Province Of Madrid Research Articles

Ground Improvement for a High Speed Railway Near Madrid (Spain)

For the extension of the lines of the Spanish high speed railway system, a new junction has recently been created to the south of Madrid (Spain). The objective of these works was to connect the lines Madrid-Valencia and Madrid-Seville in order to be able to go directly from Seville to Valencia. The work has been undertaken in the zone of Torrejón de Velasco (Madrid province). The ground of this zone is formed by: a) Anthropic fills. b) Very soft quaternary sediments, mainly clayey soils. c) Hard clay (near substratum). The height of the necessary embankments is variable (to from 2 m to 15 m). For this reason (and proximity to the high speed railway in operation) it has been necessary to design a major ground improvement under the embankments. This paper describes: a) The geotechnical properties of the soft soil (by means of field embankment tests and other field tests). b) The design of the ground improvement. c) The instrument field data obtained during the treatment.

Throughfall and bulk deposition of dissolved organic nitrogen to holm oak forests in the Iberian Peninsula: Flux estimation and identification of potential sources

Deposition of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in both bulk precipitation (BD) and canopy throughfall (TF) has been measured for the first time in the western Mediterranean. The study was carried out over a year from 2012 to 2013 at four evergreen holm oak forests located in the Iberian Peninsula: two sites in the Province of Barcelona (Northeastern Spain), one in the Province of Madrid (central Spain) and the fourth in the Province of Navarra (Northern Spain). In BD the annual volume weighted mean (VWM) concentration of DON ranged from 0.25 mg l−1 in Madrid to 1.14 mg l−1 in Navarra, whereas in TF it ranged from 0.93 mg l−1 in Barcelona to 1.98 mg l−1 in Madrid. The contribution of DON to total nitrogen deposition varied from 34% to 56% in BD in Barcelona and Navarra respectively, and from 38% in Barcelona to 72% in Madrid in TF. Agricultural activities and pollutants generated in metropolitan areas were identified as potential anthropogenic sources of DON at the study sites. Moreover, canopy uptake of DON in Navarra was found in spring and autumn, showing that organic nitrogen may be a supplementary nutrient for Mediterranean forests, assuming that a portion of the nitrogen taken up is assimilated during biologically active periods.

El Torcularium del asentamiento rural romano de Los Palacios, Villanueva del Pardillo (Madrid): a propósito de la producción de vino en la zona central de Hispania = The Torcularium at the Roman rural settlement of Los Palacios, Villanueva del Pardillo...

The archaeological site of Los Palacios consists of a rural settlement from the Roman period, where we have identify the core of the productive part of a villa dedicated to winemaking. Next to different rooms belonging to the pars rustica, a torcularium has been located including a calcatorium or press space, a lacus or reception sink and a counterweight that is aimed to activate a beam and windlass press. At this site, there have been identified stages of building and refurbishment that show a long occupation in time. All the documentation and materials registered give us a chronology from the end of the 1st century AD to the end of the 4th or early 5th century. Los Palacios has become a site with outstanding interest, because it is the first centre of wine production at this scale that has been found in the area of the province of Madrid.

Thallium occurrence and partitioning in soils and sediments affected by mining activities in Madrid province (Spain)

Thallium (Tl) and its compounds are toxic to biota even at low concentrations but little is known about Tl concentration and speciation in soils. An understanding of the source, mobility, and dispersion of Tl is necessary to evaluate the environmental impact of Tl pollution cases. In this paper, we examine the Tl source and dispersion in two areas affected by abandoned mine facilities whose residues remain dumped on-site affecting to soils and sediments of natural water courses near Madrid city (Spain). Total Tl contents and partitioning in soil solid phases as determined by means of a sequential extraction procedure were also examined in soils along the riverbeds of an ephemeral and a permanent streams collecting water runoff and drainage from the mines wastes. Lastly, electronic microscopy and cathodoluminescence probe are used as a suitable technique for Tl elemental detection on thallium-bearing phases. Tl was found mainly bound to quartz and alumino-phyllosilicates in both rocks and examined soils. Besides, Tl was also frequently found associated to organic particles and diatom frustules in all samples from both mine scenarios. These biogenic silicates may regulate the transfer of Tl into the soil-water system.

Los maestros de primeras letras en la provincia de Madrid a través del Catastro de Ensenada

This paper aims to offer a glimpse into the real situation of literacy teachers, and to a lesser extent, grammar teachers, in the province of Madrid in the 18th century, based on relevant information gathered from «Libros de Estados Generales» of «Catastro de Ensenada» (1749-1756). First, we analyze the distribution of literacy teachers in cities and villages in the Madrid area, their wages, the supplementary jobs they had apart from teaching, and how they were valued socially. We also compare their job to other types of professions in order to get a more accurate idea of their conditions and real situation in the mid-eighties. Similarly, we make a comparison of literacy teachers’ and grammar teachers’ socio-economic circumstances in the province of Madrid with that of teachers in other Spanish provinces where the «Catastro de Ensenada» was also conducted.

Alpedrete granite (Spain). A nomination for the “Global Heritage Stone Resource” designation

Alpedrete granite is a monzogranite quarried in the Sierra de Guadarrana (Spanish Central System) foothills in and around Alpedrete, in the province of Madrid, Spain. Used as a building material since the Neolithic, it is one of the most representative of heritage granites of Madrid. Alpedrete and the surrounding region are characterised by a quarrying culture that has been maintained for centuries. The area is strewn with historic quarries, along with the one presently in operation. Traditional stone cutters who produce hand-finished granite ashlars are still to be found, while others use more modern techniques to achieve new types of products. Representative monuments including Royal Palace of Marid, Alcala Gate and the National Library owe their good conservation state largely to the petrophysical properties and durability of Alpedrete granite. In addition to its use in a substantial number of heritage buildings in Madrid, this stone is also found in most of the city's housing, urban furniture and cobble-stoned streets and nearly all the rural architecture in the Alpedrete area. This paper discusses the petrological and petrophysical properties of Alpedrete granite, as well as its durability, historic use and quarries, in support of its nomination for the Global Heritage Stone Resource designation.

The Relevance of Organizational Characteristics for Crisis Planning

The purpose of the research was to investigate the readiness of the touristic branch for facing economic and financial crisis. The paper is based on a study undertaken in the Madrid region in 2009. Predictors of crisis including gender have been surveyed for a total of 198 hotels and 291 restaurants in the province of Madrid. The study demonstrated that the age and size of the decision-making organization and the gender of the business’ leader did influence crisis planning. Major differences were found between hotels and restaurants, the last ones being more severely affected than hotels and thus placing more emphasis on planning ahead. Age was an indicator of the existence of “soft” crisis planning tools. Size was an indicator only for restaurants. Gender of the business owner also influenced crisis planning. Recommendations for policy makers on which types of owners they need to focus on for giving assistance in time of crisis were made. The scope of the study was geographically very limited and would need to be expanded to further parts of Spain or to other countries with strong tourism activities.

Spatial analysis of the competitiveness of the high-speed train and air transport: The role of access to terminals in the Madrid–Barcelona corridor

This paper analyzes the effect of access and egress time to transport terminals over the spatial competiveness of the high-speed train (HST) in the Madrid–Barcelona (Spain) corridor, one of the densest airline domestic markets in the world. Applying spatial data from 2010 provided by a geographical information system (GIS) to a mode choice model estimated with sample travelers in this corridor, the present study examines whether and how the level-of-service of transport terminals spatially affects the competitiveness or modal distribution of HST and air transport in the provinces of Madrid and Barcelona; and, in particular, the degree of competitiveness that can be accrued by the access time provided by private car and transit in different market segments, especially mandatory and leisure trips. In a number of urban zones near train stations and airports, terminal accessibility clearly favors one transport mode in comparison to the other. Improving terminal accessibility via private car or public transit not only affects the relative access to terminals, but also represents a key strategy for readjusting the market shares of the competing modes in the corridor.

Spread and partitioning of arsenic in soils from a mine waste site in Madrid province (Spain)

The formation of scorodite is an important mechanism for the natural attenuation of arsenic in a wide range of environments. It is dumped on site by metallurgical industries to minimize arsenic release. However, the long-term stability of these deposits is unclear. Sequential As extractions and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy were used to determine both As and Fe speciation in a small catchment area affected by a scorodite-rich waste pile at an abandoned smelting factory. Our results indicate that this deposit behaves as an acute point source of As and metal pollution and confirms the strong association of As(V) with Fe(III) oxide phases, highlighting the important role of ferrihydrite as an As scavenger in natural systems. In this seasonally variable system, other trapping forms such as jarosite-like minerals also play a role in the attenuation of As. Overall, our results demonstrate that scorodite should not be considered an environmental stable repository for As attenuation when dumped outside because natural rainfall and the resulting runoff drive As dispersion in the environment and indicate the need to monitor and reclamate As-rich mine deposits.

Can livestock carrion availability influence diet of wintering red kites? Implications of sanitary policies in ecosystem services and conservation

AbstractThe diet of wintering red kites Milvus milvus over the last decade in central Spain was recorded to evaluate the influence of sanitary policies on carcasses use. The results show major differences in diet composition of red kites wintering in areas with and without availability of livestock carcasses. In the area without livestock carcasses (north‐western Madrid province), red kites fed on a similarly large proportion of wild lagomorphs across the study period. In the area with livestock farming (Segovia province), red kites exploited carcasses from different livestock schemes (stabled livestock—primarily swine—versus free‐ranging ruminants) depending on changing sanitary regulations as consequence of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or ‘mad cow’ crisis initiated in 2001. During the period of restrictive sanitary legislation (after the ‘mad cow’ crisis) that greatly limited the use of animal by‐products from ruminants as food for avian scavengers, kites mostly predated on common voles and scavenged on swine carcasses. After the implementation of the less restrictive regulations (since 2011; regulations CE1069/2009, CE142/2011) that again permitted the abandonment of extensive livestock remains in the countryside and in feeding stations, the proportion of ruminants in the kites’ diet increased while the proportion of swine carrion decreased. Carcass dumps acted as temporally and spatially predictable sources of abundant food from stabled livestock before and even just after the mad‐cow crisis, but become relatively unpredictable foraging places afterwards due to the generalized carrion destruction in authorized plants, primarily of swine considered as non‐risk for the transmission of the bovine encephalopathy. This illustrates the deep and sometimes unexpected consequences that sanitary policies can impose on the composition and availability of food resources for scavenger wildlife. Much effort is still required to reconcile sanitary and environmental policies in order to ensure the conservation of avian scavengers and the provision of ecosystem services.

Oversights, Confusions and Misinterpretations Related to Self-Care and Medication in Diabetic and Renal Patients

Objective: To analyse information about the errors made by diabetic and renal patients based on information provided by professionals (general practitioners, specialists, and nurses) and the patients themselves. Subjects and Methods: A descriptive study was carried out by interviewing 199 patients and 60 professionals from the Spanish provinces of Alicante and Madrid. The interview explored the frequencies and types of oversights, confusions, and misinterpretations and the factors that contributed to them. Results: Among the 199 patients, 59 (29.5%) and 42 (70%) of the 60 professionals considered that patients frequently made errors that affected the success of their treatment. There were no differences in the frequency of the reported errors based on gender (p = 0.7), educational level (p = 0.9), or marital status (p = 0.5). The most commonly reported errors were taking the wrong medication (n = 70; 35%) and mixing up medicines (n = 15; 7.5%). Diabetics who had not been adequately informed, compared to renal patients, reported a higher number of errors (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Patient errors were frequent because of communication failures and confusions. Diabetic patients had a higher chance of committing an error than renal patients. Patient education must include clear and personalized instructions for improving self-care and reducing risks when using medicines.

Multivariate Analysis of the Agricultural Management Presence of Sorghum Halepense (L.) Pers. Relationships in Maize Crops

Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. is one of the most troublesome weeds in warm climates. Its control is difficult, and understanding the factors affecting its spreading is crucial. A study was conducted in 47 commercial maize fields, which account for more than 400 ha in the Spanish provinces of Albacete, Badajoz and Madrid, to analyse the distribution of S. halepense as a function of various agricultural variables. The results showed significant effects of agricultural management on the presence of this weed. Crop rotation decreased the infestation of S. halepense. Furrow irrigation system favored the establishment of large patches with high plant density, while the sprinkler irrigation system favored the presence of isolated plants or small patches. Apparently, moldboard tillage promoted the establishment of large patches. The combination of different variables also had effects on the characteristics of the present infestations, and its management could lead to a better control in maize fields.

Impact of fuel price on the development of the urban sprawl in Spain

This article analyses the impact of the variation in the price of fossil fuels on the development of the urban sprawl in Spain. The analysis is empirical and is based on a panel data collected in the provinces of Alicante, Almeria, Balearic Islands, Barcelona, Cadiz, Castellon, Cordova, Girona, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Lleida, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Seville, Tarragona and Valencia from 2000 to 2010. This study combines the principles of the natural evolution theory with the price of fuels and two types of family houses: single-family houses and apartment buildings. The main finding drawn from the econometric analysis is that an increase in the price of fuel leads to a decrease in the construction rate of single-family houses. In addition, the study confirms the influence of other variables on the construction rate of single-family houses, such as household income, population size, cost of public transport and price of urban land.

Detection of anti-Leishmania infantum antibodies in sylvatic lagomorphs from an epidemic area of Madrid using the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test

An outbreak of human leishmaniosis was confirmed in the southwest of the province of Madrid, Spain, between July 2009 and December 2012. Incidence of Leishmania infection in dogs was unchanged in this period, prompting a search for alternative sylvatic infection reservoirs. We evaluated exposure to Leishmania in serum samples from animals in the area with an indirect immunofluorescence test (IFAT). Using promastigotes from six culture passages and a 1/25 threshold titer, we found anti-Leishmania infantum seroreactivity in 9.3% of cats (4 of 43), 45.7% of rabbits (16/35) and 74.1% of hares (63/85). Use of promastigotes from >10 in vitro passages resulted in a notably IFAT lower titer, suggesting antigenic changes during extended culture. Postmortem inspection of seropositive animals showed no clinical signs of infection. The results clearly suggest that asymptomatic hares were the main reservoir in the outbreak, and corroborate IFAT as a sensitive serological surveillance method to detect such cryptic Leishmania infections.

Gene expression responses for detecting sublethal effects of xenobiotics and whole effluents on a Xenopus laevis embryo assay

In the present study, the authors investigated the effects of bisphenol A, chlorpyrifos, methylparaben, and 2 effluent samples from wastewater treatment plants located in the province of Madrid, Spain, on the messenger RNA expression of specific genes involved in early development (ESR1, pax6, bmp4, and myf5) and a gene involved in the general stress response (hsp70) during Xenopus laevis embryo development. Gene expression was analyzed after 4 h, 24 h, and 96 h of exposure by semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Concentration ranges of the compounds and dilutions for the samples were selected to cause morphological alterations in embryos after 96 h of exposure. Transcript levels of ESR1, pax6, and hsp70 were differentially altered at early developmental stages with patterns specific to the contaminant and the exposure time. However, further studies are needed to establish transcript levels of specific genes as biomarkers of sublethal effects in an environmental risk-assessment framework. Besides, studies including more generic responses, such as genes encoding antioxidant enzymes, together with genes related to embryonic development have to be developed to look for a battery of mechanistic endpoints for the evaluation of chemical exposure at the molecular level in a first-tier assessment.

Surveillance of habitats and plant diversity indicators across a regional gradient in the Iberian Peninsula

Located in the west of the Mediterranean and with high environmental heterogeneity, the Iberian Peninsula represents a challenging region for designing and implementing observation systems for landscape, habitat and species diversity indicators. Within the framework of a project designed to set up a European Biodiversity Observation Network (EBONE), a standardized protocol for field survey was used in pilot sites located across a major gradient in Portugal and Spain. Results are presented and compared to assess the efficiency of the method in detecting patterns along this gradient. These sites represent different types of Iberian landscapes selected using a stratified random procedure implemented in the Madrid province (Spain) and in the north of Portugal. Species and habitat richness and diversity (as well as their components) are compared in their relation to environmental gradients and survey area. Results from spatial analyses of landscape heterogeneity are also presented and discussed in relation to appropriate indicators. The implications for setting up cost-efficient observation schemes that capture the key indicators effectively are discussed. Perspectives for integration with complementary monitoring schemes targeted at key species, habitat and landscape indicators are also discussed in order to optimize the power and efficiency of these observation networks.

Citas de flora vascular de interés de la Sierra del Rincón (Madrid, España

New localities of 23 species of vascular plants from Sierra del Rincón (NE of Madrid province, central Spain) are signaled. There are new species to Madrid province as: Adenocarpus argyrophyllus, Carex depauperata, Coeloglossum viride or Rubus canescens. There are new populations of doubtful species in Madrid as Gymnocarpium dryopteris and regional endangered species as Ranunculus valdesii, Fraxinus excelsior, or very rare as Sorbus intermedia.

TRADITIONAL AND COMMERCIAL TOMATO CULTIVARS EVALUATION FOR ORGANIC HORTICULTURE IN TWO REGIONS OF SPAIN, CACERES AND MADRID

ISHS XXVIII International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC2010): International Symposium on Organic Horticulture: Productivity and Sustainability TRADITIONAL AND COMMERCIAL TOMATO CULTIVARS EVALUATION FOR ORGANIC HORTICULTURE IN TWO REGIONS OF SPAIN, CACERES AND MADRID

Cómo mejorar la comprensión lectora a partir de estrategias de aprendizaje en alumnado de 6.° de Primaria

Our study looks at two of the main problems that concern parents, teachers, and students, which are poor school performance and the high rate of school failure (Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA report 2003). We believe that a good method to develop pupil skills should be provided in order to improve reading comprehension and school performance. The speech therapist is the specialist who must work on reading comprehension as a basis for academic performance. Our study aims to verify: i) If study skills affect reading comprehension. ii) If a methodology based on this systematic teaching of the organization of study may have implications for improving reading comprehension for pupils with high or low ability. We focus on two classes of the 6th year, in a private school in the central area of Madrid province. We studied 47 pupils, 21 boys and 26 girls. We used a pre-test-treatment-post-test methodology during one school year. In each of these phases we performed: i) Protest: to identify the reading comprehension level from which we start. An individual test (ECL 2) was applied. ii) Treatment: the methods used varied throughout the academic year, depending on the mediation used: a) Control Group: they were given a summary booklet with several study techniques. b) Experimental Group: they received the booklet and a speech therapist worked with them in the classroom using study skills following the Robinson method. By processing and analysing the data statistically, we can conclude that the class led by the speech therapist improved reading comprehension for pupils with high and low aptitudes. It is suggested that this type of research should be considered, in which the speech therapist comes into play as a technical specialist in reading comprehension strategies towards improved pupil performance.

Soil Contamination in Dumps on the Karstic Areas from the Plateaus (Southeast of Madrid, Spain)

After over 10 years of accumulation of residues in the studied dumps near Madrid, it has been registered low or moderate heavy metals concentrations on the surrounding area. Only occasionally, some rubbish dumps contain significant quantities of Cu, Ni, Zn and Pb. The concentration levels of Pb, Ni, Zn and Cu are safe when they are compared with the surrounding areas levels of heavy metals. The aim of this paper is the analysis of pollutants existing around in the dumps located at the sides of the plateaus of the central valley of the Tajo River (provinces of Madrid and Toledo, Spain). The high karstification rate of the upper layer of these tablelands and the existence of numerous dumps on them (even on their slopes) make these areas vulnerable to heavy metal pollution. However, after several years of use, the concentration of pollutants only reaches moderate values in the studied areas. Dumping materials were collected at four rubbish dumps. The mineralogical composition of the materials were analysed by XRD. Sequential extraction procedure was applied for speciation of the metal forms in the collected samples. Concentrations of Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu, Cr and Cd in extracts were determined by AAS. The studied samples showed high carbonate concentration. Contamination processes are combined there with weathering processes. Heavy metals concentration in control samples (gypsum, limestones, red soils and colluviums) were compared with samples of the studied dump in order to evaluate the pollution level. Concentrations of Zn, Pb, Ni and Cu were variable. The contamination was elevated for samples in depth in relation with weathering process of heavy metals.