Exploring the influences of education,intelligence and income on mental disorders

Background Previous studies have shown that educational attainment(EA),intelligence and income are key factors associated with mental disorders.However,the direct effects of each factor on major mental disorders are unclear.Aims We aimed to evaluate the overall and independent causal effects of the three psychosocial factors on common mental disorders.Methods Using genome-wide association study summary datasets,we performed Mendelian randomisation(MR)and multivariable MR(MVMR)analyses to assess potential associations between the 3 factors(EA,N=766345;household income,N=392422;intelligence,N=146808)and 13 common mental disorders,with sample sizes ranging from 9907 to 807553.Inverse-variance weighting was employed as the main method in the MR analysis.Results Our MR analysis showed that(1)higher EA was a protective factor for eight mental disorders but contributed to anorexia nervosa,obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD),bipolar disorder(BD)and autism spectrum disorder(ASD);(2)higher intelligence was a protective factor for five mental disorders but a risk factor for OCD and ASD;(3)higher household income protected against 10 mental disorders but confers risk for anorexia nervosa.Our MVMR analysis showed that(1)higher EA was a direct protective factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and insomnia but a direct risk factor for schizophrenia,BD and ASD;(2)higher intelligence was a direct protective factor for schizophrenia but a direct risk factor for major depressive disorder(MDD)and ASD;(3)higher income was a direct protective factor for seven mental disorders,including schizophrenia,BD,MDD,ASD,post-traumatic stress disorder,ADHD and anxiety disorder.Conclusions Our study reveals that education,intelligence and income intertwine with each other.For each factor,its independent effects on mental disorders present a more complex picture than its overall effects.

Influence of Transportation Accessibility on Urban-rural Income Disparity and Its Spatial Heterogeneity

Transportation accessibility has been treated as an important means of reducing the urban-rural income disparity.However,only a few studies have examined the effects of different types of transportation accessibility on urban-rural income disparity and their spatial heterogeneity.Based on data from 285 prefecture-level(and above)Chinese cities in 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2020,this study uses spatial econometric models to examine how highway accessibility and railway accessibility influence the urban-rural income disparity and to identify their spatial heterogeneity.The result reveals that highway accessibility and railway accessibility have‘coreperiphery’ring-like circle structures.The urban-rural income disparity exhibits strong spatial clustering effects.Both highway accessibility and railway accessibility are negatively associated with urban-rural income disparity,and the former having a greater effect size.Moreover,there is a substitution effect between highway accessibility and railway accessibility in the whole sample.Furthermore,these associations differ in geographic regions.In the central region,highway accessibility is more important in reducing the urban-rural income disparity,but its effect is weakened with the increase of railway accessibility.In the western region,railway accessibility has a larger effect on narrowing the urban-rural income disparity,and this effect is strengthened by the increase of highway accessibility.We conclude that improving transportation accessibility is conducive to reducing the urban-rural income disparity but its effect is spatial heterogenetic.Highways and railways should be developed in a coordinated manner to promote an integrated transport network system.

First experience in laparoscopic surgery in low and middle income countries: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic surgery has reduced morbidity and mortality rates,shorter post-operative recovery periods and lower complication rates than open surgery.It is routine practice in high-income countries and is becoming increasingly common in countries with limited resources.However,introducing laparoscopic surgery in low-and-middle-income countries(LMIC)can be expensive and requires resour-ces,equipment,and trainers.AIM To report the challenges and benefits of introducing laparoscopic surgery in LMIC as well as to identify solutions to these challenges for countries with limited finances and resources.METHODS MEDLINE,EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched for studies reporting first experience in laparoscopic surgery in LMIC.Included studies were published between 1996 and 2022 with full text available in English.Exclusion criteria were studies considering only open surgery,ear,nose,and throat,endoscopy,arthro-scopy,hysteroscopy,cystoscopy,transplant,or bariatric surgery.RESULTS Ten studies out of 3409 screened papers,from eight LMIC were eligible for inclusion in the final analysis,totaling 2497 patients.Most reported challenges were related to costs of equipment and training programmes,equipment pro-blems such as faulty equipment,and access to surgical kits.Training-related challenges were reliance on foreign trainers and lack of locally trained surgeons and theatre staff.The benefits of introducing laparoscopic surgery were economic and clinical,including a reduction in hospital stay,complications,and morbidi-ty/mortality.The introduction of laparoscopic surgery also provided training opportunities for junior doctors.CONCLUSION Despite financial and technical challenges,many studies emphasise the overall benefit of introducing laparoscopic surgery in LMICs such as reduced hospital stay and the related lower cost for patients.While many of the clinical centres in LMICs have proposed practical solutions to the challenges reported,more support is critically required,in particular regarding training.

Digitalization’s Effects on Income Growth and Distribution-Evidence from the CHDES Database

Using the CHDES database,we created the CIDI to comprehensively quantify digital adoption at the individual level and examine digitalization’s impact on individual income.Empirical analysis results indicate that increasing the CIDI by one standard deviation(0.13)improves individual income by 5.93 percentage points,which remains true after a series of endogeneity and robustness tests.In the heterogeneity analysis,we discovered that when digital adoption grows,residents in the countryside and county seats can earn more money through internet business operations and other channels.This helps to decrease the urban-rural income divide,but it has also pushed those digitally skilled into high-paying sectors,widening the income gaps between sectors.In the mechanism analysis,we developed an income function that takes into account the individual level of digitalization to show that digitalization can boost income by increasing working hours or labor participation and adjusting the portfolio of individual material,human,and social capital.In this paper,we have expanded the system for measuring the individual levels of digitalization by offering basic data,research methodology,and policy suggestions for the digital economy’s inclusive development.

The pain of inequality:Income gap and carbon intensity of well-being

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations sets out 17 sustainable development goals(SDGs)that call for global action to end poverty,protect the planet,and improve the lives and futures of all people,including reducing inequality and taking climate action.The academic and policy issues corresponding to these two goals are income distribution and low-carbon development respectively.This paper makes a connection between the two and examines the impact of income gap on carbon intensity of well-being(CIWB)based on panel data of 40 countries around the world,which has important theoretical significance and empirical reference value.The main conclusions are as follows:(1)During the sample period,the carbon intensity of well-being of 36 in the 40 countries showed a downward trend,indicating that the pressure brought by the increase of unit well-being level on carbon emission space was gradually decreasing.The biggest drop in carbon intensity of well-being is in Estonia.(2)According to the average value of the past years,the income gaps are large in Colombia,Costa Rica,Paraguay,Ecuador and Peru,and the five countries with the smallest income gap are Ukraine,Slovenia,Belarus,the Czech Republic and Kyrgyzstan Republic.(3)The regression results of the econometric model with carbon intensity of well-being as the dependent variable,income gap as the independent variable,and urbanization rate,energy consumption structure and export trade as the control variables show that the increase of income gap will increase carbon intensity of well-being,and the increase of urbanization rate,renewable energy consumption and export dependence will reduce carbon intensity of well-being.Finally,according to the research conclusions,the policy implications for China's future high-quality development are extracted.

Cost of Medical Treatment for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Relation to Patients’ Income and Its Impact on the Prognosis of the Disease, in Bouaké University Hospital

Introduction: Medical treatment for POAG is continuous and lifelong treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the cost of this treatment and patients’ income and the impact of this relationship on treatment compliance. Materials and Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study with a descriptive aim covering sociodemographic data, average incomes, and direct and indirect costs of treatment of 57 patients followed for POAG during the period from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016 (5 years). Results: The patients were aged 25 to 77 years (mean = 54.4 years) with a male predominance (sex ratio = 1.5). Retirees were the most represented (26.32%), followed by workers in the informal sector (14.04%) and housewives (12.28%). Patients who had an annual income less than or equal to 900,000 CFA francs (€1370.83) per year represented 56.14% and those who did not have health coverage represented 57.89%. The treatment was monotherapy (64.91%), dual therapy (31.58%) or triple therapy (3.05%) and the average ratio of “annual cost of treatment to annual income” was 0.56 with for maximum 2.23 and 0.02 as minimum. Patients who considered the cost of treatment unbearable for their income represented 78.95%. Conclusion: Prevention of blindness due to glaucoma requires early detection but also the establishment of health coverage mechanisms to improve compliance with medical treatment. In addition, consideration should be given to the development of glaucoma surgery in our country, the indication of which could be the first intention in certain patients, considering for those patients, the geographical and financial accessibility of medical treatment. .

Effect of nutrition-related infodemics and social media on maternal experience: A nationwide survey in a low/middle income country

BACKGROUND Undernutrition is a crucial cause of morbidity and mortality among children in low-or middle-income countries(LMICs).A better understanding of maternal general healthy nutrition knowledge,as well as misbeliefs,is highly essential,especially in such settings.In the current era of infodemics,it is very strenuous for mothers to select not only the right source for maternal nutrition information but the correct information as well.AIM To assess maternal healthy nutritional knowledge and nutrition-related misbeliefs and misinformation in an LMIC,and to determine the sources of such information and their assessment methods.METHODS This cross-sectional analytical observational study enrolled 5148 randomly selected Egyptian mothers who had one or more children less than 15 years old.The data were collected through online questionnaire forms:One was for the general nutrition knowledge assessment,and the other was for the nutritional myth score.Sources of information and ways of evaluating internet sources using the Currency,Relevance,Authority,Accuracy,and Purpose test were additionally analyzed.RESULTS The mean general nutrition knowledge score was 29±9,with a percent score of 70.8%±12.1%(total score:41).The median myth score was 9(interquartile range:6,12;total score:18).The primary sources of nutrition knowledge for the enrolled mothers were social media platforms(55%).Half of the mothers managed information for currency and authority,except for considering the author's contact information.More than 60%regularly checked information for accuracy and purpose.The mothers with significant nutrition knowledge checked periodically for the author's contact information(P=0.012).The nutrition myth score was significantly lower among mothers who periodically checked the evidence of the information(P=0.016).Mothers dependent on their healthcare providers as the primary source of their general nutritional knowledge were less likely to hold myths by 13%(P=0.044).However,using social media increased the likelihood of having myths among mothers by approximately 1.2(P=0.001).CONCLUSION Social media platforms were found to be the primary source of maternal nutrition information in the current era of infodemics.However,healthcare providers were the only source for decreasing the incidence of maternal myths among the surveyed mothers.

Research on the Influence of Digital Economy on the Income Gap between Urban and Rural Areas in China

In recent years,with the rapid advancement of information technology and the widespread proliferation of the Internet,digital technology has been reshaping the value chains of traditional industries and giving rise to entirely new business models and industrial forms.Technologies such as the Internet,big data,and artificial intelligence are being applied across various sectors,while new formats like e-commerce,the sharing economy,and online education are flourishing.These developments have driven new consumption patterns and employment methods.The rapid rise of the digital economy not only boosts production efficiency and economic growth but also influences the income distribution between urban and rural areas to some extent.This paper begins by examining the current state and characteristics of the digital economy and then analyzes its impact on the urban-rural income gap.Additionally,it offers countermeasures and recommendations for narrowing this gap,providing theoretical support for promoting common prosperity.

Study on the Influence of the Coordinated Development of Resident Income and GDP on Local Economic Development:Take Shandong Province as an Example

With the rapid development of China’s economy,the coordinated development of resident income and GDP has become an important indicator to measure local economic development.How to realize the synergistic growth of the two in the new era is of great significance for promoting the sustainable development of the local economy.Based on the theory of the coordinated development of resident income and GDP,this paper will take Shandong Province as an example to analyze the interaction between resident income growth and GDP,find out the influencing factors that restrict the coordinated development of resident income and GDP,and explore the impact of the coordinated development of resident income and GDP on local economic development.Finally,relevant policies will be studied.How to effectively increase residents’income,promote the sustainable and healthy development of the local economy,and put forward relevant suggestions to promote the coordinated development of residents’income and GDP.

Taxation Models and Improvement Proposals for Personal Income Tax in the Sharing Economy

As an innovative economic model,the sharing economy has seen rapid growth globally in recent years.It has not only brought a profound impact on traditional economies but also injected new vitality and momentum into the sustainable development of the social economy.However,for the sharing economy,the process of collecting personal income tax is facing several issues,such as the ambiguity of tax policies regarding personal income,challenges in identifying taxpayers,and difficulties in defining income.To achieve the fairness and efficiency of personal income tax collection in the sharing economy,this study proposes optimized regulatory mechanisms and conducts in-depth discussions on the adjustment of personal income tax policies,innovation in tax management technology,and improvement in the quality of personal income tax services.

Study on the Impact of Collective Commercial Construction Land Entering the Market on Rural Residents’Income:Taking Deqing County,Zhejiang Province as an Example

The entry of collective construction land for business purposes is an important measure for deepening the reform of the rural land system,promoting the flow of urban and rural factors,and realizing rural revitalization.Since the production of the first batch of pilot projects in 2015,33 county-level cities have participated in the pilot policy by 2023.Deqing County,Zhejiang Province,as the first area to participate in the pilot project,aims to achieve more fruitful results.This paper first examines how promoting farmers’income through the market entry of agricultural land can be achieved,then uses the synthetic control method to quantitatively study the impact of collective operational construction land on farmers’income using panel data from 2011 to 2019,and finally proposes relevant suggestions from the perspective of system reform.

Rural transformation,income growth,and poverty reduction by region in China in the past four decades

China has experienced rapid rural transformation in the past four decades.Accompanying the rapid transformation is a significant rise in rural household income and a substantial fall in rural poverty.This paper examines the evolutions of and the relationships between rural transformation(high-value agriculture and rural non-farm employment)and its outcomes(per capita rural income and rural poverty incidence)using provincial-level data.The results show that 31 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities have undergone significant rural transformation,but the level and speed of rural transformation differed considerably.Moreover,an increased level of rural transformation is often associated with higher per capita rural income and reduced rural poverty incidence.Notably,a category of provincial rural transformation based on high-value agriculture and rural non-farm employment is also analyzed.We further discuss the likely impacts of institutions,policies,and investments(IPIs)on rural transformation and conclude with policy implications.

Inclusive Finance,Income Gaps and Common Prosperity

According to the Report to the 20^(th) CPC National Congress,delivering common prosperity for all the people is an intrinsic requirement of Chinese modernization.Based on China Household Finance Survey(CHFS)data from 2015 to 2019,this study examines the effects of inclusive finance on China’s household income disparities and demonstrates how inclusive finance contributes to shared prosperity.Our empirical research reveals that inclusive finance has significantly decreased the income disparities between Chinese households.Inclusive finance has significantly increased the income levels of households below the 40^(th) percentile,making it more likely for them to move above the 40^(th) percentile of incomes,which is conducive to delivering common prosperity.Our analysis indicates that inclusive finance will reduce income disparities by assisting low-income households in starting a business and by promoting rural household employment.Reflecting its inclusive nature,further investigation reveals that inclusive finance has a greater positive impact on the income level of vulnerable households.Our research offers new evidence for comprehending the role of inclusive finance and a new interpretation of income disparities,with policy implications for accelerating Chinese modernization.

Between food fulfillment and income:Can urban agriculture contribute to both?

Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO)is appealing for a global implementation of urban agricultural strate-gies to increase food availability.Bandung,a city in Indonesia,is already participating in this initiative.This research aimed to assess the contribution of urban agriculture toward household food fulfillment and income.Furthermore,the impacts on urban,subsistence,semi-commercial,and commercial agriculture were considered.In-depth interviews to obtain qualitative data and observations were also utilized.A survey of 321 households,consisting of 107 for each urban agricultural type,used questionnaires to obtain quantitative data.These inputs were further analyzed to determine the contribution of household food fulfillment and income.The results showed that average urban agriculture has an insignificant and significant contribution of 9%and 41.5%to household food fulfillment and income.This was due to the vast complexities of metropolitan problems,including limited access to land,lack of participation,dependence on on-market products,and increasing commercialization which opposed urban agricultural policies。

Income Growth,Income Gaps,and Rural Poverty Reduction in China

This paper analyzes the evolving trends in China’s rural poverty from 1988 to 2018 and how income growth and income gaps contributed to poverty reduction using rural household data from the China Household Income Project(CHIP).We find that after China’s reform and opening up policy introduced in 1978,China’s rural poverty has been reduced substantially due primarily to income growth,although this poverty-reducing effect was partially offset by widening income gaps.During the progress of this poverty reduction,however,income distribution replaced income growth as the key driver.For the extremely poor in particular,their poverty status hinged upon income distribution.As revealed by our empirical analysis of income sources,wage income became the chief source of income for rural households,contributing a rising share to poverty reduction in the countryside.The contribution of net income from government transfer to poverty reduction has increased in recent years,and this contribution has been increased with the deepening level of poverty.Calculation of the pro-poor growth index suggests that the poor population primarily benefited from the trickle-down effect of economic growth,and the economic growth pattern has yet to lean towards pro-poor growth.

Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the impact of per capita income on household indirect carbon emissions in western China

With China entering the stage of high-quality development,the issue of carbon emission has become a hot research topic.This paper analyzes the different temporal and spatial effects of per capita income on household indirect carbon emissions in western China.Based on the data of Chinese Family Panel Studies(CFPS)in 2016 and 2018 in the western China,this paper uses Regression analysis and Bayesian correlation analysis to study the relationship between per capita income and household indirect carbon emissions.The results showed that the indirect carbon emissions generated by the expenditure on food,housing and household equipment in the household consumption structure in the western China were relatively high.In 2016-2018,the per capita income and per capita household consumption indirect carbon emissions in the western China showed an increasing trend.There was a positive correlation between per capita income and indirect carbon emissions of per capita household consumption,and its correlation was gradually enhanced in time dimension.In the spatial dimension,the household indirect carbon emissions in Yunnan,Qinghai,Guangxi Zhuang and Ningxia in the western China were greatly affected by per capita income,while the household indirect carbon emissions in Guizhou was least affected by per capita income.Finally,the paper puts forward some problems that we should consider in the process of facing the per capita income growth and climate change:the collection of carbon tax,the optimization of household consumption structure,the research and development of low-carbon products,and the differentiated carbon reduction.

An Uneven Impact of Emerging Technologies on Taxpayers With Various Income Levels Audited by the IRS: Empirical Evidence From an AI Technology Application and Regression Models

This study aims to investigate the influence of emerging technology adoption on tax compliance, encompassing both the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) compliance audits and taxpayers’ compliance performance (collectively, tax compliance). We employed the Gradient Descent optimization algorithm, an artificial intelligence (AI) technology application, to scrutinize the connection between the quality of US tax filings and the development of emerging technology, among other contributing factors. Additionally, we utilized multiple linear regression to evaluate the relationships between dependent variables, specifically IRS audit rates and the no-change rate at different income levels,1 and several independent variables, including a proxy for emerging technology in the form of tax software. Our findings reveal that while emerging technology significantly impacts tax compliance within the IRS and taxpayers’ performance, its effects vary across income groups. Notably, emerging technology seems to confer greater advantages to higher-income individuals compared to their lower-income counterparts. These study results hold considerable policy implications for government decision-makers in promoting the adoption of emerging technology among lower-income taxpayers.

Impacts of Agroecological Technologies Adoption on Agricultural Yield and Income for Millet and Cowpea Producers from Maradi and Zinder Regions in Niger

This article assesses the impacts of agroecological technologies adoption on the agricultural yields and incomes for millet and cowpea producers in Niger from both Maradi and Zinder regions. For this purpose, a set of descriptive statistics methods are applied to data collected from 1950 producers from 80 villages. Results indicate that the density of semi, HPK variety, compost and IT 90 variety are the most adopted agroecological technologies with respective adoption rates of 87%, 69%, 64.3% and 64%. Moreover, results show that millet producers that adopted agro-ecological technologies have on average multiplied by 2.00 and 2.96 times their production, in Zinder and Maradi regions respectively. Besides, findings reveal that cowpea producers that adopted agro-ecological technologies have on average multiplied by 2.00 and 3.21 times their production, in Zinder and Maradi regions respectively. Finally, results support that the improvement in millet and cowpea yields has led to increase in producers’ total income by 2 and 3 times respectively in Zinder and Maradi regions. Since agroecological technologies improve agricultural yields and income, we suggest policy makers to recommend their adoption and diffusion.

Overview of the Reports on the Reformation of Personal Income Taxation

Presentation of the reports on the reformation of personal income taxation that have been prepared with a development plan for the Greek economy,that discuss the issue of taxation and point out its important features.The goal is the complete modernization of the tax system,so that it responds more fully to the principles of social justice,contributes to the economic development of the country and is governed by simple and modern procedures,which apply to all tax objects.The purpose of the study is to deepen the proposals for tax reform based on the peculiarities of the Greek economy,the international trends in this field and the weaknesses of the tax system.The effects of a tax reformation are analyzed and how it should take the form of the reform,which,however,requires a new legislation,which will bring about radical and deep cuts,which respond to the new conditions and the internationalization of the economy.Proposals for a set of structural measures,which are necessary for the country’s adaptation to the wider European environment and the elimination of the weaknesses that increase its distance from the other member countries.Citation of the common points of the reports on the reformation of personal income taxation and their adoption by the tax leadership.

Profitable Transformation Changes in tea industry boost farmers’ income in Songyang

On 7 September,just as the first rays of light reach Earth,Huang Faliang and his wife arrived at their tea plantation in Xuzheng Village of Songyang County,Lishui City,Zhejiang Province,to harvest fresh tea leaves.When they reached the market for tea leaves at Shang’an Village of the county at around 9 a.m.with their produce,it was already bustling.In the market,over 5,000 people were busy with livestreaming tea products,trading of tea leaves and transportation.The Huang couple can earn around 500 yuan($68.5)each day from selling their tea leaves in the market.According to Qian Yuanfeng,director of Songyang’s Centre for Tea Industry Development,the market is even more busy in the spring,with over 20,000 people visiting each day,when households like Huang’s can earn over 2,000 yuan($273.9)each day.