Publications

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5 Publications visible to you, out of a total of 5

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: Automated image analysis enables quantitative measurement of steatosis in histological images. However, spatial heterogeneity of steatosis can make quantitative steatosis scores unreliable. To improve the reliability, we have developed novel scores that are "focused" on steatotic tissue areas. METHODS: Focused scores use concepts of tile-based hotspot analysis in order to compute statistics about steatotic tissue areas in an objective way. We evaluated focused scores on three data sets of images of rodent liver sections exhibiting different amounts of dietary-induced steatosis. The same evaluation was conducted with the standard steatosis score computed by most image analysis methods. RESULTS: The standard score reliably discriminated large differences in steatosis (intraclass correlation coefficient ICC = 0.86), but failed to discriminate small (ICC = 0.54) and very small (ICC = 0.14) differences. With an appropriate tile size, mean-based focused scores reliably discriminated large (ICC = 0.92), small (ICC = 0.86) and very small (ICC = 0.83) differences. Focused scores based on high percentiles showed promise in further improving the discrimination of very small differences (ICC = 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Focused scores enable reliable discrimination of small differences in steatosis in histological images. They are conceptually simple and straightforward to use in research studies.

Authors: A. Homeyer, S. Hammad, L. O. Schwen, U. Dahmen, H. Hofener, Y. Gao, S. Dooley, A. Schenk

Date Published: 20th Sep 2018

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract (Expand)

Diseases and toxins may lead to death of active liver tissue, resulting in a loss of total clearance capacity at the whole-body level. However, it remains difficult to study, whether the loss of metabolizing tissue is sufficient to explain loss of metabolic capacity of the liver or whether the surviving tissue undergoes an adaptive response to compensate the loss. To understand the cellular impact of toxic liver damage in an in vivo situation, we here used physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modelling to investigate pharmacokinetics of a specifically designed drug cocktail at three different sampling sites of the body in healthy mice and mice treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Liver zonation was explicitly quantified in the models through immunostaining of cytochrome P450s enzymes. Comparative analyses between the simulated decrease in clearance capacity and the experimentally measured loss in tissue volume indicated that CCl4-induced impairment of metabolic functions goes beyond the mere loss of metabolically active tissue. The here established integrative modelling strategy hence provides mechanistic insights into functional consequences of toxic liver damage in an in vivo situation, which would not have been accessible by conventional methods.

Authors: Arne Schenk, Ahmed Ghallab, Ute Hofmann, Reham Hassan, Michael Schwarz, Andreas Schuppert, Lars Ole Schwen, Albert Braeuning, Donato Teutonico, Jan G. Hengstler, Lars Kuepfer

Date Published: 1st Dec 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract

Not specified

Authors: Arne Schenk, Ahmed Ghallab, Ute Hofmann, Reham Hassan, Michael Schwarz, Andreas Schuppert, Lars Ole Schwen, Albert Braeuning, Donato Teutonico, Jan G. Hengstler, Lars Kuepfer

Date Published: 1st Dec 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract (Expand)

The metabolization and excretion of drugs in the liver are spatially heterogeneous processes. This is due to the spatial variability of physiological processes at different length scales of biological organization in healthy individuals, while many liver diseases further contribute to the heterogeneity. Classical, well-stirred pharmacokinetic models do not represent this heterogeneity, and various modeling approaches capable of representing heterogeneity have been developed recently. These approaches range from mechanistic and physio-geometrically realistic models focusing on specific spatial scales, via continuum models using homogenized physiological and metabolic properties, to integrative multiscale models. Such models could become essential research tools for simulations involving drugs with notable first-pass effects, fast-acting drugs or tracers, and diseased livers.

Authors: Lars Ole Schwen, Lars Kuepfer, Tobias Preusser

Date Published: 29th Nov 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

Abstract (Expand)

The need for extended liver resection is increasing due to the growing incidence of liver tumors in aging societies. Individualized surgical planning is the key for identifying the optimal resection strategy and to minimize the risk of postoperative liver failure and tumor recurrence. Current computational tools provide virtual planning of liver resection by taking into account the spatial relationship between the tumor and the hepatic vascular trees, as well as the size of the future liver remnant. However, size and function of the liver are not necessarily equivalent. Hence, determining the future liver volume might misestimate the future liver function, especially in cases of hepatic comorbidities such as hepatic steatosis. A systems medicine approach could be applied, including biological, medical, and surgical aspects, by integrating all available anatomical and functional information of the individual patient. Such an approach holds promise for better prediction of postoperative liver function and hence improved risk assessment. This review provides an overview of mathematical models related to the liver and its function and explores their potential relevance for computational liver surgery. We first summarize key facts of hepatic anatomy, physiology, and pathology relevant for hepatic surgery, followed by a description of the computational tools currently used in liver surgical planning. Then we present selected state-of-the-art computational liver models potentially useful to support liver surgery. Finally, we discuss the main challenges that will need to be addressed when developing advanced computational planning tools in the context of liver surgery.

Authors: Bruno Christ, Uta Dahmen, Karl-Heinz Herrmann, Matthias König, Jürgen R. Reichenbach, Tim Ricken, Jana Schleicher, Lars Ole Schwen, Sebastian Vlaic, Navina Waschinsky

Date Published: 14th Nov 2017

Publication Type: Not specified

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