Condition Specific Applications for the Valuation of Health

The research included in this dissertation focused on exploiting different approaches to apply and to improve the use of generic health-related quality of life (HRQL) measures in disease- or condition-specific situations. Four separate projects were undertaken to evaluate the measurement properties, strengths and limitations of both generic and disease-specific measures of HRQL, and to estimate patient (experience)-based value sets for a health classifier system. The first of study evaluated the extent of unique content covered by disease-specific preference-based measures when contrasted with the EQ-5D, and identified potential dimensional extensions that may be justified to be added to EQ-5D for various disease-specific applications. The second study examined the properties of several recently developed generic HRQL measures, the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 43-item short form (PROMIS-43) and five-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L), in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and found evidence to support their validity and reliability. The third study utilized health systems level data to examine the relationship between EQ-5D index and EQ-5D Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS), and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) in patients undergoing knee replacement. We found that EQ-VAS systematically differs from the OKS and EQ-index as an indicator of surgical outcome, but captures unique but valid information about how patients feel about their health. The final study derived patient-based EQ-5D value sets using VAS from patients who experienced knee replacement surgery. Both before and after surgery, larger preference weights were assigned to anxiety/depression and self-care. Greater value decrements were given for health problems after knee replacement compared to before surgery. This time-related shift in values could be a consequence of a gap between experience and expectations of surgery and requires further research, particularly if patient-based value sets are used to inform medical decision making about surgery

Superhydrophobic TiO₂–Polymer Nanocomposite Surface with UV-Induced Reversible Wettability and Self-Cleaning Properties

Multifunctional superhydrophobic nanocomposite surfaces based on photocatalytic materials, such as fluorosilane modified TiO₂, have generated significant research interest. However, there are two challenges to forming such multifunctional surfaces with stable superhydrophobic properties: the photocatalytic oxidation of the hydrophobic functional groups, which leads to the permanent loss of superhydrophobicity, as well as the photoinduced reversible hydrolysis of the catalytic particle surface. Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive template lamination method to fabricate multifunctional TiO₂–high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposite surfaces exhibiting superhydrophobicity, UV-induced reversible wettability, and self-cleaning properties. The laminated surface possesses a hierarchical roughness spanning the micro- to nanoscale range. This was achieved by using a wire mesh template to emboss the HDPE surface creating an array of polymeric posts while partially embedding untreated TiO₂ nanoparticles selectively into the top surface of these features. The surface exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties immediately after lamination without any chemical surface modification to the TiO₂ nanoparticles. Exposure to UV light causes the surface to become hydrophilic. This change in wettability can be reversed by heating the surface to restore superhydrophobicity. The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle surface coverage and chemical composition on the mechanism and magnitude of wettability changes was studied by EDX and XPS. In addition, the ability of the surface to shed impacting water droplets as well as the ability of such droplets to clean away particulate contaminants was demonstrated

Superhydrophobic TiO₂–Polymer Nanocomposite Surface with UV-Induced Reversible Wettability and Self-Cleaning Properties

Multifunctional superhydrophobic nanocomposite surfaces based on photocatalytic materials, such as fluorosilane modified TiO₂, have generated significant research interest. However, there are two challenges to forming such multifunctional surfaces with stable superhydrophobic properties: the photocatalytic oxidation of the hydrophobic functional groups, which leads to the permanent loss of superhydrophobicity, as well as the photoinduced reversible hydrolysis of the catalytic particle surface. Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive template lamination method to fabricate multifunctional TiO₂–high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposite surfaces exhibiting superhydrophobicity, UV-induced reversible wettability, and self-cleaning properties. The laminated surface possesses a hierarchical roughness spanning the micro- to nanoscale range. This was achieved by using a wire mesh template to emboss the HDPE surface creating an array of polymeric posts while partially embedding untreated TiO₂ nanoparticles selectively into the top surface of these features. The surface exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties immediately after lamination without any chemical surface modification to the TiO₂ nanoparticles. Exposure to UV light causes the surface to become hydrophilic. This change in wettability can be reversed by heating the surface to restore superhydrophobicity. The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle surface coverage and chemical composition on the mechanism and magnitude of wettability changes was studied by EDX and XPS. In addition, the ability of the surface to shed impacting water droplets as well as the ability of such droplets to clean away particulate contaminants was demonstrated

Superhydrophobic TiO₂–Polymer Nanocomposite Surface with UV-Induced Reversible Wettability and Self-Cleaning Properties

Multifunctional superhydrophobic nanocomposite surfaces based on photocatalytic materials, such as fluorosilane modified TiO₂, have generated significant research interest. However, there are two challenges to forming such multifunctional surfaces with stable superhydrophobic properties: the photocatalytic oxidation of the hydrophobic functional groups, which leads to the permanent loss of superhydrophobicity, as well as the photoinduced reversible hydrolysis of the catalytic particle surface. Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive template lamination method to fabricate multifunctional TiO₂–high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposite surfaces exhibiting superhydrophobicity, UV-induced reversible wettability, and self-cleaning properties. The laminated surface possesses a hierarchical roughness spanning the micro- to nanoscale range. This was achieved by using a wire mesh template to emboss the HDPE surface creating an array of polymeric posts while partially embedding untreated TiO₂ nanoparticles selectively into the top surface of these features. The surface exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties immediately after lamination without any chemical surface modification to the TiO₂ nanoparticles. Exposure to UV light causes the surface to become hydrophilic. This change in wettability can be reversed by heating the surface to restore superhydrophobicity. The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle surface coverage and chemical composition on the mechanism and magnitude of wettability changes was studied by EDX and XPS. In addition, the ability of the surface to shed impacting water droplets as well as the ability of such droplets to clean away particulate contaminants was demonstrated

Superhydrophobic TiO₂–Polymer Nanocomposite Surface with UV-Induced Reversible Wettability and Self-Cleaning Properties

Multifunctional superhydrophobic nanocomposite surfaces based on photocatalytic materials, such as fluorosilane modified TiO₂, have generated significant research interest. However, there are two challenges to forming such multifunctional surfaces with stable superhydrophobic properties: the photocatalytic oxidation of the hydrophobic functional groups, which leads to the permanent loss of superhydrophobicity, as well as the photoinduced reversible hydrolysis of the catalytic particle surface. Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive template lamination method to fabricate multifunctional TiO₂–high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposite surfaces exhibiting superhydrophobicity, UV-induced reversible wettability, and self-cleaning properties. The laminated surface possesses a hierarchical roughness spanning the micro- to nanoscale range. This was achieved by using a wire mesh template to emboss the HDPE surface creating an array of polymeric posts while partially embedding untreated TiO₂ nanoparticles selectively into the top surface of these features. The surface exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties immediately after lamination without any chemical surface modification to the TiO₂ nanoparticles. Exposure to UV light causes the surface to become hydrophilic. This change in wettability can be reversed by heating the surface to restore superhydrophobicity. The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle surface coverage and chemical composition on the mechanism and magnitude of wettability changes was studied by EDX and XPS. In addition, the ability of the surface to shed impacting water droplets as well as the ability of such droplets to clean away particulate contaminants was demonstrated

Supplemental Material - Prognostic Factors for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Advanced-stage Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Nationwide Retrospective Study

Supplemental Material Prognostic Factors for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Advanced-stage Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Nationwide Retrospective Study by Chieh-Lin Jerry Teng, Tran-Der Tan, Yun-Yi Pan, Yu-Wen Lin, Pei-Wen Lien, Hsin-Chun Chou, Peng-Hsu Chen, and Fang-Ju Lin in Cancer Control</p

Synthesis of a 4,9-Didodecyl Angular-Shaped Naphthodiselenophene Building Block To Achieve High-Mobility Transistors

A new tetracyclic 4,9-dialkyl angular-shaped naphthodiselenophene (4,9-α-aNDS) was designed and synthesized. The naphthalene core in 4,9-α-aNDS is formed by the DBU-induced 6π-cyclization of an (<i>E</i>)-1,2-bis­(3-(tetradec-1-yn-1-yl)­selenophen-2-yl)­ethene intermediate followed by the second PtCl₂-catalyzed benzannulation. This synthetic protocol allows for incorporating two dodecyl groups regiospecifically at 4,9-positions of the resulting α-aNDS. An ordered supramolecular self-assembly formed via noncovalent selenium–selenium interactions with a short contact of 3.5 Å was observed in the single-crystal structure of 4,9-α-aNDS. The distannylated α-aNDS building block was copolymerized with Br-DTFBT and Br-DPP acceptors by Stille cross coupling to form two new donor–acceptor polymers PαNDSDTFBT and PαNDSDPP, respectively. The bottom-gate/top-contact organic field-effect devices using the PαNDSDTFBT and PαNDSDPP semiconductors accomplished superior hole mobility of 3.77 and 2.17 cm² V^–1 s^–1, respectively, which are among the highest mobilities reported to date

Characteristics and risk factors among patients classified by intensity of statin therapy at enrollment.

<p>Characteristics and risk factors among patients classified by intensity of statin therapy at enrollment.</p

Multivariate Cox regression model for MACE by statin intensity in patients achieving the target of LDL-C < 100 mg/dL.

<p>Multivariate Cox regression model for MACE by statin intensity in patients achieving the target of LDL-C < 100 mg/dL.</p

Multivariate Cox regression model for predicting MACE.

<p>Multivariate Cox regression model for predicting MACE.</p