[Blood substitutes--current evidence].

The aim to find an artificial substitute for human blood has failed in the past 70 years and will most probably fail in the following future. Genomics, proteomics and posttranslational research have revealed that blood is our most complex and highly coordinated organ. Plasma substitutes can only promote a single function of plasma: the blood volume replacement.

[Genetic traits in the area of Bodrogköz].

In 1984 a late malaria endemic area, called Bodrogköz was studied. This was a reexamination of the population genetic work performed by Walter, Nemeskéri. In six villages of Bodrogköz 328 persons were tested for AB0, Rh blood groups, haptoglobins, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, erythrocyte amount, the MCV, the MCH and the G-6-PD were analyzed.

[The era of molecular genetics. New perspectives in hematology].

The unprecedently swift developments in molecular genetics opened up a new era in haematology. The regulation of the expression of globin genes and its coordination with the expression of genes coding for other red cell specific proteins, as well as molecular genetics of some intrinsic haemolytic anaemias and the clinically important recent results revealing the genetic regulation of iron metabolism are discussed. New unfolding concepts of the physiological regulation of the haemopoetic stem cell and the multistep development of its malignant transformation are reported.

[Importance of the detection of minimal residual disease in the management of acute leukemia].

Between 1984-1988, 57 adult acute leukemic patients were treated with intensive combined chemotherapy in the National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion. For the evaluation of response to therapy, 4 investigations were performed in parallel: bone marrow aspirate, bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetic analysis and bone marrow culture. Nonparametric test for samples taken for the evaluation of remission status showed that bone marrow biopsy was significantly the most sensitive method for the detection of residual disease.

[Hepatitis C virus antibody in Hungarian blood donors, persons at risk and patients with post-transfusion hepatitis].

The authors screened blood donors, persons at high risk of infection and patients with post-transfusion hepatitis by the use of the new hepatitis C antibody test. 1.7% of persons donating blood acceptable for use according to current criteria were found positive.