Middle Level Research Articles

Using Modern Contraception While Wanting a Child: What Does Contraceptive Over-Use Mean for the Human Rights-Based Approach in Burkina Faso? Insights from PMA2020 Data

(1) Background: Sustainable development goal 5.6 calls for “universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights” to fulfil sexual and reproductive practices. The capability approach helps refine the analysis of contraceptive use by going beyond the dichotomous view of contraceptive use as use/non-use to focus on women’s freedom to choose what they have good reason to value. Using the case of Burkina Faso, we probe more deeply into whether contraceptive use reflects real progress in women’s reproductive rights to realize the fertility projects they value. (2) Methods: We use PMA2020 data collected in Burkina Faso between December 2018 and January 2019. The survey included 3329 women with a participation rate of 97.7%. The PMA2020 female core questionnaire solicits information on fertility and contraceptive behavior, much like the DHS. We asked a series of specific questions about cognitive and psychosocial access relating to FP. We examined bivariate associations between our outcome measure “contraceptive behavior” and a set of independent variables. We also used logistic regression models to evaluate associations with endowments/conversion and capability factors and current functioning by focusing on overuse (i.e., use of contraceptives despite desiring pregnancy within the next 12 months). (3) Results: Women who said their ideal number of children was “up to God” had the highest level of overuse, which was also higher among women living in communities with medium acceptance of contraception and greater support for fertility. Women who have higher and middle levels of information tend to engage less in overuse than those with lower information levels. (4) Conclusions: We conclude that overuse (contraceptive use when desiring a child soon) may reveal a lack of rights, as it is associated with a lack of information about contraceptives and women’s inability to conceive an ideal number of children. Efforts should be made to enhance women’s level of contraceptive information.

A multi‐level coordinated scheduling strategy for shared energy storage systems under electricity spot and ancillary service markets

AbstractThis paper proposes a multi‐level coordinated scheduling strategy for shared energy storage systems (SESS) under electricity spot and ancillary service markets to maximize the overall operational profit. At the upper level, an optimal day‐ahead bidding model is formulated to allocate optimal capacities of SESS for engaging in electricity transactions and offering peak shaving reserve over the scheduling horizon. Then, a joint market clearing model is presented to simultaneously optimize awarded capacities of SESS and marginal prices of electricity spot and ancillary service markets at the middle level. Furthermore, the lower level aims to correct the coordinated scheduling strategy for minimizing the intra‐day scheduling cost under the uncertainty of renewable energy sources and load demand. Finally, a linear relaxation method is applied to transform the proposed strategy into a mixed‐integer linear programming problem for enhancing the computation efficiency. Comparative case studies have validated the superior performance of the proposed strategy for better utilization of available storage capacity and arbitrage maximization.

Faculty application and perceived effectiveness of cognitive psychology principles in medical education. A mixed method study

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to explore the extent to which faculty members in undergraduate medical education apply cognitive psychology principles in their teaching practices, and to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of these principles in enhancing student learning.MethodsThis mixed method study was conducted on faculty members of public and private sector universities. Focused group discussions were conducted, and the responses of the participants were measured on a 5-point- Likert Scale. The instrument was tested for validity and reliability by measuring Cronbach’s alpha and performing exploratory factor analysis. Mann–Whitney U test was applied on the attributes scores to compare 13 attributes by institutions, designations and domains.ResultsOne theme, 7 sub-themes and 19 categories were identified from the focused group discussion. as Kaiser- Meyer-Olkin index was 0.88 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity was significant. Reliability was established at 0.95. The faculty self-perceived practicing psychology principles mostly scored in the middle level, where they think they apply less strategies. While highly significant results were noted for using Meyer’s multimedia principles.ConclusionFaculty members followed the principles of cognitive psychology to some extent. However, they all felt that using these principles can transform the teaching and learning of medical education.

Using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) for Developing a Performance Evaluation Model for A Human Resources Department in Private Sector in Saudi Arabia

Evaluating human resource departments discovers weak areas and supports performance measurements and continuous quality improvement. However, most research concentrates on the development of models that primarily assess the performance of individual human resources rather than focusing on the evaluation of the entire department. This study aims to formulate a model for evaluating the performance of human resource departments in Saudi Arabia's private sector. The proposed model studies HR standards using five well-known quality awards excellence models. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was then used to discover the factor structure of this model and examine its internal reliability to identify the underlying relationships between the assessment model criteria (factors). A questionnaire was designed and distributed to middle and high management levels, such as section head positions and above, in different organizations in the private sector in Jeddah. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to quantify the weights of the assessment factors and subfactors. Human resource experts estimated the relative magnitudes of the factors and sub-factors through pairwise comparisons. The results identified six main factors and seventy-eight subfactors for evaluating human resources department performance in any private sector. The findings indicated that the most substantial weight, constituting nearly 50 of the entire modules, was assigned to Factor 2, denoting "Justice and Human Development" (44.746%). This was followed by Factor 5, related to "Job Performance Management" (18.945%), and Factor 6, about "Occupational Safety" (12.554%). The factor with the lowest weight was Factor 1, representing "Career Guidance and Counseling" (7.601%).

Interpretative structural modeling method: An analysis of influencing factors analysis on the adverse experiences of cardiac surgery patients in the intensive care units

ObjectiveTo construct an interpretation structure model of adverse experiences of cardiac surgery patients in intensive care unit, so as to provide a reference for optimizing the experience of critical patients step by step. MethodsLiterature review, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and Delphi method were used to summarize and analyze the influencing factors of intensive care experience in cardiac surgery. The explanatory structural model was used to divide the influencing factors into levels and construct the explanatory structural model of adverse experience of cardiac surgery patients in intensive care. ResultsA hierarchical structure model containing 34 elements and 15 levels was constructed, which were divided into Surface level, middle level and root level. ConclusionThe intensive care experience of patients in cardiac surgery department is mainly affected by 34 factors. There are direct or indirect correlations between the influencing factors, and different levels have different effects.

Chitosan nanoparticles, Rose Bengal-chitosan activated photodynamic therapy as final irrigant on pushout bond strength, smear layer removal efficacy and antibacterial effectiveness against E.faecalis

AimImpact of final root canal disinfectants diode laser (DL), Rose Bengal photosensitizer (RBP), Chitosan Nanoparticles (CNPs), and CNPs modified RBP on Enterococcus faecalis (E.faecalis) survival rate, smear layer (SL) removal efficacy and push out bond strength (PBS) of resin sealer to the radicular dentin. Material and methodSingle rooted seventy-five human mandibular premolar teeth were sectioned at a level of cementoenamel (CEJ) and root canal treatment was performed using a ProTaper rotary instrument. To assess the antibacterial efficiency E.faecalis inoculation was performed using a pour plate method. The samples were arbitrarily allocated into five groups based on the final disinfectant received (n = 15) Group-1 (NaOCl+17 % EDTA), Group-2 (NaOCl+DL), Group-3 (NaOCl+CNPs), Group-4 (NaOCl+RBP activated by DL) and Group-5 (NaOCl+CNPs-RBP activated by DL). SEM analysis for SL removal was performed on five specimens from each group. Root canal obturation and sectioning were performed at cervical, middle, and apical levels. PBS and failure mode were analyzed using a universal testing machine (UTM) and stereomicroscope respectively. The data was subjected to analysis using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc test. ResultGroup 1 (NaOCl+17 % EDTA) (0.36 ± 0.01 CFU/mL) unveiled the maximum survival rate of tested bacteria. However, Group 5 (NaOCl+CNPs-RBP activated by DL) (0.11 ± 0.01 CFU/mL) displayed minimum survival of E.faecalis. The highest SL removal (1.44 ± 0.11) and bond integrity scores (12.23 ± 0.24 MPa) were recorded in the coronal section of Group 5 (NaOCl+ CNPs-RBP activated by DL) treated roots. However, the lowest removal of SL (3.15 ± 1.09) and PBS (7.24 ± 0.09 MPa) were recorded in Group 4 (NaOCl+RBP activated by DL) treated canals. CONCLUSIONCNPs-RBP activated by DL as the final irrigant provided satisfactory antibacterial activity, SL removal, and bond strength outcomes compared to other tested groups.

Ecosystem engineering and food web stability

Ecosystem engineering, which involves organism-triggered physical modification of the environment, is a widespread phenomenon. Despite this, the role of engineering in ecological communities remains poorly understood. This study employs a food web model to uncover the key roles of ecosystem engineering in maintaining food webs. While engineers facilitating population growth and suppressing consumers’ foraging activity can help maintain complex communities with diverse species, engineering effects that suppress population growth and facilitate consumers’ foraging activity can largely destabilize community dynamics. Furthermore, in the middle levels of engineering-related species within a community, an increase in species richness can increase community stability, contrary to classical ecological prediction. The study findings suggest that ecosystem engineering can explain biodiversity persistence in nature, but it depends on the proportion of engineering-related species and how engineering affects organisms.

The effect of nurses' attitudes towards evidence-based nursing on the level of compliance with isolation measures in nurses caring for liver transplant patients.

Liver transplant recipients are at a high risk of infection during the first month. Therefore, it is crucial to implement isolation measures correctly to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections. Evidence-based practices and proper implementation of isolation measures can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality. The study aimed to investigate the impact of nurses' attitudes towards evidence-based nursing on their compliance with isolation measures. This is a descriptive study conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, with the participation of 137 nurses working in the organ transplant clinics of a university hospital in Turkey. Data was collected using a participant introduction form, the attitudes towards evidence-based nursing scale, and the compliance with isolation measures scale. The mean total score for the scale of attitudes towards evidence-based nursing among nurses was 55.95 ± 10.43 (15-75). Similarly, the mean total score for the scale of compliance with isolation measures was 71.44 ± 13.53 (18-90). Both scores were above the middle level. The study found a moderately significant positive correlation between attitudes towards evidence-based nursing and compliance with isolation measures (r: 0.670, p: 0.000). The regression model showed that the attitude towards evidence-based nursing explained 44.9% of the positivity towards isolation measures (R2 = 0.449). The study found a positive correlation between nurses' positive attitudes towards evidence-based nursing and their compliance with isolation precautions when caring for liver transplant patients. This highlights the significance of evidence-based nursing in patient care and the importance of adhering to isolation measures to prevent nosocomial infections.

A Study of the Impact of Household Wealth Accumulation on the Well-being of the Population

Happiness is the ultimate goal of a good life for residents, and high-quality wealth accumulation is an important force for improving people's well-being. Based on the 2015, 2017 and 2019 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) survey data, this paper examines the effect of household wealth on residents' happiness using a fixed-effects probit model. It is found that, first, an increase in household wealth significantly increases residents' happiness. The greater the accumulation of household wealth, the happier the residents, and the conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. Second, household wealth accumulation has a more pronounced effect on the happiness of residents in the eastern region and a stronger effect on the happiness of urban residents. Third, family wealth accumulation has a stronger effect on the happiness of residents with middle and high levels of education than those with low levels of education. The conclusions of the study are of great significance for regulating the mechanism of family wealth accumulation, strengthening residents' sense of well-being and promoting the high-quality development of society.

Multiscale spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of ecosystem service value of groundwater in China

Ecosystem services are fundamental to human survival on Earth, but studies on ecosystem service value of groundwater (ESV-G) are rare. The multiscale characteristics and influencing factors of ESV-G in China from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed in this study. The results showed that ESV-G decreased first and then increased, the average ESV-G was 130.30 thousand yuan/km2, and ESV-G tended to shift towards middle level (second to fourth class). The Hu Line was the dividing line between the first class (more than half area) and the others. The AI and FRAC values indicated that the patches of ESV-G were more concentrated, with simpler shapes that were more amenable to governance at the province scale. Hot spots and cold spots were mainly located in the eastern and western parts of Hu Line, respectively. The ESV-G of the cold spots per unit area at the province scale was higher than that at the city scale, which indicated that the province scale had the potential for higher ESV-G per unit area and cost advantage. Precipitation and temperature were the main factors affecting ESV-G; the influence of human activities on ESV-G increased on a larger scale as time went by. Combination of precipitation and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) had the greatest influence on ESV-G among the combinational influencing factors. The province scale was the optimal scale to manage ESV-G. Climate change had led to the expansion of hot and cold spots of ESV-G, northern and southern areas should combine existing policies to carry out differentiated governance. This study extended the scope of ecosystem service value studies from land surface to underground, providing a scientific basis for the management of groundwater ecosystem.

Avoiding “random acts of guidance”: Strategies for middle grades school counselors that lead to lasting learning

In a successful middle school, school counselors support young adolescents’ academic progress and personal wellbeing through a variety of methods. Classroom instruction, or classroom guidance, offers one method of providing such support and features the benefit of allowing middle grades school counselors to reach all students in their schools. However, school counselors often face challenges in designing effective classroom instruction that causes deep, long-term learning and allows students to apply new concepts or skills to their own lives. To achieve lasting learning of key mindsets and behaviors, school counselors’ lesson planning must be rooted in the science of how people learn. This article presents four research-based “laws of learning” that will help middle level school counselors avoid creating classroom instruction lessons with unintended barriers to learning in the form of strategies that contradict learning science.

A three-level nested portfolio optimization model with position allocation

Existing portfolio optimization models cannot well capture the real position allocation requirement, leading to limited impact in practice. To overcome this challenge, we propose a three-level nested portfolio optimization model with position allocation. Within this model, the inner and middle levels collaboratively determine the optimal portfolio, while the outer level focuses on optimizing the holding proportion of each stock in the optimal portfolio. Compared with existing models with portfolio weights, the proposed model imposes the position allocation constraint that precisely characterizes the limitations on holding each stock. This constraint is crucial for investors to obey securities trading regulations involving position limitations and to mitigate the potential impact of market risks. To address the nonlinear and nonconvex nature of the novel model, we develop an intelligent optimization algorithm by effectively hybridizing the support vector regression and the enhanced grey wolf optimizer. We comprehensively evaluate its performance using eight metrics, including accumulative return, annual return, Sharpe ratio, maximum drawdown, absolute and relative win ratios, predictive precision and accuracy. The experimental results indicate that (i) the proposed model can achieve more excess returns than those stock selection models not considering position allocation, especially for the large-cap stocks; (ii) compared with other state-of-the-art meta-heuristics, the enhanced grey wolf optimizer can yield better portfolio in conjunction with the support vector regression; (iii) in the context of the Chinese A-share stock market, specific financial indicators such as return on equity, inventory turnover rate, net income growth rate, and debt-to-equity ratio should be given greater consideration compared to other financial metrics.

What and how? Or why and for whom? A content analysis of middle school general music literature

The purpose of this content analysis is to analyze available peer-reviewed middle school general music literature to determine the ways in which middle school general music has been conceived of in extant literature in the United States. The researchers performed a content analysis of peer-reviewed empirical and practitioner articles relating to middle school general music ( N = 45), creating a coding scheme of categorical clusters that related to the Association of Middle Level Education’s position paper: This We Believe. Content coding revealed curricular content (78%) and pedagogical practice (42%) as the most common topics. Several topics were underrepresented in the literature including student opinion/voice (11%), inclusive practice (18%), adolescent development (20%), cultural awareness (18%), classroom culture (20%), and teacher preparation and development (16%). These findings may have important implications for preservice music teacher educators preparing teachers for the context of middle school general music, as well as for researchers within this domain.

Evaluation of the shaping ability of different rotary file systems in severely and abruptly curved root canals using cone beam computed tomography

BackgroundWhen selecting an instrument for canal preparation, it is important to consider several parameters that influence the shaping efficiency, including instrument design, metallurgy, and operating motion. This study aimed to evaluate the shaping ability of the ProTaper Next (PTN), WaveOne Gold (WOG), and XP-endo Rise Shaper (XPRS) rotary systems in severely and abruptly curved root canals using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and ImageJ software. Materials and MethodsForty-eight mesial root canals of the mandibular first molars were assigned equally to three groups: PTN, WOG, and XPRS. Using ImageJ software, CBCT images were acquired pre- and post-instrumentation to assess dentin removal, remaining dentin thickness (RDT), canal transportation, and centering ratio at the coronal, middle, and apical levels. Statistical analyses were conducted on all numerical data. ResultsAll rotary systems removed significantly more distocoronal dentin in the danger zone (DZ), than the mesiocoronal area. PTN removed significantly more dentin and caused less RDT than XPRS (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between PTN-WOG and WOG-XPRS. In the DZ, the highest percentage of specimens with an RDT < 0.5 mm was observed when using PTN (50%), followed by WOG (31.3%), and XPRS (6.3%). Compared with PTN and WOG, XPRS demonstrated less coronal transportation. Among all rotary systems, there was no significant difference in apical transportation or centering ratio. ConclusionsBased on our observations, all rotary instruments exhibited a tendency to remove dentin in the DZ, but to different degrees. XPRS demonstrated better results in terms of coronal transportation and dentin thickness in the DZ. Comparable centering abilities and minimal apical transportation were demonstrated using all rotary instruments.

Study on stability evaluation of goaf based on AHP and EWM—taking the northern new district of Liaoyuan city as an example

Throughout the history of coal mining in all countries of the world, large areas of goaf have been left behind, and sudden collapses and surface subsidence of large areas of goaf may occur, especially for mining areas with long mining cycles. The northern new district of the Liaoyuan mining area has been subjected to nearly half a century of mining activities, accompanied by a gradual accumulation of disasters, which have occurred frequently in recent years. In order to assess the stability of the goaf in the study area, this paper proposes a hybrid decision-making multi-factor integrated evaluation method. The distribution of underground goafs was determined using geophysical exploration techniques (seismic survey and transient electromagnetic method) and geological drilling exploration. First, an evaluation index system was established based on the specifications of the goaf, the ecological and geological environment, and the mining conditions; the system included 14 indicators. Two weight calculation methods, AHP-EWM, were employed to determine the comprehensive weight of each indicator by combining subjective and objective weights on the basis of improved game theory. Subsequently, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was utilised to complete the stability rating of each block in the study area, and MapGIS and ArcGIS were employed to complete the drawing of the stability zoning map of the northern new district goaf. The study area was divided into three zones of stability, basic stability and instability, according to the critical value. These zones accounted for 23.03%, 36.45% and 40.52% of the total area of the study area, respectively. The comprehensive on-site investigation revealed a decrease in the size and number of collapse pits and the rate of damage to the houses from the unstable zone to the stable zone. This indicates that the results of the division are consistent with the actual situation. The classification results are consistent with the actual ground disaster situation, thus verifying the rationality and validity of the evaluation method. The results indicate that the stability of the study area is generally at the lower middle level.

Prevalence of Spinal Segmental Sensitization Syndrome in Outpatients Attending Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centers for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Multicenter Study

ObjectiveTo determine the prevalence of spinal segmental sensitization (SSS) syndrome, a regional pain disorder, among patients visiting physical medicine and rehabilitation centers (PM&RCs) for chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP). DesignAn observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted from March to July 2023. SettingSeven PM&RCs from 5 cities, representing 3 care systems: Social Security (SS), Ministry of Health (MH), and private practice (PP). ParticipantsAll patients, regardless of age, attending a physiatry consultation for CMSP for the first time and who provided informed consent to participate were included. Nonprobabilistic sampling was employed. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasureWe estimated the overall prevalence of SSS syndrome as a percentage among patients with CMSP, stratified by health care institution, sex, age, and occupation type. We also recorded the spinal segments involved and any concomitant painful disorders (CPDs). SSS syndrome was diagnosed using standardized criteria. ResultsOf the eligible participants, 319 with CMSP were enrolled; 73.4% were women, and the median age of participants was 56.9 (range, 13-89y) years. The overall prevalence of SSS syndrome was 53.3%. Of these, 69.1%, 42.2%, and 13.8% were in the SS, MH, and PP systems, respectively. The most affected were female participants (56.4%), those aged 50-64 years (60.4%), and those with active jobs (58.8%). Most commonly, the lumbosacral and lumbar segments were affected, followed by the lower and middle cervical levels. Spine pathologies were the most common CPDs. ConclusionThe prevalence of SSS syndrome was high among patients who visited PM&RCs for CMSP and varied according to the care system. Further research on SSS syndrome is warranted to relieve the burden it poses on patients with CMSP and ensure proper diagnosis in clinical practice.

Improving treatment completion for young adults with substance use disorder: Machine learning-based prediction algorithms

Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment completion was intertwined with various factors. However, few studies have explored the intersections of psychosocial and system-related factors with SUD treatment completion, particularly for individuals receiving publicly funded SUD treatment services. This study aimed to examine the intersections of these factors with treatment completion. We analyzed the psycho-social assessment data of 2909 young adults who participated in publicly funded outpatient-based substance use treatments in 2021. The Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) approach was employed to examine intersections for SUD treatment completion. The analysis highlights the significance of multiple factors and their interactions in predicting SUD treatment completion. The results indicate that SUD treatment outcomes varied based on the level of improvement rates in total actionable items (TAI) improvement rates, underscoring the importance of monitoring individual progress in treatment. Specifically, among young adults with the highest TAI, those residing in rural communities were less likely to complete treatment compared to their urban counterparts. For individuals with TAI improvement rates at the middle level, there was a significant intersection with criminal justice involvement. Within this subgroup, individuals who had both justice system involvement and opioid use disorders had a relatively low SUD treatment completion rate, while those with non-opioid-related SUD exhibited a higher completion rate. The study illustrates the importance of considering multiple factors and their interactions, including TAI improvement rates, family strengths, demographic characteristics, and social determinants, in predicting SUD treatment completion among young adults.

Application of Kahoot Online Media to Critical Thinking in Mathematics for Grade V Students of SDN 1 Tambahrejo

The aim of this research is to determine the influence of the online media Kahoot on the average results of critical thinking scores in mathematics for class V students. Mathematics is the main subject introduced at the elementary, middle and high school levels. This is different from conditions in the field where mathematics is a fear for students because they think that this subject is difficult. This is proven by the low average scores obtained by students. Students sometimes don't focus on working on questions and get bored quickly because they deliver material that seems monotonous. This assistance in mathematics subjects, especially critical thinking skills, was experienced by fifth grade students at SDN 1 Tambahrejo. The type of research is quantitative Pre Experimental in a One Group Pretest Posttest design. Data collection uses several techniques, namely observation, interviews, documentation and tests. In this research, the sample used was 19 fifth grade students at SD N 1 Addahrejo. The results of this research show that the average value of the pretest data is 41.37, while the average posttest value shows a result of 80.58. Based on this data, students experienced an increase in the average value of 39.21. Based on the presentation of the results of the data obtained, it shows that there is an influence, namely the difference in the average value of critical thinking in mathematics for class V students through the use of the online media Kahoot. Keywords: critical thinking, elementary school, kahoot, media

LIBRARY SKILLS REQUIRED BY THE PARAPROFESSIONAL STAFF IN USER SERVICES DEPARTMENT

This paper provides a review on the library skills that are required by the paraprofessional staff in user services department, explore the specific types of paraprofessional staff for user service department, and their roles. The study put together comparatively the user service information resource and service delivery responsibilities and the information utilitarian service support roles of the paraprofessional library staff and examines that, the more befitting type of paraprofessional library staff for user services are the “page”, “library aides”, and “library Services Assistant”. The types of responsibilities of user services paraprofessional staff was examined to be the middle level complementary roles in a way that relates to ‘user assistance’, and ‘library support’ in user management, information retrieval and access, shelve management, circulation desks services, reading area management and close access information services, among others. It also examined the library skills required by the user service paraprofessional library staff, who are expected to have the soft library – skills, hard library – skills, and the library information technologies use – skills, among others. The study concludes by stressing the existence of differing practices in the labelling paraprofessional library staff as “library support staff”, “library nonprofessional”, “not-certified” or “non-licenced librarians”, “post-secondary school” or “diploma certificate holders” in consistently, as well as confusion in their schedule of responsibilities. The study suggests the need for library regulatory agencies/parastatals and the libraries themselves to review the existing library staffing pattern/nomenclature and responsibilities to suit the current changing library environment, development in knowledge acquisition and certificates, changing users’ information needs and seeking behaviour and the changing trends in information services, among others.

Analysis of a Rainstorm Process in Nanjing Based on Multi-Source Observational Data and Lagrangian Method

Using multi-source observation data including automatic stations, radar, satellite, new detection equipment, and the Fifth Generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis (ERA-5) data, along with the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) platform, an analysis was conducted on a rainstorm process that occurred in Nanjing on 15 June 2020, with the aim of providing reference for future urban flood control planning and heavy rainfall forecasting and early warning. The results showed that this rainstorm process was generated under the background of an eastward-moving northeast cold vortex and a southward retreat of the Western Pacific Subtropical High. Intense precipitation occurred near the region of large top brightness temperature (TBB) gradient values or the center of low TBB values on the northern side of the convective cloud cluster. During the heavy precipitation period, the differential propagation phase shift rate (KDP), differential reflectivity factor (ZDR), and zero-lag correlation coefficient (ρHV) detected by the S-band dual-polarization radar all increased significantly. The vertical structure of the wind field detected by the wind profile radar provided a good indication of changes in precipitation intensity, showing a strong correspondence between the timing of maximum precipitation and the intrusion of upper-level cold air. The abrupt increase in the integrated liquid water content observed by the microwave radiometer can serve as an important indicator of the onset of stronger precipitation. During the Meiyu season in Nanjing, convective precipitation was mainly composed of small to medium raindrops with diameters less than 3 mm, with falling velocities of raindrops mainly clustering between 2 and 6 m·s−1. The rainstorm process featured four water vapor transport channels: the mid-latitude westerly channel, the Indian Ocean channel, the South China Sea channel, and the Pacific Ocean channel. During heavy rainfall, the Pacific Ocean water vapor channel was the main channel at the middle and lower levels, while the South China Sea water vapor channel was the main channel at the upper level, both accounting for a trajectory proportion of 34.2%.