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The spatial statistics formalism is applied to electromagnetic fields analysis. Fields are considered as realizations of a random function. Their spatial structure is studied by a method known as variographic analysis. To infer unknown values of the fields, an interpolation method called kriging is then used. It is shown how kriging can be performed on experimental or numerical data to speed up the fields estimation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aim was to identify the most problematic self--reported activities of daily living (ADLs). In a retrospective study, 1935 problematic ADLs were reported by 538 clients with 95% experiencing two or more problematic ADLs. Problematic ADLs were assessed by occupational therapists using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure with walking (67%), household activities (41%), and climbing the stairs (41%) identified as the most prevalent problematic ADLs. Significant but weak associations were found between clinical determinants (e.g. physical, psychosocial) and problematic ADLs. The wide variety of problematic ADLs and the absence of a strong association with clinical determinants emphasizes the need for using individualized interview-based performance measures in clients with asthma.

Understanding wound healing is imperative for the dermatological physician to optimize surgical outcomes. Poor healing may result in negative functional, cosmetic and psychological sequelae. This review briefly outlines the physiology of wound healing, with a view to improving the management of wounds and scars, and minimizing the long-term scarring complications., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.)

Volitional assessment of quadriceps muscle endurance is clinically relevant in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, studies that determine the construct validity of volitional tests by comparing them to non-volitional measures are lacking. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to evaluate the correlation between volitional and non-volitional quadriceps muscle endurance in patients with COPD. Quadriceps muscle endurance was evaluated in twenty-six patients with COPD. A volitional isometric and a volitional isokinetic protocol were performed on a computerised dynamometer to determine the isometric time and isokinetic work fatigue index, respectively. Non-volitional assessment of quadriceps muscle endurance was evaluated using repetitive electrical stimulations to establish the isometric muscle force decline. Sixteen patients (61 ± 8 years, 63% male, FEV 1 47 (32-53)%) performed all three quadriceps endurance tests conforming to pre-defined test criteria. Both volitional isometric time and isokinetic work fatigue index did not significantly correlate with non-volitional muscle force decline (both p > 0.05). There was a strong correlation between volitional isometric time and isokinetic work fatigue index (rho = -0.716, p = 0.002). To conclude, this study suggests that volitional measures evaluate partly different aspects of quadriceps muscle endurance compared to non-volitional measures. Accordingly, these outcome measures cannot be used interchangeably.

Chemicals manufacture is among the top greenhouse gas contributors. More than half of the associated emissions are attributable to the sum of ammonia plus oxygenates such as methanol, ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Here we explore the impact of electrolyzer systems that couple electrically-powered anodic hydrocarbon-to-oxygenate conversion with cathodic H 2 evolution reaction from water. We find that, once anodic hydrocarbon-to-oxygenate conversion is developed with high selectivities, greenhouse gas emissions associated with fossil-based NH 3 and oxygenates manufacture can be reduced by up to 88%. We report that low-carbon electricity is not mandatory to enable a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: global chemical industry emissions can be reduced by up to 39% even with electricity having the carbon footprint per MWh available in the United States or China today. We conclude with considerations and recommendations for researchers who wish to embark on this research direction., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: One of the most prominent extrapulmonary manifestations in patients with chronic respiratory disease is changes in body weight and composition. However, the frequency and functional consequences of low appendicular lean mass (ALM) or sarcopenic obesity (SO) in patients with asthma are largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess the frequency and functional consequences of low appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) and SO in patients with asthma., Methods: A retrospectively analyzed cross-sectional study was conducted in 687 patients with asthma (60% female, 58 ± 13 years, FEV1 76 ± 25% pred) referred for comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Body composition, pulmonary function, exercise capacity, quadriceps muscle function, and quality of life were assessed. Patients were classified as presenting low ALMI according to the 10th percentiles of age-sex-body mass index (BMI)-specific reference values and as having SO according to the diagnostic procedure proposed by the 2022 ESPEN/EASO consensus. In addition, clinical outcomes between patients with normal and low ALMI or with and without SO were compared., Results: The frequency of patients classified as low ALMI was 19%, whereas 45% of the patients were obese. Among the obese patients, 29% had SO. In patients with normal weight, those with low ALMI were younger and had worse pulmonary function, exercise capacity and quadriceps muscle function than those with normal ALMI (all p < 0.05). Overweight patients with low ALMI presented poorer pulmonary function and quadriceps muscle function (both strength and total work capacity). In obese class I patients, those with low ALMI showed lower quadriceps strength and maximal oxygen uptake acquired during cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Both male and female patients with SO showed lower quadriceps muscle function and reduced maximal exercise capacity compared to non-SO asthma patients., Conclusion: Approximately one in five asthma patients presented low ALM when age-sex-BMI-specific ALMI cutoffs were applied. Obesity is common among patients with asthma referred for PR. Among the obese patients, a significant proportion presented SO. Low ALM and SO were associated with worse functional outcomes., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The chemical industry aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by adopting biomass as a renewable carbon feedstock. However, biomass is a limited resource. Thus, biomass should preferentially be used in processes that most reduce GHG emissions. However, a lack of harmonization in current life cycle assessment (LCA) literature makes the identification of efficient processes difficult. In this study, 46 fermentation processes from literature are harmonized and analyzed on the basis of their GHG reduction compared with fossil benchmarks. The GHG reduction per amount of sugar used is defined as Sugar-to-X efficiency and used as a performance metric in the following. The analyzed processes span a wide range of Sugar-to-X efficiencies from -3.3 to 6.7 kg of CO 2 equiv per kg of sugar input. Diverting sugar from bioethanol production for fuels to the fermentation and bioconversion processes with the highest Sugar-to-X efficiency could reduce the chemical industry's GHG emissions by an additional 130 MT of CO 2 equiv without requiring any more biobased feedstocks., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Isokinetic testing of peripheral muscle function is valid and reliable in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Objective: To evaluate whether and to what extent isokinetic testing of quadriceps function meets pre-defined test criteria in patients with COPD; to determine the response to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), and to calculate minimal important differences (MIDs) of isokinetic quadriceps function., Methods: Retrospective analysis of 2033 patients with COPD (age: 65±9 years, body mass index: 26±6 kg/m 2 , FEV 1 : 49±22% predicted) who followed a comprehensive PR program. Pre and post PR isokinetic quadriceps function was assessed with 30 maximal extension-flexion contractions at an angular speed of 90°/s on a computerized dynamometer. The chosen anchors were 6-min walk test and COPD assessment test., Results: Pre PR, 27% of the patients performed the isokinetic test incorrectly. In male and female patients with a correct pre and post PR isokinetic test, peak torque (Δ=10±13 Nm or 9% and Δ=7±9 Nm or 10%, respectively) and total work (Δ=263±270 J or 14% and Δ=198±190 J or 15%, respectively) improved significantly. There was no change in work fatigue index following PR. Using distribution-based calculations, MID estimates for peak torque and total work ranged between 6-7 Nm and 97-135 J in males and between 4-5 Nm and 62-99 J in females., Conclusions: Based on the current test criteria, three in four patients with COPD performed the isokinetic quadriceps test correctly during baseline PR assessment. Furthermore, peak torque and total work, but not work fatigue index, were responsive to PR and sex-specific MIDs were established., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The BASES consortium is financially supported by Lung Foundation, the Netherlands [#5.1.18.232]. Drs. Jana De Brandt is funded by the Flemish government. The Research of FWO Aspirant Jana De Brandt is sponsored by FWO-grant [#11B4718N]. Dr. F.M.E. Franssen is supported by grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, personal fees from Chiesi, personal fees from GlaxoSmithKline, grants and personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from TEVA, outside the submitted work. Dr. B. van den Borst is supported by personal lecture fees from AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim bv. Drs. A.A.F. Stoffels, R. Meys, Dr. H.W.H. van Hees, A.J. van ‘t Hul, P.H. Klijn, A.W. Vaes, J. De Brandt and Prof. Dr. C. Burtin and M.A. Spruit declare that they do not have a conflict of interest, (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: The psychological impact of COVID-19 can be substantial. However, knowledge about long-term psychological outcomes in patients with COVID-19 is scarce., Objective: In this longitudinal, observational study, we aimed to reveal symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptoms of anxiety and depression up to 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms in patients with confirmed COVID-19 and persistent complaints. To demonstrate the impact in nonhospitalized patients, we further aimed to compare these outcomes between nonhospitalized and hospitalized patients., Methods: Demographics, symptoms of PTSD (Trauma Screening Questionnaire [TSQ] ≥6 points) and symptoms of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] ≥8 points) were assessed at 3 and 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms in members of online long COVID-19 peer support groups., Results: Data from 239 patients with confirmed COVID-19 (198/239, 82.8% female; median age: 50 [IQR 39-56] years) were analyzed. At the 3-month follow-up, 37.2% (89/239) of the patients had symptoms of PTSD, 35.6% (85/239) had symptoms of anxiety, and 46.9% (112/239) had symptoms of depression, which remained high at the 6-month follow-up (64/239, 26.8%, P=.001; 83/239, 34.7%, P=.90; 97/239, 40.6%, P=.08, respectively; versus the 3-month follow-up). TSQ scores and HADS anxiety and depression scores were strongly correlated at the 3- and 6-month follow-ups (r=0.63-0.71, P<.001). Symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression were comparable between hospitalized (n=62) and nonhospitalized (n=177) patients., Conclusions: A substantial percentage of patients with confirmed COVID-19 and persistent complaints reported symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, or depression 3 and 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms. The prevalence rates of symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression were comparable between hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients and merely improved over time. Health care professionals need to be aware of these psychological complications and intervene on time in post-COVID-19 patients with persistent complaints., Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR8705; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8705., (©Sarah Houben-Wilke, Yvonne MJ Goërtz, Jeannet M Delbressine, Anouk W Vaes, Roy Meys, Felipe VC Machado, Maarten van Herck, Chris Burtin, Rein Posthuma, Frits ME Franssen, Herman Vijlbrief, Yvonne Spies, Alex J van 't Hul, Martijn A Spruit, Daisy JA Janssen. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (https://mental.jmir.org), 24.02.2022.)

Objective: To determine the response to a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program and minimal important differences (MIDs) for the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) subtests and SPPB summary score in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)., Design: Retrospective analysis using distribution- and anchor-based methods., Setting: PR center in the Netherlands including a comprehensive 40-session 8-week inpatient or 14-week outpatient program., Participants: A total of 632 patients with COPD (age, 65±8y; 50% male; forced expiratory volume in the first second=43% [interquartile range, 30%-60%] predicted)., Interventions: Not applicable., Main Outcome Measure: Baseline and post-PR results of the SPPB, consisting of 3 balance standing tests, 4-meter gait speed (4MGS), and 5-repetition sit-to-stand (5STS). The chosen anchors were the 6-Minute Walk Test and COPD Assessment Test. Patients were stratified according to their SPPB summary scores into low-performance, moderate-performance, and high-performance groups., Results: 5STS (∆=-1.14 [-4.20 to -0.93]s) and SPPB summary score (∆=1 [0-2] points) improved after PR in patients with COPD. In patients with a low performance at baseline, balance tandem and 4MGS significantly increased as well. Based on distribution-based calculations, the MID estimates ranged between 2.19 and 6.33 seconds for 5STS and 0.83 to 0.96 points for SPPB summary score., Conclusions: The 5STS and SPPB summary score are both responsive to PR in patients with COPD. The balance tandem test and 4MGS are only responsive to PR in patients with COPD with a low performance at baseline. Based on distribution-based calculations, an MID estimate of 1 point for the SPPB summary score is recommended in patients with COPD. Future research is needed to confirm MID estimates for SPPB in different centers., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mitigating life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of plastics is perceived as energy intensive and costly. We developed a bottom-up model that represents the life cycle of 90% of global plastics to examine pathways to net-zero emission plastics. Our results show that net-zero emission plastics can be achieved by combining biomass and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) utilization with an effective recycling rate of 70% while saving 34 to 53% of energy. Operational costs for net-zero emission plastics are in the same range as those for linear fossil-based production with carbon capture and storage and could even be substantially reduced. Realizing the full cost-saving potential of 288 billion US dollars requires low-cost supply of biomass and CO 2 , high-cost supply of oil, and incentivizing large-scale recycling and lowering investment barriers for all technologies that use renewable carbon feedstock.

Background: Fatigue is the most commonly reported symptom in patients with persistent complaints following COVID-19 (ie, long COVID). Longitudinal studies examining the intensity of fatigue and differentiating between physical and mental fatigue are lacking., Objective: The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the severity of fatigue over time in members of online long COVID peer support groups, and (2) assess whether members of these groups experienced mental fatigue, physical fatigue, or both., Methods: A 2-wave web-based follow-up study was conducted in members of online long COVID peer support groups with a confirmed diagnosis approximately 3 and 6 months after the onset of infectious symptoms. Demographics, COVID-19 diagnosis, received health care (from medical professionals or allied health care professionals), fatigue (Checklist Individual Strength-subscale subjective fatigue [CIS-Fatigue]; 8-56 points), and physical and mental fatigue (self-constructed questions; 3-21 points) were assessed. Higher scores indicated more severe fatigue. A CIS-Fatigue score ≥36 points was used to qualify patients as having severe fatigue., Results: A total of 239 patients with polymerase chain reaction/computed tomography-confirmed COVID-19 completed the survey 10 weeks (SD 2) and 23 weeks (SD 2) after onset of infectious symptoms, respectively (T1 and T2). Of these 239 patients, 198 (82.8%) were women; 142 (59.4%) had no self-reported pre-existing comorbidities; 208 (87%) self-reported being in good health before contracting COVID-19; and 62 (25.9%) were hospitalized during acute infection. The median age was 50 years (IQR 39-56). The vast majority of patients had severe fatigue at T1 and T2 (n=204, 85.4%, and n=188, 78.7%, respectively). No significant differences were found in the prevalence of normal, mild, and severe fatigue between T1 and T2 (P=.12). The median CIS-Fatigue score was 48 points (IQR 42-53) at T1, and it decreased from T1 to T2 (median change: -2 points, IQR -7 to 3; P<.001). At T1, a median physical fatigue score of 19 points (IQR 16-20) and a median mental fatigue score of 15 points (IQR 10-17) were reported; these scores were lower at T2 for physical but not for mental fatigue (median change for physical fatigue -1 point, IQR -3 to 0, P<.001; median change for mental fatigue 0 points, IQR -3 to 3, P=.52). At the time of completing the follow-up survey, 194/239 (81.2%) and 164/239 (68.6%) of all patients had received care from at least one medical professional and one allied health care professional, respectively., Conclusions: Fatigue in members of online long COVID support groups with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis decreases from 10 to 23 weeks after onset of symptoms. Despite this, severe fatigue remains highly prevalent. Both physical and mental fatigue are present. It remains unclear whether and to what extent fatigue will resolve spontaneously in the longer term., Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR8705; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8705., (©Maarten Van Herck, Yvonne M J Goërtz, Sarah Houben-Wilke, Felipe V C Machado, Roy Meys, Jeannet M Delbressine, Anouk W Vaes, Chris Burtin, Rein Posthuma, Frits M E Franssen, Bita Hajian, Herman Vijlbrief, Yvonne Spies, Alex J van 't Hul, Daisy J A Janssen, Martijn A Spruit. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 21.09.2021.)

Polymer production is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To reduce GHG emissions, the polymer industry needs to shift towards renewable carbon feedstocks such as biomass and CO 2 . Both feedstocks have been shown to reduce GHG emissions in polymer production, however often at the expense of increased utilization of the limited resources biomass and renewable electricity. Here, we explore synergetic effects between biomass and CO 2 utilization to reduce both GHG emissions and renewable resource use. For this purpose, we use life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the environmental benefits of the combined utilization of biomass and CO 2 in the polyurethane supply chain. Our results show that the combined utilization reduces GHG emissions by 13% more than the individual utilization of either biomass or CO 2 . The synergies between bio- and CO 2 -based production save about 25% of the limited resources biomass and renewable electricity. The synergistic use of biomass and CO 2 also reduces burden shifting from climate change to other environmental impacts, e.g., metal depletion or land use. Our results show how the combined utilization of biomass and CO 2 in polymer supply chains reduces both GHG emissions and resource use by exploiting synergies between the feedstocks.

Background: A subgroup of patients recovering from COVID-19 experience persistent symptoms, decreased quality of life, increased dependency on others for personal care and impaired performance of activities of daily living. However, the long-term effects of COVID-19 on physical activity (PA) in this subgroup of patients with persistent symptoms remain unclear. Methods: Demographics, self-reported average time spent walking per week, as well as participation in activities pre-COVID-19 and after three and six months of follow-up were assessed in members of online long-COVID-19 peer support groups. Results: Two hundred thirty-nine patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included (83% women, median (IQR) age: 50 (39-56) years). Patients reported a significantly decreased weekly walking time after three months of follow-up (three months: 60 (15-120) min. vs. pre-COVID-19: 120 (60-240) min./week; p < 0.05). Six months after the onset of symptoms walking time was still significantly lower compared to pre-COVID-19 but significantly increased compared to three months of follow-up (three months: 60 (15-120) min. vs. six months: 90 (30-150) min.; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patients who experience persistent symptoms after COVID-19 may still demonstrate a significantly decreased walking time six months after the onset of symptoms. More research is needed to investigate long-term consequences and possible treatment options to guide patients during the recovery fromCOVID-19.

Background: It remains unknown whether and to what extent members of online "long COVID" peer support groups remain symptomatic and limited over time. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate symptoms in members of online long COVID peer support groups up to 6 months after the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related symptoms., Methods: Demographics, symptoms, health status, work productivity, functional status and health-related quality of life were assessed about 3 and 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms in members of online long COVID peer support groups., Results: Data from 239 patients with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis (83% women; median (interquartile range) age 50 (39-56) years) were analysed. During the infection, a median (interquartile range) of 15 (11-18) symptoms was reported, which was significantly lower 3 and 6 months later: 6 (4-9) and 6 (3-8), respectively (p<0.05). From 3 to 6 months follow-up, the proportion of patients without symptoms increased from 1.3% to only 5.4% (p<0.001). Patients also reported a significantly improved work productivity (work absenteeism and presenteeism: 73% versus 52% and 66% versus 60%, respectively), self-reported good health (9.2% versus 16.7%), functional status (mean±sd Post-COVID-19 Functional Status scale: 2.4±0.9 versus 2.2±1.0) and health-related quality of life (all p<0.05)., Conclusion: Although patients with confirmed COVID-19, who were all members of online long COVID peer support groups, reported significant improvements in work productivity, functional status and quality of life between 3 and 6 months follow-up, these data clearly highlight the long-term impact of COVID-19, as approximately 6 months after the onset of COVID-19-related symptoms a large proportion still experienced persistent symptoms, a moderate-to-poor health, moderate-to-severe functional limitations, considerable loss in work productivity, and/or an impaired quality of life. Action is needed to improve the management and healthcare of these patients., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: A.W. Vaes has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Y.M.J. Goërtz has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: M. Van Herck has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: F.V.C. Machado has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: R. Meys has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: J.M. Delbressine has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: S. Houben-Wilke has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: S. Gaffron has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: D. Maier reports Biomax provides data management and analysis services to CIRO. Conflict of interest: C. Burtin has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: R. Posthuma has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: N.P.H. van Loon has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: F.M.E. Franssen reports grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, and personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GSK and TEVA, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: B. Hajian has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: S.O. Simons reports personal fees from AstraZeneca and grants from GSK, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: J.F.M. Van Boven has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: F.A. Klok reports grants from Bayer, Bristol Meyer Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Daiichi-Sankyo, Actelion, the Dutch Thrombosis Association, the Dutch Heart Foundation, and the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: B. Spaetgens has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: C.M.H. Pinxt has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: L.Y.L. Liu has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: G. Wesseling has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Y. Spies has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: H. Vijlbrief has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: A.J. Van ’t Hul has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: D.J.A. Janssen reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim and Novartis, outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: M.A. Spruit reports grants from Lung Foundation Netherlands and Stichting Astma Bestrijding, and grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim, outside the submitted work., (Copyright ©The authors 2021.)

Background: The endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) is used to evaluate exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The recommended pre-intervention tolerated duration (Tlim) is between 3-8 minutes for optimal interpretation of treatment effects. However, this window may be exceeded and factors determining ESWT Tlim are not completely understood. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether pulmonary function, physical and incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) performance measures are associated with ESWT Tlim in COPD patients., Methods: Assessment data from patients eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation was retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria were: diagnosis of COPD and complete data availability regarding ESWT and ISWT. Patients performed an ESWT at 85% of ISWT speed and were divided into three groups (ESWT Tlim: <3 minutes, 3-8 minutes, >8 minutes). Subject characteristics, severity of complaints, pulmonary function, physical capacity and activity, exercise tolerance and quadriceps muscle strength were evaluated., Results: 245 COPD patients (FEV1 38 (29-52)% predicted) were included. Median ESWT Tlim was 6.0 (3.7-10.3) minutes, 41 (17%) patients walked <3 minutes and 80 (33%) patients walked >8 minutes. Body mass index, maximal oxygen consumption, Tlim on constant work rate cycle test, physical activity level, maximal ISWT speed, dyspnoea Borg score at rest and increase of leg fatigue Borg score during ISWT independently predicted Tlim in multivariate regression analysis (R2 = 0.297, p<0.001)., Conclusion: This study reported a large variability in ESWT Tlim in COPD patients. Secondly, these results demonstrated that next to maximal ISWT speed, other ISWT performance measures as well as clinical measures of pulmonary function, physical capacity and physical activity were independent determinants of ESWT Tlim. Nevertheless, as these determinants only explained ~30% of the variability, future studies are needed to establish whether additional factors can be used to better adjust individual ESWT pace in order to reduce ESWT Tlim variability., Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following competing interests: F.M.E. Franssen is supported by grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, personal fees from Chiesi, personal fees from GlaxoSmithKline, grants and personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from TEVA, outside the submitted work. B. van den Borst is supported by personal lecture fees from AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim bv. A.A.F. Stoffels, R. Meys, H.W.H. van Hees, P. Klijn, C. Burtin, M.A. Spruit, H.A.C. van Helvoort, J.B. Peters, M.P.M. Klaassen and A.J. van ‘t Hul declare that they do not have a conflict of interest. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare.

To become a proactive and informed partner in postacute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) management, patients need to have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to self-manage COVID-19-related health challenges. Due to several restrictions and consequently social isolation, online platforms and forums where people can share information and experiences became more popular and influential. Therefore, this study aimed to identify perceived information needs and care needs of members of 2 Facebook groups for patients with COVID-19 and persistent complaints in the Netherlands and Belgium and patients with COVID-19 who registered at a website of the Lung Foundation Netherlands. Besides demographics and clinical characteristics, the degree of satisfaction with care during and after the infection as well as satisfaction with available information were assessed. Open text fields revealed specific information needs which were summarized. Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 perceive various unmet needs varying from specific information needs (eg, information about permanent lung damage) to general needs (eg, being heard and understood). These data lead to several recommendations to improve care for patients with COVID-19 and justify further development of online platforms specifically addressing these unmet needs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: FMEF reports grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, personal fees from Chiesi, personal fees from GlaxoSmithKline, grants and personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from TEVA, outside the submitted work; DJAJ reports personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, personal fees from Novartis, outside the submitted work; MAS reports grants from Lung Foundation Netherlands, grants from Stichting Astma Bestrijding, grants and personal fees from Boeheringer Ingelheim, and grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, outside the submitted work. SH-W, JMD, AWV, YMJG, RM, FVCM, MvH, CB, RP, NHPvL, HV, YS, and AvH have nothing to declare., (© The Author(s) 2021.)