Where’s WALY? : A proof of concept study of the ‘wellbeing adjusted life year’ using secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data

Background The Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) is a measure that combines life extension and health improvement in a single score, reflecting preferences around different types of health gain. It can therefore be used to inform decision-making around allocation of health care resources to mutually exclusive options that would produce qualitatively different health benefits. A number of quality-of-life instruments can be used to calculate QALYs. The EQ-5D is one of the most commonly used, and is the preferred option for submissions to NICE (https://www.nice.org.uk/process/pmg9/). However, it has limitations that might make it unsuitable for use in areas such as public and mental health where interventions may aim to improve well-being. One alternative to the QALY is a Wellbeing-Adjusted Life Year. In this study we explore the need for a Wellbeing-Adjusted Life Year measure by examining the extent to which a measure of wellbeing (the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) maps onto the EQ-5D-3L. Methods Secondary analyses were conducted on data from the Coventry Household Survey in which 7469 participants completed the EQ-5D-3L, Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and a measure of self-rated health. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlations, linear regression, and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results Approximately 75 % of participants scored the maximum on the EQ-5D-3L. Those with maximum EQ-5D-3L scores reported a wide range of levels of mental wellbeing. Both the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and the EQ-5D-3L were able to detect differences between those with higher and lower levels of self-reported health. Linear regression indicated that scores on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale and the EQ-5D-3L were weakly, positively correlated (with R2 being 0.104 for the index and 0.141 for the visual analogue scale). Conclusion The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale maps onto the EQ-5D-3L to only a limited extent. Levels of mental wellbeing varied greatly amongst participants who had the maximum score on the EQ-5D-3L. To evaluate the relative effectiveness of interventions that impact on mental wellbeing, a new measure – a Wellbeing Adjusted Life Year – is needed

Ramp Rate Testing of an HTS High Gradient Magnetic Separation Magnet

The authors report on the ramp rate testing of a prototype high temperature superconducting (HTS) high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) magnet. HGMS magnets are ramped from full field to zero field to clean the separation matrix. The time spent ramping the magnet is unavailable for processing and must therefore be kept to a minimum. Existing commercial low temperature superconducting HGMS magnets are immersed in a liquid helium bath and are designed to ramp from zero to full current in one minute. The HTS magnet in the system is conductively cooled and operates in a vacuum at a temperature of approximately 30 K. Heat generated during ramping is not as readily removed from the conductively cooled magnet as a bath cooled magnet. To verify that the conductive cooling can adequately remove heat generated during ramping they recorded magnet temperatures and voltages while ramping at rates of up to 4.8 A/second. The magnet can accommodate ramps from zero to 100 A (1.6 Tesla) in 21 seconds with no degradation in performance. The average magnet temperature rises a maximum of 1 K during ramping. Using temperatures recorded during ramps they have made rough estimates of the ac losses generated in the magnet

La Jeunesse moderne : amuse et instruit

30 décembre 19051905/12/30 (N52)-1905/12/30