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1.
An Internet-based treatment for Flying Phobia using 360° images: Study protocol for a feasibility pilot study.
Mor, S, Botella, C, Campos, D, Tur, C, Castilla, D, Soler, C, Quero, S
Internet interventions. 2021;:100387
Abstract
BACKGROUND Flying Phobia (FP) is a prevalent disorder that can cause serious interference in a person's life. ICBT interventions have already shown their efficacy in several studies, but studies in the field of specific phobias are still scarce. Moreover, few studies have investigated the feasibility of using different types of images in exposure scenarios in ICBTs and no studies have been carried out on the role of sense of presence and reality judgement. The aim of the present study is to explore the feasibility of an ICBT for FP (NO-FEAR Airlines) using two types of images with different levels of immersion (still and navigable images). A secondary aim is to explore the potential effectiveness of the two experimental conditions using two types of images compared to a waiting list control group. Finally, the role of navigable images compared to the still images in the level of anxiety, sense of presence, and reality judgement will also be explored. This paper presents the study protocol. METHODS This study is a three-armed feasibility pilot study with the following conditions: NO-FEAR Airlines with navigable images, NO-FEAR Airlines with still images, and a waiting list group. A minimum of 60 participants will be recruited. The intervention will have a maximum duration of 6 weeks. Measurements will be taken at four different moments: baseline, post-intervention, and two follow-ups (3- and 12-month). Participants' opinions, preference, satisfaction and acceptance regarding the images used in the exposure scenarios will be assessed. FP symptomatology outcomes will also be considered for secondary analyses. The anxiety, sense of presence, and reality judgement in the exposure scenarios will also be analysed. DISCUSSION This study will conduct a pilot study on the feasibility of an ICBT for FP and it is the first one to explore the evaluation of patients of the two type of images (still and navigable) and the role of presence and reality judgement in exposure scenarios delivered through the Internet. Research in this field can have an impact on the way these scenarios are designed and developed, as well as helping to explore whether they have any effect on adherence. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03900559. Trial Registration date 3 April 2019, retrospectively registered.
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2.
"Five Keys to Safer Food" and COVID-19.
San Onofre, N, Soler, C, Merino-Torres, JF, Soriano, JM
Nutrients. 2021;(12)
Abstract
On 11 March 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) and, up to 18:37 a.m. on 9 December 2021, it has produced 268,440,530 cases and 5,299,511 deaths. This disease, in some patients, included pneumonia and shortness of breath, being transmitted through droplets and aerosols. To date, there is no scientific literature to justify transmission directly from foods. In this review, we applied the precautionary principle for the home and the food industry using the known "Five Keys to Safer Food" manual developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and extended punctually in its core information from five keys, in the light of new COVID-19 evidence, to guarantee a possible food safety tool.
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3.
COVID Obesity: A One-Year Narrative Review.
Ovalle, DLP, Rodrigo-Cano, S, González, A, Soler, C, Catalá-Gregori, AI, Merino-Torres, JF, Soriano, JM
Nutrients. 2021;(6)
Abstract
On 11 March 2020, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study focuses on a narrative review about the illness during the first year of the pandemic in relation to obesity. Databases were used to search studies published up to 8 December 2020. In total, 4430 articles and other scientific literature were found, and 24 articles were included in this one-year narrative review. The mean BMI value of severe COVID-19 patients ranged from 24.5 to 33.4 kg/m2, versus <18.5 to 24.3 kg/m2 for non-severe patients. Articles using the terms obesity or overweight without indicating the BMI value in these patients were common, but this is not useful, as the anthropometric parameters, when not defined by this index, are confusing due to the classification being different in the West compared to among Asian and Korean criteria-based adults. We proposed a new term, called COVID obesity, to define the importance of this anthropometric parameter, among others, in relation with this pandemic.
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4.
Adenosine A2A Receptors Are Upregulated in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Atrial Fibrillation Patients.
Godoy-Marín, H, Duroux, R, Jacobson, KA, Soler, C, Colino-Lage, H, Jiménez-Sábado, V, Montiel, J, Hove-Madsen, L, Ciruela, F
International journal of molecular sciences. 2021;(7)
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia seen in clinical practice. While some clinical parameters may predict the transition from paroxysmal to persistent AF, the molecular mechanisms behind the AF perpetuation are poorly understood. Thus, oxidative stress, calcium overload and inflammation, among others, are believed to be involved in AF-induced atrial remodelling. Interestingly, adenosine and its receptors have also been related to AF development and perpetuation. Here, we investigated the expression of adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) both in right atrium biopsies and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from non-dilated sinus rhythm (ndSR), dilated sinus rhythm (dSR) and AF patients. In addition, plasma adenosine content and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in these subjects were also determined. Our results revealed increased A2AR expression in the right atrium from AF patients, as previously described. Interestingly, increased levels of adenosine content and reduced ADA activity in plasma from AF patients were detected. An increase was observed when A2AR expression was assessed in PBMCs from AF subjects. Importantly, a positive correlation (P=0.001) between A2AR expression in the right atrium and PBMCs was observed. Overall, these results highlight the importance of the A2AR in AF and suggest that the evaluation of this receptor in PBMCs may be potentially be useful in monitoring disease severity and the efficacy of pharmacological treatments in AF patients.
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5.
Behavioural cardiovascular risk factors and prevalence of diabetes in subjects with familial hypercholesterolaemia.
Perez-Calahorra, S, Civeira, F, Guallar-Castillón, P, Pinto, X, Banegas, JR, Pedro-Botet, J, Suarez-Tembra, M, Mauri, M, Soler, C, Rodriguez-Artalejo, F, et al
European journal of preventive cardiology. 2020;(15):1649-1660
Abstract
A low prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus has been reported in familial hypercholesterolaemia. Whether a healthier lifestyle could explain it has not been explored. This cross-sectional study determines the prevalence of lifestyle-related cardiovascular risk factors in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) from the Dyslipidaemia Registry of the Spanish Atherosclerosis Society and in the ENRICA study, a representative sample of the adult Spanish general population, weighted to match the age and sex distribution of the HeFH sample. A total of 2185 HeFH patients and 11,856 individuals from ENRICA were included. HeFH had lower body mass index and fewer of them were smokers than in the reference population. A model adjusted for age, sex and body mass index showed that HeFH more frequently had cardiovascular disease (odds ratio (OR) 23.98; 95% confidence interval (CI) 18.40-31.23) and hypertension (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.07-1.35), and took anti-hypertensive medication (OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.18-1.56) and anti-diabetic medication (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.00-1.56), but less frequently were smokers (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.71-0.89). In a HeFH subsample (n = 513) with complete blood glucose information, those patients without cardiovascular disease showed lower prevalence of smoking and type 2 diabetes mellitus, lower body mass index and glucose, and higher diastolic blood pressure than the Spanish population. The differences in type 2 diabetes mellitus were justified mostly by the difference in body mass index. Body mass index adjustment also showed higher prevalence of hypertension and use of anti-hypertensive drugs in HeFH. In summary, HeFH patients had lower body mass index, which may contribute to explaining the lower prevalence of diabetes, and lower current smoking but higher hypertension.
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6.
Exploring the Relationship Between the Acceptability of an Internet-Based Intervention for Depression in Primary Care and Clinical Outcomes: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Mira, A, Soler, C, Alda, M, Baños, R, Castilla, D, Castro, A, García-Campayo, J, García-Palacios, A, Gili, M, Hurtado, M, et al
Frontiers in psychiatry. 2019;:325
Abstract
Background: Depression is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders worldwide. Although psychotherapy for depression is effective, there are barriers to its implementation in primary care in Spain. The use of the Internet has been shown to be a feasible solution. However, the acceptability of Internet-based interventions has not been studied sufficiently. Objective: To assess the acceptability of an Internet-based intervention (IBI) for depression in primary care, and explore the relationship between expectations and satisfaction and the improvement in the clinical variables in primary care patients receiving this intervention. Furthermore, it offers data about the effects of some sociodemographic characteristics on these acceptability variables and analyzes whether the expectations are related to finalizing the intervention. Methods: Data were based on depressive patients who were participants in a randomized controlled trial. In the present study, we present the data from all the participants in the Internet intervention groups (N = 198). All the participants filled out the expectation and satisfaction scales (six-item scales regarding treatment logic, satisfaction, recommending, usefulness for other disorders, usefulness for the patient, and unpleasantness), the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the secondary outcome measures: depression and anxiety impairment, and positive and negative affect. Results: Results showed that participants' expectations and satisfaction with the program were both high and differences in expectations and satisfaction depended on some sociodemographic variables (age: older people have higher expectations; sex: women have greater satisfaction). A positive relationship between these variables and intervention efficacy was found: expectations related to "usefulness for the patient" were a statistically related predictor to the results on the BDI-II (Beta = 0.364), and the perception of how logical the treatment is (Beta = 0.528) was associated with change in the clinical variable. Furthermore, the higher the expectations, the higher the improvements exhibited by the patients in all measures evaluated during the ten intervention modules. High expectations were also directly related to finalizing the intervention. Conclusions: This is the first study in Spain to address this issue in the field of IBIs for depression in primary care. The IBI showed high acceptance related to the intervention's efficacy and completion. Research on IBI acceptability could help to implement the treatment offered. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT01611818.
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7.
An Internet-based program for depression using activity and physiological sensors: efficacy, expectations, satisfaction, and ease of use.
Botella, C, Mira, A, Moragrega, I, García-Palacios, A, Bretón-López, J, Castilla, D, Riera López Del Amo, A, Soler, C, Molinari, G, Quero, S, et al
Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment. 2016;:393-406
Abstract
PURPOSE Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) has been shown to be efficacious. Moreover, CCBT can be enhanced by using physiological and activity sensors, but there is no evidence about the acceptability of all these tools. The objective of this study is to examine the efficacy, expectations, satisfaction, and ease of use of an Internet-based CCBT program for preventing depression, with and without sensors (electroencephalography, electrocardiograhpy ECG, and actigraphy), in a high-risk population (unemployed men). PATIENTS AND METHODS Sixty participants at risk of depression (unemployed men) were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: 1) intervention program (N=22), 2) intervention program plus sensors (N=19), and 3) control group (N=19). Participants completed depression, anxiety, positive and negative affect, and perceived stress measures. Furthermore, they also completed the measures for expectation, satisfaction, and the ease of use of the program. RESULTS Results showed that the two intervention groups improved significantly more than the control group on the clinical variables, and the improvements were greater in the group that used sensors than in the group that did not use them. Furthermore, participants in both intervention groups scored high on expectations and satisfaction with the CCBT program (with and without sensors). The mean score for usability was 88 out of 100 (standard deviation =12.32). No significant differences were found between groups on any of these variables. CONCLUSION This is the first study to analyze the efficacy, expectations, satisfaction, and ease of use of an Internet-based program using physiological and activity sensors. These results suggest that an Internet program for depression with or without physiological and activity sensors is effective, satisfactory, and easy to use.
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8.
[Secondary prevention of ischemic non cardioembolic stroke].
Armario, P, Pinto, X, Soler, C, Cardona, P
Clinica e investigacion en arteriosclerosis : publicacion oficial de la Sociedad Espanola de Arteriosclerosis. 2015;(6):287-300
Abstract
Stroke patients are at high risk for recurrence or new occurrence of other cardiovascular events or cardiovascular mortality. It is estimated that a high percentage of non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke can be prevented by a suitable modification of lifestyle (diet and exercise), reducing blood pressure (BP) with antihypertensive medication, platelet aggregation inhibitors, statins and high intake reducing consumption of. Unfortunately the degree of control of the different risk factors in secondary prevention of stroke is low. The clinical practice guidelines show clear recommendations with corresponding levels of evidence, but only if implemented in a general way they will get a better primary and secondary stroke prevention.
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9.
[Diagnosis and therapy of polyuric states in patients with acute cerebral injury].
Godoy, DA, Alvarez, E, Campi, V, Soler, C, Masotti, L, Di Napoli, M
Revista medica de Chile. 2013;(5):616-25
Abstract
In patients with acute cerebral injury, polyuric states can potentially trigger, maintain and aggravate the primary neurological damage, due to hypovolemia, arterial hypotension and alterations of osmolarity. The true incidence of the condition in this population is unknown. A widely validated definition of polyuric state is lacking and its etiology is multifactorial. There are two principal classes of polyuria: (a) aqueous polyuria with diabetes insipidus as the main cause; and (b) osmotic polyuria in which sodium, glucose or ureaplay the main role. Polyuric states are in close association with disorders of water and sodium metabolism and with alterations in acid-base balance. A detailed analysis of the history, clinical picture and simple laboratory determinations in blood and urine, are required for an adequate assessment of these polyuric states. The problem must be faced with pathophysiological reasoning and a systematic and sequential approach, because each disorder needs a specific therapy.
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10.
Apple-products phytochemicals and processing: a review.
Soler, C, Soriano, JM, Mañes, J
Natural product communications. 2009;(5):659-70
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. Extensive research exists on apples and the health benefits of their beverages and phytochemicals. The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent literature in this area focusing on phytochemicals, phytochemical bioavailability and antioxidant behavior.