Increases in terrestrially-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) have led to the browning of inland waters across regions of northeastern North America and Europe. Short-term experimental and comparative studies highlight the important ecological consequences of browning. These range from transparency-induced increases in thermal stratification and oxygen (O2) depletion to changes in pelagic f...

Oxidative browning is a common and often severe problem in plant tissue culture systems caused by the accumulation and oxidation of phenolic compounds. The current study was conducted to investigate a novel preventative approach to address this problem by inhibiting the activity of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzyme (PAL), thereby reducing the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds. This was ac...

Igniting thermogenesis within white adipose tissue (i.e., promoting expression and activity of the uncoupling protein UCP1) has attracted much interest. Numerous "browning agents" have now been described (gene ablations, transgenes, food components, drugs, environments, etc.). The implied action of browning agents is that they increase UCP1 through this heat production, leading to slimming. Her...

Browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) has been highlighted as a new possible therapeutic target for obesity, diabetes and lipid metabolic disorders, because WAT browning could increase energy expenditure and reduce adiposity. The new clusters of adipocytes that emerge with WAT browning have been named 'beige' or 'brite' adipocytes. Recent reports have indicated that the renin-angiotensin syste...

Development of internal browning and some associated biochemical and physicochemical changes were investigated in the pineapple cultivar Mauritius (syn. Queen) and compared with those of a lesser susceptible cultivar Kew (syn. Smooth Cayenne). The study was expected to identify the major factors underlying the cultivar resistance to the disorder. Three-week long storage trials were conducted si...

The worldwide epidemic of obesity and metabolic disorders is focusing the attention of the scientific community on white adipose tissue (WAT) and its biology. This tissue is characterized not only by its capability to change in size and shape but also by its heterogeneity and versatility. WAT can be converted into brown fat-like tissue according to different physiological and pathophysiological...

Tissue browning and microbial growth are the main concerns associated with fresh-cut apples. In this study, effects of sodium chlorite (SC) and calcium propionate (CP), individually and combined, on quality and microbial population of apple slices were investigated. "Granny Smith" apple slices, dipped for 5 min in CP solutions at 0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% (w/v) either alone or in combination with 0....

ROWNING is a common degradative phenomenon of injured cIr senescent ' vegetable tissue (SZENT-GYORGYI 1969). I t is due to enzymatic oxidation of polyphenolics resulting in quinones which form brown colored complexes with protein. When fresh corn silks (stigmas) were ground in an aqueous solution and allowed to stand, it was observed that the brei normally turned brown. Occasionally, ground sil...

Mature lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) fruit were heat-treated at 60C for 10 min to study heat-induced pericarp browning. Polyphenol oxidase (EC 1.10.3.2) activity of the pericarp increased immediately, corresponding with rapid anthocyanin degradation, Tissue browning was observed 2 min after heating, with pigmentation distributed uniformly throughout the pericarp. The distribution of brown pig...

BACKGROUND IRX3 was recently reported as the effector of the FTO variants. We aimed to test IRX3's roles in the browning program and to evaluate the association between the genetic variants in IRX3 and human obesity. METHODS IRX3 expression was examined in beige adipocytes in human and mouse models, and further validated in induced beige adipocytes. The browning capacity of primary preadipocy...