Search Results (2,314)

Background/Objectives: Determining chronological age is important in several domains, including forensic identification, clinical decision-making, legal matters, and immigration procedures. Dental tissues are widely recognized as reliable indicators of age because they undergo gradual and measurable structural changes throughout life. Nevertheless, most conventional dental methods show limited reliability when applied to adults and elderly individuals. The objective of this study was to investigate an automated deep learning-based approach for age-group classification in adults and seniors using panoramic dental radiographs. Methods: Panoramic dental radiographs were analyzed using a custom-designed Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) along with several established pre-trained deep learning architectures. The dataset consisted of 1469 radiographic images obtained from Egyptian individuals aged between 25 and 70 years. Images were classified into five predefined age categories using a classification-based framework, and the models were trained to learn age-related dental patterns from radiographic images. Results: The proposed Custom CNN achieved the highest accuracy of 85.2%, outperforming YOLOv8 (79.1%) and all other evaluated models, with the lowest prediction error (MAE = 1.92 years; RMSE = 5.46 years). Overall, the deep learning models demonstrated strong performance in classifying dental age groups, particularly within adult and senior populations, where conventional methods often show reduced reliability. Conclusions: The findings suggest that deep learning analysis of panoramic dental radiographs may serve as a supportive tool for age-group classification in adult populations, complementing rather than replacing traditional assessment methods. These results, while promising, are limited to the dataset and experimental conditions of this study, and broader applicability requires further validation across diverse populations and settings. Full article

The critical checklist of the marine fishes of Malta and surrounding waters published by the present authors in 2023 provided the first evidence-based assessment of the marine ichthyofauna of the Maltese Islands. Since then, new faunistic, fisheries-related, and molecular data have become available, justifying an update. The present work critically reviews the scientific and selected popular literature published up to April 2026, applying the same study area and authentication criteria adopted in the 2023 checklist. The update affects 22 species: six are newly reported from Maltese waters, of which two still require confirmation; nine species previously treated as unconfirmed and three species originally excluded are here confirmed; two species formerly known only from historical records are also confirmed; and two species are excluded on the basis of revised taxonomic or biogeographical knowledge. Consequently, the number of confirmed species increases from 412 to 426, the number of unconfirmed species decreases from 53 to 45, and the number of excluded species decreases from 78 to 77. Within the confirmed fauna, native species increase from 370 to 379, non-established alien species from 17 to 19, and non-established Atlantic immigrants from 3 to 6, whereas the numbers of established aliens, established Atlantic immigrants, and cryptogenic species remain unchanged. The changes documented here reflect improved sampling, especially of deep-water species, the resolution of taxonomic uncertainty through molecular analyses, and the continued arrival of newcomer species. This updated checklist provides a more accurate and current baseline for future faunistic, biogeographical, ecological, conservation, and fisheries-related studies on the marine fishes of Maltese waters. Full article

Western theories and empirical comparative research on attitudes toward immigrants and their rights have largely overlooked Latin America. To address this gap, we conducted multilevel ordered logistic regression analyses on Latinobarómetro surveys from 17 countries (N = 19,004). The findings show that support for immigrants’ social rights is more contingent on immigration-related benefits—especially cultural enrichment—than on perceived threats. When threats do mobilize opposition, the perceived fiscal burden emerges as the sole significant driver, overriding both concerns about labor market competition and fears of rising crime. Furthermore, right-wing individuals were no less supportive of immigrants’ social rights than left-wing individuals. Instead, the most welfare-chauvinist attitudes were found among the politically disengaged. At the macrosocial level, the results provide evidence that contextual factors not only exert a direct statistical effect on public support for immigrants’ social rights but also moderate the influence of perceived micro-level threats. In particular, the national unemployment rate and the immigrant stock exacerbate the exclusionary effect of the perceived fiscal burden on levels of support among citizens. Ultimately, these findings challenge some theoretical assumptions derived from intergroup threat theory, provide novel evidence for the Threat-Benefit Model, and further suggest a distinct political dynamic in the region. Full article

Objectives: We aimed to examine associations between social marginalization, defined by the Ontario Marginalization Index (“ON-Marg”), and overall survival (OS) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods: This was a population-based retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data in Ontario, Canada, including adults ≥ 18 years diagnosed with stage II-IV EOC (2010–2022). ON-Marg dimensions included Material Resources (economic disadvantage), Households and Dwellings (housing type/density), Age and Labour Force (workforce participation), and Racialized and Newcomer Populations (recent immigrants/visible minorities), and were categorized into quintiles (Q1 least marginalized, Q5 most marginalized). The primary outcome was OS. Multivariable Cox models estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for each ON-Marg dimension. Wald χ² statistics identified the dimension most strongly associated with OS. Results: Material Resources was most strongly associated with OS. Compared with Q1 (least marginalized), higher mortality was observed in Q3 (aHR 1.10; 95%CI 1.02–1.19), Q4 (aHR 1.13, 95%CI 1.05–1.22), and Q5 (aHR 1.25, 95%CI 1.15–1.35). Greater marginalization in the Racialized and Newcomer Populations dimension was associated with improved OS (Q5 aHR 0.87, 95%CI 0.80–0.94). The association between Material Resources and OS persisted in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with chemotherapy, but not among those receiving chemotherapy alone or no treatment. Conclusions: Material Resources is an independent predictor of survival in EOC within a universal, publicly funded healthcare system, with greatest impact among patients undergoing multimodal oncologic care. Residence in highly racialized or newcomer communities was associated with improved survival. Material marginalization is highlighted as a key driver of inequity, supporting targeted system-level interventions to address financial and logistical barriers to care. Full article

While South Africa’s Constitution guarantees the right to healthcare for all who live in the country, there are still inequities that affect vulnerable groups. Based on migration status, this paper examines how discrimination intersects with structural and institutional practices to produce unequal access to healthcare services for black foreign migrants and asylum seekers in South Africa. Desk reviews of policy frameworks, relevant academic literature, and documented case reports were used to analyze the disconnect that exists in South Africa’s rights-based legal commitments and the lived realities of foreigners in the country. Adopting a theoretical framework that integrates structural violence, intersectionality, and bureaucratic discretion, the findings are discussed by conceptualizing discrimination as a structural and interpersonal determinant of health. The findings suggest that the experiences of foreign nationals regarding access to healthcare services are not incidental but embedded within complex socio-political dynamics of scarce resources, institutional practices, and institutional ambiguity. The consequences of these inequities involve delayed care-seeking and increased vulnerability to preventable diseases among black immigrants, with a broader public health risk. Drawing from the study, policy clarity is recommended, and the strengthening of accountability mechanisms to ensure equitable access to healthcare in the country. Full article

Transmission of malaria by blood transfusion is rare in non-endemic countries but can lead to serious complications in blood recipients. Increasing travel to and immigration from regions at risk for tropical diseases poses a challenge to blood donation services, which are striving to reduce the number of blood donor deferrals while ensuring a high level of blood safety. National guidelines of the Blood Transfusion Service of the Swiss Red Cross demand that donors at risk are serologically tested for malaria antibodies. Here, we summarize the numbers of malaria tests performed and the results obtained since the introduction of mandatory testing in Switzerland in 2007. From malaria-positive donors, information on travels to endemic areas and place of origin, or if malaria symptoms were experienced and if prophylaxis was taken, was requested in a post-donation questionnaire. Full article

Background: Black Sub-Saharan African immigrants are among the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the United States, and their mental health needs, particularly with respect to depression, remain understudied. Cultural beliefs, linguistic frameworks, and coping practices in this population often diverge from Western psychiatric models, suggesting that conventional approaches may fail to capture how distress is experienced and expressed. Objective: This scoping review mapped literature on how Black Sub-Saharan African immigrant adults in the United States perceive, report, and respond to depression. Methods: Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, six electronic databases were systematically searched for empirical studies published between 2000 and 2026. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data using a standardized form. Data were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach combining deductive thematic categorization across three predefined review domains with inductive identification of subthemes through iterative team discussion and consensus, with sociocultural, religious, linguistic, and structural factors examined as cross-cutting themes. Findings were synthesized narratively across three domains: perceptions of depression, reporting and communication, and responses to depression. Results: A total of 19 studies met the inclusion criteria (7 quantitative, 10 qualitative, 2 mixed methods; total N ≈ 1900), generating 24 themes. Perception themes highlighted cultural non-recognition of depression (12 of 19 studies), absence of equivalent terms in African languages (7 studies), spiritual explanatory models, and profound stigma. Reporting patterns showed predominant somatic symptom expression and very low disclosure to providers (2.6–4.2%), with depression prevalence ranging from 8.1% to 100% and no validated screening instrument identified for this population. Response themes emphasized religion and social support as primary coping strategies, with formal mental health utilization virtually absent due to structural, cultural, and intersectional barriers. Conclusions: Depression among Black Sub-Saharan African immigrants is widely experienced yet rendered invisible through interlocking cultural, linguistic, somatic, and institutional mechanisms, which this review terms an architecture of invisibility, leaving it largely unaddressed by formal mental health systems. The identification of only one intervention study underscores a substantial gap between documenting the burden of depression and advancing evidence-informed solutions. Culturally validated measures, faith-based intervention models, longitudinal designs, and attention to structural determinants are urgently needed. Full article

High-altitude environments, characterized by hypoxia, low temperature, and intense ultraviolet radiation, profoundly disrupt host intestinal homeostasis and reshape the gut microbiota, thereby influencing immune regulation and acclimatization. This review systematically summarizes the dynamic compositional and functional changes in the gut microbiota in high-altitude natives, immigrant populations, short-term visitors, and relevant animal models. Current evidence indicates that long-term high-altitude adaptation is associated with directional microbial remodeling, including the enrichment of anaerobic and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-associated taxa, which may support energy metabolism and immune homeostasis. In contrast, acute high-altitude exposure more readily induces dysbiosis, impairs intestinal barrier integrity, and promotes the translocation of endotoxins and bioactive metabolites. Mechanistically, the gut microbiota and its metabolites participate in high-altitude adaptation and high-altitude-related disease pathogenesis by modulating barrier function, inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and immune signaling, and by mediating interorgan communication—characterized by metabolite-driven systemic inflammation or tolerance—through the gut–lung, gut–heart, gut–brain, gut–kidney, and gut–testis axes. SCFAs, bile acids, amino acid-derived metabolites, and succinic acid may control immune homeostasis and inflammatory responses through pathways including TLR4/NF-κB and NLRP3. Although the causal relationships, core microbial effectors, and population-specific heterogeneity remain incompletely defined, microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, have shown promise for promoting acclimatization and preventing high-altitude-related disorders. Overall, this review provides an integrated framework linking environmental stress, gut microbial ecology, and host immune–metabolic adaptation at high altitude, and highlights future directions for mechanistic and translational research in high-altitude medicine. Full article

Diaspora communities often develop institutional structures that shape patterns of social participation and integration within host societies. While immigrant integration is commonly assessed through individual socio-economic indicators, the organizational capacity of ethnic communities also plays an important role in sustaining collective engagement and leadership formation. This study examines patterns of community participation among Armenian diaspora populations in two major host contexts, Tehran and Los Angeles, which represent contrasting historical and institutional environments of diaspora development. The analysis draws on sociological survey data collected between 2018 and 2023 from 1600 respondents (N = 800 in each city), complemented by expert interviews with community leaders and organizational representatives. Community participation was categorized into three levels of engagement: organizers, active members, and non-participants. The results indicate that both communities demonstrate relatively high levels of organizational participation, yet their leadership structures differ significantly. In Tehran, leadership roles are distributed across diverse occupational groups within historically embedded institutional infrastructures. In contrast, leadership in Los Angeles is more concentrated among highly educated professionals, reflecting a more professionalized model of diaspora organization. These findings suggest that diaspora participation should be understood as a context-dependent form of institutional capacity that shapes patterns of collective engagement and immigrant integration. Full article

Background: Immigrant communities and first-generation immigrants in the United States face persistent disparities in maternal health outcomes. These inequities are shaped by intersecting structural conditions, including socioeconomic exclusion, language barriers, cultural differences, and institutional constraints documented in prior research. Methods: This narrative review examined 28 peer-reviewed studies published between 2010 and 2024 that applied an intersectional framework to maternal health research focused on immigrant communities in the United States. Studies were identified through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The review analyzed how each study conceptualized, designed, and interpreted maternal health in these populations. Results: Seven recurring themes were identified: barriers to and access to care; gaps in clinical guidance; limitations in health data and surveillance; immigration-related policy context; health system influences; intersectional vulnerability across subgroups; and the role of individual- and community-level supports. Conclusions: The literature highlights the importance of community-based strategies, Medicaid policy considerations, and culturally responsive care in addressing maternal health disparities among immigrant communities. Advancing birth equity will require coordinated efforts across healthcare systems, public health programs, and policy environments. Full article

Access to primary care services is essential for promoting mental health, yet immigrants experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to care. This study explores factors that influence access to primary care services in the UK. A qualitative design was employed, involving in-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 immigrants experiencing homelessness and 30 stakeholders across healthcare, voluntary, and local authority sectors. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, guided by the Levesque framework of healthcare access and an intersectionality lens. Findings reveal that access is influenced by intersecting structural barriers, including fear of detention and deportation, cultural stigma surrounding mental health, digital exclusion, and financial hardship. These barriers delay help-seeking and shift care-seeking toward emergency services. Increasing reliance on digital systems in primary care further excludes individuals with limited access to devices, connectivity, or digital skills. These findings indicate that barriers to accessing primary care services may hinder the early identification and preventive management of mental health needs among homeless immigrants. Improving access requires structural reforms that address legal, financial, and digital barriers, alongside more culturally responsive and trust-based care. Without such changes, digital health innovations risk reinforcing existing inequalities and limiting the role of primary care in early mental health intervention and prevention. Full article

Central European, especially the Hungarian and Polish experiences, reveal a profound paradox, anti-immigration policy narratives, yet immigration laws and policies support reliance on migrant workforce (non-EU migrants). The question arises: why is that? The aim of this research is to examine the ways in which Poland and Hungary have managed the challenges of labor migration in the region, arising from the demographic crisis and labor shortages in the region. The research will use a socio-legal approach in the analysis of the changes in the laws of the two countries, government strategies, statistics, and political discourse in the period from 2023 to 2025. The assessment of the two countries will reveal a contrast in the political narrative and the implementation of the laws. Hungary maintains a narrative of strict migration and quotas, while at the same time liberalizing economic migration. Poland, on the contrary, has adopted a liberal yet selective migration strategy in the new laws that incorporate digital administrative tools, integration, and a points system for economic migrants. The research will reveal that both countries have moved from being net emigration countries to being net immigration countries, despite the political narrative. The research will conclude that the migration policies of the two countries have been influenced by the need to address the structural labor shortages in the region and not political ideologies. Experiences in Central Europe, specifically those of Hungary and Poland, show a unique contradiction of having anti-immigration politics and legislation providing for easier access to the countries’ borders to non-EU workers to solve problems of labor shortages. This paper will discuss the approaches of these two countries to dealing with labor migration in light of declining populations and increased need for migrant workers. Comparative socio-legal research is conducted in the course of this project, where recent legislative amendments, policies, statistics, and political discourse in relation to labor migration are reviewed within the period from 2023 to 2025. The research shows that while maintaining its conservative and securitized narrative, Hungary makes some concessions for economic migration through specific legal channels. Meanwhile, Poland has managed to build up an open and selective approach by combining labor market demands with digitization and points-based policy making. The results suggest that both nations operate in an environment of net immigration despite their official rhetoric implying otherwise. In conclusion, policies towards labor migration in Central Europe remain economic in nature, which produces contradiction between politics and reality. Full article

While the “model minority” stereotype has been extensively studied in relation to Asian Americans, there is limited research that distinguishes these experiences by specific national origins. This paper explores the stereotypes faced by India-born scientists and engineers in the United States. They represent a significant segment of the foreign-born workforce in the U.S., accounting for one-third of this population and comprising the largest group of H-1B visa holders. Through qualitative data gathered from 40 India-born scientists and engineers employed in U.S. high-tech firms, this study examines how these individuals perceive and navigate the cultural stereotypes that shape their professional and personal lives. The paper delves into the intersections of ethnicity, nationality, and gender in shaping their experiences, challenging the characterization of Indians as “model immigrants”. Full article

Somali refugee mothers navigating parenting in the United States face compounding challenges that extend well beyond the initial resettlement period. This study employed a multi-method qualitative design, including utilizing a focus group and follow-up key informant interviews with Somali refugee mothers. Thematic framework analysis identified three overarching domains of challenges and resilience. First, a pervasive deficit of functional literacy, defined as the practical capacity to navigate American institutional systems, emerged as the primary stressor, superseding material poverty as a barrier to daily functioning. Second, significant intergenerational tensions were documented, including role reversal between mothers and children, erosion of parental authority, and breakdown of the traditional expectations that adult children provide financial and social support to aging parents. Third, single motherhood amplified all other stressors, producing progressive role strain and mental health decline in the absence of extended family support. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated substantial resilience through informal mutual aid networks, religious practice, and deliberate cultural and linguistic preservation. Findings have direct implications for the design of culturally responsive resettlement programming, family counseling services, and mental health interventions for Somali refugee populations. Full article

Background: Parents of children undergoing liver transplantation face substantial caregiving demands that may adversely affect their mental health across multiple domains. Systematic evaluation of psychosocial outcomes in this population remains limited, particularly in settings that include immigrant families. Method: This was a single-center, cross-sectional study including the parents of 50 children after liver transplantation. Major sociodemographic variables included parental age, sex, education, chronic disease, and immigration status. We also recorded children’s demographics, transplant-related data, follow-up findings, and mental health status. Instruments for psychiatric assessment included the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7; anxiety), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9; depression), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10; stress), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; sleep quality). Results: We enrolled 50 parents of 50 pediatric liver transplant recipients (43 Turkish citizens, 7 Syrian immigrants; 28 fathers, 22 mothers; mean age: 40.10 ± 6.65). Time since transplantation showed weak negative correlation with PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Stress (PSS) levels had weak to strong positive correlation with PSQI, PHQ-9, and GAD-7. Sleep quality (PSQI) was positively correlated with PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Depressive findings (PHQ-9) were strongly and positively correlated with GAD-7. In Firth-penalized multivariable models, high PHQ-9 scores were independently associated with shorter time since transplantation (p = 0.001) and high PSS (p = 0.003). High GAD-7 scores were independently associated with shorter time since transplantation (p = 0.025) and high PSS (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The parents of pediatric liver transplant recipients experience high levels of stress, sleep issues, depression, and anxiety, which demonstrate multiple correlations. Full article