Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Accurate assessments of current and future fertility—including overall trends and changing population age structures across countries and regions—are essential to help plan for the profound social, economic, environmental, and geopolitical challenges that these changes will bring. Estimates and projections of fertility are necessary to inform policies involving resource and health-care needs, labour supply, education, gender equality, and family planning and support. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 produced up-to-date and comprehensive demographic assessments of key fertility indicators at global, regional, and national levels from 1950 to 2021 and forecast fertility metrics to 2100 based on a reference scenario and key policy-dependent alternative scenarios. Methods: To estimate fertility indicators from 1950 to 2021, mixed-effects regression models and spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression were used to synthesise data from 8709 country-years of vital and sample registrations, 1455 surveys and censuses, and 150 other sources, and to generate age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) for 5-year age groups from age 10 years to 54 years. ASFRs were summed across age groups to produce estimates of total fertility rate (TFR). Livebirths were calculated by multiplying ASFR and age-specific female population, then summing across ages 10–54 years. To forecast future fertility up to 2100, our Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) forecasting model was based on projections of completed cohort fertility at age 50 years (CCF50; the average number of children born over time to females from a specified birth cohort), which yields more stable and accurate measures of fertility than directly modelling TFR. CCF50 was modelled using an ensemble approach in which three sub-models (with two, three, and four covariates variously consisting of female educational attainment, contraceptive met need, population density in habitable areas, and under-5 mortality) were given equal weights, and analyses were conducted utilising the MR-BRT (meta-regression—Bayesian, regularised, trimmed) tool. To capture time-series trends in CCF50 not explained by these covariates, we used a first-order autoregressive model on the residual term. CCF50 as a proportion of each 5-year ASFR was predicted using a linear mixed-effects model with fixed-effects covariates (female educational attainment and contraceptive met need) and random intercepts for geographical regions. Projected TFRs were then computed for each calendar year as the sum of single-year ASFRs across age groups. The reference forecast is our estimate of the most likely fertility future given the model, past fertility, forecasts of covariates, and historical relationships between covariates and fertility. We additionally produced forecasts for multiple alternative scenarios in each location: the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for education is achieved by 2030; the contraceptive met need SDG is achieved by 2030; pro-natal policies are enacted to create supportive environments for those who give birth; and the previous three scenarios combined. Uncertainty from past data inputs and model estimation was propagated throughout analyses by taking 1000 draws for past and present fertility estimates and 500 draws for future forecasts from the estimated distribution for each metric, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) given as the 2·5 and 97·5 percentiles of the draws. To evaluate the forecasting performance of our model and others, we computed skill values—a metric assessing gain in forecasting accuracy—by comparing predicted versus observed ASFRs from the past 15 years (2007–21). A positive skill metric indicates that the model being evaluated performs better than the baseline model (here, a simplified model holding 2007 values constant in the future), and a negative metric indicates that the evaluated model performs worse than baseline. Findings: During the period from 1950 to 2021, global TFR more than halved, from 4·84 (95% UI 4·63–5·06) to 2·23 (2·09–2·38). Global annual livebirths peaked in 2016 at 142 million (95% UI 137–147), declining to 129 million (121–138) in 2021. Fertility rates declined in all countries and territories since 1950, with TFR remaining above 2·1—canonically considered replacement-level fertility—in 94 (46·1%) countries and territories in 2021. This included 44 of 46 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which was the super-region with the largest share of livebirths in 2021 (29·2% [28·7–29·6]). 47 countries and territories in which lowest estimated fertility between 1950 and 2021 was below replacement experienced one or more subsequent years with higher fertility; only three of these locations rebounded above replacement levels. Future fertility rates were projected to continue to decline worldwide, reaching a global TFR of 1·83 (1·59–2·08) in 2050 and 1·59 (1·25–1·96) in 2100 under the reference scenario. The number of countries and territories with fertility rates remaining above replacement was forecast to be 49 (24·0%) in 2050 and only six (2·9%) in 2100, with three of these six countries included in the 2021 World Bank-defined low-income group, all located in the GBD super-region of sub-Saharan Africa. The proportion of livebirths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa was forecast to increase to more than half of the world's livebirths in 2100, to 41·3% (39·6–43·1) in 2050 and 54·3% (47·1–59·5) in 2100. The share of livebirths was projected to decline between 2021 and 2100 in most of the six other super-regions—decreasing, for example, in south Asia from 24·8% (23·7–25·8) in 2021 to 16·7% (14·3–19·1) in 2050 and 7·1% (4·4–10·1) in 2100—but was forecast to increase modestly in the north Africa and Middle East and high-income super-regions. Forecast estimates for the alternative combined scenario suggest that meeting SDG targets for education and contraceptive met need, as well as implementing pro-natal policies, would result in global TFRs of 1·65 (1·40–1·92) in 2050 and 1·62 (1·35–1·95) in 2100. The forecasting skill metric values for the IHME model were positive across all age groups, indicating that the model is better than the constant prediction. Interpretation: Fertility is declining globally, with rates in more than half of all countries and territories in 2021 below replacement level. Trends since 2000 show considerable heterogeneity in the steepness of declines, and only a small number of countries experienced even a slight fertility rebound after their lowest observed rate, with none reaching replacement level. Additionally, the distribution of livebirths across the globe is shifting, with a greater proportion occurring in the lowest-income countries. Future fertility rates will continue to decline worldwide and will remain low even under successful implementation of pro-natal policies. These changes will have far-reaching economic and societal consequences due to ageing populations and declining workforces in higher-income countries, combined with an increasing share of livebirths among the already poorest regions of the world. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Hardness and structure of Er3+: Sm3+ co-doped oxychloride zinc tellurite glass

Glass samples with composition of (64-x)TeO2 + (x)ZnO + 15 ZnCl2 + 0.5 Sm2O3 + 0.5 Er2O3 (x = 20, 25 and 30 mol%) are prepared by melt quenching method. The season for co-doping with rare earth ions such as samarium (Sm3+) and erbium (Er3+) is to explore the feasibility of their simultaneous exploitation as high performing up-converted lasing materials. The role of varying modifier of ZnO concentration in improving the hardness and structural properties are evaluated. The density is observed to reduce and ionic packing density is augmented with increasing concentration of ZnO. Glass with 25 mol% of ZnO revealed the optimum hardness of 2830 N/mm2. Incorporation of Zn2+ into the tellurite host matrix is found to shift the IR bands position slightly without altering their intensity. Bonding vibrations corresponding to bending of TeO3 unit (784-762 cm-1), stretching of TeO4 units (678-676 cm-1) and Zn-O bonds (462-452 cm-1) are evidenced. Incorporation of ZnO as modifier is established to enhance the hardness and improved the structural properties. The proposed glass composition may be useful for industrial purposes

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Not AvailableThe effect of L-tryptophan (TRP) supplemented diets at levels of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2% on cannibalism, survival and growth performance of Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790) fry was evaluated. Thirty days old seabass fry (mean weight: 0.31±0.16 g) were reared for 45 days in a recirculating aquaculture system. Results of the present experiment showed that L-tryptophan (TRP) supplementation from 0.5 to 2% in diet significantly (p<0.05) reduced cannibalism compared to control diet and did not affect growth performance. The lowest survival percentage (14%) was noticed in control group, whereas a higher survival percentage (33.33 to 39.80) was observed in TRP supplemented groups. Coefficient of size variation (%) ranged from 21.50 to 91.61 and decreased with increased level of TRP supplementation, Similar results were also obtained in size heterogeneity. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended to supplement 0.5% of TRP in larval diet to reduce cannibalism and improve survival of seabass fry.Not Availabl

Studies on excitation functions of alpha-induced reactions on natFe from threshold to 45 MeV

Excitation functions of the natFe($\alpha$, x)57Ni, natFe($\alpha$, x)55, 56, 57, 58m, gCo and natFe($\alpha$, x)52, 54Mn reactions were measured using the stacked-foil activation technique. The induced radioactivities in both the target and monitor foils were measured using an off-line $\gamma$-ray spectrometric technique. The cross sections for the above reactions were also calculated theoretically using the TALYS-1.8 code. The measured results were compared with the other experimental data and theoretical values. The theoretically calculated values are described well by our experimental data. It is observed that the rate of proton emission is larger than the neutron one. The measured results for the formation of few radionuclides are new and the other measured data strengthen the database. The experimental and theoretical studies on the investigated reactions should lead to a useful insight into the mechanisms of those reactions

Guidelines for diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Joint ICS/NCCP (I) recommendations

10.4103/0970-2113.116248Lung India303228-26