Publications by authors named "Alberto Villar"

This work attempted to clarify the interaction of cognition and pain sensitization during a paradigm of Temporal Summation of Second Pain (TSSP). We analyzed pain ratings and electroencephalographic (EEG) activity obtained from 21 healthy participants during the presentation of four experimental conditions that differed in the manipulation of attention to painful stimuli or working memory load (Attention to hand & TSSP; 0-back & TSSP (low cognitive load); 2-back & TSSP (high cognitive load); 2-back (without pain)). We found that the TSSP was reduced when the attention was diverted and the cognitive load increased, and this reduction was accompanied by higher midfrontal theta activity and lower posterior alpha and central beta activity.

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The exhaustive control required for the correct wine production needs of many chemical analysis throughout the process. The most extended investigations for wine production control are focused on the quantification of total and free SO. Most methods described in the literature have an adequate detection limit, but they usually lack reproducibility and require a previous sample treatment for the extraction of the SO from the wine-matrix.

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Objective: Current evidence on the diagnostic yield and safety of pleural cryobiopsy (CB) is based on a series of heterogeneous studies with limited cohorts. A pooled analysis of these studies could improve the evidence and contribute to a better understanding of this new technique.

Methodology: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies that included data on the yield and diagnostic safety of pleural CB compared with procedures performed using conventional flexible forceps.

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Optimization of a multivariate calibration process has been undertaken for a Visible-Near Infrared (400-1100nm) sensor system, applied in the monitoring of the fermentation process of the cider produced in the Basque Country (Spain). The main parameters that were monitored included alcoholic proof, l-lactic acid content, glucose+fructose and acetic acid content. The multivariate calibration was carried out using a combination of different variable selection techniques and the most suitable pre-processing strategies were selected based on the spectra characteristics obtained by the sensor system.

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Intensive groundwater development is a common circumstance in semiarid and arid areas. Often abstraction exceeds recharge, thus continuously depleting reserves. There is groundwater mining when the recovery of aquifer reserves needs more than 50years.

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Intensive exploitation and continuous consumption of groundwater reserves (groundwater mining) have been real facts for decades in arid and semiarid areas. A summary of experience in the hydrogeological, economic, social and ethical consequences of groundwater intensive and mining exploitation in Gran Canaria and Tenerife Islands, in the Canarian Archipelago, is presented. Groundwater abstraction is less than recharge, but a significant outflow of groundwater to the sea cannot be avoided, especially in Tenerife, due to its younger volcanic coastal formations.

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Background: The effort to detect lung cancer in ever-earlier stages leads to the identification of an increasing number of patients without preoperative histological diagnosis. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and characteristics of benign lesions excised in the context of lung cancer surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 125 surgical procedures.

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This paper describes the calibration, validation and testing process of a low-cost on-line visible-near infrared (400-1100 nm) sensor for the monitoring of fat and fatty acids content in milk during the manufacturing process of milk. The optical, mechanical and electronic designs of the sensor have been developed in Tekniker IK4 research centre just as its manufacturing process. The measurement range of the sensor is 400-1100 nm thus it covers the visible range (400-780 nm) and the short-wave near infrared (780-1100 nm).

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This paper describes the calibration process of a Visible-Near Infrared sensor for the condition monitoring of a gas engine's lubricating oil correlating transmittance oil spectra with the degradation of a gas engine's oil via a regression model. Chemometric techniques were applied to determine different parameters: Base Number (BN), Acid Number (AN), insolubles in pentane and viscosity at 40 °C. A Visible-Near Infrared (400-1100 nm) sensor developed in Tekniker research center was used to obtain the spectra of artificial and real gas engine oils.

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We report a cutaneous abscess due to Gemella morbillorum, a Gram positive coccus found in oropharyngeal flora, that rarely causes disease in humans. Infections associated to this agent are similar to those related to viridans streptococci. There have been reports of endovascular infections (predominantly endocarditis) and also of acute invasive infections.

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