Intrahepatic Transposition of Bile Ducts

Objective. To describe the intrahepatic bile duct transposition (anatomical variation occurring in intrahepatic ducts) and to determine the frequency of this variation. Material and Methods. The researches were performed randomly on 100 livers of adults, both sexes. Main research methods were anatomical macrodissection. As a criterion for determination of variations in some parts of bile tree, we used the classification of Segmentatio hepatis according to Couinaud (1957) according to Terminologia Anatomica, Thieme Stuugart: Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology, 1988. Results. Intrahepatic transposition of bile ducts was found in two cases (2%), out of total examined cases (100): right-left transposition (right segmental bile duct, originating from the segment VIII, joins the left liver duct-ductus hepaticus sinister) and left-right intrahepatic transposition (left segmental bile duct originating from the segment IV ends in right liver duct-ductus hepaticus dexter). Conclusion. Safety and success in liver transplantation to great extent depends on knowledge of anatomy and some common embryological anomalies in bile tree. Variations in bile tree were found in 24–43% of cases, out of which 1–22% are the variations of intrahepatic bile ducts. Therefore, good knowledge on ductal anatomy enables good planning, safe performance of therapeutic and operative procedures, and decreases the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications

Evaluation of peroxidative stress of cancer cells in vitro by real time quantification of volatile aldehydes in culture headspace

Rationale Peroxidation of lipids in cellular membranes results in the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including saturated aldehydes. The real‐time quantification of trace VOCs produced by cancer cells during peroxidative stress presents a new challenge to non‐invasive clinical diagnostics, which as described here, we have met with some success. Methods A combination of selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT‐MS), a technique that allows rapid, reliable quantification of VOCs in humid air and liquid headspace, and electrochemistry to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro has been used. Thus, VOCs present in the headspace of CALU‐1 cancer cell line cultures exposed to ROS have been monitored and quantified in real time using SIFT‐MS. Results The CALU‐1 lung cancer cells were cultured in 3D collagen to mimic in vivo tissue. Real‐time SIFT‐MS analyses focused on the volatile aldehydes: propanal, butanal, pentanal, hexanal, heptanal and malondialdehyde (propanedial), that are expected to be products of cellular membrane peroxidation. All six aldehydes were identified in the culture headspace, each reaching peak concentrations during the time of exposure to ROS and eventually reducing as the reactants were depleted in the culture. Pentanal and hexanal were the most abundant, reaching concentrations of a few hundred parts‐per‐billion by volume, ppbv, in the culture headspace. Conclusions The results of these experiments demonstrate that peroxidation of cancer cells in vitro can be monitored and evaluated by direct real‐time analysis of the volatile aldehydes produced. The combination of adopted methodology potentially has value for the study of other types of VOCs that may be produced by cellular damage

Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and anatomic dead space influence electronic nose ability to detect lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Electronic noses are composites of nanosensor arrays. Numerous studies showed their potential to detect lung cancer from breath samples by analysing exhaled volatile compound pattern ("breathprint"). Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and inclusion of anatomic dead space may influence the exhaled levels of some volatile compounds; however it has not been fully addressed how these factors affect electronic nose data. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate these effects. METHODS: 37 healthy subjects (44 +/- 14 years) and 27 patients with lung cancer (60 +/- 10 years) participated in the study. After deep inhalation through a volatile organic compound filter, subjects exhaled at two different flow rates (50 ml/sec and 75 ml/sec) into Teflon-coated bags. The effect of breath hold was analysed after 10 seconds of deep inhalation. We also studied the effect of anatomic dead space by excluding this fraction and comparing alveolar air to mixed (alveolar + anatomic dead space) air samples. Exhaled air samples were processed with Cyranose 320 electronic nose. RESULTS: Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and the inclusion of anatomic dead space significantly altered "breathprints" in healthy individuals (p 0.05). These factors also influenced the discrimination ability of the electronic nose to detect lung cancer significantly. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that expiratory flow, breath hold and dead space influence exhaled volatile compound pattern assessed with electronic nose. These findings suggest critical methodological recommendations to standardise sample collections for electronic nose measurements

Standardised exhaled breath collection for the measurement of exhaled volatile organic compounds by proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry

BACKGROUND: Exhaled breath volatile organic compound (VOC) analysis for airway disease monitoring is promising. However, contrary to nitric oxide the method for exhaled breath collection has not yet been standardized and the effects of expiratory flow and breath-hold have not been sufficiently studied. These manoeuvres may also reveal the origin of exhaled compounds. METHODS: 15 healthy volunteers (34 +/- 7 years) participated in the study. Subjects inhaled through their nose and exhaled immediately at two different flows (5 L/min and 10 L/min) into methylated polyethylene bags. In addition, the effect of a 20 s breath-hold following inhalation to total lung capacity was studied. The samples were analyzed for ethanol and acetone levels immediately using proton-transfer-reaction mass-spectrometer (PTR-MS, Logan Research, UK). RESULTS: Ethanol levels were negatively affected by expiratory flow rate (232.70 +/- 33.50 ppb vs. 202.30 +/- 27.28 ppb at 5 L/min and 10 L/min, respectively, p < 0.05), but remained unchanged following the breath hold (242.50 +/- 34.53 vs. 237.90 +/- 35.86 ppb, without and with breath hold, respectively, p = 0.11). On the contrary, acetone levels were increased following breath hold (1.50 +/- 0.18 ppm) compared to the baseline levels (1.38 +/- 0.15 ppm), but were not affected by expiratory flow (1.40 +/- 0.14 ppm vs. 1.49 +/- 0.14 ppm, 5 L/min vs. 10 L/min, respectively, p = 0.14). The diet had no significant effects on the gasses levels which showed good inter and intra session reproducibility. CONCLUSIONS: Exhalation parameters such as expiratory flow and breath-hold may affect VOC levels significantly; therefore standardisation of exhaled VOC measurements is mandatory. Our preliminary results suggest a different origin in the respiratory tract for these two gasses

Credit assessment and valuation of commercial real estate

En investering i en kommersiell fastighet kräver finansiering av något slag. I dagsläget är det vanligt förekommande att fastighetsinvesterare tar banklån för att erhålla likvida medel för fastighetsköpet. För en beviljad kredit krävs det även att en värdering av fastigheten har genomförts. Därför är kreditbedömning och värdering av kommersiella fastigheter två betydelsefulla processer i bankens dagliga arbete. Relationen mellan fastighetsinvesterare och banken är också av avgörande betydelse då fastighetsinvesteraren är i behov av likvida medel för sitt fastighetsköp. Dessa processer för dock med sig ett flertal problem. En värdering är alltid osäker och baseras till stor del på schabloner vilket kan leda till att vissa fastigheter antingen över- eller undervärderas. För bankens del medför en utlåning alltid en kreditrisk, vilken måste minimeras för att banken ska undvika kreditförluster.Syftet med uppsatsen har varit att beskriva och förklara hur kreditbedömnings- och värderingsprocessen för utlåning till kommersiella fastigheter ser ut för tre olika bankkontor i Borås. Vidare har studien byggt på att beskriva vilka likheter och skillnader som förekommer emellan dessa banker. Syftet har även varit att studera hur lokala fastighetsinvesterare i kommersiella fastigheter upplever dessa processer.Studien är främst av kvalitativ karaktär då den största delen av det empiriska materialet är baserat på kvalitativa intervjuer genomförda med representanter från SEB, Swedbank Sjuhärad samt Handelsbanken Stora Torget. Vi har dock även tillämpat en kvantitativ metod eftersom vi har utfört en enkätundersökning med ett tiotal fastighetsinvesterare. Med hjälp av vår teoretiska referensram har vi analyserat det empiriska materialet, utifrån vilken vi senare har kunnat dra slutsatser och föra en diskussion kring.Resultatet visade att bankernas kreditbedömningsprocesser skiljer sig åt främst när det gäller olika beslutsinstanser och interna regelverk. En slutsats vi dragit är att det är bankens interna regelverk som spelar den avgörande rollen för kreditbedömningen. Beträffande värderingen applicerar samtliga banker liknande metoder däremot frånskiljer det sig när det gäller vem som genomför själva värderingen. Utifrån enkätundersökningen med fastighetsinvesterare har vi konstaterat att relationen mellan fastighetsinvesterarna och bankerna i vår studie fungerar väl. Båda parter är villiga att anpassa sig efter varandra och samarbeta för att få igenom en framgångsrik affär.Program: Civilekonomprogramme