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Objective: The Hungarian National Registry for Philadelphia chromosome negative myeloproliferative neoplasms was used to analyse the thromboembolic events (TE) of Hungarian patients with polycythemia vera (PV)., Methods: Data from 351 JAK2 V617F-positive patients diagnosed with PV were collected online from 15 haematology centres reporting clinical characteristics, therapeutic interventions and thromboembolic events. TE events were evaluated before and after diagnosis based upon the Landolfi and Tefferi risk assessment scales., Results: TE were reported on 102 patients before diagnosis and 100 during the follow-up period. Comparing to the frequency of major arterial events before PV diagnosis, we can notice a decreasing tendency after diagnosis: from 12.3% to 2.6% (p < .00003). There was no significant change in the rate of major venous events (from 5.1% to 8.5%; p = .1134) or minor arterial events (from 11.7% to 17.4%; p = .073). Bleeding events were recorded in 5.7% of patients. Despite treatment with HU + ASA, 44 patients (43.1%) with prior TE had recurrent thromboembolic complications. The particular analysis of our data revealed a new TE scoring system based on: age, gender, previous TE and iron deficiency at the time of diagnosis., Conclusions: Our registry enables characterisation of patients with PV. The high level of recurrent TE events highlights the need for more effective and risk-adapted therapy., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: We report an extension study of patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) in the Hungarian Myeloproliferative Neoplasm (HUMYPRON) Registry, which demonstrated that over 6 years anagrelide significantly decreased the number of patients experiencing minor arterial and minor venous thrombotic events (TEs) vs hydroxyurea+aspirin., Methods: Data on patients with ET were collected through completion of a questionnaire developed according to 2008 WHO diagnostic criteria and with regard to Landolfi, Tefferi and IPSET criteria for thrombotic risk. Data were entered into the registry from 14 haematological centres. TEs, secondary malignancies, disease progression and survival were compared between patients with ET treated with anagrelide (n = 116) and with hydroxyurea+aspirin (n = 121)., Results: Patients were followed for (median) 10 years. A between-group difference in the number of patients with TEs was observed (25.9% anagrelide vs 38.0% hydroxyurea+aspirin; P = .052). Minor arterial events were more frequently reported in the hydroxyurea+aspirin group (P < .001); there were marginally more reports of major arterial events in the anagrelide group (P = .049). TE prior to diagnosis was found to significantly influence TE incidence (P > .001). Progression-free survival (P = .004) and survival (P = .001) were significantly increased for the anagrelide group vs hydroxyurea+aspirin., Conclusions: Anagrelide reduced TEs, and increased progression-free and overall survival vs hydroxyurea+aspirin over (median) 10 years., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A host variant of Newcastle disease virus (NDV, genus Avulavirus, family Paramyxoviridae) is responsible for an autonomous disease in pigeons. It emerged in the late 1970s in the Mediterranean region. Despite great genetic diversity the vast majority of strains belong to a monophyletic group (sublineage VIb) within genotype VI of NDV strains that were indigenous in the region at that time. To date only a monoclonal antibody assay is available for the specific identification of pigeon type strains. A specific genetic assay is described suitable for the identification of pigeon isolates. Cleavage site analysis of a 1349 bp amplicon of the fusion protein gene was carried out using restriction enzymes (RE) HinfI, BstOI and RsaI. RE analysis of over 100 strains isolated between 1978 and 2002 deriving from 16 countries has revealed nine RE-patterns, which were progressive site variants of the parental (group VI) genotype. In spite of substantial site variation, extant pigeon viruses lacked a BstOI cleavage site at nucleotide 1601 shared by other NDV strains of chicken origin. RE analysis is a simple and reliable method both for the identification and subgrouping of pigeon type viruses.

The perinatal period is one of the most dangerous time of life. The responsibilities of the obstetricians are multifold. It is very difficult to draw a line between good and substandard care, therefore in perinatology and especially in high-risk obstetrical cases there are no absolute rules of management. The lay public is convinced through media channels, that modern reproductive research eliminated all the risks and hazards associated with childbirths, therefore only 100% healthy babies are accepted. Pregnancy is regarded as a 'success story' and if the baby is born with neurological defects (cerebral palsy) the parents and their advisors feel, that someone responsible for the defect should be found in the chain of management. This attitude starts a legal battle focusing on the events of labor and delivery. But in most cases it is very difficult to determine if a peripartal neonatal encephalopathy originated from the time period of labor and delivery, or started weeks earlier during pregnancy as an unnoticed event. Perinatal morbidity indicators are best based on neonatal clinical signs, which are predictive of later morbidity of the child. Neonatal seizures within 48 h of delivery of the baby could be a good index of later morbidity.

The connection between meteorological stimuli and the onset of labor was examined on the basis of the patients' front-sensitivity. Front-sensitivity was tested by a questionary containing 60 questions. Converse relation was observed between the degree of sensitivity and the gestational age. A sudden rise of onsets of labors could be shown during frontal changes, occurred after meteorologically quiet periods. During frontal changes the ratio of onsets of labors rose significantly among those patients who were sensitive tho the given front. This effect could be observed during a longer period of frontal influence. By the authors opinion also meteorological stimuli can be regarded as one of the factors, determining the actual date of onset of labor among front-sensitive women.

The normal values of the foetal heart rate (FHR) in early pregnancy were determined in utero by Doppler ultrasound technique and in vitro on isolated, in nutrient solution surviving, foetal hearts obtained from termination of pregnancy. The early heart rate was found to be surprisingly high in 354 successful ultrasonic examinations. In the eighth week the average FHR was 178 min-1. In the course of pregnancy there was a gradual decrease in FHR and in the 17th-18th week it reached 140 min-1 characteristic of the human foetus. Similar data were obtained under in vitro conditions.

Prostaglandin (PG) synthesis and metabolism was studied in human fetal kidney, lung, small intestine, heart, brain and liver (gestational ages: 10, 12, 14, 18 and 23 weeks) and pregnant uterus (4-40 weeks of pregnancy). PG synthesis was increased in the myometrium during pregnancy while the capacity of metabolism did not change. PG synthesis increased in lung and kidney (4-fold), brain (20-fold) and small intestine (2-fold) but not in heart or liver. Metabolic activity increased only in fetal kidney and lung.

Hungary has experienced one of the highest prematurity rate of the world due to the large number of induced abortions carried out by rapid mechanical dilation of the cervix during the last three decades. With the pioneering work of Professor Sune Bergström in the identification and isolation of the primary, naturally occurring prostaglandins and in elucidating their chemical structure, it became possible also in Hungary to start research with the help of the Swedish investigators and WHO assistance on the clinical application of PGs. Recently growing understanding of cervical physiology promotes their use for cervical dilatation and for pharmacological uterine stimulation which is especially important in Hungary from the perspective of changing the recent situation, i.e. preventing cervical incompetence and subsequent "short-gestations" in future pregnancies. The physiologic importance of the development of the PG-analogues with slowed-down metabolic degradation is outlined here. The implications of the PGs in cervical ripening is reviewed, and the role of the cervix,--as an endocrine gland, playing a biochemically preprogrammed role in controlling a wide array of physiological processes throughout human gestation--, is discussed.