Spanish Regions Research Articles

Lung cancer mortality attributed to residential radon exposure in Spanish regions by sex. Application of a correction for dwelling height.

Lung cancer mortality attributed to residential radon exposure in Spanish regions by sex. Application of a correction for dwelling height.

Econometric analysis of factors influencing electricity consumption in Spain: Implications for policy and pricing strategies

This study employs a comprehensive database of Spanish homes and econometric modeling to assess the factors influencing electricity consumption in Spain. Using panel data covering the period from 1998 to 2023, we analyzed the average yearly electricity usage across the 18 Spanish regions. Our findings reveal that fluctuations in electricity prices have remained the primary driver of consumption over this period. The price elasticity of demand has been exceptionally high, exceeding levels observed in earlier research and periods. Additionally, factors such as income, hours of sunlight, and temperature fluctuations positively influence electricity usage, albeit to a lesser extent than household and family characteristics (e.g., whether a single parent heads the household or if it includes foreign residents). There is no significant correlation between demand and factors such as the age or employment status of family members. Based on these findings, policy actions that target power pricing (e.g., price-based instruments) are likely to be the most effective in reducing electricity consumption.

Epidemiologic and clinical features of multisystem atrophy: a population-based study in Navarre, Spain.

Epidemiological studies on multisystem atrophy (MSA) are scarce. Our aim has been to analyse 10-year incidence, point prevalence, survival, and the time to diagnosis of MSA in Navarre, a northern Spanish region. This is a population-based observational retrospective study, from 2012 to 2021, which covered the population of Navarre (followed until 31 December 2021). Data from various sources of health information were reviewed in order to identify all potential diagnoses of MSA, that were validated from medical records. Patients were included if they fulfilled the new Movement Disorder Society criteria. We observed a crude average annual incidence rate (IR) of 0.49/100,000 person-years, with the highest occurring in the age group of 60-69years. No significant IR differences by sex or subtype were observed. Point prevalence in December 2021 was 2.43/100,000 inhabitants. Joinpoint analysis for global incidence and prevalence experienced stable annual rates during the whole period, showing an upward trend for prevalence without a statistically significant slop. The median age at symptom onset was 65years (range 47-76). The median time to diagnosis was 36months, without statistically significant differences between sex, age at diagnosis or subtypes. Median time of survival from clinical onset was 7years. Age of onset above 70years and autonomic onset were associated with reduced survival. This is the first population-based epidemiological study on MSA in Spain. It provides detailed incidence and prevalence data for MSA that may be useful for appropriate management of health resources.

Analysis of the Prices of Recycling Byproducts Obtained from Mechanical–Biological Treatment Plants in the Valencian Community (Spain)

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management in Spain, particularly in the Valencian Community, heavily relies on mechanical–biological treatment (MBT) plants followed by landfill disposal. These MBT facilities utilize mechanical processes like shredding, screening, and sorting to segregate recyclables (metals, plastics, paper) from organic material and other nonrecyclables. While public funding supports these plants, private entities manage them through complex, long-term concession contracts. This structure restricts access to crucial data on the sale prices of the byproducts generated during MBT. Publicly available information on relevant company and administration websites is typically absent, hindering transparency surrounding byproduct revenue. This study addresses this gap by analyzing 2012’s available data on revenues obtained from byproduct sales following mechanical treatment at MBT plants within the Valencian Community and comparing them with Spanish national data. This research revealed a significant finding—the statistical distribution of average prices obtained from Ecoembes auctions in the Valencian Community mirrored the corresponding distribution for prices calculated from auctions conducted in other Spanish regions. This suggests a potential uniformity in byproduct pricing across the country. It has also been found that none of the analyzed price distributions exhibited a normal (Gaussian) distribution. The findings also highlight the need for alternative pricing models that move beyond simple averages and account for regional variations and outliers. As actual prices are not available after 2012, this lack of transparency poses a challenge in comprehensively evaluating the economic viability of MBT plants. Furthermore, it raises concerns regarding whether the revenue generated from byproduct sales reflects fair market value. Limited public access to this information can potentially indicate conflicts of interest or inefficiencies within the waste management system.

A dual summit of power? Career movements and multilevel circulation in the Spanish executive elite

ABSTRACT Drawing from the literature on political ambition, this article examines whether politicians holding executive offices exhibit similar patterns of movement between different levels of government as parliamentary elites. It also tests the influence of various institutional and political variables typical of federal systems. Focusing on Spain, the study classifies career movements based on the initial position and the direction of advancement, analyzing their variations depending on the availability, accessibility, and attractiveness of the structure of opportunities. The article particularly aims to elucidate why certain regions are more advantaged to provide decision-makers with more opportunities to circulate across political layers. Our sample includes cabinet members (prime ministers and ministers) and regional chief executives in Spanish regions from 1980 to 2021. The findings suggest that the status of regions, the availability of parliamentary seats, and the regional party system, among other factors, contribute to understanding regional variations in opportunities for executive level-hoppers.

Entrepreneurship and innovation in worker cooperatives and conventional firms: the role of external cooperation

AbstractThrough the comparison of conventional firms (CFs) with worker cooperatives (WCs), which are a type of collective enterprise with significant experience in cooperation, this research aims to analyse the influence of external cooperation on the two most prominent factors for the success of enterprises: entrepreneurship and innovation. To this end, a research model is proposed based on contributions from the stakeholders’ perspective of the resource-based view of the firm and tested with data from a survey conducted on WCs and CFs located in two Spanish regions with a long tradition in the cooperative movement. The results highlight that the influence of external cooperation on innovation performance is more relevant for WCs and demonstrate that these collective firms are not disadvantaged in innovation compared to CFs. Furthermore, the results suggest that WCs have a more remarkable ability to compete and cooperate simultaneously, that is, to coopete, due to their participative nature.

Primary care team reorganisation after the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. Differences between Catalonia and Spain in the PRICOV study.

Spanish primary care services are managed differently by each region's authorities. Catalonia started its services provision and design nearly two decades before other Spanish regions and developed nurses' roles and task shifting in primary care. This work identifies differences in the Europe PRICOV-19 study answers between Catalonia and those submitted from the rest of Spain regarding how primary care teams (PCT) were organised during the SARS-CoV-2-2019 pandemic, how tasks and roles changed, and the pandemic's impact on the care providers. Initially, we computed bivariate relationships and tested using contingency association and unpaired Wilcoxon. Still, we estimated multiple linear regressions controlling with a list of individual and GP practice characteristics and clustering standard errors at the kind of location. Main statistically significant differences were found in the adaptation to the new tasks, the ability to solve most health problems, and specific accessibilities to primary care. In Catalonia, satisfaction with the adaptation to the new tasks was higher (41.9% satisfied and 30.2% neutral) than in the rest of Spain (50.9% dissatisfaction). Also, GPs in Catalonia reported to a greater extent than the rest of Spain that chronic patients were listed for extensive follow-up. These differences may be related to Catalonia's strategy for empowering primary care professionals other than family doctors. Considering future pandemics, demographic ageing, and professional shortages, we point out the potential benefits of these changes in PCT organisations and the need to review the centres's design.

External validation of the barcelona magnetic resonance imaging predictive model for detecting significant prostate cancer including men receiving 5-alpha reductase inhibitors

PurposeTo validate the Barcelona-magnetic resonance imaging predictive model (BCN-MRI PM) for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) in Catalonia, a Spanish region with 7.9 million inhabitants. Additionally, the BCN-MRI PM is validated in men receiving 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARI).Materials and methodsA population of 2,212 men with prostate-specific antigen serum level > 3.0 ng/ml and/or a suspicious digital rectal examination who underwent multiparametric MRI and targeted and/or systematic biopsies in the year 2022, at ten participant centers of the Catalonian csPCa early detection program, were selected. 120 individuals (5.7%) were identified as receiving 5-ARI treatment for longer than a year. The risk of csPCa was retrospectively assessed with the Barcelona-risk calculator 2 (BCN-RC 2). Men undergoing 5-ARI treatment for less than a year were excluded. CsPCa was defined when the grade group was ≥ 2.ResultsThe area under the curve of the BCN-MRI PM in 5-ARI naïve men was 0.824 (95% CI 0.783–0.842) and 0.849 (0.806–0.916) in those receiving 5-ARI treatment, p 0.475. Specificities at 100, 97.5, and 95% sensitivity thresholds were to 2.7, 29.3, and 39% in 5-ARI naïve men, while 43.5, 46.4, and 47.8%, respectively in 5-ARI users. The application of BCN-MRI PM would result in a reduction of 23.8% of prostate biopsies missing 5% of csPCa in 5-ARI naïve men, while reducing 25% of prostate biopsies without missing csPCa in 5-ARI users.ConclusionsThe BCN-MRI PM has achieved successful validation in Catalonia and, notably, for the first time, in men undergoing 5-ARI treatment.

Investigating the Dietary Impact on Trans-Vaccenic Acid (Trans-C18:1 n-7) and Other Beneficial Fatty Acids in Breast Milk and Infant Formulas.

Maternal diet plays a significant role in the fatty acid composition of breast milk. Dietary products such as milk and meat are the primary sources of natural TFAs for humans. These peculiar fatty acids hold nutritional significance as they not only lack the detrimental effects of industrially produced trans fats on the endothelium characteristic, but they also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. The relationship between the presence of eight fatty acids in breast milk (including natural TFAs trans-vaccenic and conjugated linoleic acid) and the maternal diet has been explored, and their abundance has been compared to that of infant formulas. Two cohorts of lactating women, originating from a Spanish region, participated in this study; they adhered to the Southern European Atlantic diet or the Atlantic diet. While the consumption of conventional meat or dairy products does not seem to increase the abundance of TFAs in breast milk, trans-vaccenic and oleic acid are among the most distinctive features of breast milk fat in mothers consuming naturally improved dairy products with an improved fatty acid profile. The most significant differences between natural breastfeeding and formula feeding lie in natural TFAs, since formulas are notably deficient in natural TFAs while being overfortified in alpha-linolenic acid in comparison to breast milk. We suggest an improvement in the formulation of these products through using cow's milk with an optimal fatty acid profile that better mimics the fatty acid composition found in human milk.

Characterization of the Polyphenolic Profile in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Mill) Peel and Seeds by LC-HRMS/MS.

Peel and seeds are the main byproducts from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Mill) processing with high concentrations of polyphenols that have been underexploited. Herein, polyphenolic profiles in tomato peel and seeds were elucidated by untargeted liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) with an LTQ Orbitrap analyzer. Samples from two Spanish regions─"Murcia" and "Almería"─were analyzed to obtain complementary results. 57 compounds were found, mainly phenolic acids and flavonoids, of which eight were identified for the first time in tomato. Polyphenols were more abundant in byproducts from "Murcia" samples than in those from"Almería" samples, where the abundance of compounds like coutaric, caffeic, neochlorogenic, dicaffeoylquinic and ferulic acids, vanillic acid hexoside, catechin, naringenin, prunin, apigenin-O-hexoside, rutin, and rutin-O-pentoside was even much higher in byproducts than that in whole fruits. These results reveal the wide range of polyphenols found in tomato byproducts, with potential applications in pharmaceutical research, food preservation, and cosmetic development, among others.

Exploring Pedagogical and Digital Practices in Vocational Education and Training: Comparing Teacher and Student Perspectives

This article investigates the pedagogical and digital practices of vocational education and training teachers, offering comparative insights from both teacher and student perspectives. To this end, two questionnaires were constructed for teachers and students and then validated by means of inter-judge procedures and expert review. The questionnaires were administered to representative samples of 158 teachers and 309 students in intermediate and higher vocational education and training programs in the Spanish region of Catalonia. Thanks to institutional collaboration, it was possible to obtain both samples by a non-probability sampling technique. The results obtained from the quantitative analyses performed show that while most vocational education and training teachers utilize a combination of active and lecture-based methods, less than a third incorporate online tools, prioritizing institutional platforms. Although both teachers and students acknowledge a diversity of teaching strategies, the latter, particularly female students and those in advanced years or on dual programs, tend to be more critical of the effectiveness of the teaching strategies employed compared to their teachers. The findings underscore the need for vocational education and training programs to enhance digital tool integration and address the varying perceptions of teaching effectiveness to better meet students’ expectations and needs.

Seasonal Stability of the Circadian Rhythm in Patients with Type I Myocardial Infarction.

A circadian rhythm of myocardial infarction has been described but there is little data on its relation with seasons and months. From June 2013 to June 2018, we analyzed the alerts for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a Spanish region with 6.64 million inhabitants, universal health coverage, and an organized STEMI reperfusion network. We selected those patients which an identifiable culprit plaque. We recruited 6765 cases of STEMI due to type I acute myocardial infarction (type-I AMI), with mean age of 63.2 years (range 17-101, standard deviation [SD] 13.7), 5238 were males (77.4%) and 2801 (41.9%) were 65 years or older. The hourly distribution followed a fixed pattern in all months, with most of the events occurring between 6:00 AM and 4:00 PM, a peak at approximately 01:00 PM and a valley between 10:00 PM and 06:00 AM. No significant difference was found when comparing the mean time to first medical contact between July (the month with more daylight hours) and December (the month with shortest days). No significant differences were found between male and female patients, or between patients aged 65 years or older and younger patients. There was a close correlation between the number of events per month and the number of events occurring during the day (6 AM to 6 PM, r = 0.988, p = 0.001) and during the night (6 PM to 6 AM, r = 0.944, p 0.001), with different slopes of the regression lines (t-test, p 0.001), so that the difference between day-night occurrences increased with the total incidence. There is a circadian pattern in the presentation of STEMI that is not influenced by sex and age. The different incidence of STEMI at different times of the year does not affect the circadian pattern in terms of the shape of the curve or the mean time of presentation, although diurnal events increase more than nocturnal events, suggesting that triggers are most likely to act during vulnerable periods as determined by a circadian-based rhythm.

Epidemiology of Q fever in humans in four selected regions, Spain, 2016 to 2022.

BackgroundQ fever is a bacterial zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii. Spain has the highest number of notified human cases in Europe. Small ruminants are a key reservoir for the pathogen, transmission from animals to humans is usually airborne.AimWe aimed at exploring temporal and spatial epidemiological patterns of sporadic and outbreak cases of Q fever in four Spanish regions with the highest number of notified cases.MethodsWe extracted data on Q fever cases in the Canary Islands, Basque Country, La Rioja and Navarre between 2016 and 2022 from the Spanish National Epidemiological Surveillance Network. We calculated standardised incidence ratios (SIR), spatial relative risks (sRR) and posterior probabilities (PP) utilising Besag-York-Mollié models.ResultsThere were 1,059 notifications, with a predominance of males aged 30-60 years. In Basque Country, La Rioja and Navarre area, 11 outbreaks were reported, while no in the Canary Islands. A seasonal increase in incidence rates was observed between March and June. In the Canary Islands, elevated sRR was seen in La Palma, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. In Basque Country, La Rioja and Navarre area, the highest sRR was identified in the south of Biscay province.ConclusionGoats were the main source for humans in outbreaks reported in the literature. Seasonal increase may be related to the parturition season of small ruminants and specific environmental conditions. Local variations in sRR within these regions likely result from diverse environmental factors. Future One Health-oriented studies are essential to deepen our understanding of Q fever epidemiology.

Bootstrap-based statistical inference for linear mixed effects under misspecifications

Linear mixed effects are considered excellent predictors of cluster-level parameters in various domains. However, previous research has demonstrated that their performance is affected by departures from model assumptions. Given the common occurrence of these departures in empirical studies, there is a need for inferential methods that are robust to misspecifications while remaining accessible and appealing to practitioners. Statistical tools have been developed for cluster-wise and simultaneous inference for mixed effects under distributional misspecifications, employing a user-friendly semiparametric random effect bootstrap. The merits and limitations of this approach are discussed in the general context of model misspecification. Theoretical analysis demonstrates the asymptotic consistency of the methods under general regularity conditions. Simulations show that the proposed intervals are robust to departures from modelling assumptions, including asymmetry and long tails in the distributions of errors and random effects, outperforming competitors in terms of empirical coverage probability. Finally, the methodology is applied to construct confidence intervals for household income across counties in the Spanish region of Galicia.

Dispersal history of SARS-CoV-2 in Galicia, Spain.

The dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission are influenced by a variety of factors, including social restrictions and the emergence of distinct variants. In this study, we delve into the origins and dissemination of the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron-BA.1 variants of concern in Galicia, northwest Spain. For this, we leveraged genomic data collected by the EPICOVIGAL Consortium and from the GISAID database, along with mobility information from other Spanish regions and foreign countries. Our analysis indicates that initial introductions during the Alpha phase were predominantly from other Spanish regions and France. However, as the pandemic progressed, introductions from Portugal and the United States became increasingly significant. The number of detected introductions varied from 96 and 101 for Alpha and Delta to 39 for Omicron-BA.1. Most of these introductions left a low number of descendants (<10), suggesting a limited impact on the evolution of the pandemic in Galicia. Notably, Galicia's major coastal cities emerged as critical hubs for viral transmission, highlighting their role in sustaining and spreading the virus. This research emphasizes the critical role of regional connectivity in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and offers essential insights for enhancing public health strategies and surveillance measures.

Resignifying pedagogical renewal today: Pedagogical benchmarks and singularities in secondary schools

Understanding what is meant by pedagogical renewal today, based on the transformative processes that are being carried out, poses a challenge, one that is even greater if the aim is to elucidate the pedagogical benchmarks and hallmarks of secondary schools. This article, which takes the form of a multiple case study, aims to bring to the fore those unique and defining elements of the selected schools, considered renewal schools, from five Spanish regions. During the fieldwork, semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews and discussion groups were held with members of the management teams, teachers, families and students. The analysed results show that the elements highlighted by the schools linked to pedagogical renewal are unique features of them, with the school project being the tool used to construct the educational meaning of of its practices, aiming to ensure that these practices form a coherent whole with its discourse. Thus, for example, it highlights the central role of students in decision-making in their learning process or reflection with the teaching team in improving educational practice. It should be noted that they do not define themselves with the same term, and they add more current and recent pedagogical benchmarks to the classic ones. In short, this study seeks to provide a novel contribution to the study of contemporary pedagogical renewal, given the lack of such studies in secondary school education.

Prevalence and Control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Tourist Facilities across the Canary Islands, Spain.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen associated with recreational water facilities and poses risks to public health. However, data on the prevalence of P. aeruginosa in tourist destinations like the Canary Islands, Spain, remain limited. We assessed P. aeruginosa prevalence in 23 tourist facilities from 2016 to 2019. Compliance with water quality standards was evaluated, and 3962 samples were collected and analyzed. We examined different types of recreational water installations, including outer swimming pools, whirlpools, and cold wells. Of the sampled facilities, 31.2% did not comply with the current legislation's parametric values, mainly due to inadequate disinfectant levels, water temperature, and P. aeruginosa presence. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa was 4.8%, comparable to some European countries but lower than others. Cold wells displayed the highest non-compliance rate (89.2%) and yet exhibited a lower P. aeruginosa prevalence (1.9%) than outer swimming pools and whirlpools. Children's presence did not significantly impact P. aeruginosa contamination. Chlorine-based disinfectants are more effective than bromine-based ones in controlling P. aeruginosa. Regional variability in contamination was observed, with Fuerteventura showing lower colonization rates. Disinfectant levels play a critical role in P. aeruginosa control, and maintaining adequate levels is essential, particularly in bromine-treated installations. Our findings provide valuable insights into the prevalence and distribution of P. aeruginosa in recreational waters within tourist facilities. Tailored strategies are needed to ensure water safety in different Spanish regions. Continued monitoring and assessment, combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning, will enable the implementation of targeted interventions to protect the health of recreational water users.

Measuring financial divide in the rural environment. The potential role of the digital transformation of finance

Financial inclusion, which means the promotion of an affordable, timely and adequate access to a wide range of regulated financial products and services, as well as its use by all the segments of the society, is a high potential tool that may contribute to the development of the rural environment, while its absence could in turn cause a major harm. The availability of a sufficient level of financial literacy, which can be defined as the ability to understand financial concepts and risks, as well as the motivation and trust to use it when making financial decisions, is frequently deemed to be a need to reach financial inclusion by the academic literature. Financial literacy is, in turn, influenced by different variables, such as the degree of rural or urban predominance, the level of education and the available income in the household. This paper analyses the impact of such factors on financial literacy. The degree of financial literacy tends to be lower in rural environments, with limited incomes and poorer educational backgrounds, which creates a vicious circle that potentially worsens the situation of what has been called the empty Spain. Considering the importance of financial literacy to reach financial inclusion, we remark the potential of digital transformation as a valuable tool to break this negative trend in the less populated Spanish regions, and so, a cornerstone for the regenerative development of the Spanish rural areas.

Next-gen regional fire risk mapping: Integrating hyperspectral imagery and National Forest Inventory data to identify hot-spot wildland-urban interfaces

The increasing threat of high-severity wildfires in Mediterranean Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) areas demands to develop effective fire risk assessment and management strategies. Simultaneously, the newfound accessibility of spaceborne hyperspectral data represents a significant potential for generating fire severity assessments, whereas National Forest Inventories (NFI) offer a vast dataset related to vegetation and fuel loads, which is essential for shaping the planning and strategies of forest services. This research work aims to advance the state-of-the-art in WUI fire risk mapping in the western Mediterranean Basin by combining PRISMA spaceborne hyperspectral data and Spanish NFI data. The proposed methodology had three main stages: (i) fire severity assessment at local scale (a wildfire) by using PRISMA hyperspectral data and Multi-Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) leveraging field-based measurements of the Composite Burn Index (70 plots); (ii) development of a high fire severity probability map at regional scale from the extrapolation of a Random Forest predictive model calibrated from fire severity estimates, NFI data and topo-climatic variables at local scale (overall accuracy = 92 %; Kappa = 0.8); and (iii) identification and characterization of zones that concentrate WUIs with high probability of high fire severity if a fire event occurs (hot-spot WUIs) by crossing the information from the previous regional high fire severity probability map and a WUI cartography developed at regional scale. Study area was Castilla y León Autonomous Region (larger Spanish region, 94,226 km2), where the second-largest extreme Spanish wildfire event (28,000 ha) occurred. We identified hot-spot WUIs so that stakeholders and decision-makers could (i) prioritize resources and interventions for effective fire management and mitigation, (ii) allocate resources for prevention, and (iii) plan evacuation measures to safeguard lives and property. This study contributes to the development of next-generation fire risk assessment methods that combine remote sensing technologies with comprehensive ground-level datasets.

Competitiveness, sustainability, and development in tourism: a relationship analysis for the case of Spanish regions

ABSTRACT The growth and governance of tourism depend on the crucial aspects of competitiveness, sustainability, and development, which have garnered significant research interest. Traditionally studied separately, the interplay of these concepts is now explored collectively in an interesting debate on the ability to ensure the sustainability of an activity that is clearly expanding. This study seeks to explore the coherence or contradictions between these three elements, questioning whether sustainability could constrain competitiveness and tourism development. Focusing on Spanish regions, the findings suggest a general congruence between competitiveness, sustainability, and development, albeit with varying degrees of association between them.