Universitat de Lleida

Climate change impacts on the Mediterranean biogeographic patterns of macrofungal diversity

Abstract Macrofungal diversity plays a central role in forest ecosystem functioning, contributing to nutrient cycling, plant performance, and food web dynamics. Despite its ecological importance, spatially explicit assessments of macrofungal diversity remain scarce due to limited...

Promoting arm movement practice with a novel wheelchair armrest early after stroke: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Chronic upper extremity (UE) impairment is common after stroke. This study aimed to evaluate both the feasibility and preliminary clinical effects of Boost, a novel wheelchair-mounted rehabilitation device designed to assist individuals in UE motor recovery du...

A pre–post study of self-esteem, self-concept and body image among adolescents in the context of a co-created community intervention on screen use

Introduction Excessive screen use negatively affects adolescents’ self-esteem, self-concept, and body image, largely due to social comparison on digital platforms. Educational interventions are often less effective without community involvement, highlighting the importance of an...

Implementation of a Multidisciplinary Non‐Pharmacological Program to Improve Urinary Incontinence in an Intermediate Care Hospital

ABSTRACT Introduction Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent geriatric syndrome that significantly affects the physical, psychological, and social well‐being of older adults. Non‐pharmacological interventions are recommended as the first‐line approach, especially in frail older...

Building energy performance regulation and energy poverty: evidence from a natural experiment

Improving residential energy efficiency is essential for environmental and social sustainability because the residential building sector accounts for a substantial share of energy consumption, and inefficient housing can exacerbate energy poverty and socioeconomic inequalities. T...

Analysis of drought carry-over effect on apple trees using the Leafiness-LiDAR index

Apple trees ( Malus × domestica Borkh.) are widely grown in Mediterranean regions, where drought-induced irrigation restrictions can impair canopy development and productivity. This study assessed the Leafiness-LiDAR Index (LLI), derived from terrestrial Light Detection and Rangi...

Green ionic liquids for next-generation thermal energy storage

Biomass-derived ionic liquids are promising compounds which can transform thermal energy storage (TES) by coupling high-performance phase change behaviour with renewable origins. Based on a comprehensive review of more than 120 key studies published between 2002 and 2026, this re...

Health and access to healthcare among migrant agricultural workers in Spain: A mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND: Migrant agricultural workers (MAW) play a central role in sustaining Spain's agricultural labor markets, yet they remain disproportionately exposed to precarious working and living conditions with implications for health and healthcare access. This study explored self...

Changes in Physical Activity and Psychological Status in Patients with COPD Between Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Assessments: A Pilot Observational Longitudinal Cohort Study

Background/Objectives: Physical activity is a key prognostic factor in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but changes in physical activity patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic remain insufficiently characterized. Methods: We conducted an observational longitudinal coh...

Recent and long-term glycation markers and asymptomatic cerebral microangiopathy in adults without diabetes: the ILERVAS study

Cerebral microangiopathy encompasses a spectrum of pathological alterations affecting the brain microvasculature. Elevated glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), a marker of recent glycemic exposure, has been associated with a greater burden of subclinical atherosclerosis in the carotid a...

Mapping conservation status and land use change drivers in Chilean espinal agroforestry systems using CORONA KH‑4B and Sentinel‑2 data (1972–2023)

Abstract Over the past five decades, land-use change driven by government subsidies for tree planting—particularly of exotic species such as Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus spp.—together with irrigated agricultural expansion, has caused substantial declines in Chile’s ‘espinal’, an...

A cluster-randomized controlled trial of a family-based psychosocial intervention to prevent childhood obesity from preschool ages: the PRESAFALIN study protocol

Abstract Background: Childhood obesity is a major global concern, and Spain's high obesity rates highlight the urgent need for effective and innovative interventions in early age. The PRESAFALIN study aims to promote parental competence, self-efficacy, and resilience to improve c...

Immersive virtual reality versus standard video-based training for personal protective equipment use during the COVID-19 pandemic: a quasi-experimental study of perceived effectiveness and acceptability

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid and safe training strategies for healthcare professionals, particularly about vital procedures such donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE). Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has emerged as potential alternativ...

Thermodynamic formulation of Cotton gravity in the Codazzi parametrization

Abstract We develop a thermodynamic formulation of Cotton gravity in the Codazzi parametrization, providing a general framework in which the gravitational dynamics can be interpreted in terms of horizon thermodynamics. As paradigmatic examples, we apply the formalism to Friedmann...

Unequal Everyday Geographies in the Fragmented Medium-Sized City: Spatial Practices and Urban Inequality in Lleida, Spain

Urban fragmentation is often approached through residential patterns, spatial distance and the uneven distribution of urban resources. However, in Southern European medium-sized cities, where socially contrasting neighbourhoods may be located in close physical proximity, fragment...

Herd-, sow-, parity- and service-level risk factors for sow mortality at different reproductive stages: an analysis of production data

Abstract Background Sow mortality has been increasing in recent years, posing significant challenges to commercial pig production. High mortality affects animal welfare, farm productivity, and causes substantial economic losses. While previous studies have identified risk factors...

The Appropriation of Professional Practice: An Alternative to Reflection / La apropiación de la práctica profesional: una alternativa a la reflexión

In recent decades, reflection has occupied a prominent place in the field of professional development as the main way to learn professional practice. This is partly a consequence of an epistemology of practice that assumes that the knowledge guiding professional practice is situa...

Agricultural landscape change and its environmental challenges in Catalonia (1945–2023): a field-level deep learning approach using airborne imagery

Abstract Agricultural landscapes in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) have undergone profound transformations since 1945, driven by major social, economic, and environmental changes, ranging from the post-Civil War period and Francoist developmental policies to market liberalization...

Evolution of functional and mental status and quality of life in people aged 75 years and over after the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: a prospective cohort study

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant health and psychosocial consequences in the older adults. However, there is little community-based evidence that clearly distinguishes the effect attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infection to be differentiated from the contextual impact of the...

Efficacy, Effectiveness, and Efficiency of Nurse‐Led Interventions: Insights From a Critical Systematic Review

Healthcare systems worldwide face mounting pressure to deliver high-quality care while enhancing efficiency and sustainability. Nurse-led interventions have emerged as promising strategies to optimize care delivery, particularly within value-based health systems. However, a compr...