scholarly journals Fluorescent Imaging and Multifusion Segmentation for Enhanced Visualization and Delineation of Glioblastomas Margins

Signals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 304-335
Author(s):  
Aditi Deshpande ◽  
Thomas Cambria ◽  
Charles Barnes ◽  
Alexandros Kerwick ◽  
George Livanos ◽  
...  

This study investigates the potential of fluorescence imaging in conjunction with an original, fused segmentation framework for enhanced detection and delineation of brain tumor margins. By means of a test bed optical microscopy system, autofluorescence is utilized to capture gray level images of brain tumor specimens through slices, obtained at various depths from the surface, each of 10 µm thickness. The samples used in this study originate from tumor cell lines characterized as Gli36ϑEGRF cells expressing a green fluorescent protein. An innovative three-step biomedical image analysis framework is presented aimed at enhancing the contrast and dissimilarity between the malignant and the remaining tissue regions to allow for enhanced visualization and accurate extraction of tumor boundaries. The fluorescence image acquisition system implemented with an appropriate unsupervised pipeline of image processing and fusion algorithms indicates clear differentiation of tumor margins and increased image contrast. Establishing protocols for the safe administration of fluorescent protein molecules, these would be introduced into glioma tissues or cells either at a pre-surgery stage or applied to the malignant tissue intraoperatively; typical applications encompass areas of fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) and confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE). As a result, this image acquisition scheme could significantly improve decision-making during brain tumor resection procedures and significantly facilitate brain surgery neuropathology during operation.

2013 ◽  
Vol 76 (7) ◽  
pp. 1145-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
VICENTE M. GÓMEZ-LÓPEZ ◽  
ALICIA MARÍN ◽  
ANA ALLENDE ◽  
LARRY R. BEUCHAT ◽  
MARÍA I. GIL

Internalization of foodborne pathogens in fruits and vegetables is an increasing safety concern. The aim of this research was to assess the potential for internalization of an enteric pathogen (Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium) in a leafy vegetable (baby spinach) during washing as influenced by three postharvest handling conditions: (i) illumination, (ii) negative temperature differential, and (iii) relative humidity (RH). To compare these potential postharvest handling conditions, leaves were exposed to different levels of illumination (0, 1,000, and 2,000 lx), temperature differential (5, 11, 14, 20, and 26uC), and RH (99, 85, and 74%) for a short time before or during washing. Washing of baby spinach was carried out in water containing green fluorescent protein–tagged Salmonella Typhimurium (6.5 log CFU/ml) at 5uC for 2 min, followed by surface disinfection with chlorine (10,000 μg/ml) for 1 min, two rinses in water for 10 s, and spin drying for 15 s. Internalization was assessed by enumerating the pathogen on Salmonella-Shigella agar and by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Illumination of spinach leaves before and during washing and a negative temperature differential during washing did not significantly (P > 0.05) increase the number of internalized bacteria. However, exposure of leaves to low-RH conditions before washing, which reduced the tissue water content, decreased internalization of Salmonella compared with internalization in baby spinach exposed to high RH (P ≤ 0.05). Green fluorescent protein–tagged Salmonella Typhimurium was visualized by confocal laser scanning microscopy at a depth of up to 30 μm beneath the surface of spinach leaves after exposure to a high inoculum level (8 log CFU/ml) for an extended time (2 h). Results show that internalization of Salmonella into baby spinach leaves can occur but can be minimized under specific postharvest handling conditions such as low RH.


1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 721-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Søren Møller ◽  
Claus Sternberg ◽  
Jens Bo Andersen ◽  
Bjarke Bak Christensen ◽  
Juan Luis Ramos ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Microbial communities growing in laboratory-based flow chambers were investigated in order to study compartmentalization of specific gene expression. Among the community members studied, the focus was in particular on Pseudomonas putida and a strain of anAcinetobacter sp., and the genes studied are involved in the biodegradation of toluene and related aromatic compounds. The upper-pathway promoter (Pu) and themeta-pathway promoter (Pm) from the TOL plasmid were fused independently to the gene coding for the green fluorescent protein (GFP), and expression from these promoters was studied inP. putida, which was a dominant community member. Biofilms were cultured in flow chambers, which in combination with scanning confocal laser microscopy allowed direct monitoring of promoter activity with single-cell spatial resolution. Expression from thePu promoter was homogeneously induced by benzyl alcohol in both community and pure-culture biofilms, while the Pmpromoter was induced in the mixed community but not in a pure-culture biofilm. By sequentially adding community members, induction ofPm was shown to be a consequence of direct metabolic interactions between an Acinetobacter species and P. putida. Furthermore, in fixed biofilm samples organism identity was determined and gene expression was visualized at the same time by combining GFP expression with in situ hybridization with fluorescence-labeled 16S rRNA targeting probes. This combination of techniques is a powerful approach for investigating structure-function relationships in microbial communities.


2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 177-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobusada Shinoura ◽  
Masamichi Takahashi ◽  
Ryozi Yamada

1997 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik A.C. Wiemer ◽  
Thibaut Wenzel ◽  
Thomas J. Deerinck ◽  
Mark H. Ellisman ◽  
Suresh Subramani

Peroxisomes in living CV1 cells were visualized by targeting the green fluorescent protein (GFP) to this subcellular compartment through the addition of a COOH-terminal peroxisomal targeting signal 1 (GFP–PTS1). The organelle dynamics were examined and analyzed using time-lapse confocal laser scanning microscopy. Two types of movement could be distinguished: a relatively slow, random, vibration-like movement displayed by the majority (∼95%) of the peroxisomes, and a saltatory, fast directional movement displayed by a small subset (∼5%) of the peroxisomes. In the latter instance, peak velocities up to 0.75 μm/s and sustained directional velocities up to 0.45 μm/s over 11.5 μm were recorded. Only the directional type of motion appeared to be energy dependent, whereas the vibrational movement continued even after the cells were depleted of energy. Treatment of cells, transiently expressing GFP–PTS1, with microtubule-destabilizing agents such as nocodazole, vinblastine, and demecolcine clearly altered peroxisome morphology and subcellular distribution and blocked the directional movement. In contrast, the microtubule-stabilizing compound paclitaxel, or the microfilament-destabilizing drugs cytochalasin B or D, did not exert these effects. High resolution confocal analysis of cells expressing GFP–PTS1 and stained with anti-tubulin antibodies revealed that many peroxisomes were associated with microtubules. The GFP–PTS1–labeled peroxisomes were found to distribute themselves in a stochastic, rather than ordered, manner to daughter cells at the time of mitosis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHELLE D. DANYLUK ◽  
MARIA T. BRANDL ◽  
LINDA J. HARRIS

The ability of Salmonella to migrate from an external aqueous environment through the almond hull and shell, and to colonize the kernel, was evaluated in two ways. First, the outer surface of shell halves from five varieties of almonds that differed in shell hardness were placed in contact with a suspension of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 30 for 24hat24°C. Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated from the inside of these almond shells in 46 and 100% of the samples, by direct swabbing of the inner surface of the shell and by enrichment from the swab, respectively. These findings suggested that hardness of the shell is not a significant factor in the migration of the pathogen through that tissue. In addition, both motile and nonmotile strains of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium migrated through the almond shells to the same extent under the conditions of this assay, indicating that bacterial migration through the wet shell may be a passive process. Second, whole almonds (intact hull, shell, and kernel) were soaked for 24 to 72 h at 24°C in a suspension of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 30 labeled with the green fluorescent protein. Green fluorescent protein–labeled Salmonella cells were observed on the outer and inner surfaces of both the almond hull and shell, and on the kernel, by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Our data provide direct evidence that wet conditions allow for Salmonella migration through the hull and shell and onto the almond kernel, thus providing a means by which almond kernels may become contaminated in the field.


2004 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 679-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres Plata Stapper ◽  
Giri Narasimhan ◽  
Dennis E. Ohman ◽  
Johnny Barakat ◽  
Morten Hentzer ◽  
...  

Extracellular polymers can facilitate the non-specific attachment of bacteria to surfaces and hold together developing biofilms. This study was undertaken to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the architecture of biofilms produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO1 and its alginate-overproducing (mucA22) and alginate-defective (algD) variants in order to discern the role of alginate in biofilm formation. These strains, PAO1, Alg+ PAOmucA22 and Alg− PAOalgD, tagged with green fluorescent protein, were grown in a continuous flow cell system to characterize the developmental cycles of their biofilm formation using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Biofilm Image Processing (bip) and Community Statistics (comstat) software programs were used to provide quantitative measurements of the two-dimensional biofilm images. All three strains formed distinguishable biofilm architectures, indicating that the production of alginate is not critical for biofilm formation. Observation over a period of 5 days indicated a three-stage development pattern consisting of initiation, establishment and maturation. Furthermore, this study showed that phenotypically distinguishable biofilms can be quantitatively differentiated.


2010 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Czajkowski ◽  
Waldo J. de Boer ◽  
Henk Velvis ◽  
Jan M. van der Wolf

Colonization of potato plants by soilborne, green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Dickeya sp. IPO2254 was investigated by selective plating, epifluorescence stereo microscopy (ESM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Replicated experiments were carried out in a greenhouse using plants with an intact root system and plants from which ca. 30% of the lateral roots was removed. One day after soil inoculation, adherence of the pathogen on the roots and the internal colonization of the plants were detected using ESM and CLSM of plant parts embedded in an agar medium. Fifteen days post-soil inoculation, Dickeya sp. was found on average inside 42% of the roots, 13% of the stems, and 13% of the stolons in plants with undamaged roots. At the same time-point, in plants with damaged roots, Dickeya sp. was found inside 50% of the roots, 25% of the stems, and 25% of the stolons. Thirty days postinoculation, some plants showed true blackleg symptoms. In roots, Dickeya sp. was detected in parenchyma cells of the cortex, both inter- and intracellularly. In stems, bacteria were found in xylem vessels and in protoxylem cells. Microscopical observations were confirmed by dilution spread-plating the plant extracts onto agar medium directly after harvest. The implications of infection from soilborne inoculum are discussed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1205-1219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Rivero ◽  
Richard Albrecht ◽  
Heidrun Dislich ◽  
Enrico Bracco ◽  
Laura Graciotti ◽  
...  

Using a PCR approach we have isolated racF1, a novel member of the Rho family in Dictyostelium. TheracF1 gene encodes a protein of 193 amino acids and is constitutively expressed throughout the Dictyosteliumlife cycle. Highest identity (94%) was found to a RacF2 isoform, toDictyostelium Rac1A, Rac1B, and Rac1C (70%), and to Rac proteins of animal species (64–69%). To investigate the role of RacF1 in cytoskeleton-dependent processes, we have fused it at its amino-terminus with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and studied the dynamics of subcellular redistribution using a confocal laser scanning microscope and a double-view microscope system. GFP–RacF1 was homogeneously distributed in the cytosol and accumulated at the plasma membrane, especially at regions of transient intercellular contacts. GFP–RacF1 also localized transiently to macropinosomes and phagocytic cups and was gradually released within <1 min after formation of the endocytic vesicle or the phagosome, respectively. On stimulation with cAMP, no enrichment of GFP–RacF1 was observed in leading fronts, from which it was found to be initially excluded. Cell lines were obtained using homologous recombination that expressed a truncatedracF1 gene lacking sequences encoding the carboxyl-terminal region responsible for membrane targeting. These cells displayed normal phagocytosis, endocytosis, and exocytosis rates. Our results suggest that RacF1 associates with dynamic structures that are formed during pinocytosis and phagocytosis. Although RacF1 appears not to be essential, it might act in concert and/or share functions with other members of the Rho family in the regulation of a subset of cytoskeletal rearrangements that are required for these processes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-534 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. C. Njoroge ◽  
G. E. Vallad ◽  
S.-Y. Park ◽  
S. Kang ◽  
S. T. Koike ◽  
...  

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis subvar. cauliflora) is susceptible to wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae but broccoli (B. oleracea var. italica subvar. cyamosa) is not. Infection of broccoli and cauliflower by a green fluorescent protein-expressing isolate of V. dahliae was examined using epifluorescence and confocal laser-scanning microscopy to follow infection and colonization in relation to plant phenology. Plant glucosinolate, phenolic, and lignin contents were also assayed at 0, 4, 14, and 28 days postinoculation. V. dahliae consistently infected and colonized the vascular tissues of all cauliflower plants regardless of age at inoculation, with the pathogen ultimately appearing in the developing seed; however, colonization decreased with plant age. In broccoli, V. dahliae infected and colonized root and stem xylem tissues of plants inoculated at 1, 2, or 3 weeks postemergence. However, V. dahliae colonized only the root xylem and the epidermal and cortical tissues of broccoli plants inoculated at 4, 5, and 6 weeks postemergence. The frequency of reisolation of V. dahliae from the stems (4 to 22%) and roots (10 to 40%) of mature broccoli plants was lower than for cauliflower stems (25 to 64%) and roots (31 to 71%). The mean level of aliphatic glucosinolates in broccoli roots was 6.18 times higher than in the shoots and did not vary with age, whereas it was 3.65 times higher in cauliflower shoots than in the roots and there was a proportional increase with age. Indole glucosinolate content was identical in both cauliflower and broccoli, and both indole and aromatic glucosinolates did not vary with plant age in either crop. Qualitative differences in characterized glucosinolates were observed between broccoli and cauliflower but no differences were observed between inoculated and noninoculated plants for either broccoli or cauliflower. However, the phenolic and lignin contents were significantly higher in broccoli following inoculation than in noninoculated broccoli or inoculated cauliflower plants. The increased resistance of broccoli to V. dahliae infection was related to the increase in phenolic and lignin contents. Significant differential accumulation of glucosinolates associated with plant phenology may also contribute to the resistant and susceptible reactions of broccoli and cauliflower, respectively, against V. dahliae.


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