Effect of an eight-week high-intensity interval training programme on circulating sphingolipid levels in middle-aged adults at elevated cardiometabolic risk (SphingoFIT)-Protocol for a randomised controlled exercise trial.

Introduction: Evidence indicates that sphingolipid accumulation drives complex molecular alterations promoting cardiometabolic diseases. Clinically, it was shown that sphingolipids predict cardiometabolic risk independently of and beyond traditional biomarkers such as low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. To date, little is known about therapeutic modalities to lower sphingolipid levels.

Agricultural SandboxNL: A national-scale database of parcel-level processed Sentinel-1 SAR data.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data handling, processing, and interpretation are barriers preventing a rapid uptake of SAR data by application specialists and non-expert domain users in the field of agricultural monitoring. To improve the accessibility of Sentinel-1 data, we have generated a reduced-volume, multi-year Sentinel-1 SAR database. It includes mean and standard deviation of VV, VH and VH/VV backscatter, pixel counts, geometry, crop type, local incidence angle and azimuth angle at parcel-level.

Long-term weight gain in obese COPD patients participating in a disease management program: a risk factor for reduced health-related quality of life.

Background: Little is known about how long-term weight gain affects the health perception of COPD patients.

Objectives: The aim is to evaluate the long-term association of BMI change and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in obese COPD patients.

Methods: Claims and survey data from a COPD disease management program were used to match two groups of COPD patients with BMI ≥ 30 who have differing weight trajectories over a 5-year timespan via propensity score and genetic matching.

Effect of BMI on health care expenditures stratified by COPD GOLD severity grades: Results from the LQ-DMP study.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation, which is progressive and not fully reversible. In patients with COPD, body mass index (BMI) is an important parameter associated with health outcomes, e.g.

The relationship between body mass index and health-related quality of life in COPD: real-world evidence based on claims and survey data.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is an important parameter associated with mortality and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, informed guidance on stratified weight recommendations for COPD is still lacking. This study aims to determine the association between BMI and HRQoL across different severity grades of COPD to support patient management.

Plasma proteomic profiling suggests an association between antigen driven clonal B cell expansion and ME/CFS.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is an unexplained chronic, debilitating illness characterized by fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction, orthostatic intolerance and gastrointestinal problems. Using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), we analyzed the plasma proteomes of 39 ME/CFS patients and 41 healthy controls. Logistic regression models, with both linear and quadratic terms of the protein levels as independent variables, revealed a significant association between ME/CFS and the immunoglobulin heavy variable (IGHV) region 3-23/30.

Direct and indirect costs of COPD progression and its comorbidities in a structured disease management program: results from the LQ-DMP study.

Background: Evidence on the economic impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for third-party payers and society based on large real world datasets are still scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of COPD severity and its comorbidities, stratified by GOLD grade, on direct and indirect costs for an unselected population enrolled in the structured German Disease Management Program (DMP) for COPD.

Methods: All individuals enrolled in the DMP COPD were included in the analysis.

Predicting patient-reported outcomes following hip and knee replacement surgery using supervised machine learning.

Background: Machine-learning classifiers mostly offer good predictive performance and are increasingly used to support shared decision-making in clinical practice. Focusing on performance and practicability, this study evaluates prediction of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) by eight supervised classifiers including a linear model, following hip and knee replacement surgery.

Methods: NHS PRO data (130,945 observations) from April 2015 to April 2017 were used to train and test eight classifiers to predict binary postoperative improvement based on minimal important differences.

Valuing health-related quality of life: systematic variation in health perception.

Background: Population-based value sets are widely used to transform health states into utilities, but may deviate from actual patient experience. Whether this occurs in a systematic way can be analyzed, in a first step, for respondents who do not report problems on the five domains of the EQ-5D-5L instrument in population studies.

Methods: EQ-5D-5L results from three annual cross-sectional surveys (2012, 2013, and 2014) were filtered for participants who reported being problem-free.

Cost-effectiveness of possible future smoking cessation strategies in Hungary: results from the EQUIPTMOD.

Aims: To evaluate potential health and economic returns from implementing smoking cessation interventions in Hungary.

Methods: The EQUIPTMOD, a Markov-based economic model, was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of three implementation scenarios: (a) introducing a social marketing campaign; (b) doubling the reach of existing group-based behavioural support therapies and proactive telephone support; and (c) a combination of the two scenarios. All three scenarios were compared with current practice.

Cost-effectiveness of increasing the reach of smoking cessation interventions in Germany: results from the EQUIPTMOD.

Aims: To evaluate costs, effects and cost-effectiveness of increased reach of specific smoking cessation interventions in Germany.

Design: A Markov-based state transition return on investment model (EQUIPTMOD) was used to evaluate current smoking cessation interventions as well as two prospective investment scenarios. A health-care perspective (extended to include out-of-pocket payments) with life-time horizon was considered.

Health-Related Quality of Life of the General German Population in 2015: Results from the EQ-5D-5L.

The EQ-5D-5L is a widely used generic instrument to measure health-related quality of life. This study evaluates health perception in a representative sample of the general German population from 2015. To compare results over time, a component analysis technique was used that separates changes in the description and valuation of health states.

Connecting Artificial Brains to Robots in a Comprehensive Simulation Framework: The Neurorobotics Platform.

Combined efforts in the fields of neuroscience, computer science, and biology allowed to design biologically realistic models of the brain based on spiking neural networks. For a proper validation of these models, an embodiment in a dynamic and rich sensory environment, where the model is exposed to a realistic sensory-motor task, is needed. Due to the complexity of these brain models that, at the current stage, cannot deal with real-time constraints, it is not possible to embed them into a real-world task.

EQ-5D-5L in the General German Population: Comparison and Evaluation of Three Yearly Cross-Section Surveys.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a key measure for evaluating health status in populations. Using the recent EQ-5D-5L for measurement, this study analyzed quality of life results and their stability over consecutive population surveys. Three cross-section surveys for representative samples of the general German population from 2012, 2013, and 2014 were evaluated using the EQ-5D-5L descriptive system and valuation by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Comorbid Influences on Generic Health-Related Quality of Life in COPD: A Systematic Review.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and of loss of disability-adjusted life years worldwide. It often is accompanied by the presence of comorbidity.

Objectives: To systematically review the influence of COPD comorbidity on generic health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Excess costs of comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Comorbidities are often reported in patients with COPD and may influence the cost of care. Yet, the extent by which comorbidities affect costs remains to be determined.