Migration as the main factor of the Russia’s urban population dynamics

This review summarizes the results of the long-term studies performed at the Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, in the field of genetic demography of migration processes in Russia and its capital. The main population-genetic parameters of migration and their dynamics in Moscow over a hundred years are given. Sociodemographic and population-genetic implications of migration processes are considered. A model predicting the population gene pool dynamics under migration pressure for genes of different localization (autosomal, sex-linked, and mitochondrial), exemplified by predicting the allele frequency dynamics in the Moscow population of some gene markers, including genes accounting for monogenic pathology and genes associated with resistance to socially significant diseases, are presented. The paper discusses the selective character of migration processes, in particular, processes of emigration, with respect to some genetically significant ethnodemographic traits; the problem of adaptation of migrants; and adaptive strategies of consolidation of ethnoconfessional groups in the megalopolis (compact settlement over the urban territory and positive assortative mating with respect to demographic traits). It was shown that, owing to the intense influx of migrants and gene flows between ethnic groups, the population of the megalopolis is of mixed origin in terms of ethnic, anthropologic, and genetic aspects. The results of the study suggest the necessity to develop a specific strategy of genetic database formation for the population of megalopolises for the purposes of medical genetics and forensic medicine.     

Variation of natural reproduction parameters and Crow’s indices in different ethnic groups in the two largest megacities of Russia

Genetic-demographic parameters of natural reproduction in the most numerous ethnic groups of Moscow and St. Petersburg were assessed on the basis of the 2002 All-Russia Population Census data and other sources. The intensity of intragroup selection due to individual differences in fertility in the cohorts of women born in the 1930s–1950s decreased in all ethnic groups studied. It was concluded that, in both megacities, the relaxation of the selection component due to differential fertility almost stopped: the values of the Crow’s index I_f stabilized at 0.3 < I_f < 0.4, which was associated with relative stabilization of the interfamily variance of fertility. The temporal dynamics of the intensity of intergroup selection due to interethnic differences in fertility rates was more complex. It was only recently that this type of selection came into action, since even at the beginning of the 20th century fertility rates in various ethno-territorial and ethno-confessional groups of the population of the Russian Empire were similar (5–6 offspring per marriage). In the subsequent decades, interethnic differentiation in progeny size increased because the reproductive behavior of different population groups underwent “modernization” with uneven speed. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the intensity of intergroup selection decreased in women birth cohorts of the 1930s–1950s, while it was an order of magnitude lower than the intragroup selection. Currently, the average number of offspring varies among ethnic groups in a narrow range from 1.3 to 1.6. It can be expected that interethnic differences in fertility rates in these megacities will increase again owing to growing numbers of migrants from regions with traditionally high birth rates, resulting in differential natural growth of ethnic groups and the corresponding dynamics of the gene pool of the population.     

Immune response following administration of multicomponent vaccine VP-4 in elderly patients

The dynamics of immunological characteristics after the administration of polycomponent vaccine B[symbol: see text]-4 to elderly persons, constituting a risk group with respect to acute respiratory diseases and exacerbations of chronic inflammatory diseases of respiratory organs, was studied. The nasal-oral administration of the vaccine induced immunological shifts in the systems of local and systemic immunity. The content of the populations of lymphocytes with markers CD3, CD4, CD16, CD20 was found to have positive dynamics. Considerable shifts in the system of local immunity were registered: the content of sIgA and IgA in the saliva greatly increased; in addition, an increase in the titers of antibodies to Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli was observed in persons with initially low titers.     

Immunoprophylaxis of acute respiratory diseases with bacterial multicomponent vaccine VP-4 in children at preschool institutions

The prophylactic action of polycomponent vaccine B[symbol: see text]-4, prepared from the antigens of opportunistic bacteria, on morbidity rate in acute respiratory diseases (ARD) of bacterial and mixed (bacterial and viral) etiology in 121 children aged 2-5 years, attending pre-school institutions was evaluated. For comparison, a group of 118 children of the same age from the same institutions was formed. The vaccine was introduced after the schedule consisting of 3 intranasal and 6-9 oral administrations made at intervals of 3-4 days. The duration of the course of immunization was 26 +/- 4 days. The prophylactic effect of B[symbol: see text]-4 on ARD morbidity was evaluated by the number of ARD cases and their duration per child. The prophylactic effect of B[symbol: see text]-4 on ARD morbidity lasted 14 months (the term of observation) after immunization and was manifested by a decrease in the number and duration of ARD cases after administration of the preparation, also in a group of highly susceptible children.     

The reactogenicity and safety of a multicomponent vaccine (VP-4) in the prevention of acute respiratory diseases in preschoolers

The reactogenicity and safety of poly-component vaccine (VP-4), prepared from the antigens of opportunistic bacteria, in the prophylaxis of acute respiratory diseases (ARD) in children aged 2.6-6 years. The vaccine was administered intranasally in 3 administrations and orally in 6-8 administrations at intervals of 3-4 days for a period of 24 +/- 4 days. The prophylaxis of ARD with the use of VP-4 was carried out in 168 children in 4 children's preschool institutions. The control group was made up of 120 children, attending the same institutions. The study revealed that VP-4 had low reactogenicity and induced short-time systemic and local reactions (common cold, cough). The administration of VP-4 at a period of the epidemic rise on influenza and ARD morbidity did not lead to an increase in the frequency and duration of ARD in the vaccinees, as well as to the exacerbation of chronic infection and the allergization of the body.     

Protective efficacy of combined administration of the multicomponent vaccine and the immunomodulator myelopid in experimental infections in mice

The influence of myelopid (MP) on the protective activity of polycomponent vaccine VP-4 prepared from the antigens of opportunistic bacteria was studied on experimental infections of mice, caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus. In staphylococcal and Klebsiella infections the joint administration of vaccine VP-4 and MP produced more pronounced protective effect than each of these preparations, introduced alone. The protective action of vaccine VP-4 was specially enforced by MP in cases of local staphylococcal infection. Recommendations on the joint use of two or more immunomodulating agents are possible only on the basis of the experimental substantiation of their effect in definite infections.