Feasibility study on discrimination of Polygonatum kingianum origins by NIR and MIR spectra data.

Most existing studies have focused on identifying the origin of species with protected geographical indications while neglecting to determine the proximate geographical origin of different species. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy to identify the origin of 156 Polygonatum kingianum samples from six regions in Yunnan, China. In this work, spectral images of different modes reveal more information about the P. kingianum. Comparing the performance of traditional machine learning models according to single spectrum and data fusion, the middle-level data fusion-principal component model has the best performance, and its sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy are all 1, and the model has the least number of variables. The residual convolutional neural network (ResNet) model constructed in the 1050-850 cm-1 band confirms that fewer variables are beneficial in improving the accuracy of the model. In conclusion, this study verifies the feasibility of the proposed strategy and establishes a practical model to determine the source of P. kingianum.

COVID-19-related discrimination, campus safety, loneliness, and psychological distress among Asian and Asian American college students: a moderated mediation model.

Objective: This study explored the relations between campus safety and loneliness among Asian and Asian American college students. We investigated the mediation effect of psychological distress and the moderation effect of COVID-19-related discrimination in these relations. Participants: 1,685 Asian and Asian American college students who participated in the Fall 2020, American College Health Association - National College Health Assessment III survey. Method: The moderated mediation analysis was conducted. Results: The findings revealed a negative correlation between campus safety and both psychological distress (b = -0.05, p < 0.001) and loneliness (b = -0.12, p < 0.001), but this weakened for those experiencing COVID-19 discrimination. Psychological distress consistently mediated the safety-loneliness link regardless of discrimination. Conclusions: The current findings highlight the support from the university for Asian and Asian American college students. The specific implications for practice and policy are discussed.

Social mechanisms behind the poor health of marginalized Roma: Novel insights and implications from four ethnographic studies in Slovakia.

Roma represent one of the largest ethnic groups facing marginalization worldwide. However, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding: A) the social mechanisms supporting health-endangering practices among Roma; B) the social mechanisms adversely affecting their use of health services; and C) the social determinants underlying both above pathways. To fill these gaps, we conducted a series of four explorative ethnographic studies spanning over ten years. Beginning in 2004, the series involved 260 participants, including segregated Roma and health services staff in Slovakia. Of the four studies, two addressed gap A, two addressed gap B, and all addressed gap C. Regarding pathway A, we found that Roma in segregated Roma enclaves can be socialized into ethnically framed racialized ideologies that oppose the cultural standards of local non-Roma life, including certain healthy practices. This adherence to counter-cultural ideals of Roma identity increases specific health and care challenges. Regarding pathway B, we discovered that health service frontliners frequently lack any organizational support to better understand and accommodate the current living conditions and practices of segregated Roma, as well as their own and others' racism and professional expectations regarding equity. This lack of support leads many frontliners to become cynical about segregated Roma over their careers, resulting in health services being less effective and exacerbating health problems for both Roma and the frontliners themselves. Concerning pathway C, we found that the societal omnipresence of antigypsyism - racist and racialized anti-Roma ideas and sentiments - serves as a prominent driver of both the above pathways. We conclude that much of the unfavorable health status of Roma can be understood via a systems perspective that embraces structural racism.

Reconciling water-use efficiency estimates from carbon isotope discrimination of leaf biomass and tree rings: nonphotosynthetic fractionation matters.

Carbon isotope discrimination (∆) in leaf biomass (∆BL) and tree rings (∆TR) provides important proxies for plant responses to climate change, specifically in terms of intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE). However, the nonphotosynthetic 12C/13C fractionation in plant tissues has rarely been quantified and its influence on iWUE estimation remains uncertain. We derived a comprehensive, ∆ based iWUE model (iWUEcom) which includes nonphotosynthetic fractionations (d) and characterized tissue-specific d-values based on global compilations of data of ∆BL, ∆TR and real-time ∆ in leaf photosynthesis (∆online). iWUEcom was further validated with independent datasets. ∆BL was larger than ∆online by 2.53‰, while ∆BL and ∆TR showed a mean offset of 2.76‰, indicating that ∆TR is quantitatively very similar to ∆online. Applying the tissue-specific d-values (dBL = 2.5‰, dTR = 0‰), iWUE estimated from ∆BL aligned well with those estimated from ∆TR or gas exchange. ∆BL and ∆TR showed a consistent iWUE trend with an average CO2 sensitivity of 0.15 ppm ppm-1 during 1975-2015. Accounting for nonphotosynthetic fractionations improves the estimation of iWUE based on isotope records in leaf biomass and tree rings, which is ultimate for inferring changes in carbon and water cycles under historical and future climate.

Chaos analysis and traveling wave solutions for fractional (3+1)-dimensional Wazwaz Kaur Boussinesq equation with beta derivative.

Wazwaz Kaur Boussinesq (WKB) equation can effectively simulate the behavior of water waves in shallow water, including the nonlinear effect and dispersion phenomenon of waves, which is of great significance for understanding the dynamic process of ocean, river and other water bodies. To enrich the wave equation theory, the (3+1)-dimensional integer order derivative of WKB equation is changed to the fractional one with beta derivative. The current work deals with the fractional (3+1)-dimensional WKB equation for discussing its chaotic behavior and establishing some new analytic solutions. The chaotic properties of the equation are verified by the trend of evolution along with time, Lyapunov exponents and initial sensitivity analysis. And then complete discrimination system for polynomial method is applied to derive some trigonometric, hyperbolic, Jacobi elliptic and other solutions. The graphical demonstrations are provided for part of these solutions. From these visualized graphs, the solitary, periodic and quasi-periodic wave are shown and the effect of fractional derivatives on the equation can be seen intuitively.

Caste-based Diminished Returns of Educational Attainment on Wealth Accumulation in India.

Background: Education is widely recognized as a key driver of wealth generation, providing individuals with the opportunity to enhance their socioeconomic status. However, the effectiveness of education in generating wealth varies significantly across different social groups. In the United States, research has shown that Black individuals experience weaker economic returns on education compared to their White counterparts, a phenomenon explained by the theory of Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs). Although MDRs have been documented in various countries, their relevance to caste-based disparities in India remains unexplored. Objective: This study aims to investigate the caste-based diminished returns of education on wealth in India. We hypothesize that the returns on educational attainment, in terms of wealth generation, will be weaker for individuals from Scheduled Castes (SCs) compared to those from higher castes, using data from the India Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). Methods: This study was a cross-sectional analysis of DHS -2019/2021 data from India, examining the relationship between educational attainment and wealth across different caste groups (scheduled castes and non-scheduled castes). Multivariate regression models will be employed to assess the interaction between caste and education in predicting wealth outcomes, controlling for relevant covariates such as age, gender, and region. Results: The study is expected to find that the returns on education, in terms of wealth, are significantly weaker for individuals from Scheduled Castes compared to those from higher castes. This would indicate that caste-based discrimination continues to hinder the economic progress of Scheduled Castes, even when they achieve similar levels of education as their upper-caste counterparts. Conclusion: The findings of this study will extend the MDR framework to the Indian context, demonstrating that caste-based disparities result in diminished returns on education for wealth generation. This study underscores the need for targeted policies that address the specific barriers faced by Scheduled Castes in translating educational attainment into economic success and highlights the ongoing impact of caste-based discrimination in India.

High rates of probable PTSD among Ukrainian war refugees: the role of intolerance of uncertainty, loss of control and subsequent discrimination.

Background: Intolerance of uncertainty is a well-known predictor of post-traumatic stress symptoms following a traumatic event. At the same time, it is relatively unknown whether intolerance of uncertainty amplifies the effects of other adverse life events on PTSD symptoms among traumatized individuals.Objective: This article addresses this problem in a study of Ukrainian war refugees' experiences with post-migration discrimination and powerlessness (loss of control).Method: 4972 forced immigrants from Ukraine took part in the study (90.2% women, Mage = 40.4, SD = 12.5) completing the PTSD-8 scale, measures of post-migration discrimination and loss of control experiences, and intolerance of uncertainty.Results: Almost half of respondents (47.5%) have probable PTSD. Regression analysis confirmed that war-related experiences, as well as intolerance of uncertainty, post-migration loss of control and experiences of discrimination were significant predictors of self-reported PTSD symptoms. Also, intolerance of uncertainty weakly moderated the effects of experienced discrimination and control deprivation on self-reported PTSD symptoms, so that the effects of adverse post-migration experiences were more pronounced among individuals high in intolerance of uncertainty.Conclusions: Understanding the effect of post-migration experiences on war refugees' mental health is crucial for developing improved acculturation policies and fostering a supportive environment for forced migrants.

Ukrainian forced migrants have high levels of probable PTSD symptoms.Post-migration experiences increase the probability of self-reported post-traumatic stress symptoms.IU weakly moderates the effects of discrimination and loss of control on self-reported post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Perceived Discrimination, and Mental Health in Sexual and Gender Minoritized Adults: Comparing Stress Accumulation and Stress Sensitization Models.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) exposure, perceived discrimination, and anxiety and depressive symptoms in sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) adults in the United States. Methods: Respondents (n = 4445) from a national Qualtrics research panel completed a web-based survey. Guided by the stress proliferation (mediation model) and stress sensitization (moderation model) models, we examined the relationships between ACEs and perceived discrimination and the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adulthood. Results: Cumulative ACEs exposure was positively associated with everyday discrimination scale (EDS) scores. ACEs and EDS scores had a significant direct association with anxiety and depressive symptoms. We found support for EDS as a mediator for anxiety (ß = 0.12, p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (ß = 0.14, p < 0.001) and for ACEs as a moderator of the relationship between EDS and anxiety (ß = -0.04, p = 0.004) and depressive (ß = -0.05, p = 0.001) symptoms. Conclusions: These findings suggest that both stress proliferation and stress sensitization likely contribute to disparities in anxiety and depressive symptoms in SGM adults. This finding supports the integration of social safety and minority stress perspectives regarding health disparities in SGM populations. Exposure to early life adversity likely alters neurodevelopment, which in turn increases awareness of the lack of social safety in adulthood, reduces capacity to cope with minority stress exposure, and ultimately contributes to increased anxiety and depressive symptoms. Prevention efforts should focus on building positive and compensatory childhood experiences.

Effects of visual diet on colour discrimination and preference.

To what extent is perception shaped by low-level statistical regularities of our visual environments and on what time scales? We characterized the chromatic 'visual diets' of people living in remote rainforest and urban environments, using calibrated head-mounted cameras worn by participants as they went about their daily lives. All environments had chromatic distributions with the most variance along a blue-yellow axis, but the extent of this bias differed across locations. If colour perception is calibrated to the visual environments in which participants are immersed, variation in the extent of the bias in scene statistics should have a corresponding impact on perceptual judgements. To test this, we measured colour discrimination and preferences for distributions of colour for people living in different environments. Group differences in the extent of blue-yellow bias in colour discrimination were consistent with perceptual learning in local environments. Preferences for colour distributions aligned with scene statistics, but not specifically to local environments, and one group preferred distributions along an unnatural colour axis orthogonal to that dominant in natural scenes. Our study shows the benefits of conducting psychophysics with people at remote locations for understanding the commonalities and diversity in human perception.

Revisiting dezocine for opioid use disorder: A narrative review of its potential abuse liability.

AIMS: Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains a serious public health problem. Opioid maintenance treatment is effective but under-utilized, hard to access under existing federal regulations, and, once patients achieve OUD stability, challenging to discontinue. Fewer than 2% of persons with OUD stop using opioids completely. There have been calls from public advocacy groups, governmental agencies, and public health officials for new treatments for OUD. Dezocine, a non-scheduled opioid previously used in the United States and currently widely prescribed in China for pain management, could be a candidate for a novel OUD treatment medication in the U.S. Nonetheless, to date, there have been no reviews of the clinical and preclinical literature detailing dezocine's abuse potential, a key consideration in assessing its clinical utility. DISCUSSION: There are no English language reports of human abuse, dependence, or overdose of dezocine, despite years of extensive clinical use. There are a few case reports of dezocine abuse in the Chinese literature, but there are no reports of overdose deaths. Dezocine is perceived as an opioid and is "liked" by opioid-experienced human and non-human primates, properties that are not dose-dependent and are mitigated by ceiling effects-higher doses do not result in more "liking." There is little withdrawal, spontaneous or precipitated, in humans, monkeys, rats, or mice treated chronically with dezocine alone. However, at some doses, dezocine can precipitate withdrawal in humans and monkeys dependent on other opioids. In rodents, dezocine reduces the severity of morphine withdrawal and the rewarding properties of other opioids. CONCLUSIONS: Although dezocine is reinforcing in humans and monkeys with prior or concurrent opioid use within a restricted dose range, there are only a few anecdotal reports of dezocine abuse despite of the long history of use in humans. Given the evidence of dezocine's limited abuse potential, it could be useful both as a treatment for OUD. However, in-depth studies would be required for dezocine to be re-considered for clinical use.

Prevalence of Workplace Microaggressions and Racial Discrimination: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: In recent years, the rise of workplace racial discrimination and microaggressions has decreased the efficiency and productivity of organizations and institutions, and realization of organizational goals globally. Accordingly, it was decided to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis in the present study with the aim of investigating the prevalence of microaggression and racial discrimination in the workplace. Methods: The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched for studies that had reported the effects of work stress among managers. The search did include a lower time limit and was conducted in June 2023. The heterogeneity of the studies was investigated using the I 2 index, and accordingly random effects method was adopted for meta-analysis. Data analysis was conducted with the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (v.2) software. Results: In the review of seven studies with a sample size of 2998 people, the overall prevalence of microaggression and racial discrimination in the workplace was found to be 73.6% and 18.8%, respectively. Publication bias within the selected studies was examined with the Egger's test, which indicated the absence of publication bias for the pooled prevalence of workplace microaggression (p: 0.264) and for the pooled prevalence of workplace racial discrimination (p: 0.061). Conclusion: The results obtained from this report indicate the high impact of micro-aggression and racial discrimination in the workplace. Considering the negative effects of such behaviours, the findings from this study will be helpful to managers and health policymakers.

Are conversation and whispered voice hearing tests comparable to pure tone audiometry for assessment of hearing loss? A retrospective analysis.

Background: Pure tone audiometry (PTA) is considered the standard method of hearing assessment. However, technical and logistical challenges preclude its usage for hearing screening at primary healthcare facilities. Free field hearing (FFH) tests such as conversation voice (CV) and whispered voice (WV) tests have been used for hearing assessment. However, their correlation to PTA and accuracy in detection of hearing loss are doubtful. This study aims to determine if FFH tests can be used for estimation of hearing thresholds. Methods: A retrospective analytical study was conducted at the otorhinolaryngology department. Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ) was determined between FFH recognition distance and average air conduction PTA thresholds. A statistical regression model was developed to estimate hearing thresholds from the FFH recognition distance. The FFH tests were studied for their accuracy in detection of hearing loss. Results: The audiometric records of 437 persons (874 ears) were analysed. The CV and WV tests were found to have a high correlation (ρ = -0.757 and -0.758, respectively) with average PTA thresholds in persons with hearing loss. The WV test was found to have a 94.7% sensitivity, 90.8% specificity, 97.6% positive predictive value, 80.9% negative predictive value, and 93.9% accuracy in detection of hearing loss. Conclusion: FFH tests such as WV test can be used to estimate the hearing thresholds and screen for hearing loss when audiometric tests are not logistically feasible, such as at primary-level healthcare facilities, remote locations, and in schools. However, such tests should not be regarded as a substitute to PTA.

American presidential campaign and ageism.

Ageism is still acceptable in our society, as age-focused criticism during the last American presidential campaign shows. Media and social media discourse on ageism, sexism, and racism shows the need of raising the awareness of ageism. We present Eugene Braunwald as an example of excellence at an advanced age. Dr. Braunwald, aged 95, has just published his article number 1,618. Preventing and counteracting ageism should be an objective of health-care workers, journalists, governments, companies, and civil society organizations. Some of our current clinical guidelines and medical care protocols might discriminate the elderly. To overcome age bias we must educate politicians, physicians, and the public. We propose some measures to fight against this type of discrimination, as asking politicians about age/aging/ ageism, promoting clinical trials in older patients, and avoiding the use of age alone in the decision-making processes.

Psychosis risk for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals: systematic review and meta-analysis.

The social defeat hypothesis posits that low status and repeated humiliation increase the risk for psychotic disorders (PDs) and psychotic experiences (PEs). The purpose of this paper was to provide a systematic review of studies on risk of PDs and PEs among lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) people and a quantitative synthesis of any difference in risk. PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from database inception until January 30, 2024. Two independent reviewers assessed the eligibility and quality of studies, extracted effect sizes, and noted the results of mediation analyses. Using a random effects model we computed pooled odds ratios (ORs). Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. The search identified seven studies of PDs and six of PEs. As for PDs, the unadjusted (2.13; 95% confidence interval 0.72-6.34) and covariate-adjusted pooled OR (2.24; 1.72-3.53) were not significantly increased for LGB individuals. After exclusion of a study of limited quality, both the unadjusted pooled OR (2.77; 1.21-6.32) and the covariate-adjusted pooled OR (2.67; 1.53-4.66) were significantly increased. The pooled ORs were increased for PEs: unadjusted, pooled OR = 1.97 (1.47-2.63), covariate-adjusted, pooled OR = 1.85 (1.50-2.28). Studies of PE that examined the mediating role of several variables reported that the contribution of drug abuse was small compared to that of psychosocial stressors. The results of a study in adolescents suggested a protective effect of parental support. These findings suggest an increased psychosis risk for LGB people and support the social defeat hypothesis.

Use of stable isotope ratio analysis to investigate the biology and clinical significance of seal parasites.

Stranded seals are often infected with a broad range of parasites, although whether they are the cause of significant morbidity or an incidental finding is usually unclear. In this study we used stable isotope ratio analysis, a method frequently used to investigate food webs, to explore the extent to which common seal parasites feed directly on host tissue and fluids or absorb host-derived metabolites, which in turn may give an indication of their potential impact on the host's health. The trophic discrimination factor Δ15N for the nasal mite, Halarachne halichoeri, was mostly positive, ranging between −0.015 and 3.2‰ (n = 6), while for the Acanthocephalan worm, Corynosoma strumosum and the anisakid nematode, Pseudoterranova decipiens, Δ15N ranged between −4.2 and −2.0‰ (n = 7), and between −6.7 and −0.8‰ (n = 5) respectively. In the case of the lungworm, Otostrongylus circumlitus, Δ15N measured between −5.6 and 0‰ for worms collected in the stomach (n = 5), between −1.1 and 0.2‰ for worms collected from the heart (n = 3), between −0.7 and 1.9‰ for worms situated in the lungs (n = 4). Based on Δ15N, parasites could be clearly divided into those that were on a higher trophic level than their host suggesting a predator­prey-like relationship, and those that were not. It is hypothesized that Δ15N may be indicative of the clinical significance of parasite­host associations.

Feeling discriminated means poor self-perceived health: a gender analysis using SHARE.

Most part of the literature has highlighted the detrimental effects of discrimination on health. However, the influence of past and perceived discrimination on older workers' self-assessed health has been understudied. Firstly, we aim at studying whether reported discrimination is associated with self-assessed health among adults of working ages (50-65 years of age). Secondly, we analyze the existence of differences by gender. Data was retrieved from the seventh wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to obtain the regular panel of questions, and the third and seventh waves of the SHARELIFE questionnaire, that includes information about discrimination (n = 30,019). We develop logistic regression models to determine the relationship of discrimination on male and female workers' self-assessed health separately. Our results show that 49.0% of our sample was composed of highly discriminated women, while the remaining percentage covered men and women (42.3% males and 8.7% females) that reported lower levels of discrimination. Our estimations reveal a significant association between discrimination and poor health status, especially in the case of men ranging from OR = 1.802 (95% CI 1.502-2.163) to OR = 1.565 (95% CI 1.282-1.910). In the case of women our results range from OR = 1.728 (95% CI 1.463-2.040) to OR = 1.196 (95% CI 0.992-1.442). These findings are essential to highlight the importance of tackling discrimination as a determinant of health that negatively affects both sexes, men and women.

Skin tone discrimination and birth control avoidance among women in Harris County, Texas: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Structural racism plays a major role in reproductive health inequities. Colorism, discrimination based on skin color, may profoundly impact reproductive health access and service delivery. However, quantitative research in this area is limited. METHODS: We administered an online survey of women (n = 1,299) aged 18-44 from Harris County, Texas to assess the relationship between skin color discrimination and reproductive health service avoidance. The survey included questions on demographics, self-reported skin tone, and dichotomous measures of previous discrimination experiences and avoidance of care because of perceived discrimination. Binary logistic regression was used to examine whether race/ethnicity, skin tone, and previous discrimination experiences were related to avoidance of contraceptive care because of perceived discrimination. RESULTS: Approximately one-third (31.5%) of the sample classified themselves as non-Hispanic Whites (31.5%), 22.4% as Black, 27.4% as Hispanic and born within the US, and 7.6% as Hispanic born outside of the US. Approximately one-third of women classified themselves in the lightest skin tones, whereas almost one in five women classified themselves in the darkest skin tone palates. Darker skin tones had increasingly greater odds of reporting that they avoided seeking birth control out of a concern for discrimination compared to the lightest skin tone. After adjusting for race/ethnicity and sociodemographic variables (model 3), darker skin tones remained significantly associated with avoiding birth control. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates the role that skin color discrimination plays in negative reproductive health experiences. While this is not surprising given that those with racist ideologies developed the concept of these racial and ethnic categories, the apparent association with darker skin colors and avoidance of seeking birth control provides evidence that structural and individual racism continues to have far-reaching and insidious consequences. CONCLUSION: Contraception is recognized for reducing maternal mortality, improving child health, increasing female empowerment, and decreasing poverty. However, not all women equally enjoy the benefits of access to contraception. Addressing colorism within reproductive healthcare has become critically important as the nation becomes increasingly diverse. Focusing on skin tone-based discrimination and its roots in anti-blackness expands our understanding beyond a Black-White binary traditionally applied when addressing racism in healthcare delivery.

Associations of Everyday Discrimination With Insomnia and Short Sleep Duration Among Older Women.

BACKGROUND: Discrimination may contribute to sleep health disparities among women, yet limited research has investigated the association between discrimination and insomnia with short sleep. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among a racially and ethnically diverse sample of women (N=25 920; mean age, 72.2±6.1 years), we investigated the relationship of discrimination with insomnia symptoms and sleep duration. Poisson models with robust variance were fit to examine discrimination with insomnia, sleep duration (short <7 hours or long >9 hours versus recommended 7-9 hours), and insomnia short sleep phenotype adjusted for covariates. Insomnia symptoms, short and long sleep, and high discrimination were reported by 53%, 11%, 15%, and 40% of women, respectively. Women reporting high versus low discrimination were more likely to report insomnia, short sleep, and insomnia short sleep phenotype (insomnia: adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.13-1.18]; short sleep: adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.16-1.34]; insomnia short sleep phenotype: adjusted prevalence ratio, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.31-1.61]). In exploratory analyses, the association between discrimination and insomnia symptoms was present among Asian and White women, whereas the association between discrimination and sleep duration was among Hispanic (long sleep) and White (short sleep) women. Further, the association between discrimination and insomnia symptoms was more pronounced among those with less than a bachelor's degree, whereas women with a bachelor's degree or higher were less vulnerable to the association between discrimination and long sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Discrimination was associated with insomnia and short sleep, a more severe phenotype for adverse cardiovascular health. Discrimination may be a target for reducing sleep problems among older women.

[Equity and social determinants of health over the life course]. / Gerechtigkeit und soziale Determinanten der Gesundheit im Lebenslauf.

BACKGROUND: Socio-structural and socio-cultural change in Western societies is increasingly challenging healthcare institutions to take good care of people's health and dignity. Further and sustainable progress in health care is increasingly influenced by socio-cultural conditions. If these conditions are insufficiently taken into account, further medical progress is jeopardized. AIM OF THE PAPER: The aim of this paper is to elucidate the significance of social conditions of health over the life course and thus to shed more light on one of the four ethical principles in medicine, namely equity. MATERIAL: The question is addressed by a literature review, whereby the literature was reviewed from a structural theory perspective. RESULTS: If people feel discriminated against in terms of their age, gender, or migration background, this not only has an impact on their self-esteem, but also on their health and recovery from illness. Unfavorable economic living conditions have a negative impact on health behavior. Experiences of discrimination in the healthcare system can reduce satisfaction with treatment and contribute to non-compliance with treatment instructions. DISCUSSION: The socio-cultural effects mentioned above can be influenced not only by individual changes in behavior but in particular by structural and institutional change processes. There is a need for "habitus sensitivity" in both clinical and private practice, i.e., it is also part of the responsibility of doctors in the healthcare system to eliminate discrimination.

Variation in Skin Red and Yellow Undertone: Reliability of Ratings and Relevance for Perceived Social Experiences.

It is well established that skin lightness-darkness is associated with social outcomes, but little is known regarding the social salience of skin undertones (redness and yellowness). Our study addresses two related research questions on this topic: first, we ask whether red and yellow undertones are consistently perceived by observers; second, we ask whether red and yellow undertones are associated with expectations of discrimination across a range of social settings. We address these questions using novel survey data in which skin lightness-darkness and undertones are captured using CIELAB measurements and a two-dimensional categorical skin color scale. Although we find skin lightness-darkness to be the strongest and most consistent predictor of discrimination expectations, respondents also perceived skin undertones consistently, and skin yellowness was associated with a higher predicted likelihood of discrimination net of lightness-darkness in certain social settings. Our findings suggest that colorism can extend beyond a light-dark binary and emphasize the value of capturing undertones, particularly yellowness, in social surveys assessing skin color.