Area Of Madrid Research Articles

Who says ejque?

Abstract This paper examines language attitudes of 386 participants from all regions of Spain toward a phonetic variant used in the Madrid area, velarized coda /s/. Results show that velarized /s/ aids in the identification of a Madrid origin and, moreover, that velarized /s/ speakers are considered lower status, less pleasant, less confident, more of a tough-guy, less desirable as friends, less compatible with the listener and worse storytellers. Nearly all of these traits interact with listener gender in which women show the strongest variable effect. In addition, ethnocentrism is found to play a role in listener judgments, irrespective of the coda /s/ variant used.

Utilization of Healthcare Services in Patients with Chronic Diseases under 18 Years Old: Differences and Contributing Factors.

Pediatric patients with chronic conditions frequently have unmet care needs, make extensive use of healthcare services, and often encounter fragmented, non-centered care. This study aimed to analyze the differences in the utilization of primary care (PC) and hospital care (HC) services by these patients according to sex, age, and complexity and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a basic health area of Madrid, including patients under 18 years. Among these patients, 15.7% had ≥1 chronic disease, 54.1% were male, the average age was 9.5 years, 3.5% had complexity, and 11.3% had multimorbidity. The mean number of contacts/year with the healthcare system was 9.1, including 8.3 contacts/year with PC (4.9 with pediatricians and 1.9 with nurses) and 0.8 contacts/year with HC (0.8 in external consultations and 0.01 hospitalizations). The factors associated with PC utilization were complexity; female sex; European origin; and diseases like asthma, epilepsy, stroke, recurrent urinary infection, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety, while older age was negatively associated. Thyroid disorders were significantly associated with HC utilization. These findings could help guide the design of optimized pediatric patient-centered care approaches to coordinate care across healthcare services and reduce high healthcare utilization, therefore improving the healthcare outcomes and quality of life for these patients.

Predicting traffic intensity in the urban area of Madrid: Integrating route network topology into a machine-learning model

In addition to temporal effects, spatial effects must be considered in models of traffic intensity. Temporal effects (temporal autocorrelation) and spatial proximity shape observed traffic intensity, with repetitive patterns of peak and trough hours on weekdays and simultaneous peaks in traffic intensity picked up by traffic sensors along roadways of similar capacity. In this article we explore the ability of a neural network (NN) model to replicate both patterns, with the explicit inclusion of the route network’s characteristics. Combining information on optimal routes between different origins and destinations in the Madrid metropolitan area with the localization of traffic sensors, we estimate the route use intensities that mimic the observed traffic patterns as those that can most accurately reproduce the traffic-intensity values recorded by the sensors throughout the urban area. We conclude that this modeling approach can in fact mimic the distribution of the main origins and destinations of displacements in the metropolitan area of Madrid, reproducing the spatial and temporal patterns observed in traffic intensity. In addition, we conduct an analysis of anomalies to test an eventual application of the proposed method to determine the effects on the traffic system of critical events, such as the implementation of the Madrid Central Low Emission Zone.

Antipsychotic use in a large community sample of patients with delusional disorder

BackgroundTo examine clinical and sociodemographic differences between patients with delusional disorder; with and without diagnoses of an additional severe mental disorder (SMD) or cognitive impairment. MethodsPopulation-based study including all individuals diagnosed with DD between 2005 and 2021 from a large catchment area in Madrid, Spain. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and the antipsychotic prescription patterns of the study population was described. Patients were divided into (i) patients with DD and no additional diagnosis of SMD or cognitive impairment (DD group), (ii) patients with DD and a diagnosis of an additional SMD (DD-SMD group), and (iii) patients with DD and cognitive impairment (DD-CI group). ResultsOf 1109 patients with a DD diagnosis (62.5 % female), 131 (11.8 %) patients were diagnosed with an additional SMD, and 69 (6.2 %) were diagnosed with cognitive impairment. DD-SMD patients were on average 10 years younger and had longer time between first mental healthcare contact and DD disorder than DD patients. DD-CI patients were on average 10 years older and had a higher proportion of females. Paliperidone (21.9 %) and aripiprazole (20.6 %) were the modal antipsychotic drugs chosen overall. DD-SMD patients were more likely to receive paliperidone and to be prescribed long-acting injectable medication; DD-CI were more likely to receive risperidone or quetiapine; and DD patients were more likely to receive olanzapine. ConclusionsSociodemographic and clinical characteristics and choice of antipsychotic drug and delivery method for individuals with DD vary based on its comorbidity.

Increase in gonococcal arthritis in Madrid, Spain, 2022-2023.

In recent years, there has been an increase in Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in Europe and Spain. Disseminated gonococcal infection is an uncommon clinical presentation that includes gonococcal arthritis. Improved antibiotic treatment has reduced the incidence of gonococcal arthritis. However, the increase in gonococcal infections may have increased the frequency of this clinical entity in recent times. We report five cases of gonococcal arthritis in patients in a tertiary-care hospital in the northern area of Madrid (Spain) from October 2022 to October 2023. Major cases occurred in male patients with unprotected sex and polyarticular symptoms requiring hospital admission and treatment with ceftriaxone and cefixime. The use of molecular techniques has allowed the detection of a greater number of culture-negative cases of gonococcal arthritis, as well as the detection of mutations associated with resistance to fluoroquinolone for switching to oral treatment.

Forensic findings in urban red fox mortality in the metropolitan area of Madrid, 2014-2022.

The expanding presence of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in urban and suburban regions could potentially lead to increased instances of human aggression towards this species. We studied 10 deceased red foxes that were submitted by law enforcement agencies in the metropolitan area of Madrid in 2014-2022 because of suspected abuse. Forensic autopsies were performed to establish the cause and manner of death. In 4 of the 10 cases, the cause of death was deemed unnatural, involving blunt-force trauma (n = 2), asphyxia resulting from hanging (n = 1), and firearm injury (n = 1). Among the remaining cases, most had succumbed to natural causes (n = 4), often marked by severe emaciation and a high burden of parasites, primarily Sarcoptes scabiei. In 2 cases, death was undetermined given the poor preservation of the carcass. The growing prevalence of wildlife species in urban areas, particularly red foxes, may require forensic veterinary investigation of deaths potentially related to abuse.

Shopping centers challenging decline: Competitive strategies in three case studies from Madrid's urban area

Shopping centers are undergoing a period of crisis, leading to the decline and closure of multiple complexes. In response to this situation, they adopt competitive strategies to remain attractive, survive, and succeed. The aim of this research is to explore these strategies through three case studies in the metropolitan area of Madrid, namely Oasiz Madrid, intu Xanadu, and X-Madrid. A qualitative and mixed method approach is used, including literature review, observation, documentary analysis through newspaper articles and online media, and interviews. It is found that size, the new lifestyle center model, and experiences are the three strategies individually developed by each of the analyzed shopping centers. The common premise is that traditional retail and physical trade are being replaced by leisure and entertainment as key factors to attract visitors. From a management perspective, this study provides guidance for framing the future in shopping centers.

Intimate Partner Violence and Formal Help-Seeking in Spain: Comparing Experiences of Spanish and Immigrant Women

In Spain, 17.23% of the population is immigrant. In Madrid area, it rises to 20.96%, being Latin American and Romanian origin the most prevalent. Data indicate that intimate partner violence (IPV) is higher in immigrant than in Spanish women, although they seem to make less use of specialized services. This study aims to identify the characteristics of knowledge and use of specialized IPV services and related variables between Spanish, Romanian, and Latin American women with lifetime IPV in Spain. An anonymous, self-administered survey was applied to a stratified sample of residents aged over 16 in Coslada (Madrid, Spain), where there is a large immigrant population (18.78%). Data from 280 women showed higher recognized lifetime IPV for immigrants (62.1%) than for natives (48%) (p < .05). However, not even half (48.7%) of them used any of the services assessed (without significant differences by origin); Romanians showed more judicialized processes. Use of services was related to having children or IPV severity, among other variables. Results point out the need to consider the influence of the context of immigrant women on their help-seeking behavior and increase awareness and training among professionals. Further research is required about the specific needs of women from different countries.

Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Prevalence and Incidence of Bacterial Gastroenteritis in Spain, 2019-2022.

The aim of this study was to describe the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) against SARS-CoV-2 on bacterial gastroenteritis illnesses (BGIs), including Campylobacter spp., Aeromonas spp., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp./enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC), and Yersinia enterocolitica, in outpatients, inpatients, and emergency departments (ED). Data of patients from a health care area in Madrid (Spain) with diarrhea and positive-real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were collected. The periods analyzed were prepandemic (P0, April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020), first (P1, April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021), and second (P2, April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022) pandemic years. We compared the prevalence, median age, patient profile, and absolute incidence (AI) per 100,000 population during the study periods using Fisher's test (p < 0.05). One thousand eighty-one (13.9%, [95% confidence interval, CI: 13.1-14.6]) of the 7793 patients tested during P0, 777 (13.3%, [95% CI: 12.4-14.2]) of the 5850 tested during P1, and 945 (12.4%, [95% CI: 11.7-13.2]) of the 7606 patients tested were positive for some BGIs. The global prevalence showed a decreasing trend that was statistically significant in P2. During P1, there was an increase in BGIs in the ED with a decrease of median age (p > 0.05). However, during P2, the prevalence for outpatients increased (p < 0.05). The individual prevalence analysis over the three periods remained homogeneous for most of the BGIs (p > 0.05). The AI of most BGIs showed a decreasing trend at P1 and P2 with respect to P0 (p > 0.05). However, Shigella spp./EIEC was the only BGI with a decrease in prevalence, and AI showed statistically significant variation in P1 and P2 (p < 0.05). The prevalence and AI for BGIs mostly showed a slight decrease during the first 2 pandemic years compared with the prepandemic may be explained by the greater impact of foodborne transmission on BGIs. The significant decrease in Shigella spp./EIEC illnesses could explain the mainly person-to-person transmission and the reduction of bacterial load in fomites for NPIs. This retrospective study was approved by the Ethics Committee with the code: HULP PI-5700.

Avian responses to an extreme weather event: The case of the ‘Filomena’ snowstorm in Madrid (central Spain)

Cold spells and severe weather may have detrimental effects in wild birds, but owing to the stochastic nature of these events, it is not always possible to measure their impacts. In January 2021, a strong snowstorm known as ‘Filomena’ affected Spain, mainly the region of Madrid (Central Spain), which was fully covered with snow and suffered freezing temperatures for a fortnight. Using bird surveys conducted in the winter-spring of 2020 and 2021 (before and after Filomena) at same locations, we addressed the possible impact of the cold spell in three widespread gamebirds: Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus), Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) and Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa). No significant abundance differences were found between years for none of the species and hunting pressure was only significantly reduced for Partridges, hence this species may have been negatively affected by Filomena. Results suggest that in response to Filomena, Pigeons conducted partial migration in search of better conditions, while Magpies aggregated in certain areas of Madrid and Partridges endured the harsh conditions within their home ranges. Our results highlight the importance to alleviate negative impacts of extreme weather events in wild birds through management actions, especially for sedentary species.

Reasons to Pedestrianise Urban Centres: Impact Analysis on Mobility Habits, Liveability and Economic Activities

Pedestrianisation entails the full removal of motorised vehicles. It promotes walking and active means of transport and has a wide range of benefits in terms of health, the environment, mobility and the economy. However, it often faces widespread opposition. This results in a lack of political will and, to a lesser degree, in temporary pedestrianisations, which can be reverted. We consider that infrastructural change and long-term pedestrianisation are key for long-lasting benefits and more resilient and sustainable cities. To explore and assess this, a survey of pedestrians and semi-structured interviews with businesses were conducted in recently pedestrianised areas of Madrid, a large capital city. Data on satisfaction and changes in mobility, liveability and business were gathered. Over 755 citizens and 38 local businesses answered. The results show high levels of satisfaction (2/3) among citizens, while 1/2 businesses consider it positive for their commercial activity. Car use has fallen, active means of transport have been fostered and perceived attractiveness has increased, although some congestion has been noticed in nearby streets. This and the rest of the evidence presented in this paper can be used to back long-term restrictive policies in other dense and busy cities.

Drivers of divergent trends in tropospheric ozone hotspots in Spain, 2008–2019

This study aimed to investigate the causes of contrasting ozone (O3) trends in Spanish O3 hotspots between 2008 and 2019, as documented in recent studies. The analysis involved data on key O3 precursors, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), among other species, along with meteorological parameters associated with O3. The dataset comprised ground-level and satellite observations, emissions inventory estimates, and meteorological reanalysis.The results suggest that the increasing O3 trends observed in the Madrid area were mostly due to major decreases in NOx emissions from the road transport sector in this urban VOC-limited environment, as well as variations in meteorological parameters conducive to O3 production. Conversely, the decreasing O3 trends in the Sevilla area likely resulted from a decrease in NOx emissions in a peculiar urban NOx-limited regime caused by substantial VOC contributions from a large upwind petrochemical area. Unchanged O3 concentrations in other NOx-limited hotspots may be attributed to the stagnation of emissions from sectors other than road transport, coupled with increased emissions from certain sectors, likely due to the economic recovery from the 2008 financial crisis, and the absence of meteorological variations favorable to O3 production.In this study, the parameters influencing O3 varied distinctively across the different hotspots, emphasizing the significance of adopting an independent regional/local approach for O3 mitigation planning. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into the causes of contrasting O3 trends in different regions of Spain, which can be used as a basis for guiding future measures to mitigate O3 levels.

Using photovoice to generate policy recommendations to improve the alcohol urban environment: A participatory action research project

The place where we live, work and play may influence our alcohol drinking behaviours. This study aimed to present local policy recommendations on urban determinants for alcohol consumption prevention in a low-income and a high-income area of Madrid (Spain) using a participatory action research method, with photovoice and nominal group techniques. Participants (n = 26) engaged in a photovoice project initiated a process of critical reflection by discussing and analysing their alcohol environment based on photographs they took themselves. At the end of six week group discussion sessions, participants identified 33 themes related to their alcohol environment. They later met to translate the final categories into urban policy recommendations using a logical framework approach. Then, with a nominal group, they prioritized these recommendations based on time, impact, feasibility, and cost. Finally, participants produced a total of 61 policy recommendations for the improvement of the alcohol environment, highlighting the need for researcher-community collaborations when designing public health interventions.

Typologies of stations’ catchment areas in metropolitan urban peripheries: From car-oriented to sustainable urban strategies

After decades of sprawl and car-dependent urban developments, especially on the peripheries of metropolitan areas, new policies are being oriented towards more efficient and sustainable mobility. In the process of change towards more sustainable mobility patterns in peripheral areas, commuter railways must play a predominant role because of their capacity and speed. The main aim of this paper is to analyse commuter rail stations’ catchment areas (SCAs) to identify typologies of these nodes in large metropolitan areas as a key step in proposing strategies for making mobility much more sustainable, both in the medium and proximity scales, by promoting soft mobility towards stations, a strategy that will facilitate commuters’ use of daily rail transport. The method proposed is based on a twofold clustering analysis. The first is to consider urban-planning variables to detect consolidated stations; the second is to use both public space and land-use variables to characterise the quality of the urban environment for walking/cycling. These methods are applied in the metropolitan area of Madrid and offer some key insights. The results show that different typologies are found – from consolidated, dense and mixed-use SCAs, with large residential developments, to low-density SCAs in sprawl areas or low consolidated mixed-use SCAs with large parking spaces, following the park-and-ride model, among others. This identification of SCAs’ typologies is key for policy makers to propose different strategies, which could be small projects oriented towards improving public spaces promoting soft mobility, or deeper changes that require a re-densification process in the stations’ surroundings, breaking with the rigid definition of transit-oriented developments and adapting the decisions taken to each context.

Knowledge of professionals about sexuality of the ostomyzed.

An ostomy significantly influences a person's life, altering their biopsychosocial and sexual sphere and affecting their interpersonal relationships. Through an observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study, with a questionnaire aimed at professionals from a health area in Madrid, we analyzed: sociodemographic variables, knowledge of the professionals on the subject, referral of the patient according to the professional's assessment and feelings that the subject under study produces in the patient and in professionals. 49% claimed to have no knowledge about sexuality of the ostomyzed patients. 55.9% of those surveyed consider that the healthcare provider is the one who should introduce the topic of sexuality during the clinical interview. 48.5 and 85.2% are unaware of treatments for male and female sexual dysfunction, respectively. The data show that the training provided in the university centers is insufficient to deal effectively with this issue in the medical consultation. The participants manifest null or minimal knowledge about the sexual sphere in ostomized patients. Knowledge deficiencies are detected in relation to the sexuality of the ostomized patient, difficulty in talking about sex with these patients, and the importance that sanitary professionals give to the patient's sexual sphere, among others.

Short-term impact of extreme temperatures, relative humidity and air pollution on emergency hospital admissions due to kidney disease and kidney-related conditions in the Greater Madrid area (Spain)

While some studies report a possible association between heat waves and kidney disease and kidney-related conditions, there still is no consistent scientific consensus on the matter or on the role played by other variables, such as air pollution and relative humidity.Ecological retrospective time series study 01-01-2013 to 31-12-2018). Dependent variables: daily emergency hospitalisations due to kidney disease (KD), acute kidney injury (AKI), lithiasis (L), dysnatraemia (DY) and hypovolaemia (HPV). Independent variables: maximum and minimum daily temperature (Tmax, Tmin, °C), and daily relative humidity (RH, %). Other variables were also calculated, such as the daily temperature for risk of kidney disease (Theat, °C) and low daily hazardous relative humidity (HRH%).As variables of air pollution, we used the daily mean concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3 in μg/m3. Based on these, we then calculated their daily excesses over World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline levels (hPM10, hPM2.5, hNO2 and hO3 respectively). Poisson family generalised linear models (GLMs) (link = log) were used to calculate relative risks (RRs), and attributable risks and attributable admissions. In the models, we controlled for the covariates included: seasonalities, trend, autoregressive component, day of the week, month and year.A statistically significant association was found between Theat and all the dependent variables analysed. The greatest AKI disease burden was attributable to Theat (2.2 % (1.7, 2.6) of attributable hospital admissions), followed by hNO2 (1.7 % (0.9, 3.4)) and HRH (0.8 (0.6, 1.1)). In the case of hypovolaemia and dysnatraemia, the greatest disease burden again corresponded to Theat, with 6.9 % (6.2, 7.6) and 5.7 (4.8, 6.6) of attributable hospital admissions respectively.Episodes of extreme heat exacerbate daily emergency hospital admissions due to kidney disease and kidney-related conditions; and attributable risks are likewise seen for low relative humidity and high ozone levels.

Exploring economic integration of peasant settlements in Roman Central Spain (1st c. − 3rd c. AD)

Preventive excavations in the metropolitan area of Madrid (Spain) resulted in the study of the archaeological record of a number of Roman non-elite rural sites, which uniquely allow for the analysis of ancient peasant economies in central Roman Spain. We engage with current debates on the economic roles and integration of peasant sites in the Roman imperial economy, and report on the application of a network science method to the economic networks established among these settlements. The Louvain modularity measure is used to explore two competing hypotheses on the level of integration or segregation of peasant communities within the Roman economy. The results suggest a pattern of weak integration that was maintained with little change between the 1st and the 3rd century CE.

Spatial Crisis and the Experimental Production of Urban Space in Franco’s Spain: The History of Madrid’s Poblados Dirigidos

The article analyzes the ideological reasoning, planning rationale, and construction of controlled/satellite neighborhoods ( poblados dirigidos) in the metropolitan area of Madrid during the 1950s and 1960s. Poblados dirigidos were compact and minutely planned barrios on which the Franco regime (1939-1975) hinged its hopes for re-directing urban growth and controlling informal urbanization. While the phenomenon of poblados dirigidos was investigated by several Spanish architects and urban planners, their work focused mostly on the design of these neighborhoods, the structure of their housing units, and the innovative construction techniques. The current article suggests that the spatial crisis that drove the dictatorship to embrace the planning module of poblados dirigidos cannot be understood in isolation from the political and economic challenges faced by the regime during its “interim decades.” These challenges led to a progressive shift in the regime’s territorial representations and to a partial shift in its spatial practices, which the article analyzes.

Spatiotemporal variations of tropospheric ozone in Spain (2008–2019)

This study aims to support the development of Spain’s Ozone Mitigation Plan by evaluating the present-day spatial variation (2015–2019) and trends (2008–2019) for seven ground-level ozone (O3) metrics relevant for human/ecosystems exposure and regulatory purposes.Results indicate that the spatial variation of O3 depends on the part of the O3 distribution being analyzed. Metrics associated with moderate O3 concentrations depict an increasing O3 gradient between the northern and Mediterranean coasts due to climatic factors, while for metrics considering the upper end of the O3 distribution, this climatic gradient tends to attenuate in favor of hotspot regions pointing to relevant local/regional O3 formation. A classification of atmospheric regions in Spain is proposed based on their O3 pollution patterns, to identify priority areas (or O3 hotspots) where local/regional precursor abatement might significantly reduce O3 during pollution episodes.The trends assessment reveals a narrowing of the O3 distribution at the national level, with metrics influenced by lower concentrations tending to increase over time, and those reflecting the higher end of the O3 distribution tending to decrease. While most stations show no statistically significant variations, contrasting O3 trends are evident among the O3 hotspots. The Madrid area exhibits the majority of upward trends across all metrics, frequently with the highest increasing rates, implying increasing O3 associated with both chronic and episodic exposure. The Valencian Community area exhibits a mixed variation pattern, with moderate to high O3 metrics increasing and peak metrics decreasing, while O3 in areas downwind of Barcelona, the Guadalquivir Valley and Puertollano shows no variations. Sevilla is the only large Spanish city with generalized O3 decreasing trends.The different O3 trends among hotspots highlight the need for mitigation measures to be designed at a local/regional scale to be effective. This approach may offer valuable insights for other countries developing O3 mitigation plans.

Influencia de la pandemia por Covid 19 en el trasplante de órganos

On 31 December 2019 COVID-19 Viral infection was diagnoses. On june 2020 only in 188 countries 33 millons of infected people were detected. Unfortunately in Spain the results of the treatment has been worse than in Germany, Italy, Corea, Taiwan., Grece, Portugal, France, Japan, and others. 778 transplanted patients were infected. 249 of them in Madrid area. Organ donation was reduced. National Organization of Organ Trasplantation diminished donation, and transplantation of kidney, liver, heart, lung close to 90% (in april, 0%) from march to july 2020. Living rolated or split, and cluster trasplantation was not permited. In Madrid area, on 2020 were done 37 transplantation less than in 2019 the causes of that were the reduction of UCI beds, time in the OR, reduction of doctors and nurses. 861.112 infected people, 32.992 died and from the total number of patients, 36.000 were included as, doctors, nurses and other related with health care areas new protocols, hospitals, intensive care areas, etc were established along 2020 going back to the previous results obtained during 2018-2019.