Publications by authors named "Maria Lopez-Perez"

This study aimed to evaluate the initial clinical outcomes of and patient satisfaction with the newly introduced extended monofocal Evolux™ intraocular lens following cataract surgery. A retrospective study was conducted, involving 18 patients (36 eyes) who received Evolux™ lenses bilaterally. The inclusion criteria comprised individuals over 40 years old with no active eye diseases, excluding cataracts, and no postoperative complications.

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Objective: The main objective of this review is to demonstrate the use of Peripheral Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS), together with its most up-to-date protocols, for the treatment of neuropathies.

Design: We conducted a systematic search for randomised clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of PENS on pain intensity, sleep quality, oral analgesic intake and depression in patients with neuropathic pain.

Data Sources: The search was performed in Pubmed, PEDro and Cochrane databases.

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Radioactive radon gas poses significant threats to human health. Understanding the complexities of radon distribution and the dynamic relationship with atmospheric parameters will help in mitigating its impact. In this study, Multifractal Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MF-DFA) and chaos analysis were used to examine the fractal structure in radon gas at La Cueva del Viento, Tenerife, between January 2021 and December 2022.

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Population aging poses many challenges to public health, highlighting loneliness and social isolation as severe problems that affect the physical and mental health of older adults. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these became aggravated. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of loneliness and its relationship with social isolation, depression, cognitive deterioration, sleep quality, and the level of physical mobility and functioning of older adults in Health Area 3 of the Region of Murcia.

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A ca. 76% decrease in gross alpha activity levels, measured in surface aerosols collected in the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain), has been explained in the present study in connection with the reduction of activities, and eventual closure, of an oil refinery in the city. Gross Alpha in surface aerosols, collected at weekly intervals over a period of 22 years (2001-2022), was used for the analysis.

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Background And Objective: Between 5% and 10% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases have a family history of the disease, 30% of which do not have an identifiable underlying genetic cause after a comprehensive study of the known ALS-related genes. Based on a significantly increased incidence of ALS in a small geographical region from Spain, the aim of this work was to identify novel ALS-related genes in ALS cases with negative genetic testing.

Methods: We detected an increased incidence of both sporadic and, especially, familial ALS cases in a small region from Spain compared with available demographic and epidemiological data.

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The long-term variability of a 22-year dataset of Be, Pb and gross alpha concentrations in surface aerosols collected in the Canary Islands has been analysed in this study. These "time series" were collected on a weekly basis. Various analytical techniques, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), K-means clustering, correlation analyses, and back-trajectory were used to determine the variability of the data and assess the statistical importance of the source of the air masses reaching the study area.

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Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe our technique for performing femtosecond laser (FSL)-assisted mushroom configuration in deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK).

Methods: We describe our surgical technique for a mushroom-configuration DALK using a femtosecond laser (FSL) both to prepare the graft and to perform a precut of the recipient cornea, as well as the steps for the dissection of the recipient cornea and for donor cornea implantation. Moreover, we show the parameters of energy and spot separation and the external and internal diameters as well as the thickness of the external and internal keratotomy.

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Objective: Breast units led by nurse case managers are being implemented to provide comprehensive care in the detection and treatment of breast cancer. However, their implementation is heterogeneous and the results of the care process with this professional have not been studied. The aim of the study is to describe the management in time and the approach of the process by a nurse case manager in the breast unit of women with suspected breast cancer pathology, derived from the breast cancer screening program.

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The present study focuses on the two consecutive and markedly intense Saharan dust intrusion episodes that greatly affected southern Spain (Málaga) and, to a lesser extent, the Canary Islands (Tenerife), in March 2022. These two episodes were the result of atypical meteorological conditions in the region and resulted in record levels of aerosols in the air at the Málaga location. The activity levels of various natural and artificial radionuclides (Be, Pb, K, Cs, Pu, Pu, Pu) and radioactive indicators (gross alpha and gross beta) were impacted by these events and the results are described herein.

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Introduction: The population of older adults is rapidly increasing worldwide, presenting both prospects and complexities for society and healthcare professionals to maximize the functional capacity of this age group. Social isolation and loneliness significantly affect this population. The objective was to determine the effectiveness, satisfaction, and perceptions of the simulation-based education practices of a training program for nursing students, which was created to palliate the social isolation and loneliness of older adults.

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Purpose: To demonstrate that intense pulsed light therapy (IPL) of the upper and lower eyelids with meibomian gland expression (MGX) is effective in improving dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Methods: Patients with ocular discomfort (Ocular Surface Disease Index -OSDI- above 13) and signs of MGD were recruited. All patients underwent OSDI, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure, Schirmer test, meibography, non-invasive tear breakup time (NITBUT), slit-lamp examination (corneal and conjunctival staining, hyperemia, gland expressibility, and meibum quality), tear osmolarity and lipid layer thickness.

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Background: Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) constitutes a tool with great research potential due to its advantages over in vivo and in vitro models. Despite its important contribution to lung reconditioning, this technique has the disadvantage of incurring high costs and can induce pulmonary endothelial injury through perfusion and ventilation. The pulmonary endothelium is made up of endothelial glycocalyx (EG), a coating of proteoglycans (PG) on the luminal surface.

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Article Synopsis
  • La Cueva del Viento is a prominent lava tube in Tenerife, attracting over 28,200 visitors annually, prompting a need for radon exposure assessments for safety.
  • A year-long study tracked radon levels using different detectors, revealing seasonal variations influenced by rainfall and temperature, and developed predictive models for short-term forecasts.
  • The study found that the annual radiation doses for guides and visitors were within safe limits, but recommended ongoing monitoring to ensure safety standards are maintained.
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In recent years, smart city projects and initiatives have surged around the globe. Yet, a wide range of factors determine the success or failure of such initiatives and there is still a long road ahead in terms of effective governance and innovation management. In such a context, this study explores the specific case of PCT Cartuja (science and technology park in Seville, Spain)-analyzing several smart-mobility and smart-climate solutions from a Triple Helix Model standpoint.

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Women frequently suffer from urinary incontinence due to atrophic changes in the urogenital tract. Recommended conservative treatment includes evaluation of pelvic-floor strength and the functional use of pelvic-floor-muscle (PFM) training. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for articles with at least one group performing PFM exercises in post-menopausal women with urinary incontinence.

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Purpose: To report our first clinical and patient-reported outcomes in the early postoperative period with a new model of trifocal diffractive intraocular lens (IOL).

Methods: Pilot prospective analysis of the results of 26 eyes of 13 patients (age, 44-79 years) undergoing cataract surgery with implantation of the trifocal diffractive IOL Liberty 677MY (Medicontur Medical Engineering Ltd., Zsámbék, Hungary).

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Different studies have observed that respiratory muscle training (RMT) improve the endurance and strength of the respiratory muscles, having a positive impact on performance of endurance sports. Nevertheless, it remains to be clarified how to improve the efficiency of such training. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the acute physiological responses produced by training the respiratory muscles during exercise with flow resistive devices because such information may support us improve the efficiency of this type of training.

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A radon survey was carried out in 18 high schools located in Tenerife Island when anti-pandemic strategies were used to reduce COVID-19 dissemination during 2021. High schools were located in radon-prone areas previously identified by the Spanish Nuclear Safety Council. Our results showed that 12 high schools presented radon activities lower than 100 Bq/m, 5 high schools presented values in the range 100-200 Bq/m, and only 1 high school presented radon activity concentration higher than 200 Bq/m.

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Background And Objectives: To study the clinical and laboratory features of antineurofascin-155 (NF155)-positive autoimmune nodopathy (AN).

Methods: Patients with anti-NF155 antibodies detected on routine immunologic testing were included. Clinical characteristics, treatment response, and functional scales (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] and Inflammatory Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale [I-RODS]) were retrospectively collected at baseline and at the follow-up.

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Purpose: To analyze the target induced astigmatism (TIA), surgically induced astigmatism (SIA), difference vector (DV), and correction index (CI) in the correction of astigmatism with phakic lenses, and its influence on visual acuity, and to analyze the safety and efficacy indexes of the correction of high and low power astigmatism with toric phakic lenses.

Design: Retrospective comparative study.

Methods: The medical records of patients that were operated on at the research center during the period were analyzed.

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There is an increasing demand for ethical and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices by companies. This competence has to be introduced in students' training in business degree programs, and a check must then be done to determine if the students have come to appreciate the importance of CSR commitments. Using the framework of Stakeholders Theory, this work aims to examine students' perceptions of ethical and CSR practices and commitment to different stakeholders, as well as the factors that lead students to act in a socially responsible way.

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This study analyzed the influence of the image of death (positive or negative) and gender on death anxiety and assessed several subscales of the Death Attitude Profile-Revised in a sample of 280 compulsory secondary education students. Individuals with a positive image of death were found to exhibit less death anxiety than individuals with a negative image of death, and death anxiety was higher in boys than girls. Students with a positive image of death had greater Approach Acceptance, less Fear of Death, less Death Avoidance, more Escape Acceptance, and more Neutral Acceptance than students with a negative image of death.

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We report the case of a patient with a clinical phenotype characterized by distal lower limb weakness and pes cavus. The electrophysiological study showed slightly reduced or normal amplitude of motor potentials, a decremental response to repetitive nerve stimulation and post-exercise facilitation. Muscle biopsy showed only mild neurogenic features.

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In this report, physical and chemical properties, and total arsenic (As) concentrations were analyzed in agricultural (MASE) and mining soils (SMI) in the State of Guanajuato, México. Additionally, a metagenomic analysis of both types of soils was the bases for the identification and selection of bacteria and fungi resistant to As. The SMI soil showed higher concentration of As (39 mg kg) as compared to MASE soil (15 mg kg).

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