The interactional space in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms

Aquest estudi pret��n investigar els intercanvis verbals mestre/a ��� aprenent(s) en dos contextos d'instrucci�� diferents: classes amb un enfocament AICLE (Aprenentatge Integrat de Continguts Curriculars i Llengua Estrangera) on s���aprenen continguts no ling����stics a trav��s de l���angl��s, per una banda, i classes 'tradicionals' d'angl��s com a llengua estrangera, on l���angl��s ��s alhora objecte d���estudi i vehicle de comunicaci��, per una altra banda. M��s concretament, les preguntes que formula el/la mestre/a, la producci�� oral dels aprenents i el 'feedback' del/de la mestre/a en els episodis d���atenci�� a la forma s���han estudiat a la llum de les principals teories provinents del camp de l���Adquisici�� de Segones Lleng��es (SLA) per tal de demostrar el seu paper en l���aprenentatge de l���angl��s. El corpus de dades prov�� de l���enregistrament de 7 sessions AICLE i d'11 sessions EFL enregistrades en format ��udio i v��deo en dos centres p��blics d���Educaci�� Prim��ria (EP) de Catalunya. A cadascuna de les escoles, el/la mateix/a mestre/a ��s l���encarregat/da dels dos tipus d���instrucci�� amb el mateix grup d���aprenents (10-11 anys d���edat), fet que permet eliminar variables individuals com l'aptitud dels aprenents o l'estil del/de la mestre/a.Els resultats mostren un cert nombre de similituds discursives entre AICLE i EFL donat que ambd��s enfocaments tenen lloc en el context-classe amb unes caracter��stiques ben definides. Tal com apunta la recerca realitzada en aquest camp, la instrucci�� AICLE reuneix un seguit de condicions id��nies per un major desenvolupament dels nivells de llengua anglesa m��s enll�� de les classes ���tradicionals��� d���angl��s. Malgrat aix��, aquest estudi sembla indicar que el potencial d'AICLE pel que fa a facilitar una exposici�� rica a l���angl��s i una producci�� oral significativa no s���explota degudament. En aquest sentit, els resultats d���aquest estudi poden contribuir a la formaci�� dels futurs professors d'AICLE si es busca l���assoliment d���una complementarietat d���ambd��s contextos amb l���objectiu ��ltim de millorar els nivells de domini de la llengua anglesa.

The sustainability of a Spanish Regional Virtual Library

Objectives: The Andalusian Health e-Library (BV-SSPA) is the National Health Library in the region of Andalusia (Spain). It is a corporate hospital library created in 2006. The year 2012 is a turning point for the Spanish economy, and the BV-SSPA has to demonstrate that it is cost-effective and sustainable. Methods: Andalusia is a wide Spanish region with more than 8 million inhabitants, more than 100,000 health professionals for 41 hospitals, 1,500 primary health care centers, and 28 centers for nonmedical attention purposes, and the BV-SSPA was created to cover all these health services. It was appointed the only intermediary for contracting electronic resources destined to the Andalusian Health System. Hospitals are not allowed to subscribe any resources, and the same services are offered for the whole system. Results: In 2011, the BV-SSPA reached the biggest electronic health sciences resource collection in Spain: a total amount of 2,431 subscribed titles, besides 8 databases and other scientific information resources. The following goals were also achieved: ��� Cost-effectiveness: In 2011, the BV-SSPA represented a saving percentage of 25.42% compared to the individual hospital subscription costs if they would have continued their contracting. ��� Efficiency: Central purchasing has meant for the Andalusian health professionals, the democracy of research resource access. Some services were also created: ��� integrated and safe remote access to all the library resources independent of the user���s location ��� citizenship website, where the resources for citizenship are grouped ��� Centralized Document Supply Service, focusing all the article orders from and for the Andalusian Health System ��� institutional repository, which contains the whole intellectual, scientific production generated by the Andalusian health professionals ��� computer application to study the Andalusian health system scientific production ��� Social media as instrument for communicating with users ��� science web, a defined space for researchers. Conclusions: Although Andalusia is facing a dreadful economic situation, the BV-SSPA has demonstrated its sustainability: ��� For 2012 renewals, it carried out a statistics study allowing obtaining enough data for deciding which titles were not being discharged by users. ��� Titles with no discharges or without impact factor were rejected after strong negotiation with suppliers, as the BV-SSPA after 6 years on, is considered a strong dealer by them. ��� This meant savings of 14% from the original budget for 2012, which allowed the continuity of the BV-SSPA without decreasing the quality offered to their users.

Modulation of the Endocannabinoids N-Arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) on Executive Functions in Humans.

Animal studies point to an implication of the endocannabinoid system on executive functions. In humans, several studies have suggested an association between acute or chronic use of exogenous cannabinoids (��9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and executive impairments. However, to date, no published reports establish the relationship between endocannabinoids, as biomarkers of the cannabinoid neurotransmission system, and executive functioning in humans. The aim of the present study was to explore the association between circulating levels of plasma endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) and 2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and executive functions (decision making, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility) in healthy subjects. One hundred and fifty seven subjects were included and assessed with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; Stroop Color and Word Test; and Iowa Gambling Task. All participants were female, aged between 18 and 60 years and spoke Spanish as their first language. Results showed a negative correlation between 2-AG and cognitive flexibility performance (r���=���-.37; p<.05). A positive correlation was found between AEA concentrations and both cognitive flexibility (r���=���.59; p<.05) and decision making performance (r���=���.23; P<.05). There was no significant correlation between either 2-AG (r���=���-.17) or AEA (r���=���-.08) concentrations and inhibition response. These results show, in humans, a relevant modulation of the endocannabinoid system on prefrontal-dependent cognitive functioning. The present study might have significant implications for the underlying executive alterations described in some psychiatric disorders currently associated with endocannabinoids deregulation (namely drug abuse/dependence, depression, obesity and eating disorders). Understanding the neurobiology of their dysexecutive profile might certainly contribute to the development of new treatments and pharmacological approaches.

Mutational spectrum of the SPG4 (SPAST) and SPG3A (ATL1) genes in Spanish patients with hereditary spastic paraplegia.

BACKGROUND Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSP) are characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness of the lower limbs. At least 45 loci have been identified in families with autosomal dominant (AD), autosomal recessive (AR), or X-linked hereditary patterns. Mutations in the SPAST (SPG4) and ATL1 (SPG3A) genes would account for about 50% of the ADHSP cases. METHODS We defined the SPAST and ATL1 mutational spectrum in a total of 370 unrelated HSP index cases from Spain (83% with a pure phenotype). RESULTS We found 50 SPAST mutations (including two large deletions) in 54 patients and 7 ATL1 mutations in 11 patients. A total of 33 of the SPAST and 3 of the ATL1 were new mutations. A total of 141 (31%) were familial cases, and we found a higher frequency of mutation carriers among these compared to apparently sporadic cases (38% vs. 5%). Five of the SPAST mutations were predicted to affect the pre-mRNA splicing, and in 4 of them we demonstrated this effect at the cDNA level. In addition to large deletions, splicing, frameshifting, and missense mutations, we also found a nucleotide change in the stop codon that would result in a larger ORF. CONCLUSIONS In a large cohort of Spanish patients with spastic paraplegia, SPAST and ATL1 mutations were found in 15% of the cases. These mutations were more frequent in familial cases (compared to sporadic), and were associated with heterogeneous clinical manifestations.

Trends in yearly prevalence of third-generation cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone resistant Enterobacteriaceae infections and antimicrobial use in Spanish hospitals, Spain, 1999 to 2010.

Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter spp. are a major cause of infections in hospitalised patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate rates and trends of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones in infected patients, the trends in use for these antimicrobials, and to assess the potential correlation between both trends. The database of national point prevalence study series of infections and antimicrobial use among patients hospitalised in Spain over the period from 1999 to 2010 was analysed. On average 265 hospitals and 60,000 patients were surveyed per year yielding a total of 19,801 E. coli, 3,004 K. pneumoniae and 3,205 Enterobacter isolates. During the twelve years period, we observed significant increases for the use of fluoroquinolones (5.8%-10.2%, p<0.001), but not for third-generation cephalosporins (6.4%-5.9%, p=NS). Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins increased significantly for E. coli (5%-15%, p<0.01) and for K. pneumoniae infections (4%-21%, p<0.01) but not for Enterobacter spp. (24%). Resistance to fluoroquinolones increased significantly for E. coli (16%30%, p<0.01), for K. pneumoniae (5%-22%, p<0.01), and for Enterobacter spp. (6%-15%, p<0.01). We found strong correlations between the rate of fluoroquinolone use and the resistance to fluoroquinolones, third-generation cephalosporins, or co-resistance to both, for E. coli (R=0.97, p<0.01, R=0.94, p<0.01, and R=0.96, p<0.01, respectively), and for K. pneumoniae (R=0.92, p<0.01, R=0.91, p<0.01, and R=0.92, p<0.01, respectively). No correlation could be found between the use of third-generation cephalosporins and resistance to any of the latter antimicrobials. No significant correlations could be found for Enterobacter spp.. Knowledge of the trends in antimicrobial resistance and use of antimicrobials in the hospitalised population at the national level can help to develop prevention strategies.

Effectiveness of Pregabalin as Monotherapy or Combination Therapy for Neuropathic Pain in Patients Unresponsive to Previous Treatments in a Spanish Primary Care Setting

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Patients from a previous study of neuropathic pain (NP) in the Spanish primary care setting still had symptoms despite treatment. Subsequently, patients were treated as prescribed by their physician and followed up for 3��months. Since pregabalin has been shown to be effective in NP, including refractory cases, the objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of pregabalin therapy in patients with NP refractory to previous treatments. METHODS This was a post hoc analysis of pregabalin-na��ve NP patients treated with pregabalin in a 3-month follow-up observational multicenter study to assess symptoms and satisfaction with treatment. Patients were evaluated with the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4), the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the Treatment Satisfaction for Medication Questionnaire (SATMED-Q) overall satisfaction domain. RESULTS 1,670 patients (mean age 58��years, 59��% women), previously untreated or treated with ���1 drug other than pregabalin, were treated with pregabalin (37��% on monotherapy). At 3��months, pain intensity and its interference with activities decreased by half (p��<��0.0001), while the number of days with no or mild pain increased by a mean of 4.5��days (p��<��0.0001). Treatment satisfaction increased twofold (p��<��0.0001). Patients with a shorter history of pain and those with neuralgia and peripheral nerve compression syndrome (PCS) as etiologies had the highest proportion on monotherapy and showed the greatest improvements in pain-related parameters in their respective group categories. CONCLUSION Treatment with pregabalin (as monotherapy or combination therapy) provides benefits in pain and treatment satisfaction in patients with NP, including refractory cases. Shorter disease progression and neuralgia and PCS etiologies are favorable factors for pregabalin treatment response.

Universal complex structures in written language

Quantitative linguistics has provided us with a number of empirical laws that characterise the evolution of languages and competition amongst them. In terms of language usage, one of the most influential results is Zipf���s law of word frequencies. Zipf���s law appears to be universal, and may not even be unique to human language. However, there is ongoing controversy over whether Zipf���s law is a good indicator of complexity. Here we present an alternative approach that puts Zipf���s law in the context of critical phenomena (the cornerstone of complexity in physics) and establishes the presence of a large-scale ���attraction��� between successive repetitions of words. Moreover, this phenomenon is scale-invariant and universal ��� the pattern is independent of word frequency and is observed in texts by different authors and written in different languages. There is evidence, however, that the shape of the scaling relation changes for words that play a key role in the text, implying the existence of different ���universality classes��� in the repetition of words. These behaviours exhibit striking parallels with complex catastrophic phenomena.