Sixth International Scientific and Practical Conference “Socio-Psychological Adaptation of Migrants in the Modern World”

On March 25–26, 2022, the Sixth International Scientific and Practical Conference “Socio-Psychological Adaptation of Migrants in the Modern World” was held. Penza State University became the organizer of the conference. The conference was held online on Zoom. Participants discussed topical ethno-psychological problems of migrant adaptation, problems of socio-psychological adaptation of migrants and refugees in Russia and other countries, methodological problems of socio-psychological adaptation of the individual in new conditions of life, problems of psychological and pedagogical assistance to migrants and refugees, adaptation of the individual to extreme conditions life activities, as well as the most acute psychological, anthropological and philosophical challenges in science and society. A separate topic for analysis and discussion was the problem of the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on global migration processes.

VI international scientific and practical conference “Actual problems of mass consciousness research”

On March 19-20, 2021 the Sixth International Scientific and Practical Conference “Actual problems of mass consciousness research” was organized by Penza State University. The work of the forum was organized in the format of on-line broadcasting on Zoom platform and in the social network VKontakte. Participants discussed current problems of mass consciousness phenomenon: psychological and social mechanisms for the promotion of worldviews, socio-psychological aspects of cultural transmission, the impact of the global pandemic COVID-19 on mental health and many others. The issues raised at the conference are the most acute psychological, anthropological and philosophical challenges for science and society, and their discussion enabled the participants of the forum to affirm the positive experience of overcoming these problems.

Associations between ethnicity, place of residence, hearing status of family and habilitation of children with hearing impairment

Background

Hearing parents tend to have a strong preference for their deaf and hard-of-hearing children to acquire adequate speech, as opposed to use of sign language. Research reports the contribution of many variables to speech acquisition by children with hearing loss (HL). Yet, little is known about the association between ethnicity, place of residence, and hearing status of family members and mode of communication of young people with HL. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether mode of communication of young people with HL is associated with ethnicity, place of residence, and hearing status of family members.

Method

Participants were young adults with sensory-neural severe to profound HL, either congenital or acquired prior to age 3. Only participants without additional disabilities were included. The data on participants were extracted from records of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services in Israel. The data for each participant in the study included mode of communication, gender, use of assistive device, ethnicity, geographic place of residence, and presence of first-degree relatives with HL. Regarding participants with a cochlear implant (CI), age at implantation was documented as well.

Results

Chi-square tests revealed significant associations between mode of communication and all of the study variables. In addition, all the study variables made a significant contribution to mode of communication. Regarding ethnicity, most of the ultra-Orthodox participants used oral language, while the majority of Israeli-Arab participants used sign language. Regarding geographical place of residence, lower rates of oral language use were found in the northern and southern districts of Israel.

Conclusions

The findings of the present study underline the need for better monitoring of Israeli-Arab children with HL and children residing in peripheral areas in Israel and for improving access to habilitation services.

P5334A 15-year follow-up of 315 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia from the North-West region of Russia

Aim of the study

to ascertain genetic and environmental factors influencing the time course of FH during a 15-year follow-up in a large FH cohort from the North-West region of Russia.

We screened more than 1ehz746.0302 high risk patients in order to reveal FH in Saint-Petersburg and Petrozavodsk using DLCN criteria. In most patients DNA analysis was also performed.

Definite FH (≥8 according to DLCN) was found in 315 patients (221 - in Saint-Petersburg, 94 - in Petrozavodsk). These patients were followed-up for 15 years and more. CHD was more frequent in male patients, patients older than 60 years of age and was associated with higher levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, lower levels of HDL cholesterol, arterial hypertension, smoking and higher DLCN scoring. Patients without CHD had lowest LDL/HDL ratio (5.2±0.45) whereas patients with stable and progressive CHD had LDL/HDL ratio - 7.7±0.89 and 10.4±0.78, respectively (p≤0.05). Genetic study revealed only 1 homozygous patient and 1 patient with apoB-100 (FDP) gene mutation. Only 1 case of FH-North Karelia mutation that is typical for Finland was found in Petrozavodsk. Most of revealed mutations in LDL-receptor gene were unique i.e. found only in 1 family. This suggest the absence of a strong founder effect associated with FH in the North-West Region of Russia. Due to high heterogeneity of FH-causing mutations we failed to establish interrelations between type of LDL-receptor gene mutations and severity of atherosclerosis and CHD time course. 14% of FH patients didn't take any hypolipidemic medications at the onset of the follow-up, whereas 61% took statins and 25% statin + ezetimibe. Homozygous patient was treated both with statin, ezetimibe, evolocumab and LDL-apheresis. Nevertheless, 26% of the treated group didn't achieve the target LDL-C levels. It is interesting that 40% of patients who didn't reach LDL-goals were current smokers (compared with 5% of patients who reached LDL-goals). 33 patients (10.5%) died during the follow-up mostly due to cardiovascular complications. Death rates in FH patients were strongly associated with age, male sex, LDL/HDL ratio, smoking and effectiveness of hypolipidemic treatment. FH is strongly associated with high CHD risk; the time course of FH is much more favourable in females, in patients with low LDL/HDL ratio and free of other modifiable risk factors. Type of LDL-receptor gene mutation doesn't influence lipid levels or clinical manifestations of FH.

Prevalence of Lithuanian mutation among St. Petersburg Jews with familial hypercholesterolemia

We used polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis to detect LDL receptor gene defects in the St. Petersburg population. We have found a deltaG197 mutation in several patients of Jewish origin. The mutation named is shown to be responsible for one-third (7/23) of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) cases in St. Petersburg Jews and absent in patients of Russian descent. The prevalence of a deltaG197 mutation in St. Petersburg Jews is consistent with its origin in Lithuania or Poland. The deltaG197 mutation can be easily detected in polyacrylamide minigels because of formation of specific heteroduplexes during PCR with DNA of heterozygous patients. Taken together with high prevalence of the mutation in St. Petersburg Jews, this observation provides an opportunity for DNA diagnostics of FH in this ethnic group.

Hypertension studies in the Soviet Union

Arterial hypertension control trials conducted during the last decade in the Soviet Union are reviewed. Epidemiologic data illustrating a considerable prevalence of arterial hypertension in various regions are presented. The results of population hypertension control programs are discussed, and the feasibility of reducing total mortality in the intervention vs reference groups at the community level is demonstrated, with the mortality and morbidity due to stroke showing a two-fold decrease. An outline is given of the major approaches used in population programs started in recent years, which are geared at improving drug and nondrug prevention and altering approaches to hypertension control in public health care.