Doppler tissue imaging is a method for quantitative analysis of longitudinal myocardial velocity. Commercially available ultrasound systems can only present velocity information using a color Dopplerbased overlapping continuous color scale. The analysis is time-consuming and does not allow for simultaneous analysis in different projections. We have developed a new method, velocity tracking, using a stepwise color coding of the regional longitudinal myocardial velocity. The velocity data from 3 apical projections are presented as static and dynamic bull's-eye plots to give a 3-dimensional understanding of the function of the left ventricle. The static bull's-eye plot can display peak systolic velocity, late diastofic tissue velocity, or the sum of peak systolic velocity and early diastolic tissue velocity. Conversely, the dynamic bull's-eye plot displays how the myocardial velocities change over one heart cycle. Velocity tracking allows for a fast, simple, and hituitive visual analysis of the regional longitudinal contraction pattern of the left ventricle with a great potential to identify characteristic pathologic patterns.

Using a human-capital perspective and the similarity-attraction paradigm, we examine the role of general and specific human capital in the decision policies of 114 Swedish loan officers in their assessments of small-business loan requests. We found that human capital characteristics had marginal impact on decision policy contingencies and that specific human capital had no significant influence on the probability of loan approval. However, we did find that the similarity between the loan officers’ human capital and the pplicants’ human capital was a significant indicator of loan approval. The findings offer interesting insight into the heterogeneity of loan decision processes and outcomes and future research opportunities are suggested.

Using a human-capital perspective and the similarity-attraction paradigm, we examine the role of general and specific human capital in the decision policies of 114 Swedish loan officers in their assessments of small-business loan requests. We found that human capital characteristics had marginal impact on decision policy contingencies and that specific human capital had no significant influence on the probability of loan approval. However, we did find that the similarity between the loan officers’ human capital and the pplicants’ human capital was a significant indicator of loan approval. The findings offer interesting insight into the heterogeneity of loan decision processes and outcomes and future research opportunities are suggested.

The following project has been made in collaboration with, Denator AB, a biotechnology enterprise. One-dimensional electrophoreses have been used to analyze protein contents of tissue samples. Tissue samples have been either treated according to the company´s newly developed tissue treatment technique or not treated at all and comparisons between these samples have been made. In order to see differences in protein patterns between samples more clearly, a conversion method has been developed where electrophoresis gel visual patterns are used to produce curves, similar to densitometer curves.

Denator AB would like to know if the proteins in their treated samples will change visibly over 48 h when incubated at room temperature. This has been investigated using the above mentioned method. A comparison has also been made using untreated samples incubated in the same way.

The analyses have been made at two gel densities, 10% and 12%. The series of samples consisted of both treated and untreated samples. Incubations were made for different time intervals in room temperature, up to 48 h. Gels were scanned and the files were used for producing curves where the colour intensity along a track was used for ordinate and the protein travel distance was used for abscissa.

Using this method, no change in patterns of Denator treated samples could be seen, strongly indicating efficient conservation of the samples. The untreated samples, however, show visible changes with time, indicating that the sample proteins were

partly decomposed into smaller fragments with time. A striking result of the analyses is a clearly visible difference in the original patterns of untreated and treated samples before incubation. This indicate that non treated samples undergo a very quick process of decay.

In a society where sustainability and reduced carbon emissions is an increasingly important topic, it’s important to work with materials that contributes to this. This study is investigating if the wood-fibre based thermoplastic Prime from Woodcomposites has the potential to replace the material of the top cover for Husqvarna’s Automower. Prime is a thermoplastic containing 20% wood-fibres. Today the component is made from ASA, which is a petroleum-based thermoplastic that is closely related to ABS. Due to the increased availability of material data for ABS compared to ASA and the fact that they have very similar physical properties, all of the tests in this report will be performed with ABS. The study will find out if it’s possible to reduce the carbon emissions from manufacturing of the cover, but also if Prime is up to the material standards of Husqvarna and is fit to be used in an outdoor environment. Besides the importance of the mechanical properties, the look of the material also plays a big role in determining if it’s applicable to the product. It has to match the current design language and brand image of the company. Therefore, there are two design concepts presented in the report to give an idea of how the material can be implemented in Husqvarna’s design. The results show that it’s possible to reduce the carbon emissions from manufacturing by 34,7% if you change the material from ASA to Prime. Furthermore, in contrast to the hypothesis the absorption of moisture in Prime is only a fraction of a percent larger than ABS. Prime is also stiffer and has a similar price which speaks for the possibility to use it as an alternative to ASA in this application.

Additively manufactured porous structures fmd increasing applications in the biomedical context to produce orthopedic prosthesis and devices. In comparison with traditional bulk metallic implants, they permit to tailor the stiffness of the prosthesis to that of the surrounding bony tissues, thus limiting the onset of stress shielding and resulting implant loosening, and to favor the bone in-growth through the interconnected pores. Mechanical and biological properties of these structures are strongly influenced by the size and spatial arrangement of pores and struts. In the present work irregular and regular cellular as well as fully random porous structures are investigated through tensile and compression uniaxial tests. Specific point of novelty of this work is that, beside classical compressive tests, which are standard characterization methods for porous/cellular materials, tensile tests are carried out. Mechanical tests are complemented with morphological analysis and porosity measurements. An attempt is made to find correlations between cell arrangements, porosity and mechanical properties. 

The middle ear is a complex organ with multiple functions. It is prone to accidental, genetic, excessive noise exposure, or age-related damage. Its main role is to convey and amplify the mechanical vibrations of the tympanic membrane to the acoustic nerve through three connected small bones, the ossicles; malleus, incus, and stapes. When severely damaged, the most used solution is currently a partial or total ossicle replacement with inorganic titanium prostheses, which are not anatomically similar. However, 3D models derived from micro-CT scans of human ossicular chains are freely available for research and educational purposes in high resolution 3D files. Therefore, these files were scaled to anatomical size and used to print partial models of the malleus and incus using an extrusion contact method using a bioprinter and OsteoInk, a calcium phosphate-based paste sold by the bioprinting company regenHU. The use of this biologically analogous material to 3D print anatomically sized and shaped ossicles is novel. The process and settings for bioprinting the malleus and incus were devised and tested for repeatability. OsteoInk was found suitable to form hard bone-like objects after printing and curing. However, for this process to be successful with OsteoInk, the models required a flat base; the first .560 mm of the virtual model were not printed. A support structure is required for creating complete ossicles, but the hydrogel and polymer structures attempted were not deemed feasible. The support structure could be created by combining the OsteoInk with other biomaterials, or by fibers printed through Melt Electrospinning Writing. The workflow devised in this project is applicable to other bioprinters, and to thus to further the research in the field of bioprinting.