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Much attention has been given to the change rule of a single extreme event, and there are few reports on comprehensive characteristics of multiple extreme events in a certain region. Based on the analyzes of annual frequency of extreme high temperature, extreme low temperature, extreme drought, extreme precipitation, and extreme typhoon events in China from 1961 to 2020, a multi extreme events composite risk grade index (MXCI) was constructed and applied to the comprehensive characteristics analyzes of multiple extreme events in China. The results show that the high value areas of MXCI were mainly located in southeast China and southwest China. Over the past 60 years, the MXCI has shown a decreasing trend in western China and most of southeastern China, and an increasing trend in the middle zone from southwest China to northeast China. Through comparative analysis, MXCI can objectively reflect the comprehensive characteristics of multiple extreme climate events in a region, which is helpful to understand regional extreme climate characteristics and effectively cope with extreme climate risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the day-by-day evaporation observation data in the Yangtze River Basin from 1951 to 2019, the effects of the gradual shift of observation instruments from 20 cm diameter evaporation pan (D20) to E601 evaporation pan after 1980 are discussed, including inconsistent data series, and missing and anomalous data. This study proposes a governance and improvement method for dual-source evaporation data (GIME). The method can accomplish the homogenization of data from different observation series and solve the problem of inconsistent and missing data, and we applied it in practice on data of the Yangtze River Basin. Firstly, the primary and secondary periods of the data were obtained by wavelet periodicity analysis; secondly, we considered the first cycle of observations to be representative of the sample and calculated the conversion relationship between the primary and secondary periods; thirdly, the conversion coefficient between the dual-source observations was calculated, and the results were corrected for stations outside the main cycle; finally, the daily evaporation dataset of E601 pan was established through data fusion and interpolation technology. The study found that the annual average conversion coefficients of the D20 and E601 pans in the Yangtze River Basin are basically between 0.55 and 0.80, and there are obvious differences in different regions. The conversion coefficient is positively correlated with relative humidity, wind speed, minimum temperature and altitude; and negatively correlated with sunshine duration, average temperature and maximum temperature. Evaporation is high in the upper reaches of the basin and low in the middle and lower reaches; in particular, evaporation is highest in the southwest, which is associated with the drought hazards. In addition, the article presents the spatial distribution of the conversion coefficients of D20 and E601 pans in the Yangtze River Basin. The results can realize the rapid correction of the evaporation data of the local meteorological department, and can be extended to the processing of other types of data in similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the homogenized daily data of 2255 meteorological stations during the past 60 years from 1961 to 2020, the potential evapotranspiration was calculated using the revised FAO56 Penman–Monteith model, and then the annual AI (aridity index, the ratio of annual potential evapotranspiration to annual precipitation) was employed to analyze the dry-wet climate change in China. The GCM models' prediction data was used to analyze the possible trends of dry-wet climate in China by the end of this century. The results showed that in the past 60 years, the climate in China was getting wetter, especially in the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, western Qinghai, Gansu, western Inner Mongolia, and northwestern Tibet. In the last 10 years, China's climate has become more humid. Compared with the 1960s, the total area of aridity has decreased by about 650,000 square kilometers. The changes of different climate zones have regional and periodical characteristics. There was a tendency to get wet periods in all four seasons, especially in summer. Analysis of GCM model projection data shows that by the end of this century, the climate in China would have a general trend of becoming drier. The drier regions are mainly located in the central and eastern parts of China, while the western regions of China continue to maintain the wetting trends. In the case of high emissions, the trends of drying in the central and eastern and wetting in the west are more significant than in the case of medium emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of parental beliefs on child development outcomes (for both cognitive and social−emotional skills) based on a three-wave longitudinal survey in rural China. The survey waves were conducted when the sample children were 18−30 months, 22−36 months, and 49−65 months, respectively. A total of 815 children and their primary caregivers who participated in all three wave surveys were enrolled in this study. Using difference-in-differences and propensity score matching approaches, the results indicate that strengthened parental beliefs have a positive and significant impact on child social−emotional development. Specifically, between the periods of the Wave 1 survey (when children were 18−30 months old) and the Wave 3 survey (when children were 49−65 months old), and between the Wave 2 survey (when children were 22−36 months old) and the Wave 3 survey, strengthened parental beliefs were causally associated with more favorable child social−emotional scores by 0.44 SD (p < 0.01) and 0.49 SD (p < 0.01), respectively. No significant impact, however, was found between the period of the Wave 1 survey and the Wave 2 survey. In contrast, weakened parental beliefs had a negative and significant impact on child social−emotional development. Specifically, weakened parental beliefs were causally associated with worse child social−emotional abilities by 0.35 SD (p < 0.01), 0.30 SD (p < 0.01), and 0.22 (p < 0.05) for the time period of the Wave 1 to Wave 2, Wave 1 to Wave 3, and Wave 2 to Wave 3, respectively. No significant impact of parental beliefs, however, was found on child cognitive development. In addition, the findings of the mediation analysis show that only a marginal impact of parental beliefs on child social−emotional development can be indirectly explained by parental beliefs through parenting practices. This study calls on policy makers to improve parental beliefs and parenting practices in the hope that it will lead to better child development in rural China.

Previous research has found that there are high rates of mental health problems among caregivers in rural China and that caregiver mental health may be a significant predictor of developmental delays among infants and toddlers in these rural areas. In this paper, we use data from a survey of 986 caregiver-child pairs in rural China to examine the risk factors of caregiver mental health and measure the association between caregiver mental health and child development outcomes. To conduct the empirical analysis, we assess caregiver mental health using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) questionnaire and measure child developmental outcomes using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Developmental Third Edition (Bayley-III). The results show that 32% of caregivers have depressive symptoms, 42% have anxiety symptoms, and 30% have symptoms of stress. The data also demonstrate that caregiver identity and age as well as different measures of socioeconomic status (SES) (characterized by caregiver education, father's education, and household wealth) are all significantly linked to symptoms of caregiver mental health problems. The analysis shows that caregiver depression, anxiety, and/or stress are significantly associated with lower early childhood development (ECD) outcomes in all areas measured (cognition, language, social-emotion, and motor skills). The heterogeneous analysis demonstrates that there are differences in the effects of caregiver mental health problems on ECD among households are from families that are endowed with different levels of SES. On the basis of the findings the study concludes that policymakers should pay more attention to caregiver mental health problems in order to improve child developmental outcomes in rural China. The study cannot, however, draw casual conclusions and cannot rule out the possibility of recall bias when measuring caregiver mental health, which may limit the external validity of the findings.

This study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal association of sleep timing with weight status in 14- to 19-year-old adolescents in Wuhan, China. A prospective school-based study was conducted in Wuhan, China between 28 May and 29 September 2019. Data on sociodemographic information, academic performance, diet, mental health status, physical activity, sleep characteristics, body weight, and height were collected. A linear regression model and binary logistic regression model were performed. A total of 1194 adolescents were included in the analysis. Adolescents who woke up before 05:45 had higher body mass index (BMI) Z-score (odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.28 (1.05, 1.57), p = 0.02) and higher odds of overweight/obesity (odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.74 (1.10, 2.76), p = 0.02) at baseline after fully adjustment for covariates, compared with those who woke up after 05:45. Longitudinal data showed a nonsignificant association between waking up time and change in BMI Z-score ( p = 0.18). No association of bedtime with weight status was observed in this sample after full adjustment ( p > 0.1). Earlier waking up time might contribute to overweight and obesity in adolescents; however, more data are needed to test and elucidate this relationship.

Previous research has found that there are high rates of developmental delays among infants and toddlers in rural areas of China. Caregiver mental health problems might be one significant predictor of developmental delays among infants and toddlers, as has been found in other areas of the world. One way that the mental health of caregivers could affect early childhood development is through its effect on parenting practices. In this study, we used data from four major subpopulations of rural China to measure the correlation of caregiver mental health problems with the developmental outcomes of infants and toddlers. To do so, the study used the Bayley Scales of Infant Development III (BSID III) to examine the rates of developmental delays among 2514 rural infants/toddlers aged 6⁻30 months old. The results of the testing demonstrate that 48% of the sample's infants/toddlers have cognitive delays; 52% have language delays; 53% have social-emotional delays; and 30% have motor delays. The data collection team also assessed caregiver mental health by using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) questionnaire. According to the findings, 39% of caregivers in the sample have symptoms of at least one kind of mental health problem (depression, anxiety, or stress). We also found that most caregivers do not engage in positive parenting practices, while a significant share of caregivers engage in negative parenting practices. The statistical analysis found that showing signs of mental health problems is significantly and negatively associated with infant/toddler developmental outcomes. The study also found that caregivers who show signs of mental health problems are significantly less likely to engage in interactive parenting practices. The study confirms that society needs to pay more attention to caregiver mental health problems in order to improve infant/toddler developmental outcomes in rural China and increase human capital accumulation in China as a whole.