Area Of Madrid Research Articles

Assessment of a high resolution annual WRF-BEP/CMAQ simulation for the urban area of Madrid (Spain)

Urban air quality has become one of the main environmental issues worldwide and there is an increasing need for modelling tools able to accurately reproduce the complex atmospheric phenomena that determine pollutant concentrations within cities. Eulerian 3D mesoscale models can consistently describe a wide range of spatial scales. However, urban areas present features that are usually missed by land-surface and PBL modules commonly implemented in such models. The Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) incorporates urban parameterizations to take into account changes in albedo, roughness length and thermal properties imposed by buildings. In this study, a model configuration based on the multi-layer Building Effect Parameterization (BEP) scheme is tested over the city of Madrid with the primarily aim of understanding the effect that the use of this urban canopy model may have on routinely (annual) air quality modelling activities in this urban area using the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. To do so, the results for the main meteorological variables (temperature, planetary boundary layer height and wind fields) are compared with those from the WRF reference configuration (based on the BULK simple scheme) that has been used in the past for practical applications in this urban area. Both model outputs are compared with observations to assess changes in model performance. It was found that the BEP-based configuration improved significantly wind speed results over built areas, with an annual average bias of −0.3 m s−1 in comparison with the 1.6 m s−1 yielded by the reference WRF run. Meteorological outputs from the two alternative configurations were used to feed the CMAQ model to assess the influence of this urban parameterization on air quality predictions. The effect was a clear improvement of the model performance regarding the most relevant pollutants, reducing NO2 underestimation to only 1.6 μg m−3. Model skills to reproduce O3 and PM2.5 ground-level concentration were also substantially improved. The results from this study clearly support the use of the BEP-based configuration for annual CMAQ runs despite the increase of the computational time and input data requirements. Seasonal and day-night time performance differences indicate that future efforts should be aimed at improving energy balances within BEP under stable conditions. Also, the development of methods to provide better land-use information and more detailed characteristics regarding building properties should be addressed to further improve the BEP urban canopy model.

Mobility of ‘the defeated’: internal migration and social advancement in a post-civil war society

The article examines the relationship between the movement across space and social mobility by analyzing the conditions for internal migration in Spain during the years of the Franco regime. Specifically it reflects on the ways in which migration from the countryside into self-constructed shantytowns in the greater Madrid area was perceived by migrants themselves, and on the strategies that enabled migration to be carried through. By focusing on the challenges that internal migration posed to the spatial practices and mobility regimes of the dictatorship, the article also explores the relationship between spatial movement, social mobility and political repression within the context of a nationalist dictatorship.

Empirical correlation of shear wave velocity (vs) with spt of soils in Madrid

Empirical correlations are usually used as a predictive tool in geotechnical engineering. However, equations calculated for soils very different to the ones to be characterized are frequently used, and so they are not representative of their mechanical properties. This fact, added to the increasing interest of civil engineering in knowing the shear wave velocity (Vs) of the ground, has led to the calculation of different empirical equations to predict the Vs value of the soils of Madrid. In this study this has been achieved by calculating the empirical correlations between the Vs value obtained through the ReMi (Refraction Microtremor) technique and the Standard Penetration Test (500 NSPT values). The empirical correlations proposed are applicable to the whole metropolitan area of Madrid, and have an excellent predictive capability owing to the incorporation of the measurement depth to the equations, which has an important influence in the resistance properties of soils. It is always better to have data collected in the studied site. But often there are too many difficulties to carry out some of these surveys. It may also happen that the surveys take too long or are too expensive to carry out. In these situations, empiric equations can be used to estimate this data. In geotechnical engineering, these empiric correlations are used frequently as a predictive tool, especially in the project’s design primary phases, when vast extensions of terrain are to be characterized in a short period of time, and to define if the soil fits a specific purpose. Because of this factor, there are plenty of estimations published that link between them different types of mechanical properties and geotechnical parameters.

The effect of sensory experience on expected preferences toward a masking strategy for boar-tainted frankfurter sausages

The potential banning of surgical pig castration in the EU is to be announced by 1 January 2018, which may change stakeholder and consumer preferences. This study analysed consumers’ expected preferences regarding smoking and applying a mixture of spices to high-level boar-taint frankfurter sausages. Consumers’ acceptance through a hedonic evaluation of the masking strategy and its impact on expected preferences were analysed. We carried out two non-hypothetical discrete choice experiments by creating a real shopping scenario before and after a sensory experience test for a sample of 150 consumers from the metropolitan area of Madrid, Spain. The data used in this analysis were obtained from self-completed structured questionnaires following a quota sampling approach. The recently developed generalized multinomial logit model (GMNL) was used for analysis. The results showed the appropriateness of the proposed masking strategy of boar meat for the processed meat industry in Spain. Consumers stated their willingness to pay a premium for this flavour. The sensory experience had an impact on the mean preference and the scale heterogeneity. The degree of randomness and consumer uncertainty decreased significantly after the eating experience of the product.

New variables for detecting transport disadvantages. The role of social capital

This paper explores the potential role of social capital variables on the transport mode choice. Traditionally travel behavior model included social capital as empowerment factor (i.e. social capital as substitute of financial capital) or as social network influence on travel choice. Only recently constraints of social capital are considered as factors influencing travel behavior (Swanen et al, 2015, Di Ciommo & Martens, 2015).This article will show both aspects of empowerments and constraints of social capital in a dynamic way stressing two dynamic aspects of social capital: the building up social capital and use of social capital. Both aspects are related with the value of time: when you are doing something for others ( i.e. Voluntary actions, pick up all family members, etc) you are loosing your time, and your mode choice will be oriented to saving time, therefore a private mode will be chosen, while when you are using your social capital benefit (somebody else is helping you), you will easily choose the less flexible and more time consuming public transport. After defining social capital notion in both aspects of empowerments and constraints, a set of social capital variables is defined. Then two of these variables are tested through a smartphone short panel survey, where 100 individuals living or working in one surrounding southern area of Madrid have participated in entering their travel data for an entire working week. The estimated mixed-logit model that incorporated two “social capital variables: participation in voluntary activities and receiving help for various tasks (i.e. child care) show how people who have less social capital, but that are trying to build it up choose more private than public modes: building social capital stock has a cost in term of time that push people to use more flexible transport mode (i.e. private car), while people who have already a stock of social capital and can use it (i.e. helped people) receive time from others and are more relaxed in choosing a less flexible mode of transport such as public transport. Results confirm that when a new metro station is opened, the shift towards metro is higher in the case of people ”helped” and lower for those participating in some voluntary activities. From a policy point of view, it will be relevant to know if people leaving a specific area are more voluntary or helped oriented, for forecasting the future policies. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/CIT2016.2016.2158

Tuberculosis and immigration in an area of southwest Madrid

To describe differences between Spanish and immigrant tuberculosis (TB) cases. Retrospective descriptive study of Spanish and immigrant TB patients diagnosed in a Madrid hospital from 2004 to 2013. A total of 322 patients were analysed, 183 Spanish-born and 139 immigrants (sub-Saharan Africa 32.4%, Morocco 28.8%, Latin America 20.1% and Eastern Europe 17.3%). Immigrants were younger and had a higher rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (P < 0.05). Spanish TB patients were often smokers and immunosuppressed (not HIV) (P < 0.001). No differences in symptoms and site of disease were detected. A higher proportion with isoniazid (INH) resistance was observed among immigrants (14.6% vs. 3.8%, P < 0.05), regardless of country of origin. Being an immigrant was an independent risk factor for INH resistance (OR 4.8, 95%CI 1.3-17.9). There is currently no consensus on whether or not it would be appropriate to treat Spanish and immigrant patients with different regimens. Being an immigrant is a clear risk factor for INH resistance. According to our results, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of changing treatment protocols in Madrid, Spain. It is also important to introduce specific strategies for the management of TB among immigrants.

Perceived and anticipating stigma in schizophrenia in relationship with depressive symptoms and functionality degree

IntroductionPerceived and anticipated stigma is relevant issues in patients with schizophrenia. Stigma has negative consequences both in quality of life and in the course of illness.ObjectivesTo analyze the degree of perceived and anticipated stigma and discrimination in patients with schizophrenia and their relationship with clinical and socio-demographic variables.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 100 patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 18 or more years old, clinically stabilized, without axis I DSM-IV comorbidity. Patients received treatment in the outpatient services of a catchment area in Madrid. Perceived and anticipated discrimination was evaluated trough the DISC-12 (Discrimination and Stigma scale). Other study variables were: socio-demographic characteristics, symptoms of depression (Calgary Scale) and functionality degree measured by Global Assessment of Function (GAF).ResultsThe presence of symptoms of depression evaluated by the Calgary Scale and low degree of functionality measured by GAF are associated with greater feelings of discrimination and stigma, especially in the sub-scales of experienced and anticipated discrimination of the DISC 12. Anticipated stigma is higher in men than in women while the rest sub scales of the DISC-12 do not correlate with gender or other sociodemographic variables.ConclusionsPreventive strategies to avoid the stigma in schizophrenia should consider some characteristics associated with disease, especially the degree of functionality and presence of depressive symptoms.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Perceived and anticipated stigma in patients with schizophrenia according with the length of illness

IntroductionPerceived and anticipated stigma are relevant issues in patients with schizophrenia. Stigma has negative consequences both in quality of life and in the course of illness.ObjectivesTo analyze differences in perceived and anticipated discrimination in two groups of patients with schizophrenia: one with a recent diagnosis of illness and another with a long course of disease.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 100 patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia, 18 or more years old, clinically stabilized, without axis I DSM-IV comorbidity. Patients received treatment in the outpatient services of a catchment area in Madrid. Perceived and anticipated discrimination was evaluated trough the DISC-12 (Discrimination and Stigma scale). Other study variables were: socio-demographic status, length of disease, symptoms of depression (Calgary Scale) and functionality degree measured by Global Assessment of Function (GAF). Two sub-groups of patients were compared: one with a length of illness below 5 years and a second one with a length of illness over 5 years.ResultsPatients with a length of illness longer than 5 years showed elevated degree of perceived and anticipated discrimination compared with patients with less than 5 years of illness course. In the same way, patients with a recent diagnosis of illness showed increased scores in the measure of face the stigma.ConclusionsPreventive strategies to avoid the stigma in schizophrenia should consider some differences in patients in relationship with the length of evolution of illness in order to be more accurate. Early intervention programs about stigma are necessary.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Testing sky brightness models against radial dependency: A dense two dimensional survey around the city of Madrid, Spain

We present a study of the night sky brightness around the extended metropolitan area of Madrid using Sky Quality Meter (SQM) photometers. The map is the first to cover the spatial distribution of the sky brightness in the centre of the Iberian peninsula. These surveys are necessary to test the light pollution models that predict night sky brightness as a function of the location and brightness of the sources of light pollution and the scattering of light in the atmosphere. We describe the data-retrieval methodology, which includes an automated procedure to measure from a moving vehicle in order to speed up the data collection, providing a denser and wider survey than previous works with similar time frames. We compare the night sky brightness map to the nocturnal radiance measured from space by the DMSP satellite. We find that (i) a single source model is not enough to explain the radial evolution of the night sky brightness, despite the predominance of Madrid in size and population and (ii) that the orography of the region should be taken into account when deriving geo-specific models from general first-principles models. We show the tight relationship between these two luminance measures. This finding sets up an alternative roadmap to extended studies over the globe that will not require the local deployment of photometers or trained personnel.

Building a panel data set on fuel stations located in the Spanish regional areas of Madrid and Barcelona

The data described in this article were collected daily over the period June 10, 2010, to November 25, 2012, from the website of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism. The database includes information about fuel stations regarding to their prices (both gross and net of taxes), brand, location (latitude and longitude), and postal code in the Spanish provinces of Madrid and Barcelona. Moreover, obtaining the postal codes has allowed us to select those stations that are operating within the metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona. By considering those fuel stations that uninterruptedly provided prices during the entire period, the data can be especially useful to explore the dynamics of prices in fuel markets. This is the case of Balaguer and Ripollés (2016), “Asymmetric fuel price responses under heterogeneity” [1], who, taking into account the presence of the potential heterogeneity of the behaviour of fuel stations, used this statistical information to perform an analysis on asymmetric fuel price responses.

Real estate bubble and urban population density: six Spanish metropolitan areas 2001–2011

After a period of exorbitant growth in building sector, it is appropriate to measure the impact it has had on the spatial structure of the main Spanish metropolitan areas. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Bilbao and Zaragoza are surveyed, and two periods are compared: 2001 and 2011. The main driving factor behind the evolution of urban density is the huge and fast arrival and settlement of immigrants. This article explores these transformations through exploratory spatial data analysis and classic econometric models that relate urban density with distance to central business district. The presence of spatial effects is tested: spatial lag and error models are considered. Spatial error models are estimated. Two main consequences of real state bubble are as follows: (1) spatial autocorrelation has grown and (2) in Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza central areas with high urban density are larger than before. From a methodological point of view, the introduction of spatial effects in the classical urban population density models implies a clear reduction in the explaining power of distance.

Capacidad de detección de patología psiquiátrica por el médico de familia

ObjectiveTo determine the ability of family physicians to detect psychiatric disorders, comparing the presence of psychiatric disorders detected using validated tests and referrals by family physicians. DesignCross-sectional, two-phase study. LocationPrimary healthcare centres in an urban area of Madrid. ParticipantsPatients between 18 and 65years attending primary healthcare centres for non-administrative purposes. Main measurementsTo detect psychiatric disorders in the waiting room, an interview was performed using GHQ-28 and MULTICAGE CAD-4 in the screening phase (considered positive: score of 6 or higher on the GHQ-28 or a score 2 or higher on MULTICAGE CAD-4). Patients with a positive score and 20% with negative were recruited for the second phase (case identification) using MINI interview. During family physician consultation, the patient gave his doctor a card with an identification number to record the presence of psychiatric illness in his/her opinion and whether there was treatment with psychotropic drugs. ResultsA total of 628 subjects participated. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders corrected by two phase methodology was 31.7% (95%CI: 27.9 to 35.5). Of the 185 patients with a psychiatric disorder detected, 44.2% (95%CI: 36.7 to 51.7) were identified as patients with psychiatric disorders by their family physician. Disorders best detected were: hypomania, dysthymic disorder, depressive episode with melancholic symptoms, and panic disorder. ConclusionsA significant percentage of patients with possible psychiatric disorders detected with validated test have not been identified by their family physician.

Territorio y crisis: impacto territorial de la crisis económica en las regiones metropolitanas de Madrid y Barcelona.

The economic crisis has had a major impact on the country, but has been little studied in its socio-territorial dimension. To analyze it in the metropolitan areas of Barcelona and Madrid, we 1) present a time series of the unemployment rates, the evolution of which will be 2) analyzed against the main sociodemographic features of the studied population: age, gender and nationality. 3) These results are further broken down by sector of activity and professional category to account for the occupational characteristics of said population. 4) Next, the obtained time series of unemployment rates are analyzed from a geographical perspective, through the comparison of territorial aggregates such as the cluster of municipalities by size, 2 by comarcas (NUTS4), and by socioeconomic level. Finally, 5) the evolution of said unemployment rates for each period and metropolitan region is studied through multivariate analysis. The obtained results allow for the presentation of a synthesis of the processes that underlie the changes in unemployment rates and their territorial articulation. This analysis shows that the crisis has two distinct phases, with an earlier and more intense incidence in the regional peripheries, in areas most linked to the construction

An index to identify suitable species in urban green areas

This paper presents a method that allows sorting of tree and shrub species according to their suitability for planting in urban areas of Madrid (Spain). Suitability was determined from a weighted index for each species according to the severity of damage (biotic, abiotic, and anthropogenic; stem wounds are the main problem in trees, while dead plants are the most important problem in shrubs, seasonal flowers, and vines) and to risk, which was obtained from a new measure, observed Species per Green Area per Year (SAYs). The greater the number of damaged SAYs, the less suitable a species was considered for outdoor planting. For this purpose, 49 green areas corresponding to 141ha were sampled during 2005–2008. The tree species least recommended for planting include Robinia pseudoacacia, Ulmus sp., Acer negundo, Platanus×hybrid, Populus Boolleana. The shrubs least recommended for planting are Nerium oleander, Cotoneaster sp., Euonymus europaeus, Pyracantha coccinea, and Pittosporum tobira. Statistical analysis reveals that native species have a lower percentage of damaged SAYs than non-native species.

Using a Coupled Air Quality Modeling System for the Development of an Air Quality Plan in Madrid (Spain): Source Apportionment and Analysis Evaluation of Mitigation Measures

In this contribution, we use a coupled air quality modelling system (AQM) as a tool to design and develop an air quality plan in Madrid. AQM has allowed us to obtain a preliminary evaluation of the effect of mitigation measures over regional and local air quality levels. To achieve these goals, we have prepared a sophisticated AQM, coupling the meteorological model WRF, the emission model AEMM, and the photochemical model CMAQ. AQM was evaluated using the whole modelling year 2010 working with high horizontal resolution, 3 km for the region of Madrid and 1km for urban metropolitan area of Madrid. Two different analyses have been realized: a source apportionment exercise following a zero-out methodology to obtain the contribution to the air quality levels of the different emission sector; and an evaluation of the main mitigation measures considered in the air quality plan using sensitivity analysis. The air quality plan was focused on the improvement of NO2 levels and AQM analyzed the effect of the mitigation measures during ten episodes of 2011 where NO2 or O3 levels were the highest of the year; so we analyzed the effect of the mitigation plan in worst conditions. Results provided by the AQM system show that it accomplishes the European Directive modelling uncertainty requirements and the mean absolute gross error for 1-h maximum daily NO2 is 31% over locations with higher levels of this atmospheric pollutant; the road traffic is the main contributor to the air quality levels providing a 81% for NO2, 67% for CO and 46% for PM10; measures defined in the plan achieve to reduce up to 11 μgm-3 NO2 levels offering highest reductions over urban areas with traffic influence.

Asymmetric fuel price responses under heterogeneity

We explore the effect of cross-sectional aggregation of data on estimation and test of asymmetric retail fuel price responses to wholesale price shocks. The analysis is performed on data collected daily from individual fuel stations in the Spanish metropolitan areas of Madrid and Barcelona. While the standard OLS estimator is applied to an error correction model in the case of the aggregated time series, we use the mean group approaches developed by Pesaran and Smith (1995) and Pesaran (2006) to estimate the short- and long-run micro-relations under heterogeneity. We found remarkable differences between the results of estimations using aggregated and disaggregated data, which are highly robust to both datasets considered. Our findings could help to explain many of the results in the literature on this research topic. On the one hand, they suggest that the typical estimation with aggregated data clearly tends to overestimate the persistence of shocks. On the other hand, we show that aggregation may generate a loss of efficiency in econometric estimates that is sufficiently large to hide the existence of the “rockets and feathers” phenomenon.

Ozone attributed to Madrid and Barcelona on-road transport emissions: Characterization of plume dynamics over the Iberian Peninsula

Despite the ~30% emission decrease of the main tropospheric ozone (O3) precursors in Spain in the 2001–2012 period, the O3 concentration in summer still exceeds the target value for the protection of the human health of the Air Quality Directive (2008/50/EC). On-road transport is the main anthropogenic contributor to O3 precursor's emissions in Madrid and Barcelona metropolitan areas (65%/59% of NOx, 40%/33% of NMVOC, and 67%/85% of CO emissions) but this contribution to O3 formation is not well understood. The present work aims at increasing the understanding on the role of on-road transport emissions from main Spanish urban areas in O3 dynamics over Spain under typical circulation types. For that purpose, the Integrated Source Apportionment Method is used within the CALIOPE modelling system (WRF/CMAQ/HERMES/BSC-DREAM8b). The results indicate that the daily maximum O3 concentration attributed to the on-road transport emissions from Madrid (O3T-MAD) and Barcelona metropolitan areas (O3T-BCN) contribute up to 24% and 8% to total O3 concentration, respectively, within an area of influence of 200km. The contribution of O3T-MAD and O3T-BCN is particularly significant (up to 80–100μgm−3 in an hour) to the O3 concentration peak during the central hours of the day in the high O3 concentration season (April–September). The maximum O3T-MAD concentration is calculated within the metropolitan area of Madrid but the plume, channelled by the Tajo and the Henares valleys, affects large areas of the Iberian Peninsula. The O3T-BCN plume is more driven by sea-land and mountain-valley breezes than by the synoptic advection and its maximum concentration is usually registered over the Mediterranean Sea. The O3 concentration transported long-range to the Iberian Peninsula is significant in the area of influence of Madrid and Barcelona, being maxima under cold (70–96%) and minima in warm circulation types (35–70%).

Variación en la secuencia /kt/ en español centropeninsular: Estudio sincrónico y aplicaciones diacrónicas

Diachronic phonetics and phonology in Spanish have not kept up to date with the latest methods in historical linguistics. Though acknowledging the value of traditional bibliography, this paper advocates an interdisciplinary, more modern approach. By way of example, an analysis is proposed of the evolution of /kt/ from Latin to Spanish. An experimental study of the sequence /kt/ in speakers from the Madrid area serves to argue that empirical synchronic data are an invaluable contribution that improve traditional views into diachrony. This paper seeks to invite reflection on possible ways of methodological renovation in the field of historical phonetics.

Implementation of road dust resuspension in air quality simulations of particulate matter in Madrid (Spain)

An evaluation of the concentration levels of Particulate Matter (PM) was carried out in Madrid (Spain) by introducing the emissions from road dust resuspension. Road dust resuspension emission factors (EF) for different types of vehicles were calculated from EPA-AP42, a global resuspension factor of 0.097 g veh-1 km-1 as described in Amato et al. (2010) and a rain-dependent correction factor. With these resuspension EFs, a simulation at street canyon level was performed with the OSPM model without rainfall. Subsequently, a simulation using the CMAQ model was implemented adding resuspension emissions affected by the rain. These data were compared with monitored data obtained from air quality stations. OSPM model simulations with resuspension EFs but without the effect of rainfall improve the PM estimates in about 20 µg m-3 compared to the simulation with default EFs. Total emissions were calculated by adding the emissions estimated with resuspension EFs to the default PM emissions to be used by CMAQ. For the study in the Madrid Area, resuspension emissions are approximately of the same order of magnitude as inventoried emissions. On a monthly scale, rain effects are negligible for resuspension emissions due to the dry weather conditions of Spain. With the exception of April and May, the decrease in resuspension emissions is not greater than 3%. The predicted PM10 concentration increases up to 9 µg m-3 on annual average for each station compared to the same scenario without resuspension. However in both cases, PM10 estimates with resuspension are still underestimating observations. It should be noted that although that accounting for resuspension improves the quality of model predictions, other PM sources (e.g. Saharan dust) were not considered in this study.

Heart Failure in a Health Area of Madrid, Spain. Description and Management from Electronic Medical Records

Heart Failure in a Health Area of Madrid, Spain. Description and Management from Electronic Medical Records