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An analysis of the language attitudes in the adjacent regions of Els Ports (in the province of Castellon, Spain) and Matarranya (in the province of Teruel, Spain) using the matched-guise technique shows that in both areas, Catalan and Spanish coexist today in a diglossic situation in which Catalan has instrumental values that are lower than those of Spanish. Nonetheless, analysis of some social factors (especially age) confirms that there are significant differences between the two language communities. We observed greater dynamism as regards this situation and more favourable attitudes to Catalan in Els Ports, especially among young people, and especially in terms of instrumental values. However, in Matarranya the diglossia is more stable and the attitudes towards Catalan are less positive. When analysing the causes of this significant difference, we considered the different general sociolinguistic situations in the two regions, which both belong to the Catalan language environment, and more specifically, the treatment the languages receive in their respective educational systems after several decades of linguistic normalisation policies in Spain. (Contains 1 figure, 4 tables, and 7 notes.)

Background and Purpose: Ureteral Stent Symptoms Questionnaire (USSQ) is an intervention-specific health-related quality-of-life (HrQoL) measure. We describe development and validation of the Spanish version. Materials and Methods: We followed established methods to develop the Spanish version of the original USSQ. After pilot testing, we conducted a formal validation study; 70 patients, undergoing placement of ureteral stents, successfully completed the Spanish USSQ as well as the EuroQoL-5D (male and female), the ICIQ male and female lower urinary tract symptoms questionnaires at weeks 1 and 4 after stent insertions, and at week 4 after their removal. In addition, 40 healthy people acted as a control group and completed the same questionnaires twice at 3-week intervals. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the Spanish USSQ. Results: After revision of the initial two drafts after translation, back translation, and pilot testing, a final draft was developed that underwent field testing. Psychometric analyses revealed satisfactory internal consistencies (Cronbach alpha coefficients: 0.73-0. 85) and test-retest reliability (Spearman correlation coefficient: >0.6) for the domains of urinary symptom, body pain, and general health. It demonstrated satisfactory discriminant validity (sensitivity to change, p<0.01), convergent validity (good correlations between the domains of the USSQ and existing validated questionnaires), and test-retest reliability ( p<0.001). Analysis of the domains of the sexual matter (21.4%) and work performance (35.7%) were limited because of the small proportion of the study population for whom it was applicable. Conclusions: Results of our development and validation study demonstrate that the new Spanish version of the USSQ is a psychometrically valid intervention-specific measurer for use in the second most common language in the world. It is a reliable outcome measure that could be used for both clinical and research purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxi cabs are a key feature of daily life in Madrid, which is one of the most important European cities. An exploratory study was undertaken in order to evaluate the quality of Madrid's taxi cab industry. This paper analyses the current situation by using the Taxi Cab Management Model (TCMM) which identifies the key processes for managing and operating a taxi cab service in any international city. The model provides a benchmark for measuring performance against other capital cities in developed nations. By comparing the results of this analysis with similar case studies of London, New York and Paris, areas of best practice are identified, as well as possible operational improvements. The study concludes that the Madrid taxi cab industry is ahead of cities like London, New York and Paris in terms of IT integration within the industry, but that some key issues need to be reviewed e.g. the potential for a more centralised fleet management system. One of the best features of the Madrid taxi cab industry was found to be the test for candidate drivers. It is well designed in terms of its user interface (candidates do not need to be computer literate), it has a large bank of questions (up to 6000) that are used randomly to generate examinations, and it offers a highly efficient way to assess candidates. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Features a selection of Spanish-language critical care Web sites. CUIDEN; Recursos de Enfermeria en Internet; CuidaSeek; Sociedad Andaluza de Enfermeria en Ciudados Criticos; BDIE.

Introduction: The economic burden of herpes zoster (HZ), including its most common complication, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL) is not well described in Spain. The aim of this study was to estimate HZ-related healthcare costs and impact on HRQL in Spanish adults aged 50 years or older., Methods: A prospective, observational study was performed with patients with HZ recruited through four general practitioner networks in Spain (NCT01521286). HRQL data were collected using the EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire; HZ-related pain and associated interference with activities of daily living (ADL) were assessed using the Zoster Brief Pain Inventory (ZBPI) questionnaire at days 0 (HZ rash onset), 15, 30, 60, and 90; patients with PHN were assessed up until day 270. Medical resource utilization was recorded throughout study follow-up. Work loss for patients/caregivers was also assessed. Costs were calculated from both the payer and societal perspectives., Results: A total of 545 patients with Hz were included, of whom 25 developed PHN. During days 0-30 post HZ diagnosis, the mean EQ-5D utility score was 0.738, equating to a utility loss of 0.138. Sleep was the ADL most affected component. The mean costs for HZ in the overall cohort were €240 and €296 from the payer/societal perspective, respectively; €187/€242 for patients with HZ without any HZ-related complications; and €571/€712 for patients who developed PHN. The majority of costs were incurred during days 0-30., Conclusions: In Spain, HZ and HZ-related complications such as PHN reduce patient HRQL and increase the economic burden for both payers and society in general., Trail Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01521286.

Current energy demand and climate target plans are leading to green energy facilities which are efficient and sustainable. Archimedean screw turbines (ASTs) are used to generate hydroelectricity in low heads. They have been manufactured and installed worldwide. However, there is a lack of knowledge about how to design them efficiently. In this study, the performance of ASTs is analyzed using an analogy between ASTs and bucket elevators. Based on this analogy, a theoretical hypothesis on how to produce efficient ASTs is proposed. The new methodology for the design of ASTs is based on two considerations: the filling level of the AST buckets must be 85% and the increase of leakage losses must be minimized. This hypothesis is numerically and experimentally studied. Two experimental prototypes were developed and installed in the north of Spain. The numerical and experimental results are provided. A discussion comparing the results of this work and other results from the literature is presented. Finally, conclusions are drawn from this work that contribute to the improvement of AST technology as a sustainable facility to generate green energy.