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Background: Assessing the trends in dietary GHGE considering the social patterning is critical for understanding the role that food systems have played and will play in global emissions in countries of the global south. Our aim is to describe dietary greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) trends (overall and by food group) using data from household food purchase surveys from 1989 to 2020 in Mexico, overall and by education levels and urbanicity. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 16 rounds of Mexico's National Income and Expenditure Survey, a nationally representative survey. The sample size ranged from 11,051 in 1989 to 88,398 in 2020. We estimated the mean total GHGE per adult-equivalent per day (kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d) for every survey year. Then, we estimated the relative GHGE contribution by food group for each household. These same analyses were conducted stratifying by education and urbanicity. Results: The mean total GHGE increased from 3.70 (95%CI: 3.57, 3.82) to 4.90 (95% CI 4.62, 5.18) kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d between 1989 and 2014 and stayed stable between 4.63 (95% CI: 4.53, 4.72) and 4.89 (95% CI: 4.81, 4.96) kg CO2-eq/ad-eq/d from 2016 onwards. In 1989, beef (19.89%, 95% CI: 19.18, 20.59), dairy (16.87%, 95% CI: 16.30, 17.42)), corn (9.61%, 95% CI: 9.00, 10.22), legumes (7.03%, 95% CI: 6.59, 7.46), and beverages (6.99%, 95% CI: 6.66, 7.32) had the highest relative contribution to food GHGE; by 2020, beef was the top contributor (17.68%, 95%CI: 17.46, 17.89) followed by fast food (14.17%, 95% CI: 13.90, 14.43), dairy (11.21%, 95%CI: 11.06, 11.36), beverages (10.09%, 95%CI: 9.94, 10.23), and chicken (10.04%, 95%CI: 9.90, 10.17). Households with higher education levels and those in more urbanized areas contributed more to dietary GHGE across the full period. However, households with lower education levels and those in rural areas had the highest increase in these emissions from 1989 to 2020. Conclusions: Our results provide insights into the food groups in which the 2023 Mexican Dietary Guidelines may require to focus on improving human and planetary health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: Previous studies on the effectiveness of capacity building training, drawn from the experience of traditional donors, have been limited in their understanding the impact of the diversity of trainees and the diversity of training on the effectiveness of training. This is particularly problematic given the increasing prevalence of such training and the emergence of new donors with different approaches. Purpose: This article investigates the effectiveness of capacitybuilding training across different participants and different training types, through the case of an emerging donor, the Republic of Korea (Korea). Korea is distinctive and under-researched as a country relatively late to join the OECD's Development Assistance Committee (DAC), with several policies explicitly locating capacity-building training as a diplomatic strategy. Korea has made repeated efforts to diversify participants and types of training to gain a comparative advantage in international development and co-operation. Methods and Approach: The study constructs a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) to analyse the effectiveness of training across layers of individual diversity (gender, rank, level of national income and extent of democracy) and group diversity (types of trainings). It draws on survey responses from 789 government officials in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Findings: Training effectiveness differs for diverse participants and training types. Effectiveness tends to decrease as job rank and national income rise, while it increases with the level of democracy. Training that fosters diverse interactions and experiences, such as multi-country training and invitational training, tends to be more effective than other types. Policy Implications: Our results suggest implementing more collaborative and customized training to suit the heterogeneous needs of diverse participants. The results emphasize the need to develop and operate various training types that promote diverse interactions and experiences among participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current era of global health awareness for retinoblastoma (RB), the challenge that lies ahead of us is providing optimal care for children affected with RB in underdeveloped nations. The understanding of similarities and disparities between various nations across the world aids in achieving comparable outcomes. With dissolving geographic barriers and evolving collaboration, global collaborative studies on RB are becoming increasingly common. They provide real‐world, robust evidence on several aspects of RB. This review discusses insights gained from global RB studies regarding the demographics, certain aspects of etiopathogenesis and epidemiology, international travel burden, disparities in clinical presentations based on national income levels, management protocols, pathology, treatment outcomes, and the effect of COVID‐19 on RB care across the world. These insights are likely to impact individual practice as well as inform policy reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History shows that wars can be enormously disruptive of economic activity, especially international trade, national income, and global economic welfare. This article analyzes the impact on the European regions the Russian invasion of Ukraine using the largest and most updated multiregional input‐output model for Europe. Two shocks, trade and inflation, and four alternative scenarios are simulated. The scenarios are considered regarding the number of countries applying a trade embargo, the exemption of oil and gas, and the potential trade diversions with third countries such as China. We obtained a significant fall in GDP (−1.7%), 3.7 m lost jobs and 3% raise over the prewar inflation rate. For trade shock, large indirect effects are obtained, indicating the high relevance of the sectors and countries exposed to the war and the sanctions. The republics of the former Soviet Union, as well as the satellite countries of the former communism, face the harshest adverse impacts. This work shows the importance of breaking Russia's colonial economic ties to the countries in Eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of national income on the total fertility rate (children born per woman). We estimate the effects on fertility of shocks to national per capita income using plausibly exogenous variations in oil price shock as an instrument for income and using instrumental variable generalized quantile regressions (IV-GQR). Using data for a panel of 122 countries spanning the period 1965–2020, our results show that national per capita income has generally a negative and significant effect on the total fertility rate. Looking at the entire spectrum of the fertility distribution, the IV-GQR estimates exhibit considerable heterogeneity in the impact of income on fertility. The income elasticity of fertility is relatively low at the upper tail of the distribution (for countries with high fertility) compared to the value at the median. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops – and applies – a micro-macroeconomic modeling approach for assessing major welfare system reforms. With a growing interest in the value of bold welfare reforms in the light of persistent and widening inequalities, we demonstrate the value of a comprehensive analysis of both the (micro) impact upon the distribution of household incomes and wider (macro) impacts upon national income, unemployment and government spending. By combining microsimulation with CGE modeling, we argue that our findings demonstrate the importance of any major social welfare or broad fiscal reform being the subject of a micro-macro modeling approach. We illustrate this through an application to the introduction of a universal basic income in Scotland. • We argue that major potential welfare system reforms should be assessed using a micro-macroeconomic modelling approach. • We demonstrate the value of approach with an application to the introduction of a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to Scotland. • Our illustrative application demonstrates that UBI is a very expensive policy even after eliminating many benefits. • Our illustrative application demonstrates that UBI is a very expensive policy even after eliminating many benefits. • Results imply complete understanding of the impact of major welfare system reforms requires a micro-macroeconomic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outcome of economic growth is visualised as the well-being of citizens or human well-being (HWB). However, it has been a great challenge to measure HWB. Though there are known reasons for considering GDP and its growth as a measure of overall development and progress of nations, yet mostly it is being used as a gospel indicator to compare nations and design appropriate policies. This paper is an effort to develop a comprehensive adjusted GDP to measure HWB through secondary data for thirty years (1990–91 to 2019–20) in India. We make thirty-five adjustments to net national income (NNI) to compute the adjusted national income (ANI) index based on the system analysis approach. The empirical findings show that the gap between NNI and ANI has been growing over time, and the ANI index shows an increasing trend. Through the analysis it is suggested that economic growth should be focused only if it improves HWB (full or partial). The paper attempts to make intervention into policy shift for improving HWB vis-à-vis happiness of people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study empirically addresses the relevance of public transparency in promoting sustainable development in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Using the generalized method of moments techniques in order to account for concerns of endogeneity and simultaneity, the study utilizes a panel of forty‐eight (48) countries in Sub‐Saharan African countries for the period 2000‐2019. We then establish the subsequent findings. Public transparency maintains overall positive net effects on both the human development index (i.e., social sustainability); adjusted net national income growth (i.e., economic sustainability), and renewal energy consumption (i.e., environmental sustainability). Overall, we establish that public transparency enhances sustainable development. This study recommends that policymakers should ensure that public transparency processes are enhanced in order to achieve the post‐2015 agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What explains human consequences of weather-related disaster? Here, we explore how core socioeconomic, political, and security conditions shape flood-induced displacement worldwide since 2000. In-sample regression analysis shows that extreme displacement levels are more likely in contexts marked by low national income levels, nondemocratic political systems, high local economic activity, and prevalence of armed conflict. The analysis also reveals large residual differences across continents, where flood-induced displacement in the Global South often is much more widespread than direct human exposure measures would suggest. However, these factors have limited influence on our ability to accurately predict flood displacement on new data, pointing to important, hard-to-operationalize heterogeneity in flood impacts across contexts and critical data limitations. Although results are consistent with an interpretation that the sustainable development agenda is beneficial for disaster risk reduction, better data on societal consequences of natural hazards are critically needed to support evidence-based decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research explores the convergence of two pivotal trends in architecture: environmental and technological trends. The eco-trend focuses on the environmental impact of architectural practices, while the tech-trend emphasizes leveraging technology to enhance a building's performance. The thesis posits that integrating these trends holds the potential to create more sustainable structures, characterized by reduced environmental impacts and enhanced resource efficiency. The study reviews environmental systems that achieve sustainability and focuses on one system that is applied to hotel buildings. The study also analyzes different forms of intelligence within environmentally friendly architecture, including smart materials, response to environmental changes, smart systems for automated building management, and smart interfaces that facilitate interaction. User intuitive. The study proposes a range of key applications for environmental technology within hotel buildings, including energy-efficient lighting and heating systems, water-conserving fixtures, and innovative waste management systems. The results obtained from the study reveal that the fusion of environmental and technological considerations significantly increases the development of sustainable hotel facilities. These facilities not only enhance environmental responsibility, but also enhance operational efficiency, which contributes to increasing diversified sources of national income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed over six million lives and infected more than 650 million people globally. Public health agencies have deployed several strategies, including rolling out vaccination campaigns to curb the pandemic, yet a significant proportion of the global population has not received the COVID-19 vaccine. We assessed differences in COVID-19 vaccination coverage by Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of WHO members (i.e., countries, areas, and territories, n = 192) and by WHO member regions (n = 6). Methods: Using an ecological study design, we analyzed publicly available data from the WHO website merged with the World Bank's GNI per capita data. We included a total of 192 WHO members and six WHO regions in the analysis. We utilized negative binomial regression to assess the associations between the GNI per capita and COVID-19 vaccination coverage (cumulative number of persons fully vaccinated and/or received at least one dose of the vaccine per 100 population), and ANOVA test to assess the differences in vaccination coverage per WHO regions. Results: Low GNI per capita WHO members had significantly lower full vaccination coverage (aRR 0.30, 95% CI 0.22—0.40) compared to high GNI per capita WHO members. These members were also 66% less likely to receive at least one dose of the vaccine (aRR 0.34, 0.26—0.44) relative to high GNI per capita WHO members. Africa region had a significantly lower fully vaccination coverage (aRR 0.71, 95% CI 0.36—0.54) and received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (aRR 0.78, 95% CI 0.62—0.99) than Europe region. Conversely, the Western Pacific region had significantly higher fully vaccination coverage (aRR 1.40 95% CI 1.12—1.74) and received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines (aRR 1.40 95% CI 1.14—1.73) relative to European region. Conclusion: WHO members with low GNI per capita and the African region reported significantly lower COVID-19 vaccination coverage than those with high GNI per capita or other regions. Efforts to strengthen and promote COVID-19 vaccination in low-income WHO countries and African region should be scaled up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to analyze the capital drain among individual European Union (EU) member states and its cohesive and political consequences. Since the capital drain has not yet been calculated at the individual country level, the methodological part of this article delves into this calculation in more detail. Between 1999 and 2018, Ireland and Luxembourg had the highest capital drain due to their tax haven policies. Apart from these extremes, Czechia experienced the largest capital drain during this period. Inequalities among EU member states were gradually decreasing in terms of gross domestic product and gross national disposable income, suggesting that the EU's cohesion policy has partially been successful in reducing inequalities among EU countries. However, capital drain and its populist interpretations may become a significant political problem for the most negatively affected countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Operative experience is a necessary part of surgical training. The College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA), which oversees general surgery training programs in the region, has implemented guidelines for the minimum necessary case volumes upon completion of two (Membership) and five (Fellowship) years of surgical training. We aimed to review trainee experience to determine whether guidelines are being met and examine the variation of cases between countries. Methods: Operative procedures were categorized from a cohort of COSECSA general surgery trainees and compared to the guideline minimum case volumes for Membership and Fellowship levels. The primary and secondary outcomes were total observed case volumes and cases within defined categories. Variations by country and development indices were explored. Results: One hundred ninety-four trainees performed 69,283 unique procedures related to general surgery training. The review included 70 accredited hospitals and sixteen countries within Africa. Eighty percent of MCS trainees met the guideline minimum of 200 overall cases; however, numerous trainees did not meet the guideline minimum for each procedure. All FCS trainees met the volume target for total cases and orthopedics; however, many did not meet the guideline minimums for other categories, especially breast, head and neck, urology, and vascular surgery. The operative experience of trainees varied significantly by location and national income level. Conclusions: Surgical trainees in East, Central, and Southern Africa have diverse operative training experience. Most trainees fulfill the overall case volume requirements; however, further exploration of how to meet the demands of specific categories and procedures is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International students are an important global cohort of 'noncitizens' whose experiences are central concerns for urban sociologists and migration scholars. Drawing on survey fieldwork conducted among international students in the private rental sector in Sydney and Melbourne during 2019, this article provides new knowledge about the hardships experienced by international students who report financial stress. Using a modified scale developed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, we highlight the accelerating role of high levels of financial stress in producing disruptive events such as housing evictions and fears of homelessness, as well as reliance on inadequate housing like 'hot-bedding'. Financial stress is significantly more likely for students from low-GNI (gross national income) countries and higher stress reduces wellbeing. Access to paid employment, however, does not 'protect' against higher financial stress. We conclude that higher education policymakers need tools and policies to prevent disruptive life events among international students related to financial stress, particularly those associated with housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between innovation and global competitiveness in European Union (EU28) member states and the differences between EU13 and EU15 countries categorised by wealth level from 1997 to 2019. The study employs the Parks-Kmenta panel data method considering heteroscedasticity, serial correlation and cross-section dependence to analyse the impact of innovation, income inequality, unemployment and labour force share in national income on global competitiveness. The results reveal that innovation has the highest positive effect on global competitiveness, with a 1% increase in the innovation index leading to 13.4% and 11.1% increases in global competitiveness for the EU28 and EU15-EU13, respectively; a 1% increase in income inequality leads to a 0.53% and 0.55% increase in global competitiveness for the EU28 and EU15-EU13, respectively; a 1% increase in unemployment causes a 0.12% and 0.13% decrease in global competitiveness for the EU28 and EU15-EU13, respectively; a 1% increase in labour's share in national income results in a 0.18% and 0.17% decrease in global competitiveness for the EU28 and EU15-EU13, respectively. The analysis also shows that EU15's global competitiveness is 11.7% higher than EU13. This study concludes that innovation is the primary determinant of global competitiveness; however, it may come at the cost of a decrease in labour's share in national income and income distribution equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study relies on a novel research approach to analyze how national income, income inequality, institutional quality, and culture combine to generate different recipes for eliciting subjective well-being (SWB). Specifically, we use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, which facilitates the study of the combinations of conditions (paths) that act synergistically to achieve a certain outcome. The study uses data from over 70 countries and finds several combinations of conditions for different periods which lead equally to high SWB, as well as several configurations equally leading to low SWB. Additionally, we find that high national income, income equality, high-quality institutions, and each of the cultural dimensions are not necessary conditions for high SWB. However, high-power distance and low individualism are necessary conditions to achieve low SWB. The results for a few individual conditions are in line with previous studies, but we also determine that the effect of the remainder depends on the other conditions present in each combination. Overall, the results deliver an original and contrasting view of the factors leading to a nation's high or low SWB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rapid development and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines helped reduce the pandemic's mortality burden. The vaccine rollout, however, has been uneven; it is well known that vaccination rates tend to be lower in lower income countries. Vaccine uptake, however, ultimately depends on the willingness of individuals to get vaccinated. If vaccine confidence is low, then uptake will be low, regardless of country income level. We investigated the impact on country-level COVID-19 vaccination rates of both national income and vaccine hesitancy. Methods: We estimated a linear regression model of COVID-19 vaccine uptake across 145 countries; this cross-sectional model was estimated at each of four time points: 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after the onset of global vaccine distribution. Vaccine uptake reflects the percentage of the population that had completed their primary vaccination series at the time point. Covariates include per capita GDP, an estimate of the percentage of country residents who strongly disagreed that vaccines are safe, and a variety of control variables. Next, we estimated these models of vaccine uptake by country income (countries below, and above the international median per capita GDP) to examine whether the impact of vaccine hesitancy varies by country income. Results: We find that GDP per capita has a pronounced impact on vaccine uptake at 6 months after global rollout. After controlling for other factors, there was a 22 percentage point difference in vaccination rates between the top 20% and the bottom 20% of countries ranked by per capita GDP; this difference grew to 38% by 12 months. The deleterious impact of distrust of vaccine safety on vaccine uptake became apparent by 12 months and then increased over time. At 24 months, there was a 17% difference in vaccination rates between the top 20% and the bottom 20% of countries ranked by distrust. The income stratified models reveal that the deleterious impact of vaccine distrust on vaccine uptake at 12 and 24 months is particularly evident in lower income countries. Conclusions: Our study highlights the important role of both national income and vaccine hesitancy in determining COVID-19 vaccine uptake globally. There is a need to increase the supply and distribution of pandemic vaccines to lower-income countries, and to take measures to improve vaccine confidence in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the height of its power over everyday life, between 1968 and 1993, the Cuban Communist Party outlawed virtually all non-state labour and exchange. Since then, however, its continuity in power has increasingly depended on devolution: shifting responsibility for the provision of basic goods and services from failing state enterprises back to the self-employed. The latter now produce the majority of food and basic products; receive most of the national income from tourism, remittances and foreign investment; and generate most new jobs. Nevertheless, they subsist under a subaltern regime of fragile and conditional freedoms. The article adapts James Scott's consideration for the subaltern's 'hidden transcripts' and agencies to contemporary Cuba. It analyses the unavoidability of informal and illegal practices for daily subsistence; their naturalisation in society in contrast with their delegitimisation as opportunistic self-enrichment in party-controlled media; and how the self-employed resist such judgements in favour of more conciliatory civic visions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent poverty is a major developmental challenge for South Africa and has multifaceted dimensions. This paper profiled and investigated poverty transitions among rural households in 22 district municipalities in South Africa. Foster-Greer-Thorbecke indices were applied to panel data from the National Income Dynamics Study from 2008 to 2017. Findings indicate that poverty levels varied across districts and poverty was most prevalent in Zululand, OR Tambo and Sisonke districts. Furthermore, districts with high poverty rates also had high poverty gap ratios. Poverty transition analyses revealed that in 82% of the districts, poverty declined between 2008 and 2017, while it increased in 13% of the districts. This transition was not mirrored between waves, with the majority of households remaining in the same poverty status between waves. The study recommends that these traditional rural districts be a major focus of poverty alleviation efforts. The role of the state in providing stability to combat poverty is encouraged through promotion of higher education. Additionally, support for agriculture as a business is also recommended. Collaborations between district municipalities and provincial departments of agriculture could facilitate this. The study adds to existing literature by providing insights from disaggregated profile and analysis of rural poverty in district municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exports is crucial in driving economic growth and development for all countries worldwide. The export sector is critical for Turkey's economic growth and for boosting the country's standing in international trade. Exports is an essential source of Turkey's national income. It increases employment and contributes to economic growth. Exports is utilized as a strategic instrument to attain foreign trade balance, encourage knowledge transfer, gain access to new markets, and boost competitiveness. In recent years, Turkey, as an essential player in global commerce, has used various tactics to enhance its export activity. Turkey's export marketing strategy focuses on expanding export volume, diversifying exports, and maintaining competitiveness in foreign markets. The effectiveness of export marketing directly affects export performance. Turkey's export performance has shown a significant improvement. 2023 is essential as the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey and the beginning of the second century. The study would outline Turkey's export history, underline the importance of export marketing, and examine how Turkey's export marketing techniques have evolved. It would also investigate Turkey's role in global commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is an indispensable sector for the future of countries. Agriculture comes to the forefront as the dominant factor in all areas from nutrition to economic development, from employment to meeting the raw material need for industry, from exports to the contrib ution it provides to national income. Such an important sector, which affects almost every aspect of life, unfortunately loses its sustainability as a result of the misuse of agricultural lands. In this study, which aims to reveal the effects of misuse of agricultural lands on agricultural sustainability, the current situation in Kemerhisar town of Niğde province was discussed. In this study, first of all, the theoretical foundations of the subject were discussed, then the effects of misuse of agricultural lands were investigated with satellite images and on-site photographs as a concrete example, and the effects of misuse of agricultural lands on agricultural sustainability were evaluated in Kemerhisar example. In conclusion, deficiencies and shortcomings were identified and necessary suggestions were made against them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: From 2008 to 2020, colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality increased by approximately 50% and 47%, respectively, in South-East Asia (SEA). The human development index (HDI) influences various lifestyle choices (including physical activity), which may contribute to the prevalence of CRC in this region, distinct from factors related to medical or hereditary history. This review aims to evaluate and demonstrate the impacts and association of HDI with age-standardized rates (ASR) of CRC incidence and mortality in SEA. Methods: Utilizing data from the GLOBOCAN 2020, this study analyzed ASR for CRC incidence and mortality in each SEA country. Concurrently, the HDI for 2021 in these nations was gathered from the Human Development Reports. Using Spearman correlation analysis, we investigated the link between CRC ASR (incidence and mortality) and HDI indicators, including life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and Gross National Income per Capita (2017 PPP$). The statistical significance threshold was set at P<0.05. Results: The statistical analysis revealed noteworthy positive correlations between HDI and its components (life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, and Gross National Income per Capita) with the ASR for incidence. Specifically, Spearman's rho values were 0.834, 0.755, 0.827, and 0.882, respectively. Similarly, significant correlations were observed between HDI and its constituents with ASR for mortality, with corresponding values of 0.720, 0.755, 0.718, and 0.782 at a 5% significance level. Conclusion: Countries with a high HDI exhibit a dual impact influence by fostering economic growth while potentially posing challenges to public health. Despite very high HDI nations demonstrating successful CRC screening programs that lower both incidence and mortality rates, various SEA countries face impediments in implementing such screenings. The impact of diet and lifestyle on CRC burdens is particularly pronounced in medium HDI countries, underscoring the significance of unprocessed diets and an active lifestyle in mitigating the prevalence of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the factors influencing the import of essential oils in Pakistan. It empirically investigates the factors affecting essential oil imports using annual time series data for the years 1965-2021 at the national level. The independent variables considered are population, production, area harvested, total supply, domestic consumption, national income, and official exchange rates, while essential oil imports are the dependent variable. The study employs unit root tests and the ARDL (autoregressive lagged distribution technique) to analyze the data. The results indicate that while the area harvested has a minor influence, total supply and domestic consumption play significant roles in the long term. On the other hand, population, output, and exchange rates are relevant in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the global prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism (CH), though it is known to vary across countries and time periods. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the global and regional prevalence of CH among births between 1969 and 2020. PubMed, Web of Sciences, and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies between January 1, 1975, and March 2, 2020. Pooled prevalence was calculated using a generalized linear mixed model, and expressed as a rate per 10,000 neonates. The meta-analysis involved 116 studies, which analyzed 330,210,785 neonates, among whom 174,543 were diagnosed with CH. The pooled global prevalence of CH from 1969 to 2020 was 4.25 (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.96–4.57). The geographic region with highest prevalence was the Eastern Mediterranean (7.91, 95% CI 6.09–10.26), where the prevalence was 2.48-fold (95% CI 2.04–3.01) that in Europe. The national income level with the highest prevalence was upper-middle (6.76, 95% CI 5.66–8.06), which was 1.91-fold (95% CI 1.65–2.22) that in high-income countries. Global prevalence of CH was 52% (95% CI 4–122%) higher in 2011–2020 than in 1969–1980, after adjusting for geographic region, national income level, and screening strategy. Conclusion: The global prevalence of CH increased from 1969 to 2020, which may reflect the implementation of national neonatal screening, neonatal testing for thyroid-stimulating hormone, and a lowering of the diagnostic level of this hormone. Additional factors are likely to be driving the increase, which should be identified in future research. What is Known: • Cumulated evidence had suggested that the occurrences of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) among newborns were varied in different countries.. • Up-trends of the birth prevalence of CH were observed in many European and American countries. What is New: • This is the first meta-analysis to estimate global and regional prevalence of CH among newborns. • The global prevalence of CH has increased by 127% since 1969. The Eastern Mediterranean has the highest prevalence and stands out with the most pronounced escalation in the prevalence of CH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article estimates the causal effect of corruption reform on economic growth across a sample of 122 countries from 1980 to 2015. Methods: We first identify countries that experienced large and sustained increases in corruption control, we refer this group as the treatment group. We then utilize two empirical estimation techniques to estimate the causal effect of corruption on economic growth—matching methods and a doubly robust, difference‐in‐difference, event study model. Results: We find that sustained corruption reform leads to dramatic increases in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Across a variety of methods, the effect at 10 years after reform is on the order of a 20 percent to 25 percent increase in average living standards. Conclusions: Even though corruption is often cited as a fundamental obstacle to economic development, lasting anti‐corruption reform is relatively rare. We find, however, that the benefits of this type of reform might be significantly higher than policymakers believe. Thus, successful reform brings a win–win outcome of less corruption and higher average incomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The access to leisure is unevenly distributed in the societies. Despite the status of leisure as an individual right according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as to the World Leisure Organization Charter for Leisure, many people still have limited or no access to leisure. These discrepancies are even more noticeable in highly unequal countries and regions such as Latin America. In particular, Brazil is one of the most unequal countries in the world, where the wealthiest 1% earn 28% of the national income. This article investigates how social and economic disparities lead to inequalities in the access to consumption of leisure goods and services. Data from a recent and representative Brazilian household budget survey are analysed. Different types of leisure were examined according to Dumazedier's categories. The results revealed that the expenditure on leisure items in Brazil is associated to region, race, gender, family size and composition, education, and income. These findings highlight the need for policies to promote equal leisure opportunities as a means to development and justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researches have been interrogating the influence of international migration on life satisfaction but ignoring the influence of internal migration on life satisfaction. This study therefore examined the influence of inter-provincial migration on life satisfaction in South Africa. Data for the study were from the fifth and latest wave of the National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) conducted in South Africa in 2017. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson Chi-square and ordinary least-square (OLS) regression. The results showed that the migrants (mean = 5.73) had significantly (Chi = 48.8; p < 0.001) better life satisfaction than non-migrants (mean = 5.54). In addition, there existed significant variations in the level of happiness (Chi = 9.97; p < 0.002), subjective income classification (Chi = 16.8; p < 0.001) and perceived physical health (Chi = 8.65; p < 0.002). Finally, the OLS coefficients showed that respondents with average and above average subjective income classification, respondents with good perceived physical health, respondents with happier happiness level, females, married respondents, non-Blacks, respondents earning higher than R5000, household with 7 + persons and province of residence were associated with increased life satisfaction among migrants and non-migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the role of recovery policies in reducing the inequality in Arab economy after Corona, and depicts what impact the pandemic had on the Arab economy. Especially, the spreading of inequality and its affiliated consequences, such as disease, economic closure and subsequent layoffs of large numbers of workers. The Arab world chairs the inequality charts in the world, as 56 percent of the national income is accumulated by 10 percent of the population, whilst only 12 percent of the national income is distributed amongst 50 percent of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the link between ease of doing business (EBD) and investment among 11 selected countries in West Africa covering 2006–2020. The study used the fixed‐effects estimator, the random‐effects estimator, the augmented mean‐group method, and the Half‐Panel Jackknife Wald‐type test. The study found a bidirectional relationship between the EBD and foreign direct investment (FDI) and a unidirectional relationship running from EBD to domestic investment. The findings further revealed that the EBD and national income have a strong influence in determining the level of domestic investment and FDI inflows, and that some indicators of EBD, such as the procedure for starting a business, access to credit facilities, tax, and security threats, discourage domestic investment and FDI inflows, in contrast to the influence of obtaining electricity and national income on investment. The study suggests that West African governments reduce taxes, ease the procedures and costs of starting a business and dealing with construction permits, and increase the availability of credit facilities at lower interest rates to promote investment in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines democracy's impact on the labor share of income: the share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) dedicated to wages, salaries, and benefits. I hypothesize democratic regimes afford labor the opportunity to increase its share of national income. While previous empirical work finds cross-sectional evidence for the hypothesis, this paper employs a time-series cross-sectional analysis using data for 119 countries between 1950 and 2017, indicating the labor share of income is higher in democratic countries. The estimates are robust to different specifications of the statistical model. This paper also examines a potential causal mechanism that links democracy to a higher labor share through the supply of labor (the average number of hours worked in the economy). The relationship between democracy and the supply of labor lends additional evidence to my hypothesis. In a world characterized by diverging democracy, the results imply the path countries choose between democracy and dictatorship matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To meta-analyze diagnostic performance measures of standardized typical CT findings for COVID-19 and examine these measures by region and national income. Methods: MEDLINE and Embase were searched from January 2020 to April 2022 for diagnostic studies using the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) classification or the COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) for COVID-19. Patient and study characteristics were extracted. We pooled the diagnostic performance of typical CT findings in the RSNA and CO-RADS systems and interobserver agreement. Meta-regression was performed to examine the effect of potential explanatory factors on the diagnostic performance of the typical CT findings. Results: We included 42 diagnostic performance studies with 6777 PCR-positive and 9955 PCR-negative patients from 18 developing and 24 developed countries covering the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The pooled sensitivity was 70% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 65%, 74%; I2 = 92%), and the pooled specificity was 90% (95% CI 86%, 93%; I2 = 94%) for the typical CT findings of COVID-19. The sensitivity and specificity of the typical CT findings did not differ significantly by national income and the region of the study (p > 0.1, respectively). The pooled interobserver agreement from 19 studies was 0.72 (95% CI 0.63, 0.81; I2 = 99%) for the typical CT findings and 0.67 (95% CI 0.61, 0.74; I2 = 99%) for the overall CT classifications. Conclusion: The standardized typical CT findings for COVID-19 provided moderate sensitivity and high specificity globally, regardless of region and national income, and were highly reproducible between radiologists. Critical relevance statement: Standardized typical CT findings for COVID-19 provided a reproducible high diagnostic accuracy globally. Key points: Standardized typical CT findings for COVID-19 provide high sensitivity and specificity. Typical CT findings show high diagnosability regardless of region or income. The interobserver agreement for typical findings of COVID-19 is substantial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extension programs management is the most effective section in the field of agricultural extension, to modify and facilitate the extension programs which is designed to improve the rural farmer’s production and standard of living utilizing new agricultural information and technology. To approve that, some different research has been conducted related to agricultural technology transfer for farmers influenced by agricultural extension programs management. Besides, the extension agents have a vital role in technology transfer to the rural farmers, they optimize their best to persuade the farmers to adopt using technologies in their farming practice. Undoubtedly, managing the effective programs for technology transfer of farmers is seen as the most influential implement to improve farmers to work hard and intelligently, while it is a causal effect to improve the farmers’ income which leads to boost the national income. The extension programs have a massive impact on farmers’ production as a result of utilizing agricultural technologies related to their work. Nonetheless, some constraints associated with extension work for technology transfer should be identified in most countries in the whole world and some applicable strategies should be developed with extension to make the extension work effective and efficient. One of the most significant issues confronting the mission of agricultural extension is the lack of proper knowledge about the new technologies from farmers toward applying information and technology, therefore, agricultural extension staff must think critically and logically for establishing an effective extension program and work on it well to inform and educate the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper's primary goal is to analyse the development of Knowledge Economy (KE) measurement methods ranging from those based on national income to indices identifying and combining the relevant indicators. The paper focuses on four current global and European KE level indices: Global Innovation Index (GII), Global Knowledge Index (GKI), European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS), and Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), highlighting persistent significant differences in the perception of the very essence of KE, as there is no clear interdisciplinary definition of the initial concept of knowledge, leading to further problems with ambiguous and insufficiently specific definitions and measurement of KE. Tacit aspects of knowledge are rarely part of KE definitions or measurements, excluding a large part of the knowledge system from KE measurements. The results of the analysis show that the set of KE indicators used by the individual KE indices is heterogeneous, with the set of intersecting indicators having different weights in terms of importance. Frequent interventions in the indices by their authors were observed, such as changes in index methodology, the indicators used, main pillars (subindices), etc. Despite the high heterogeneity in the approach to measuring KE, we identified the pillars, which can be viewed as the core pillars of KE. These include, for example the level of ICT, R&D, human resources, innovation, patents, and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American finance has grown immensely profitable in the past four decades, but the precise reasons for this tremendous and sustained growth have not been sufficiently understood. The primary purpose of this paper is to explain the immense profitability of US finance by systematically examining how its sources of profit and types of profit-generating activities have changed since the onset of financialisation in the 1980s. Conceptually, the paper develops a typology of financial profit-generating activities, drawing a separation between credit intermediation, market mediation, and rentierism. Empirically, it examines the changing accumulation dynamics witnessed in US finance since the 1960s using the IRS Statistics of Income, BEA National Income and Product Accounts, and Federal Reserve Flow of Funds data. The paper identifies primary income sources for the sector as a whole and its most profitable subsectors, finding strong evidence that financial profit-making has shifted from lending to ownership and management of capital. It is argued that this transformation has fundamentally changed finance's relationship with the real economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why was there considerable variation in initial COVID-19 mortality impact across countries? Through a configurational lens, this paper examines which configurations of five conditions—a delayed public-health response, past epidemic experience, proportion of elderly in population, population density, and national income per capita—influence early COVID-19 mortality impact measured by years of life lost (YLL). A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 80 countries identifies four distinctive pathways associated with high YLL rate and four other different pathways leading to low YLL rate. Results suggest that there is no singular "playbook"—a set of policies that countries can follow. Some countries failed differently, whereas others succeeded differently. Countries should take into account their situational contexts to adopt a holistic response strategy to combat any future public-health crisis. Regardless of the country's past epidemic experience and national income levels, a speedy public-health response always works well. For high-income countries with high population density or past epidemic experience, they need to take extra care to protect elderly populations who may otherwise overstretch healthcare capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies cross-country and intertemporal differences in the effects of trade exposure on per capita national income. We develop a small open economy endogenous growth model with high- and low-technology sectors and endogenous human capital accumulation. We then test the predictions of our model on a sample of 70 countries over the period 1980–2017. Our main assertion is that gains from trade are not only disproportionate across countries but also contrasting over time, depending on the technology intensity of exports. Countries with lower initial experience in the production of technology-intensive goods and services tend to specialize in sectors with lower demand for better-educated and high-skilled workforce, which lowers the return to and individual incentives for education. Consequently, trade-induced specialization patterns, due to their implications about technological progress, appear to be an important factor causing cross-national divergence in welfare. Our theoretical model implies that, in an unskilled labor-abundant country, higher exposure to international trade can decrease the long-run growth rate, even though it increases short-run per capita income. In a skilled-labor abundant country, both short-run and long-run effects are positive. Our empirical findings, which identify short-run and long-run effects separately, strongly support these predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 posits two risks to developing countries. On the one hand, growing COVID-19 cases exposed the vulnerabilities of the already debilitating health sector, while, on the other hand, policies to control the spread of COVID-19 can exasperate economic disparities. In this article, we examine one such policy response to control the spread of COVID-19 by the Government of Pakistan, the National Lockdown. This study assesses a plausible impact of this policy response on income equality across Pakistan. By exploiting a nationally representative household survey, it is observed that COVID-19 induced national lockdown is associated with increased income inequality in Pakistan. Our estimates show that about a 16 percent increase in income differences between the top 10 and the bottom 10 percent of the population could be associated with national lockdowns. Gini Coefficient also indicates an up to 3 percent increase in inequality after lockdown. At the disaggregated level, the suggestive evidence shows that inequality has increased within the urban population. Interestingly, the lockdown has also increased the inequality within occupations that can be managed remotely from home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Institutions are very important for economic and social development since they directly affect individual behaviors. Institutional economists argue that the effectiveness of institutions accelerates economic growth. There are many historical, social and economic factors that determine the level of institutional development. In this study, the effect of the geographical location of the countries on the level of institutional development will be empirically examined. In this direction, the effect of geographical location on the level of institutional development will be analyzed by using 2018 data from 27 European Union (EU) countries. The Rule of Law Index was used as an indicator of institutional development in the analysis. The distance of the countries to each other was taken as a geographical factor. In addition, as control variables, education index, real national income per capita and unemployment rate were included in the model. The analysis revealed that there is a positive interaction between the institutional development levels of the countries and the institutional development level of the neighboring countries. Similarly, as per capita income increases, the rule of law index also increases. It was determined that the level of unemployment was not in a statistically significant relationship with the level of institutional development. Institutional development increases as the level of education increases. As a result, institutional development is increasing in EU countries, geography, countries neighboring countries with a high level of institutional development. In addition, the increase in income and education level increases the level of institutional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After Australia and Canada adopted policies to admit immigrants of any nationality or race, the racial composition of immigrants did not immediately diversify. It only diversified after their governments adopted points systems to recruit immigrants with the education, language ability, and skills that would increase the national income of the migrant-receiving country. Why? I draw on archival documents to reveal how the organization of consular institutions and practices of bureaucrats limited how much immigrant sources diversified. However, the more human capital-rich people in White-majority countries lost interest in immigrating and the more non-White people in migrant-sending societies increased their human capital, the more frequently bureaucrats became amenable to admitting more racially diverse immigrants who could contribute more to national income and productivity than human capital-poor White immigrants. This emerging preference later stimulated the Immigration Departments to geographically expand their organizational infrastructure to facilitate further non-White immigration. This study illustrates how scholars through a more intersectional lens can better potentially understand changes in institutions and norms along one dimension of identity (race) due to policies to admit a minority of non-White immigrants along another dimension (human capital). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manuscript reports on findings on the interconnection between tourism employment and economic growth for the selected OECD member states. The dynamic panel threshold regression method was used to analyze the data, where the threshold variable was tourism employment, and the growth of gross national income and value added by activity services were dependent variables in the corresponding models. The dataset covered the period between 2008 and 2020. Both marginal effects indicated positive implications of tourism employment on economic growth. A percent rise in tourism employment leads to an increase in gross national income by 0.15% (in the low regime) and 0.61% (in the high regime). Yet, the results revealed a negative marginal effect of tourism employment on value added by activity services. The outcomes explain that a percent rise in tourism employment in the average country will lead to a decrease in the value added by activity services, as a percentage of value added, by 0.07% (low regime) and 0.09% (high regime). Therefore, the applications of this study are twofold—the first one is its contribution to existing theoretical knowledge through the filling of the literature gaps, and the second one is related to advances in the standing policies. The main limitations and the proposal for future research are the application of random effects and smooth transition threshold models as an alternative to the indicator functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between February 2020 and May 2022, one million Americans have died of COVID-19. To determine the contribution of those deaths to all-cause mortality in terms of life expectancy reductions and the resulting economic welfare losses, we calculated their combined impact on national income growth and the added value of lives lost. We estimated that US life expectancy at birth dropped by 3.08 years due to the million COVID-19 deaths. Economic welfare losses estimated in terms of national income growth supplemented by the value of lives lost, was in the order of US$3.57 trillion. US$2.20 trillion of these losses were in in the non-Hispanic White population (56.50%), US$698.24 billion (19.54%) in the Hispanic population, and US$579.93 billion (16.23%) in the non-Hispanic Black population. The scale of life expectancy and welfare losses underscores the pressing need to invest in health in the US to prevent further economic shocks from future pandemic threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]