搜索结果：anthropology

This article examines how medical secrecy, family silence, and nascent activism produce distinct spatial-cultural regimes that shape health outcomes, care pathways, and health inequities for intersex people in Chile. It contributes a spatial-analytic framework to medical anthropology debates on clinical secrecy, contested diagnostic nomenclature, and epistemic injustice in healthcare. Multi-sited reflexive ethnography was conducted in Chile between October 2020 and December 2023, primarily in Santiago. The study draws on 30 semi-structured interviews-14 with intersex individuals (aged 19-45), of whom one additionally provided a life history interview; 5 specialist physicians, 7 parents/guardians, 2 academic researchers, 1 government official, and 1 international activist-supplemented by approximately 340 h of participant observation across virtual, institutional, domestic, and café-based settings. Analysis followed a constructivist grounded theory approach. Medical institutions, families, and activist organizations produce distinct 'geographies of secrecy' that render intersex bodies selectively visible and impose specific health consequences: clinical spaces generate epistemic injustice through information hoarding and paternalistic consent practices; family spaces enforce silence that isolates individuals from diagnosis, community, and healthcare; activist spaces offer collective recognition while simultaneously producing new exclusions. The concept of 'calibrated disclosure' captures how intersex people strategically manage visibility across spatial contexts with direct implications for healthcare access and wellbeing. The article introduces 'embodied accountability' as a methodological principle for reflexive research with small, geographically concentrated marginalized communities. Findings highlight the need for healthcare systems to address not only clinical protocols but the spatial-institutional conditions that produce epistemic injustice and impede informed consent for intersex people.

Human DNA, the capacity for self-awareness or for symbolic language, a sense of mortality, plasticity and adaptability, the disposition to pray, being created in the image of God. These are only a few of the answers that science, philosophy, (philosophical) anthropology, psychology, and theology have offered to the question of what makes us human. The relevance of the question contrasts sharply with the difficulty of understanding what exactly we are asking.

Detection and tracking of animals is an important first step for automated behavioral studies using videos. Animal tracking is currently done mostly using deep learning frameworks based on keypoints, which show remarkable results in lab settings with fixed cameras, backgrounds, and lighting. However, multi-animal tracking in the wild presents several challenges such as high variability in background and lighting conditions, complex motion, and occlusion. We propose PriMAT, an approach for tracking nonhuman primates in the wild. PriMAT learns to detect and track primates and other objects of interest from labeled videos or single images using bounding boxes instead of keypoints. Using bounding boxes significantly facilitates data annotation and robustness. Our one-stage model is conceptually simple but highly flexible, and we add a classification branch that allows us to train individual identification. To evaluate the performance of our approach, we applied it in two case studies with Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) and redfronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons) in the wild. Additionally, we show transfer to other settings and species, particularly, Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus), Guinea baboons (Papio papio), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and gorillas (Gorilla spp.). We show that with only a few hundred frames labeled with bounding boxes, we can achieve robust tracking results. Combining these results with the classification branch for the lemur videos, the lemur identification model shows an accuracy of 84% in predicting identities. Our approach presents a promising solution for accurately tracking and identifying animals in the wild, offering researchers a tool to study animal behavior in their natural habitats. Our code, models, training images, and evaluation video sequences are publicly available at https://github.com/ecker-lab/PriMAT-tracking, facilitating their use for animal behavior analyses and future research in this field.

Pregnancy rates among adolescents and young people in South Africa remain high despite the widespread availability of sexual and reproductive health information and contraception being free of charge. Knowledge gaps, misconceptions, and insufficient attention to youth voices are critical barriers to informed decision-making. Support for adolescents and young people is often negatively framed, focusing on sexual abstinence before marriage. This paper explores youth perspectives on sexual and reproductive health information and support. It also examines gaps in contraceptive knowledge, providing insights for public health programmes and interventions. Findings highlight significant gaps in contraceptive knowledge, which contribute to low uptake. The quality and nature of relationships between young people and adults also shapes the support and information provided. For adolescents and young people, trust and feeling understood impact whether adults are perceived as valuable sources of information. Suitable interventions include the creation of safe support spaces for adolescents and young people to develop sexual and reproductive health knowledge and communication skills, access accurate information, and address socioeconomic constraints.

Accessing timely childhood cancer care is a significant challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Primary health care workers are key patient navigators through specialized care referral systems. Understanding their perspectives on childhood cancer is critical in improving access to care. A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2023 in Bungoma County, Kenya. The in-charges of 144 level 2 and 3 facilities completed a semistructured questionnaire on childhood cancer perspectives, traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (TCAM), referral barriers, and health insurance. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. For baseline data, frequency distributions were calculated. Mann-Whitney test, chi-square test, and Fisher's exact test were performed for comparisons of perspectives and health beliefs. Of 144 facilities, 125 (86%) were level 2 and 19 (13%) were level 3. Only 14% of the facilities offered full insurance from the National Health Insurance Fund. Most in-charges believed that cancer was caused by chemical exposure (98%) or maternal drug use (90%), whereas 25% cited supernatural causes. Financial barriers were the main obstacle to accessing childhood cancer care (90%), with 69% believing that families could not afford health insurance. TCAM use was common, with 50% of respondents supporting its combination with chemotherapy. The participants concluded that referral barriers included financial constraints, lack of insurance, and family fears. We found that delays in childhood cancer care in Western Kenya arises from a combination of provider misconceptions, culturally embedded TCAM use, rigid referral systems, financial inadequacy, lack of insurance, and family fears and beliefs. This study contributes uniquely by focusing on primary health care facility in-charges, whose perspectives directly shape the navigation pathway through the referral system.

Triphala, a traditional Ayurvedic formulation, has garnered significant research interest for its diverse therapeutic potential. However, a comprehensive analysis of its research landscape remains limited. To conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Triphala research from 2000 to 2024, examining publication trends, research hotspots, and evolving research themes. Publications related to Triphala were retrieved from the Web of Science core collection database (2000-2024). Bibliometric analysis utilized CiteSpace and VOSviewer to analyze publication trends, collaboration networks, and research hotspots. Visualization tools mapped the temporal evolution of research themes and collaboration patterns. The analysis of 417 publications unveiled a complex landscape of research development, identifying 5 major research themes that progressively evolved from 2006 to 2024, including apoptosis, radiation effects, oxidative stress, oral therapeutics, and molecular docking studies. Each theme demonstrated varying research strengths, with oral therapeutics showing the highest research intensity at strength = 3.1. Geographically, the research was predominantly concentrated in India, which produced 271 publications, significantly outpacing the United States (34 publications) and China (33 publications). The research was primarily disseminated through specialized journals, with the International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, and Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge emerging as the most influential publication platforms. Key research institutions, including the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Chiang Mai University, and Mahidol University, played pivotal roles in advancing Triphala research. This bibliometric analysis demonstrates the progressive evolution of Triphala research from traditional applications to sophisticated scientific investigations. The study reveals a significant transformation in research focus, transitioning from basic mechanistic studies to advanced molecular investigations and clinical applications, particularly in oral health.

This study evaluates the applicability of the Iscan method to Post-Mortem Computed Tomography (PMCT) for age estimation through morphological analysis of the sternal end of the fourth right rib. Employing a double-blind design, two observers independently assessed a sample of 112 fragments of fourth ribs from individuals of European origin, isolated and processed before CT imaging. The findings indicate that Iscan's method applied via CT scans demonstrates strong reproducibility and substantial inter-operator reliability, as shown by weighted Cohen's kappa values ranging from 0.75 (inter-operator) to 0.92-0.98 (intra-operator). The method exhibited higher accuracy and consistency for middle-aged and older individuals, particularly in phases 3 to 5, whereas younger and elderly age groups showed lower reliability, with phase 8 requiring further refinement due to significant variability. Furthermore, the study introduced and evaluated a new CT-specific parameter-joint fossa sclerosis-to enhance age-at-death predictions. Regression analysis incorporating this parameter demonstrated improved accuracy and refined age-range estimations, particularly highlighting sex-specific variations: in males, sclerosis tended to shift estimates toward higher age phases, while in females, it primarily improved precision within established phase limits without significantly altering phase assignments. These observations underscore potential sex-based differences in bone remodeling dynamics that influence the Iscan phase classification. This research paves the way for future identification, introduction, and refinement of additional morphological parameters aimed at enhancing predictive accuracy. The substantial age-range overlaps inherent to Iscan's traditional method significantly limit its practical forensic applicability, emphasizing the need for methodological advancements to ensure reliable and accurate age estimation in forensic settings.

While there has been growing attention to research on structural racism and health inequities and the importance of naming structural racism as a driver of population health inequities, research focusing on structural racism and intimate partner violence (IPV) in United States (US)-based immigrant communities of color is lacking. This scoping review examined existing literature that names, operationalizes, and attributes structural racism as a determinant of IPV, and/or its health and social consequences among immigrant communities of color in the US. A search of eight databases (e.g., Medline, CINHAL) to identify studies related to IPV, structural racism, and immigrant communities retrieved 1896 articles. After independent reviewers screened papers for relevance, 32 articles were included in the scoping review. Articles were categorized into two categories for inclusion: Tier 1: Explicitly names structural racism as a driving factor of IPV and directly attributes IPV experiences or consequences to structural racism (articles that met all of our initial eligibility criteria); and Tier 2: Does not explicitly name structural racism as a driving factor of IPV experiences or consequences, but attributes IPV experiences or consequences to structural factors of oppression that align with themes of structural racism. Only one paper was identified that named and attributed IPV experiences to structural racism among US-based immigrants of color. Major research gaps in operationalizing, examining, attributing, and naming structural racism as a driver of IPV and sequelae in US-based immigrants of color persist. Findings serve as a call to action for scholars to move beyond solely traditional individual, cultural, and gender approaches and explicitly name and integrate structural racism into IPV research efforts among immigrant communities of color.

Celiac disease (CeD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by dietary gluten. While HLA-DQ2/8-mediated presentation of gliadin peptides is required for disease, the mechanisms that underlie the loss of oral tolerance to gluten remain incompletely understood. Long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been increasingly recognized as regulators of immune function, yet their role in oral tolerance has not been previously explored. Here, using a screen designed to identify lncRNAs responsive to T cell activation and enriched for CeD-associated GWAS variants, we identified lnc13 as a top candidate. In HLA-DQ8 transgenic mice lacking lnc13, unmanipulated gluten ingestion led to molecular signatures resembling human CeD and hallmark features of loss of oral tolerance to gluten: increased IFN-γ+ lymphocytes, IL-12+ myeloid cells, cytotoxic intraepithelial immune cells and crypt hyperplasia in the small intestine. Mechanistically, lnc13 binds specific DNA regulatory regions and limits immune cell responsiveness to proinflammatory signals. In particular, lnc13 restrains IL-15-driven differentiation of CD8+ natural killer-like lymphokine-activated killer cells (an IL-15-dependent pathway strongly implicated in CeD). These findings establish lnc13 as a critical noncoding modulator of oral gluten tolerance.

This study explores the role of open-source large language models (LLMs) in promoting artificial intelligence (AI) health equity from the perspective of the health service triangle model. First, it defines AI health, categorizes AI-supported decision-making patterns, and assesses the status quo of AI health inequalities. Second, by comparing open-source and closed-source LLMs in terms of patient privacy, data security, accessibility, and use, it demonstrates the distinct advantages of open-source LLMs for AI-enabled health services. Finally, based on the health service triangle model, this study demonstrates how open-source LLMs drive the democratization of AI-enabled health services-particularly benefiting low-resource regions-by expanding service types, improving accessibility, enhancing quality, and reducing costs. This study concludes that, while open-source LLMs must address challenges such as hallucination risks and ethical responsibilities, they ultimately enable AI health equity through technological sharing.

The study evaluated whether a single oral administration of lectin extracted from common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) at 12 weeks of age influences intestinal morphology and bone structure in roosters and capons. A total of 320 male birds were allocated to four experimental groups based on hormonal status and lectin treatment. Birds in the lectin-supplemented groups received a single gastric dose of lectin at 100 mg/kg body weight. Growth performance, carcass traits, intestinal histomorphometry, and tibial geometry and mechanical properties were assessed at 24 weeks of age. Lectin administration induced significant changes in jejunal morphology, with the most pronounced effects observed in capons. These effects were less pronounced in hormonally intact roosters. The effects on bone were limited and included slight differences in marrow cavity dimensions, without improvements in mineralization or mechanical strength. The findings indicate that a single oral dose of lectin primarily affects intestinal structure under conditions of androgen deficiency, whereas its influence on bone properties remains modest. Further studies are required to determine the optimal dosing strategy and the potential relevance of lectin supplementation for practical poultry production.

Linguistic structures show uneven global distributions, but it remains unknown to what extent such distributions are driven by human population history at a global scale. Here, we track population history through population genetics and show that, adjusting for geography, phylogeny, and environment, genetic diversity (in terms of local homozygosity modeled across individuals) is inversely correlated with linguistic diversity (in terms of local entropy of structural features modeled across languages). This inverse correlation arises from the parallel impact of isolation vs. contact on both genomic and structural linguistic diversity: Isolation leads to low genetic diversity and promotes structural linguistic diversification, while contact and migration yield higher genetic diversity and promote linguistic homogenization. The extent of the correlation varies across world regions and aspects of language, but its overall global robustness highlights how hotspots of linguistic diversity can serve as a compelling example of the flexibility of human language, since they have been less affected by the increase of contact and migration that occurred over recent millennia and homogenized linguistic structures.

Chemoreception through olfaction regulates essential fish behaviors, including reproduction. Fish olfactory receptor repertoire comprises four multigene families (olfactory receptors class C (OlfC), odorant receptor (OR), olfactory receptors class A (ORA), and trace amine-associated receptors (TAAR)), whose diversity strongly shapes species-specific olfactory capabilities. Here, we characterized the olfactory repertoire of the flatfish Solea senegalensis using a comparative orthology-based approach across eight fish species. We identified 455 olfactory receptor genes in S. senegalensis, including prominent expansions of the OlfC and TAAR families, representing the largest olfactory receptor repertoire among the species analyzed. Transcriptomic data supported the functional activity of 426 genes of the total repertoire, detected as expressed in the olfactory organ. Phylogenetic and synteny analyses revealed conserved genomic organization primarily among flatfish and lineage-specific expansions associated with clustered paralogs across multiple chromosomes in S. senegalensis. These findings highlight the expanded olfactory receptor repertoire in S. senegalensis, emerging as a promising model for studying chemoreception and addressing the reproductive-related challenges in aquaculture.

Aging and increased life expectancy generate growing challenges for end-of-life care in old age, particularly in rural contexts marked by territorial and health inequalities. From the perspective of gerontological geography and the notions of autonomy and agency of older adults, this study aims to generate an understanding of end-of-life as a lived experience from the subjective worlds of and with the people involved. To this end, a qualitative study, with an ethnographic approach and case study strategy, was conducted in the Los Lagos Region of Chile between 2022 and 2023. This included semi-structured interviews and ethnographic observation of rural older adults in the end-of-life stages, their caregivers, and rural health teams. The results show that remaining at home is a central desire and organizes care, sustained primarily by feminized family networks and rural primary care. The home becomes a space of care, and health teams play a key role in providing clinical and relational support at the end-of-life. It is concluded that end-of-life care in rural areas requires territorial approaches that recognize autonomy in old age and the structural inequalities of these processes. El envejecimiento y aumento de la esperanza de vida generan desafíos crecientes para los cuidados de fin de vida en la vejez, particularmente en contextos rurales marcados por desigualdades territoriales y sanitarias. Desde la geografía gerontológica, y las nociones de autonomía y agencia de las personas mayores, este estudio se propone generar una comprensión del fin de vida como experiencia vital desde los mundos subjetivos de y con las personas implicadas. Para ello, se realizó un estudio cualitativo, de enfoque etnográfico y estrategia de estudio de caso, en la Región de Los Lagos, Chile, entre 2022 y 2023, que incluyó entrevistas semiestructuradas y observación etnográfica a personas mayores rurales en etapas de fin de vida, las personas cuidadoras y los equipos de salud rural. Los resultados muestran que la permanencia en el hogar constituye un deseo central y organiza los cuidados, sostenidos principalmente por redes familiares feminizadas y por la atención primaria rural. El hogar se transforma en un espacio de cuidado y los equipos de salud cumplen un rol clave en acompañamiento clínico y relacional del fin de vida. Se concluye que los cuidados de fin de vida en la ruralidad requieren enfoques territoriales que reconozcan autonomía en la vejez y las desigualdades estructurales de estos procesos.

Fear of animals is shaped by psychological, cultural, and evolutionary influences over time. This study examined whether conversations about commonly feared animals-namely snakes-differ among parents and children from different cultures. Parents and children from the United States (n = 31; 28 Mothers, 2 Fathers, 1 Other; 15 Males, 16 Females, Mage = 71.55 months, SDage = 12.56, Rangeage = 42) and Hong Kong (n = 31, 29 Mothers, 2 Fathers; 17 Males, 14 Females, Mage = 76.48 months, SDage = 12.12, Rangeage = 44) read through a picture book of snakes, spiders, lizards, and turtles, and their conversations were coded for emotional content. Parents and children also completed several questionnaires, including a measure of their fear beliefs toward each animal. Parents and children across sites were more fearful of and used more negative language about snakes and spiders than lizards and turtles, and parents from Hong Kong expressed more fear and used more negative language about snakes than parents from the United States. However, despite more fear and negative language from Hong Kong parents, children from Hong Kong reported being less fearful of snakes (and spiders) than children from the United States, while Hong Kong children reported feeling more afraid of turtles and lizards. These findings highlight the prevalence of snake fears and negative information about snakes across different regions of the world, and potential differences in the kinds of input parents convey to children about snakes across cultures.

Recent technical and methodological advances have provided new insights into Neandertal thorax morphology, revealing significant differences compared to modern humans, both in terms of the individual elements (vertebrae, ribs, and sternum), and in the thorax as a whole. However, the thorax morphology of immature Neandertals remains poorly understood, due to the limited and fragmentary fossil record. The Roc de Marsal (RdM) infant is one of the few cases in which the vertebrae and ribs are both relatively well preserved. Previous research has characterised the ribs of the RdM individual as having shafts with low robusticity and short necks. They also have a large radius of curvature (i.e., they are less curved) and a pronounced anterior flare. Theoretically, this would result in a thorax that was more anteroposteriorly projected than that of Homo sapiens, with a maximum width at the 7th rib. Here, we reassess the anatomical position of the thoracic vertebrae and ribs of RdM, evaluating previous observations using a combination of traditional measurements and 3D geometric morphometrics. A morphological assessment of the most complete ribs (7, 9, 10 and 11) reveals marked differences between the ribs of RdM and those of modern human children. These differences include less curvature of the shaft in cranial view, more vertically oriented and straighter (i.e., less sinuous, with less torsion) shafts in external view. At least for ribs 9-11, the shaft portion sternal to the posterior angle is also longer. In some instances, these differences are similar to those present in adult Neandertals, suggesting that the Neandertal thorax was distinct from that of H. sapiens since infancy. This study reinforces the idea that the size and shape of the individual elements (the ribs and vertebrae) provide information about the distinctiveness of the entire thorax.

Background California's Inland Empire (IE) is a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) with high burdens of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Given limited regional health surveillance, this study assesses spatial clustering of hypertension and high cholesterol and associations between these outcomes and neighborhood-level demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics in spatially adjusted models. Methods This cross-sectional ecological study uses data from the 2025 CDC Population Level Analysis and Community Estimates (PLACES) dataset and 2019-2023 American Community Survey (ACS), representing 132 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. With respect to data analysis, a spatial econometric workflow, variance inflation factors (VIF), diagnostic ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, Moran's I for geospatial clustering, and spatial error models (SEM) were applied. All results in this study are presented as hypothesis-generating.&#xa0; Results The mean modeled prevalence across ZCTAs was 34.3% for hypertension and 36.5% for high cholesterol, with significant geospatial clustering being present for hypertension and cholesterol (I = 0.293, p < 0.001; I = 0.162, p = 0.002). Additionally, in SEM-adjusted models, both outcomes were associated with obesity (&#x3b2; = 0.584, p < 0.001; &#x3b2; = 0.308, p < 0.001) and recent checkups (&#x3b2; = 1.395, p < 0.001; &#x3b2; = 1.215, p < 0.001), and negatively associated with median income (&#x3b2; = -0.465, p < 0.001; &#x3b2; = -0.180, p < 0.001). Conclusions Modeled hypertension and high cholesterol prevalence in the IE varied by ZCTA and were spatially clustered, while obesity, income, and healthcare engagement were associated with neighborhood-level cardiovascular risk. These results support the use of spatial surveillance and may inform future public health research and practice in these medically underserved regions.

The global use of social media, particularly Instagram, has considerably increased. At the start of 2024, according to social media platforms, Pakistan recorded 54.38 million social media users aged 18 and older, accounting for 38.9% of the adult population. This rapid digital expansion compelled us to study how Instagram use contributes to social comparison, and its subsequent impact on&#xa0;mental wellbeing among university students. Adopting a quantitative approach, the study conducted online surveys to explore the relationship between Instagram use and mental well-being. A sample of 515 was selected from two well-known universities in Islamabad through convenience sampling. The sample includes 515 male and female students aged between 18 and 25, applying a conditional mediation model (CoMe Model) evaluated by SmartPLS. The findings indicate that increased Instagram use strongly predicts decreased self-esteem (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;-0.661, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001), which is linked to higher levels of depression (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;-0.439, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001). The indirect effect of Instagram use on depression via self-esteem was significant (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.290, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001), while the direct effect became non-significant when self-esteem was included, suggesting full mediation. Importantly, the strength of the mediated pathway varied with levels of upward comparison. The indirect effect was lower among those with high levels of upward comparison (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.116) and stronger among those with low levels (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.201), with the moderated mediation index also reaching significance (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;-0.035, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;.016). These results show that the psychological impact of Instagram use on mental wellbeing is variable and depends on users' tendency to&#xa0;compare themselves with others.

The Younger Dryas (YD; ~12.9 to 11.7&#xa0;thousand years) marks an abrupt return to near-glacial conditions during the last deglaciation, yet its cause remains debated. One possible scenario, the YD impact hypothesis, proposes an extraterrestrial trigger. However, growing geochemical and stratigraphic evidence points toward a volcanic origin. This study presents the 187Os/188Os isotope and highly siderophile element (HSE) data from the Page-Ladson (PL) site (8JE591) in Florida, a well-dated, continuous sedimentary record spanning the YD onset. The onset in the PL profile is marked by unradiogenic osmium coincident with elevated Os and Re concentrations and a Cl-chondrite-normalized HSE pattern with a compositional range and signature closely matching volcanic aerosol patterns. When integrated with comparable records from Hall's Cave and the Debra L. Friedkin site in Texas, the unradiogenic 187Os/188Os ratios align across multiple depositional environments and correlate with a cluster of major bipolar volcanic eruptions (~12.98 to 12.87&#xa0;thousand years) documented in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores whose cumulative radiative forcing exceeds the most volcanically active intervals of the Common Era. The magnitude and hemispheric asymmetry of this volcanic activity imply forcing of sufficient magnitude capable of disrupting the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and triggering rapid Northern Hemisphere cooling. These findings provide multiproxy, regionally consistent evidence for a volcanically driven perturbation at the onset of the YD, offering a robust alternative to impact-based explanations.