Application of Biotechniques for In Vitro Virus and Viroid Elimination in Pome Fruit Crops.

Sustainable production of pome fruit crops is dependent upon having virus-free planting materials. The production and distribution of plants derived from virus- and viroid-negative sources is necessary not only to control pome fruit viral diseases but also for sustainable breeding activities, as well as the safe movement of plant materials across borders. With variable success rates, different in vitro-based techniques, including shoot tip culture, micrografting, thermotherapy, chemotherapy, and shoot tip cryotherapy, have been employed to eliminate viruses from pome fruits. Higher pathogen eradication efficiencies have been achieved by combining two or more of these techniques. An accurate diagnosis that confirms complete viral elimination is crucial for developing effective management strategies. In recent years, considerable efforts have resulted in new reliable and efficient virus detection methods. This comprehensive review documents the development and recent advances in biotechnological methods that produce healthy pome fruit plants. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Association Between CD4 Count and Chemoradiation Therapy Outcomes Among Cervical Cancer Patients With HIV.

BACKGROUND: In Botswana, nearly two-thirds of cervical cancer patients are HIV-positive. This study examined the relationship between CD4 count and chemoradiation therapy outcomes among cervical cancer patients with HIV. SETTING: A prospective cohort study of 231 HIV-positive women with locally invasive cervical cancer was conducted in Gaborone, Botswana from January 2015 to February 2018. METHODS: Primary outcome was survival, defined as time from scheduled end of chemoradiation therapy to death or last contact with patient. Nadir CD4 count was defined as lowest CD4 available before cancer diagnosis. Delta CD4 count was defined as improvement from nadir CD4 to CD4 at cancer diagnosis. Hazard ratio (HR) analyses were adjusted for presenting variables (age, baseline hemoglobin, cancer stage, and performance status) and treatment variables (chemotherapy cycles and radiation dose). RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-one patients were included in nadir CD4 analysis; 139 were included in delta CD4 analysis. Higher delta CD4 was significantly associated with reduced mortality after adjusting for presenting and treatment variables (CD4 100-249: HR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.95; CD4 ≥250: HR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.20 to 1.02). Higher nadir CD4 showed a trend toward reduced mortality after adjusting for presenting and treatment variables (HR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.06). CONCLUSIONS: Higher delta CD4 (greater improvement from nadir CD4 to CD4 at cervical cancer diagnosis) is significantly associated with lower mortality. Although not statistically significant, data suggest that higher nadir CD4 may reduce mortality. These results reinforce the importance of early HIV diagnosis and antiretroviral therapy initiation, as their effects influence cervical cancer outcomes years later.