Spanish Game Research Articles

Introduction to the DiGRA Spain Special Issues

The first conference of the Spanish chapter of DiGRA (DIGRAES21) was held at Tecnocampus, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in Mataró, Spain, between the 14th and the 17th of December, 2021. The chapter was established earlier that year, with 15 members from different universities on its founding board. DIGRAES21 was organised by the research groups, CTL (Tecnocampus) and ITACA-UJI. The main theme of the conference was, ‘The Map and the Game: Game Studies in Spain’, with the intention of bringing together the community of Spanish game scholars, and building an overview of the field in the country.

Introduction to the DiGRA Spain Special Issues

The first conference of the Spanish chapter of DiGRA (DIGRAES21) was held at Tecnocampus, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in Mataró, Spain, between the 14th and the 17th of December, 2021. The chapter was established earlier that year, with 15 members from different universities on its founding board. DIGRAES21 was organised by the research groups, CTL (Tecnocampus) and ITACA-UJI. The main theme of the conference was, ‘The Map and the Game: Game Studies in Spain’, with the intention of bringing together the community of Spanish game scholars, and building an overview of the field in the country.

Linezolid for infective endocarditis: A structured approach based on a national database experience.

Current data on the frequency and efficacy of linezolid (LNZ) in infective endocarditis (IE) are based on small retrospective series. We used a national database to evaluate the effectiveness of LNZ in IE.This is a retrospective study of IE patients in the Spanish GAMES database who received LNZ. We defined 3 levels of therapeutic impact: LNZ < 7 days, LNZ high-impact (≥ 7 days, > 50% of the total treatment, and > 50% of the LNZ doses prescribed in the first weeks of treatment), and LNZ ≥ 7 days not fulfilling the high-impact criteria (LNZ-NHI). Effectiveness of LNZ was assessed using propensity score matching and multivariate analysis of high-impact cases in comparison to patients not treated with LNZ from the GAMES database matched for age-adjusted comorbidity Charlson index, heart failure, renal failure, prosthetic and intracardiac IE device, left-sided IE, and Staphylococcus aureus. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and one-year mortality. Secondary outcomes included IE complications and relapses.From 3467 patients included in the GAMES database, 295 (8.5%) received LNZ. After excluding 3 patients, 292 were grouped as follows for the analyses: 99 (33.9%) patients in LNZ < 7 days, 11 (3.7%) in LNZ high-impact, and 178 (61%) in LNZ-NHI. In-hospital mortality was 51.5%, 54.4%, and 19.1% respectively. In the propensity analysis, LNZ high-impact group presented with respect to matched controls not treated with LNZ higher in-hospital mortality (54.5% vs 18.2%, P = .04). The multivariate analysis showed an independent relationship of LNZ use with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 9.06, 95% confidence interval 1.15--71.08, P = .03).Treatment with LNZ is relatively frequent, but most cases do not fulfill our high-impact criteria. Our data suggest that the use of LNZ as definitive treatment in IE may be associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

Management Models Applied to the Human-Wolf Conflict in Agro-Forestry-Pastoral Territories of Two Italian Protected Areas and One Spanish Game Area.

Simple SummaryConservation practices in the nature of some animal species are very difficult when they are in conflict with anthropogenic activities. In order to make possible the coexistence of a predator such as the wolf with animal breeding activities in the wild, the EU has produced solid and structured legislation through the Natura 2000 network. The application of the Habitats Directive allows the various member countries to choose biodiversity management actions as long as they maintain their resilience. Our work compares two different management methods developed in Spain and Italy with the aim of evaluating a possible difference in the conservation of wolf packs present in their respective territories. The results obtained show that both in Spain and Italy, the presence of the wolf causes damage to livestock. The economic damage is quite substantial and affects, in different ways, sheep, goat, bovine, and equine breeding. Nevertheless, wolf populations are stable in Spain, where hunting is allowed, and slightly increasing in Italy, where the species is particularly protected.Our work shows that, despite the persistence of persecutory actions, conservation activity has proved successful for the return of numerous wild mammals to different habitats, including the wolf. The human-wolf conflict is still described in all countries where the wolf is present. This is evidenced by the high number of damages on livestock, and the corpses of wolves found both in protected areas and in those where hunting is permitted. The diagnosis of road accidents, together with poisoning and poaching, are major causes of mortality. Although hunting records the highest percentage of kills in Spain, the demographic stability reported by the censuses suggests that this activity does not have a consistent influence on the Iberian wolf population’s survival. In Italy, where wolf hunting is prohibited, wolf populations are to be increasing. In some Italian situations, wolf attacks on horses seem to cause unwanted damage to foals, but they represent a very precious source of information about the habits of carnivores. A simple management plan would be sufficient to help the coexistence between the productive parts and the ecosystem services ensured by the presence of the wolf. The presence of hybrids is a negative factor.

Deer in an arid habitat: dental microwear textures track feeding adaptability

Teeth constitute a bridge between an organism and its environment. Dental wear is a good proxy for (paleo) ecologists to better comprehend the ecology and habitat of modern and extinct species. In this study, we showed Dental Microwear Texture Analysis to be a useful tool, integrating not only specific plant selection but also dietary quality and digestibility in order to understand resource use. Resource-partitioning, seasonal and sexual variations in the diet of two deer species on a Spanish game estate are explored here through Dental Microwear Texture Analysis. This Mediterranean area is on the fringes of the average European environments in terms of constraints and diet for extant red and fallow deer, resulting in an opportunity to understand their ability to live in harsh conditions and the feeding strategies they developed. These two taxa already experienced harsh living conditions during the Pleistocene. Dental microwear texture shows both deer feeding differently on the herbaceous layer in a context where it is the main resource consumed annually. These differences are linked to body mass. With its smaller incisor arcade, Dama dama is able to be more selective, hence focusing on less fibrous parts of forages. Cervus elaphus is more plastic, with dietary variations corresponding to seasonal plant availability and the physiological requirements of stags and does. In general, C. elaphus consumes a more fibrous and less digestible vegetable material than D. dama . This study brings light on the feeding behavior of the two game species under constraint conditions. The results of this study are discussed in terms of realized vs potential ecological niche.

Analyzing Climate Change Communication Through Online Games

In search of innovative approaches capable of connecting climate change issues with teenagers, scholars and practitioners have become interested in harnessing the potential of gaming for advancing climate change communication. This article aims to propose a set of criteria, validated by experts through the Delphi method, by which to analyze communicative features of online climate change games. The use of the criteria is illustrated with an evaluation of a sample of Spanish games to which we apply qualitative content analysis, narratology, and ludology techniques. Our findings reveal some positive communicative trends in terms of narratives, contents, and gameplay.

Toward a methodology for serious games design for children with auditory impairments

The design of a serious game depends on number of factors, including collaboration between different actors, context of use, user profile, and game mechanics. This article presents a methodology for the design of serious games for children with hearing impairments, using a Human Interaction Computer (HCI) approach. The proposed methodology has been applied in a study case for children with hearing impairments in the USAER program in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where the experience of children using the ABC- Spanish game in literacy learning is evaluated. The results obtained on evaluating user experience help o identify aspects in the game mechanics, such as the most appropriate device, continuous feedback, challenges, scoring system, and learning levels. Based on an analysis of requirements, user needs are identified in an educational context incorporating a learning style called Fitzgerald Keys. A heuristics set forms a validation model that allows the level of accomplishment of pedagogical objectives of the prototype game to be assessed. The results are positive. The questionnaire responses produced a high score of 80% indicating success in identifying features to be improved and integrated in the methodology.

Statistical Modeling of Hunting Success Using Hunter Surveys

Different methods are available to estimate the wildlife population development. In this paper a method based on hunter surveys of a Spanish game preserve is proposed. A Poisson model is fitted to estimate the relationship between hunting success and other independent variables. In order to find the most appropriate model, a model selection procedure based on repeated cross validation is used to determine which explanatory variables describe the hunting success better in terms of prediction ability. The estimatedmodel is successful in the case of the red legged partridge (Alectoris rufa). The model can be used for applying different management criteria in a game preserve. Some possibilities are demonstrated for particular scenarios.

Detection of mecC-Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates in river water: a potential role for water in the environmental dissemination.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a public health concern due to limited treatment options. The recent description of a mecA homologue, mecC in human and cattle, led to studies to detect this new variant in human and other animal species. Detection of mecC in wild boar and fallow deer in a Spanish game estate led us to further investigate the presence of mecC-MRSA at this location. Samples from cattle, wild animals, workers and river water were tested. A further three mecC-MRSA isolates were obtained from river water. Molecular characterization (multilocus sequence typing and spa typing) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (broth microdilution) showed that isolates were similar to those detected in wild animals. Whole genome sequencing confirmed that the isolates from the river water and wild animals in the same geographic area were all closely related isolates of ST425 mecC-MRSA. The presence of mecC-MRSA in the river water highlights the potential role of water in the dissemination of mecC-MRSA.

A case of exudative epidermitis in a young wild boar from a Spanish game estate

Exudative epidermitis, a porcine disease caused by Staphylococcus hyicus, produces serious economic losses in severely affected herds. In this report, we describe a case of exudative epidermitis in a wild boar presenting specific clinical signs. The affected animal was a female approximately 6 months old, with greasy brown exudates around the mouth and eyes and on the neck and legs, separation of the horn at the bulbs of the heels, necrosis of the tips of the pinnae and tail, and focal ulcerative stomatitis. Multiple septic emboli and necrotic foci were observed in the lung. Staphylococcus hyicus isolates were obtained from affected skin and lungs. This disease and others that occur on wild boar farms, while similar to those described in domestic pigs, tend to produce specific clinical signs in wild boar, such as the pneumonic lesions in this case. Exudative epidermitis in this animal was aggravated by these pneumonic lesions. The increasing economic relevance of wild boar farming has led to an increase in the occurrence of infectious diseases. Knowledge about their epidemiological, clinical, and pathological manifestations in wild boar will facilitate prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, reducing the impact on animal health and economics in this new niche swine production.

A network analysis of the 2010 FIFA world cup champion team play

This paper analyzes the network of passes among the players of the Spanish team during the last FIFA World Cup 2010, where they emerged as the champion, with the objective of explaining the results obtained from the behavior at the complex network level. The team is considered a network with players as nodes and passes as (directed) edges. A temporal analysis of the resulting passes network is also done, looking at the number of passes, length of the chain of passes, and to network measures such as player centrality and clustering coefficient. Results of the last three matches (the decisive ones) indicate that the clustering coefficient of the pass network remains high, indicating the elaborate style of the Spanish team. The effectiveness of the opposing team in negating the Spanish game is reflected in the change of several network measures over time, most importantly in drops of the clustering coefficient and passing length/speed, as well as in their being able in removing the most talented players from the central positions of the network. Spain’s ability to restore their combinative game and move the focus of the game to offensive positions and talented players is shown to tilt the balance in favor of the Spanish team.

From ‘socios’ to ‘hyper-consumers’: an empirical examination of the impact of commodification on Spanish football fans

Traditionally, the Spanish game has been analysed in scholarly studies in terms of the effect of crowd violence or the nationalist and regionalist implications of the Spanish clubs. Latterly analysis has also extended to include gender issues (and the process of constructing masculinity, in particular) and a spate of studies dealing with racism and xenophobia, both of which have blighted the Spanish game in recent years. Little attention, however, has been given over to the study of the effects on fans of the rapidly expanding influence of commercialization on football in Spain. With this gap in mind, this study sets out to examine, from an empirical perspective, the social consequences of the commodification processes of football in the discourse of the sport’s fans.

Bioaccessibility of Pb from ammunition in game meat is affected by cooking treatment.

BackgroundThe presence of lead (Pb) ammunition residues in game meat has been widely documented, yet little information exists regarding the bioaccessibility of this Pb contamination. We study how cooking treatment (recipe) can affect Pb bioaccessibility in meat of animals hunted with Pb ammunition.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe used an in vitro gastrointestinal simulation to study bioaccessibility. The simulation was applied to meat from red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) hunted with Pb shot pellets and cooked using various traditional Spanish game recipes involving wine or vinegar. Total Pb concentrations in the meat were higher in samples with visible Pb ammunition by X-ray (mean±SE: 3.29±1.12 µg/g w.w.) than in samples without this evidence (1.28±0.61 µg/g). The percentage of Pb that was bioaccessible within the simulated intestine phase was far higher in meat cooked with vinegar (6.75%) and wine (4.51%) than in uncooked meat (0.7%). Risk assessment simulations using our results transformed to bioavailability and the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic model (IEUBK; US EPA) show that the use of wine instead of vinegar in cooking recipes may reduce the percentage of children that would be expected to have >10 µg/dl of Pb in blood from 2.08% to 0.26% when game meat represents 50% of the meat in diet.Conclusions/SignificanceLead from ammunition in game meat is more bioaccessible after cooking, especially when using highly acidic recipes. These results are important because existing theoretical models regarding Pb uptake and subsequent risk in humans should take such factors into account.

Geographical and environmental correlates of big and small game in Andalusia (southern Spain)

In Andalusia, southern Spain, each game estate applies its own rules and presents its results in annual hunting reports, which have been mandatory for Spanish game estates since 1989. We used the information about hunting yields, included in 32 134 annual hunting reports produced during the period 1993/94 to 2001/02 by 6049 game estates, to determine the current distribution of hunting yields of big and small game species in Andalusia. Using generalised linear models and a geographic information system, we determined the most favourable municipalities to big and small game, respectively, and delimited potential areas to attain good hunting yields for big and small game at a 1-km2 resolution. Municipalities and areas favourable to big game are mainly located in the Sierra Morena and the westernmost fringe of the Betic Range, while those favourable to small game occupy the upper Guadalquivir River valley. There is a clear segregation between big and small game species according to the physiography and land uses of the territory. Big game species are typical of Mediterranean woodland areas, while the most emblematic small game species prefer agricultural areas. Our results provide a territorial ordination of hunting yields in southern Spain and have several potential applications in strategic planning for hunting activities and biodiversity conservation in Andalusia that can be extrapolated to other regions.

The history of card games

Playing cards were introduced into Europe from the Islamic world in the second half of the 14th century, forming packs with essentially the same structure as now, but with different suit-signs and court figures. Trick-taking games were certainly among those games which were introduced with the cards used to play them; but trumps and bidding were later European inventions. The former of these ideas derives from the games played with the Tarot pack (which was not associated with fortune-telling or the occult until the late 18th century); the latter from the Spanish game of Ombre, once fashionable all over Europe.