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West Bengal, a middle-ranking Indian state in terms of development indicators with more than two-thirds rural population, is on the verge of becoming a lowest low fertility zone. While the rural TFR (Total Fertility Rate) of West Bengal (1.6 births/woman) is on par with many developed countries (Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, etc.), its developmental stage is not—which poses a paradox. Using data from a primary survey of 405 mothers aged 15–35 years alongside focus group data of parents, the present study employs a society-specific approach to explain contemporary low fertility in rural West Bengal. We argue that the presence of high aspirations for children in an economically insecure setting initiates a distinctive sense of parental responsibility that generates a unique local socio-ecology of low fertility not previously observed in the context of rural fertility decline in India. Responsibility-laden aspirations toward children and reasoned-rational deliberations regarding fertility outcomes act as subliminal motives to have a small family, challenging common assumptions regarding the relationship between economic hardship, rurality, and fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a lack of long-term information on the use of industry forest residues in Pinus taeda L plantations for purposes of enhancing sustainability. The study goal was to evaluate tree growth and nutrition, soil chemical properties, litter accumulation, and weed occurrence in a Pinus taeda L. system amended with alkaline residues from recycled paper. The residues were broadcasted at planting using different rates (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 t ha−1) on a sandy soil with low fertility. Tree diameter and height along with soil chemical properties were monitored for 15 years. At 15 years samples of litter, weeds, and soil were collected for evaluation. Over 15 years of monitoring, no changes in tree growth or final yield were observed despite increased Ca and reduced Mn foliar tissue concentrations. Low Mg concentration in needles combined with symptoms resembling Mg deficiency and a high increase in Ca levels, suggest that this nutrient could be a limiting factor in tree response. At the same time, a reduction in weed mass with residue application was verified. Residue amendment increased soil Ca and attenuated acidity down to 60 cm after 15 years with the maximum effect on soil properties at ~ 13 years. Litter decreased from 36.2 (control) to 26.9 Mg ha−1 (highest rate) but increased Ca and diminished Al concentrations. The alkaline residue (rich in Ca) improved soil chemical properties at the surface and subsurface, decreased weed growth, increased Ca and reduced Mn in needles, but probably failed to increase tree yield due to an Mg deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background/objectives: This study aims to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of factors influencing fertility intentions among South Koreans. This research is crucial given South Korea's lowest-in-the-world fertility rate of 0.72 in 2023, necessitating rapid and effective policies to address this demographic challenge; (2) Methods: Articles published from database inception through April 2024 were collected from five Korean databases using keywords based on the PEO (Population, Exposure, Outcome) framework. Following PRISMA guidelines, 35 articles were selected. The effect sizes and network of predictors related to fertility intention were analyzed using the R statistical package; (3) Results: A meta-analysis of the effect sizes of factors influencing fertility intentions revealed that the husband's involvement in parenting (ESr = 0.131), women's education level (ESr = 0.127), socioeconomic status (ESr = 0.116), and the expected gender of the child (ESr = 0.068) showed statistically significant positive effects. Conversely, women's age (ESr = −0.175), parental stress (ESr = −0.146), and household labor ratio (ESr = −0.117) showed statistically significant negative effects. The network analysis further elucidated the complex interrelationships among these factors; (4) Conclusions: This study suggests the need for multifaceted policy approaches to address Korea's low fertility, emphasizing promoting men's participation in parenting, supporting women's education and career development, reducing parenting stress, supporting work–family balance, and ensuring economic stability. These findings provide important insights for policymakers and researchers addressing the complex issue of low fertility in South Korea and may inform more effective interventions to boost fertility rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice panicle is the principal organ to influence productivity and traits affecting panicle architecture determine sink size and yield potential. Improving panicle architecture may be effective in increasing yield under low-input conditions, but which traits are of importance under such conditions and how they are genetically controlled is not well understood. Using recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between a modern variety IR64 and a low fertility tolerant accession DJ123, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping was conducted under high soil fertility in Japan and low fertility in Madagascar. Among QTL for panicle length (PL) detected, the DJ123 allele increased rachis length at qCL1 and qPL9, while the IR64 allele increased primary branch length at qPL7. DJ123 further contributed two QTL for grain width whereas IR64 contributed two grain length QTL. Analysis of lines carrying different combinations of detected QTL indicates that rachis and primary branch lengths are independently regulated, explaining strong transgressive segregation for PL. The positive effects of PL-related QTL were further confirmed by a genome-wide analysis of allelic states in two breeding lines that had been selected repeatedly for total panicle weight per plant under low input conditions. This study provides the genetic basis for complex panicle architecture in rice and will aid in designing an ideal panicle architecture that leads to increased yield under low fertility conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A population is regarded as the main non-economic driver of carbon emissions, causing the climatic crisis, especially in China experiencing a dramatic demographic transition. In contrast to aging, low fertility, the most remarkable feature of the Chinese population transition, has always been ignored when evaluating carbon emissions, due to the lack of long-run data. To narrow this gap, an integrated framework combining the continuous input–output tables from 1997 to 2018 with the Mann–Kendall test and vector auto-regression was presented to clarify the fluctuating trend of household embedded carbon emissions and the driving pattern of low fertility, aging, and urbanization. Our main findings showed that changes in household embedded carbon emissions have increased sharply in the last two decades. The growth of Chinese household embedded carbon emissions began to accelerate in 2001, which lagged 1 year behind the demographic indicators. Low fertility has a positive impact on households' embedded carbon emissions. More importantly, the impact of low fertility is more significant and far-reaching than that of aging. These suggest that aggressive policies for stimulating fertility and low-carbon lifestyles should be considered by policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japan and South Korea are experiencing drastic declines in marriage rates. One of the main factors explaining these declines is deteriorating youth employment. This study examined the effects of youth employment on marriage timing and the moderating effects of social contexts in both countries using longitudinal data and discrete-time logit analysis. The results indicated that unmarried people, particularly men, who were not regular employees with low annual income delayed marriage; this association was moderated by educational background and family structure (parents living together, primogeniture). Comparing the two countries, Japan experiences a stronger influence on marriage from the traditional family system, and South Korea has a stronger influence from economic disadvantages. This reflects differences in the strength of the traditional family system and the degree of deterioration of youth employment in the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideal family sizes remain at or above two in most low-fertility settings, but sub-replacement fertility ideals have been reported for urban China. The presence of restrictive family planning policies has led to a debate as to whether such ideals are genuine. This study exploits the ending of the one-child policy and the beginning of a universal two-child policy in October 2015 to investigate whether relaxing the restrictions led to an increase in ideal family size. We apply difference-in-differences and individual-level fixed-effect models to longitudinal data from a near-nationwide survey. For married individuals aged 20–39, relaxing the restrictions from one to two children increased the mean ideal family size by around 0.2 and the proportion who desired two or more children by around 19 percentage points. Findings suggest that although reported ideal family sizes have been reduced by policy restrictions, sub-replacement ideal family sizes in urban China appear to be genuine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Leguminous crop Tephrosia candida has high biomass production and contains a substantial quantity of nutrients within its biomass. Starting in 2019, a long-term study was done to find the best Tephrosia candida dose for mulching in guava orchards. The study had four treatments: T1 = 3.0 kg dry biomass m−2 of the plant basin, T2 = 2.0 kg, T3 = 1.0 kg, and T4 = control (no mulch). Every year, the treatments imposed in the month of August. The third year (2021–2022) results indicated that mulching with 3 kg of biomass m−2 increased trunk diameter, fruit yield, fruit weight, specific leaf area, total leaf chlorophyll, and leaf macro- and micro-nutrients. At 3.0 kg m−2, mulching improved soil properties such as EC, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, DTPA extractable micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn), total organic carbon (Ctoc), soil organic carbon (Csoc), organic carbon fractions, and microbial biomass carbon between 0–0.15 m and 0.15–0.30 m. There was an increasing trend in dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA). The Tephrosia leaf litter exhibited decay constants of 1.27 year−1, and the carbon content was 40.11%. Therefore, applying Tephrosia biomass mulching at a rate of 3.0 kg m−2 is a viable long-term solution for enhancing soil fertility and sequestering carbon.

Leguminous crop Tephrosia candida has high biomass production and contains a substantial quantity of nutrients within its biomass. Starting in 2019, a long-term study was done to find the best Tephrosia candida dose for mulching in guava orchards. The study had four treatments: T1 = 3.0 kg dry biomass m−2 of the plant basin, T2 = 2.0 kg, T3 = 1.0 kg, and T4 = control (no mulch). Every year, the treatments imposed in the month of August. The third year (2021–2022) results indicated that mulching with 3 kg of biomass m−2 increased trunk diameter, fruit yield, fruit weight, specific leaf area, total leaf chlorophyll, and leaf macro- and micro-nutrients. At 3.0 kg m−2, mulching improved soil properties such as EC, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, DTPA extractable micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn), total organic carbon (Ctoc), soil organic carbon (Csoc), organic carbon fractions, and microbial biomass carbon between 0–0.15 m and 0.15–0.30 m. There was an increasing trend in dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA). The Tephrosia leaf litter exhibited decay constants of 1.27 year−1, and the carbon content was 40.11%. Therefore, applying Tephrosia biomass mulching at a rate of 3.0 kg m−2 is a viable long-term solution for enhancing soil fertility and sequestering carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing interest in understanding fertility from a life course perspective, few studies have examined family formation pathways through a holistic lens. Using women’s birth history and individual-level data from the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families, we conducted sequence analysis to gain a comprehensive picture of family formation trajectories across time. We identified six clusters representing a gradient from late/low to early/high rates of marriage and fertility. Growing up with parents of higher socioeconomic status and a smaller family size showed links to pathways that delays and declines in marriage and fertility characterised. On the other hand, being born in a non-metropolitan area related to earlier family formation. The findings support the idea that considering life course circumstances and context could enhance our understanding of marriage and fertility trends. Specifically, intergenerational influences, interdependencies between the timing and sequence of transitions and the endogeneity of multiple life trajectories are important to consider. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is closely linked to the decline inof female fertility caused by various factors. Antioxidants, which can counteract oxidative stress. have been increasingly used as adjunctive therapy for women with reduced fertility. However, there are limited clinical studies on whether antioxidants can enhance fertility in women with low reproductive capacity and improve pregnancy outcomes, with inconsistent results and generally low-quality evidence. This paper reviewed the impact of oxidative stress on female fertility and discusses the progress of research on the application of antioxidants in common conditions that lead to reduced female fertility and are closely associated with oxidative stress, such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, and unexplained infertility, aiming to provide a reference for clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces the tentative concept of deep aging – a label used for a situation when the overall ageing effects of the second demographic transition, due to fertility below replacement level, are topped by the excessive emigration of the fertile contingent (additional loss of active population). Deep ageing thus accelerates population decline. But the loss of fertile contingent may affect the total fertility rates and its apparent rise (TFR). Here, the tempo effect of fertility plays the decisive role. The article first assesses the demographic change in the European macroregions in the period after the fall of the Iron Curtain (1990–2020). It then analyses the changes in the area of former Yugoslavia to assess the extent of population change in the last intercensal period, 2011–2022. Building on the previous research of population loss and migration flows after the break-up of Yugoslavia, the overall population change in the region is being assessed. It is also shown that tempo distortion of fertility rates considerably affects the realistic level of fertility and that approximate completed fertility rates fell less dramatically. Since the migration data are less reliable, the analysis of intercensal change was applied to assess the migration losses across the ex-Yugoslav space. To assess the extent of deep ageing, the intercensal projection of fertile contingent was introduced. The stage of deep ageing is the most pronounced in Croatia and Serbia, especially at the younger fertile group, while the overall loss of fertile population is profound and will certainly affect the further future decrease in population. Similarly difficult demographic situation is in other post-Yugoslav countries, where only Slovenia has not yet slid into the stage of deep ageing.

Psamments is sandy soil with a texture class of fine loamy sand or coarser in all layers, deposited sands such as dunes in beach lands with low soil biological fertility. Adding mycorrhizal, soil amendments, and inorganic fertilizers could improve soil fertility. This research aimed to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal, soil amendments, and inorganic fertilizers on soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), and root infections in Psamments. This research was a pot experimental in screenhouse, arranged in a factorial completely randomized design with three factors: three of mycorrhizal doses, M0 = 0 spore pot-1, M1 = 3 spores pot-1 and M2 = 6 spores pot-1; three types of soil amendments, P0 = non amendment, P1 = cow dung 60 t ha-1, P2 = rice husk biochar (RHB) 25 t ha-1; and two doses of inorganic fertilizer, A0 = 0 kg ha-1, A1 = 100 kg ha-1 NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer, replied three times. The results showed that mycorrhizal combination with RHB and inorganic fertilizer increased MBC up to 23 times than control. The combination of mycorrhizal-cow dung-inorganic fertilizer was the highest of total-GRSP (4.4 times) and mycorrhizal dose 6 spores pot-1 with both amendments and inorganic fertilizer increase root infection up to 90%. It was proven that mycorrhizal with soil amendments and inorganic fertilizers could improve the microbial properties of Psamments.

(1) Background/objectives: This study aims to systematically review and conduct a meta-analysis of factors influencing fertility intentions among South Koreans. This research is crucial given South Korea’s lowest-in-the-world fertility rate of 0.72 in 2023, necessitating rapid and effective policies to address this demographic challenge; (2) Methods: Articles published from database inception through April 2024 were collected from five Korean databases using keywords based on the PEO (Population, Exposure, Outcome) framework. Following PRISMA guidelines, 35 articles were selected. The effect sizes and network of predictors related to fertility intention were analyzed using the R statistical package; (3) Results: A meta-analysis of the effect sizes of factors influencing fertility intentions revealed that the husband’s involvement in parenting (ESr = 0.131), women’s education level (ESr = 0.127), socioeconomic status (ESr = 0.116), and the expected gender of the child (ESr = 0.068) showed statistically significant positive effects. Conversely, women’s age (ESr = −0.175), parental stress (ESr = −0.146), and household labor ratio (ESr = −0.117) showed statistically significant negative effects. The network analysis further elucidated the complex interrelationships among these factors; (4) Conclusions: This study suggests the need for multifaceted policy approaches to address Korea’s low fertility, emphasizing promoting men’s participation in parenting, supporting women’s education and career development, reducing parenting stress, supporting work–family balance, and ensuring economic stability. These findings provide important insights for policymakers and researchers addressing the complex issue of low fertility in South Korea and may inform more effective interventions to boost fertility rates.

The social audit approach is proposed under the ongoing evaluation and monitoring. In this approach, there are policy inputs and processes, including resources diversion and transformation. This article evaluates the impact of the Youthful Population and Protection of the Family law on the childbearing attitudes and willingness to have children according to this model. The qualitative method and in-depth interviews with the audience of the law was used. Findings indicated that under"inappropriate policy inputs" the sub-categories of insufficient incentives compared to economic conditions, not including the basic needs of having children, and The inefficient content of cultural policies, have reduced the effects of the law. In the under"policy processes"there has been the resources deviation due to the taste of executive agencies and "resource transformation"due to negative behaviours against granting facilities. Distrust in government incentives, the failure to provide an efficient solution in the face of the complexities and structural conditions of executive institutions have reduced the effects of the law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging phenomenon of low fertility in recent decades has led many countries to begin implementing policies aimed at supporting families and increasing fertility. Consequently, in Iran, the Family Support and Youth Population Law was approved and communicated in 2021. This research aims to examine the challenges of implementing this law and its strengths and weaknesses in the city of Islamabade Gharb in 2023. The research method is survey-based and is applied in nature. The data for the study were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire in 2022. The sample size included 374 visitors to health and treatment centers in the city of Islamabad-e Gharb, and a stratified multi-stage sampling method was used to determine the sample units. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 22 and ordinal regression. The data analysis showed a significant and direct relationship between gender, socio-economic status, the value of incentives, insufficient incentives, and lack of government intervention in policymaking and the desire for childbearing. There is a significant and inverse relationship between education, employment status, distrust in incentive policies, and ambiguity in policymaking. The values of three statistics (Cox and Snell, Nagelkerke, and McFadden) related to the pseudo-R-squared indicated that the independent variables could explain 0.068 to 0.181 percent of the variance in the desire for childbearing. It seems that a package of tax benefits, cash benefits, and services may reduce the costs of raising children for parents. These packages can potentially create financial incentives for having more children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking stock of individuals’ perceived family ideals is particularly important in the current moment given unprecedented fertility declines and the diversification of households in advanced industrial societies. Study participants in urban China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the United States, Italy, Spain, and Norway were asked to evaluate vignettes describing families whose characteristics vary on ten dimensions. In contrast to previous studies that focused on a single dimension, such as fertility ideals or gender roles, this holistic vignette approach identifies the relative importance of each dimension. Multilevel regression analysis reveals both expected and unexpected findings. Parenthood remains a positive ideal, but the number of children does not matter once other family dimensions are considered, a potentially important finding in light of conventional wisdom regarding the two-children ideal. When evaluating families with at least one child, respondents tend to positively evaluate more traditional arrangements, including valuing marriage relative to cohabitation and, particularly, divorce. Also, in addition to financial resources, good communication between immediate and extended family members, as well as maintaining respect in the larger community, are highly salient attributes of an ideal family. Notwithstanding some important cross-national differences, egalitarian gender roles and avoiding work– family conflict are also valued positively. Overall, even as the study reveals some notable variations between societies, respondents across countries identify similar components of an ideal family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psamments is sandy soil with a texture class of fine loamy sand or coarser in all layers, deposited sands such as dunes in beach lands with low soil biological fertility. Adding mycorrhizal, soil amendments, and inorganic fertilizers could improve soil fertility. This research aimed to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal, soil amendments, and inorganic fertilizers on soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP), and root infections in Psamments. This research was a pot experimental in screenhouse, arranged in a factorial completely randomized design with three factors: three of mycorrhizal doses, M0 = 0 spore pot-1, M1 = 3 spores pot-1 and M2 = 6 spores pot-1; three types of soil amendments, P0 = non amendment, P1 = cow dung 60 t ha-1, P2 = rice husk biochar (RHB) 25 t ha-1; and two doses of inorganic fertilizer, A0 = 0 kg ha-1, A1 = 100 kg ha-1 NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer, replied three times. The results showed that mycorrhizal combination with RHB and inorganic fertilizer increased MBC up to 23 times than control. The combination of mycorrhizal-cow dung-inorganic fertilizer was the highest of total-GRSP (4.4 times) and mycorrhizal dose 6 spores pot-1 with both amendments and inorganic fertilizer increase root infection up to 90%. It was proven that mycorrhizal with soil amendments and inorganic fertilizers could improve the microbial properties of Psamments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to analyze significant changes in family law and their relationship to gender equality, which has emerged as one of several factors contributing to low fertility in Korea from a socio-legal perspective. Fertility changes in Korea can be categorized into two distinct periods. The first period, spanning from 1960 to the late-1990s, saw a rapid decline in the fertility rate from approximately six children per woman to slightly below the replacement level. The second period began around the early 2000s, and is characterized by a further decline in the fertility rate to an extremely low level that continues until recent times. During the first phase of low fertility, several revisions were made to the family law, including major revisions related to hojuje, along with subsequent changes. This paper analyzes the implications of some of these family law revisions, specifically, examining provisions related to son preference and gender discrimination in inheritance and the parent-child relationship in family law and their impact on fertility. Through this analysis, this study aims to establish a connection between the revisions of family law and changes in fertility, ultimately shedding light on the complex relationship between law and society in modern Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In past and contemporary societies, kin presence and support are widely cherished for helping couples contend with parenthood. Thus, it is hypothesized that intergenerational cooperation in raising children influences fertility decisions. Despite the potential benefits of having a supportive family environment, societies with dissimilar social, structural, and geographical conditions may exhibit cross-cultural differences that are characterized by variations in family processes and reproductive outcomes. To demonstrate the influence of context, this study draws on the 2006 and 2016 East Asian Social Survey and uses generalized Poisson regression to investigate cross-national differences in the effect of intergenerational support on fertility in East Asia. The results show distinct patterns in the effect of intergenerational financial support, instrumental support, and geographic proximity on fertility. Financial support and proximity to grandparents are particularly conducive to childbearing among urban families. Instrumental support appears to be more beneficial for societies going through the second phase of the gender revolution (South Korea and Taiwan) than for societies with stronger gender role constraints (Japan). The findings highlight how context underpins the effect of intergenerational support on fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We present and discuss the General Family Allowance (GFA), in Italian: Assegno Unico Universale, a measure that the Italian Government and Parliament have put in place from March 2022 addressing the persistent low fertility in Italy. The GFA modernizes monetary transfers in favor of families with children in Italy, covering large groups of families that were previously excluded from full benefits. Even if the aim of the GFA is to support fertility rather than to alleviate child poverty, it is likely that this measure will help to reduce poverty, especially for families with children previously excluded from significant cash contributions, such as recently resident foreigners and the unemployed. In addition, as GFA amounts are modest for wealthier couples, its potential effect on fertility—if there will be any—should be limited to couples with modest incomes. The GFA is also compared with the different systems of monetary transfers in favor of families with children of developed countries.

Fertility rates have been declining in most high-income countries. Singapore is at the forefront of developing pronatalist policies to increase birth rates. This study examines perceptions towards pronatalist policies among men and women in Singapore and compares which policies are perceived as the most important contributors to the conduciveness for childbearing. Using data from the Singapore Perceptions of the Marriage and Parenthood Package study (N = 2000), the results from dominance analysis highlight two important findings. First, paternity leave, shared parental leave, and the Baby Bonus are the top three contributors to the conduciveness to have children. Second, the combined positive effect of financial incentives and work–life policies is perceived to be favorable to fertility. The findings suggest that low-fertility countries may wish to consider adopting this basket of policies as they are like to be regarded as supportive of childbearing. Although previous research suggests that pronatalist policies may only have a modest effect on fertility, the findings raise further questions as to whether fertility may decline even further in the absence of these policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present and discuss the General Family Allowance (GFA), in Italian: Assegno Unico Universale, a measure that the Italian Government and Parliament have put in place from March 2022 addressing the persistent low fertility in Italy. The GFA modernizes monetary transfers in favor of families with children in Italy, covering large groups of families that were previously excluded from full benefits. Even if the aim of the GFA is to support fertility rather than to alleviate child poverty, it is likely that this measure will help to reduce poverty, especially for families with children previously excluded from significant cash contributions, such as recently resident foreigners and the unemployed. In addition, as GFA amounts are modest for wealthier couples, its potential effect on fertility—if there will be any—should be limited to couples with modest incomes. The GFA is also compared with the different systems of monetary transfers in favor of families with children of developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea and other developed regions in East Asia have become forerunners of prolonged lowest-low fertility. South Korea's total fertility rate has been below 1.3 for two decades, the longest duration among OECD countries. Using vital statistics and census data, I study recent trends in the country's cohort fertility covering women born before the 1960s to those born in the 1980s. Analyzing outcomes at both the intensive margin of fertility (i.e., timing and number of children) and the extensive margin of family formation (i.e., marriage and childlessness), I document three novel patterns. First, the driver of low fertility has evolved across birth cohorts, from married women having later and fewer childbirths, to fewer women getting married, and finally to fewer women having children even if married. Second, a decomposition analysis of marriage and fertility changes indicates that the marriage and fertility decline was driven by changes within educational groups rather than by changes in women's educational composition. Third, the relationship between women's educational attainment and marriage or fertility was negative for the 1960s cohort, but an inverted U-shaped education gradient emerged beginning with the 1970s cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The deterioration in reproductive performance in association with low fertility leads to significant economic losses on dairy farms. The uterine microbiota has begun to attract attention as a possible cause of unexplained low fertility. We analyzed the uterine microbiota associated with fertility by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing in dairy cows. First, the alpha (Chao1 and Shannon) and beta (unweighted and weighted UniFrac) diversities of 69 cows at four dairy farms that had passed the voluntary waiting period before the first artificial insemination (AI) were analyzed with respect to factors including farm, housing style, feeding management, parity, and AI frequency to conception. Significant differences were observed in the farm, housing style, and feeding management, except parity and AI frequency to conception. The other diversity metrics did not show significant differences in the tested factors. Similar results were obtained for the predicted functional profile. Next, the microbial diversity analysis of 31 cows at a single farm using weighted UniFrac distance matrices revealed a correlation with AI frequency to conception but not with parity. In correlation with AI frequency to conception, the predicted function profile appeared to be slightly modified and a single bacterial taxon, Arcobacter, was detected. The bacterial associations related to fertility were estimated. Considering these, the uterine microbiota in dairy cows can be varied depending on the farm management practices and may become one of the measures for low fertility. IMPORTANCE We examined the uterine microbiota associated with low fertility in dairy cows derived from four commercial farms via a metataxonomic approach using endometrial tissues prior to the first artificial insemination. The present study provided two new insights into the relevance of uterine microbiota with respect to fertility. First, the uterine microbiota varied depending on housing style and feeding management. Next, a subtle change was observed in functional profile analysis: a formation of uterine microbiota was detected to be different in correlation with fertility in one farm studied. Considering these insights, an examination system on bovine uterine microbiota is hopefully established based on continuous research on this topic.

The rhizosphere microbiome plays a vital role in crop growth and adaptation. However, the effects of rice genotype, nitrogen (N) fertilization, and their interactions on the rhizosphere bacterial communities in low fertility soil remain poorly understood. In this study, a two-factor field experiment was performed in newly reclaimed mudflat paddies characterized by poor fertility to analyze bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of Yongyou 2640 (japonica/indica hybrid rice, JIH) and Huaidao No.5 (japonica conventional rice, JC) under different N fertilizer rates. Results showed that genotype, followed by N fertilizer rate, was the primary factor affecting rhizobacteria diversity. Rhizobacteria diversity was higher in JIH than in JC and that of JIH and JC did not significantly change overall as N fertilizer rates but increased and decreased at N fertilizer rates of over 300 kg N ha−1, respectively. The inconsistent response was probably attributed to the difference in the increase of ammonium and/or nitrate in the rhizosphere of JIH and JC. Genotype explained approximately 26% of the variation in rhizosphere bacterial communities. Rhizosphere bacterial communities with N fertilizer rates of over 300 kg N ha−1 were more dissimilar to those without N fertilization relative to those with N fertilizer rates of below 300 kg N ha−1, which was mainly attributed to changes in the concentration of ammonium and/or nitrate. The relative abundances of some potential beneficial genera such as Salinimicrobium, Salegentibacter, Gillisia, and Anaerolinea in the rhizosphere of JC and Salegentibacter, Lysobacter, Nocardioides, and Pontibacter in the rhizosphere of JIH were increased under N fertilizer rates of less than 300 kg N ha−1 and positively correlated with rice yields, which indicate that changes in bacterial communities caused by N fertilization might be strongly associated with the improvement of rice yield. Overall, rhizosphere bacterial communities were more sensitive to genotype in newly reclaimed mudflat paddies and showed a consistent response to N fertilizer rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data based on retrospective interviews with older informants enable us to review the history of contraceptive use among Spanish women over much of the twentieth century. This source is unique because it includes cohorts of women whose reproductive lives took place before, during, and after the baby boom. Traditional contraceptive methods (withdrawal and periodic abstinence) were central to the experience of the first set of women, while the last set made full use of modern as well as some traditional methods. For the first cohorts, traditional methods spearheaded the historic decline in fertility, while among the last set of women modern methods led to a precipitous decline towards the below-replacement fertility that continues in Spain today. There is no evidence that the modest increases in fertility during the baby boom in Spain were the result of a decline in the use of contraception among married women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, leading to severe population loss as millions exited the country and casualties mounted. However, population decline in Ukraine had been occurring for decades due to the triple burden of depopulation: low fertility, high mortality and substantial emigration. Ukraine had also already experienced years of armed conflict and large-scale displacement after the Russian-backed separatist movement, which started in 2014. This study investigates perspectives on depopulation using online focus groups conducted in July 2021, seven months before the current invasion. We compared discussions in eastern Ukraine, including in rural villages, the IDP-receiving city of Mariupol, the large city of Kharkiv and occupied Donetsk. Participants observed that cities were growing at the expense of rural areas. The situation in Donetsk was bleak due to mass emigration, but some participants pointed to a recent increase in births. Overall, the participants acknowledged the triple burden of depopulation in Ukraine, and the consequences of population decline, such as a shrinking labour force and rapid ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public discourse about the ongoing fertility decline and the spread of low fertility, and the consequences thereof, is often unscientific and emotionally charged. As I argue in my book, Decline and Prosper! (Skirbekk, 2022), low fertility per se does not pose a major societal threat - and it is also accompanied by a number of benefits. In this article, I summarize my main points: namely, that i) the negative consequences of low fertility are often exaggerated and based on false assumptions; ii) low fertility is driven by many different, interacting factors, and is the byproduct or the cause of many positive societal developments; iii) low fertility is here to stay; and iv) societies urgently need to adapt to a world with fewer children. Fertility decline is self-perpetuating: once lowfertility has become the normin one generation, the fertility level is much less likely to increase in subsequent generations. At the same time, no plausible level of migration would be enough to meaningfully alter population aging in the long term. If, however, societies make the right choices, low fertility can enable humans to live more sustainably well into the future, and can stimulate further positive developments in the human condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective (s): Awareness of people's childbearing intentions, which play a key role in predicting future fertility behaviors, is one of the most crucial topics in low-fertility societies. This study aimed to investigate the fertility intentions of recently married couples in Iran. Methods: The data of the National Marriage Survey in Iran (2016-2017) were analyzed using secondary analyses technique. The sample consisted of 8,977 people in provincial capitals. Results: The results revealed that 2.1% of people intend to remain childless and 16.9% want to have one-child. The most important reasons for childlessness intention were the financial costs of the children and the lack of interest in having a child. Ethnicity was one of the main determinants. The Baluchs and the Arabs tend to have more children than the other ethnic groups, and the Gilakis were most inclined to be childless or have one-child. Furthermore, education, participation in religious rites, employment status and religion have a significant effect on fertility intentions. Conclusion: Although the childlessness intention was low, one-fifth of people tend to have less than two children. This could affect future fertility rates negatively given the expansion of higher education and the economic challenges. Thus, policymakers should prioritize reconciliation policies and child care programs.

Modern low fertility is an unresolved paradox. Despite the tremendous financial growth and stability in modern societies, birth rates are steadily dropping. Almost half of the world's population lives in countries with below-replacement fertility and is projected for a continued decline. Drawing on life history theory and an evolutionary mismatch perspective, we propose that desire for social status (which is increasingly experienced by individuals in industrialized, modern societies) is a key factor affecting critical reproductive preferences. Across two experimental studies (total N = 719), we show that activating a desire for status can lead people to prefer reproductive tradeoffs that favor having fewer children, thereby predicting preferences for delaying both marriage and having a first child. These data support an evolutionary life history mismatch perspective and suggest a complementary explanation for declining fertility rates in contemporary societies, especially developed and economically advanced ones.

Contraception is considered a rational strategy to prevent unwanted births. However, beyond the dichotomy of «planned» and «unplanned» pregnancy, behaviours are sometimes ambivalent or contradictory. The present paper investigates the reasons beyond the non-use of contraception in Italy by examining a large-scale survey of university students conducted in 2000 and 2017. The findings reveal a small but clearly defined group of young female students, cohabiting with their partner and residing in the South of the country, who have a high frequency of sexual intercourses and do not deliberately use any contraceptive method. These findings offer population-based evidence about the existence of a part of female Italian university students that, although not actively trying to have a child, are nevertheless fine to run the risk of pregnancy through unprotected sexual intercourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vietnam's total fertility rate has been relatively stable around the replacement level since 2005. Meanwhile, fertility in the Southeast of Vietnam has always been far below the replacement level. As reproductive desires and intentions are important determinants of fertility, the article estimates family size desires and intentions in the Southeast and analyse related sociodemographic factors, contributing insights to the low fertility in this region. Methods: Based on data from a survey of people aged 18-45 in the Southeast in 2020, bivariate analysis and multinomial logistic regressions were applied to examine family size desires and intentions in this region. Results: Most respondents want two (57.3%) or more (33.1%) children, and only 8.4% of them want to have fewer than two children. There are wide gaps within reproductive desires and intentions and the actual fertility. The mean intended family size is nearly 2.1, lower than the mean desired family size but much higher than the total fertility rate in 2020. Young people and unmarried females are more likely to have desires and intentions of fewer than two children. The most frequent reason for no intention of attaining desired family sizes is the fear of not having enough financial resources to raise their children as their expectations. Discussion and Conclusion: The low fertility in the Southeast of Vietnam is not due to a substantial decline in the value of children, but mainly because socioeconomic conditions are not favourable for having two or more children. In the current context in the Southeast, when most people of reproductive age still want and intend to have at least two children, support policies to reduce difficulties and obstacles to having would be much more effective in increasing the fertility rate than later when the desire of fewer than two children become more popular.

Scholars are interested in better understanding the low fertility observed in higher income countries. While some people are choosing to have smaller families, countries also report a 'fertility gap', which is the proportion of people who end up with fewer children than originally desired. This paper investigates some causes of the fertility gap in the UK. We amassed qualitative data from seven focus groups conducted among men and women of reproductive age with different educational backgrounds. These focus groups suggest that social support is an influential factor for Britons thinking about having children, although discussions differed in terms of whether this was support from partners or parents. Discussions with university-educated women featured themes of career opportunity costs, and non-university men contributed insights on the financial burden of parenthood. This exploratory study provides up-to-date material on unwanted childlessness and the low fertility in the UK, and highlights the merit of using qualitative methods in understanding the fertility gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on blended diffusion theory which reconciles the two mechanisms of fertility change (due to adaptation to social structure change or due to diffusion), this study examines the role of adaptation and diffusion of China's low fertility in the first decade of the 21st century. A two‐period panel data set on fertility for 358 prefecture‐level administrative units assembled in 2000 and 361 in 2010 population census is used. Exploratory and confirmatory analysis techniques from spatial econometrics are applied to analyze this data. Results from exploratory spatial data analysis reveal a general spatial autocorrelation for fertility and its change. Inspection with local indicators of spatial autocorrelation identifies local spatial clusters of fertility: high‐value clusters in the western region and low‐value clusters in northeastern and east coast areas. Total fertility rates and its change are modelled with socioeconomic and demographic factors using a spatial lag Durbin model. The results suggest that the spread of low fertility in China tends to be consistent with blended diffusion theory. Low fertility in China not only adapts to economic growth, social development and even institution structure, but also influenced by diffusion of new attitudes and ideas related to childbearing and family formation. More importantly, adaptation diffuses too. Socioeconomic circumstances in neighbouring cities often are strongly interdependent. This study highlights the importance of 'bringing space back' to demographic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased objective uncertainties, upward movement in the hierarchy of needs, and associated cultural and ideational transition are inherent to modern societies. These factors were previously treated as independent macro-shocks and studied separately, without regard for their interactions. In this paper, we provide an all-around framework to interpret fertility behavior and low fertility in developed economies, to compensate for the isolation of economic uncertainty from a cultural and ideational transition in previous empirical studies. In this regard, we conduct an empirical analysis of panel data of 34 OECD countries from 2000 to 2018, to discuss the impact of economic uncertainty on the fertility rate and the moderating effect of cultural and ideational transition on that impact. Below are our findings: (1) economic uncertainty significantly inhibits the fertility rate, and such an inhibiting effect is found to be underestimated after endogeneity is controlled; (2) according to heterogeneity analysis, the inhibiting effect of economic uncertainty on the fertility rate is stronger after the 2008 financial crisis and among low-income economies and countries where Confucianism is practiced; (3) a significant negative moderating effect of cultural and ideational transition on the relationship between economic uncertainty and fertility rate is observed, indicating that the inhibiting effect of structural dimensions that combine objective and subjective factors regarding the fertility rate may be self-reinforcing; and, (4) further tests show that economic uncertainty and cultural and ideational transition affect the fertility rate by means of the effect of delayed parenthood, the substitution of cohabitation for marriage, and fertility preferences. We find that fertility behavior is cumulatively affected by both economic uncertainty and cultural and ideational transition. This implies that reducing economic uncertainty and fostering a culture that encourages marriage and fertility are fundamental for increasing the fertility rate in China, a country resorting to the third-child policy to promote a fertility rebound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea was among the first countries to report both an abnormally high sex ratio at birth (SRB) and its subsequent normalization. We examine the role of son preference in driving fertility intentions during a period of declining SRB and consider the contribution of individual characteristics and broader social context to explaining changes in intentions. We employ data from the National Survey on Fertility, Family Health and Welfare that span 1991-2012. We find that reported son preference declined to a great extent but remained substantial by the end of the observation period, and that the intention to have a third child still differed by sex of existing children. Change in individual-level factors does not explain the decline in son preference, suggesting that broad social changes were also important. This study provides a better understanding of how son preference evolves in the post-transitional context of very low fertility.

Introduction: Iran has experienced a dramatic fertility decline in recent decades. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) reached the below-replacement level in 2000 and further declined to 1.8 in 2011 before rising to around 2.1 by 2016 and then falling to 1.8 by 2019. Tehran city has been a vanguard of low fertility as the TFR has been around 1.5 children per woman in recent years. As fertility falls to a low level, the second and higher birth intervals increase which could have significant impacts on the level of fertility. Various theories and hypotheses have explained low fertility. Recently, however, gender equity has emerged as a key link in explaining the phenomenon of low fertility (Cook 2003; McDonald 2000). Based on gender equity theory, many women, especially those with higher education and career prospects, may see their role as mothers and wives in conflict with other roles under the influence of new egalitarian ideas they have acquired in person-centered institutions. Therefore, they try to limit their fertility because fertility takes a lot of time and energy from them. Thus, low fertility rates will continue unless gender equity in family-centered institutions increases much faster than in the past. In the context of high gender equity in individual-centered institutions, higher gender equity in family-oriented social institutions will lead to increased fertility. Failure to change gender roles in family life, while women want to take advantage of more economic and educational opportunities, leads to reduced fertility (McDonald 2000). Three aspects of gender equity in the family, including the spouse's participation in household chores, women's attitudes toward gender roles, as well as the spouse's support and participation in the affairs of children, are valuable in explaining fertility decline (Bianchi, et al. 2000; Mills, et al. 2008). Recent studies in low-fertility settings have attributed long birth intervals and low fertility to gender role attitudes and role division within the family (Fukuda 2017; Miettinen et al 2011). This study aims to investigate the effect of the gender division of labor and attitudes on the second birth interval in Tehran city. Materials and Methods:This study used a sub-sample of data from the ‘Iran Fertility Transition Survey’ conducted in five provinces of Iran (including Tehran) in 2017. The sample comprised 363 married women aged 15-49 years old and had at least one child in Tehran city. The Kaplan-Meier test was used to determine the second birth interval. To investigate its relationship with attitude and gender division of labor, survival models including Cox proportional, exponential, Weibel, Gompertz, Log Normal Logl Logistic, and Gamma Generalized models were fitted. In order to consider the dependence on survival times, a common fragility model with gamma distribution was tested. Based on the Akaik criterion, the generalized gamma model was selected as the most appropriate model. Discussion of Results and Conclusions: The results showed that the median time of first birth to second birth among the sample was 84 months. Based on cumulative survival ratios within 120 months (10 years) of the time of first birth, 70% of women had a second child, meaning that 30% of them were likely to remain single-child. According to the results, one-third of women indicated that their husbands were involved in taking care of their children. Regarding the division of household affairs, 86% of women did the housework (cleaning, cooking, etc.) alone and only 14% did it with the participation of their husbands. In addition, about half of the women had egalitarian gender attitudes, and less than a third had traditional gender attitudes.According to Kaplan Meyer's estimates, the median interval between the first and second birth among women who do the housework alone and take care of the children alone is 6 and 2 months longer, respectively, than the women whose husbands participate in such matters. The analyses revealed also a significant relationship between gender attitudes and second birth interval. Women with an egalitarian attitude delayed their second birth by about 30 months more than other women. The results of multivariate analysis with the generalized gamma model also showed that having a modern gender attitude increases the second birth interval.Participation of men in domestic work had no significant effect on the second birth interval. Despite the transition of the society from traditional to modern in many respects, due to the dominance of patriarchal structures and low gender equity in the family, the division of household chores based on gender remains, and women are mainly responsible for housework. Even after controlling for employment situation, there was no significant relationship between the division of labor in the home and the interval between the first and second birth. This finding may have been influenced by the small sample size in the participatory category, given that the majority of women do housework alone, and thus, the statistical analysis did not show a significant difference between the independent variables and the second birth timing. However, after controlling for contextual variables and socio-economic characteristics, the results showed that gender division of labor in child affair had a significant effect on the second birth interval, and the lower participation of men in child affairs increased the second birth interval.The results also revealed that such variables as education, the ideal number of children at the time of marriage, and the interval between marriage to first birth had a significant effect on the second birth interval. Having a diploma degree and lower as compared to those with higher levels of education has reduced the second birth interval. The ideal number of children at the time of marriage also had a decreasing effect, as those with a higher ideal number of children at the time of marriage had a lower second birth interval. Furthermore, those with a longer interval between marriage and the first birth experienced a longer second birth interval. Finally, there was a significant difference between the second birth interval by marriage cohort. Those who married in the 1980s experienced a shorter birth interval as compared to the 2000s marriage cohort.According to McDonald (2000) and Goldshider (2000), the conflict between behavior and attitudes in the family and society can be the source of change in family decisions, the formation of low fertility intentions and behaviors, including delay in fertility and increasing the interval between births leading to smaller family norm and size. The findings of this article are in line with the theory of gender equity as having egalitarian gender attitudes and unequal division of care of children has led to a delay in the second birth. In other words, having egalitarian gender attitudes among women only leads to increased fertility when males also participate in decision making as well as household and children affairs. Giving or taking responsibility for housework by women is rooted in a gender ideology that is different or even conflicting with the gender ideology of women today. Therefore, such a difference in attitude and behavior can lead to a longer interval between births and low fertility behaviors and intentions in Tehran city. In order to implement policies to increase fertility, in addition to striving for a sustainable economy and providing an optimistic outlook for the future, family-friendly policies must embrace a broad framework of cultural values that support men's participation in domestic affairs and reduce gender inequality, thereby preventing further delay on the second birth interval leading to fertility increase.

Objective: To compare fertility in India to both low-to-middle-income and high-income countries (LMICs and HICs) and describe the patterns that have accompanied India's transition to low fertility. Methods: We use data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), the United Nations (UN), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to observe factors associated with fertility decline in 36 Indian states and 76 countries. Results: Although fertility in India has declined to levels similar to HICs, women's entry into marriage and initiation of childbearing are more in line with patterns found in LMICs. The vast majority of women in India (97Š) are married by age 30, and their average age at first birth is only 21.3 years old. In spite of these patterns, average fertility has declined in India as a result of earlier termination of childbearing. Among more recent cohorts, fewer women progressed to higher-order births and about half of women obtained a sterilization by age 35. Conclusions: India has reached low fertility by mechanisms outside the traditional indicators of fertility decline. In contrast to countries that have achieved low fertility through delayed age at first birth, women in India have continued to enter unions and bear children early, lowered their age at last birth, and increasingly ended their fertility via sterilization following the birth of two children. Contribution: Evidence from India reveals an alternative pathway to low fertility, highlighting the limitations of traditional socioeconomic indicators for explaining fertility decline.

Ubiquitination is a pivotal type of post-translational modification, which plays a far-reaching role in plant growth and development, as well as in the response of plants to stress. Just like the two sides of a coin, de-ubiquitination also plays an important role in plant life, which has been gradually discovered in recent years. Here, we demonstrate that the UBQUITIN SPECIFIC PROTEASE 15 (UBP15), which is a UBP-type de-ubiquitinase, interacts with the SCF E3 complex adaptor ARABIDOPSIS SKP1 HOMOLOGUE 1 (ASK1) and influences its protein stability to regulate plant fertility and petal size. The UBP15 is associated with the ASK1 physically, as verified by yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) and protein pull-down in vitro assays. Disruption of ASK1 by a T-DNA insertion generates some abnormal phenotypes, such as low fertility and small petals. Genetic analysis shows that the UBP15 mutation enhances the low-fertility and small-petal phenotypes of ask1 mutant plants. By proteomic analysis, many types of proteins were identified as potential candidate downstream genes associated with the phenotypes of ubp15 ask1 double mutant plants. Taken together, these findings reveal a molecular relationship between ASK1 and UBP15 and their interaction in the regulation of petal size and fertility, which would benefit in-depth research about the ubiquitin-related pathway in plant physiological processes in the future. • ASK1 (a SCF E3 complex unit) is associated with UBP15 (a deubiquitinase) physically. • ASK1 protein stability relys on the deubiquitinating enzyme activity of UBP15. • Mutation of UBP15 enhances the small-petal and low-fertility phenotype of ASK1 mutant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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