit glossiness in cucumber.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important horticultural crop in China. Consumer requirements for aesthetically pleasing appearances of horticultural crops are gradually increasing, and cucumbers having a good visual appearance, as well as flavor, are important for breeding and industry development. The gloss of cucumber fruit epidermis is an important component of its appeal, and the wax layer on the fruit surface plays important roles in plant growth and forms a powerful barrier against external biotic and abiotic stresses. The wax of the cucumber epidermis is mainly composed of alkanes, and the luster of cucumber fruit is mainly determined by the alkane and silicon contents of the epidermis. Several genes, transcription factors, and transporters affect the synthesis of ultra-long-chain fatty acids and change the silicon content, further altering the gloss of the epidermis. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms are not clear. Here, progress in research on the luster of cucumber fruit epidermis from physiological, biochemical, and molecular regulatory perspectives are reviewed. Additionally, future research avenues in the field are discussed.

Balamuthia mandrillaris infection in China: a retrospective report of 28 cases.

Balamuthia mandrillaris infection is a rare and fatal disease. We have recorded 28 cases of Balamuthia mandrillaris infection during the past 20 years. Eighteen patients (64%) were male and 10 (36%) were female. Patient age ranged from 3 to 74 (mean, 27) years. Patient locations were distributed among 12 Provinces in China. Twenty-seven (96%) patients lived in rural areas, and 17 (61%) patients reported a history of trauma before the appearance of skin lesions. All cases presented with skin lesions as the primary symptom, and 16 (57%) cases developed encephalitis. Histopathology of skin lesions revealed granulomatous changes with histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells infiltration. Amebas were identified in all cases with immunohistochemical staining. Follow-up information was available in 27 (96%) cases. Fifteen (56%) patients died due to encephalitis and 12 (44%) were free of disease after treatment. Our results show that the clinical characteristics of Balamuthia mandrillaris infection in China are very different from those in the US. Infection of traumatized skin may play an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease in China. Encephalitis usually develops 3-4 years after skin lesions in Chinese cases. Patients with only skin lesions have a higher cure rate than patients with encephalitis.