Search Results (58)

Mainstream migration theory has often explained irregular immigration as an autonomous process driven primarily by individuals, families, or communities. However, the recruitment of undocumented labor by U.S. employers through labor-brokerage smugglers plays an even more significant role. The age of migrants transported by these smugglers is crucial, as it represents one of the key criteria used to distinguish between human smuggling (a crime against the state) and human trafficking (a crime against individuals). This article, based on interviews conducted between 2008 and 2025 with 197 Mexican migrant smugglers, examines whether there are differences in the proportion of minors—as well as in the minimum and maximum average ages—between male and female migrants from Mexico and Central America who were recruited by smugglers operating in labor-recruitment networks (primarily men for labor purposes), sexual-trade networks (women for commercial sexual activities), or mixed networks (involving both types of activities). The data were analyzed by comparing proportions and means for independent groups (labor vs. sexual-trade networks) and paired data (mixed networks). The study concludes that women recruited for the sexual-trade by labor-brokerage smugglers are significantly younger than men transported by labor-brokerage smugglers hired by U.S. employers. Full article

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive precursor to invasive breast cancer. DCIS incidence continues to rise, yet its clinical management remains constrained by the absence of reliable biomarkers that can adequately distinguish indolent lesions from those with high invasive potential, to circumvent over- or under-treatment. Black women with DCIS are significantly more likely to progress to invasive breast cancer, are disproportionately diagnosed with high-grade, hormone receptor-negative lesions, and experience elevated risk of recurrence and mortality relative to White women with DCIS. These disparities persist despite comparable access to screening and treatment, suggesting underlying biological and tissue microenvironmental factors. This review synthesizes emerging evidence implicating early molecular and systemic changes that may be driving the disparity in DCIS progression. We highlight racial distinctions in interconnected pathways involving Wnt/β-catenin signaling, metabolic and nutritional dysregulation, immune microenvironment remodeling, and cellular tolerance of genomic instability. We further discuss how epigenetic alterations, obesity-associated inflammation, and immune dysregulation may arise during the pre-invasive stage that intersect with social and environmental exposures to influence racial differences in lesion fate. We spotlight candidate biomarkers disproportionately associated with aggressive disease in Black women—including KIFC1, a mediator of centrosome clustering and genomic instability tolerance, and ACKR1/DARC, a regulator of chemokine gradients and immune trafficking—as potential drivers of progression-permissive states. This review advances an integrated, equity-informed framework for DCIS progression that links early tumor evolution to coordinated alterations in genomic instability, immune regulation, metabolic signaling, and stress-adaptive pathways. Importantly, we propose that DCIS progression is governed not by isolated molecular alterations but by coordinated programs that enable survival under genomic and immunologic stress. Current clinical risk assays, which primarily capture tumor-intrinsic proliferation and hormone signaling, do not fully resolve these pathways and may therefore incompletely reflect biologically meaningful racial disparities. This synthesis underscores the need for pathway-level, microenvironment-informed, and population-representative approaches to DCIS risk stratification. Advancing such frameworks will be essential for identifying actionable biomarkers, refining early intervention strategies, and ultimately reducing racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Full article

Guatemala’s intercountry adoptions were suspended in 2007 after widespread illicit procedures and the persistent trafficking of children. This article is a historical and policy analysis of the related social welfare systems. It uses Midgley’s framework to examine the past and the changes that have resulted in Guatemala’s reform era. Specific attention has been paid to non-formal systems, market-based or profit-oriented systems, non-profit and faith-based systems, and importantly, government-based systems. Previous (pre-reform) child welfare systems, particularly during the millennium adoption surge, are then compared to a relatively new and reformed system. An international child rights legal and policy context, to include the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, frames the discussion that also considers the passage of the 2007 Adoption Law. The article has a child rights perspective and considers the role of women, particularly birth parents, during Guatemala’s peak adoption years. Full article

The CHIARA Project investigates women’s mental health and vulnerability to sex trafficking in the U.S.–Mexico border states (California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico). A mixed-methods design was employed, combining qualitative content analysis of media, legal, and policy documents with quantitative analyses of secondary datasets from health institutions, the National Human Trafficking Hotline, the Polaris Project, and the U.S. Census Bureau. Data were cleaned, integrated, and examined through descriptive statistics, regression models, and correlation matrices using R Studio, complemented by visualizations to identify patterns and hotspots. Results show a strong association between higher crime rates, reported trafficking cases, and the prevalence of mental health disorders such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety among women. California and Texas consistently reported higher trafficking cases and mental health burdens, while regression analyses highlighted poverty, limited education, and gender inequality as significant predictors of vulnerability. These findings underscore the interplay between socioeconomic conditions and gender-specific exploitation at the border. By linking mental health and trafficking indicators, the study provides actionable insights for community leaders, policymakers, and healthcare providers, emphasizing the need for trauma-informed care, targeted prevention strategies, and policies that address both structural inequities and survivor rehabilitation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sex trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery still present in our societies. Health professionals are in a key position to identify and support victims, but adequate training is required. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of a structured educational intervention on knowledge, perceived professional role, and attitudes toward sex trafficking of women among undergraduate nursing students at the University of Seville, Spain. Methods: A cluster randomized pilot educational trial with a pre-test–post-test control group design and one-year follow-up was conducted. A two-hour educational session addressed key concepts related to sex trafficking, health professionals’ responsibilities, and survivor support. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at one-year follow-up. Results: 199 students participated. Significant post-intervention improvements were observed in knowledge and attitudes, with sustained impact after one year despite some knowledge decay. Conclusions: This pilot educational intervention appears to improve knowledge and attitudes toward sex trafficking among undergraduate nursing students and may represent a useful strategy for sensitizing and training future health professionals in this area. Full article

Within the structure of organised criminal groups (OCGs), women were traditionally relegated to peripheral and support roles (e.g., mothers and partners), with men primarily engaged in serious forms of criminality. However, more recent research has highlighted the varied roles women occupy within OCGs, including as traffickers, recruiters, and strategic advisors. Within this growing field of research, the present study sought to explore the role of female offenders in OCGs within Australia through a gynocentric and intersectional lens. Drawing on a content analysis of 84 court judgement transcripts involving convicted female offenders between 2010 and 2024, this study centres women’s experiences within OCGs. The findings reveal that women occupy a spectrum of roles across a range of offences such as drug trafficking, money laundering, and fraud. Many offenders had histories of trauma, mental illness, and economic precarity, reflecting structural inequalities that shape pathways into criminality. The findings provide a preliminary understanding of female involvement within OCGs in Australia, including relational, survival-based, professional, entrepreneurial, and subordinate offenders. This study affirms the need for a gender-sensitive criminological framework that accounts for agency, coercion, and structural constraint. By focusing on the experience of women, the study contributes to a growing body of literature seeking to highlight the complexity and centrality of women’s roles within OCGs, while providing the groundwork for future studies. Full article

South Africa is facing serious challenges in addressing the needs of women survivors of human trafficking. Trafficked women often experience health issues, physical, sexual, psychological, economic, and social abuse. Women trafficking is a multidisciplinary problem that needs the involvement of a wide range of actors to intervene and render holistic services. Based on a qualitative study conducted at five residential facilities for women in South Africa, this article highlights best practices in rendering services to women survivors of human trafficking. Data was collected from social service providers using one-on-one interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the best practices for rendering effective services to women survivors of human trafficking include rendering services that have an emphasis on emotional containment, prevalence of basic counselling, active referral for medical and other services, and ensuring accurate assessment of the needs and concerns of women survivors of human trafficking. Furthermore, the best practices include establishing a one-stop, all-inclusive service centre; engaging women in skills development and empowerment activities; and ensuring collaboration between all stakeholders involved in rendering services to women survivors of human trafficking. The conclusion is that best practices in rendering effective services to women survivors of human trafficking require an interplay of systems and the presence of sufficient institutional and infrastructural arrangements. Full article

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder affecting reproductive-aged women. Previous studies have identified genomic associations at chromosome 12q13.2, but the functional mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. We integrated three complementary datasets: (1) WES-identified single nucleotide variants (SNVs) from PCOS and normal theca cells with association testing for forskolin-stimulated androgen production, (2) STARR-seq enhancer activity data with eQTL colocalization analysis, and (3) scRNA-seq expression data comparing forskolin-stimulated PCOS and normal theca cells. We previously identified haplotypes involving 10 SNVs at 12q13.2 containing RPS26/RAB5B/SUOX that are significantly associated with forskolin-stimulated androgen production. The identified haplotypes were further shown to associate with PCOS in a whole genome sequencing (WGS) cohort. Other studies have recently found the enhancer variant rs1081975 demonstrated perfect colocalization (PP = 1.0) with RPS26/RAB5B/SUOX eQTLs. Our scRNA-seq analysis revealed differential expression patterns for key genes. RAB5B showed a forskolin response upregulation in normal cells but an impaired response in PCOS. SUOX exhibited opposite forskolin responses between normal and PCOS cells. PA2G4, an androgen corepressor in the locus, was upregulated in normal untreated cells. ERBB3, an epidermal growth factor receptor in the locus, was downregulated in normal forskolin treated cells. The integration of multimodal genomic data provides functional validation of PCOS-associated variants at 12q13.2, revealing coordinated dysregulation of vesicular trafficking (RAB5B), androgen receptor regulation (PA2G4), and metabolic processes (SUOX) in PCOS theca cells. Full article

Background/Objectives: Human trafficking is a serious violation of human rights, with migrant women being among the most affected groups. This study aimed to explore the experiences of health, legal, and social professionals involved in the care of migrant women victims of trafficking and sexual violence in southern Spain. Methods: A qualitative design was applied, using semi-structured interviews with 47 professionals from hospitals, NGOs, and legal institutions. Results: The analysis identified common challenges such as language barriers, limited resources, and the absence of standardized protocols. Health professionals highlighted the need for continuous training and culturally sensitive care; legal professionals emphasized flexibility in procedures and the importance of confidential interviews for early detection; and social workers stressed the value of coordinated action across sectors. Conclusions: The findings underline the need for an integrated approach that combines health, social, and legal responses in order to improve protection and support for migrant women victims of trafficking. Full article

Background: The causation of type 2 diabetes remains under debate, but evidence supports both abdominal lipid and ectopic lipid overspill into tissues including muscle as key. How these depots differentially alter cardiometabolic profile and change during body weight and fat loss is not known. Methods: Women with obesity scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery were assessed at baseline (BL, n = 28) and at 6-month follow-up (6m_FU, n = 26) after weight loss. Fasting plasma (Pla), subcutaneous thigh adipose (STA), subcutaneous abdominal adipose, (SAA), and thigh vastus lateralis muscle (VLM) samples were collected at BL through surgery and at 6m_FU using needle biopsy. An untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry metabolomics platform was used. Pla and tissue-specific lipid and polar metabolite profiles were modelled as changes from BL and 6m_FU. Results: There was significant body weight (−24.5 kg) loss at 6m_FU (p < 0.05). BL vs. 6m_FU tissue metabolomics profiles showed the largest difference in lipid profiles in SAA tissue in response to surgery. Conversely, polar metabolites were more susceptible to change in STA and VLM. In Pla samples, both lipid and polar metabolite profiles showed significant differences between timepoints. Jaccard–Tanimoto coefficient t-tests identified a sub-group of gut microbiome and dietary-derived omega-3-fatty-acid-containing lipid species and core energy metabolism and adipose catabolism-associated polar metabolites that are trafficked between sample types in response to bariatric surgery. Conclusions: In this first report on channelling of lipids and polar metabolites to alternative tissues in bariatric-induced weight loss, adaptive shuttling of small molecules was identified, further promoting adipose processing and highlighting the dynamic and coordinated nature of post-surgical metabolic regulation. Full article

In West Africa, there is a very close link between the phenomenon of trafficking and migrant smuggling. This article will analyze the pressure elements and the causes that drive sub-Saharan people to migrate, placing themselves in the hands of criminal networks that end up exploiting them—women and minors sexually, and men through forced labor. The main corridors departing from West Africa and the characteristics of the criminal groups exercising criminal governance will also be addressed. This research has used both primary and secondary sources, as well as empirical fieldwork consisting of interviews with security force officials, international humanitarian aid organizations, and academic experts on migration issues related to trafficking and smuggling. Our research reveals that the origin of migration is multifactorial. The violence experienced in West Africa, but also the misgovernance, the lack of opportunities for a very young population with limited prospects, and the human insecurity affecting the entire region, are the main reasons that compel people to migrate. In these migration processes, the safety of migrants is compromised as they are forced to start their journey through clandestine means, which exposes them to trafficking networks and thus to violence and exploitation. It is along the migration routes where trafficking and migrant smuggling converge. Full article

Diversion programs are increasingly used as alternatives to criminal penalties for women involved in commercial sex, yet limited research has examined how such programs support behavior change across diverse subgroups, particularly between sex-trafficked and non-trafficked participants. This study evaluates changes in readiness for change among 131 women who participated in a court-ordered diversion program led by survivors of sex trafficking. Participants were classified as sex-trafficked or non-trafficked based on self-reported age of entry and experiences of third-party control. The program offered a range of trauma-informed services aimed at fostering holistic well-being and facilitating a pathway out of sex trafficking and prostitution. Participants engaged in group classes focused on job interview skills, emotion regulation, substance use awareness, and psychoeducation related to trauma. Life skills workshops addressed financial literacy, relationship dynamics, and conflict resolution. In addition, participants received referrals to GED programs, career training, mental health services, and emergency housing as needed. Program duration typically ranged from 12 to 16 weeks, adjusted for individual needs. Results from a repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant increase in readiness for change (p < 0.05) from program entry to completion. However, women with trafficking histories demonstrated smaller gains than their non-trafficked peers, suggesting that trauma-related and systemic barriers may limit the impact of short-term interventions. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring diversion programs to address the complex needs of sex-trafficked individuals and support the development of differentiated trauma-responsive strategies within diversion frameworks. Full article

Human trafficking for forced labour or sexual exploitation often takes the form of forced migration. It is the third-largest crime industry in the world and has severe consequences on the women survivors. Trafficking violates the safety, welfare, and human rights of the victims and forces physical and psychological imprisonment on them. Despite the significant number of women being trafficked, little is known about the best ways to address their needs. This article highlights the understanding developed by social service providers in South Africa regarding the consequences of human trafficking on women survivors. Being aware of the complex challenges faced by women survivors of human trafficking enables social service providers to respond to their needs effectively through appropriate interventions and services. Data for this qualitative study were collected through one-on-one interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Social service providers understand the following to be related to women survivors of trafficking: involvement in drugs and sex work, dependency on the perpetrator, lack of self-esteem, self-blame and shame, being disoriented, psychological challenges, lack of financial support, health issues, isolation, and loneliness. To be relevant and effective, services should be packaged in a manner that addresses all the challenges faced by women survivors of human trafficking. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline, with women being disproportionately affected in both prevalence and severity. A key feature of AD is synaptic loss, particularly around amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates, which correlates strongly with the severity of dementia. Oligomeric Aβ is believed to be the primary driver of synaptic dysfunction by impairing excitatory neurotransmission through interactions with synaptic receptors, including N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. However, the influence of sex on these synaptic changes and NMDA receptor mislocalization in AD is not well understood. This study examined potential sex-specific differences in synaptotoxicity and the role of extrasynaptic GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in AD pathogenesis using the APP/PS1 double transgenic mouse model. Although both male and female mice showed a similar amyloid burden and cognitive impairments, synaptic alterations were slightly less severe in females, suggesting subtle sex differences in synaptic pathology. Both sexes exhibited the mislocalization of GluN2B subunits to extrasynaptic areas, which was linked to reduced PSD-95 levels and the synaptic accumulation of Aβ_1–42. Intrahippocampal injections of DL-TBOA confirmed the role of extrasynaptic GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors in memory dysfunction. These findings emphasize the importance of targeting synaptic receptor trafficking to address AD-related memory deficits, potentially offering a therapeutic approach for both sexes. Full article

In the current work, we aimed to evaluate the association of clinical data of Cushing’s disease (CD) patients with USP8 mutation status and to study USP8-related molecular mechanisms connected to the regulation of corticotropinoma growth and activity. 35 CD patients were enrolled; the sequencing of exon 14 in USP8 revealed variants in eighteen adenomas, two of which were described for the first time in CD. USP8 variants were more common in women (94% vs. 76%; p = 0.001), and microadenomas and tumor recurrence were prevalent in the USP8-mutant group (44% vs. 29%; p = 0.04 and 44% vs. 22%; p = 0.0015). Preoperative ACTH and serum cortisol did not differ in the USP8-WT and USP8-mutant patients. All USP8-mutant adenomas were SST5-positive, and 73% of them were double-positive (SST5+/SST2+). A total of 50% of USP8-WT adenomas were double-negative (SST5−/SST2−), and 40% of them were SST5-positive. Analysis of transcriptome was performed for nine USP8-mutant and six USP8-WT adenomas and revealed the that the bidirectional dysregulation of Wnt signaling, including both the agonist RSPO2 and antagonist SFRP1, in the USP8-mutant corticotropinomas was downregulated. These alterations may indicate the existence of regulatory connections between USP8 enzyme activity, Wnt signaling, EGFR signaling and somatostatin receptors’ trafficking, which can explain, at least in part, the clinical manifestations of CD in patients with corticotropinomas harboring USP8 variants. Full article