Development of Wages and Salaries of Czech Employees During the Last Period by Educational Attainment and Forecasts for 2011 and 2012

This paper deals with the development of sample characteristics of wage distribution in recent years in the Czech Republic by the highest educational attainment. Gross monthly wage is the variable investigated. We distinguish the following scale of the highest educational attainment： primary and incomplete education, secondary education without GCSE, secondary education with GCSE, higher vocational and bachelor education and tertiary education. Forecasts of wage distribution have been developed for the next two years for all of these categories. Three-parametric lognormal curve formed the basis of the theoretical probability distribution. Parameter values of relevant three-parametric lognormal curves were then estimated using the method of L-moments of parameter estimation. Forecasts of sample values of L-moments were calculated using trend analysis of their past development and the parameters of three-parametric Iognormal curves for forecasts of wage distribution were calculated using the predicted values of the first three sample L-moments. We have obtained the forecasts of wage distribution by the highest educational attainment on the basis of these probability density functions.

Causal association of obesity-related anthropometric traits with myopia and the mediating role of educational attainment:a Mendelian randomization study

AIM:To study the causal relationship between obesityrelated anthropometric traits and myopia and the mediating role of educational attainment(EA).METHODS:Univariable Mendelian randomization(UVMR)was performed to evaluate the causal association between body mass index(BMI),height,waist-hip ratio(WHR,adjusted for BMI),and mean spherical equivalent(MSE).BMI was divided into fat and fat-free mass and included in multivariable Mendelian randomization(MVMR)to explore the roles of different BMI components in the causal relationship between BMI and MSE.A mediation analysis based on two-step Mendelian randomization(MR)was carried out.Specifically,UVMR was conducted to estimate the causal effect of BMI on EA.The direct effect of EA on MSE was estimated from MVMR.The mediation effect of EA in the BMI-EA-MSE model was calculated by the product of coefficients method.Expression quantitative trait loci(eQTL)-MR,reverse MR,and Linkage Disequilibrium Score Regression(LDSC)were performed to assess the robustness.RESULTS:Genetically predicted higher BMI had a positive total effect on MSE(βIVW=0.26 D,95%CI=0.14 to 0.37 D,P<0.001),whereas there was no significant association between height,WHR,and MSE.Fat mass was found to play a significant role in the effect of body mass on MSE(βIVW=0.50 D,95%CI=0.21 to 0.78 D,P=0.001),but there was no significant association between fat-free mass and MSE.The causal effect of BMI on EA was-0.14(95%CI=-0.16 to-0.11,P<0.001),and the direct effect of EA on MSE was-0.63 D(95%CI=-0.81 to-0.44 D,P<0.001).The mediating effect of EA in the BMI-EA-MSE model was 0.09 D(95%CI=0.06 to 0.12 D),with a mediation proportion of 33%(95%CI=22.1%to 44.6%).No reverse causal associations were detected except for BMI on EA.The results of eQTL-MR and LDSC were consistent with each MR analysis.CONCLUSION:Genetically predicted higher BMI decreases the degree of myopia with a 33%mediation proportion by EA,and fat mass provides a dominant protective role in body mass-myopia.As a supplement to previous observational studies,it provides strong evidence for the relationship between anthropometric traits and refractive errors and offers a theoretical basis for future measures to prevent and control myopia.

Effect of birth month on educational attainment and adult cognition in Rural China

The association of season of birth with cognitive development,academic perfor-mance and educational attainment has been well documented in western countries.However,little research has been conducted in developing countries to examine the seasonality of cognitive achievement.In this study,we analyzed data of a nationally representative sample of over 8500 rural adults born in the 1960s and early 1970s from the 2010 China Family Panel Studies survey.The results of logistic regression models demonstrate a significant association of birth month with educational attain-ment even with relevant individual and parental information controlled.Specially,we found that rural respondents born in the months of March and April are much less likely to obtain a high school degree than those born late in the year from Octo-ber to December.The seasonal pattern is also found to significantly affect current cognitive achievements of the respondents even after their educational attainment and family social economic conditions are taken into account.Finally,we discussed the merits of age position theory and fetal origin interpretation as potential mecha-nisms for the seasonal pattern of education attainment,and suggest that seasonal changes of nutritional intake for pregnant mothers are the most likely cause.

The Effect of Sibling Size on Children’s Educational Attainment:Evidence From Indonesia

Purpose:This study examines the effect of sibling size on children’s educational attainment in Indonesia.Design/Approach/Methods:To establish causality,it exploits the exogenous variation of sibling size caused by twin birth in families.Findings:Results of instrumental variable(IV)estimation support a traditional wisdom of quantity-quality trade-off,where sibling size is negatively correlated with the completed years of schooling,educational levels,and likelihood of school attendance.Building on this,the subsample analysis reveals that the negative effect is larger for Muslim children,children with less educated mothers,and children belonging to earlier birth cohorts.Originality/Value:These findings provide insights into both population and education policymaking in developing countries.

Development of educational attainment and gender equality in China:new evidence from the 7th National Census

This paper discusses the status and changes in educational attainment and gender inequality in education for the Chinese population based on the data from the 7th National Census of China and previous censuses since 1982.The results indicate that gender inequality in education has lessened while educational attainment has improved.However,it is necessary to continue to eradicate illiteracy in the West,further promote compulsory education rates,increase the advancement rate to high school,and reduce the urban-rural gap in education to further develop education.This paper indicates that the increased educational opportunities for women combined with their relatively superior academic abilities have resulted in a new reversed gender inequality in that males are at a disadvantage,especially in higher education.The fact that women have benefited more from the expansion of higher education than men have was an unintended consequence of China's one-child fertility policy since the family resources are less diluted by fewer children in a household and daughters are regarded as long-term family members.This paper further reveals that although women outperform men at every level of the educational system,they often voluntarily withdraw from pursuing doctoral degrees due to the increasing pressure as they age and age discrimination which drives them to enter marriage and the labor market earlier than men do.

Association of education with cholelithiasis and mediating effects of cardiometabolic factors:A Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND Education,cognition,and intelligence are associated with cholelithiasis occurrence,yet which one has a prominent effect on cholelithiasis and which cardiometabolic risk factors mediate the causal relationship remain unelucidated.AIM To explore the causal associations between education,cognition,and intelligence and cholelithiasis,and the cardiometabolic risk factors that mediate the associations.METHODS Applying genome-wide association study summary statistics of primarily European individuals,we utilized two-sample multivariable Mendelian randomization to estimate the independent effects of education,intelligence,and cognition on cholelithiasis and cholecystitis(FinnGen study,37041 and 11632 patients,respectively;n=486484 participants)and performed two-step Mendelian randomization to evaluate 21 potential mediators and their mediating effects on the relationships between each exposure and cholelithiasis.RESULTS Inverse variance weighted Mendelian randomization results from the FinnGen consortium showed that genetically higher education,cognition,or intelligence were not independently associated with cholelithiasis and cholecystitis;when adjusted for cholelithiasis,higher education still presented an inverse effect on cholecystitis[odds ratio:0.292(95%CI:0.171-0.501)],which could not be induced by cognition or intelligence.Five out of 21 cardiometabolic risk factors were perceived as mediators of the association between education and cholelithiasis,including body mass index(20.84%),body fat percentage(40.3%),waist circumference(44.4%),waist-to-hip ratio(32.9%),and time spent watching television(41.6%),while time spent watching television was also a mediator from cognition(20.4%)and intelligence to cholelithiasis(28.4%).All results were robust to sensitivity analyses.CONCLUSION Education,cognition,and intelligence all play crucial roles in the development of cholelithiasis,and several cardiometabolic mediators have been identified for prevention of cholelithiasis due to defects in each exposure.

An Analysis of the Relationship Between the Education Attainment and Economic Status of the Elderly Population in the Towns and Cities of China

Viewed from a macro scope,the cultureof a community is closely related to its econ-omy.Economy being the basis,the level ofeconomic growth determines the level ofcultural development.Conversely,culturecan act as the precursor and cultural devel-opment enhances economic growth.Likewise,the education attainment of an in-dividual reflects the same sort

Inequality in Intergenerational Mobility of Education in China

This paper investigates trends in intergenerational patterns of educational attainment of those born in China between 1941 and 1990. Employing the 2008 Rural-Urban Migration in China and Indonesia Survey, we find that intergenerational correlation is lower in rural and migrant than in urban populations. The higher mobility observed in rural and migrant populations stems from the fact that the majority of these children complete only junior high school with some children in the youngest cohorts moving down the education ladder relative to theirparents. In contrast, urban children seem to at least maintain their parents＂ education level The persistence of intergenerational transmission of education at high levels in urban areas combined with some mobility, upward or downward, in rural areas is likely to aggravate China ＂s rural-urban disparity. Policies should focus more on the underlying gaps in education opportunities and the improvement in education of the rural and migrant populations.

The Trade-Off between Quantity and Quality in Family Fertility Decision:Evidence from China's Family Planning Policy

Based on the Chinese General Social Survey 2006 and 2008 data,this paper assesses the influence of the family planning policy on the qualitative development of children using education attainment and individual income of only children versus children with siblings as parameters.Our results show the following:(1)only children are better-educated than their counterparts with siblings;(2)only children earn higher income in comparison to their counterparts with siblings;(3)the income and education gaps between girls with and without siblings are greater than those between boys;(4)the education gaps between only children and children with siblings are greater for those born in the 1970s,but the income difference between only children and children with siblings is only significant for those born in the 1980s;and(5)the income and education gaps between only children and children with siblings are higher in urban regions.Results indicate that families with only one child invest more resources in children's quality under the family planning policy,which is consistent with the"quantity-quality trade-off"theory proposed by Gary Becker.