Catalan Territory Research Articles

Geographical Requirements for the Applicability of the Results of the RACECAT Study to Other Stroke Networks.

Background The RACECAT (Transfer to the Closest Local Stroke Center vs Direct Transfer to Endovascular Stroke Center of Acute Stroke Patients With Suspected Large Vessel Occlusion in the Catalan Territory) trial was the first randomized trial addressing the prehospital triage of acute stroke patients based on the distribution of thrombolysis centers and intervention centers in Catalonia, Spain. The study compared the drip-and-ship with the mothership paradigm in regions where a local thrombolysis center can be reached faster than the nearest intervention center (equipoise region). The present study aims to determine the population-based applicability of the results of the RACECAT study to 4 stroke networks with a different degree of clustering of the intervention centers (clustered, dispersed). Methods and Results Stroke networks were compared with regard to transport time saved for thrombolysis (under the drip-and-ship approach) and transport time saved for endovascular therapy (under the mothership approach). Population-based transport times were modeled with a local instance of an openrouteservice server using open data from OpenStreetMap.The fraction of the population in the equipoise region differed substantially between clustered networks (Catalonia, 63.4%; France North, 87.7%) and dispersed networks (Southwest Bavaria, 40.1%; Switzerland, 40.0%). Transport time savings for thrombolysis under the drip-and-ship approach were more marked in clustered networks (Catalonia, 29 minutes; France North, 27 minutes) than in dispersed networks (Southwest Bavaria and Switzerland, both 18 minutes). Conclusions Infrastructure differences between stroke networks may hamper the applicability of the results of the RACECAT study to other stroke networks with a different distribution of intervention centers. Stroke networks should assess the population densities and hospital type/distribution in the temporal domain before applying prehospital triage algorithms to their specific setting.

Implementation of the HepClink test-and-treat community strategy targeting Pakistani migrants with hepatitis C living in Catalonia (Spain) compared with the current practice of the Catalan health system: budget impact analysis

ObjectivesTo perform a budget impact analysis of the HepClink test-and-treat strategy in which community health agents offer hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing, diagnosis and treatment to the Pakistani population living...

OP23 Asymptomatic inflammatory bowel disease diagnosed during the colorectal cancer population screening in Catalonia

Abstract Background Background: It has been postulated that early treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with a better long-term response. In Catalonia, the early detection program for colorectal cancer (EDPCRC) has been active since 2010, and was extended to the entire Catalan territory in 2015. The aim of this study is to describe the natural history of IBD asymptomatic diagnosed through the EDPCRC in Catalonia. Methods Methods: Observational, longitudinal and retrospective study of patients with IBD detected in the EDPCRC with a positive faecal immunological test in 21 centers in Catalonia between 2010 and 2019. Data was collected from the clinical histories. Results Results: 237 patients were identified; 35 patients had symptoms before endoscopy and were excluded from the study, finally 200 patients were diagnosed with asymptomatic IBD during the EDPCRC; 109 ulcerative colitis (54.5%), 63 Crohn’s disease (31.5%) and 28 unclassifiable colitis (14%). 35.5% were women (n=71) with an average age of 60 years (range 49-79). Of the asymptomatic, 40.5% developed symptoms (n=81), being diarrhea the most frequent (n=45; 55.6%). The median time to first symptom was 368 days. Treatment was prescribed in 74.5% (n=149) of the patients. Mesalazine was the most frequently prescribed drug (n=130). The main reason for prescribing it was endoscopic activity (n=107), followed by the appearance of symptoms (n=39) and the biochemical activity (n=9). Only 19 patients (9.5%) required biological treatment (5 infliximab, 10 adalimumab, 2 vedolizumab and 2 ustekinumab). 4 patients (2%) required surgery. Conclusion Conclusion: Less than half of patients diagnosed with IBD at a preclinical stage develop symptoms after the first year of follow-up. Only 9.5% require biological treatment and 2% surgery. Three-quarters of patients are prescribed treatment; the most used was mesalazine.

The Variability of Hailfall in Catalonia and Its Climatic Implications

In recent years, some works have forecasted the future scenario of severe weather phenomena, which include large hail. In the present manuscript, the authors focus on a region, Catalonia (NE of the Iberian Peninsula), influenced by complex topography, the Mediterranean Sea, and different air masses. These components are a complicated formula in determining the behavior of the hailfall in the Catalan territory. The events of recent years have shown that expectations and the historical context are not always the best indicators for the future, implying the necessity of the further study of hail events. Using radar fields combined with ground registers and a topographic model permits the characterization of the events in the territory. There is high seasonal and annual variability, with reduced hit areas and small vertical developments in non-summer cases. All these factors are not well solved by the spatial resolution of the current climatic models.

Adquisición de segundas lenguas en contextos de inmersión lingüística. Un modelo estructural acerca del rol de la inteligencia y las actitudes lingüísticas

This study aims to know how fluid intelligence and linguistic attitude participate in the language learning of young people who are in a linguistic immersion situation in Catalonia. Considering the linguistic particularities of the Catalan territory, a path model has been designed in which the effect of the fluid intelligence and linguistic attitude on the acquisition of the two official languages of the territory (Spanish and Catalan) in young immigrants of Romanian origin is studied. The results show how fluid intelligence exerted a significant facilitating effect of medium-low magnitude on learning of similar intensity for both languages. However, the attitude shows to exert a significant facilitating effect of low magnitude for the acquisition of the vehicular language (Catalan), but not significant for the language of non-academic use (Spanish). These results suggest that fluid intelligence and linguistic attitude are facilitating agents of language acquisition in situations of linguistic immersion, although in the case of attitude, the intensity of this effect may depend on the way in which learners are in contact with the language.

Second language acquisition in a language immersion context. A structural model about the role of intelligence and language attitudes

This study aims to know how fluid intelligence and linguistic attitude participate in the language learning of young people who are in a linguistic immersion situation in Catalonia. Considering the linguistic particularities of the Catalan territory, a path model has been designed in which the effect of the fluid intelligence and linguistic attitude on the acquisition of the two official languages of the territory (Spanish and Catalan) in young immigrants of Romanian origin is studied. The results show how fluid intelligence exerted a significant facilitating effect of medium-low magnitude on learning of similar intensity for both languages. However, the attitude shows to exert a significant facilitating effect of low magnitude for the acquisition of the vehicular language (Catalan), but not significant for the language of non-academic use (Spanish). These results suggest that fluid intelligence and linguistic attitude are facilitating agents of language acquisition in situations of linguistic immersion, although in the case of attitude, the intensity of this effect may depend on the way in which learners are in contact with the language.

Can the Correlation between Radar and Cloud-to-Ground Daily Fields Help to Identify the Different Rainfall Regimes? The Case of Catalonia

The rainfall regime is changing in the Catalan territory, likely in most areas in the Mediterranean Basin. This variability, spatial and temporal, means that there may be periods of severe drought combined with periods of heavy rainfall and floods. In this way, the management of water resources is complicated and can produce a high impact on different social aspects. The high convective activity leads to investigating the relationship between the electric discharges and radar parameters (reflectivity, echo top, vertically integrated liquid, and accumulated rainfall). The correlation allows identifying some elements that may be significant in terms of changes in rainfall regimes. Besides, using several radar parameters apart from precipitation accumulation reveals interesting explicit patterns of the previously known. These patterns can help better understand the precipitation behavior and the changes associated with it.

P604 Evaluation of management heterogeneity and complications of Crohn’s disease in Catalonia. A population quality care study

Abstract Background Heterogeneity in the treatment of a disease is a marker of suboptimal quality of care. Recent studies suggest that there is a marked heterogeneity in the management of inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate the heterogeneity in the treatment used and the outcomes (rate of hospitalization and surgery) for Crohn’s disease (CD) in the different health areas of Catalonia. Methods All patients with CD included in the Catalan Health Surveillance System (CHSS) including data on more than 7 million individuals from 2011 to 2017 were identified using with the ICD-9-CM codes. The different Catalonian health areas were grouped into 19 groups according to the reference hospital (figure 1). Exposures to different treatments were retrieved from the electronic dispensation records. Data on hospitalizations and surgeries were also extracted from the CHSS according to ICD-9-CM codes. Treatment used rates (systemic corticosteroids, non-biological and biological immunosuppressant) and outcome rates (hospitalization and surgery) were calculated. Results The use of systemic corticosteroids presented a decreasing trend over the study period, with an average rate of use of the total number of patients in the different territories between 10% and 16% (figure 2). The use of non-biological immunosuppressant treatment has remained stable, with an average rate of use ranging from 20% to 40% (figure 3). On the other hand, the use of biological immunosuppressant treatment increased, with an average rate of use in the different territories ranging from 10 to 22% (figure 4). Hospitalizations for any reason showed an increasing trend between 2011–2017 with an average rate between 19% and 30% per year depending on the area. Contrarily, hospitalizations for CD presented a decreasing trend, with an average rate between 5% and 10% per year. Surgical treatment (both resections and ostomies) remained stable over time. Rates per year were between 1% and 2%. Conclusion In this population study we appreciated an important heterogeneity in the use of non-biological and biological immunosuppressant treatments, identifying use rates of almost the double in some of the areas. There is also a remarkable variability in the rate of hospitalizations for CD between certain areas of Catalan territory.

Propuestas para el abordaje de la violencia machista en el ámbito de la salud. Un análisis cualitativo

ObjectiveIdentify improvement proposals for approaching violence against women through the evaluation of 2009s Protocol for approaching Violence Against Women in Health Care in Cataluña (PAVIM). DesignQualitative ethnographic study, 2019. SettingPublic Health Care in Catalonia. ParticipantsOne hundred eighty one participants, of which: 104 health care professionals, 43 women's associations and/or experts in violence against women and 34 experts on health and violence against women. MethodIntentional sampling. Eighteen focus groups and 34 semi-structured interviews. Evaluation with a gender and intersectional perspective. ResultsResults are structured along PAVIM's phases. Prevention: mandatory and institutionally recognized training for the whole professional team, with a gender and intersectional perspective. Detection: diagnostic code standardization for violence against women and improve coordination between primary care, emergency service, pediatrics and Assistance to Sexual and Reproductive Health. Care and recovery: territorial equity in the applied resources on cases of violence against women care (in the 9 sanitary regions of Catalonia) and improves communication between health and associative fields. ConclusionsThe improvement proposals identified are those that have generated a greater consensus among participants and are the most interesting to primary care. As limitations, stand out the temporality and heterogeneity of the Catalan territory.

Aragonesisme i conflicte Ordes/vassalls a les Comandes templeres i hospitaleres d'Ascó, Horta i Miravet (1250-1350)

Le travail réexamine la situation que vecurent les commanderies d 'abord templières, puis après 1317, hospitalières, d'Ascó, Horta et Miravet (situées dans les régions catalanes de la Ribera d 'Ebre et de la Terra Alta, limitrophes du Bas Aragon) dès la fin du XIIIe siècle à la moitié du XIVe. L 'historiographie traditionnelle se bornait à discuter des manifestations d'aragonisme ou de catalanisme de ces commanderies; mais, après avoir élargí le champ d'analyse, notre interprétation renvoie à l'affrontement entre les communautés villageoises et, successivement, les Ordres du Temple puis de l'Hôpital. L'objectif initial et principal de cette opposition fut d'obtenir la suppression de la capacité du seigneur a administrer justice: tandis que les Ordres la voulaient complète, les vassaux prétendaient que les appels correspondassent au roi. Les premières manifestations de ces affrontements se produisirent a la fin du XIIIe siècle, contemporainement à l'élaboration des Costums d'Horta (1296); pendant cette période, il n'y eut impliqués qu'Ordres et vassaux, et l'affrontement dû adopter des formes verbales. Cependant, à partir de 1325, la situation devint plus complexe et se manifesta par de longues querelles judiciaires, la recherche de l'appui royal par chacune des deux parties et par les interventions des Corts d 'Aragon et de la Catalogne. Le radicalisme des positions atteignit son paroxisme avec la guerre de l'Union du milieu du XIV•, pendant laquelle les habitants des commanderies et la hiérarchie des hospitaliers luttèrent dans des factions opposées. La défaite des unionistes et, avec elle, celle des vassaux hospitaliers implica un nouveau rapport de forces dans la seigneurie, dont l’Ordre profita pour préserver et renforcer son autorité.

Transfer to the Local Stroke Center versus Direct Transfer to Endovascular Center of Acute Stroke Patients with Suspected Large Vessel Occlusion in the Catalan Territory (RACECAT): Study protocol of a cluster randomized within a cohort trial.

Optimal pre-hospital delivery pathways for acute stroke patients suspected to harbor a large vessel occlusion have not been assessed in randomized trials. To establish whether stroke subjects with rapid arterial occlusion evaluation scale based suspicion of large vessel occlusion evaluated by emergency medical services in the field have higher rates of favorable outcome when transferred directly to an endovascular center (endovascular treatment stroke center), as compared to the standard transfer to the closest local stroke center (local-SC). Multicenter, superiority, cluster randomized within a cohort trial with blinded endpoint assessment. Eligible patients must be 18 or older, have acute stroke symptoms and not have an immediate life threatening condition requiring emergent medical intervention. They must be suspected to have intracranial large vessel occlusion based on a pre-hospital rapid arterial occlusion evaluation scale of ≥5, be located in geographical areas where the default health authority assigned referral stroke center is a non-thrombectomy capable hospital, and estimated arrival at a thrombectomy capable stroke hospital in less than 7 h from time last seen well. Cluster randomization is performed according to a pre-established temporal sequence (temporal cluster design) with three strata: day/night, distance to the endovascular treatment stroke center, and week/week-end day. The primary endpoint is the modified Rankin Scale score at 90 days. The primary safety outcome is mortality at 90 days. The primary endpoint based on the modified intention-to-treat population is the distribution of modified Rankin Scale scores at 90 days analyzed under a sequential triangular design. The maximum sample size is 1754 patients, with two planned interim analyses when 701 (40%) and 1227 patients have completed follow-up. Hypothesized common odds ratio is 1.35.

Limits to territorial nationalization in election support for an independence-aimed regional nationalism in Catalonia

This study examines the territorial cohesion of Catalonia in terms of political affiliations to Catalan nationalist parties in regional elections between 1980 and 2015. The objective is to evaluate the explanatory power of the nationalization thesis, which assumes convergence, uniformity, and nation-wide source of political alignments. Although usually applied to the state-level, the nationalization thesis can do justice to the independence demands of regional nationalist movements as well. The thesis is measured using the two traditional conceptualizations, and a new one which scrutinizes the Catalan-wide distribution of socio-spatial cleavages. The study uses municipal resolution data to provide a detailed insight into Catalan electoral geography. The methods involved include local and global statistical indexes for measuring variation in and distribution of electoral support, and linear and geographically weighted regressions which aim to identify predictor variables and, above all, their spatial (non-)stationarity. The results indicate that spatial patterns of nationalist affiliations are clustered, place-specific, and of a non-stationary character which disproves the nationalization thesis in all its three conceptualizations. As a consequence, the concept of spatial modes within the Catalan territory is introduced.

VP174 Atlases Of Quality: Assessing Integrated Care In Chronic Diseases

INTRODUCTION:The Comprehensive Public Healthcare System of Catalonia (SISCAT) Atlases of Quality aim to evaluate the quality of care in relation to specific diseases or procedures in the Catalan territory with a focus on outcomes of care in order to promote best practices. The first Atlas of Quality aimed to assess the quality of integrated care for chronic patients.METHODS:Methodology was articulated in four stages:(i) Establishment of a conceptual framework of reference specific for each intervention/technology being assessed, (ii) Definition and consensus of the assessment indicators, and (iii) Implementation of indicators using the Basic Health Areas (ABS) of Catalonia as a unit of analysis, comparing ABS with vs without the intervention (such as integrated care for chronicity). Indicators were obtained from the SISCAT databases and implemented through risk adjustment models. For performance assessment, we calculated the observed and expected indicator rates for each ABS, and for the benchmarking analysis, these ratios were represented in funnel plots (Confidence Interval, CI 95 percent and 99.8 percent for exclusion zones). (iv) Evaluation of the intervention and identification of specific success factors.RESULTS:For the assessment of integrated care interventions for chronicity, the defined framework in stage 1 was base on the Kaiser Pyramid (population distribution), and the Porter and the Donabedian's approaches (structure, processes, outcomes) (1). In stage 2 more than 500 experts, using several qualitative techniques, considered 18 indicators as relevants and feasibles for the assessment (2). Ten of them were implemented in stage 3 for congestive heart failure and pulmonary obstructive chronic disease. Significant values were found both in ABS with and without chronicity care programms (phase 3).CONCLUSIONS:The subsequent analysis (phase 4) will allow identification of practices of each ABS that best explain these results. Some limitations must be considered such as the availability of the consensued indicators in the SISCAT databases.

Advanced mobile solution in a continuum of care process

Introduction: Osona is a Catalonian county with almost 157.000 inhabitants, of which 2.9% are 85 years old or over, and it behaves like a micro health and social system in the Catalan territory. The health providers and the local administrations who are responsible for community social services, have made a strategic alliance, that seek to create a more integrated and person-centred care of persons with complex health and social care needs, based government guidelines for Programs of Prevention and Care of Chronic Patients (PPAC) and Social and Health Interaction (PIAISS). The home care of people with dependence in Osona has integrated and a new care model based in interventions adapted to their needs has been developed. The Fundacio Assistencial d'Osona (FADO), that is a nonprofit foundation, is the responsible for the home care in the county, serving more than 750 people each year. Often people with complex health and social care needs require the intervention of multiple suppliers, therefore the challenge is to achieve shared care for this group and the accessibility to information is a key element for advancing. In order to have updated information from users, as well as the monitoring of personalized care plan, objectives and tasks involved, we designed a system of interconnected with the FADO central server through mobile network to enable remote control and the exchange of information, which automates and streamlines processes for data collection. The aim of the communication is to describe the follow-up model of the users through the mobile platform. The project has passed the trail period and will be implemented in April 2016. Development of the project: Some months ago we launched the new service ASSISCAT platform, a mobile application jointly developed with Vodafone that the FADO workforce would have access through their Smartphone in the home visits. By means of this application they would be able to consult the care plan for each user, the services they require (personal care and showers, support in daily activities, mobilizations...), record notes concerning their state, autonomy degree, and personal choices or manage any incident that should occur. This application will provide a higher quality service, greater security and continuity of care, in order to contribute in the improvement of their health and wellbeing. This application will also help the professionals to organize in a better way and keep a detailed control of their daily activity, from registering the arrival and departure time of each visit, validate the completion of scheduled tasks, consult the schedule for the next days and location through GPS the best route to reach the addresses. It also allows a secure messaging system. This application is based in a machine to machine connection system that links directly mobile devices to the FADO server, which allows you to connect directly with the patient electronic health record. So the information is always updated avoiding the conventional network ensuring as well data protection. Moreover each mobile device is provided with a card connected through roaming (global SIM), in order to increase the coverage level. The indicators for the evaluation of their impact are related to the care plan optimization, the improve of the experience and security of the patient and the service efficiency. Conclusions: We present an advanced mobile solution to ensure access to information and increase the safety of users. We also present results of efficiency improvements with the use of this technology.

The case conference as a tool to improve shared care and to focus on personalized care

Context : Osona is a Catalonian county with almost 157.000 inhabitants, of which 2.9% are 85 years old or over, and it behaves like a micro health system in the Catalan territory. Local health providers made a strategic alliance more than ten years ago (virtual integration), and launched a range of tools and strategies that seek to create a more integrated and person-centred care of patients with complex health care needs, based government guidelines for Programs of Prevention and Care of Chronic Patients (PPAC) and Social and Health Interaction (PIAISS). One of the main strategies was the development of complex care pathways and the involvement of the social system in its development. Often patients with complex health care needs require the intervention of multiple suppliers and each design their own action plan, therefore the challenge is to achieve shared care for this group. We propose a tool to address the difficulties this entails, called the case conference. That aims for each patient to have a single treatment plan co-designed with the patient and all the suppliers involved now or in the future. The aim of the communication is to describe the process of the implementation of the case conference in our environment. Development of the project - Phase 1: The first step was a trial in two Primary care centres, which showed the need for joint training of the professionals involved and created a rigorous methodology to facilitate the management of the duration of the session. The assessments of the patients were very extensive but superficial and fragmented without an overall view of the situation. The need for a common language and organizational culture were also detected, and everyone agreed that there should be learning processes to work this way and that high level of readiness is required. It confirms the relevance of specialized care in method and content. The level of professional satisfaction was very high and we were asked not to stop the trial. - Phase 2 includes the development of a regional consensus document for the case conference to be extended throughout the county taking advantage of previous experience and with the support of PPAC, which proposes a target of 50 territorial cases. - The Third phase entails using case conference with different primary care centres and creating a framework for its evaluation, and planning how to scale up the experience for a number of patients. Case conference methodology : 1. Teams involved: - The nurse, the doctor and the reference social worker of the primary care team. In some cases also the nurse case manager. Their contributions give a longitudinal understanding of the situation. The ability for decision-making is assessed whenever possible. - The doctor and the nurse of the specialized geriatric care team, who bring expertise in the diagnosis of the situation and forward planning. 2. Criteria for selecting patients. Candidates have to meet the following criteria: - Patients with complex health care needs according to the PPAC criteria of complexity. - High probability of different service providers acting simultaneously. - When a shared plan will provide value for the patient because the process of decision-making raises different options 3. Development of the case conference. It consists of building a virtual team that put together their evaluations to make a single shared plan for the patient so it requires a process of preparation by the teams involved. The geriatric assessment is used as a reference and the role of the coordinator of the case conference is key because they moderate the interventions and guarantee the method. The professionals who make the validation process of the proposals with the patient and his family are chosen at the end of the session and also the information to record on the shared information system. At the beginning the case conference will be done in person and in the future possibly by means of communication technology. Evaluation framework: There is a descriptive part that includes patient characteristics, changes in personalized plans and proposals regarding advanced care planning. The experience of professionals will be assessed qualitatively. Conclusions : Initial results are very encouraging in the sense that it is a very powerful tool to promote integrated care. The preparation time and duration of the sessions are the main difficulties to make it scalable to a large number of patients.

Resultados y retos en salud pública ante la alerta por Ébola: una perspectiva desde Cataluña

The Ebola outbreak in Guinea Conakry was notified to the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2014. It is the most complex Ebola outbreak to date, affecting Guinea Conakry as well as the surrounding countries and with a risk of the disease spreading outside Africa. For this reason, the World Health Organization declared this Ebola outbreak an international public health emergency in August 2014. The Public Health Agency of Catalonia, through the Spanish Alert and Emergencies Coordination Network, initiated public health actions in March 2014, developing a single protocol of action to be applied by all the health care providers in the whole Catalan territory, advice for travellers and voluntary workers arriving from affected countries and a weekly newsletter addressed to health professionals. At the same time, the Ebola Analysis and Monitoring Committee and the Ebola Scientific and Advisory Committee were established. More than 9600 professional health workers attended training sessions and informative sessions. From August 2014, the Catalan Epidemiological Surveillance Emergency Service (SUVEC) reported 117 suspected Ebola cases, of which only 3 met the epidemiological and clinical criteria leading to the activation of the action protocol. All 3 cases proved negative for Ebola. Also, 95 voluntary workers were monitored, 52% of whom were female and 74% had returned from Sierra Leone. Dealing with the suspected Ebola cases required a detailed advance preparation and planning, with a coordinated effort between the epidemiological and health-care network, and all the agents involved, as well as precise, realistic and appropriate risk communication. The prior screening of suspected Ebola cases by the SUVEC meant the immediate protocol was activated only in the cases that met the epidemiological and clinical criteria. This is a key point to be reinforced in any future international public health alerts.

La voz catalana merç, del latín merx, -cis, y algunos de sus derivados en la documentación latina medieval del territorio de habla catalana

This paper explores the medieval Latin documentation of the Catalan territory for information on the Catalan terms that come from the Latin noun merx, ‑cis. First, as Joan Coromines suspected, it confirms the existence of a Catalan noun merc ‘merchandise’, although in masculine; its first appearance is attested in 1083 and the word has two meanings, ‘rights on markets’ and ‘taxes on merchandise’. Secondly, the first appearance of mercer, noun derived from merc, has been established in 1067. And finally, this corpus shows the creation, without any continuity, of the Latin noun mercerius from the Catalan mercer.

Notas sobre las interferencias lingüísticas del catalán en el español de Cataluña

Abstract The Spanish used in Catalonia presents, mostly in oral contexts, but also often in writing, cases of lexical calques and literal translations from the other official language with which it coexists in this geographical area: Catalan. In this paper, we deal with the verbs and verbal usages in the Spanish language used in Catalonia, in which interference phenomena appears in the speech of our informants. The examples found and hereby literally transcribed spring from conversations held with native Spanish speakers in Catalonia. As we will explain in this paper, this phenomenon, the interference of Catalan in the Spanish used in Catalonia, is one of the features that best characterizes the spoken use of Spanish in the Catalan territory. We will also show how, in some cases, the Spanish Catalan-influenced verb usage is not ungrammatical but there exist more appropriate normative verbal choices to use in oral contexts.

Analysis of Catalonian silver coins from the Spanish War of Independence period (1808–1814) by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence

Between the years 1808 and 1814, the Spanish War of Independence took place. This period, locally known as “Guerra del Francès”, generated the need for money and consequently five mints were opened around the Catalan territory. To mark the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the war, an extensive campaign of Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence measurements of some of these “emergency coins” was carried out. Apart from the silver (major constituent of all the studied coins) it has been possible to recognize copper as main metal alloying element. Likewise, the presence of zinc, tin, lead, gold, platinum, antimony, nickel and iron has been also identified. The obtained results have been useful not only for the characterization of the alloys, but also to determine the differences and analogies between the emissions and for historical explanations.

THE MASIA AS A LIEU DE MÉMOIRE : FROM THE TRADITIONAL HOUSE TO RURAL TOURISM

According to the French historian Pierre Nora, the “collapse of memory” in contemporary society has caused the dissappearance of “milieux de mémorie, authentic surroundings of memory.” Given that we no longer live in a society in which “memory is experienced collectively,” it is necessary for us to create lieux de mémorie, artificial places that act as a Space to remember. This article takes Can Traver (a country house situated in La Garrotxa) as an example and provides an interpretation of the country home as a lieu de mémoire, as a place that reflects the social, economic and legal structures of the rural Catalan territories. The arquitectural typology of the house symbolizes the rebirth of determining values of the history of Catalonia, or, to put it another way, it permits the attribution of a series of meanings related to the Catalan national identity, such as the rural origins of Catalonia or the importance of the family and the insitution of the hereu (first born). These traditional values and country way of life find their architectural translation in the country home. For this reason it is possible to explain the expansion of rural tourism, agrotourism and ecotourism throughout the Catalan territory. This new type of tourism is not simply a way of profiting from rural properties that have lost their agricultural function but rather it is a promesse de bonheur, the potential to experience something authentic, traditional and belonging to the past (even though this experience has nothing to do with the real life of the country or the people who live and work there).