7 CFR 29.2254 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2254 Section 29.2254 Agriculture... colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to... expressed as light brown (L), medium brown (F), and dark brown (D). ...

7 CFR 29.2254 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2254 Section 29.2254 Agriculture... colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to... expressed as light brown (L), medium brown (F), and dark brown (D). ...

The dark side of browning.

PubMed

Tamucci, Kirstin A; Namwanje, Maria; Fan, Lihong; Qiang, Li

2018-02-01

The induction of brown-like adipocyte development in white adipose tissue (WAT) confers numerous metabolic benefits by decreasing adiposity and increasing energy expenditure. Therefore, WAT browning has gained considerable attention for its potential to reverse obesity and its associated co-morbidities. However, this perspective has been tainted by recent studies identifying the detrimental effects of inducing WAT browning. This review aims to highlight the adverse outcomes of both overactive and underactive browning activity, the harmful side effects of browning agents, as well as the molecular brake-switch system that has been proposed to regulate this process. Developing novel strategies that both sustain the metabolic improvements of WAT browning and attenuate the related adverse side effects is therefore essential for unlocking the therapeutic potential of browning agents in the treatment of metabolic diseases.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Swift-UVOT obs. analysis of 29 SNe Ia (Brown+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, P. J.; Landez, N. J.; Milne, P. A.; Stritzinger, M. D.

2017-10-01

Swift/UVOT has observed over 500 SNe of all types in its 12 years of operation (see Brown+ 2015JHEAp...7..111B for a review of the first 10yrs). Most of the observations use six UV and optical filters. All photometry comes from the Swift Optical/Ultraviolet Supernova Archive (SOUSA; Brown+ 2014Ap&SS.354...89B) and is available at the Swift SN website and the Open Supernova Archive (Guillochon+ 2017ApJ...835...64G). (1 data file).

Obituary: Beth Brown (1969-2008)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bregman, Joel

2011-12-01

The astronomical community lost one of its most buoyant and caring individuals when Beth Brown died, unexpectedly, at the age of 39 from a pulmonary embolism. Beth Brown was born in Roanoke, Virginia where she developed a deep interest in astronomy, science, and science fiction (Star Trek). After graduating as the valedictorian of William Fleming High School's Class of 1987, she attended Howard University, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in astrophysics. Following a year in the graduate physics program at Howard, she entered the graduate program in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Michigan, the first African-American woman in the program. She received her PhD in 1998, working with X-ray observations of elliptical galaxies from the Röntgen Satellite (ROSAT; Joel Bregman was her advisor). She compiled and analyzed the first large complete sample of such galaxies with ROSAT and her papers in this area made an impact in the field. Following her PhD, Beth Brown held a National Academy of Science & National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Subsequently, she became a civil servant at the National Space Science Data Center at GSFC, where she was involved in data archival activities as well as education and outreach, a continuing passion in her life. In 2006, Brown became an Astrophysics Fellow at GSFC, during which time she worked as a visiting Assistant Professor at Howard University, where she taught and worked with students and faculty to improve the teaching observatory. At the time of her death, she was eagerly looking forward to a new position at GSFC as the Assistant Director for Science Communications and Higher Education. Beth Brown was a joyous individual who loved to work with people, especially in educating them about our remarkable field. Her warmth and openness was a great aid in making accessible explanations of otherwise daunting astrophysical

Significance of brown dwarfs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, D. C.

1986-01-01

The significance of brown dwarfs for resolving some major problems in astronomy is discussed. The importance of brown dwarfs for models of star formation by fragmentation of molecular clouds and for obtaining independent measurements of the ages of stars in binary systems is addressed. The relationship of brown dwarfs to planets is considered.

Brown Dwarf Comparison

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-17

NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer will uncover many failed stars, or brown dwarfs, in infrared light. This diagram shows a brown dwarf in relation to Earth, Jupiter, a low-mass star and the sun.

Roost selection by big brown bats in forests of Arkansas: importance of pine snags and open forest habitats to males

Treesearch

Roger W. Perry; Ronald E. Thill

2008-01-01

Although Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat) has been widely studied, information on tree-roosting in forests by males is rare, and little information is available on tree roosting in the southeastern United States. Our objectives were to characterize diurnal summer roosts, primarily for male Big Brown Bats, and to determine relationships between forest...

The Low Mass IMF in Young Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Douglas M.

1995-01-01

We present the results of the investigation of the Initial Mass Function at the end of the Main Sequence in young open clusters. We find that over a large range in age and environment the IMFs are similar to each other, and to recent determinations of the field star IMF. We have obtained V, I, and K band photometry of fields in the three relatively unembedded open clusters. The photometry reaches down to various masses in each cluster: 0.08{cal M}_⊙ for Praesepe, 0.04{cal M}odot for the Pleiades, and 0.15{cal M}_⊙ for NGC 7160. We compare the methods for estimating the masses of young, embedded stars developed by Comeron et al. (1993 - CRBR) and by Strom, Kepner, & Strom (1995) and show them to be in good agreement. Spectra in the 2 mu m region of six low mass objects from CRBR are also in agreement with the mass estimates using these methods. The spectrum of a brown dwarf candidate is used to place an upper limit on its mass of 60% of the minimum required for hydrogen burning. The IMFs from these four clusters plus NGC 2024 are shown to be in agreement with each other. The composite MF can be fitted with a power law between 0.04 and 0.5 {cal M}_⊙ with a slope of -0.75 +/- 0.3. There is no evidence for a cutoff at the bottom of the main sequence (0.08{cal M}odot); brown dwarfs appear to be abundant in open clusters. However, the slope of the MF is well above the value of _sp {~}<-2 required for very low mass stars and brown dwarfs to contribute a significant portion of the mass of open clusters. The composite cluster MF also is in agreement with recent determinations of the field star IMF for stellar masses. The field star data do not extend into the brown dwarf range; however, if we extrapolate in accordance with the cluster MF, we conclude that brown dwarfs probably do not contribute significantly to the dark matter.

Brown Dwarf Microlensing (Illustration)

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-10

This illustration depicts a newly discovered brown dwarf, an object that weighs in somewhere between our solar system's most massive planet (Jupiter) and the least-massive-known star. This brown dwarf, dubbed OGLE-2015-BLG-1319, interests astronomers because it may fall in the "desert" of brown dwarfs. Scientists have found that, for stars roughly the mass of our sun, less than 1 percent have a brown dwarf orbiting within 3 AU (1 AU is the distance between Earth and the sun). This brown dwarf was discovered when it and its star passed between Earth and a much more distant star in our galaxy. This created a microlensing event, where the gravity of the system amplified the light of the background star over the course of several weeks. This microlensing was observed by ground-based telescopes looking for these uncommon events, and was the first to be seen by two space-based telescopes: NASA's Spitzer and Swift missions. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21076

Brown adipose tissue

PubMed Central

Townsend, Kristy; Tseng, Yu-Hua

2012-01-01

Obesity is currently a global pandemic, and is associated with increased mortality and co-morbidities including many metabolic diseases. Obesity is characterized by an increase in adipose mass due to increased energy intake, decreased energy expenditure, or both. While white adipose tissue is specialized for energy storage, brown adipose tissue has a high concentration of mitochondria and uniquely expresses uncoupling protein 1, enabling it to be specialized for energy expenditure and thermogenesis. Although brown fat was once considered only necessary in babies, recent morphological and imaging studies have provided evidence that, contrary to prior belief, this tissue is present and active in adult humans. In recent years, the topic of brown adipose tissue has been reinvigorated with many new studies regarding brown adipose tissue differentiation, function and therapeutic promise. This review summarizes the recent advances, discusses the emerging questions and offers perspective on the potential therapeutic applications targeting this tissue. PMID:23700507

A Brown Dwarf Joins the Jet-Set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-05-01

Jets of matter have been discovered around a very low mass 'failed star', mimicking a process seen in young stars. This suggests that these 'brown dwarfs' form in a similar manner to normal stars but also that outflows are driven out by objects as massive as hundreds of millions of solar masses down to Jupiter-sized objects. The brown dwarf with the name 2MASS1207-3932 is full of surprises [1]. Its companion, a 5 Jupiter-mass giant, was the first confirmed exoplanet for which astronomers could obtain an image (see ESO 23/04 and 12/05), thereby opening a new field of research - the direct detection of alien worlds. It was then later found (see ESO 19/06) that the brown dwarf has a disc surrounding it, not unlike very young stars. ESO PR Photo 24/07 ESO PR Photo 24/07 Jets from a Brown Dwarf (Artist's Impression) Now, astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) have found that the young brown dwarf is also spewing jets, a behaviour again quite similar to young stars. The mass of the brown dwarf is only 24 Jupiter-masses. Hence, it is by far the smallest object known to drive an outflow. "This leads us to the tantalizing prospect that young giant planets could also be associated with outflows," says Emma Whelan, the lead-author of the paper reporting the results. The outflows were discovered using an amazing technique known as spectro-astrometry, based on high resolution spectra taken with UVES on the VLT. Such a technique was required due to the difficulty of the task. While in normal young stars - known as T-Tauri stars for the prototype of their class - the jets are large and bright enough to be seen directly, this is not the case around brown dwarfs: the length scale of the jets, recovered with spectro-astrometry is only about 0.1 arcsecond long, that is, the size of a two Euro coin seen from 40 km away. The jets stretch about 1 billion kilometres and the material is rushing away from the brown dwarf with a speed of a few kilometres per second. The

7 CFR 29.2504 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2504 Section 29.2504 Agriculture...-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 22, 23, and Foreign Type 96) § 29.2504 Brown colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to medium saturation and from very...

7 CFR 29.2504 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2504 Section 29.2504 Agriculture...-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 22, 23, and Foreign Type 96) § 29.2504 Brown colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to medium saturation and from very...

7 CFR 29.2504 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2504 Section 29.2504 Agriculture...-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 22, 23, and Foreign Type 96) § 29.2504 Brown colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to medium saturation and from very...

7 CFR 29.2504 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2504 Section 29.2504 Agriculture...-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 22, 23, and Foreign Type 96) § 29.2504 Brown colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to medium saturation and from very...

7 CFR 29.3505 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.3505 Section 29.3505 Agriculture... Type 95) § 29.3505 Brown colors. A group of colors ranging from a light brown to a dark brown. These colors vary from medium to low saturation and from medium to very low brillance. As used in these...

7 CFR 29.2504 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2504 Section 29.2504 Agriculture...-Cured Tobacco (u.s. Types 22, 23, and Foreign Type 96) § 29.2504 Brown colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to medium saturation and from very...

A Population Study of Wide-Separation Brown Dwarf Companions to Main Sequence Stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jeffrey J.

2005-01-01

Increased interest in infrared astronomy has opened the frontier to study cooler objects that shed significant light on the formation of planetary systems. Brown dwarf research provides a wealth of information useful for sorting through a myriad of proposed formation theories. Our study combines observational data from 2MASS with rigorous computer simulations to estimate the true population of long-range (greater than 1000 AU) brown dwarf companions in the solar neighborhood (less than 25 pc from Earth). Expanding on Gizis et al. (2001), we have found the margin of error in previous estimates to be significantly underestimated after we included orbit eccentricity, longitude of pericenter, angle of inclination, field star density, and primary and secondary luminosities as parameters influencing the companion systems in observational studies. We apply our simulation results to current L- and T-dwarf catalogs to provide updated estimates on the frequency of wide-separation brown dwarf companions to main sequence stars.

The Challenge of Teaching "Brown"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waite, Cally L.

2004-01-01

This paper examines the issues on whether Brown really desegregate school. Study shows that many cases of large number of segregated schools still exist today. This was the complexity of addressing this issue that makes teaching Brown a challenge. The 1954 Supreme Court decision--Brown v. Board of Education was the basis of their study for the…

Long-term results of silicone expander for moderate and severe Brown syndrome (Brown syndrome "plus").

PubMed

Stager, D R; Parks, M M; Stager, D R; Pesheva, M

1999-12-01

The treatment of Brown syndrome has been undergoing an evolution toward more effective procedures with fewer operative interventions. Dr Kenneth Wright has introduced a procedure of superior oblique muscle tenotomy with a silicone expander to reduce the incidence of overcorrection. There was a retrospective study of 20 eyes of 19 consecutive patients with moderate or severe Brown syndrome (Brown syndrome "plus"). Follow-up ranged from 12 to 72 months. The expander, which varies 6 to 10 mm in length, was placed in all patients in the tenotomized superior oblique muscle tendon 5 mm nasal to the nasal border of the superior rectus muscle using 7-0 or 8-0 Prolene suture without violating the inner layer of the intermuscular septum. The intermuscular septum was closed over the silicone expander. One hundred percent of patients had resolution of the down shoot in adduction and some or full ability to elevate the eye in adduction. Twenty percent of patients required reoperation (12.5% using 5-8 mm expanders) for overcorrection. Restriction of downgaze was not seen postoperatively. Patients often show an undercorrection 1 to 6 months postoperatively and improve or occasionally overcorrect at 1 to 2 years postoperatively. One patient with a 10-mm expander extruded the implant. Placement of a 5- to 8-mm silicone expander in the tenotomized superior oblique muscle tendon is an effective means of correcting Brown syndrome with a low rate of reoperation. Initial undercorrection should not discourage the surgeon because improvement may continue for up to 3 years. The goal of treatment should be to convert a moderate or severe Brown syndrome (Brown syndrome plus) to a mild Brown syndrome ("true" Brown syndrome). This technique reduces the need for either simultaneous or subsequent inferior oblique muscle weakening and represents an advance in the treatment of Brown syndrome.

Indomethacin Enhances Brown Fat Activity.

PubMed

Hao, Lei; Kearns, Jamie; Scott, Sheyenne; Wu, Dayong; Kodani, Sean D; Morisseau, Christophe; Hammock, Bruce D; Sun, Xiaocun; Zhao, Ling; Wang, Shu

2018-06-01

Indomethacin, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, has been shown to induce white adipocyte differentiation; however, its roles in brown adipocyte differentiation and activation in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and obesity are unknown. To address this issue, we treated mouse brown preadipocytes with different doses of indomethacin, and delivered indomethacin to interscapular BAT (iBAT) of obese mice using implanted osmotic pumps. Indomethacin dose dependently increased brown preadipocyte differentiation and upregulated both mRNA and protein expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ coactivator 1-alpha. The mechanistic study showed that indomethacin significantly activated the reporter driven by the PPAR response element, indicating that indomethacin may work as a PPAR γ agonist in this cell line. Consistently, indomethacin significantly decreased iBAT mass and fasting blood glucose levels in high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice. Histologic analysis showed that brown adipocytes of indomethacin-treated mice contained smaller lipid droplets compared with control mice, suggesting that indomethacin alleviated the whitening of BAT induced by the high-fat diet. Moreover, indomethacin significantly increased UCP1 mRNA expression in iBAT. Taken together, this study indicates that indomethacin can promote mouse brown adipocyte differentiation, and might increase brown fat and glucose oxidation capacity in DIO mice. Copyright © 2018 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

50 Years after Brown v. the Board of Education: An Interview with Cheryl Brown Henderson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carriuolo, Nancy E.

2004-01-01

This spring marks the 50th anniversary (May 17, 1954-2004) of the Supreme Courts' decision to outlaw segregation by ruling unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs in Brown v. the Board of Education. Of course, segregation never really ended, as will be explained in this interview with Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of Oliver Brown, the 10th of…

Storage stability of flour-blasted brown rice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brown rice was blasted with rice flour rather than sand in a sand blaster to make microscopic nicks and cuts so that water can easily penetrate into the brown rice endosperm and cook the rice in a shorter time. The flour-blasted American Basmati brown rice, long grain brown rice, and parboiled long...

Endeavour Grand Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-10-30

California Governor Jerry Brown speaks from a podium underneath the space shuttle Endeavour during the grand opening ceremony for the California Science center's Samuel Oschin Space Shuttle Endeavour Display Pavilion, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, in Los Angeles. Endeavour, built as a replacement for space shuttle Challenger, completed 25 missions, spent 299 days in orbit, and orbited Earth 4,671 times while traveling 122,883,151 miles. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Active Listening in a Bat Cocktail Party: Adaptive Echolocation and Flight Behaviors of Big Brown Bats, Eptesicus fuscus, Foraging in a Cluttered Acoustic Environment.

PubMed

Warnecke, Michaela; Chiu, Chen; Engelberg, Jonathan; Moss, Cynthia F

2015-09-01

In their natural environment, big brown bats forage for small insects in open spaces, as well as in vegetation and in the presence of acoustic clutter. While searching and hunting for prey, bats experience sonar interference, not only from densely cluttered environments, but also from calls of conspecifics foraging in close proximity. Previous work has shown that when two bats compete for a single prey item in a relatively open environment, one of the bats may go silent for extended periods of time, which can serve to minimize sonar interference between conspecifics. Additionally, pairs of big brown bats have been shown to adjust frequency characteristics of their vocalizations to avoid acoustic interference in echo processing. In this study, we extended previous work by examining how the presence of conspecifics and environmental clutter influence the bat's echolocation behavior. By recording multichannel audio and video data of bats engaged in insect capture in open and cluttered spaces, we quantified the bats' vocal and flight behaviors. Big brown bats flew individually and in pairs in an open and cluttered room, and the results of this study shed light on the different strategies that this species employs to negotiate a complex and dynamic environment. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

7 CFR 29.2254 - Brown colors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Brown colors. 29.2254 Section 29.2254 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... colors. A group of colors ranging from a reddish brown to yellowish brown. These colors vary from low to...

Constraining Substellar Magnetic Dynamos using Brown Dwarf Radio Aurorae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, Melodie Minyu

Brown dwarfs share characteristics with both low-mass stars and gas giant planets, making them useful laboratories for studying physics occurring in objects throughout this low mass and temperature range. Of particular interest in this dissertation is the nature of the engine driving their magnetic fields. Fully convective magnetic dynamos can operate in low mass stars, brown dwarfs, gas giant planets, and even fluid metal cores in small rocky planets. Objects in this wide mass range are capable of hosting strong magnetic fields, which shape much of the evolution of planets and stars: strong fields can protect planetary atmospheres from evaporating, generate optical and infrared emission that masquerade as clouds in the atmospheres of other worlds, and affect planet formation mechanisms. Thus, implications from understanding convective dynamo mechanisms also extend to exoplanet habitability. How the convective dynamos driving these fields operate remains an important open problem. While we have extensive data to inform models of magnetic dynamo mechanisms in higher mass stars like our Sun, the coolest and lowest-mass objects that probe the substellar-planetary boundary do not possess the internal structures necessary to drive solar-type dynamos. A number of models examining fully convective dynamo mechanisms have been proposed but they remain unconstrained by magnetic field measurements in the lowest end of the substellar mass and temperature space. Detections of highly circularly polarized pulsed radio emission provide our only window into magnetic field measurements for objects in the ultracool brown dwarf regime, but these detections are very rare; until this dissertation, only one attempt out of 60 had been successful. The work presented in this dissertation seeks to address this problem and examines radio emission from late L, T, and Y spectral type brown dwarfs spanning 1-6 times the surface temperature of Earth and explores implications for fully convective

Browns Ferry turbine team-it`s all in the planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-05-01

This article illustrates a good example of how a project was creatively completed ahead of schedule and under budget. When the Brown`s Ferry turbine maintenance team took on the task of servicing unit 2`s turbine, the work was like building a ship in a bottle. {open_quotes}We had no room in which to work and only standard tools for the maintenance{close_quotes}, said Jim Roche, turbine manager. The big problem on the turbine floor is that there is only one single overhead crane for lifting the turbine components. All the major turbine components and support equipment are on the same floor. Eachmore » one requires a crane, and there is only one crane. There is limited laydown space. To do the maintenance properly, the team had to have a maintenance schedule it felt comfortable with, industry experience, tools yet to be invented, and money. The design method for this schedule is presented.« less

21 CFR 184.1120 - Brown algae.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Brown algae. 184.1120 Section 184.1120 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) DIRECT FOOD....1120 Brown algae. (a) Brown algae are seaweeds of the species Analipus japonicus, Eisenia bicyclis...

Control of brown and beige fat development

PubMed Central

Wang, Wenshan; Seale, Patrick

2017-01-01

Brown and beige adipocytes expend chemical energy to produce heat and are therefore important in regulating body temperature and body weight. Brown adipocytes develop in discrete and relatively homogenous depots of brown adipose tissue, whereas beige adipocytes are induced to develop in white adipose tissue in response to certain stimuli — notably, exposure to cold. Fate-mapping analyses have identified progenitor populations that give rise to brown and beige fat cells and revealed unanticipated cell-lineage relationships between vascular smooth muscle and beige adipocytes, and between brown fat and skeletal muscle cells. Additionally, non-adipocyte cells in adipose tissue, including neurons, blood vessel-associated cells and immune cells play crucial roles in regulating the differentiation and function of brown and beige fat. PMID:27552974

Enzymatic browning reactions in apple and apple products.

PubMed

Nicolas, J J; Richard-Forget, F C; Goupy, P M; Amiot, M J; Aubert, S Y

1994-01-01

This review examines the parameters of enzymatic browning in apple and apple products that is, phenolic compounds, polyphenoloxidases, and other factors (ascorbic acid and peroxidases), both qualitatively and quantitatively. Then the relationships between intensity of browning and the browning parameters are discussed, including a paragraph on the methods used for browning evaluation. Finally, the different methods for the control of browning are presented.

21 CFR 184.1120 - Brown algae.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Brown algae. 184.1120 Section 184.1120 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1120 Brown algae. (a) Brown algae are seaweeds of the species Analipus...

21 CFR 184.1120 - Brown algae.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Brown algae. 184.1120 Section 184.1120 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1120 Brown algae. (a) Brown algae are seaweeds of the species Analipus...

21 CFR 184.1120 - Brown algae.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Brown algae. 184.1120 Section 184.1120 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1120 Brown algae. (a) Brown algae are seaweeds of the species Analipus...

21 CFR 184.1120 - Brown algae.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Brown algae. 184.1120 Section 184.1120 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Substances Affirmed as GRAS § 184.1120 Brown algae. (a) Brown algae are seaweeds of the species Analipus...

The Unevenly Distributed Nearest Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bihain, Gabriel; Scholz, Ralf-Dieter

2016-08-01

To address the questions of how many brown dwarfs there are in the Milky Way, how do these objects relate to star formation, and whether the brown dwarf formation rate was different in the past, the star-to-brown dwarf number ratio can be considered. While main sequence stars are well known components of the solar neighborhood, lower mass, substellar objects increasingly add to the census of the nearest objects. The sky projection of the known objects at <6.5 pc shows that stars present a uniform distribution and brown dwarfs a non-uniform distribution, with about four times more brown dwarfs behind than ahead of the Sun relative to the direction of rotation of the Galaxy. Assuming that substellar objects distribute uniformly, their observed configuration has a probability of 0.1 %. The helio- and geocentricity of the configuration suggests that it probably results from an observational bias, which if compensated for by future discoveries, would bring the star-to-brown dwarf ratio in agreement with the average ratio found in star forming regions.

Trans-anethole ameliorates obesity via induction of browning in white adipocytes and activation of brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Kang, Nam Hyeon; Mukherjee, Sulagna; Min, Taesun; Kang, Sun Chul; Yun, Jong Won

2018-05-24

To treat obesity, suppression of white adipose tissue (WAT) expansion and activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) are considered as potential therapeutic targets. Recent advances have been made in the induction of brown fat-like adipocytes (beige) in WAT, which represents an attractive potential strategy for the management and treatment of obesity. Use of natural compounds for browning of white adipocytes can be considered as a safe and novel strategy against obesity. Here, we report that trans-anethole (TA), a flavoring substance present in the essential oils of various plants, alleviated high fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice models via elevation of the expression of beige-specific genes such as Ppargc1α, Prdm16, Ucp1, Cd137, Cited1, Tbx1, and Trem26. TA also regulated lipid metabolism in white adipocytes via reduction of adipogenesis and lipogenesis as well as elevation of lipolysis and fat oxidation. Moreover, TA exhibited thermogenic activity by increasing mitochondrial biogenesis in white adipocytes and activating brown adipocytes. In addition, molecular docking analysis enabled us to successfully predict core proteins for fat browning such as β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) and sirtuin1 (SIRT1) based on their low binding energy interactions with TA for promotion of regulatory mechanisms. Indeed, agonistic and antagonistic studies demonstrated that TA induced browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes through activation of β3-AR as well as the AMPK-mediated SIRT1 pathway regulating PPARα and PGC-1α. In conclusion, TA possesses potential therapeutic implications for treatment of obesity by playing multiple modulatory roles in the induction of white fat browning, activation of brown adipocytes, and promotion of lipid catabolism. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Thyroid hormones induce browning of white fat

PubMed Central

Martínez-Sánchez, Noelia; Moreno-Navarrete, José M; Contreras, Cristina; Rial-Pensado, Eva; Fernø, Johan; Nogueiras, Rubén; Diéguez, Carlos

2016-01-01

The canonical view about the effect of thyroid hormones (THs) on thermogenesis assumes that the hypothalamus acts merely as a modulator of the sympathetic outflow on brown adipose tissue (BAT). Recent data have challenged that vision by demonstrating that THs act on the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) to inhibit AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates the thermogenic program in BAT, leading to increased thermogenesis and weight loss. Current data have shown that in addition to activation of brown fat, the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) might also be an important thermogenic mechanism. However, the possible central effects of THs on the browning of white fat remain unclear. Here, we show that 3,3′,5,5′ tetraiodothyroxyne (T4)-induced hyperthyroidism promotes a marked browning of WAT. Of note, central or VMH-specific administration of 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine (T3) recapitulates that effect. The specific genetic activation of hypothalamic AMPK in the VMH reversed the central effect of T3 on browning. Finally, we also showed that the expression of browning genes in human WAT correlates with serum T4. Overall, these data indicate that THs induce browning of WAT and that this mechanism is mediated via the central effects of THs on energy balance. PMID:27913573

Thyroid hormones induce browning of white fat.

PubMed

Martínez-Sánchez, Noelia; Moreno-Navarrete, José M; Contreras, Cristina; Rial-Pensado, Eva; Fernø, Johan; Nogueiras, Rubén; Diéguez, Carlos; Fernández-Real, José-Manuel; López, Miguel

2017-02-01

The canonical view about the effect of thyroid hormones (THs) on thermogenesis assumes that the hypothalamus acts merely as a modulator of the sympathetic outflow on brown adipose tissue (BAT). Recent data have challenged that vision by demonstrating that THs act on the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) to inhibit AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates the thermogenic program in BAT, leading to increased thermogenesis and weight loss. Current data have shown that in addition to activation of brown fat, the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) might also be an important thermogenic mechanism. However, the possible central effects of THs on the browning of white fat remain unclear. Here, we show that 3,3',5,5' tetraiodothyroxyne (T 4 )-induced hyperthyroidism promotes a marked browning of WAT. Of note, central or VMH-specific administration of 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T 3 ) recapitulates that effect. The specific genetic activation of hypothalamic AMPK in the VMH reversed the central effect of T 3 on browning. Finally, we also showed that the expression of browning genes in human WAT correlates with serum T 4 Overall, these data indicate that THs induce browning of WAT and that this mechanism is mediated via the central effects of THs on energy balance. © 2017 The authors.

Brown dwarfs in young stellar clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stringfellow, Guy S.

1991-01-01

The present calculations of the early evolution of brown dwarfs and very low mass stars (LMSs) yield isochrones spanning 0.01-0.2 solar masses for ages in the 1 to 300 million year range. Since the brown dwarfs remain sharply segregated in T(eff) from LMSs for ages of less than 100 million years, it follows that for coeval populations of known age, a domain exists in the H-R diagram in which only brown dwarfs exist. These theoretical results are compared with recent observations of the Pleiades brown dwarf candidates, using two new sets of color-T(eff) transformations. Both sets yield consistent interpretations.

Maintaining high moisture content of macadamia nuts-in-shell during storage induces brown centres in raw kernels.

PubMed

Walton, David A; Randall, Bruce W; Le Lagadec, Marie D; Wallace, Helen M

2013-09-01

Kernel brown centres in macadamia are a defect causing internal discolouration of kernels. This study investigates the effect on the incidence of brown centres in raw kernel after maintaining high moisture content in macadamia nuts-in-shell stored at temperatures of 30°C, 35°C, 40°C and 45°C. Brown centres of raw kernel increased with nuts-in-shell storage time and temperature when high moisture content was maintained by sealing in polyethylene bags. Almost all kernels developed the defect when kept at high moisture content for 5 days at 45°C, and 44% developed brown centres after only 2 days of storage at high moisture content at 45°C. This contrasted with only 0.76% when stored for 2 days at 45°C but allowed to dry in open-mesh bags. At storage temperatures below 45°C, there were fewer brown centres, but there were still significant differences between those stored at high moisture content and those allowed to dry (P < 0.05). Maintenance of high moisture content during macadamia nuts-in-shell storage increases the incidence of brown centres in raw kernels and the defect increases with time and temperature. On-farm nuts-in-shell drying and storage practices should rapidly remove moisture to reduce losses. Ideally, nuts-in-shell should not be stored at high moisture content on-farm at temperatures over 30°C. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

[The Bauhaus style in hospitals of Saxony].

PubMed

Klimpel, Volker

2011-01-01

In the first half of 20th century the architecture of hospitals in Germany changed considerable. Essential impulses for "The new construct" get out from the school of "Bauhaus" in Weimar, Dessau and Berlin. Clear lines and the principle of light, air and sun were characteristic of this style. Buildings of such hospitals and her creators in Chemnitz, Dresden, Freiberg and Zwenkau, all in Saxony, are described and illustrated exemplary.

White Adipose Tissue Browning: A Double-edged Sword.

PubMed

Abdullahi, Abdikarim; Jeschke, Marc G

2016-08-01

The study of white adipose tissue (WAT) 'browning' has become a 'hot topic' in various acute and chronic metabolic conditions, based on the idea that WAT browning might be able to facilitate weight loss and improve metabolic health. However, this view cannot be translated into all areas of medicine. Recent studies identified effects of browning associated with adverse outcomes, and as more studies are being conducted, a very different picture has emerged about WAT browning and its detrimental effect in acute and chronic hypermetabolic conditions. Therefore, the notion that browning is supposedly beneficial may be inadequate. In this review we analyze how and why browning in chronic hypermetabolic associated diseases can be detrimental and lead to adverse outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inhibition of browning in foodstuffs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenthal, N. A.

1969-01-01

Addition of water-soluble sulfur-containing compounds, thio compounds or potential thio compounds, to a mixture of carbohydrates, and either proteins, peptides, or amino acids can retard or completely eliminate the browning process. Determining factor is dependent upon the concentration of the anti-browning agent in the aqueous media.

40 CFR 721.10532 - Tar, brown coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Tar, brown coal. 721.10532 Section 721... Tar, brown coal. (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as tar, brown coal (PMN P-12-167, CAS No. 101316-83-0) is subject to...

40 CFR 721.10532 - Tar, brown coal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Tar, brown coal. 721.10532 Section 721... Tar, brown coal. (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified as tar, brown coal (PMN P-12-167, CAS No. 101316-83-0) is subject to...

Influence of selected factors on browning of Camembert cheese.

PubMed

Carreira, Alexandra; Dillinger, Klaus; Eliskases-Lechner, Frieda; Loureiro, Virgílio; Ginzinger, Wolfgang; Rohm, Harald

2002-05-01

Experimental Camembert cheeses were made to investigate the effects on browning of the following factors: inoculation with Yarrowia lipolytica, the use of Penicillium candidum strains with different proteolytic activity, the addition of tyrosine, and the addition of Mn2+ thus leading to 16 different variants of cheese. Two physical colour parameters were used to describe browning, depending on the location in the cheeses: a whiteness index for the outside browning (mould mycelium), and a brownness index for the inside browning (surface of the cheese body). Mn2+ promoted a significant increase of browning at both locations, whereas Yar. lipolytica had the opposite effect. Outside browning was significantly more intense when using the Pen. candidum strain with higher proteolytic activity. A significant interaction was found between Yar. lipolytica and Pen. candidum. The yeast had no effect in combination with a low proteolytic strain of Pen. candidum, but significantly reduced proteolysis and browning in combination with a high proteolytic strain of Pen. candidum. We further confirmed that both strains of Pen. candidum were able to produce brown pigments from tyrosine and thus both are presumably responsible for the browning activity in this type of cheese.

"Brown" and Black-White Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armor, David J.

2006-01-01

"Brown v. Board of Education" only presumed to eliminate the "de jure" apartheid that existed in 1954. It was never intended to resolve the "de facto" gap in minority achievement that still faces education policymakers today. Sociologist David J. Armor goes beyond "Brown" to identify a set of definite risk…

DDE in brown and white fat of hibernating bats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, D.R.; Krynitsky, A.J.

1983-01-01

Samples of brown and white fat from hibernating bats (big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus; little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus; and eastern pipistrelle, Pipistrellus subflavus) collected in western Maryland, USA, were analysed to determine lipid and DDE content. Amounts of brown fat, expressed as percentages of total bat weight, were the same for all three species. Lipid content of brown fat was significantly less than that of white fat. Lipids of brown fat contained significantly higher (28%) concentrations of DDE than did lipids of white fat. In our mixed-species sample of 14 bats, concentrations of DDE increased exponentially in both brown and white fat as white fat reserves declined. Brown fat facilitates arousal from hibernation by producing heat through rapid metabolism of triglycerides. The question is raised whether organochlorine residues, such as DDE, may be concentrated and then liberated in lethal amounts by the processes of hibernation and arousal.

Wnt inhibition enhances browning of mouse primary white adipocytes.

PubMed

Lo, Kinyui Alice; Ng, Pei Yi; Kabiri, Zahra; Virshup, David; Sun, Lei

2016-01-01

The global epidemic in obesity and metabolic syndrome requires novel approaches to tackle. White adipose tissue, traditionally seen as a passive energy-storage organ, can be induced to take on certain characteristics of brown fat in a process called browning. The "browned" white adipose tissue, or beige fat, is a potential anti-obesity target. Various signaling pathways can enhance browning. Wnt is a key regulator of adipocyte biology, but its role in browning has not been explored. In this study, we found that in primary mouse adipocytes derived from the inguinal depot, Wnt inhibition by both chemical and genetic methods significantly enhanced browning. The effect of Wnt inhibition on browning most likely targets the beige precursor cells in selected adipose depots.

Hunting for brown dwarf binaries with X-Shooter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjavacas, E.; Goldman, B.; Alcalá, J. M.; Zapatero-Osorio, M. R.; Béjar, B. J. S.; Homeier, D.; Bonnefoy, M.; Smart, R. L.; Henning, T.; Allard, F.

2015-05-01

The refinement of the brown dwarf binary fraction may contribute to the understanding of the substellar formation mechanisms. Peculiar brown dwarf spectra or discrepancy between optical and near-infrared spectral type classification of brown dwarfs may indicate unresolved brown dwarf binary systems. We obtained medium-resolution spectra of 22 brown dwarfs of potential binary candidates using X-Shooter at the VLT. We aimed to select brown dwarf binary candidates. We also tested whether BT-Settl 2014 atmospheric models reproduce the physics in the atmospheres of these objects. To find different spectral type spectral binaries, we used spectral indices and we compared the selected candidates to single spectra and composition of two single spectra from libraries, to try to reproduce our X-Shooter spectra. We also created artificial binaries within the same spectral class, and we tried to find them using the same method as for brown dwarf binaries with different spectral types. We compared our spectra to the BT-Settl models 2014. We selected six possible candidates to be combination of L plus T brown dwarfs. All candidates, except one, are better reproduced by a combination of two single brown dwarf spectra than by a single spectrum. The one-sided F-test discarded this object as a binary candidate. We found that we are not able to find the artificial binaries with components of the same spectral type using the same method used for L plus T brown dwarfs. Best matches to models gave a range of effective temperatures between 950 K and 1900 K, a range of gravities between 4.0 and 5.5. Some best matches corresponded to supersolar metallicity.

Apple Browning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemecology, 1992

1992-01-01

Describes an activity in which students investigate the effects of selected natural and synthetic substances on the rate of apple browning. Includes background information for the teacher, a list of necessary materials, and student instructions. (KR)

Brown Dwarf Companion Frequencies and Dynamical Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterzik, Michael F.; Durisen, Richard H.

2003-06-01

Numerical simulations are used to explore how gravitational interactions within young multiple star systems may determine the binary properties of brown dwarfs. We compare different scenarios for cluster formation and decay and find that brown dwarf binaries, although possible, generally have a low frequency. We also discuss the frequencies of brown dwarf companions to normal stars expected from these models.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the invasive brown alga Sargassum muticum (Sargassaceae, Phaeophyceae).

PubMed

Liu, Feng; Pang, Shaojun

2016-01-01

Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt is an invasive canopy-forming brown alga, expanding its presence from Northeast Asia to North America and Europe. The complete mitochondrial genome of S. muticum is characterized as a circular molecule of 34,720 bp. The overall AT content of S. muticum mitogenome is 63.41%. This mitogenome contains 65 genes typically found in brown algae, including 3 ribosomal RNA genes, 25 transfer RNA genes, 35 protein-coding genes, and 2 conserved open reading frames (ORFs). The gene order of mitogenome for S. muticum is identical to that for Sargassum horneri, Fucus vesiculosus and Desmarestia viridis. Phylogenetic analyses based on 35 protein-coding genes reveal that S. muticum has a close evolutionary relationship with S. horneri and a distant relationship with Dictyota dichotoma, supporting current taxonomic systems. The present investigation provides new molecular data for studies of S. muticum population diversity as well as comparative genomics in the Phaeophyceae.

NTT Observations Indicate that Brown Dwarfs Form Like Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-06-01

-floating Brown Dwarfs in the Milky Way galaxy. Both facts would appear to imply a stellar, rather than a planet-like origin for these objects. However, one might also explain these observations if most Brown Dwarfs initially formed as companions to stars (within circumstellar disks), but were later ejected from the systems, e.g., because of gravitational effects during encounters with other stars. So the issue of Brown Dwarf origin is still unsettled. NTT observations of substellar objects in the Orion Nebula ESO PR Photo 22a/01 ESO PR Photo 22a/01 [Preview - JPEG: 400 x 434 pix - 192k] [Normal - JPEG: 800 x 877 pix - 496k] [Full Resolution - JPEG: 1772 x 1943 pix - 1.2Mb Caption : PR Photo 22a/01 shows a colour composite of near-infrared images of the central regions of the Orion Nebula, obtained on March 14, 2000, with the SOFI instrument at the ESO 3.5-m New Technology Telescope (NTT) at La Silla. Three exposures were made through J- (wavelength 1.25 µm here colour-coded as "blue"), H- (1.65 µm; "green") and Ks-filters (2.16 µm; "red"), respectively. The central group of bright stars is the famous "Trapezium" . The total effective exposure time was 86.4 seconds per band. The sky field measures about 4.9 x 4.9 arcmin 2 (1024 x 1024 pix 2 ). North is up and East is left. ESO PR Photo 22b/01 ESO PR Photo 22b/01 [Preview - JPEG: 400 x 439 pix - 35k] [Normal - JPEG: 800 x 877 pix - 90k] Caption : PR Photo 22b/01 contains the corresponding "finding chart" with the positions of the very young Brown Dwarfs in the Orion Nebula that were studied during the present investigation. The starlike symbols represent the brightest stars in PR Photo 22a/01 and are plotted for reference. In this chart, very young Brown Dwarfs are represented by a double open circle (if a dusty disk was detected) or with a single open circle (if no dusty disk was detected). The scale is exactly as in PR Photo 22a/01 . ESO PR Photo 22c/01 ESO PR Photo 22c/01 [Animated GIF: 482 x 465 pix - 248k] Caption : PR

Divergent personality structures of brown (Sapajus apella) and white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Robinson, Lauren M; Morton, F Blake; Gartner, Marieke C; Widness, Jane; Paukner, Annika; Essler, Jennifer L; Brosnan, Sarah F; Weiss, Alexander

2016-11-01

One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Safety evaluation report on Tennessee Valley Authority: Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-01-01

This safety evaluation report (SER) was prepared by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and represents the second and last supplement (SSER 2) to the staff's original SER published as Volume 3 of NUREG-1232 in April 1989. Supplement 1 of Volume 3 of NUREG-1232 (SSER 1) was published in October 1989. Like its predecessors, SSER 2 is composed of numerous safety evaluations by the staff regarding specific elements contained in the Browns Ferry Nuclear Performance Plan (BFNPP), Volume 3 (up to and including Revision 2), submitted by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant (BFN).more » The Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant consists of three boiling-water reactors (BWRs) at a site in Limestone County, Alabama. The BFNPP describes the corrective action plans and commitments made by TVA to resolve deficiencies with its nuclear programs before the startup of Unit 2. The staff has inspected and will continue to inspect TVA's implementation of these BFNPP corrective action plans that address staff concerns about TVA's nuclear program. SSER 2 documents the NRC staff's safety evaluations and conclusions for those elements of the BFNPP that were not previously addressed by the staff or that remained open as a result of unresolved issues identified by the staff in previous SERs and inspections.« less

Searching for chemical signatures of brown dwarf formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maldonado, J.; Villaver, E.

2017-06-01

Context. Recent studies have shown that close-in brown dwarfs in the mass range 35-55 MJup are almost depleted as companions to stars, suggesting that objects with masses above and below this gap might have different formation mechanisms. Aims: We aim to test whether stars harbouring massive brown dwarfs and stars with low-mass brown dwarfs show any chemical peculiarity that could be related to different formation processes. Methods: Our methodology is based on the analysis of high-resolution échelle spectra (R 57 000) from 2-3 m class telescopes. We determine the fundamental stellar parameters, as well as individual abundances of C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Zn for a large sample of stars known to have a substellar companion in the brown dwarf regime. The sample is divided into stars hosting massive and low-mass brown dwarfs. Following previous works, a threshold of 42.5 MJup was considered. The metallicity and abundance trends of the two subsamples are compared and set in the context of current models of planetary and brown dwarf formation. Results: Our results confirm that stars with brown dwarf companions do not follow the well-established gas-giant planet metallicity correlation seen in main-sequence planet hosts. Stars harbouring massive brown dwarfs show similar metallicity and abundance distribution as stars without known planets or with low-mass planets. We find a tendency of stars harbouring less-massive brown dwarfs of having slightly higher metallicity, [XFe/Fe] values, and abundances of Sc II, Mn I, and Ni I than the stars having the massive brown dwarfs. The data suggest, as previously reported, that massive and low-mass brown dwarfs might present differences in period and eccentricity. Conclusions: We find evidence of a non-metallicity dependent mechanism for the formation of massive brown dwarfs. Our results agree with a scenario in which massive brown dwarfs are formed as stars. At high metallicities, the core

Tony L. Brown and Joshua A. Brown d/b/a Riverview Cattle - Clean Water Act Public Notice

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA is providing notice of a proposed Administrative Penalty Assessment against Tony L. Brown and Joshua A. Brown d/b/a Riverview Cattle, located in Emmet County, Iowa, for alleged violations at their concentrated animal feeding operation located at 18

Students Use VLA to Make Startling Brown-Dwarf Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-03-01

A group of summer students making a long-shot astronomical gamble with the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Very Large Array (VLA) have found the first radio emission ever detected from a brown dwarf, an enigmatic object that is neither a star nor a planet, but something in between. Their surprising discovery is forcing experts to re-think their theories about how brown dwarfs work. The Very Large Array "Many astronomers are surprised at this discovery, because they didn't expect such strong radio emission from this object," said Shri Kulkarni, a Caltech professor who was on the team that first discovered a brown dwarf in 1995, and advisor to one of the students. "What is so cool is that this is research that probably nobody else would have tried to do because of its low chance of success. That made it ideal for summer students -- we had almost nothing to lose," said Kate Becker, a student at Oberlin College in Ohio. "The radio emission these students discovered coming from this brown dwarf is 10,000 times stronger than anyone expected," said Dale Frail, an astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Socorro, NM. "This student project is going to open up a whole new area of research for the VLA," Frail added. The students, in addition to Becker, are: Edo Berger from Caltech; Steven Ball from New Mexico Tech in Socorro, NM; Melanie Clarke from Carleton College in Northfield, MN; Therese Fukuda from the University of Denver; Ian Hoffman from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque; Richard Mellon from The Pennsylvania State University; Emmanuel Momjian from the University of Kentucky; Nathanial Murphy from Amherst College in Amherst, MA; Stacey Teng from the University of Maryland; Timothy Woodruff from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX; Ashley Zauderer from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA; and Robert Zavala from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. Frail also is an author of the research paper, published in the March

L-rhamnose induces browning in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes and activates HIB1B brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Choi, Minji; Mukherjee, Sulagna; Kang, Nam Hyeon; Barkat, Jameel Lone; Parray, Hilal Ahmad; Yun, Jong Won

2018-06-01

Induction of the brown adipocyte-like phenotype in white adipocytes (browning) is considered as a novel strategy to fight obesity due to the ability of brown adipocytes to increase energy expenditure. Here, we report that L-rhamnose induced browning by elevating expression levels of beige-specific marker genes, including Cd137, Cited1, Tbx1, Prdm16, Tmem26, and Ucp1, in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Moreover, L-rhamnose markedly elevated expression levels of proteins involved in thermogenesis both in 3T3-L1 white and HIB1B brown adipocytes. L-rhamnose treatment in 3T3-L1 adipocytes also significantly elevated protein levels of p-HSL, p-AMPK, ACOX, and CPT1 as well as reduced levels of ACC, FAS, C/EBPα, and PPARγ, suggesting its possible role in enhancement of lipolysis and lipid catabolism as well as reduced adipogenesis and lipogenesis, respectively. The quick technique of efficient molecular docking provided insight into the strong binding of L-rhamnose to the fat-digesting glycine residue of β 3 -adrenergic receptor (AR), indicating strong involvement of L-rhamnose in fat metabolism. Further examination of the molecular mechanism of L-rhamnose revealed that it induced browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via coordination of multiple signaling pathways through β 3 -AR, SIRT1, PKA, and p-38. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that L-rhamnose plays multiple modulatory roles in the induction of white fat browning, activation of brown adipocytes, as well as promotion of lipid metabolism, thereby demonstrating its therapeutic potential for treatment of obesity. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(6):563-573, 2018. © 2018 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Browning control of fresh-cut lettuce by phytoncide treatment.

PubMed

Kim, Do-Hee; Kim, Han-Bit; Chung, Hun-Sik; Moon, Kwang-Deog

2014-09-15

Phytoncide essential oil derived from pine leaves was applied for the control of enzymatic browning of fresh-cut lettuce. Changes in the browning characteristics of cut lettuce treated with phytoncide in an water or ethanol solution (1%, v/v) at 10°C were investigated for 12days at 4°C. Other samples dipped in distilled water or 95% ethanol were used as the controls. The samples treated with phytoncide in an ethanol solution showed significantly higher L* values and lower a* values, ΔE values, browning index, phenolic compounds, and enzyme activities (PPO, POD, PAL) related to browning. The samples dipped in distilled water showed the opposite tendency. On the basis of changes in the browning characteristics, anti-browning effects of each treatment, phytoncide in an ethanol solution was the most effective treatment applied. These results suggest that phytoncide treatment could be used as an effective method for controlling enzymatic browning in fresh-cut lettuce. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

X-Rays Found From a Lightweight Brown Dwarf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2003-04-01

Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, scientists have detected X-rays from a low mass brown dwarf in a multiple star system, which is as young as 12 million years old. This discovery is an important piece in an increasingly complex picture of how brown dwarfs - and perhaps the very massive planets around other stars - evolve. Chandra's observations of the brown dwarf, known as TWA 5B, clearly resolve it from a pair of Sun-like stars known as TWA 5A. The system is about 180 light years from the Sun and a member of a group of about a dozen young stars in the southern constellation Hydra. The brown dwarf orbits the binary stars at a distance about 2.75 times that of Pluto's orbit around the Sun. This is first time that a brown dwarf this close to its parent star(s) has been resolved in X-rays. "Our Chandra data show that the X-rays originate from the brown dwarf's coronal plasma which is some 3 million degrees Celsius," said Yohko Tsuboi of Chuo University in Tokyo and lead author of the April 10th issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters paper describing these results. "The brown dwarf is sufficiently far from the primary stars that the reflection of X-rays is unimportant, so the X-rays must come the brown dwarf itself." TWA 5B is estimated to be only between 15 and 40 times the mass of Jupiter, making it one of the least massive brown dwarfs known. Its mass is rather near the currently accepted boundary (about 12 Jupiter masses) between planets and brown dwarfs. Therefore, these results may also have implications for very massive planets, including those that have been discovered as extrasolar planets in recent years. Brown Dwarf size comparison schematic Brown Dwarf size comparison schematic "This brown dwarf is as bright as the Sun today in X-ray light, while it is fifty times less massive than the Sun," said Tsuboi. "This observation, thus, raises the possibility that even massive planets might emit X-rays by themselves during their youth!" This research on TWA 5

Effect of Different Germination Conditions on Antioxidative Properties and Bioactive Compounds of Germinated Brown Rice

PubMed Central

Lin, You-Tung; Pao, Cheng-Cheng; Wu, Shwu-Tzy; Chang, Chi-Yue

2015-01-01

This study investigates antioxidative activity and bioactive compounds of ungerminated brown rice (UBR) and germinated brown rice (GBR). We used two rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L.), Taiwan Japonica 9 (TJ-9) and Taichung Indica 10 (TCI-10), as the materials in our experiments. The conditions for inducing germination are soaking time in water 24, 48, or 72 h; temperature 26 or 36°C; incubation in light or darkness; and open or closed vessels, in which the antioxidative activities and bioactive compounds of GBR were determined. We found that, in order to maximize antioxidative activity and bioactive compounds, germination should be under higher temperature (36°C), long soaking time (72 h), darkness, and closed vessel. GBR contains much higher levels of antioxidative activity and bioactive compounds than ungerminated brown rice (UBR). We found a strong correlation between antioxidative activities (DPPH radical scavenging ability, reducing power, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) and bioactive compounds (γ-oryzanols, tocopherol, and tocotrienol). Higher temperature (36°C) is also conducive to the production of GABA in GBR. These results are considered very useful research references for the development of future functional foods and additives. PMID:25861637

African American Principals and the Legacy of "Brown"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillman, Linda C.

2004-01-01

The 1954 "Brown v. Board of Education" decision is significant with respect to African Americans in the principalship for several reasons. First, teachers, principals, and parents were the most important influences in the education of Black children in the pre-"Brown" era of schooling. Thus, discussions about the "Brown" decision and the education…

CDR Brown on middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-12-20

S103-E-5007 (20 December 1999) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown, mission commander, retrieves supplies from a mid deck stowage locker onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. He and six other astronauts will spend a great deal of time later in the week performing a variety of service tasks on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). As commander of the mission, Brown will remain inside Discovery while several of the other crew members will perform service tasks on HST. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 16:12:27 GMT, Dec. 20, 1999.

Cause and control of Radix Ophiopogonis browning during storage.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Qi, Jin; Han, Dong-Qi; Xu, Tian; Liu, Ji-Hua; Qin, Min-Jian; Zhu, Dan-Ni; Bo-Yang, Yu

2015-01-01

In the storage of Radix Ophiopogonis, browning often happens to cause potential risk with regard to safety. Previously few reports investigate the browning of Radix Ophiopogonis. In this research, the causes and mechanisms of the browning of Radix Ophiopogonis were preliminarily elucidated. Content determination by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry, enzyme activity determination by colorimetry, and morphological observation by electron microscopy were performed in the present study. Uniform design and three-dimensional response surfaces were applied to investigate the relationship between browning and storage factors. The cortex cell wall of browned Radix Ophiopogonis was ruptured. Compared with the normal Radix Ophiopogonis, cellulase and polyphenol oxidase enzymes were activated, the levels of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), total sugars, and reducing sugars were increased, while the levels of polysaccharides and methylophiopogonanone A were decreased in browned Radix Ophiopogonis. The relationship between the storage factors and degree of browning (Y) could be described by following correlation equation: Y = - 0.625 4 + 0.020 84 × X3 + 0.001 514 × X1 × X2 - 0.000 964 4 × X2 × X3. Accompanied with browning under storage conditions, the chemical composition of Radix Ophiopogonis was altered. Following the activation of cellulase, the rupture of the cortex cell wall and the outflow of cell substances flowed out, which caused the Radix Ophiopogonis tissue to become soft and sticky. The main causes of the browning were the production of 5-HMF, the activation of polyphenol oxidase, Maillard reactions and enzymatic browning. Browning could be effectively prevented when the air relative humidity (HR), temperature, and moisture content were under 25% RH, 12 °C and 18%, respectively. Copyright © 2015 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trustworthy-Looking Face Meets Brown Eyes

PubMed Central

Kleisner, Karel; Priplatova, Lenka; Frost, Peter; Flegr, Jaroslav

2013-01-01

We tested whether eye color influences perception of trustworthiness. Facial photographs of 40 female and 40 male students were rated for perceived trustworthiness. Eye color had a significant effect, the brown-eyed faces being perceived as more trustworthy than the blue-eyed ones. Geometric morphometrics, however, revealed significant correlations between eye color and face shape. Thus, face shape likewise had a significant effect on perceived trustworthiness but only for male faces, the effect for female faces not being significant. To determine whether perception of trustworthiness was being influenced primarily by eye color or by face shape, we recolored the eyes on the same male facial photos and repeated the test procedure. Eye color now had no effect on perceived trustworthiness. We concluded that although the brown-eyed faces were perceived as more trustworthy than the blue-eyed ones, it was not brown eye color per se that caused the stronger perception of trustworthiness but rather the facial features associated with brown eyes. PMID:23326406

UCP1 in adipose tissues: two steps to full browning.

PubMed

Kalinovich, Anastasia V; de Jong, Jasper M A; Cannon, Barbara; Nedergaard, Jan

2017-03-01

The possibility that brown adipose tissue thermogenesis can be recruited in order to combat the development of obesity has led to a high interest in the identification of "browning agents", i.e. agents that increase the amount and activity of UCP1 in brown and brite/beige adipose tissues. However, functional analysis of the browning process yields confusingly different results when the analysis is performed in one of two alternative steps. Thus, in one of the steps, using cold acclimation as a potent model browning agent, we find that if the browning process is followed in mice initially housed at 21 °C (the most common procedure), there is only weak molecular evidence for increases in UCP1 gene expression or UCP1 protein abundance in classical brown adipose tissue; however, in brite/beige adipose depots, there are large increases, apparently associating functional browning with events only in the brite/beige tissues. Contrastingly, in another step, if the process is followed starting with mice initially housed at 30 °C (thermoneutrality for mice, thus similar to normal human conditions), large increases in UCP1 gene expression and UCP1 protein abundance are observed in the classical brown adipose tissue depots; there is then practically no observable UCP1 gene expression in brite/beige tissues. This apparent conundrum can be resolved when it is realized that the classical brown adipose tissue at 21 °C is already essentially fully differentiated and thus expands extensively through proliferation upon further browning induction, rather than by further enhancing cellular differentiation. When the limiting factor for thermogenesis, i.e. the total amount of UCP1 protein per depot, is analyzed, classical brown adipose tissue is by far the predominant site for the browning process, irrespective of which of the two steps is analyzed. There are to date no published data demonstrating that alternative browning agents would selectively promote brite/beige tissues

Magnetic resonance imaging in congenital Brown syndrome.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Hyoung; Hwang, Jeong-Min

2015-08-01

Our aim was to elucidate the etiology of Brown syndrome by evaluating the trochlea position, morphologic characteristics of the extraocular muscles including superior oblique muscle/tendon complex, and the presence of the cranial nerves (CN) III, IV, and VI using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in eight patients with unilateral congenital Brown syndrome and one patient with bilateral congenital Brown syndrome. Nine consecutive patients diagnosed with congenital Brown syndrome had a comprehensive ocular examination and MRI for the CN III, CN VI, and the extraocular muscles. Five of the nine patients underwent additional high resolution MRI for CN IV. The distance from the annulus of Zinn to the trochlea was measured. Normal sized CN III, IV, and VI, as well as all extraocular muscles, could be identified bilaterally in all patients with available MRI. The distance from the annulus of Zinn to the trochlea was the same in both eyes. The findings for our patients, particularly in those who underwent additional high resolution MRI, did not provide evidence of a lack of CN IV as a cause of Brown syndrome.

Brown Dwarf Weather (Artist's Concept)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-17

This artist's concept animation shows a brown dwarf with bands of clouds, thought to resemble those seen on Neptune and the other outer planets in the solar system. By using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers have found that the varying glow of brown dwarfs over time can be explained by bands of patchy clouds rotating at different speeds. Videos are available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21752

Relationship between the enzymatic browning and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity of cut lettuce, and the prevention of browning by inhibitors of polyphenol biosynthesis.

PubMed

Hisaminato, H; Murata, M; Homma, S

2001-05-01

Cut lettuce stored at 4 degrees C gradually turned brown on the cut section after several days of storage. Three factors for enzymatic browning, the polyphenol content, polyphenol oxidase activity, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, were examined during the cold storage of cut lettuce. A relationship between the browning and PAL activity was apparent. We tried to prevent this browning by using the two enzyme inhibitors, 2-aminoindane-2-phosphonic acid (AIP), an inhibitor of the phenylpropanoid pathway, and glyphosate, an inhibitor of the shikimate pathway. AIP and glyphosate significantly inhibited the browning of cut lettuce. The polyphenol content and PAL activity were both reduced by the treatment with AIP. These results show that regulating the biosynthesis of polyphenols is essential to prevent the browning of cut lettuce.

VLA Detects Unexplained Radio Emission From Three Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-01-01

Astronomers have discovered three brown dwarfs -- enigmatic objects that are neither stars nor planets -- emitting radio waves that scientists cannot explain. The three newly-discovered radio-emitting brown dwarfs were found as part of a systematic study of nearby brown dwarfs using the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope. The VLA The Very Large Array CREDIT: NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for VLA gallery) Until 2001, scientists believed that brown dwarfs, which are intermediate in mass between stars and planets, could not emit detectable amounts of radio waves. That year, summer students at the VLA made the first discovery of radio emission from a brown dwarf. Subsequently, as many as a half- dozen more radio-emitting brown dwarfs were discovered. "It clearly had become time to make a systematic study and try to find out just what percentage of brown dwarfs are emitting radio waves," said Rachel Osten, an astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Charlottesville, Virginia. Osten was assisted in the project in the summer of 2004 by Lynnae Quick, a student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; Tim Bastian, also an astronomer at NRAO; and Suzanne Hawley, an astronomer at the University of Washington. The research team presented their results to the American Astronomical Society's meeting in San Diego, CA. The three new detections of radio-emitting brown dwarfs are just the first results from the systematic study, which aims to observe all the known brown dwarfs within about 45 light-years of Earth. "We want to be able to say definitively just how common radio emission is among brown dwarfs," Osten explained. The study involves observing 65 individual brown dwarfs, so these new detections represent just the beginning of the results expected from the study. Brown dwarfs are too big to be planets but too small to be true stars, as they have too little mass to trigger hydrogen fusion reactions

Legal Aspects of the Brown Decision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Robert L.

In Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the Supreme Court outlawed segregation in the nation's public schools. This decision has not eliminated racial segregation, but it fundamentally altered the psychological pattern of race relations in the United States. Brown concerned a form of racial discrimination that has virtually vanished from…

Dyslexics at Brown. A Student Perspective. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Carol; And Others

An account of what it means to be a dyslexic student in higher education, put together by a group of Brown students who are dyslexic, is presented in an attempt to make the Brown community aware of dyslexia, its symptoms, and some study strategies for coping with it. Some of the resources that Brown offers its student body are listed. Nine…

Cannabidiol promotes browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

PubMed

Parray, Hilal Ahmad; Yun, Jong Won

2016-05-01

Recruitment of the brown-like phenotype in white adipocytes (browning) and activation of existing brown adipocytes are currently being investigated as a means to combat obesity. Thus, a wide variety of dietary agents that contribute to browning of white adipocytes have been identified. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cannabidiol (CBD), a major nonpsychotropic phytocannabinoid of Cannabis sativa, on induction of browning in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. CBD enhanced expression of a core set of brown fat-specific marker genes (Ucp1, Cited1, Tmem26, Prdm16, Cidea, Tbx1, Fgf21, and Pgc-1α) and proteins (UCP1, PRDM16, and PGC-1α). Increased expression of UCP1 and other brown fat-specific markers contributed to the browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes possibly via activation of PPARγ and PI3K. In addition, CBD increased protein expression levels of CPT1, ACSL, SIRT1, and PLIN while down-regulating JNK2, SREBP1, and LPL. These data suggest possible roles for CBD in browning of white adipocytes, augmentation of lipolysis, thermogenesis, and reduction of lipogenesis. In conclusion, the current data suggest that CBD plays dual modulatory roles in the form of inducing the brown-like phenotype as well as promoting lipid metabolism. Thus, CBD may be explored as a potentially promising therapeutic agent for the prevention of obesity.

Honokiol exerts dual effects on browning and apoptosis of adipocytes.

PubMed

Lone, Jameel; Yun, Jong Won

2017-12-01

Induction of brown adipocyte-like phenotype (browning) in white adipocytes and promotion of apoptosis by dietary and pharmacological compounds is considered a novel strategy against obesity. Here, we show that honokiol exerts dual modulatory effects on adipocytes via induction of browning in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes and apoptosis as well as activation of HIB1B brown adipocytes combined with inhibition of apoptosis. Honokiol-induced browning and apoptosis were investigated by determining expression levels of brown adipocyte-specific genes and proteins by RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis, respectively. Apoptotic data were validated by immunofluorescence and ROS levels were measured by FACS analysis. Honokiol treatment induced browning by elevating expression levels of brown adipocyte-specific genes such as Cidea, Cox8, Fgf21, Pgc-1α, and Ucp1. Honokiol promoted apoptosis of 3T3-L1 white adipocytes and inhibited apoptosis of HIB1B brown adipocytes via opposite regulation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAX and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Honokiol also significantly increased protein expression levels of ACOX1, CPT1, p-HSL, and p-PLIN and reduced ROS levels, suggesting its possible role in fat oxidation and lipid catabolism. Honokiol-induced browning could be mediated by activation of ERK, as inhibition of ERK by FR180204 abolished expression of PGC-1α and UCP1. Our findings suggest that honokiol exhibits a modulatory role in adipocytes via induction of browning and apoptosis in white adipocytes, promotion of catabolic lipid metabolism, as well as activation and inhibition of apoptosis in HIB1B brown adipocytes, thereby exhibiting therapeutic potential against obesity. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Brown Dwarfs: Discovery and Detailed Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kulkarni, Shrinivas R.

2001-01-01

We obtained the optical and IR spectra of Gliese 229B and identified Cs, I, and CO features - as expected in theoretical models. Our optical IR spectrum showed that most of the refractory metals have condensed out of the atmosphere and the presence of Cs, I and CO shows evidence for disequilibrium chemistry. We reported orbital evidence for Gliese 229B. The HST measured optical magnitudes provide additional evidence for the absence of dust in the atmosphere of this cool object. The luminosity of brown dwarfs depend on their masses and ages and in order to interpret the results of the survey we have carried out an extensive Monte Carlo analysis. Our conclusion is that warm brown dwarfs are rare, as companions in the orbital period range beyond approximately 30 - 50 AU. The Palomer survey poses no constraint for brown dwarfs in planetary orbits similar to those of the outer planets. We have just started a program of imaging nearby stars with the newly commissioned AO system at Palomar and Keck and have already found a brown dwarf candidate.

Glutathione suppresses the enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning in grape juice.

PubMed

Wu, Shengjun

2014-10-01

Browning tends to occur in grape juice during processing and storage and decreases the commercial value of it. Thus, browning inhibition is an important objective for manufacturers. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of glutathione as a browning inhibitor for use on grape juice. Grape juice browning treated with glutathione was monitored during processing and accelerated browning. 0.04% of glutathione inhibited 99.4% of the polyphenoloxidase activity in the grape juice. Consequently, during processing at room temperature and accelerated browning at 80 °C, the browning in the grape juice treated with glutathione was significantly lower than that in the control (p<0.05). The results indicate that glutathione is a promising browning inhibitor used in grape juice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing the Formation Pathway of a Transiting Brown Dwarf in a Middle-aged Cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beatty, Thomas; Curtis, Jason; Morley, Caroline; Burrows, Adam; Montet, Benjamin; Wright, Jason

2018-05-01

We wish to use 15.7 hours of Spitzer time to observe two transits, one each at 3.6um and 4.5um, of the transiting brown dwarf CWW 89Ab (Nowak et al. 2017) to measure its nightside emission. This will allow us to either make the first positive identification of a brown dwarf that has formed through core accretion processes - or will provide a severe challenge to brown dwarf evolution models. CWW 89Ab is a 36.5+/-0.1 MJ, 0.937+/-0.042 RJ, brown dwarf on a 5.3 day orbit about a 5800K dwarf. The brown dwarf is a member of the 3.00+/-0.25 Gyr old open cluster Ruprecht 147 (Curtis et al. 2013). CWW 89Ab is one of two transiting brown dwarfs for which we have an isochronal age - giving us an age, a mass, and a radius that are all independent of evolutionary models. Surprisingly, Spitzer eclipse observations of CWW 89Ab (Beatty et al. 2018) show that the dayside emission requires an internal luminosity is 16 times higher than predicted by evolutionary models. In Beatty et al. (2018) we hypothesized that this is due to a stratospheric temperature inversion on CWW 89Ab's dayside. Atmospheric modeling by Molliere et al. (2015) shows that CWW 89Ab's temperature, an inversion can only happen if the atmospheric carbon-to-oxygen ratio (C/O) is close to one. Since we know that the abundances of Ruprecht 147 and CWW 89A itself (Curtis et al. 2018) are close to the Solar value of C/O 0.54, a super-stellar value of C/O 1 in CWW 89Ab would mean that the material used to form the brown dwarf was processed through CWW 89A's proto-planetary disk (Oberg et al. 2011). It would necessarily follow that CWW 89Ab formed via core accretion within the proto-planetary disk, and not through gravitational collapse. We wish to observe CWW 89Ab to determine if the dayside over-luminosity is caused by a temperature inversion. Since inversions are caused by direct stellar irradiation and impossible at night, the nightside emission should be consistent with Tint=850K if an inversion is the cause of the

Speaking Personally--With John Seely Brown

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Journal of Distance Education, 2008

2008-01-01

This article presents an interview with John Seely Brown, a visiting scholar at the University of Southern California and a former chief scientist of Xerox Corporation and director of its Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)--a position he held for nearly two decades. While head of PARC, Brown expanded the role of corporate research to include such…

49 CFR 173.216 - Asbestos, blue, brown or white.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Asbestos, blue, brown or white. 173.216 Section... Class 7 § 173.216 Asbestos, blue, brown or white. (a) Asbestos, blue, brown or white, includes each of the following hydrated mineral silicates: chrysolite, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos...

49 CFR 173.216 - Asbestos, blue, brown or white.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Asbestos, blue, brown or white. 173.216 Section... Class 7 § 173.216 Asbestos, blue, brown or white. (a) Asbestos, blue, brown or white, includes each of the following hydrated mineral silicates: chrysolite, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos...

49 CFR 173.216 - Asbestos, blue, brown or white.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Asbestos, blue, brown or white. 173.216 Section... Class 7 § 173.216 Asbestos, blue, brown or white. (a) Asbestos, blue, brown or white, includes each of the following hydrated mineral silicates: chrysolite, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos...

49 CFR 173.216 - Asbestos, blue, brown or white.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Asbestos, blue, brown or white. 173.216 Section... Class 7 § 173.216 Asbestos, blue, brown or white. (a) Asbestos, blue, brown or white, includes each of the following hydrated mineral silicates: chrysolite, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos...

49 CFR 173.216 - Asbestos, blue, brown or white.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Asbestos, blue, brown or white. 173.216 Section... Class 7 § 173.216 Asbestos, blue, brown or white. (a) Asbestos, blue, brown or white, includes each of the following hydrated mineral silicates: chrysolite, crocidolite, amosite, anthophyllite asbestos...

The brown dwarf kinematics project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faherty, Jackie K.

2010-10-01

Brown dwarfs are a recent addition to the plethora of objects studied in Astronomy. With theoretical masses between 13 and 75 MJupiter , they lack sustained stable Hydrogen burning so they never join the stellar main sequence. They have physical properties similar to both planets and low-mass stars so studies of their population inform on both. The distances and kinematics of brown dwarfs provide key statistical constraints on their ages, moving group membership, absolute brightnesses, evolutionary trends, and multiplicity. Yet, until my thesis, fundamental measurements of parallax and proper motion were made for only a relatively small fraction of the known population. To address this deficiency, I initiated the Brown Dwarf Kinematics (BDKP). Over the past four years I have re-imaged the majority of spectroscopically confirmed field brown dwarfs (or ultracool dwarfs---UCDs) and created the largest proper motion catalog for ultracool dwarfs to date. Using new astrometric information I examined population characteristics such as ages calculated from velocity dispersions and correlations between kinematics and colors. Using proper motions, I identified several new wide co-moving companions and investigated binding energy (and hence formation) limitations as well as the frequency of hierarchical companions. Concurrently over the past four years I have been conducting a parallax survey of 84 UCDs including those showing spectral signatures of youth, metal-poor brown dwarfs, and those within 20 pc of the Sun. Using absolute magnitude relations in J,H, and K, I identified overluminous binary candidates and investigated known flux-reversal binaries. Using current evolutionary models, I compared the MK vs J-K color magnitude diagram to model predictions and found that the low-surface gravity dwarfs are significantly red-ward and underluminous of predictions and a handful of late-type T dwarfs may require thicker clouds to account for their scatter.

Some Aspects of Enzymatic Browning in Apples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liffen, C. L.; Cleeve, H. N.

1975-01-01

Describes material modified from the Nuffield advanced chemistry course to make it meaningful and relevant to pupils in the middle school. Discusses a series of simple experiments on apple browning and summarizes the browning process and its control. (Author/GS)

Brown Dwarf Microlensing Diagram

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-10

For the first time, two space-based telescopes have teamed up with ground-based observatories to observe a microlensing event, a magnification of the light of a distant star due to the gravitational effects of an unseen object in the foreground. In this case, the cause of the microlensing event was a brown dwarf, dubbed OGLE-2015-BLG-1319, orbiting a star. In terms of mass, brown dwarfs fall somewhere between the size of the largest planets and the smallest stars. Curiously, scientists have found that, for stars roughly the mass of our sun, less than 1 percent have a brown dwarf orbiting within 3 AU (1 AU is the distance between Earth and the sun). This newly discovered brown dwarf may fall in that distance range. This microlensing event was observed by ground-based telescopes looking for these uncommon events, and subsequently seen by NASA's Spitzer and Swift space telescopes. As the diagram shows, Spitzer and Swift offer additional vantage points for viewing this chance alignment. While Swift orbits close to Earth, and saw (blue diamonds) essentially the same change in light that the ground-based telescopes measured (grey markers), Spitzer's location much farther away from Earth gave it a very different perspective on the event (red circles). In particular, Spitzer's vantage point resulted in a time lag in the microlensing event it observed, compared to what was seen by Swift and the ground-based telescope. This offset allowed astronomers to determine the distance to OGLE-2015-BLG-1319 as well as its mass: around 30-65 times that of Jupiter. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21077

Brown adipose tissue responds to cold and adrenergic stimulation by induction of FGF21.

PubMed

Chartoumpekis, Dionysios V; Habeos, Ioannis G; Ziros, Panos G; Psyrogiannis, Agathoklis I; Kyriazopoulou, Venetsana E; Papavassiliou, Athanasios G

2011-01-01

Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21) is a pleiotropic protein involved in glucose, lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis, with main tissues of expression being the liver and adipose tissue. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is responsible for cold-induced thermogenesis in rodents. The role of FGF21 in BAT biology has not been investigated. In the present study, wild-type C57BL/6J mice as well as a brown adipocyte cell line were used to explore the potential role of cold exposure and β3-adrenergic stimulation in the expression of FGF21 in BAT. Our results demonstrate that short-term exposure to cold, as well as β3-adrenergic stimulation, causes a significant induction of FGF21 mRNA levels in BAT, without a concomitant increase in FGF21 plasma levels. This finding opens new routes for the potential use of pharmaceuticals that could induce FGF21 and, hence, activate BAT thermogenesis.

Race to the Top: Transiting Brown Dwarfs and Hot Jupiters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beatty, Thomas G.

2015-12-01

There are currently twelve known transiting brown dwarfs, nine of which orbit single main-sequence stars. These systems give us one of the only ways in which we may directly measure the masses and radii brown dwarfs, which in turn provides strong constraints on theoretical models of brown dwarf interiors and atmospheres. In addition, the transiting brown dwarfs allow us to forge a link between our understanding of transiting hot Jupiters, and our understanding of the field brown dwarf population. Comparing the two gives us a unique avenue to explore the role and interaction of surface gravity and stellar irradiation in the atmospheres of sub-stellar objects. It also allows us to leverage the detailed spectroscopic information we have for field brown dwarfs to interpret the broadband colors of hot Jupiters. This provides us with insight into the L/T transition in brown dwarfs, and the atmospheric chemistry changes that occur in hot Jupiter atmospheres as they cool. I will discuss recent observational results, with a particular focus on the transiting brown dwarf KELT-1b, and suggest how more of these important systems may be discovered in the future.

The importance of a culture of openness.

PubMed

2016-06-15

Revamping the counselling service at Birmingham Children's Hospital, as well as offering wa 24/7 telephone service and face-to-face counselling, led to reduced work-related stress - as stated in Nursing Management. Sara Brown, deputy chief officer for workforce at the hospital, says a culture of openness is essential for tackling the demands of nursing. She says nurses in management positions are responsible for supporting the daily demands of service delivery.

Brown Dwarf Weather (Artist's Concept)

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-06-06

This artist's concept shows what the weather might look like on cool star-like bodies known as brown dwarfs. These giant balls of gas start out life like stars, but lack the mass to sustain nuclear fusion at their cores, and instead, fade and cool with time. Observations from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope suggest that most brown dwarfs are roiling with one or more planet-size storms akin to Jupiter's "Great Red Spot." https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21475

Phylogeography of mitochondrial DNA variation in brown bears and polar bears.

PubMed

Shields, G F; Adams, D; Garner, G; Labelle, M; Pietsch, J; Ramsay, M; Schwartz, C; Titus, K; Williamson, S

2000-05-01

We analyzed 286 nucleotides of the middle portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 61 brown bears from three locations in Alaska and 55 polar bears from Arctic Canada and Arctic Siberia to test our earlier observations of paraphyly between polar bears and brown bears as well as to test the extreme uniqueness of mitochondrial DNA types of brown bears on Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof (ABC) islands of southeastern Alaska. We also investigated the phylogeography of brown bears of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula in relation to other Alaskan brown bears because the former are being threatened by increased human development. We predicted that: (1) mtDNA paraphyly between brown bears and polar bears would be upheld, (2) the mtDNA uniqueness of brown bears of the ABC islands would be upheld, and (3) brown bears of the Kenai Peninsula would belong to either clade II or clade III of brown bears of our earlier studies of mtDNA. All of our predictions were upheld through the analysis of these additional samples. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Phylogeography of mitochondrial DNA variation in brown bears and polar bears

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shields, Gerald F.; Adams, Deborah; Garner, Gerald W.; Labelle, Martine; Pietsch, Jacy; Ramsay, Malcolm; Schwartz, Charles; Titus, Kimberly; Williamson, Scott

2000-01-01

We analyzed 286 nucleotides of the middle portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of 61 brown bears from three locations in Alaska and 55 polar bears from Arctic Canada and Arctic Siberia to test our earlier observations of paraphyly between polar bears and brown bears as well as to test the extreme uniqueness of mitochondrial DNA types of brown bears on Admiralty, Baranof, and Chichagof (ABC) islands of southeastern Alaska. We also investigated the phylogeography of brown bears of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula in relation to other Alaskan brown bears because the former are being threatened by increased human development. We predicted that: (1) mtDNA paraphyly between brown bears and polar bears would be upheld, (2) the mtDNA uniqueness of brown bears of the ABC islands would be upheld, and (3) brown bears of the Kenai Peninsula would belong to either clade II or clade III of brown bears of our earlier studies of mtDNA. All of our predictions were upheld through the analysis of these additional samples.

Production and characterization of the healthy brown rice milk with sodium alginate addition from brown algae Sargassum binderi as emulsifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latifah, R. N.; Warganegara, F. M.

2018-03-01

Brown rice milk, a plant milk, is potential to cure beriberi disease. Alginate was used as an emulsifier and increased the nutrition of brown rice milk. Alginate from Sargassum binderi was extracted by nonacidic treatment. The yield of alginate was 6.25 %. The moisture and water content of alginate were 18.27 % and 12.2 %, respectively. The density and viscosity of 0.1 % alginates in aqueous solution were 1.007 g·mL-1 and 7.651 × 10-3 kg·m-1s-1, respectively. The characteristics peaks of alginate appeared at 3,477; 1,633 and 1,419 cm-1, corresponding to hydroxyl (OH), carbonyl (C=O) and carboxyl (COOH), respectively. The best composition of alginate addition in brown rice milk was 0.2 %. The viscosity of the 0.2 % alginate in brown rice milk was 1.206 × 10-2 kg·m-1s-1 and showed a texture of small particle with closer spaces between the particles. The addition of alginate in brown rice milk also inhibited the process of sedimentation of milk which showed in the first order. The nutrition composition of the best brown rice milk was 40.21 mg·mL-1 carbohydrate; 1.3 mg·mL-1 protein; 0.158 mg·mL-1 fat and 13.1 mg·mL-1 total dietary fiber.

Browning phenomenon of medieval stained glass windows.

PubMed

Ferrand, Jessica; Rossano, Stéphanie; Loisel, Claudine; Trcera, Nicolas; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Bousta, Faisl; Pallot-Frossard, Isabelle

2015-04-07

In this work, three pieces of historical on-site glass windows dated from the 13th to 16th century and one archeological sample (8th century) showing Mn-rich brown spots at their surface or subsurface have been characterized by optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The oxidation state of Mn as well as the Mn environment in the alteration phase have been characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Mn K-edge. Results show that the oxidation state of Mn and therefore the nature of the alteration phase varies according to the sample considered and is correlated with the extent of the brown alteration. The larger the brown areas the more oxidized the Mn. However, by contrast with literature, the samples presenting the more extended brown areas are not similar to pyrolusite and contain Mn mainly under a (+III) oxidation state.

The detectability of brown dwarfs - Predictions and uncertainties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, L. A.; Rappaport, S.; Joss, P. C.

1993-01-01

In order to determine the likelihood for the detection of isolated brown dwarfs in ground-based observations as well as in future spaced-based astronomy missions, and in order to evaluate the significance of any detections that might be made, we must first know the expected surface density of brown dwarfs on the celestial sphere as a function of limiting magnitude, wavelength band, and Galactic latitude. It is the purpose of this paper to provide theoretical estimates of this surface density, as well as the range of uncertainty in these estimates resulting from various theoretical uncertainties. We first present theoretical cooling curves for low-mass stars that we have computed with the latest version of our stellar evolution code. We use our evolutionary results to compute theoretical brown-dwarf luminosity functions for a wide range of assumed initial mass functions and stellar birth rate functions. The luminosity functions, in turn, are utilized to compute theoretical surface density functions for brown dwarfs on the celestial sphere. We find, in particular, that for reasonable theoretical assumptions, the currently available upper bounds on the brown-dwarf surface density are consistent with the possibility that brown dwarfs contribute a substantial fraction of the mass of the Galactic disk.

Brown-Spot Needle Blight of Pines

Treesearch

W.R. Phelps; A.G. Kais; T.H. Nicholls

1978-01-01

Brown-spot needle blight, caused by Scirrhia acicola (Dearn.) Siggers, delays growth and causes mortality of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.). Brown spot reduces total annual growth of southern pines by more than 16 million cubic feet (0.453 million cubic meters) of timber. Damage is most severe on longleaf seedlings in the grass stage; i.e., those that have not...

Brown-Sequard Syndrome

MedlinePlus

... infectious or inflammatory diseases such as tuberculosis, or multiple sclerosis. × Definition Brown-Sequard syndrome (BSS) is a rare ... infectious or inflammatory diseases such as tuberculosis, or multiple sclerosis. View Full Definition Treatment Generally treatment for individuals ...

Multiplicity Among Young Brown Dwarfs and Very Low Mass Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmic, Mirza; Jayawardhana, R.; Brandeker, A.; Scholz, A.; van Kerkwijk, M. H.; Delgado-Donate, E.; Froebrich, D.

2007-05-01

Characterizing multiplicity in the very low mass (VLM) domain is a topic of much current interest and fundamental importance. Here we report on a near-infrared adaptive optics imaging survey of 28 young brown dwarfs and VLM stars, 26 of which are in the Chamaeleon I star-forming region, using the ESO Very Large Telescope. Our findings in Cha I -- the low multiplicity frequency of 8%, the preference for equal mass pairs, and the lack of wide binaries -- are strikingly similar to what has previously been reported for VLM objects in the field and in open clusters. Thus, we argue that there is no significant evolution of multiplicity with age among brown dwarfs and VLM stars between a few Myr to several Gyr. Instead, the observations to date suggest that VLM objects are either less likely to be born in wide multiple systems than solar mass stars or such systems are disrupted very early (within the first couple of Myr). Our results also imply that systems like 2MASSW J1207334-393254 and Oph 162225-240515, with planetary mass companions at wide separations, are rare. This research was supported by an NSERC grant, University of Toronto research funds and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship.

Brown Dwarfs: A New Class of Stellar Lighthouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2007-04-01

Brown dwarfs, thought just a few years ago to be incapable of emitting any significant amounts of radio waves, have been discovered putting out extremely bright "lighthouse beams" of radio waves, much like pulsars. A team of astronomers made the discovery using the National Science Foundation's Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope. Artist's Conception of Brown Dwarf Artist's conception of "mini-aurorae" at poles of brown dwarf, producing beams of strong radio emission. CREDIT: Hallinan et al., NRAO/AUI/NSF Click on image for page of graphics and full information "These beams rotate with the brown dwarf, and we see them when the beam passes over the Earth. This is the same way we see pulses from pulsars," said Gregg Hallinan of the National University of Ireland Galway. "We now think brown dwarfs may be a missing link between pulsars and planets in our own Solar System, which also emit, but more weakly," he added. Brown dwarfs are enigmatic objects that are too small to be stars but too large to be planets. They are sometimes called "failed stars" because they have too little mass to trigger hydrogen fusion reactions at their cores, the source of the energy output in larger stars. With roughly 15 to 80 times the mass of Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, brown dwarfs were long thought to exist. However, it was not until 1995 that astronomers were able to actually find one. A few dozen now are known. In 2001, a group of summer students at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory used the VLA to observe a brown dwarf, even though they had been told by seasoned astronomers that brown dwarfs are not observable at radio wavelengths. Their discovery of a strong flare of radio emission from the object surprised astronomers and the students' scientific paper on the discovery was published in the prestigous scientific journal Nature. Hallinan and his team observed a set of brown dwarfs with the VLA last year, and found that three of the objects emit extremely

Collecting Brown Dwarfs in the Night Sky

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-11-09

The green dot in the middle of this image might look like an emerald amidst glittering diamonds, but is a dim star belonging to a class called brown dwarfs; it is the first ultra-cool brown dwarf discovered by NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.

Mechanisms and effective control of physiological browning phenomena in plant cell cultures.

PubMed

Dong, Yan-Shan; Fu, Chun-Hua; Su, Peng; Xu, Xiang-Ping; Yuan, Jie; Wang, Sheng; Zhang, Meng; Zhao, Chun-Fang; Yu, Long-Jiang

2016-01-01

Browning phenomena are ubiquitous in plant cell cultures that severely hamper scientific research and widespread application of plant cell cultures. Up to now, this problem still has not been well controlled due to the unclear browning mechanisms in plant cell cultures. In this paper, the mechanisms were investigated using two typical materials with severe browning phenomena, Taxus chinensis and Glycyrrhiza inflata cells. Our results illustrated that the browning is attributed to a physiological enzymatic reaction, and phenolic biosynthesis regulated by sugar plays a decisive role in the browning. Furthermore, to confirm the specific compounds which participate in the enzymatic browning reaction, transcriptional profile and metabolites of T. chinensis cells, and UV scanning and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) profile of the browning compounds extracted from the brown-turned medium were analyzed, flavonoids derived from phenylpropanoid pathway were found to be the main compounds, and myricetin and quercetin were deduced to be the main substrates of the browning reaction. Inhibition of flavonoid biosynthesis can prevent the browning occurrence, and the browning is effectively controlled via blocking flavonoid biosynthesis by gibberellic acid (GA3 ) as an inhibitor, which further confirms that flavonoids mainly contribute to the browning. On the basis above, a model elucidating enzymatic browning mechanisms in plant cell cultures was put forward, and effective control approaches were presented. © 2015 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Cloning and Expression Analysis of Litchi (Litchi Chinensis Sonn.) Polyphenol Oxidase Gene and Relationship with Postharvest Pericarp Browning

PubMed Central

Wang, Jiabao; Liu, Baohua; Xiao, Qian; Li, Huanling; Sun, Jinhua

2014-01-01

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) plays a key role in the postharvest pericarp browning of litchi fruit, but its underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we cloned the litchi PPO gene (LcPPO, JF926153), and described its expression patterns. The LcPPO cDNA sequence was 2120 bps in length with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1800 bps. The ORF encoded a polypeptide with 599 amino acid residues, sharing high similarities with other plant PPO. The DNA sequence of the ORF contained a 215-bp intron. After carrying out quantitative RT-PCR, we proved that the LcPPO expression was tissue-specific, exhibiting the highest level in the flower and leaf. In the pericarp of newly-harvested litchi fruits, the LcPPO expression level was relatively high compared with developing fruits. Regardless of the litchi cultivar and treatment conditions, the LcPPO expression level and the PPO activity in pericarp of postharvest fruits exhibited the similar variations. When the fruits were stored at room temperature without packaging, all the pericarp browning index, PPO activity and the LcPPO expression level of litchi pericarps were reaching the highest in Nandaowuhe (the most rapid browning cultivar), but the lowest in Ziniangxi (the slowest browning cultivar) within 2 d postharvest. Preserving the fruits of Feizixiao in 0.2-μm plastic bag at room temperature would decrease the rate of pericarp water loss, delay the pericarp browning, and also cause the reduction of the pericarp PPO activity and LcPPO expression level within 3 d postharvest. In addition, postharvest storage of Feizixiao fruit stored at 4°C delayed the pericarp browning while decreasing the pericarp PPO activity and LcPPO expression level within 2 d after harvest. Thus, we concluded that the up-regulation of LcPPO expression in pericarp at early stage of postharvest storage likely enhanced the PPO activity and further accelerated the postharvest pericarp browning of litchi fruit. PMID:24763257

Loss of ADAMTS5 enhances brown adipose tissue mass and promotes browning of white adipose tissue via CREB signaling.

PubMed

Bauters, Dries; Cobbaut, Mathias; Geys, Lotte; Van Lint, Johan; Hemmeryckx, Bianca; Lijnen, H Roger

2017-07-01

A potential strategy to treat obesity - and the associated metabolic consequences - is to increase energy expenditure. This could be achieved by stimulating thermogenesis through activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and/or the induction of browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). Over the last years, it has become clear that several metalloproteinases play an important role in adipocyte biology. Here, we investigated the potential role of ADAMTS5. Mice deficient in ADAMTS5 ( Adamts5 -/- ) and wild-type ( Adamts5 +/+ ) littermates were kept on a standard of Western-type diet for 15 weeks. Energy expenditure and heat production was followed by indirect calorimetry. To activate thermogenesis, mice were treated with the β3-adrenergic receptor (β 3 -AR) agonist CL-316,243 or alternatively, exposed to cold for 2 weeks. Compared to Adamts5 +/+ mice, Adamts5 -/- mice have significantly more interscapular BAT and marked browning of their subcutaneous (SC) WAT. Thermogenic pathway analysis indicated, in the absence of ADAMTS5, enhanced β 3 -AR signaling via activation of the cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB). Additional β 3 -AR stimulation with CL-316,243 promoted browning of WAT in Adamts5 +/+ mice but had no additive effect in Adamts5 -/- mice. However, cold exposure induced more pronounced browning of WAT in Adamts5 -/- mice. These data indicate that ADAMTS5 plays a functional role in development of BAT and browning of WAT. Hence, selective targeting of ADAMTS5 could provide a novel therapeutic strategy for treatment/prevention of obesity and metabolic diseases.

[The relationship between the desiccation-induced browning and the metabolism of active oxygen and phenolics in pericarp of postharvest longan fruit].

PubMed

Lin, He-Tong; Xi, Yu-Fang; Chen, Shao-Jun

2005-06-01

Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) fruits are very susceptible to water loss and pericarp browning, and postharvest pericarp browning is the most important factors degrading the quality of longan fruit and shorting storage life. Pericarp browning has been attributed to desiccation, chilling, heat stress, senescence and pest or pathogen attack. Desiccation is the most main factor of induced-pericarp browning in longan. The relationship between water loss from pericarp and pericarp browning in longan cv. Fuyan fruits using open plastic punnets and sealed polyethylene bags at 10 degrees C +/-1 degrees C and 50% relative humidity, and the effect of pericarp water loss of the fruit on active oxygen metabolism and phenolics metabolism were investigated. Water loss resulted in rapid pericarp browning. Development of pericarp browning was higher with higher rate of water loss from pericarp and storage time (from 0 to 6 days). Water loss from pericarp was positively correlated with pericarp browning index significantly (P<0.01). Water loss from pericarp resulted in reduced activities of reactive-oxygen-scavenging enzymes (SOD, CAT, APX and GR), decreased amounts of endogenous antioxidant substances (AsA and GSH), and increased rates of O(-.)(2) production, MDA content and relative leakage rate, which showed that membrane structure was broken. Water loss from pericarp resulted in an increase in activity of PPO, and obvious reductions in total phenolic and flavonoid contents, whereas there was not obvious change in anthocyanin content. These results show that phenolics and flavonoids are the main substrates for PPO during desiccation-induced browning. Water loss from pericarp caused a significant increase in activity of POD, which also plays an important role in desiccation-induced browning in pericarp of longan fruit. Water loss from pericarp caused an increase in pH value, which resulted in changes in anthocyanin structure and color, the degradation of anthocyanin became

Phytochemical Profile of Brown Rice and Its Nutrigenomic Implications.

PubMed

Ravichanthiran, Keneswary; Ma, Zheng Feei; Zhang, Hongxia; Cao, Yang; Wang, Chee Woon; Muhammad, Shahzad; Aglago, Elom K; Zhang, Yihe; Jin, Yifan; Pan, Binyu

2018-05-23

Whole grain foods have been promoted to be included as one of the important components of a healthy diet because of the relationship between the regular consumption of whole-grain foods and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Rice is a staple food, which has been widely consumed for centuries by many Asian countries. Studies have suggested that brown rice is associated with a wide spectrum of nutrigenomic implications such as anti-diabetic, anti-cholesterol, cardioprotective and antioxidant. This is because of the presence of various phytochemicals that are mainly located in bran layers of brown rice. Therefore, this paper is a review of publications that focuses on the bioactive compounds and nutrigenomic implications of brown rice. Although current evidence supports the fact that the consumption of brown rice is beneficial for health, these studies are heterogeneous in terms of their brown rice samples used and population groups, which cause the evaluation to be difficult. Future clinical studies should focus on the screening of individual bioactive compounds in brown rice with reference to their nutrigenomic implications.

Canine tooth wear in captive little brown bats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, Donald R.

1980-01-01

Upper canine teeth of little brown bats Myotis lucifugus lucifugus held in stainless steel wire mesh cages underwent severe wear which exceeded that observed previously in caged big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus fuscus. This suggests a relationship between amount of wear and size of the caged bats with damage increasing as size decreases. Rapid wear of canine teeth by little brown bats resembled that observed in big brown bats in that it was limited to the first 2 weeks of captivity. This result indicates a universal interval for acclimation to cage conditions among vespertilionid bats. Dietary toxicants DDE and PCB did not affect the extent of wear. If bats are to be released to the wild, confinement in wire mesh cages should be avoided.

Calcifying Sorting and Segregating: "Brown" at 60

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graff, Cristina Santamaria; Kozleski, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

The 2007 "Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1". Supreme Court 5:4 decision suggests that the Court is divided in its interpretation of "Brown" and its intent in addressing racial segregation. Although "Brown" intended equal educational opportunities through desegregation practices,…

Exposure of Brown Recluse and Brown Widow Spiders (Araneae: Sicariidae, Theridiidae) to a Commercial Sulfuryl Fluoride Fumigation.

PubMed

Vetter, Richard S; Hoddle, Mark S; Choe, Dong-Hwan; Thoms, Ellen

2014-10-01

The body of pesticide research on spiders is sparse with most studies using topical or residual applications to assess efficacy. Data on the effects of fumigation on spider survivorship are scarce in the scientific literature. In this study, we exposed adult male and female brown recluse spiders, Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch & Mulaik, and female brown widow spiders, Latrodectus geometricus C. L. Koch, to a commercial fumigation event using sulfuryl fluoride directed at termite control. General consensus from the pest control industry is that fumigation is not always effective for control of spiders for a variety of reasons, including insufficient fumigant dosage, particularly, for contents of egg sacs that require a higher fumigant dosage for control. We demonstrated that a sulfuryl fluoride fumigation with an accumulated dosage of 162 oz-h per 1,000 ft(3) at 21°C over 25 h (≈1.7 × the drywood termite dosage) directed at termites was sufficient to kill adult brown recluse and brown widow spiders. The effectiveness of commercial fumigation practices to control spiders, and particularly their egg sacs, warrants further study. © 2014 Entomological Society of America.

Mink predation on brown trout in a Black Hills stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Jacob L.; Wilhite, Jerry W.; Chipps, Steven R.

2016-01-01

In the early 2000’s, declines in the brown trout (Salmo trutta) fishery in Rapid Creek, South Dakota, caused concern for anglers and fisheries managers. We conducted a radio telemetry study in 2010 and 2011 to identify predation mortality associated with mink, using hatchery-reared (2010) or wild (2011) brown trout. Estimated predation rates by mink (Mustela vison) on radio-tagged brown trout were 30% for hatchery fish and 32% for wild fish. Size frequency analysis revealed that the size distribution of brown trout lost to predation was similar to that of other, radio-tagged brown trout. In both years, a higher proportion of predation mortality (83–92%) occurred during spring, consistent with seasonal fish consumption by mink. Predation by mink appeared to be a significant source of brown trout mortality in our study.

Taming the Flames: Targeting White Adipose Tissue Browning in Hypermetabolic Conditions.

PubMed

Abdullahi, Abdikarim; Jeschke, Marc G

2017-12-01

In this era of increased obesity and diabetes prevalence, the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target to induce weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity in this population. The browning process entails a shift in the WAT from primarily storing excess energy to the dissipation of energy as heat. However, this idealistic view of WAT browning being the savior of the metabolic syndrome has been criticized by studies in burn and cancer patients that have shown browning to be detrimental rather than beneficial. In fact, in the context of hypermetabolic states, the browning of WAT has presented with substantial clinical adverse outcomes related to cachexia, hepatic steatosis, and muscle catabolism. Therefore, the previous thought construct of understanding browning as an all-beneficial physiologic event has now been met with skepticism. In this review, we focus on current knowledge of browning of WAT and its adverse metabolic alterations during hypermetabolic states. We also discuss the regulators and signaling pathways involved in the browning process and their potential for being targeted by new or existing drugs to inhibit or alleviate browning, potentially leading to decreased hypermetabolism and improved clinical outcomes. Lastly, the imminent clinical applications of pharmacological agents are explored in the perspective of attenuating WAT browning and its associated adverse side effects reported in burn patients. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society.

On Browne's Solution for Oblique Procrustes Rotation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cramer, Elliot M.

1974-01-01

A form of Browne's (1967) solution of finding a least squares fit to a specified factor structure is given which does not involve solution of an eigenvalue problem. It suggests the possible existence of a singularity, and a simple modification of Browne's computational procedure is proposed. (Author/RC)

The role of various amino acids in enzymatic browning process in potato tubers, and identifying the browning products.

PubMed

Ali, Hussein M; El-Gizawy, Ahmed M; El-Bassiouny, Rawia E I; Saleh, Mahmoud A

2016-02-01

The effects of five structurally variant amino acids, glycine, valine, methionine, phenylalanine and cysteine were examined as inhibitors and/or stimulators of fresh-cut potato browning. The first four amino acids showed conflict effects; high concentrations (⩾ 100mM for glycine and ⩾ 1.0M for the other three amino acids) induced potato browning while lower concentrations reduced the browning process. Alternatively, increasing cysteine concentration consistently reduced the browning process due to reaction with quinone to give colorless adduct. In PPO assay, high concentrations (⩾ 1.11 mM) of the four amino acids developed more color than that of control samples. Visible spectra indicated a continuous condensation of quinone and glycine to give colored adducts absorbed at 610-630 nm which were separated and identified by LC-ESI-MS as catechol-diglycine adduct that undergoes polymerization with other glycine molecules to form peptide side chains. In lower concentrations, the less concentration the less developed color was observed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 890.3675 - Denis Brown splint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Denis Brown splint. 890.3675 Section 890.3675 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3675 Denis Brown splint. (a...

21 CFR 890.3675 - Denis Brown splint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Denis Brown splint. 890.3675 Section 890.3675 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3675 Denis Brown splint. (a...

21 CFR 890.3675 - Denis Brown splint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Denis Brown splint. 890.3675 Section 890.3675 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3675 Denis Brown splint. (a...

21 CFR 890.3675 - Denis Brown splint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Denis Brown splint. 890.3675 Section 890.3675 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3675 Denis Brown splint. (a...

STS-107 Crew Interviews: David Brown MS1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

STS-107 Mission Specialist 1 David Brown is seen during this preflight interview where he gives a quick overview of the mission before answering questions about his inspiration to become an astronaut and his career. Brown outlines his role in the mission in general, and specifically during the conducting of on-board science experiments. Brown discusses the following instruments and experiments in detail: ARMS (Advanced Respiratory Monitoring System), MEIDEX (Mediterranean Israeli Dust Experiment), Combustion Module 2, and FREESTAR (Fast Reaction Enables Science Technology and Research). He also describes the new primary payload carrier, the SPACEHAB research double module which doubles the amount of space available for research. Brown shares his thoughts about the importance of international cooperation in mission planning and the need for scientific research in space.

Platform construction of molecular breeding for utilization of brown macroalgae.

PubMed

Takagi, Toshiyuki; Kuroda, Kouichi; Ueda, Mitsuyoshi

2018-01-01

Brown macroalgae are characterized by a large size and high productivity without requiring arable land, fresh water, and fertilizer. Furthermore, since brown macroalgae contain little or no lignin, simple biorefinery processing can efficiently produce sugars from this material. Therefore, brown macroalgae have attracted attention as an alternative feedstock for bioethanol production. However, the utilization of biotechnologies previously developed for terrestrial biomass processing results in difficulties in the bioconversion of brown macroalgae. Recently, several studies have developed biotechnologies for using major carbohydrates of brown macroalgae, such as laminarin, mannitol, and alginate. This review focuses on these fermentation biotechnologies using natural or engineered microorganisms. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regulation of an unexploited brown trout population in Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carline, R.F.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the annual variations in the density of an unexploited population of lotic brown trout Salmo trutta that has been censused annually for 19 years and to explore the importance of density-independent and density-dependent processes in regulating population size. Brown trout density and indices of stream discharge and water temperature were related to annual variations in natural mortality, recruitment, and growth. Annual mortality of age-1 and older (age-1+) brown trout ranged from 0.30 to 0.75 and was best explained by discharge during spring and by brown trout density. Recruitment to age 1 varied fivefold. Density of age-1 brown trout was inversely related to spawner density and positively related to discharge during the fall spawning period. The median length of age-1 brown trout was positively related to discharge during summer and fall. Relative weight was inversely related to the density of age-2+ brown trout. The interactive effects of discharge and brown trout density accounted for most of the annual variation in mortality, recruitment, and growth during the first year of life. Annual trends in the abundance of age-1+ brown trout were largely dictated by natural mortality. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2006.

Spatial differences between stars and brown dwarfs: a dynamical origin?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parker, Richard J.; Andersen, Morten

2014-06-01

We use N-body simulations to compare the evolution of spatial distributions of stars and brown dwarfs in young star-forming regions. We use three different diagnostics: the ratio of stars to brown dwarfs as a function of distance from the region's centre, {R}_SSR, the local surface density of stars compared to brown dwarfs, ΣLDR, and we compare the global spatial distributions using the ΛMSR method. From a suite of 20 initially statistically identical simulations, 6/20 attain {R}_SSR ≪ 1 and ΣLDR ≪ 1 and ΛMSR ≪ 1, indicating that dynamical interactions could be responsible for observed differences in the spatial distributions of stars and brown dwarfs in star-forming regions. However, many simulations also display apparently contradictory results - for example, in some cases the brown dwarfs have much lower local densities than stars (ΣLDR ≪ 1), but their global spatial distributions are indistinguishable (ΛMSR = 1) and the relative proportion of stars and brown dwarfs remains constant across the region ({R}_SSR = 1). Our results suggest that extreme caution should be exercised when interpreting any observed difference in the spatial distribution of stars and brown dwarfs, and that a much larger observational sample of regions/clusters (with complete mass functions) is necessary to investigate whether or not brown dwarfs form through similar mechanisms to stars.

Anthraquinones isolated from the browned Chinese chestnut kernels (Castanea mollissima blume)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y. L.; Qi, J. H.; Qin, L.; Wang, F.; Pang, M. X.

2016-08-01

Anthraquinones (AQS) represent a group of secondary metallic products in plants. AQS are often naturally occurring in plants and microorganisms. In a previous study, we found that AQS were produced by enzymatic browning reaction in Chinese chestnut kernels. To find out whether non-enzymatic browning reaction in the kernels could produce AQS too, AQS were extracted from three groups of chestnut kernels: fresh kernels, non-enzymatic browned kernels, and browned kernels, and the contents of AQS were determined. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods were used to identify two compounds of AQS, rehein(1) and emodin(2). AQS were barely exists in the fresh kernels, while both browned kernel groups sample contained a high amount of AQS. Thus, we comfirmed that AQS could be produced during both enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning process. Rhein and emodin were the main components of AQS in the browned kernels.

BRIC - Brown with canisters on middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-02

STS095-E-5166 (2 Nov. 1998) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown Jr. (left), STS-95 commander, and U.S. Sen. John H. Glenn Jr., payload specialist, are seen on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery during Flight Day three activity. Brown has retrieved an experiment from a stowage locker and Glenn works out on the ergometer device. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 05:55:42 GMT, Nov. 2.

HARPERS FERRY, A PLAY ABOUT JOHN BROWN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STAVIS, BARRIE

THIS PLAY IS A DRAMATIC RENDERING OF JOHN BROWN'S ATTACK ON THE ARMORY AT HARPERS FERRY AND HIS SUBSEQUENT TRIAL FOR TREASON. ALTHOUGH IT ADHERES TO THE FACTS OF HISTORY, THEY ARE NOT TREATED REALISTICALLY. "HARPERS FERRY" PORTRAYS BROWN AS POSSESSING A PURE IDEALISM UNTAINTED IN THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE BY MATERIALISM OR SELF-SEEKING, WHICH…

Chondrule-like objects and brown glasses in howardites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Edward J.; Fredriksson, Kurt; Rajan, Sundar; Noonan, Albert

1990-01-01

Chondrulelike objects and brown glasses were analyzed in the howardites, Bununu, Malvern, Monticello, Pavlovka, and Yamato 7308. The objects are very similar to chondrules in ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites. Like the brown glasses, the chondrulelike objects could have been produced by impact melting that left some crystalline nuclei, followed by a slower cooling rate than for the glasses. Alternatively, these objects are chondrules implanted from chondrite impactors. They are, however, without rims or any adhering matrix. The brown glasses appear to represent melting of average regolithic surface material, except for Monticello and Y7308, both of which have some siliceous glasses. The siliceous glasses could not have been produced by vapor fractionation but by melting of differentiated lithologies such as fayalitic granites. Impact mechanics indicates that howardites with abundant brown glasses came from an asteroid larger than Vesta (greater than 400 km radius), upon which impacts occurred at relative velocities of up to 5 km/s. Howardites with little or no brown glasses came from a smaller parent body. It is concluded that at least two parent bodies are likely sources for the basaltic achondrites.

7 CFR 868.251 - Definition of brown rice for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Definition of brown rice for processing. 868.251... REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Brown Rice for Processing Terms Defined § 868.251 Definition of brown rice for processing. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) which...

7 CFR 868.251 - Definition of brown rice for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Definition of brown rice for processing. 868.251... REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES United States Standards for Brown Rice for Processing Terms Defined § 868.251 Definition of brown rice for processing. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) which...

A novel brown adipocyte-enriched long non-coding RNA that is required for brown adipocyte differentiation and sufficient to drive thermogenic gene program in white adipocytes.

PubMed

Xiong, Yan; Yue, Feng; Jia, Zhihao; Gao, Yun; Jin, Wen; Hu, Keping; Zhang, Yong; Zhu, Dahai; Yang, Gongshe; Kuang, Shihuan

2018-04-01

The thermogenic activities of brown and beige adipocytes can be exploited to reduce energy surplus and counteract obesity. Recent RNA sequencing studies have uncovered a number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) uniquely expressed in white and brown adipose tissues (WAT and BAT), but whether and how these lncRNAs function in adipogenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we report the identification of a novel brown adipocyte-enriched LncRNA (AK079912), and its nuclear localization, function and regulation. The expression of AK079912 increases during brown preadipocyte differentiation and in response to cold-stimulated browning of white adipocytes. Knockdown of AK079912 inhibits brown preadipocyte differentiation, manifested by reductions in lipid accumulation and down-regulation of adipogenic and BAT-specific genes. Conversely, ectopic expression of AK079912 in white preadipocytes up-regulates the expression of genes involved in thermogenesis. Mechanistically, inhibition of AK079912 reduces mitochondrial copy number and protein levels of mitochondria electron transport chain (ETC) complexes, whereas AK079912 overexpression increases the levels of ETC proteins. Lastly, reporter and pharmacological assays identify Pparγ as an upstream regulator of AK079912. These results provide new insights into the function of non-coding RNAs in brown adipogenesis and regulating browning of white adipocytes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationship in between Chemical Oxidation and Browning of Flavanols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, X.; Zhang, Y. L.; Wang, F.; Pang, M. X.; Qi, J. H.

2016-08-01

Catechin, epicatechin and chlorogenic acid are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. At present, influencing factors of phenol chemical oxidation is little research. In order to study non-enzymatic browning factors, this research utilized catechin, epicatechin and chlorogenic acid to establish simulation systems. The browning degree and products of flavanols were investigated by transmittance and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The main results and conclusions were follows. The brown generation is increased after phenols of chemical oxidation at 50°C and at pH 3.7 phosphate buffered saline, the sequence of influencing factor of browning is pH > kind of phenol > temperature. Oxidation of compounds of catechin and epicatechin results in formation of their Methylene quinone or o -Quinones. In addition, oxidation products of catechin, epicatechin and chlorogenic acid were mixture of different molecular sizes. The research has showed that brown generation correlated well with chemical oxidation of phenols and chemical oxidation reaction generated larger molecular weight polymers.

Examining Cloud, Metallicity, and Gravity signatures in Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzales, Eileen; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Gagné, Jonathan; Artigau, Étienne; BDNYC

2018-01-01

The nearby solar neighborhood is littered with low mass, low temperature objects called brown dwarfs. This population of ultracool objects do not have enough mass to sustain stable hydrogen burning so they never enter the main sequence and simply cool through time. Brown dwarfs span effective temperatures in the range 250 to 3000K. They also have age dependent observable properties. Young brown dwarfs appear to have redder near infrared colors than field age sources, while old objects tend to have bluer colors. Over the past several years, the research group entitled “Brown Dwarfs in New York City” (BDNYC) has been collecting optical, near and mid-infrared spectra, as well as photometry for sources that have well defined distances. In this poster, I will compare the distance calibrated spectral energy distributions of a sample of old, young, and field age brown dwarfs of the same effective temperature. In so doing, I will discern observables linked to gravity, atmosphere, metallicity and age effects.

Effect of Product Dimensions and Surface Browning Method on Salmonella Contamination in Frozen, Surface-Browned, Breaded Chicken Products Treated with Antimicrobials.

PubMed

Moschonas, Galatios; Geornaras, Ifigenia; Stopforth, Jarret D; Woerner, Dale R; Belk, Keith E; Smith, Gary C; Sofos, John N

2015-12-01

Not-ready-to-eat breaded chicken products formulated with antimicrobial ingredients were tested for the effect of sample dimensions, surface browning method and final internal sample temperature on inoculated Salmonella populations. Fresh chicken breast meat portions (5 × 5 × 5 cm), inoculated with Salmonella (7-strain mixture; 5 log CFU/g), were mixed with (5% v/w total moisture enhancement) (i) distilled water (control), (ii) caprylic acid (CAA; 0.0625%) and carvacrol (CAR; 0.075%), (iii) CAA (0.25%) and ε-polylysine (POL; 0.5%), (iv) CAR (0.15%) and POL (0.5%), or (v) CAA (0.0625%), CAR (0.075%) and POL (0.5%). Sodium chloride (1.2%) and sodium tripolyphosphate (0.3%) were added to all treatments. The mixtures were then ground and formed into 9 × 5 × 3 cm (150 g) or 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm (50 g) portions. The products were breaded, browned in (i) an oven (208 °C, 15 min) or (ii) deep fryer (190 °C, 15 s), packaged, and stored at -20 °C (8 d). Overall, maximum internal temperatures of 62.4 ± 4.0 °C (9 × 2.5 × 2 cm) and 46.0 ± 3.0 °C (9 × 5 × 3 cm) were reached in oven-browned samples, and 35.0 ± 1.1 °C (9 × 2.5 × 2 cm) and 31.7 ± 2.6 °C (9 × 5 × 3 cm) in fryer-browned samples. Irrespective of formulation treatment, total (after frozen storage) reductions of Salmonella were greater (P < 0.05) for 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm oven-browned samples (3.8 to at least 4.6 log CFU/g) than for 9 × 5 × 3 cm oven-browned samples (0.7 to 2.5 log CFU/g). Product dimensions did not (P ≥ 0.05) affect Salmonella reductions (0.6 to 2.8 log CFU/g) in fryer-browned samples. All antimicrobial treatments reduced Salmonella to undetectable levels (<0.3 log CFU/g) in oven-browned 9 × 2.5 × 2 cm samples. Overall, the data may be useful for the selection of antimicrobials, product dimensions, and surface browning methods for reducing Salmonella contamination. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Novel browning agents, mechanisms and therapeutic potentials of brown adipose tissue

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Non-shivering thermogenesis is the process of biological heat production in mammals and is primarily mediated by brown adipose tissue (BAT). Through ubiquitous expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) on the mitochondrial inner membrane, BAT displays uncoupling of fuel combustion and ATP production...

Ouabain-sensitive component of brown fat thermogenesis.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horwitz, B. A.

1973-01-01

The study discussed was undertaken to quantify the amount of energy utilized by the ouabain-sensitive Na(+)-K(+) membrane pump during the norepinephrine-induced thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue. The data obtained indicate that the observed inhibition of the catecholamine-induced increase in brown fat thermogenesis by ouabain does not reflect an inhibition of cyclic AMP synthesis.

RADIAL VELOCITY VARIABILITY OF FIELD BROWN DWARFS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prato, L.; Mace, G. N.; Rice, E. L.

2015-07-20

We present paper six of the NIRSPEC Brown Dwarf Spectroscopic Survey, an analysis of multi-epoch, high-resolution (R ∼ 20,000) spectra of 25 field dwarf systems (3 late-type M dwarfs, 16 L dwarfs, and 6 T dwarfs) taken with the NIRSPEC infrared spectrograph at the W. M. Keck Observatory. With a radial velocity (RV) precision of ∼2 km s{sup −1}, we are sensitive to brown dwarf companions in orbits with periods of a few years or less given a mass ratio of 0.5 or greater. We do not detect any spectroscopic binary brown dwarfs in the sample. Given our target properties,more » and the frequency and cadence of observations, we use a Monte Carlo simulation to determine the detection probability of our sample. Even with a null detection result, our 1σ upper limit for very low mass binary frequency is 18%. Our targets included seven known, wide brown dwarf binary systems. No significant RV variability was measured in our multi-epoch observations of these systems, even for those pairs for which our data spanned a significant fraction of the orbital period. Specialized techniques are required to reach the high precisions sensitive to motion in orbits of very low-mass systems. For eight objects, including six T dwarfs, we present the first published high-resolution spectra, many with high signal to noise, that will provide valuable comparison data for models of brown dwarf atmospheres.« less

D-Galacturonic acid as a highly reactive compound in nonenzymatic browning. 1. Formation of browning active degradation products.

PubMed

Bornik, Maria-Anna; Kroh, Lothar W

2013-04-10

Thermal treatment of an aqueous solution of D-galacturonic acid at pH 3, 5, and 8 led to rapid browning of the solution and to the formation of carbocyclic compounds such as reductic acid (2,3-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one), DHCP (4,5-dihydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-one), and furan-2-carbaldehyde, as degradation products in weak acidic solution. Studies on their formation revealed 2-ketoglutaraldehyde as their common key intermediate. Norfuraneol (4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3-(2H)-furanone) is a typical alkaline degradation product and formed after isomerization. Further model studies revealed reductic acid as an important and more browning active compound than furan-2-carbaldehyde, which led to a red color of the model solution. This red-brown color is also characteristic of thermally treated uronic acid solutions.

HUBBLE SPIES BROWN DWARFS IN NEARBY STELLAR NURSERY

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Probing deep within a neighborhood stellar nursery, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope uncovered a swarm of newborn brown dwarfs. The orbiting observatory's near-infrared camera revealed about 50 of these objects throughout the Orion Nebula's Trapezium cluster [image at right], about 1,500 light-years from Earth. Appearing like glistening precious stones surrounding a setting of sparkling diamonds, more than 300 fledgling stars and brown dwarfs surround the brightest, most massive stars [center of picture] in Hubble's view of the Trapezium cluster's central region. All of the celestial objects in the Trapezium were born together in this hotbed of star formation. The cluster is named for the trapezoidal alignment of those central massive stars. Brown dwarfs are gaseous objects with masses so low that their cores never become hot enough to fuse hydrogen, the thermonuclear fuel stars like the Sun need to shine steadily. Instead, these gaseous objects fade and cool as they grow older. Brown dwarfs around the age of the Sun (5 billion years old) are very cool and dim, and therefore are difficult for telescopes to find. The brown dwarfs discovered in the Trapezium, however, are youngsters (1 million years old). So they're still hot and bright, and easier to see. This finding, along with observations from ground-based telescopes, is further evidence that brown dwarfs, once considered exotic objects, are nearly as abundant as stars. The image and results appear in the Sept. 20 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. The brown dwarfs are too dim to be seen in a visible-light image taken by the Hubble telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 [picture at left]. This view also doesn't show the assemblage of infant stars seen in the near-infrared image. That's because the young stars are embedded in dense clouds of dust and gas. The Hubble telescope's near-infrared camera, the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer, penetrated those clouds to capture a view of those

Parallax measurements of six brown dwarfs.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjavacas, E.; Goldman, B.; Reffert, S.; Henning, T.

Accurate parallax measurements allow us to determine physical properties of brown dwarfs, and help us to constrain evolutionary and atmospheric models and reveal unresolved binaries. We measured absolute trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of six cool brown dwarfs using background galaxies to establish an absolute reference frame. The brown dwarfs in our sample have spectral types between T2.5 and T7.5. The observations were taken in the J-band with the Omega2000 camera at the 3.5 m telescope at CAHA during a time period of 27 months. We obtained absolute parallaxes for our 6 brown dwarfs with a precision between 3 and 6 mas. We compared our results with the study by \\cite{Dupuy} and with the evolutionary models of \\cite{Allard}. For four of the six targets we found a good agreement in luminosity among objects of similar spectral types. The object 2MASS J11061197+2754225 is more than 1 mag overluminous in all bands pointing to binarity or higher order multiplicity. Based on observations taken with Omega-2000 at the 3.5 m telescope at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated by the Max Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC).

MyomiR-133 regulates brown fat differentiation through Prdm16.

PubMed

Trajkovski, Mirko; Ahmed, Kashan; Esau, Christine C; Stoffel, Markus

2012-12-01

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) uses the chemical energy of lipids and glucose to produce heat, a function that can be induced by cold exposure or diet. A key regulator of BAT is the gene encoding PR domain containing 16 (Prdm16), whose expression can drive differentiation of myogenic and white fat precursors to brown adipocytes. Here we show that after cold exposure, the muscle-enriched miRNA-133 is markedly downregulated in BAT and subcutaneous white adipose tissue (SAT) as a result of decreased expression of its transcriptional regulator Mef2. miR-133 directly targets and negatively regulates PRDM16, and inhibition of miR-133 or Mef2 promotes differentiation of precursors from BAT and SAT to mature brown adipocytes, thereby leading to increased mitochondrial activity. Forced expression of miR-133 in brown adipogenic conditions prevents the differentiation to brown adipocytes in both BAT and SAT precursors. Our results point to Mef2 and miR-133 as central upstream regulators of Prdm16 and hence of brown adipogenesis in response to cold exposure in BAT and SAT.

Application of Exogenous Ethylene Inhibits Postharvest Peel Browning of 'Huangguan' Pear.

PubMed

Ma, Yurong; Yang, Mengnan; Wang, Jingjing; Jiang, Cai-Zhong; Wang, Qingguo

2016-01-01

Peel browning disorder has an enormous impact on the exterior quality of 'Huangguan' pear whereas the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Although different methods have been applied for inhibiting the peel browning of 'Huangguan' pear, there are numerous issues associated with these approaches, such as time cost, efficacy, safety and stability. In this study, to develop a rapid, efficient and safe way to protect 'Huangguan' pear from skin browning, the effect of exogenous ethylene on peel browning of pear fruits stored at 0°C was evaluated. Results showed that ethylene treatments at 0.70-1.28 μL/L significantly decreased the browning rate and browning index from 73.80% and 0.30 to 6.80% and 0.02 after 20 days storage at 0°C, respectively, whereas ethylene treatments at 5 μL/L completely inhibited the occurrence of browning. In addition, ethylene treatments at 5 μL/L decreased the electrolyte leakage and respiration rate, delayed the loss of total phenolic compounds. Furthermore, ethylene (5 μL/L) treatment significantly enhanced the activity of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and increased the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl inhibition rate, but inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD). Our data revealed that ethylene prevented the peel browning through improving antioxidant enzymes (CAT, APX and SOD) activities and reducing PPO activity, electrolyte leakage rate and respiration rate. This study demonstrates that exogenous ethylene application may provide a safe and effective alternative method for controlling browning, and contributes to the understanding of peel browning of 'Huangguan' pear.

How Long? Cosby, Brown and Racial Progress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malveaux, Julianne

2004-01-01

Bill Cosby ruffled feathers, raised eyebrows and said a mouthful when, at a Howard University black-tie celebration of the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, he launched into a rift about "the lower economic people" not holding up their end of the bargain in the wake of Brown. "We can't blame White people," Cosby said, for an array…

Interspecific interactions between brown trout and slimy sculpin in stream enclosures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruetz, C. R.; Hurford, A.L.; Vondracek, B.

2003-01-01

We conducted a 30-d manipulative experiment in Valley Creek, Minnesota, to examine interspecific interactions between juvenile brown trout Salmo trutta and adult slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus. We measured the instantaneous growth of each species in the presence and absence of the other in 1-m2 enclosures. We tested single-species (three slimy sculpins/m2 or three brown trout/m2) and combined-species (three sculpins/m2 and three trout/m2) combinations in each of six riffles. We placed a clay tile in each enclosure to evaluate the effects of fish combinations on benthic macroinvertebrates. Growth of brown trout was unaffected by the presence of slimy sculpins (P = 0.647, power [to detect 50% increase in growth] = 0.92), whereas slimy sculpin growth was less in the presence of brown trout (P = 0.038). Densities of total benthic macroinvertebrates, Chironomidae, Trichoptera, and Physa did not differ among fish combinations (P > 0.3). However, densities of Gammarus pseudolimnaeus were significantly less in the presence of brown trout irrespective of the presence of slimy sculpins (P = 0.024), which could be a causal factor underlying the interaction between brown trout and slimy sculpins. We found asymmetrical competition between brown trout and slimy sculpins in stream enclosures, with brown trout being the superior competitor. Nevertheless, the size of enclosures may have biased our results, making it more likely to detect an effect of brown trout on slimy sculpins than vice versa.

After Brown U.'s Report on Slavery, Silence (So Far)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Thomas

2006-01-01

This article, discusses Brown University's slavery report, a 106-page narrative examination of the early connections between Brown University and slavery, that has been greeted--so far--with silence. The report, done at the behest of Ruth J. Simmons, Brown's president and herself a descendant of slaves, is an unsparing look at a shameful side of…

Large Brown Oval

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-01-29

This large brown oval, photographed on Mar. 2, 1979 by NASA Voyager 1. Features of this sort are not rare on Jupiter and have an average lifetime of one to two years. Above the feature is the pale orange North Temperate Belt. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00015

Brown on middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-10-30

STS095-E-5054 (30 Oct. 1998) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown, STS-95 commander, has a handful of vials as he checks a notebook during Flight Day two activity onboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera at 10:42:49 GMT, Oct. 30.

The membrane may be an important factor in browning of fresh-cut pear.

PubMed

Li, Zhenghong; Zhang, Yuxing; Ge, Huibo

2017-09-01

Surface browning is an important cause of deterioration of fresh-cut fruit during postharvest handling. In this paper, four pear cultivars with different extents of natural browning were selected to analyse the factors involved in browning. The main results are as follows: the lipoxygenase (LOX) activity of 'Mantianhong' and 'Yali' pears was higher accompanied by a stronger degree of browning, while the LOX activity in 'Xueqing' and 'Xinli 7' pears was lower, with less browning. A higher unsaturated fatty acid ratio of pear resulted in reduced browning. The cell membranes disappeared 30min after being cut in 'Mantianhong' pear, which browns easily; however, the cell membranes were still intact 30min after being cut in 'Xueqing' pear, which does not brown easily. Therefore, it can be assumed that the stability of the cell membrane plays an important role in inhibiting browning of fresh-cut pears. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Monoterpene phenolic compound thymol promotes browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

PubMed

Choi, Jae Heon; Kim, Sang Woo; Yu, Rina; Yun, Jong Won

2017-10-01

Appearance of brown-like adipocytes within white adipose tissue depots (browning) is associated with improved metabolic phenotypes, and thus a wide variety of dietary agents that contribute to browning of white adipocytes are being studied. The aim of this study was to assess the browning effect of thymol, a dietary monoterpene phenolic compound, in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes. Thymol-induced fat browning was investigated by determining expression levels of brown fat-specific genes and proteins by real-time RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis, respectively. Moreover, the molecular mechanism underlying the fat-browning effect of thymol was investigated by determining expression levels of key players responsible for browning in the presence of kinase inhibitors. Thymol promoted mitochondrial biogenesis and enhanced expression of a core set of brown fat-specific markers as well as increased protein levels of PPARγ, PPARδ, pAMPK, pACC, HSL, PLIN, CPT1, ACO, PGC-1α, and UCP1, suggesting its possible role in browning of white adipocytes, augmentation of lipolysis, fat oxidation, and thermogenesis, and reduction of lipogenesis. Increased expression of UCP1 and other brown fat-specific markers by thymol was tightly coordinated with activation of β3-AR as well as AMPK, PKA, and p38 MAPK. Our findings suggest that 3T3-L1 is a potential cell model for screening browning agents. Thymol plays multiple modulatory roles in the form of inducing the brown-like phenotype as well as enhancing lipid metabolism. Thus, thymol may be explored as a potentially promising food additive for prevention of obesity.

Phospholipids of New Zealand Edible Brown Algae.

PubMed

Vyssotski, Mikhail; Lagutin, Kirill; MacKenzie, Andrew; Mitchell, Kevin; Scott, Dawn

2017-07-01

Edible brown algae have attracted interest as a source of beneficial allenic carotenoid fucoxanthin, and glyco- and phospholipids enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Unlike green algae, brown algae contain no or little phosphatidylserine, possessing an unusual aminophospholipid, phosphatidyl-O-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl) glycine], PHEG, instead. When our routinely used technique of 31 P-NMR analysis of phospholipids was applied to the samples of edible New Zealand brown algae, a number of signals corresponding to unidentified phosphorus-containing compounds were observed in total lipids. NI (negative ion) ESI QToF MS spectra confirmed the presence of more familiar phospholipids, and also suggested the presence of PHEG or its isomers. The structure of PHEG was confirmed by comparison with a synthetic standard. An unusual MS fragmentation pattern that was also observed prompted us to synthesise a number of possible candidates, and was found to follow that of phosphatidylhydroxyethyl methylcarbamate, likely an extraction artefact. An unexpected outcome was the finding of ceramidephosphoinositol that has not been reported previously as occurring in brown algae. An uncommon arsenic-containing phospholipid has also been observed and quantified, and its TLC behaviour studied, along with that of the newly synthesised lipids.

Doppler Imaging of Exoplanets and Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crossfield, I.; Biller, B.; Schlieder, J.; Deacon, N.; Bonnefoy, M.; Homeier, D.; Allard, F.; Buenzli, E.; Henning, T.; Brandner, W.; Goldman, Bertr; Kopytova, T.

2014-03-01

Doppler Imaging produces 2D global maps. When applied to cool planets or more massive brown dwarfs, it can map atmospheric features and track global weather patterns. The first substellar map, of the 2pc-distant brown dwarf Luhman 16B (Crossfeld et al. 2014), revealed patchy regions of thin & thick clouds. Here, I investigate the feasibility of future Doppler Imaging of additional objects. Searching the literature, I find that all 3 of P, v sin i, and variability are published for 22 brown dwarfs. At least one datum exists for 333 targets. The sample is very incomplete below ~L5; we need more surveys to find the best targets for Doppler Imaging! I estimate limiting magnitudes for Doppler Imaging with various hi-resolution near-infrared spectrographs. Only a handful of objects - at the M/L and L/T transitions - can be mapped with current tools. Large telescopes such as TMT and GMT will allow Doppler Imaging of many dozens of brown dwarfs and the brightest exoplanets. More targets beyond type L5 likely remain to be found. Future observations will let us probe the global atmospheric dynamics of many diverse objects.

Investigation of metal ions sorption of brown peat moss powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelus, Nadezhda; Blokhina, Elena; Novikov, Dmitry; Novikova, Yaroslavna; Chuchalin, Vladimir

2017-11-01

For regularities research of sorptive extraction of heavy metal ions by cellulose and its derivates from aquatic solution of electrolytes it is necessary to find possible mechanism of sorption process and to choice a model describing this process. The present article investigates the regularities of aliovalent metals sorption on brown peat moss powder. The results show that sorption isotherm of Al3+ ions is described by Freundlich isotherm and sorption isotherms of Na+ i Ni2+ are described by Langmuir isotherm. To identify the mechanisms of brown peat moss powder sorption the IR-spectra of the initial brown peat moss powder samples and brown peat moss powder samples after Ni (II) sorption were studied. Metal ion binding mechanisms by brown peat moss powder points to ion exchange, physical adsorption, and complex formation with hydroxyl and carboxyl groups.

Prostaglandin E2 signals white-to-brown adipogenic differentiation

PubMed Central

García-Alonso, Verónica; Clària, Joan

2014-01-01

The formation of new adipocytes from precursor cells is a crucial aspect of normal adipose tissue function. During the adipogenic process, adipocytes differentiated from mesenchymal stem cells give rise to two main types of fat: white adipose tissue (WAT) characterized by the presence of adipocytes containing large unilocular lipid droplets, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) composed by multilocular brown adipocytes packed with mitochondria. WAT is not only important for energy storage but also as an endocrine organ regulating whole body homeostasis by secreting adipokines and other mediators, which directly impact metabolic functions in obesity. By contrast, BAT is specialized in dissipating energy in form of heat and has salutary effects in combating obesity and associated disorders. Unfortunately, WAT is the predominant fat type, whereas BAT is scarce and located in discrete pockets in adult humans. Luckily, another type of brown adipocytes, called beige or brite (brown-in-white) adipocytes, with similar functions to those of “classical” brown adipocytes has recently been identified in WAT. In this review, a close look is given into the role of bioactive lipid mediators in the regulation of adipogenesis, with a special emphasis on the role of the microsomal prostaglandin E (PGE) synthase-1, a terminal enzyme in PGE2 biosynthesis, as a key regulator of white-to-brown adipogenesis in WAT. PMID:26317053

A Panchromatic View of Brown Dwarf Aurorae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pineda, J. Sebastian; Hallinan, Gregg; Kao, Melodie M.

2017-09-01

Stellar coronal activity has been shown to persist into the low-mass star regime, down to late M-dwarf spectral types. However, there is now an accumulation of evidence suggesting that at the end of the main sequence, there is a transition in the nature of the magnetic activity from chromospheric and coronal to planet-like and auroral, from local impulsive heating via flares and MHD wave dissipation to energy dissipation from strong large-scale magnetospheric current systems. We examine this transition and the prevalence of auroral activity in brown dwarfs through a compilation of multiwavelength surveys of magnetic activity, including radio, X-ray, and optical. We compile the results of those surveys and place their conclusions in the context of auroral emission as a consequence of large-scale magnetospheric current systems that accelerate energetic electron beams and drive the particles to impact the cool atmospheric gas. We explore the different manifestations of auroral phenomena, like Hα, in brown dwarf atmospheres and define their distinguishing characteristics. We conclude that large-amplitude photometric variability in the near-infrared is most likely a consequence of clouds in brown dwarf atmospheres, but that auroral activity may be responsible for long-lived stable surface features. We report a connection between auroral Hα emission and quiescent radio emission in electron cyclotron maser instability pulsing brown dwarfs, suggesting a potential underlying physical connection between quiescent and auroral emissions. We also discuss the electrodynamic engines powering brown dwarf aurorae and the possible role of satellites around these systems both to power the aurorae and seed the magnetosphere with plasma.

maxwell brown | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Research Interests Optimization and modeling techniques Economic impacts of energy sector transformation . Transportation Research Record. Caron, J, S Cohen, J Reilly, M Brown. 2018. Exploring the Impacts of a National : Economic and GHG Impacts of a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard. Transportation Research Record: Journal of

Kate Brown | NREL

Science.gov Websites

-7721 Research Interests Kate Brown received her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008. While at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, her research has focused on the synthesis and ] hydrogenase complexes and implications for photochemical H2 generation," Journal of the American Chemical

On a question of Brown, Douglas, and Fillmore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jaewoong; Lee, Woo Young

2007-12-01

In this note we answer an old question of Brown, Douglas, and Fillmore [L. Brown, R.G. Douglas, P. Fillmore, Unitary equivalence modulo the compact operators and extensions of C*-algebras, in: Proc. Conf. Operator Theory, in: Lecture Notes in Math., vol. 345, Springer, Berlin, 1973, pp. 58-128].

Physiological regulation and metabolic role of browning in white adipose tissue.

PubMed

Jankovic, Aleksandra; Otasevic, Vesna; Stancic, Ana; Buzadzic, Biljana; Korac, Aleksandra; Korac, Bato

2017-09-01

Great progress has been made in our understanding of the browning process in white adipose tissue (WAT) in rodents. The recognition that i) adult humans have physiologically inducible brown adipose tissue (BAT) that may facilitate resistance to obesity and ii) that adult human BAT molecularly and functionally resembles beige adipose tissue in rodents, reignited optimism that obesity and obesity-related diabetes type 2 can be battled by controlling the browning of WAT. In this review the main cellular mechanisms and molecular mediators of browning of WAT in different physiological states are summarized. The relevance of browning of WAT in metabolic health is considered primarily through a modulation of biological role of fat tissue in overall metabolic homeostasis.

Proliferation and differentiation of brown adipocytes from interstitial cells during cold acclimation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bukowiecki, L.J.; Geloeen, A.; Collet, A.J.

1986-06-01

The mechanisms of brown adipocyte proliferation and differentiation during cold acclimation (and/or adaptation to hyperphagia) have been studied by quantitative photonic radioautography. (/sup 3/H)thymidine was injected to warm-acclimated (25/sup 0/C) rats and to animals exposed to 5/sup 0/C for 2 days. Samples of interscapular brown adipose tissue were collected for quantitative analysis of mitotic frequencies at various periods of time (4 h-15 days) after the injection of (/sup 3/H)thymidine, the rats being maintained at the temperatures to which they were initially exposed. It was found that cold exposure for 2 days markedly enhanced mitotic activity in endothelial cells, interstitial cells,more » and brown preadipocytes rather than in fully differentiated brown adipocytes. The total tissue labeling index (percent of labeled nuclei) increased approx.70 times over control values. The authors now report that cellular labeling progressively increased in mature brown adipocytes during cold acclimation, whereas it correspondingly decreased in interstitial cells and brown preadipocytes. This indicates that the sequence of events for cellular differentiation is interstitial cells ..-->.. brown preadipocytes ..-->.. mature brown adipocytes. Remarkable, labeling frequency did not change in endothelial cells during cold acclimation demonstrating that these cells cannot be considered as progenitors of brown adipocytes. It is suggested that brown adipocyte proliferation and differentiation from interstitial cells represent the fundamental phenomena explaining the enhanced capacity of cold-acclimated and/or hyperphagic rats to respond calorigenically to catecholamines.« less

Optical visualisation of thermogenesis in stimulated single-cell brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Kriszt, Rókus; Arai, Satoshi; Itoh, Hideki; Lee, Michelle H; Goralczyk, Anna G; Ang, Xiu Min; Cypess, Aaron M; White, Andrew P; Shamsi, Farnaz; Xue, Ruidan; Lee, Jung Yeol; Lee, Sung-Chan; Hou, Yanyan; Kitaguchi, Tetsuya; Sudhaharan, Thankiah; Ishiwata, Shin'ichi; Lane, E Birgitte; Chang, Young-Tae; Tseng, Yu-Hua; Suzuki, Madoka; Raghunath, Michael

2017-05-03

The identification of brown adipose deposits in adults has led to significant interest in targeting this metabolically active tissue for treatment of obesity and diabetes. Improved methods for the direct measurement of heat production as the signature function of brown adipocytes (BAs), particularly at the single cell level, would be of substantial benefit to these ongoing efforts. Here, we report the first application of a small molecule-type thermosensitive fluorescent dye, ERthermAC, to monitor thermogenesis in BAs derived from murine brown fat precursors and in human brown fat cells differentiated from human neck brown preadipocytes. ERthermAC accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum of BAs and displayed a marked change in fluorescence intensity in response to adrenergic stimulation of cells, which corresponded to temperature change. ERthermAC fluorescence intensity profiles were congruent with mitochondrial depolarisation events visualised by the JC-1 probe. Moreover, the averaged fluorescence intensity changes across a population of cells correlated well with dynamic changes such as thermal power, oxygen consumption, and extracellular acidification rates. These findings suggest ERthermAC as a promising new tool for studying thermogenic function in brown adipocytes of both murine and human origins.

1. OVERALL VIEW OF BROWN DUCK LAKE, LOOKING SOUTHWEST ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. OVERALL VIEW OF BROWN DUCK LAKE, LOOKING SOUTHWEST - High Mountain Dams in Upalco Unit, Brown Duck Lake Dam, Ashley National Forest, 4.4 miles North of Miners Gulch Campground, Mountain Home, Duchesne County, UT

2. OVERALL VIEW OF BROWN DUCK LAKE, LOOKING WEST ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. OVERALL VIEW OF BROWN DUCK LAKE, LOOKING WEST - High Mountain Dams in Upalco Unit, Brown Duck Lake Dam, Ashley National Forest, 4.4 miles North of Miners Gulch Campground, Mountain Home, Duchesne County, UT

Development of artificial bait for brown treesnake suppression

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) was accidentally introduced to Guam in the late 1940s or early 1950s, probably from the Solomon Islands. A native of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, the brown treesnake (BTS) continues to threaten the economy and ecology of Guam and is c...

What Brown saw and you can too

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearle, Philip; Collett, Brian; Bart, Kenneth; Bilderback, David; Newman, Dara; Samuels, Scott

2010-12-01

A discussion of Robert Brown's original observations of particles ejected by pollen of the plant Clarkia pulchella undergoing what is now called Brownian motion is given. We consider the nature of those particles and how he misinterpreted the Airy disk of the smallest particles to be universal organic building blocks. Relevant qualitative and quantitative investigations with a modern microscope and with a "homemade" single lens microscope similar to Brown's are presented.

Top-of-atmosphere radiative forcing affected by brown carbon in the upper troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuzhong; Forrister, Haviland; Liu, Jiumeng; Dibb, Jack; Anderson, Bruce; Schwarz, Joshua P.; Perring, Anne E.; Jimenez, Jose L.; Campuzano-Jost, Pedro; Wang, Yuhang; Nenes, Athanasios; Weber, Rodney J.

2017-07-01

Carbonaceous aerosols affect the global radiative balance by absorbing and scattering radiation, which leads to warming or cooling of the atmosphere, respectively. Black carbon is the main light-absorbing component. A portion of the organic aerosol known as brown carbon also absorbs light. The climate sensitivity to absorbing aerosols rapidly increases with altitude, but brown carbon measurements are limited in the upper troposphere. Here we present aircraft observations of vertical aerosol distributions over the continental United States in May and June 2012 to show that light-absorbing brown carbon is prevalent in the troposphere, and absorbs more short-wavelength radiation than black carbon at altitudes between 5 and 12 km. We find that brown carbon is transported to these altitudes by deep convection, and that in-cloud heterogeneous processing may produce brown carbon. Radiative transfer calculations suggest that brown carbon accounts for about 24% of combined black and brown carbon warming effect at the tropopause. Roughly two-thirds of the estimated brown carbon forcing occurs above 5 km, although most brown carbon is found below 5 km. The highest radiative absorption occurred during an event that ingested a wildfire plume. We conclude that high-altitude brown carbon from biomass burning is an unappreciated component of climate forcing.

Alternatively Activated Macrophages Drive Browning of White Adipose Tissue in Burns.

PubMed

Abdullahi, Abdikarim; Auger, Christopher; Stanojcic, Mile; Patsouris, David; Parousis, Alexandra; Epelman, Slava; Jeschke, Marc G

2017-08-16

The aim of this study was to uncover the mediators and mechanistic events that facilitate the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) in response to burns. In hypermetabolic patients (eg, burns, cancer), the browning of WAT has presented substantial clinical challenges related to cachexia, atherosclerosis, and poor clinical outcomes. Browning of the adipose tissue has recently been found to induce and sustain hypermetabolism. Although browning appears central in trauma-, burn-, or cancer-induced hypermetabolic catabolism, the mediators are essentially unknown. WAT and blood samples were collected from patients admitted to the Ross Tilley Burn Centre at Sunnybrook Hospital. Wild type, CCR2 KO, and interleukin (IL)-6 KO male mice were purchased from Jax laboratories and subjected to a 30% total body surface area burn injury. WAT and serum collected were analyzed for browning markers, macrophages, and metabolic state via histology, gene expression, and mitochondrial respiration. In the present study, we show that burn-induced browning is associated with an increased macrophage infiltration, with a greater type 2 macrophage profile in the fat of burn patients. Similar to our clinical findings in burn patients, both an increase in macrophage recruitment and a type 2 macrophage profile were also observed in post burn mice. Genetic loss of the chemokine CCR2 responsible for macrophage migration to the adipose impairs burn-induced browning. Mechanistically, we show that macrophages recruited to burn-stressed subcutaneous WAT (sWAT) undergo alternative activation to induce tyrosine hydroxylase expression and catecholamine production mediated by IL-6, factors required for browning of sWAT. Together, our findings uncover macrophages as the key instigators and missing link in trauma-induced browning.

GLP-1 agonism stimulates brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and browning through hypothalamic AMPK.

PubMed

Beiroa, Daniel; Imbernon, Monica; Gallego, Rosalía; Senra, Ana; Herranz, Daniel; Villarroya, Francesc; Serrano, Manuel; Fernø, Johan; Salvador, Javier; Escalada, Javier; Dieguez, Carlos; Lopez, Miguel; Frühbeck, Gema; Nogueiras, Ruben

2014-10-01

GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) is widely located throughout the brain, but the precise molecular mechanisms mediating the actions of GLP-1 and its long-acting analogs on adipose tissue as well as the brain areas responsible for these interactions remain largely unknown. We found that central injection of a clinically used GLP-1R agonist, liraglutide, in mice stimulates brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis and adipocyte browning independent of nutrient intake. The mechanism controlling these actions is located in the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH), and the activation of AMPK in this area is sufficient to blunt both central liraglutide-induced thermogenesis and adipocyte browning. The decreased body weight caused by the central injection of liraglutide in other hypothalamic sites was sufficiently explained by the suppression of food intake. In a longitudinal study involving obese type 2 diabetic patients treated for 1 year with GLP-1R agonists, both exenatide and liraglutide increased energy expenditure. Although the results do not exclude the possibility that extrahypothalamic areas are also modulating the effects of GLP-1R agonists, the data indicate that long-acting GLP-1R agonists influence body weight by regulating either food intake or energy expenditure through various hypothalamic sites and that these mechanisms might be clinically relevant. © 2014 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.

Brown enters transfer tunnel

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-01

STS095-E-5160 (1 Nov. 1998) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown Jr., STS-95 commander, floats through airlock hatchway during Flight Day three activity. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 01:39:20 GMT, Nov. 1.

A Panchromatic View of Brown Dwarf Aurorae

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pineda, J. Sebastian; Hallinan, Gregg; Kao, Melodie M.

Stellar coronal activity has been shown to persist into the low-mass star regime, down to late M-dwarf spectral types. However, there is now an accumulation of evidence suggesting that at the end of the main sequence, there is a transition in the nature of the magnetic activity from chromospheric and coronal to planet-like and auroral, from local impulsive heating via flares and MHD wave dissipation to energy dissipation from strong large-scale magnetospheric current systems. We examine this transition and the prevalence of auroral activity in brown dwarfs through a compilation of multiwavelength surveys of magnetic activity, including radio, X-ray, andmore » optical. We compile the results of those surveys and place their conclusions in the context of auroral emission as a consequence of large-scale magnetospheric current systems that accelerate energetic electron beams and drive the particles to impact the cool atmospheric gas. We explore the different manifestations of auroral phenomena, like H α , in brown dwarf atmospheres and define their distinguishing characteristics. We conclude that large-amplitude photometric variability in the near-infrared is most likely a consequence of clouds in brown dwarf atmospheres, but that auroral activity may be responsible for long-lived stable surface features. We report a connection between auroral H α emission and quiescent radio emission in electron cyclotron maser instability pulsing brown dwarfs, suggesting a potential underlying physical connection between quiescent and auroral emissions. We also discuss the electrodynamic engines powering brown dwarf aurorae and the possible role of satellites around these systems both to power the aurorae and seed the magnetosphere with plasma.« less

Genome-wide transcriptome profiling reveals novel insights into Luffa cylindrica browning.

PubMed

Chen, Xia; Tan, Taiming; Xu, Changcheng; Huang, Shuping; Tan, Jie; Zhang, Min; Wang, Chunli; Xie, Conghua

2015-08-07

Luffa cylindrica (sponge gourd) is one of the most popular vegetables in China. Production and consumption of L. cylindrica are limited due to postharvest browning; however, little is known about the genetic regulation of the browning process. In the present study, transcriptome profiles of L. cylindrica cultivars, YLB05 (browning resistant) and XTR05 (browning sensitive), were analyzed using next-generation sequencing to clarify the genes and mechanisms associated with browning. A total of 9.1 Gb of valid data including 116,703 unigenes (>200 bp) were obtained and 39,473 sequences were annotated by alignment against five public databases. Of these, there were 27,407 genes assigned to 747 Gene Ontology functional categories; and 12,350 genes were annotated with 25 Eukaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG) categories with 343 KOG functional terms. Additionally, by searching against the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database, 8689 unigenes were mapped to 189 pathways. Furthermore, there were 24,556 sequences found to be differentially regulated, including 4344 annotated unigenes. Several genes potentially associated with phenolic oxidation, carbohydrate and hormone metabolism were found differentially regulated between the cultivars of different browning sensitivities. Our results suggest that elements involved in enzymatic processes and other pathways might be responsible for L. cylindrica browning. The present study provides a comprehensive transcriptome sequence resource, which will facilitate further studies on gene discovery and exploiting the fruit browning mechanism of L. cylindrica. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial haplotype variation and phylogeography of Iberian brown trout populations.

PubMed

MacHordom, A; Suárez, J; Almodóvar, A; Bautista, J M

2000-09-01

The biogeographical distribution of brown trout mitochondrial DNA haplotypes throughout the Iberian Peninsula was established by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment polymorphism analysis. The study of 507 specimens from 58 localities representing eight widely separated Atlantic-slope (north and west Iberian coasts) and six Mediterranean drainage systems served to identify five main groups of mitochondrial haplotypes: (i) haplotypes corresponding to non-native, hatchery-reared brown trout that were widely distributed but also found in wild populations of northern Spain (Cantabrian slope); (ii) a widespread Atlantic haplotype group; (iii) a haplotype restricted to the Duero Basin; (iv) a haplotype shown by southern Iberian populations; and (v) a Mediterranean haplotype. The Iberian distribution of these haplotypes reflects both the current fishery management policy of introducing non-native brown trout, and Messinian palaeobiogeography. Our findings complement and extend previous allozyme studies on Iberian brown trout and improve present knowledge of glacial refugia and postglacial movement of brown trout lineages.

Molecular and characterization of NnPPO cDNA from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) in rhizome browning.

PubMed

Dong, C; Yu, A Q; Yang, M G; Zhou, M Q; Hu, Z L

2016-04-30

The complete cDNA (NnPPO) of polyphenol oxidase in Nelumbo nucifera was successfully isolated, using Rapid amplification cDNA end (RACE) assays. The full-length cDNA of NnPPO was 2069 bp in size, containing a 1791 bp open reading frame coding 597 amino acids. The putative NnPPO possessed the conserved active sites and domains for PPO function. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that NnPPO shared high homology with PPO of high plants, and the homology modeling proved that NnPPO had the typical structure of PPO family. In order to characterize the role of NnPPO, Real-time PCR assay demonstrated that NnPPO mRNA was expressed in different tissues of N. nucifera including young leave, rhizome, flower, root and leafstalk, with the highest expression in rhizome. Patterns of NnPPO expression in rhizome illustrated its mRNA level was significantly elevated, which was consistent with the change of NnPPO activity during rhizome browning. Therefore, transcriptional activation of NnPPO was probably the main reason causing rhizome browning.

Use of Brown Algae to Demonstrate Natural Products Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Lee A.

1985-01-01

Background information is provided on the natural products found in marine organisms in general and the brown algae in particular. Also provided are the procedures needed to isolate D-mannitol (a primary metabolite) and cholesterol from brown algae. (JN)

Comparative antioxidant activity of edible Japanese brown seaweeds.

PubMed

Airanthi, M K Widjaja-Adhi; Hosokawa, Masashi; Miyashita, Kazuo

2011-01-01

Japanese edible brown seaweeds, Eisenia bicyclis (Arame), Kjellmaniella crassifolia (Gagome), Alaria crassifolia (Chigaiso), Sargassum horneri (Akamoku), and Cystoseira hakodatensis (Uganomoku) were assayed for total phenolic content (TPC), fucoxanthin content, radical scavenging activities (DPPH, peroxyl radical, ABTS, and nitric oxide), and antioxidant activity in a liposome system. Among the solvents used for extraction, methanol was the most effective to extract total phenolics (TPC) from brown seaweeds. Among 5 kinds of brown seaweeds analyzed, methanol extract from C. hakodatensis was the best source for antioxidants. The high antioxidant activity of the extract was based not only on the high content of phenolics, but on the presence of fucoxanthin. No significant correlation (P > 0.05) was observed between TPC per gram extract with DPPH radical scavenging activity of the methanol extracts. These observed discrepancy would be due to structural variations in the phenolic compounds, and different levels of fucoxanthin in the extracts. The present study also demonstrated the synergy in the antioxidant activity of the combination of brown seaweed phenolics and fucoxanthin.

Movements of brown bullheads in Presque Isle Bay, Lake Erie, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Millard, M.J.; Smith, D.R.; Obert, E.; Grazio, J.; Bartron, M.L.; Wellington, C.; Grise, S.; Rafferty, S.; Wellington, R.; Julian, S.

2009-01-01

Presque Isle Bay, Lake Erie, was listed as an Area of Concern (AOC) by the International Joint Commission in part because of the high incidence of external tumor in brown bullheads. Verifying the source of the possible contaminant exposure is critical to addressing the AOC designation. We used telemetry tracking (n = 49 fish) to test the hypothesis that adult bullheads captured within the bay during spawning season do not exit the bay during the post-spawning summer and fall months. We analyzed genetic variation at 15 microsatellite loci for 112 adult fish from 5 locations, 4 inside the bay and 1 outside, in order to test for possible differences. Data from fixed-station receivers suggested fish did not leave Presque Isle Bay during the study period. Predicted locations outside Presque Isle Bay were only 0.1% of all predicted locations and were below the 0.2% error rate based on known manual relocations. However, there was evidence for movement within Presque Isle Bay. Most movement was between Misery Bay or Lagoons and the open bay area. Whereas telemetry results showed tendency for adult site fidelity, genetic results showed no differences among locations, indicating that there is a single panmictic population. Our telemetry data suggest that brown bullheads are likely a useful indicator species for environmental conditions in Presque Isle Bay, since adults likely are retained in the system.

Application of Exogenous Ethylene Inhibits Postharvest Peel Browning of ‘Huangguan’ Pear

PubMed Central

Ma, Yurong; Yang, Mengnan; Wang, Jingjing; Jiang, Cai-Zhong; Wang, Qingguo

2017-01-01

Peel browning disorder has an enormous impact on the exterior quality of ‘Huangguan’ pear whereas the underlying mechanism is still unclear. Although different methods have been applied for inhibiting the peel browning of ‘Huangguan’ pear, there are numerous issues associated with these approaches, such as time cost, efficacy, safety and stability. In this study, to develop a rapid, efficient and safe way to protect ‘Huangguan’ pear from skin browning, the effect of exogenous ethylene on peel browning of pear fruits stored at 0°C was evaluated. Results showed that ethylene treatments at 0.70–1.28 μL/L significantly decreased the browning rate and browning index from 73.80% and 0.30 to 6.80% and 0.02 after 20 days storage at 0°C, respectively, whereas ethylene treatments at 5 μL/L completely inhibited the occurrence of browning. In addition, ethylene treatments at 5 μL/L decreased the electrolyte leakage and respiration rate, delayed the loss of total phenolic compounds. Furthermore, ethylene (5 μL/L) treatment significantly enhanced the activity of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and increased the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl inhibition rate, but inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD). Our data revealed that ethylene prevented the peel browning through improving antioxidant enzymes (CAT, APX and SOD) activities and reducing PPO activity, electrolyte leakage rate and respiration rate. This study demonstrates that exogenous ethylene application may provide a safe and effective alternative method for controlling browning, and contributes to the understanding of peel browning of ‘Huangguan’ pear. PMID:28149298

Direct Evidence of Brown Adipocytes in Different Fat Depots in Children

PubMed Central

Rockstroh, Denise; Landgraf, Kathrin; Wagner, Isabel Viola; Gesing, Julia; Tauscher, Roy; Lakowa, Nicole; Kiess, Wieland; Bühligen, Ulf; Wojan, Magdalena; Till, Holger; Blüher, Matthias; Körner, Antje

2015-01-01

Recent studies suggested the persistence of brown adipocytes in adult humans, as opposed to being exclusively present in infancy. In this study, we investigated the presence of brown-like adipocytes in adipose tissue (AT) samples of children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years and evaluated the association with age, location, and obesity. For this, we analysed AT samples from 131 children and 23 adults by histological, immunohistochemical and expression analyses. We detected brown-like and UCP1 positive adipocytes in 10.3% of 87 lean children (aged 0.3 to 10.7 years) and in one overweight infant, whereas we did not find brown adipocytes in obese children or adults. In our samples, the brown-like adipocytes were interspersed within white AT of perirenal, visceral and also subcutaneous depots. Samples with brown-like adipocytes showed an increased expression of UCP1 (>200fold), PRDM16 (2.8fold), PGC1α and CIDEA while other brown/beige selective markers, such as PAT2, P2RX5, ZIC1, LHX8, TMEM26, HOXC9 and TBX1 were not significantly different between UCP1 positive and negative samples. We identified a positive correlation between UCP1 and PRDM16 within UCP1 positive samples, but not with any other brown/beige marker. In addition, we observed significantly increased PRDM16 and PAT2 expression in subcutaneous and visceral AT samples with high UCP1 expression in adults. Our data indicate that brown-like adipocytes are present well beyond infancy in subcutaneous depots of non-obese children. The presence was not restricted to typical perirenal locations, but they were also interspersed within WAT of visceral and subcutaneous depots. PMID:25706927

Transcriptomic events associated with internal browning of apple during postharvest storage.

PubMed

Mellidou, Ifigeneia; Buts, Kim; Hatoum, Darwish; Ho, Quang Tri; Johnston, Jason W; Watkins, Christopher B; Schaffer, Robert J; Gapper, Nigel E; Giovannoni, Jim J; Rudell, David R; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Nicolai, Bart M

2014-11-28

Postharvest ripening of apple (Malus x domestica) can be slowed down by low temperatures, and a combination of low O2 and high CO2 levels. While this maintains the quality of most fruit, occasionally storage disorders such as flesh browning can occur. This study aimed to explore changes in the apple transcriptome associated with a flesh browning disorder related to controlled atmosphere storage using RNA-sequencing techniques. Samples from a browning-susceptible cultivar ('Braeburn') were stored for four months under controlled atmosphere. Based on a visual browning index, the inner and outer cortex of the stored apples was classified as healthy or affected tissue. Over 600 million short single-end reads were mapped onto the Malus consensus coding sequence set, and differences in the expression profiles between healthy and affected tissues were assessed to identify candidate genes associated with internal browning in a tissue-specific manner. Genes involved in lipid metabolism, secondary metabolism, and cell wall modifications were highly modified in the affected inner cortex, while energy-related and stress-related genes were mostly altered in the outer cortex. The expression levels of several of them were confirmed using qRT-PCR. Additionally, a set of novel browning-specific differentially expressed genes, including pyruvate dehydrogenase and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase, was validated in apples stored for various periods at different controlled atmosphere conditions, giving rise to potential biomarkers associated with high risk of browning development. The gene expression data presented in this study will help elucidate the molecular mechanism of browning development in apples at controlled atmosphere storage. A conceptual model, including energy-related (linked to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the electron transport chain) and lipid-related genes (related to membrane alterations, and fatty acid oxidation), for browning development in apple is

Inhibition of enzymatic browning of chlorogenic acid by sulfur-containing compounds.

PubMed

Kuijpers, Tomas F M; Narváez-Cuenca, Carlos-Eduardo; Vincken, Jean-Paul; Verloop, Annewieke J W; van Berkel, Willem J H; Gruppen, Harry

2012-04-04

The antibrowning activity of sodium hydrogen sulfite (NaHSO(3)) was compared to that of other sulfur-containing compounds. Inhibition of enzymatic browning was investigated using a model browning system consisting of mushroom tyrosinase and chlorogenic acid (5-CQA). Development of brown color (spectral analysis), oxygen consumption, and reaction product formation (RP-UHPLC-PDA-MS) were monitored in time. It was found that the compounds showing antibrowning activity either prevented browning by forming colorless addition products with o-quinones of 5-CQA (NaHSO(3), cysteine, and glutathione) or inhibiting the enzymatic activity of tyrosinase (NaHSO(3) and dithiothreitol). NaHSO(3) was different from the other sulfur-containing compounds investigated, because it showed a dual inhibitory effect on browning. Initial browning was prevented by trapping the o-quinones formed in colorless addition products (sulfochlorogenic acid), while at the same time, tyrosinase activity was inhibited in a time-dependent way, as shown by pre-incubation experiments of tyrosinase with NaHSO(3). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that sulfochlorogenic and cysteinylchlorogenic acids were not inhibitors of mushroom tyrosinase.

Black and brown pigment gallstones differ in microstructure and microcomposition.

PubMed

Malet, P F; Takabayashi, A; Trotman, B W; Soloway, R D; Weston, N E

1984-01-01

The two subtypes of pigment gallstones, black and brown stones, differ in chemical composition and pathogenesis. We examined a black bilirubinate stone and a black phosphate stone (which represented opposite ends of the compositional spectrum of black noncarbonate stones), a black carbonate stone, and a brown pigment stone using scanning electron microscopy and microchemical techniques to determine if stone microstructure and microcomposition reflected different patterns of formation. The cross-sectional surfaces of the black bilirubinate and black phosphate stones were smooth and homogenous. Electron probe microanalysis demonstrated high concentrations of sulfur and copper in the center of the black bilirubinate stone; sulfur was in a low valence state consistent with disulfide linkages in proteins. The brown stone was rough-surfaced with lamellated bands on cross-section. The lighter-colored bands in this stone contained virtually all of the detected calcium palmitate, while the darker sections contained much more calcium bilirubinate. Plasma oxygen etching demonstrated a network of protein interdigitating with calcium bilirubinate salts in the black bilirubinate and black phosphate stones but not in the black carbonate or brown stones. Argon ion etching demonstrated that calcium bilirubinate was in a closely packed rod-shaped arrangement in all three black stones but not in the brown stone. We conclude that the marked differences in structure and composition between the black noncarbonate and brown pigment gallstones support the hypothesis that the two major pigment gallstone types form by different mechanisms. In addition, the layered structures of the black carbonate and brown stones suggest that stone growth is affected by cyclic changes in biliary composition.

New Brown Dwarf Discs in Upper Scorpius Observed with WISE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dawson, P.; Scholz, A.; Ray, T. P.; Natta, A.; Marsh, K. A.; Padgett, D.; Ressler, M. E.

2013-01-01

We present a census of the disc population for UKIDSS selected brown dwarfs in the 5-10 Myr old Upper Scorpius OB association. For 116 objects originally identified in UKIDSS, the majority of them not studied in previous publications, we obtain photometry from the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer data base. The resulting colour magnitude and colour colour plots clearly show two separate populations of objects, interpreted as brown dwarfs with discs (class II) and without discs (class III). We identify 27 class II brown dwarfs, 14 of them not previously known. This disc fraction (27 out of 116, or 23%) among brown dwarfs was found to be similar to results for K/M stars in Upper Scorpius, suggesting that the lifetimes of discs are independent of the mass of the central object for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. 5 out of 27 discs (19 per cent) lack excess at 3.4 and 4.6 microns and are potential transition discs (i.e. are in transition from class II to class III). The transition disc fraction is comparable to low-mass stars.We estimate that the time-scale for a typical transition from class II to class III is less than 0.4 Myr for brown dwarfs. These results suggest that the evolution of brown dwarf discs mirrors the behaviour of discs around low-mass stars, with disc lifetimes of the order of 5 10 Myr and a disc clearing time-scale significantly shorter than 1 Myr.

[Research progress and direction of atmospheric brown carbon].

PubMed

Yan, Cai-Qing; Zheng, Mei; Zhang, Yuan-Hang

2014-11-01

Organic aerosol is one of the most important components of atmospheric aerosols. In recent years, organic aerosol has been found and proved to be light absorbing in UV-Visible region. Light absorbing organic carbon (also named as brown carbon) has been one of the forefronts in the field of atmospheric research. Its light absorption contributions to radiative forcing, regional air quality, and global climate change have drawn much attention. Regional air pollution is complex in China. Frequent visibility decline and severe regional haze episodes occurred since January 2013. Previous studies showed high amount of estimated columnar light-absorbing organic carbon in China, and according to current research findings, major sources of fine particulate matter in China (e. g. biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion) were also recognized as the main sources for brown carbon. Considering the high abundance of brown carbon in atmosphere, there is a great need to reconsider and reevaluate contributions of organic aerosol to light absorption, especially its role in haze formation and radiative forcing. However, up to now, basic researches on light absorbing organic carbon are still limited in China. This study aimed to elucidate the need for basic research on brown carbon, summarize previous studies and research progress from different aspects such as sources, composition, measurement, mass concentration distribution, optical property, radiative forcing of brown carbon, point out the existing problems and deficiencies, and put forward suggestions for future study.

Powerful Auroras Found at Brown Dwarf

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

This artist's concept shows an auroral display on a brown dwarf. If you could see an aurora on a brown dwarf, it would be a million times brighter than an aurora on Earth. Credits: Chuck Carter and Gregg Hallinan/Caltech --- Mysterious objects called brown dwarfs are sometimes called "failed stars." They are too small to fuse hydrogen in their cores, the way most stars do, but also too large to be classified as planets. But a new study in the journal Nature suggests they succeed in creating powerful auroral displays, similar to the kind seen around the magnetic poles on Earth. "This is a whole new manifestation of magnetic activity for that kind of object," said Leon Harding, a technologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, and co-author on the study. On Earth, auroras are created when charged particles from the solar wind enter our planet's magnetosphere, a region where Earth's magnetic field accelerates and sends them toward the poles. There, they collide with atoms of gas in the atmosphere, resulting in a brilliant display of colors in the sky. Read more: www.nasa.gov/jpl/powerful-auroras-found-at-brown-dwarf NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Thyroid hormone status defines brown adipose tissue activity and browning of white adipose tissues in mice.

PubMed

Weiner, Juliane; Kranz, Mathias; Klöting, Nora; Kunath, Anne; Steinhoff, Karen; Rijntjes, Eddy; Köhrle, Josef; Zeisig, Vilia; Hankir, Mohammed; Gebhardt, Claudia; Deuther-Conrad, Winnie; Heiker, John T; Kralisch, Susan; Stumvoll, Michael; Blüher, Matthias; Sabri, Osama; Hesse, Swen; Brust, Peter; Tönjes, Anke; Krause, Kerstin

2016-12-12

The present study aimed to determine the effect of thyroid hormone dysfunction on brown adipose tissue activity and white adipose tissue browning in mice. Twenty randomized female C57BL/6NTac mice per treatment group housed at room temperature were rendered hypothyroid or hyperthyroid. In-vivo small animal 18 F-FDG PET/MRI was performed to determine the effects of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on BAT mass and BAT activity. Ex-vivo 14 C-acetate loading assay and assessment of thermogenic gene and protein expression permitted analysis of oxidative and thermogenic capacities of WAT and BAT of eu-, hyper and hypothyroid mice. 18 F-FDG PET/MRI revealed a lack of brown adipose tissue activity in hypothyroid mice, whereas hyperthyroid mice displayed increased BAT mass alongside enhanced 18 F-FDG uptake. In white adipose tissue of both, hyper- and hypothyroid mice, we found a significant induction of thermogenic genes together with multilocular adipocytes expressing UCP1. Taken together, these results suggest that both the hyperthyroid and hypothyroid state stimulate WAT thermogenesis most likely as a consequence of enhanced adrenergic signaling or compensation for impaired BAT function, respectively.

The Scientific Attack on Brown v. Board of Education, 1954-1964

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, John P.

2004-01-01

Psychologists' work was cited in the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education (1954). One criticism of the citation was that psychology could be used to overturn the Brown decision and return the country to segregation. A historical examination of such an attempt to overturn Brown in the early 1960s on the basis of new psychological…

Black, White, and Brown: The Transformation of Public Education in America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willie, Charles Vert; Willie, Sarah Susannah

2005-01-01

This article reflects upon changes in U.S. education since the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 decision in Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The authors reject both the naively hopeful and the bitterly cynical interpretations of the efficacy of Brown in favor of a more moderate assessment: Brown has had many positive effects, they…

Brown at RMS controls on the aft flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-24

STS095-366-031 (29 Oct-7 Nov 1998) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown, Jr., mission commander, operates controls on the aft flight deck of the Space Shuttle Discovery. Brown was joined by four other NASA astronauts and two payload specialists for the nine-day mission.

The onset of planet formation in brown dwarf disks.

PubMed

Apai, Dániel; Pascucci, Ilaria; Bouwman, Jeroen; Natta, Antonella; Henning, Thomas; Dullemond, Cornelis P

2005-11-04

The onset of planet formation in protoplanetary disks is marked by the growth and crystallization of sub-micrometer-sized dust grains accompanied by dust settling toward the disk mid-plane. Here, we present infrared spectra of disks around brown dwarfs and brown dwarf candidates. We show that all three processes occur in such cool disks in a way similar or identical to that in disks around low- and intermediate-mass stars. These results indicate that the onset of planet formation extends to disks around brown dwarfs, suggesting that planet formation is a robust process occurring in most young circumstellar disks.

Lettucenin sesquiterpenes contribute significantly to the browning of lettuce.

PubMed

Mai, Franziska; Glomb, Marcus A

2014-05-21

Wound-induced changes in the composition of secondary plant compounds cause the browning of processed lettuce. Cut tissues near the lettuce butt end clearly exhibit increased formation of yellow-brown pigments. This browning reaction is typically been attributed to the oxidation of polyphenols by the enzyme polyphenol oxidase (PPO). However, in our previous study on Iceberg lettuce, we showed that, besides the enzymatic polyphenol browning, other reactions must be involved in the formation of colored structures. With the present study for the first time, we isolated yellow sesquiterpenes by multilayer countercurrent chromatography (MLCCC), followed by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Further analyses by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) techniques identified lettucenin A and three novel derivatives. We call these compounds lettucenins A1, B, and B1. Color-dilution analyses revealed these lettucenins as key chromophores in the browning of Iceberg lettuce. A time formation curve showed the accumulation of lettucenins A and B within 40 h after cutting. Thereafter, these structures were degraded to unknown colored compounds. Lettucenin A was verified in five varieties of Lactuca. In contrast to that, lettucenin A was present only at trace levels in five varieties of Cichorium. Therefore, lettucenin A might be used as a chemosystematic marker of the genus Lactuca.

Arctic Browning: vegetation damage and implications for carbon balance.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treharne, Rachael; Bjerke, Jarle; Emberson, Lisa; Tømmervik, Hans; Phoenix, Gareth

2016-04-01

'Arctic browning' is the loss of biomass and canopy in Arctic ecosystems. This process is often driven by climatic and biological extreme events - notably extreme winter warm periods, winter frost-drought and severe outbreaks of defoliating insects. Evidence suggests that browning is becoming increasingly frequent and severe at the pan-arctic scale, a view supported by observations from more intensely observed regions, with major and unprecedented vegetation damage reported at landscape (>1000km2) and regional (Nordic Arctic Region) scales in recent years. Critically, the damage caused by these extreme events is in direct opposition to 'Arctic greening', the well-established increase in productivity and shrub abundance observed at high latitudes in response to long-term warming. This opposition creates uncertainty as to future anticipated vegetation change in the Arctic, with implications for Arctic carbon balance. As high latitude ecosystems store around twice as much carbon as the atmosphere, and vegetation impacts are key to determining rates of loss or gain of ecosystem carbon stocks, Arctic browning has the potential to influence the role of these ecosystems in global climate. There is therefore a clear need for a quantitative understanding of the impacts of browning events on key ecosystem carbon fluxes. To address this, field sites were chosen in central and northern Norway and in Svalbard, in areas known to have been affected by either climatic extremes or insect outbreak and subsequent browning in the past four years. Sites were chosen along a latitudinal gradient to capture both conditions already causing vegetation browning throughout the Norwegian Arctic, and conditions currently common at lower latitudes which are likely to become more damaging further North as climate change progresses. At each site the response of Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange to light was measured using a LiCor LI6400 Portable Photosynthesis system and a custom vegetation chamber with

Proteomic identification of fat-browning markers in cultured white adipocytes treated with curcumin.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Woo; Choi, Jae Heon; Mukherjee, Rajib; Hwang, Ki-Chul; Yun, Jong Won

2016-04-01

We previously reported that curcumin induces browning of primary white adipocytes via enhanced expression of brown adipocyte-specific genes. In this study, we attempted to identify target proteins responsible for this fat-browning effect by analyzing proteomic changes in cultured white adipocytes in response to curcumin treatment. To elucidate the role of curcumin in fat-browning, we conducted comparative proteomic analysis of primary adipocytes between control and curcumin-treated cells using two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with MALDI-TOF-MS. We also investigated fatty acid metabolic targets, mitochondrial biogenesis, and fat-browning-associated proteins using combined proteomic and network analyses. Proteomic analysis revealed that 58 protein spots from a total of 325 matched spots showed differential expression between control and curcumin-treated adipocytes. Using network analysis, most of the identified proteins were proven to be involved in various metabolic and cellular processes based on the PANTHER classification system. One of the most striking findings is that hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) was highly correlated with main browning markers based on the STRING database. HSL and two browning markers (UCP1, PGC-1α) were co-immunoprecipitated with these markers, suggesting that HSL possibly plays a role in fat-browning of white adipocytes. Our results suggest that curcumin increased HSL levels and other browning-specific markers, suggesting its possible role in augmentation of lipolysis and suppression of lipogenesis by trans-differentiation from white adipocytes into brown adipocytes (beige).

Linkage and association mapping reveals the genetic basis of brown fibre (Gossypium hirsutum).

PubMed

Wen, Tianwang; Wu, Mi; Shen, Chao; Gao, Bin; Zhu, De; Zhang, Xianlong; You, Chunyuan; Lin, Zhongxu

2018-02-24

Brown fibre cotton is an environmental-friendly resource that plays a key role in the textile industry. However, the fibre quality and yield of natural brown cotton are poor, and fundamental research on brown cotton is relatively scarce. To understand the genetic basis of brown fibre cotton, we constructed linkage and association populations to systematically examine brown fibre accessions. We fine-mapped the brown fibre region, Lc 1 , and dissected it into 2 loci, qBF-A07-1 and qBF-A07-2. The qBF-A07-1 locus mediates the initiation of brown fibre production, whereas the shade of the brown fibre is affected by the interaction between qBF-A07-1 and qBF-A07-2. Gh_A07G2341 and Gh_A07G0100 were identified as candidate genes for qBF-A07-1 and qBF-A07-2, respectively. Haploid analysis of the signals significantly associated with these two loci showed that most tetraploid modern brown cotton accessions exhibit the introgression signature of Gossypium barbadense. We identified 10 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for fibre yield and 19 QTLs for fibre quality through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and found that qBF-A07-2 negatively affects fibre yield and quality through an epistatic interaction with qBF-A07-1. This study sheds light on the genetics of fibre colour and lint-related traits in brown fibre cotton, which will guide the elite cultivars breeding of brown fibre cotton. © 2018 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A New Role for Browning as a Redox and Stress Adaptive Mechanism?

PubMed

Jeanson, Yannick; Carrière, Audrey; Casteilla, Louis

2015-01-01

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 situations. The expression of uncoupling protein-1 in brown-like adipocytes changes their function from energy storage to energy dissipation. This plasticity, named browning, was recently rediscovered and convergent recent accounts, including in humans, have revived the idea of using these oxidative cells to fight against metabolic diseases. Furthermore, recent reports suggest that, beside the increased energy dissipation and thermogenesis that may have adverse effects in situations such as cancer-associated cachexia and massive burns, browning could be also considered as an adaptive stress response to high redox pressure and to major stress that could help to maintain tissue homeostasis and integrity. The aim of this review is to summarize the current knowledge concerning brown adipocytes and the browning process and also to explore unexpected putative role(s) for these cells. While it is important to find new browning inducers to limit energy stores and metabolic diseases, it also appears crucial to develop new browning inhibitors to limit adverse energy dissipation in wasting-associated syndromes.

Activation of TRPV2 negatively regulates the differentiation of mouse brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Sun, Wuping; Uchida, Kunitoshi; Takahashi, Nobuyuki; Iwata, Yuko; Wakabayashi, Shigeo; Goto, Tsuyoshi; Kawada, Teruo; Tominaga, Makoto

2016-09-01

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) acts as a Ca(2+)-permeable non-selective cation channel that has been reported to be sensitive to temperature, mechanical force, and some chemicals. We recently showed that TRPV2 is critical for maintenance of the thermogenic function of brown adipose tissue in mice. However, the involvement of TRPV2 in the differentiation of brown adipocytes remains unexplored. We found that the expression of TRPV2 was dramatically increased during the differentiation of brown adipocytes. Non-selective TRPV2 agonists (2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate and lysophosphatidylcholine) inhibited the differentiation of brown adipocytes in a dose-dependent manner during the early stage of differentiation of brown adipocytes. The inhibition was rescued by a TRPV2-selective antagonist, SKF96365 (SKF). Mechanical force, which activates TRPV2, also inhibited the differentiation of brown adipocytes in a strength-dependent manner, and the effect was reversed by SKF. In addition, the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation by either TRPV2 ligand or mechanical stimulation was significantly smaller in the cells from TRPV2KO mice. Moreover, calcineurin inhibitors, cyclosporine A and FK506, partially reversed TRPV2 activation-induced inhibition of brown adipocyte differentiation. Thus, we conclude that TRPV2 might be involved in the modulation of brown adipocyte differentiation partially via a calcineurin pathway.

Brown's Legacy: The Promises and Pitfalls of Judicial Relief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merritt, Deborah Jones

2005-01-01

"Brown v. Board of Education" (1954) is one of the greatest achievements of the American judicial system. It decisively declared racial segregation in the schools unconstitutional, inaugurating the modern civil rights era. In addition to advancing equality, "Brown" initiated a new type of judicial decision making. After…

Effective production of fermentable sugars from brown macroalgae biomass.

PubMed

Wang, Damao; Kim, Do Hyoung; Kim, Kyoung Heon

2016-11-01

Brown macroalgae are renewable and sustainable biomass resources for the production of biofuels and chemicals, owing to their high levels of carbohydrates and low levels of lignin. To increase the biological usage of brown macroalgae, it is necessary to depolymerize the polysaccharides that generate macroalgal monomeric sugars or sugar derivatives and to convert them into fermentable sugars for the production of biofuels and chemicals. In this review, we discuss the chemical and enzymatic saccharification of the major carbohydrates found in brown macroalgae and the use of the resulting constituents in the production of biofuels and chemicals, as well as high-value health-benefiting functional oligosaccharides and sugars. We also discuss recently reported experimental results, novel enzymes, and technological breakthroughs that are related to polysaccharide depolymerization, fermentable sugar production, and the biological conversion of non-favorable sugars for fermentation using industrial microorganisms. This review provides a comprehensive perspective of the efficient utilization of brown macroalgae as renewable resources for the production of biofuels and chemicals.

Browning of human adipocytes requires KLF11 and reprogramming of PPARγ superenhancers.

PubMed

Loft, Anne; Forss, Isabel; Siersbæk, Majken Storm; Schmidt, Søren Fisker; Larsen, Ann-Sofie Bøgh; Madsen, Jesper Grud Skat; Pisani, Didier F; Nielsen, Ronni; Aagaard, Mads Malik; Mathison, Angela; Neville, Matt J; Urrutia, Raul; Karpe, Fredrik; Amri, Ez-Zoubir; Mandrup, Susanne

2015-01-01

Long-term exposure to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonists such as rosiglitazone induces browning of rodent and human adipocytes; however, the transcriptional mechanisms governing this phenotypic switch in adipocytes are largely unknown. Here we show that rosiglitazone-induced browning of human adipocytes activates a comprehensive gene program that leads to increased mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Once induced, this gene program and oxidative capacity are maintained independently of rosiglitazone, suggesting that additional browning factors are activated. Browning triggers reprogramming of PPARγ binding, leading to the formation of PPARγ "superenhancers" that are selective for brown-in-white (brite) adipocytes. These are highly associated with key brite-selective genes. Based on such an association, we identified an evolutionarily conserved metabolic regulator, Kruppel-like factor 11 (KLF11), as a novel browning transcription factor in human adipocytes that is required for rosiglitazone-induced browning, including the increase in mitochondrial oxidative capacity. KLF11 is directly induced by PPARγ and appears to cooperate with PPARγ in a feed-forward manner to activate and maintain the brite-selective gene program. © 2015 Loft et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Introgressive hybridization: brown bears as vectors for polar bear alleles.

PubMed

Hailer, Frank

2015-03-01

The dynamics and consequences of introgression can inform about numerous evolutionary processes. Biologists have therefore long been interested in hybridization. One challenge, however, lies in the identification of nonadmixed genotypes that can serve as a baseline for accurate quantification of admixture. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Cahill et al. (2015) analyse a genomic data set of 28 polar bears, eight brown bears and one American black bear. Polar bear alleles are found to be introgressed into brown bears not only near a previously identified admixture zone on the Alaskan Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof (ABC) Islands, but also far into the North American mainland. Elegantly contrasting admixture levels at autosomal and X chromosomal markers, Cahill and colleagues infer that male-biased dispersal has spread these introgressed alleles away from the Late Pleistocene contact zone. Compared to a previous study on the ABC Island population in which an Alaskan brown bear served as a putatively admixture-free reference, Cahill et al. (2015) utilize a newly sequenced Swedish brown bear as admixture baseline. This approach reveals that brown bears have been impacted by introgression from polar bears to a larger extent (up to 8.8% of their genome), than previously known, including the bear that had previously served as admixture baseline. No evidence for introgression of brown bear into polar bear is found, which the authors argue could be a consequence of selection. Besides adding new exciting pieces to the puzzle of polar/brown bear evolutionary history, the study by Cahill and colleagues highlights that wildlife genomics is moving from analysing single genomes towards a landscape genomics approach. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interim reliability evaluation program, Browns Ferry 1

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mays, S.E.; Poloski, J.P.; Sullivan, W.H.

1981-01-01

Probabilistic risk analysis techniques, i.e., event tree and fault tree analysis, were utilized to provide a risk assessment of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant Unit 1. Browns Ferry 1 is a General Electric boiling water reactor of the BWR 4 product line with a Mark 1 (drywell and torus) containment. Within the guidelines of the IREP Procedure and Schedule Guide, dominant accident sequences that contribute to public health and safety risks were identified and grouped according to release categories.

Browning of White Fat: Novel Insight Into Factors, Mechanisms, and Therapeutics.

PubMed

Jeremic, Nevena; Chaturvedi, Pankaj; Tyagi, Suresh C

2017-01-01

What is more interesting about brown adipose tissue (BAT) is its ability to provide thermogenesis, protection against obesity by clearing triglycerides, releasing batokines, and mitigating insulin resistance. White adipose tissue (WAT) on the other hand stores excess energy and secretes some endocrine factors like leptin for regulating satiety. For the last decade there has been an increasing interest in the browning of fat keeping in view its beneficial effects on metabolic disorders and protection in the form of perivascular fat. Obesity is one such metabolic disorder that leads to significant morbidity and mortality from obesity-related disorders such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and cardiovascular disease risk. Browning of white fat paves the way to restrict obesity and obesity related disorders. Although exercise has been the most common factor for fat browning; however, there are other factors that involve: (1) beta aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA); (2) gamma amino butyric acid (GABA); (3) PPARɣ agonists; (4) JAK inhibition; and (5) IRISIN. In this review, we propose two novel factors musclin and TFAM for fat browning. Musclin a myokine released from muscles during exercise activates PPARɣ which induces browning of WAT that has beneficial metabolic and cardiac effects. TFAM is a transcription factor that induces mitochondrial biogenesis. Since BAT is rich in mitochondria, higher expression of TFAM in WAT or TFAM treatment in WAT cells can induce browning of WAT. We propose that fat browning can be used as a therapeutic tool for metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 61-68, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Widespread introgression of mountain hare genes into Fennoscandian brown hare populations.

PubMed

Levänen, Riikka; Thulin, Carl-Gustaf; Spong, Göran; Pohjoismäki, Jaakko L O

2018-01-01

In Fennoscandia, mountain hare (Lepus timidus) and brown hare (Lepus europaeus) hybridize and produce fertile offspring, resulting in gene flow across the species barrier. Analyses of maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) show that introgression occur frequently, but unavailability of appropriate nuclear DNA markers has made it difficult to evaluate the scale- and significance for the species. The extent of introgression has become important as the brown hare is continuously expanding its range northward, at the apparent expense of the mountain hare, raising concerns about possible competition. We report here, based on analysis of 6833 SNP markers, that the introgression is highly asymmetrical in the direction of gene flow from mountain hare to brown hare, and that the levels of nuclear gene introgression are independent of mtDNA introgression. While it is possible that brown hares obtain locally adapted alleles from the resident mountain hares, the low levels of mountain hare alleles among allopatric brown hares suggest that hybridization is driven by stochastic processes. Interspecific geneflow with the brown hare is unlikely to have major impacts on mountain hare in Fennoscandia, but direct competition may.

Lack of TRPV2 impairs thermogenesis in mouse brown adipose tissue.

PubMed

Sun, Wuping; Uchida, Kunitoshi; Suzuki, Yoshiro; Zhou, Yiming; Kim, Minji; Takayama, Yasunori; Takahashi, Nobuyuki; Goto, Tsuyoshi; Wakabayashi, Shigeo; Kawada, Teruo; Iwata, Yuko; Tominaga, Makoto

2016-03-01

Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a major site for mammalian non-shivering thermogenesis, could be a target for prevention and treatment of human obesity. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2), a Ca(2+)-permeable non-selective cation channel, plays vital roles in the regulation of various cellular functions. Here, we show that TRPV2 is expressed in brown adipocytes and that mRNA levels of thermogenic genes are reduced in both cultured brown adipocytes and BAT from TRPV2 knockout (TRPV2KO) mice. The induction of thermogenic genes in response to β-adrenergic receptor stimulation is also decreased in TRPV2KO brown adipocytes and suppressed by reduced intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations in wild-type brown adipocytes. In addition, TRPV2KO mice have more white adipose tissue and larger brown adipocytes and show cold intolerance, and lower BAT temperature increases in response to β-adrenergic receptor stimulation. Furthermore, TRPV2KO mice have increased body weight and fat upon high-fat-diet treatment. Based on these findings, we conclude that TRPV2 has a role in BAT thermogenesis and could be a target for human obesity therapy. © 2016 The Authors.

Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant radiological impact assessment report, January-June 1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, B.E.

1988-01-01

Potential doses to maximum individuals and the population around Browns Ferry are calcuated for each quarter. Measured plant releases for the reporting period are used to estimate these doses. Dispersion of radioactive effluents in the environment is estimated in accordance with the guidance provided and measuring during the period. Using dose calculation methodologies which are described in detail in the Browns Ferry Offsite Dose Calculation Manual, the doses are calculated and used to determine compliance with the dose limits contained in Browns Ferry's Operating License. In this report, the doses resulting from releases are described and compared to quarterly andmore » annual limits established for Browns Ferry.« less

Fermented Brown Rice Flour as Functional Food Ingredient.

PubMed

Ilowefah, Muna; Chinma, Chiemela; Bakar, Jamilah; Ghazali, Hasanah M; Muhammad, Kharidah; Makeri, Mohammad

2014-02-12

As fermentation could reduce the negative effects of bran on final cereal products, the utilization of whole-cereal flour is recommended, such as brown rice flour as a functional food ingredient. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of fermented brown rice flour on white rice flour, white rice batter and its steamed bread qualities. Brown rice batter was fermented using commercial baker's yeast (Eagle brand) according to the optimum conditions for moderate acidity (pH 5.5) to obtain fermented brown rice flour (FBRF). The FBRF was added to white rice flour at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% levels to prepare steamed rice bread. Based on the sensory evaluation test, steamed rice bread containing 40% FBRF had the highest overall acceptability score. Thus, pasting properties of the composite rice flour, rheological properties of its batter, volume and texture properties of its steamed bread were determined. The results showed that peak viscosity of the rice flour containing 40% FBRF was significantly increased, whereas its breakdown, final viscosity and setback significantly decreased. Viscous, elastic and complex moduli of the batter having 40% FBRF were also significantly reduced. However, volume, specific volume, chewiness, resilience and cohesiveness of its steamed bread were significantly increased, while hardness and springiness significantly reduced in comparison to the control. These results established the effectiveness of yeast fermentation in reducing the detrimental effects of bran on the sensory properties of steamed white rice bread and encourage the usage of brown rice flour to enhance the quality of rice products.

Parallax measurements of cool brown dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjavacas, E.; Goldman, B.; Reffert, S.; Henning, T.

2013-12-01

Context. Accurate parallax measurements allow us to determine physical properties of brown dwarfs and help us constrain evolutionary and atmospheric models, break age-mass degeneracy, and reveal unresolved binaries. Aims: We measured absolute trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of six cool brown dwarfs using background galaxies to establish an absolute reference frame. We derive the absolute J-band magnitude. The six T brown dwarfs in our sample have spectral types between T2.5 and T8 and magnitudes between 13.9 and 18.0 in the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) with photometric distances below 25 pc. Methods: The observations were taken in the J-band with the Omega-2000 camera on the 3.5 m telescope at Calar Alto during a time period of 27 months between March 2011 and June 2013. The number of epochs varied between 11 and 12 depending on the object. The reduction of the astrometric measurements was carried out with respect to the field stars. The relative parallax and proper motions were transformed into absolute measurements using the background galaxies in our fields. Results: We obtained absolute parallaxes for our six brown dwarfs with a precision between 3 and 6 mas. We compared our results in a color-magnitude diagram with other brown dwarfs with determined parallax and with the BT-Settl 2012 atmospheric models. For four of the six targets, we found a good agreement in luminosity with objects of similar spectral types. We obtained an improved accuracy in the parallaxes and proper motions in comparison to previous works. The object 2MASS J11061197+2754225 is more than 1 mag overluminous in all bands, which point to binarity or high order multiplicity. Based on observations taken with Omega-2000 at the 3.5 m telescope at the Centro Astronómico Hispano Alemán (CAHA) at Calar Alto, operated by the Max Planck Institut für Astronomie and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC).Appendix A is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Parallaxes for the Coldest Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dupuy, Trent; Kraus, Adam; Liu, Michael

2014-12-01

Understanding extremely cool atmospheres is a major goal of both brown dwarf and exoplanet studies. The WISE all-sky survey has uncovered the coolest brown dwarfs to date including the first unambiguous Y dwarfs. These discoveries are spectroscopically estimated to have temperatures of ~300-500 K and masses of ~5-20 Mjup, overlapping discoveries from radial velocity exoplanet surveys. However, direct distances are needed to determine model-independent temperatures and to test the observed properties against theoretical models in this new physical frontier. From our Cycle 8 program, we have successfully measured the first robust parallaxes for these extremely low-luminosity objects using Spitzer [3.6]-band astrometry, made possible with our improved distortion solution for IRAC. Our results, comprising less than half the currently known late-T/Y census, have uncovered a number of puzzles. Perhaps the most intriguing is the possibility that the observed near-IR spectral types and spectral energy distributions do not follow a simple correspondence with temperature, in contrast to all other (hotter) substellar and stellar objects. We propose here to obtain definitive parallaxes and temperatures to the ~2 dozen known coldest brown dwarfs. For our Cycle 8 sample, these new data will double the time baseline, leading to major improvements over our preliminary results. We will also double the total sample with parallaxes for more recent discoveries. Altogether, our work will establish the temperature scale as a function of spectral type, delineate the cooling (and intrinsic scatter) through the T/Y transition, and enable strong test of theoretical models for these coldest brown dwarfs, which are ~100x fainter than previously known objects at near-IR wavelengths.

The brown adipocyte differentiation pathway in birds: An evolutionary road not taken

PubMed Central

Mezentseva, Nadejda V; Kumaratilake, Jaliya S; Newman, Stuart A

2008-01-01

Background Thermogenic brown adipose tissue has never been described in birds or other non-mammalian vertebrates. Brown adipocytes in mammals are distinguished from the more common white fat adipocytes by having numerous small lipid droplets rather than a single large one, elevated numbers of mitochondria, and mitochondrial expression of the nuclear gene UCP1, the uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis. Results We have identified in vitro inductive conditions in which mesenchymal cells isolated from the embryonic chicken limb bud differentiate into avian brown adipocyte-like cells (ABALCs) with the morphological and many of the biochemical properties of terminally differentiated brown adipocytes. Avian, and as we show here, lizard species lack the gene for UCP1, although it is present in amphibian and fish species. While ABALCs are therefore not functional brown adipocytes, they are generated by a developmental pathway virtually identical to brown fat differentiation in mammals: both the common adipogenic transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), and a coactivator of that factor specific to brown fat differentiation in mammals, PGC1α, are elevated in expression, as are mitochondrial volume and DNA. Furthermore, ABALCs induction resulted in strong transcription from a transfected mouse UCP1 promoter. Conclusion These findings strongly suggest that the brown fat differentiation pathway evolved in a common ancestor of birds and mammals and its thermogenicity was lost in the avian lineage, with the degradation of UCP1, after it separated from the mammalian lineage. Since this event occurred no later than the saurian ancestor of birds and lizards, an implication of this is that dinosaurs had neither UCP1 nor canonically thermogenic brown fat. PMID:18426587

37 NEW T-TYPE BROWN DWARFS IN THE CANADA-FRANCE BROWN DWARFS SURVEY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Albert, Loic; Artigau, Etienne; Delorme, Philippe

2011-06-15

The Canada-France Brown Dwarfs Survey is an i'- and z'-band survey realized with MegaCam at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope that covers a surface area of 780 deg{sup 2}. Image analysis is now completed while J-band follow-up campaigns are {approx}90% done. The survey identified about 70 T dwarf candidates, of which 43 now have near-infrared spectra obtained with NIRI and GNIRS at Gemini and ISAAC at the Very Large Telescope. Six of these were previously published and we present here the 37 new discoveries, all T dwarfs. They range from T0 to T8.5 with four being of type T7 or later. Bothmore » newly identified T8 dwarfs are possibly high log (g) massive brown dwarfs of thin disk age. One T4.5 dwarf shows signs of sub-metallicity. We present proper motions and near-infrared photometry, and discuss about the most peculiar/interesting objects in some details.« less

Role of Reactive Carbonyl Species in non-enzymatic browning of apple juice during storage.

PubMed

Paravisini, Laurianne; Peterson, Devin G

2018-04-15

Non-enzymatic browning during storage of fruit juice causes the development of brown color and off-flavors that ultimately lead to a decrease in consumer acceptability. This study investigates the role of Reactive Carbonyl Species (RCS) from the Maillard reaction on browning formation in apple juice during storage. Over a 10-week period under accelerated conditions (35 °C), a significant increase in brown color development was observed and positively correlated to the RCS concentrations. Supplementation experiments established causality between specific RCS and browning and allowed for the identification of glyoxal and methylglyoxal as key browning intermediates in apple juice. Finally, phloretin, a ubiquitous apple dihydrochalcone, was reported as an efficient browning suppressor by significantly reducing the RCS levels and inhibiting the color formation during storage. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Integrated Circuitry: Catharine Brown across Gender, Race, and Religion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Joshua B.

2006-01-01

This article talks about a Cherokee woman named Catharine Brown who was converted to Christianity by missionaries, as well as historical and theoretical contexts regarding the Cherokee. The author presents views from critics, such as Theda Perdue, Carolyn Ross Johnston, and Arnold Krupat, on Catharine Brown's experiences across spheres such as…

Brown CA et al 2016 Dataset

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This dataset contains the research described in the following publication:Brown, C.A., D. Sharp, and T. Mochon Collura. 2016. Effect of Climate Change on Water Temperature and Attainment of Water Temperature Criteria in the Yaquina Estuary, Oregon (USA). Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 169:136-146, doi: 10.1016/j.ecss.2015.11.006.This dataset is associated with the following publication:Brown , C., D. Sharp, and T. MochonCollura. Effect of Climate Change on Water Temperature and Attainment of Water Temperature Criteria in the Yaquina Estuary, Oregon (USA). ESTUARINE, COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, USA, 169: 136-146, (2016).

Boron uptake, localization, and speciation in marine brown algae.

PubMed

Miller, Eric P; Wu, Youxian; Carrano, Carl J

2016-02-01

In contrast to the generally boron-poor terrestrial environment, the concentration of boron in the marine environment is relatively high (0.4 mM) and while there has been extensive interest in its use as a surrogate of pH in paleoclimate studies in the context of climate change-related questions, the relatively depth independent, and the generally non-nutrient-like concentration profile of this element have led to boron being neglected as a potentially biologically relevant element in the ocean. Among the marine plant-like organisms the brown algae (Phaeophyta) are one of only five lineages of photosynthetic eukaryotes to have evolved complex multicellularity. Many of unusual and often unique features of brown algae are attributable to this singular evolutionary history. These adaptations are a reflection of the marine coastal environment which brown algae dominate in terms of biomass. Consequently, brown algae are of fundamental importance to oceanic ecology, geochemistry, and coastal industry. Our results indicate that boron is taken up by a facilitated diffusion mechanism against a considerable concentration gradient. Furthermore, in both Ectocarpus and Macrocystis some boron is most likely bound to cell wall constituent alginate and the photoassimilate mannitol located in sieve cells. Herein, we describe boron uptake, speciation, localization and possible biological function in two species of brown algae, Macrocystis pyrifera and Ectocarpus siliculosus.

Emission Factors from Aerial and Ground Measurements of Field and Laboratory Forest Burns in the Southeastern U.S.: PM2.5, Black and Brown Carbon, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF

EPA Science Inventory

Aerial- and ground-sampled emissions from three prescribed forest burns in the southeastern U.S. were compared to emissions from laboratory open burn tests using biomass from the same locations. A comprehensive array of emissions, including PM2.5, black carbon (BC), brown carbon ...

Current status of brown bears in the Manasalu Conservation Area, Nepal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aryal, Achyut; Sathyakumar, S.; Schwartz, Charles C.

2010-01-01

Although brown bears (Ursus arctos) are rare in the Himalayan region, populations have been documented in alpine habitats of Pakistan and India. Brown bears were once known to exist in both Nepal and Bhutan, but current information on their numbers and distributions was lacking. We document the presence of brown bears in the Manasalu Conservation Area (MCA) in Nepal using field surveys and interviews with local people. We were able to confirm the existence of a remnant population based on finding bear scat and locations where bears excavated for Himalayan marmots (Marmota himalayana). Based on interviews with local people, it appeared that the presence of brown bears in the area is relatively recent and likely a result of immigration of bears from the Tibetan Autonomous Region. Interviews with local herders also indicated that livestock losses from brown bear predation amounted to approximately 318,000 Nepali rupees (US $4,240) from February 2006 through July 2008.

Chandra Captures Flare From Brown Dwarf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-07-01

The first flare ever seen from a brown dwarf, or failed star, was detected by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The bright X-ray flare has implications for understanding the explosive activity and origin of magnetic fields of extremely low mass stars. Chandra detected no X-rays at all from LP 944-20 for the first nine hours of a twelve hour observation, then the source flared dramatically before it faded away over the next two hours. "We were shocked," said Dr. Robert Rutledge of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, the lead author on the discovery paper to appear in the July 20 issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters. "We didn't expect to see flaring from such a lightweight object. This is really the 'mouse that roared.'" Chandra LP 944-20 X-ray Image Press Image and Caption The energy emitted in the brown dwarf flare was comparable to a small solar flare, and was a billion times greater than observed X-ray flares from Jupiter. The flaring energy is believed to come from a twisted magnetic field. "This is the strongest evidence yet that brown dwarfs and possibly young giant planets have magnetic fields, and that a large amount of energy can be released in a flare," said Dr. Eduardo Martin, also of Caltech and a member of the team. Professor Gibor Basri of the University of California, Berkeley, the principal investigator for this observation, speculated that the flare "could have its origin in the turbulent magnetized hot material beneath the surface of the brown dwarf. A sub-surface flare could heat the atmosphere, allowing currents to flow and give rise to the X-ray flare -- like a stroke of lightning." LP 944-20 is about 500 million years old and has a mass that is about 60 times that of Jupiter, or 6 percent that of the Sun. Its diameter is about one-tenth that of the Sun and it has a rotation period of less than five hours. Located in the constellation Fornax in the southern skies, LP 944-20 is one of the best studied brown dwarfs because it is

"Brown's" Far Reaching Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chinn, Philip C.

2004-01-01

Although the 1954 "Brown v. Board of Education" U.S. Supreme Court decision changed the face of American education forever, few individuals at that time could have fully realized its far-reaching implications. Certainly, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Director Thurgood Marshall in his arguments was…

Thirty Years After Brown.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochschild, Jennifer L.

Although many school districts and classrooms have desegregated since the 1954 Brown decision, desegregation is neither complete nor uniform. Moreover, racial isolation is growing in some regions and cities, and new forms of separation are arising within desegregated schools. New desegregation strategies and policies are needed, but these will be…

Systemic control of brown fat thermogenesis: integration of peripheral and central signals.

PubMed

Schulz, Tim J; Tseng, Yu-Hua

2013-10-01

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is of great scientific interest as a potential target to treat obesity. The development of novel strategies to quantify brown fat thermogenesis in adult humans now enables minimally invasive assessment of novel pharmacotherapeutics. Input from the central nervous system via sympathetic efferents is widely regarded as the key controller of BAT-mediated thermogenesis in response to changes in body temperature or nutrient availability. More recently, however, it has become clear that locally secreted signals and endocrine factors originating from multiple organs can control the recruitment of brown adipocytes and, more importantly, induce thermogenesis in brown fat. Thus, they provide an attractive strategy to fine-tune brown fat thermogenesis independent of classical temperature sensing. Here, we summarize recent findings on bone morphogenetic protein signaling as an example of secreted factors in the regulation of brown adipocyte formation and systemic control of energy metabolism. We further highlight endocrine communication routes between the different types of brown adipocytes and other organs that contribute to regulation of thermogenesis. Thus, emerging evidence suggests that the classical mechanisms of central temperature sensing and sympathetic nervous system-driven thermogenesis are complemented by local and endocrine signals to determine systemic energy homeostasis. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

The Burden of Brown. Thirty Years of School Desegregation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolters, Raymond

The Supreme Court's decision in Brown vs. Board of Education is one of the most important events in the recent history of the United States. Although "Brown" prohibited the use of racial discrimination to separate the races in the Topeka (Kansas) schools, similar cases from Delaware, South Carolina, and Virginia were consolidated on…

The Road to Brown, Its Leaders, and the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Frank

2004-01-01

The 50th anniversary of the historic 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision in "Brown v. Board of Education" provides an opportunity to trace the origin of "Brown" and the long journey by African Americans to achieve quality elementary and secondary education in this country. This journey began with passage of the Fourteenth…

Improvement Effect of Dewaxed Brown Rice on Constipation in Antibiotic-treated Mice

PubMed Central

INAGAWA, HIROYUKI; SAIKA, TOSHIYUKI; NISHIYAMA, NAOKI; NISIZAWA, TAKASHI; KOHCHI, CHIE; UENOBE, MAYA; SOMA, GEN-ICHIRO

2017-01-01

Background/Aim: A decrease in gastrointestinal motility causing weakened lipopolysaccharide (LPS) – toll-like receptor (TLR)4 signaling along with a decline in the number of enteric bacteria is known to be a cause of constipation due to the administration of antibiotics. A new type of brown rice with its wax layer removed, resulting in quick-cooking and tasty product, contains 100-times more LPS than polished white rice. In this study, the improvement effect on constipation due to intake of dewaxed brown rice was examined. Materials and Methods: Dewaxed brown rice was prepared at Toyo Rice from brown rice. Mice were given powdered feed to which powdered rice containing 0-50% of dewaxed brown rice was added. Antibiotics were administered for 10 or 27 days in drinking water containing vancomycin, metronidazole and neomycin. LPS, used as a control, was freely provided in drinking water. The defecation frequency, stool weight per hour and body weight were determined on the last day. Results: Although the 10-day administration of antibiotics reduced the stool weight per hour to half, the dewaxed brown rice and LPS groups showed a trend towards improvement at a level comparable to the group receiving no antibiotics. The body weight significantly decreased after the 27-day administration of antibiotics but was improved in the 50% dewaxed brown rice group at a level comparable to the group receiving no antibiotics. Though the defecation frequency and wet and dry stool weights per hour were reduced by as much as 50% in the group receiving antibiotics, a significant improvement in constipation was observed in the 50% dewaxed brown rice group. Conclusion: As the improvement effect of dewaxed brown rice on body weight loss and constipation caused by the long-term administration of antibiotics has been confirmed in animal experimentation, the introduction of dewaxed brown rice as a staple food to patients under long-term antibiotic treatment may improve constipation. PMID

Improvement Effect of Dewaxed Brown Rice on Constipation in Antibiotic-treated Mice.

PubMed

Inagawa, Hiroyuki; Saika, Toshiyuki; Nishiyama, Naoki; Nisizawa, Takashi; Kohchi, Chie; Uenobe, Maya; Soma, Gen-Ichiro

2017-01-01

A decrease in gastrointestinal motility causing weakened lipopolysaccharide (LPS) - toll-like receptor (TLR)4 signaling along with a decline in the number of enteric bacteria is known to be a cause of constipation due to the administration of antibiotics. A new type of brown rice with its wax layer removed, resulting in quick-cooking and tasty product, contains 100-times more LPS than polished white rice. In this study, the improvement effect on constipation due to intake of dewaxed brown rice was examined. Dewaxed brown rice was prepared at Toyo Rice from brown rice. Mice were given powdered feed to which powdered rice containing 0-50% of dewaxed brown rice was added. Antibiotics were administered for 10 or 27 days in drinking water containing vancomycin, metronidazole and neomycin. LPS, used as a control, was freely provided in drinking water. The defecation frequency, stool weight per hour and body weight were determined on the last day. Although the 10-day administration of antibiotics reduced the stool weight per hour to half, the dewaxed brown rice and LPS groups showed a trend towards improvement at a level comparable to the group receiving no antibiotics. The body weight significantly decreased after the 27-day administration of antibiotics but was improved in the 50% dewaxed brown rice group at a level comparable to the group receiving no antibiotics. Though the defecation frequency and wet and dry stool weights per hour were reduced by as much as 50% in the group receiving antibiotics, a significant improvement in constipation was observed in the 50% dewaxed brown rice group. As the improvement effect of dewaxed brown rice on body weight loss and constipation caused by the long-term administration of antibiotics has been confirmed in animal experimentation, the introduction of dewaxed brown rice as a staple food to patients under long-term antibiotic treatment may improve constipation. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr

Intravitreally Injected Anti-VEGF Antibody Reduces Brown Fat in Neonatal Mice.

PubMed

Jo, Dong Hyun; Park, Sung Wook; Cho, Chang Sik; Powner, Michael B; Kim, Jin Hyoung; Fruttiger, Marcus; Kim, Jeong Hun

2015-01-01

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents are the mainstay treatment for various angiogenesis-related retinal diseases. Currently, bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized anti-VEGF antibody, is trailed in retinopathy of prematurity, a vasoproliferative retinal disorder in premature infants. However, the risks of systemic complications after intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF antibody in infants are not well understood. In this study, we show that intravitreally injected anti-VEGF antibody is transported into the systemic circulation into the periphery where it reduces brown fat in neonatal C57BL/6 mice. A considerable amount of anti-VEGF antibody was detected in serum after intravitreal injection. Furthermore, in interscapular brown adipose tissue, we found lipid droplet accumulation, decreased VEGF levels, loss of vascular network, and decreased expression of mitochondria-related genes, Ppargc1a and Ucp1, all of which are characteristics of "whitening" of brown fat. With increasing age and body weight, brown fat restored its morphology and vascularity. Our results show that there is a transient, but significant impact of intravitreally administered anti-VEGF antibody on brown adipose tissue in neonatal mice. We suggest that more attention should be focused on the metabolic and developmental significance of brown adipose tissue in bevacizumab treated retinopathy of prematurity infants.

Intravitreally Injected Anti-VEGF Antibody Reduces Brown Fat in Neonatal Mice

PubMed Central

Powner, Michael B.; Kim, Jin Hyoung; Fruttiger, Marcus; Kim, Jeong Hun

2015-01-01

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents are the mainstay treatment for various angiogenesis-related retinal diseases. Currently, bevacizumab, a recombinant humanized anti-VEGF antibody, is trailed in retinopathy of prematurity, a vasoproliferative retinal disorder in premature infants. However, the risks of systemic complications after intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF antibody in infants are not well understood. In this study, we show that intravitreally injected anti-VEGF antibody is transported into the systemic circulation into the periphery where it reduces brown fat in neonatal C57BL/6 mice. A considerable amount of anti-VEGF antibody was detected in serum after intravitreal injection. Furthermore, in interscapular brown adipose tissue, we found lipid droplet accumulation, decreased VEGF levels, loss of vascular network, and decreased expression of mitochondria-related genes, Ppargc1a and Ucp1, all of which are characteristics of “whitening” of brown fat. With increasing age and body weight, brown fat restored its morphology and vascularity. Our results show that there is a transient, but significant impact of intravitreally administered anti-VEGF antibody on brown adipose tissue in neonatal mice. We suggest that more attention should be focused on the metabolic and developmental significance of brown adipose tissue in bevacizumab treated retinopathy of prematurity infants. PMID:26226015

Genome-wide transcriptome and expression profile analysis of Phalaenopsis during explant browning.

PubMed

Xu, Chuanjun; Zeng, Biyu; Huang, Junmei; Huang, Wen; Liu, Yumei

2015-01-01

Explant browning presents a major problem for in vitro culture, and can lead to the death of the explant and failure of regeneration. Considerable work has examined the physiological mechanisms underlying Phalaenopsis leaf explant browning, but the molecular mechanisms of browning remain elusive. In this study, we used whole genome RNA sequencing to examine Phalaenopsis leaf explant browning at genome-wide level. We first used Illumina high-throughput technology to sequence the transcriptome of Phalaenopsis and then performed de novo transcriptome assembly. We assembled 79,434,350 clean reads into 31,708 isogenes and generated 26,565 annotated unigenes. We assigned Gene Ontology (GO) terms, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotations, and potential Pfam domains to each transcript. Using the transcriptome data as a reference, we next analyzed the differential gene expression of explants cultured for 0, 3, and 6 d, respectively. We then identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) before and after Phalaenopsis explant browning. We also performed GO, KEGG functional enrichment and Pfam analysis of all DEGs. Finally, we selected 11 genes for quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis to confirm the expression profile analysis. Here, we report the first comprehensive analysis of transcriptome and expression profiles during Phalaenopsis explant browning. Our results suggest that Phalaenopsis explant browning may be due in part to gene expression changes that affect the secondary metabolism, such as: phenylpropanoid pathway and flavonoid biosynthesis. Genes involved in photosynthesis and ATPase activity have been found to be changed at transcription level; these changes may perturb energy metabolism and thus lead to the decay of plant cells and tissues. This study provides comprehensive gene expression data for Phalaenopsis browning. Our data constitute an important resource for further functional studies to prevent explant browning.

Genome-Wide Transcriptome and Expression Profile Analysis of Phalaenopsis during Explant Browning

PubMed Central

Xu, Chuanjun; Zeng, Biyu; Huang, Junmei; Huang, Wen; Liu, Yumei

2015-01-01

Background Explant browning presents a major problem for in vitro culture, and can lead to the death of the explant and failure of regeneration. Considerable work has examined the physiological mechanisms underlying Phalaenopsis leaf explant browning, but the molecular mechanisms of browning remain elusive. In this study, we used whole genome RNA sequencing to examine Phalaenopsis leaf explant browning at genome-wide level. Methodology/Principal Findings We first used Illumina high-throughput technology to sequence the transcriptome of Phalaenopsis and then performed de novo transcriptome assembly. We assembled 79,434,350 clean reads into 31,708 isogenes and generated 26,565 annotated unigenes. We assigned Gene Ontology (GO) terms, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotations, and potential Pfam domains to each transcript. Using the transcriptome data as a reference, we next analyzed the differential gene expression of explants cultured for 0, 3, and 6 d, respectively. We then identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) before and after Phalaenopsis explant browning. We also performed GO, KEGG functional enrichment and Pfam analysis of all DEGs. Finally, we selected 11 genes for quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis to confirm the expression profile analysis. Conclusions/Significance Here, we report the first comprehensive analysis of transcriptome and expression profiles during Phalaenopsis explant browning. Our results suggest that Phalaenopsis explant browning may be due in part to gene expression changes that affect the secondary metabolism, such as: phenylpropanoid pathway and flavonoid biosynthesis. Genes involved in photosynthesis and ATPase activity have been found to be changed at transcription level; these changes may perturb energy metabolism and thus lead to the decay of plant cells and tissues. This study provides comprehensive gene expression data for Phalaenopsis browning. Our data constitute an important resource for further

Kinetics of browning and correlations between browning degree and pyrazine compounds in l-ascorbic acid/acidic amino acid model systems.

PubMed

Yu, Ai-Nong; Zhou, Yong-Yan; Yang, Yi-Ni

2017-04-15

The kinetics of browning and the correlation between browning products (BPs) and pyrazine compounds were investigated by heating equimolar l-ascorbic acid (ASA)/acidic amino acids under weak alkaline conditions at 120-150°C for 10-120min. The formations of BPs and pyrazine compounds from the reaction were monitored by UV-vis and SPME-GC-FID, respectively. The formation of BPs in both ASA/l-glutamic acid and ASA/l-aspartic acid model reaction systems followed zero order reaction kinetics with activation energies (E a ) of 90.13 and 93.38kJ/mol, respectively. ASA/l-aspartic acid browned at a slightly higher rate than ASA/l-glutamic acid. The total concentration of pyrazine compounds was highly and positively correlated with that of BPs. Based on the observed kinetic data, the formation mechanisms of BPs and pyrazine compounds were proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Swertiajaponin as an anti-browning and antioxidant flavonoid.

PubMed

Moon, Kyoung Mi; Lee, Bonggi; Cho, Won-Kyung; Lee, Bong-Seon; Kim, Choon Young; Ma, Jin Yeul

2018-06-30

Enzymatic browning is a major issue that needs to be solved in the food industry. Although swertiajaponin is a flavonoid rich in the whole herb of Swertia japonica that has been clinically used, its biological functions and applicat​ion in the foods have not been fully elucidated. Here, we showed that swertiajaponin efficiently blocked enzymatic browning in potatoes possibly by direct binding to and inactivating polyphenol oxidase. Furthermore, swertiajaponin showed potent antioxidant activity proven by markedly suppressed reactive oxygen species. Swertiajaponin significantly increased antioxidant properties of potato extract when it is added since it additively elevated total flavonoid content. Considering numerous beneficial effects of antioxidants, swertiajaponin may be used as a functional food additive to suppress enzymatic browning and elevate the antioxidant capacity of foods including beverages and soups by fortification of flavonoids. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular selectivity of brown carbon chromophores.

PubMed

Laskin, Julia; Laskin, Alexander; Nizkorodov, Sergey A; Roach, Patrick; Eckert, Peter; Gilles, Mary K; Wang, Bingbing; Lee, Hyun Ji Julie; Hu, Qichi

2014-10-21

Complementary methods of high-resolution mass spectrometry and microspectroscopy were utilized for molecular analysis of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated from ozonolysis of two structural monoterpene isomers: D-limonene SOA (LSOA) and α-pinene SOA (PSOA). The LSOA compounds readily formed adducts with Na(+) under electrospray ionization conditions, with only a small fraction of compounds detected in the protonated form. In contrast, a significant fraction of PSOA compounds appeared in the protonated form because of their increased molecular rigidity. Laboratory simulated aging of LSOA and PSOA, through conversion of carbonyls into imines mediated by NH3 vapors in humid air, resulted in selective browning of the LSOA sample, while the PSOA sample remained white. Comparative analysis of the reaction products in the aged LSOA and PSOA samples provided insights into chemistry relevant to formation of brown carbon chromophores. A significant fraction of carbonyl-imine conversion products with identical molecular formulas was detected in both samples. This reflects the high level of similarity in the molecular composition of these two closely related SOA materials. Several highly conjugated products were detected exclusively in the brown LSOA sample and were identified as potential chromophores responsible for the observed color change. The majority of the unique products in the aged LSOA sample with the highest number of double bonds contain two nitrogen atoms. We conclude that chromophores characteristic of the carbonyl-imine chemistry in LSOA are highly conjugated oligomers of secondary imines (Schiff bases) present at relatively low concentrations. Formation of this type of conjugated compounds in PSOA is hindered by the structural rigidity of the α-pinene oxidation products. Our results suggest that the overall light-absorbing properties of SOA may be determined by trace amounts of strong brown carbon chromophores.

A Very Cool Pair of Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2011-03-01

Observations with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, along with two other telescopes, have shown that there is a new candidate for the coldest known star: a brown dwarf in a double system with about the same temperature as a freshly made cup of tea - hot in human terms, but extraordinarily cold for the surface of a star. This object is cool enough to begin crossing the blurred line dividing small cold stars from big hot planets. Brown dwarfs are essentially failed stars: they lack enough mass for gravity to trigger the nuclear reactions that make stars shine. The newly discovered brown dwarf, identified as CFBDSIR 1458+10B, is the dimmer member of a binary brown dwarf system located just 75 light-years from Earth [1]. The powerful X-shooter spectrograph on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) was used to show that the composite object was very cool by brown dwarf standards. "We were very excited to see that this object had such a low temperature, but we couldn't have guessed that it would turn out to be a double system and have an even more interesting, even colder component," said Philippe Delorme of the Institut de planétologie et d'astrophysique de Grenoble (CNRS/Université Joseph Fourier), a co-author of the paper. CFBDSIR 1458+10 is the coolest brown dwarf binary found to date. The dimmer of the two dwarfs has now been found to have a temperature of about 100 degrees Celsius - the boiling point of water, and not much different from the temperature inside a sauna [2]. "At such temperatures we expect the brown dwarf to have properties that are different from previously known brown dwarfs and much closer to those of giant exoplanets - it could even have water clouds in its atmosphere," said Michael Liu of the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy, who is lead author of the paper describing this new work. "In fact, once we start taking images of gas-giant planets around Sun-like stars in the near future, I expect that many of them

Functional and anatomical characteristics of the nerve-brown adipose interaction in the rat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flaim, K. E.; Horowitz, J. M.; Horwitz, B. A.

1976-01-01

Experiments were conducted on 12 male rats to study the coupling of signals from the sympathetic nervous system to the brown adipose tissue. Analysis of electron photomicrographs revealed considerable morphological heterogeneity among the nerves entering and leaving the interscapular fat pad. In response to electrical simulation of the nerves, the temperature of the brown fat increased following a rapid but transient temperature drop. Such changes were observed only on the ipsilateral side, indicating that the innervation to the interscapular brown fat of the rat is functionally bilateral rather than diffuse. The finding that brown fat is capable of responding in a graded fashion correlates well with observations suggesting that clusters of brown adipocytes may be electrically coupled.

Four Brown Dwarfs in the Taurus Star-Forming Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martín, E. L.; Dougados, C.; Magnier, E.; Ménard, F.; Magazzù, A.; Cuillandre, J.-C.; Delfosse, X.

2001-11-01

We have identified four brown dwarfs in the Taurus star-forming region. They were first selected from R and I CCD photometry of 2.29 deg2 obtained at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. Subsequently, they were recovered in the Two Micron All Sky Survey second incremental data release point source catalog. Low-resolution optical spectra obtained at the William Herschel Telescope allow us to derive spectral types in the range M7-M9. One of the brown dwarfs has very strong Hα emission (EW=-340 Å). It also displays Brγ emission in an infrared spectrum obtained with the Infrared Camera and Spectrograph on the Subaru telescope, suggesting that it is accreting matter from a disk. The K I resonance doublet and the Na I subordinate doublet at 818.3 and 819.5 nm in these Taurus objects are weaker than in field dwarfs of similar spectral type, consistent with low surface gravities as expected for young brown dwarfs. Two of the objects are cooler and fainter than GG Tau Bb, the lowest mass known member of the Taurus association. We estimate masses of only 0.03 Msolar for them. The spatial distribution of brown dwarfs in Taurus hints at a possible anticorrelation between the density of stars and the density of brown dwarfs. Based on data collected at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

The tumor secretory factor ZAG promotes white adipose tissue browning and energy wasting.

PubMed

Elattar, Sawsan; Dimri, Manali; Satyanarayana, Ande

2018-03-23

Cachexia is a complex tissue-wasting syndrome characterized by inflammation, hypermetabolism, increased energy expenditure, and anorexia. Browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) is one of the significant factors that contribute to energy wasting in cachexia. By utilizing a cell implantation model, we demonstrate here that the lipid mobilizing factor zinc-α 2 -glycoprotein (ZAG) induces WAT browning in mice. Increased circulating levels of ZAG not only induced lipolysis in adipose tissues but also caused robust browning in WAT. Stimulating WAT progenitors with ZAG recombinant protein or expression of ZAG in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) strongly enhanced brown-like differentiation. At the molecular level, ZAG stimulated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and early B cell factor 2 expression and promoted their recruitment to the PR/SET domain 16 (Prdm16) promoter, leading to enhanced expression of Prdm16, which determines brown cell fate. In brown adipose tissue, ZAG stimulated the expression of PPARγ and PPARγ coactivator 1α and promoted recruitment of PPARγ to the uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) promoter, leading to increased expression of Ucp1. Overall, our results reveal a novel function of ZAG in WAT browning and highlight the targeting of ZAG as a potential therapeutic application in humans with cachexia.-Elattar, S., Dimri, M., Satyanarayana, A. The tumor secretory factor ZAG promotes white adipose tissue browning and energy wasting.

PD-L1 is an activation-independent marker of brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Ingram, Jessica R; Dougan, Michael; Rashidian, Mohammad; Knoll, Marko; Keliher, Edmund J; Garrett, Sarah; Garforth, Scott; Blomberg, Olga S; Espinosa, Camilo; Bhan, Atul; Almo, Steven C; Weissleder, Ralph; Lodish, Harvey; Dougan, Stephanie K; Ploegh, Hidde L

2017-09-21

Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is expressed on a number of immune and cancer cells, where it can downregulate antitumor immune responses. Its expression has been linked to metabolic changes in these cells. Here we develop a radiolabeled camelid single-domain antibody (anti-PD-L1 VHH) to track PD-L1 expression by immuno-positron emission tomography (PET). PET-CT imaging shows a robust and specific PD-L1 signal in brown adipose tissue (BAT). We confirm expression of PD-L1 on brown adipocytes and demonstrate that signal intensity does not change in response to cold exposure or β-adrenergic activation. This is the first robust method of visualizing murine brown fat independent of its activation state.Current approaches to visualise brown adipose tissue (BAT) rely primarily on markers that reflect its metabolic activity. Here, the authors show that PD-L1 is expressed on brown adipocytes, does not change upon BAT activation, and that BAT volume in mice can be measured by PET-CT with a radiolabeled anti-PD-L1 antibody.

Central Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Browns White Fat via Sympathetic Action in Male Mice.

PubMed

Douris, Nicholas; Stevanovic, Darko M; Fisher, Ffolliott M; Cisu, Theodore I; Chee, Melissa J; Nguyen, Ngoc L; Zarebidaki, Eleen; Adams, Andrew C; Kharitonenkov, Alexei; Flier, Jeffrey S; Bartness, Timothy J; Maratos-Flier, Eleftheria

2015-07-01

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has multiple metabolic actions, including the induction of browning in white adipose tissue. Although FGF21 stimulated browning results from a direct interaction between FGF21 and the adipocyte, browning is typically associated with activation of the sympathetic nervous system through cold exposure. We tested the hypothesis that FGF21 can act via the brain, to increase sympathetic activity and induce browning, independent of cell-autonomous actions. We administered FGF21 into the central nervous system via lateral ventricle infusion into male mice and found that the central treatment increased norepinephrine turnover in target tissues that include the inguinal white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue. Central FGF21 stimulated browning as assessed by histology, expression of uncoupling protein 1, and the induction of gene expression associated with browning. These effects were markedly attenuated when mice were treated with a β-blocker. Additionally, neither centrally nor peripherally administered FGF21 initiated browning in mice lacking β-adrenoceptors, demonstrating that an intact adrenergic system is necessary for FGF21 action. These data indicate that FGF21 can signal in the brain to activate the sympathetic nervous system and induce adipose tissue thermogenesis.

Speciation and Localization of Arsenic in White and Brown Rice Grains

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meharg, Andrew A.; Lombi, Enzo; Williams, Paul N.

2008-06-30

Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence (S-XRF) was utilized to locate arsenic (As) in polished (white) and unpolished (brown) rice grains from the United States, China, and Bangladesh. In white rice As was generally dispersed throughout the grain, the bulk of which constitutes the endosperm. In brown rice As was found to be preferentially localized at the surface, in the region corresponding to the pericarp and aleurone layer. Copper, iron, manganese, and zinc localization followed that of arsenic in brown rice, while the location for cadmium and nickel was distinctly different, showing relatively even distribution throughout the endosperm. The localization of As inmore » the outer grain of brown rice was confirmed by laser ablation ICP?MS. Arsenic speciation of all grains using spatially resolved X-ray absorption near edge structure (?-XANES) and bulk extraction followed by anion exchange HPLC?ICP?MS revealed the presence of mainly inorganic As and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). However, the two techniques indicated different proportions of inorganic:organic As species. A wider survey of whole grain speciation of white (n = 39) and brown (n = 45) rice samples from numerous sources (field collected, supermarket survey, and pot trials) showed that brown rice had a higher proportion of inorganic arsenic present than white rice. Furthermore, the percentage of DMA present in the grain increased along with total grain arsenic.« less

Finely dispersed brown carbon in a smoggy atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorchakov, G. I.; Vasiliev, A. V.; Verichev, K. S.; Semoutnikova, E. G.; Karpov, A. V.

2016-11-01

It is shown that the absorption capacity of smoke aerosol during mass forest and forest-peat fires is determined to a considerable degree by light absorbing organic compounds or brown carbon. According to the data from the AERONET global network of stations [1], the absorption spectra of smoke aerosol vary significantly if airborne particulate matter is contained in brown carbon. It is established that in several cases, the absorption spectra of smoke aerosol are approximated with satisfactory accuracy by exponents. It is shown that the finely dispersed (submicron) fraction of the smoke aerosol makes a major contribution to its optical characteristics in the 0.44-1.02 μm spectral region. Strong variation in the single scattering albedo is discovered in the presence of brown carbon in the smoke aerosol. It is shown that the optical characteristics of coarsely dispersed and finely dispersed fractions of smoke aerosol differ considerably.

Broad-scale patterns of Brook Trout responses to introduced Brown Trout in New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

McKenna, James E.; Slattery, Michael T.; Kean M. Clifford,

2013-01-01

Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis and Brown Trout Salmo trutta are valuable sport fish that coexist in many parts of the world due to stocking introductions. Causes for the decline of Brook Trout within their native range are not clear but include competition with Brown Trout, habitat alteration, and repetitive stocking practices. New York State contains a large portion of the Brook Trout's native range, where both species are maintained by stocking and other management actions. We used artificial neural network models, regression, principal components analysis, and simulation to evaluate the effects of Brown Trout, environmental conditions, and stocking on the distribution of Brook Trout in the center of their native range. We found evidence for the decline of Brook Trout in the presence of Brown Trout across many watersheds; 22% of sampled reaches where both species were expected to occur contained only Brown Trout. However, a model of the direct relationship between Brook Trout and Brown Trout abundance explained less than 1% of data variation. Ordination showed extensive overlap of Brook Trout and Brown Trout habitat conditions, with only small components of the hypervolume (multidimensional space) being distinctive. Subsequent analysis indicated higher abundances of Brook Trout in highly forested areas, while Brown Trout were more abundant in areas with relatively high proportions of agriculture. Simulation results indicated that direct interactions and habitat conditions were relatively minor factors compared with the effects of repeated stocking of Brown Trout into Brook Trout habitat. Intensive annual stocking of Brown Trout could eliminate resident Brook Trout in less than a decade. Ecological differences, harvest behavior, and other habitat changes can exacerbate Brook Trout losses. Custom stocking scenarios with Brown Trout introductions at relatively low proportions of resident Brook Trout populations may be able to sustain healthy populations of both

Characterizing germinated brown rice milk beverage processes using green technologies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rice feeds approximately half the world’s population. However, due to milling losses, white rice is a poor source of vitamins and minerals. Brown rice is nutritionally superior yet oils and rancidity can be problematic regarding storage and organoleptics. Germinating brown rice is known to increase ...

Searching for brown dwarfs from submotions of binaries with speckle observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Hsieh-Hai

1994-01-01

The search for brown dwarfs in binary systems is of great scientific interest and is a quest that pushes observing accuracy to its limit. The study of brown dwarfs is related to the search for dark matter, the initial mass function for stars of all masses, and theories of stellar formation. On the other hand, searching for brown dwarfs is a challenge because of their faintness and very low mass. Although many techniques have been used to detect brown dwarfs, a direct measurement of mass is the only criterion for distinguishing a brown dwarf from a star, and binary observation is still the best way for determining the accurate masses of celestial objects through Kepler's third law. Since 1976, CHARA has accumulated thousands of binary star speckle observations with high precision that can be used to find masses of possible unseen companions in binary systems through astrometrically measured submotions. A modified discrete Fourier transform was used to detect periodicity in data sets having uneven temporal distributions. This dissertation, an extension of work initiated by Dr. Ali Al-Shukri in 1991, uses the CHARA speckle measurements to evaluate their limiting accuracy and then to search for unseen companions from submotions of binary orbital motions. The successful detection of the previously known 1.83-year period sub-motion of the astrometric system ADS 8119 Aa demonstrates that this analysis can be used to find other systems in future investigations, even though no convincing evidence was found for the existence of a brown dwarf. Four possible companions were found to the binaries ADS 8197, ADS 9392, ADS 9494, and ADS 14073 with periods of 3.3, 2.6, 0.3, and 3.78 years and minimum masses in the ranges of 0.015-0.019, 0.11-0.65, 0.04-0.19, and 0.14-0.16 solar masses, respectively. The overall null result for detecting brown dwarfs may be partially explained as a real lack of massive brown dwarfs as members of multiple systems.

SERUM ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE LEVEL IN THE PATIENTS OF OPIOID (BROWN SUGAR) DEPENDENCE

PubMed Central

Shah, Nilesh; Dave, Kirti

1992-01-01

The authors compared the serum acetylcholinesterase level in the patients of brown sugar dependence and the normal volunteers. Significantly lower level of serum acetylcholinesterase was found in patients of brown sugar dependence. PMID:21776148

Phylogeny and biogeography of South Chinese brown frogs (Ranidae, Anura).

PubMed

Zhou, Yu; Wang, Sirui; Zhu, Hedan; Li, Pipeng; Yang, Baotian; Ma, Jianzhang

2017-01-01

Few studies have explored the role of Cenozoic tectonic evolution in shaping the patterns and processes of extant animal distributions in and around East Asia. In this study, we selected South Chinese brown frogs as a model to examine the phylogenetic and biogeographical consequences of Miocene tectonic events within South China and its margins. We used mitochondrial and nuclear molecular data to reconstruct phylogenetic interrelationships among Chinese brown frogs using Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses. The phylogeny results show that there are four main clades of Chinese brown frogs. Excepting the three commonly known Chinese brown frog species groups, R. maoershanensis forms an independent clade nearest to the R. japonica group. Phylogeny and P-distance analyses confirmed R. maoershanensis as a valid species. Among South Chinese brown frogs, there are four subclades associated with four geographical areas: (I) R. maoershanensis; (II) R. japonica; (III) R. chaochiaoensis; and (IV) other species of the R. longicrus species group. Divergence times, estimated using mitochondrial sequences, place the vicariance events among the four subclades in the middle to late Miocene epoch. Our results suggest that (1) South Chinese brown frogs originated due to a vicariance event separating them from the R. chensinensis species group at the time of the Geological movement (~18 million years ago, Ma) in southern Tibet and the Himalayan region; (2) the separation and speciation of R. maoershanensis from the R. japonica group occurred due to the dry climate at approximately 16 Ma; (3) South Chinese brown frogs migrated from South China to Japan at the time (~10.8 Ma) that the global sea-level fell and the East China Sea Shelf Basin was swamp facies, when a land gallery may have formed across the sea to connect the two areas; and (4) R. chaochiaoensis separated from other species of the R. longicrus species group during the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau at approximately 9

UCP1, the mitochondrial uncoupling protein of brown adipocyte: A personal contribution and a historical perspective.

PubMed

Ricquier, Daniel

2017-03-01

The present text summarizes what was my contribution, starting in 1975, to the research on the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), the mitochondrial uncoupler of brown adipocytes. The research on UCP1 aimed at identifying the mechanisms of heat production by brown adipocytes that occurs in mammals either at birth or during cold exposure and arousal in hibernators. With others and in particular Dr. David Nicholls, I participated in the first experiments that contributed to the identification of UCP1. Important steps were the obtention of UCP1 antibodies followed with my main collaborator and friend Frédéric Bouillaud with the initial cloning of the UCP1 cDNA and gene from rats and humans. These molecular tools were then used not only to analyse UCP1 uncoupling activity and to investigate the effects of mutagenesis on the uncoupling function of this protein, but also to decipher the transcriptional regulation of the UCP1 gene. In addition to experiments carried out in rodents, we could identify UCP1 and thermogenic brown adipocytes in humans. A more recent outcome of our research on this uncoupling protein was the identification of a second isoform of UCP, that we named UCP2, and of several UCP homologues in mammals, chicken and plants. UCP1 is certainly a unique mitochondrial transporter able to uncouple respiration from ADP phosphorylation in mitochondria. The discovery of this protein has opened new avenues for studying energy expenditure in relation to overweight, obesity and related pathologies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

An siRNA-based method for efficient silencing of gene expression in mature brown adipocytes.

PubMed

Isidor, Marie S; Winther, Sally; Basse, Astrid L; Petersen, M Christine H; Cannon, Barbara; Nedergaard, Jan; Hansen, Jacob B

2016-01-01

Brown adipose tissue is a promising therapeutic target for opposing obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. The ability to modulate gene expression in mature brown adipocytes is important to understand brown adipocyte function and delineate novel regulatory mechanisms of non-shivering thermogenesis. The aim of this study was to optimize a lipofection-based small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection protocol for efficient silencing of gene expression in mature brown adipocytes. We determined that a critical parameter was to deliver the siRNA to mature adipocytes by reverse transfection, i.e. transfection of non-adherent cells. Using this protocol, we effectively knocked down both high- and low-abundance transcripts in a model of mature brown adipocytes (WT-1) as well as in primary mature mouse brown adipocytes. A functional consequence of the knockdown was confirmed by an attenuated increase in uncoupled respiration (thermogenesis) in response to β-adrenergic stimulation of mature WT-1 brown adipocytes transfected with uncoupling protein 1 siRNA. Efficient gene silencing was also obtained in various mouse and human white adipocyte models (3T3-L1, primary mouse white adipocytes, hMADS) with the ability to undergo "browning." In summary, we report an easy and versatile reverse siRNA transfection protocol to achieve specific silencing of gene expression in various models of mature brown and browning-competent white adipocytes, including primary cells.

Pre-germinated brown rice could enhance maternal mental health and immunity during lactation.

PubMed

Sakamoto, Shigeko; Hayashi, Takashi; Hayashi, Keiko; Murai, Fumie; Hori, Miyo; Kimoto, Koichi; Murakami, Kazuo

2007-10-01

Rice is a dietary staple worldwide, especially pre-germinated brown rice has recently been widely served in Japan because of its abundant nutrition. Relationship between lactation and pre-germinated brown rice has attracted interest in terms of mental health and immunity. To demonstrate that Japanese foods are beneficial for psychosomatic health, the effects of pre-germinated brown rice on the mental status and immunological features during lactation were investigated. Forty-one breast-feeding mothers were recruited, and randomly divided into two groups. One group took pre-germinated brown rice and the other white rice (control) as their staple diet for 2 weeks. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) and salivary amylase activity as psychological indices and secretory IgA (s-IgA) and lactoferrin (LTF) in breast milk as immunological indices were determined before and after dietary intervention, and changes were investigated. In the psychological assessment, the scores of depression, anger-hostility, and fatigue were decreased on POMS analysis in the pre-germinated brown rice diet group, resulting in a significant decrease in total mood disturbance (TMD). The salivary amylase activity measurement suggested that resistance to stress was increased in the pre-germinated brown rice diet group. On the immunological assessment, the s-IgA level was significantly increased in the pre-germinated brown rice diet group. We have shown that pre-germinated brown rice may have beneficial effects on psychosomatic health.

Clozapine modifies the differentiation program of human adipocytes inducing browning.

PubMed

Kristóf, E; Doan-Xuan, Q-M; Sárvári, A K; Klusóczki, Á; Fischer-Posovszky, P; Wabitsch, M; Bacso, Z; Bai, P; Balajthy, Z; Fésüs, L

2016-11-29

Administration of second-generation antipsychotic drugs (SGAs) often leads to weight gain and consequent cardio-metabolic side effects. We observed that clozapine but not six other antipsychotic drugs reprogrammed the gene expression pattern of differentiating human adipocytes ex vivo, leading to an elevated expression of the browning marker gene UCP1, more and smaller lipid droplets and more mitochondrial DNA than in the untreated white adipocytes. Laser scanning cytometry showed that up to 40% of the differentiating single primary and Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome (SGBS) adipocytes had the characteristic morphological features of browning cells. Furthermore, clozapine significantly upregulated ELOVL3, CIDEA, CYC1, PGC1A and TBX1 genes but not ZIC1 suggesting induction of the beige-like and not the classical brown phenotype. When we tested whether browning induced by clozapine can be explained by its known pharmacological effect of antagonizing serotonin (5HT) receptors, it was found that browning cells expressed 5HT receptors 2A, 1D, 7 and the upregulation of browning markers was diminished in the presence of exogenous 5HT. Undifferentiated progenitors or completely differentiated beige or white adipocytes did not respond to clozapine administration. The clozapine-induced beige cells displayed increased basal and oligomycin-inhibited (proton leak) oxygen consumption, but these cells showed a lower response to cAMP stimulus as compared with control beige adipocytes indicating that they are less capable to respond to natural thermogenic anti-obesity cues. Our data altogether suggest that novel pharmacological stimulation of these masked beige adipocytes can be a future therapeutic target for the treatment of SGA-induced weight gain.

Clozapine modifies the differentiation program of human adipocytes inducing browning

PubMed Central

Kristóf, E; Doan-Xuan, Q-M; Sárvári, A K; Klusóczki, Á; Fischer-Posovszky, P; Wabitsch, M; Bacso, Z; Bai, P; Balajthy, Z; Fésüs, L

2016-01-01

Administration of second-generation antipsychotic drugs (SGAs) often leads to weight gain and consequent cardio-metabolic side effects. We observed that clozapine but not six other antipsychotic drugs reprogrammed the gene expression pattern of differentiating human adipocytes ex vivo, leading to an elevated expression of the browning marker gene UCP1, more and smaller lipid droplets and more mitochondrial DNA than in the untreated white adipocytes. Laser scanning cytometry showed that up to 40% of the differentiating single primary and Simpson–Golabi–Behmel syndrome (SGBS) adipocytes had the characteristic morphological features of browning cells. Furthermore, clozapine significantly upregulated ELOVL3, CIDEA, CYC1, PGC1A and TBX1 genes but not ZIC1 suggesting induction of the beige-like and not the classical brown phenotype. When we tested whether browning induced by clozapine can be explained by its known pharmacological effect of antagonizing serotonin (5HT) receptors, it was found that browning cells expressed 5HT receptors 2A, 1D, 7 and the upregulation of browning markers was diminished in the presence of exogenous 5HT. Undifferentiated progenitors or completely differentiated beige or white adipocytes did not respond to clozapine administration. The clozapine-induced beige cells displayed increased basal and oligomycin-inhibited (proton leak) oxygen consumption, but these cells showed a lower response to cAMP stimulus as compared with control beige adipocytes indicating that they are less capable to respond to natural thermogenic anti-obesity cues. Our data altogether suggest that novel pharmacological stimulation of these masked beige adipocytes can be a future therapeutic target for the treatment of SGA-induced weight gain. PMID:27898069

Atmospheric aerosol brown carbon in the high Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirillova, Elena; Decesari, Stefano; Marinoni, Angela; Bonasoni, Paolo; Vuillermoz, Elisa; Facchini, M. Cristina; Fuzzi, Sandro

2016-04-01

Anthropogenic light-absorbing atmospheric aerosol can reach very high concentrations in the planetary boundary layer in South-East Asia ("brown clouds"), affecting atmospheric transparency and generating spatial gradients of temperature over land with a possible impact on atmospheric dynamics and monsoon circulation. Besides black carbon (BC), an important light-absorbing component of anthropogenic aerosols is the organic carbon component known as 'brown carbon' (BrC). In this research, we provided first measurements of atmospheric aerosol BrC in the high Himalayas during different seasons. Aerosol sampling was conducted at the GAW-WMO Global station "Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid" (NCO-P) located in the high Khumbu valley at 5079 m a.s.l. in the foothills of Mt. Everest. PM10 aerosol samples were collected from July 2013 to November 2014. The sampling strategy was set up in order to discriminate the daytime valley breeze bringing polluted air masses up to the observatory and free tropospheric air during nighttime. Water-soluble BrC (WS-BrC) and methanol-soluble BrC (MeS-BrC) were extracted and analyzed using a UV/VIS spectrophotometer equipped with a 50 cm liquid waveguide capillary cell. In the polluted air masses, the highest levels of the BrC light absorption coefficient at 365 nm (babs365) were observed during the pre-monsoon season (1.83±1.46 Mm-1 for WS-BrC and 2.86±2.49 Mm-1 for MeS-BrC) and the lowest during the monsoon season (0.21±0.22 Mm-1 for WS-BrC and 0.32±0.29 Mm-1 for MeS-BrC). The pre-monsoon season is the most frequently influenced by a strong atmospheric brown cloud (ABC) transport to NCO-P due to increased convection and mixing layer height over South Asia combined with the highest up-valley wind speed and the increase of the emissions from open fires due to the agricultural practice along the Himalayas foothills and the Indo-Gangetic Plain. In contrast, the monsoon season is characterized by a weakened valley wind regime and an

Phylogeography of brown bears (Ursus arctos) of Alaska and paraphyly within the Ursidae.

PubMed

Talbot, S L; Shields, G F

1996-06-01

Complete nucleotide sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b, tRNA(prolime), and tRNA(threonine) genes were described for 166 brown bears (Ursus arctos) from 10 geographic regions of Alaska to describe natural genetic variation, construct a molecular phylogeny, and evaluate classical taxonomies. DNA sequences of brown bears were compared to homologous sequences of the polar bear (maritimus) and of the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus), which was used as an outgroup. Parsimony and neighbor-joining methods each produced essentially identical phylogenetic trees that suggest two distinct clades of mtDNA for brown bears in Alaska: one composed only of bears that now reside on some of the islands of southeastern Alaska and the other which includes bears from all other regions of Alaska. The very close relationship of the polar bear to brown bears of the islands of southeastern Alaska as previously reported by us and the paraphyletic association of polar bears to brown bears reported by others have been reaffirmed with this much larger data set. A weak correlation is suggested between types of mtDNA and habitat preference by brown bears in Alaska. Our mtDNA data support some, but not all, of the currently designated subspecies of brown bears whose descriptions have been based essentially on morphology.

Irisin exerts dual effects on browning and adipogenesis of human white adipocytes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Xie, Chao; Wang, Hai; Foss, Robin M; Clare, Morgan; George, Eva Vertes; Li, Shiwu; Katz, Adam; Cheng, Henrique; Ding, Yousong; Tang, Dongqi; Reeves, Westley H; Yang, Li-Jun

2016-08-01

To better understand the role of irisin in humans, we examined the effects of irisin in human primary adipocytes and fresh human subcutaneous white adipose tissue (scWAT). Human primary adipocytes derived from 28 female donors' fresh scWAT were used to examine the effects of irisin on browning and mitochondrial respiration, and preadipocytes were used to examine the effects of irisin on adipogenesis and osteogenesis. Cultured fragments of scWAT and perirenal brown fat were used for investigating signal transduction pathways that mediate irisin's browning effect by Western blotting to detect phosphorylated forms of p38, ERK, and STAT3 as well as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Individual responses to irisin in scWAT were correlated with basal expression levels of brown/beige genes. Irisin upregulated the expression of browning-associated genes and UCP1 protein in both cultured primary mature adipocytes and fresh adipose tissues. It also significantly increased thermogenesis at 5 nmol/l by elevating cellular energy metabolism (OCR and ECAR). Treating human scWAT with irisin increased UCP1 expression by activating the ERK and p38 MAPK signaling. Blocking either pathway with specific inhibitors abolished irisin-induced UCP1 upregulation. However, our results showed that UCP1 in human perirenal adipose tissue was insensitive to irisin. Basal levels of brown/beige and FNDC5 genes correlated positively with the browning response of scWAT to irisin. In addition, irisin significantly inhibited adipogenic differentiation but promoted osteogenic differentiation. We conclude that irisin promotes "browning" of mature white adipocytes by increasing cellular thermogenesis, whereas it inhibits adipogenesis and promotes osteogenesis during lineage-specific differentiation. Our findings provide a rationale for further exploring the therapeutic use of irisin in obesity and exercise-associated bone formation.

Educational Trends and U.S. Commitments Since the Brown Decision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Kenneth

The Supreme Court's landmark Brown decision changed the total pattern of race relations in the United States and helped to solidify the foundations of American democracy for the benefit of all Americans. Ironically, although the specific issue which resulted in the Brown decision was concerned with the constitutionality of racially segregated…

Genomic evidence of geographically widespread effect of gene flow from polar bears into brown bears

PubMed Central

Cahill, James A; Stirling, Ian; Kistler, Logan; Salamzade, Rauf; Ersmark, Erik; Fulton, Tara L; Stiller, Mathias; Green, Richard E; Shapiro, Beth

2015-01-01

Polar bears are an arctic, marine adapted species that is closely related to brown bears. Genome analyses have shown that polar bears are distinct and genetically homogeneous in comparison to brown bears. However, these analyses have also revealed a remarkable episode of polar bear gene flow into the population of brown bears that colonized the Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof islands (ABC islands) of Alaska. Here, we present an analysis of data from a large panel of polar bear and brown bear genomes that includes brown bears from the ABC islands, the Alaskan mainland and Europe. Our results provide clear evidence that gene flow between the two species had a geographically wide impact, with polar bear DNA found within the genomes of brown bears living both on the ABC islands and in the Alaskan mainland. Intriguingly, while brown bear genomes contain up to 8.8% polar bear ancestry, polar bear genomes appear to be devoid of brown bear ancestry, suggesting the presence of a barrier to gene flow in that direction. PMID:25490862

Genomic evidence of geographically widespread effect of gene flow from polar bears into brown bears.

PubMed

Cahill, James A; Stirling, Ian; Kistler, Logan; Salamzade, Rauf; Ersmark, Erik; Fulton, Tara L; Stiller, Mathias; Green, Richard E; Shapiro, Beth

2015-03-01

Polar bears are an arctic, marine adapted species that is closely related to brown bears. Genome analyses have shown that polar bears are distinct and genetically homogeneous in comparison to brown bears. However, these analyses have also revealed a remarkable episode of polar bear gene flow into the population of brown bears that colonized the Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof islands (ABC islands) of Alaska. Here, we present an analysis of data from a large panel of polar bear and brown bear genomes that includes brown bears from the ABC islands, the Alaskan mainland and Europe. Our results provide clear evidence that gene flow between the two species had a geographically wide impact, with polar bear DNA found within the genomes of brown bears living both on the ABC islands and in the Alaskan mainland. Intriguingly, while brown bear genomes contain up to 8.8% polar bear ancestry, polar bear genomes appear to be devoid of brown bear ancestry, suggesting the presence of a barrier to gene flow in that direction. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Highly Viscous States Affect the Browning of Atmospheric Organic Particulate Matter

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Initially transparent organic particulate matter (PM) can become shades of light-absorbing brown via atmospheric particle-phase chemical reactions. The production of nitrogen-containing compounds is one important pathway for browning. Semisolid or solid physical states of organic PM might, however, have sufficiently slow diffusion of reactant molecules to inhibit browning reactions. Herein, organic PM of secondary organic material (SOM) derived from toluene, a common SOM precursor in anthropogenically affected environments, was exposed to ammonia at different values of relative humidity (RH). The production of light-absorbing organonitrogen imines from ammonia exposure, detected by mass spectrometry and ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometry, was kinetically inhibited for RH < 20% for exposure times of 6 min to 24 h. By comparison, from 20% to 60% RH organonitrogen production took place, implying ammonia uptake and reaction. Correspondingly, the absorption index k across 280 to 320 nm increased from 0.012 to 0.02, indicative of PM browning. The k value across 380 to 420 nm increased from 0.001 to 0.004. The observed RH-dependent behavior of ammonia uptake and browning was well captured by a model that considered the diffusivities of both the large organic molecules that made up the PM and the small reactant molecules taken up from the gas phase into the PM. Within the model, large-molecule diffusivity was calculated based on observed SOM viscosity and evaporation. Small-molecule diffusivity was represented by the water diffusivity measured by a quartz-crystal microbalance. The model showed that the browning reaction rates at RH < 60% could be controlled by the low diffusivity of the large organic molecules from the interior region of the particle to the reactive surface region. The results of this study have implications for accurate modeling of atmospheric brown carbon production and associated influences on energy balance. PMID:29532020

Highly Viscous States Affect the Browning of Atmospheric Organic Particulate Matter.

PubMed

Liu, Pengfei; Li, Yong Jie; Wang, Yan; Bateman, Adam P; Zhang, Yue; Gong, Zhaoheng; Bertram, Allan K; Martin, Scot T

2018-02-28

Initially transparent organic particulate matter (PM) can become shades of light-absorbing brown via atmospheric particle-phase chemical reactions. The production of nitrogen-containing compounds is one important pathway for browning. Semisolid or solid physical states of organic PM might, however, have sufficiently slow diffusion of reactant molecules to inhibit browning reactions. Herein, organic PM of secondary organic material (SOM) derived from toluene, a common SOM precursor in anthropogenically affected environments, was exposed to ammonia at different values of relative humidity (RH). The production of light-absorbing organonitrogen imines from ammonia exposure, detected by mass spectrometry and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, was kinetically inhibited for RH < 20% for exposure times of 6 min to 24 h. By comparison, from 20% to 60% RH organonitrogen production took place, implying ammonia uptake and reaction. Correspondingly, the absorption index k across 280 to 320 nm increased from 0.012 to 0.02, indicative of PM browning. The k value across 380 to 420 nm increased from 0.001 to 0.004. The observed RH-dependent behavior of ammonia uptake and browning was well captured by a model that considered the diffusivities of both the large organic molecules that made up the PM and the small reactant molecules taken up from the gas phase into the PM. Within the model, large-molecule diffusivity was calculated based on observed SOM viscosity and evaporation. Small-molecule diffusivity was represented by the water diffusivity measured by a quartz-crystal microbalance. The model showed that the browning reaction rates at RH < 60% could be controlled by the low diffusivity of the large organic molecules from the interior region of the particle to the reactive surface region. The results of this study have implications for accurate modeling of atmospheric brown carbon production and associated influences on energy balance.

Brown rice compared to white rice slows gastric emptying in humans.

PubMed

Pletsch, Elizabeth A; Hamaker, Bruce R

2018-03-01

Consumption of whole vs. refined grain foods is recommended by nutrition or dietary guideline authorities of many countries, yet specific aspects of whole grains leading to health benefits are not well understood. Gastric emptying rate is an important consideration, as it is tied to nutrient delivery rate and influences glycemic response. Our objective was to explore two aspects of cooked rice related to gastric emptying, (1) whole grain brown vs. white rice and (2) potential effect of elevated levels of slowly digestible starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) from high-amylose rice. Ten healthy adult participants were recruited for a crossover design study involving acute feeding and testing of 6 rice samples (50 g available carbohydrate). Gastric emptying rate was measured using a 13 C-labeled octanoic acid breath test. A rice variety (Cocodrie) with high-amylose content was temperature-cycled to increase SDS and RS fractions. In vitro starch digestibility results showed incremental increase in RS in Cocodrie after two temperature cycles. For low-amylose varieties, SDS was higher in the brown rice form. In human subjects, low-amylose and high-amylose brown rice delayed gastric emptying compared to white rices regardless of amylose content or temperature-cycling (p < 0.05). Whole grain brown rice had slower gastric emptying rate, which appears to be related to the physical presence of the bran layer. Extended gastric emptying of brown rice explains in part comparably low glycemic response observed for brown rice.

Cold Brown Dwarfs with WISE: Y Dwarfs and the Field Mass Function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, J. Davy

2012-01-01

Why study Brown Dwarf stars? They re the lowest mass byproducts of star formation.. They provide time capsules across the age of the Galaxy.. They show what low-T(sub eff) atmospheres look like.. They may be some of our closest neighbors in space..WISE is a 40cm Earth-orbiting telescope. There are 211 stars and only 33 brown dwarfs in this volume.. This means that stars outnumber brown dwarfs by a factor of 6:1 currently.. The number of brown dwarfs will continue to increase if:: (a) more nearby Y dwarf candidates are confirmed, or (b) our distances to known Y s are overestimated, or (c) there are colder BDs invisible to WISE..

Imprints of dynamical interactions on brown dwarf pairing statistics and kinematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterzik, M. F.; Durisen, R. H.

2003-03-01

We present statistically robust predictions of brown dwarf properties arising from dynamical interactions during their early evolution in small clusters. Our conclusions are based on numerical calculations of the internal cluster dynamics as well as on Monte-Carlo models. Accounting for recent observational constraints on the sub-stellar mass function and initial properties in fragmenting star forming clumps, we derive multiplicity fractions, mass ratios, separation distributions, and velocity dispersions. We compare them with observations of brown dwarfs in the field and in young clusters. Observed brown dwarf companion fractions around 15 +/- 7% for very low-mass stars as reported recently by Close et al. (\\cite{CSFB03}) are consistent with certain dynamical decay models. A significantly smaller mean separation distribution for brown dwarf binaries than for binaries of late-type stars can be explained by similar specific energy at the time of cluster formation for all cluster masses. Due to their higher velocity dispersions, brown-dwarfs and low-mass single stars will undergo time-dependent spatial segregation from higher-mass stars and multiple systems. This will cause mass functions and binary statistics in star forming regions to vary with the age of the region and the volume sampled.

Receptor binding sites for atrial natriuretic factor are expressed by brown adipose tissue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bacay, A.C.; Mantyh, C.R.; Vigna, S.R.

1988-09-01

To explore the possibility that atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) is involved in thermoregulation we used quantitative receptor autoradiography and homogenate receptor binding assays to identify ANF bindings sites in neonatal rat and sheep brown adipose tissue, respectively. Using quantitative receptor autoradiography were were able to localize high levels of specific binding sites for {sup 125}I-rat ANF in neonatal rat brown adipose tissue. Homogenate binding assays on sheep brown fat demonstrated that the radioligand was binding to the membrane fraction and that the specific binding was not due to a lipophilic interaction between {sup 125}I-rat ANF and brown fat. Specific bindingmore » of {sup 125}I-rat ANF to the membranes of brown fat cells was inhibited by unlabeled rat ANF with a Ki of 8.0 x 10(-9) M, but not by unrelated peptides. These studies demonstrate that brown fat cells express high levels of ANF receptor binding sites in neonatal rat and sheep and suggest that ANF may play a role in thermoregulation.« less

An unsuccessful search for brown dwarf companions to white dwarf stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shipman, Harry L.

1986-01-01

The results of a survey to detect excess infrared emission from white dwarf stars which would be attributable to a low mass companion are reviewed. Neither a simple comparison of spectroscopically identified white dwarf stars with the IRAS Point Source Catalog nor the coadding of IRAS survey data resulted in a detection of a brown dwarf. The seven nearest stars where the most stringent limits to the presence of a brown dwarf were obtained are listed, and an effort to detect brown dwarfs in the solar neighborhood is discussed.

The concentration of plasma metabolites varies throughout reproduction and affects offspring number in wild brown trout (Salmo trutta).

PubMed

Gauthey, Zoé; Freychet, Marine; Manicki, Aurélie; Herman, Alexandre; Lepais, Olivier; Panserat, Stéphane; Elosegi, Arturo; Tentelier, Cédric; Labonne, Jacques

2015-06-01

In wild populations, measuring energy invested in the reproduction and disentangling investment in gametes versus investment in reproductive behavior (such as intrasexual competition or intersexual preference) remain challenging. In this study, we investigated the energy expenditure in brown trout reproductive behavior by using two proxies: variation in weight and variation of plasma metabolites involved in energy production, over the course of reproductive season in a semi natural experimental river. We estimated overall reproductive success using genetic assignment at the end of the reproductive season. Results show that triglycerides and free fatty acid concentrations vary negatively during reproduction, while amino-acids and glucose concentrations remain stable. Decrease in triglyceride and free fatty acid concentrations during reproduction is not related to initial concentration levels or to weight variation. Both metabolite concentration variations and weight variations are correlated to the number of offspring produced, which could indicate that gametic and behavioral reproductive investments substantially contribute to reproductive success in wild brown trout. This study opens a path to further investigate variations in reproductive investment in wild populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

LC-MS Untargeted Metabolomics To Explain the Signal Metabolites Inducing Browning in Fresh-Cut Lettuce.

PubMed

García, Carlos J; García-Villalba, Rocío; Gil, María I; Tomas-Barberan, Francisco A

2017-06-07

Enzymatic browning is one of the main causes of quality loss in lettuce as a prepared and ready-to-eat cut salad. An untargeted metabolomics approach using UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS was performed to explain the wound response of lettuce after cutting and to identify the metabolites responsible of browning. Two cultivars of Romaine lettuce with different browning susceptibilities were studied at short time intervals after cutting. From the total 5975 entities obtained from the raw data after alignment, filtration reduced the number of features to 2959, and the statistical analysis found that only 1132 entities were significantly different. Principal component analysis (PCA) clearly showed that these samples grouped according to cultivar and time after cutting. From those, only 15 metabolites belonging to lysophospholipids, oxylipin/jasmonate metabolites, and phenolic compounds were able to explain the browning process. These selected metabolites showed different trends after cutting; some decreased rapidly, others increased but decreased thereafter, whereas others increased during the whole period of storage. In general, the fast-browning cultivar showed a faster wound response and a higher raw intensity of some key metabolites than the slow-browning one. Just after cutting, the fast-browning cultivar contained 11 of the 15 browning-associated metabolites, whereas the slow-browning cultivar only had 5 of them. These metabolites could be used as biomarkers in breeding programs for the selection of lettuce cultivars with lower browning potential for fresh-cut applications.

Brown versus Board at 62: Marching Back into the Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown Henderson, Cheryl; Brown, Steven M.

2017-01-01

Sixty-two years after the "Brown" decision, American schools are collapsing under the weight of an antiquated system of school finance, pockets of poverty, and a "Black and Browning" urban core. This article focuses on the "march backwards" to the de facto re-segregation of our nation's public schools. In 2016, the…

Characterization and Comparative Expression Profiling of Browning Response in Medinilla formosana after Cutting.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Wang, Yiting; Li, Kunfeng; Song, Xijiao; Chen, Jianping

2016-01-01

Plant browning is a recalcitrant problem for in vitro culture and often leads to poor growth of explants and even failure of tissue culture. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying browning-induced physiological processes remain unclear. Medinilla is considered one of the most difficult genera for tissue culture owning to its severe browning. In the present study, intact aseptic plantlets of Medinilla formosana Hayata previously obtained by ovary culture, were used to explore the characteristics and molecular mechanism of the browning response. Successive morphological and anatomical observations after cutting showed that the browning of M. formosana was not lethal but adaptive. De novo transcriptome and digital gene expression (DGE) profiling using Illumina high-throughput sequencing were then used to explore molecular regulation after cutting. About 7.5 million tags of de novo transcriptome were obtained and 58,073 unigenes were assembled and annotated. A total of 6,431 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at three stages after cutting were identified, and the expression patterns of these browning-related genes were clustered and analyzed. A number of putative DEGs involved in signal transduction and secondary metabolism were particularly studied and the potential roles of these cutting-responsive mRNAs in plant defense to diverse abiotic stresses are discussed. The DGE profiling data were also validated by quantitative RT-PCR analysis. The data obtained in this study provide an excellent resource for unraveling the molecular mechanisms of browning processes during in vitro tissue culture, and lay a foundation for future studies to inhibit and eliminate browning damage.

Characterization and Comparative Expression Profiling of Browning Response in Medinilla formosana after Cutting

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Wang, Yiting; Li, Kunfeng; Song, Xijiao; Chen, Jianping

2016-01-01

Plant browning is a recalcitrant problem for in vitro culture and often leads to poor growth of explants and even failure of tissue culture. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying browning-induced physiological processes remain unclear. Medinilla is considered one of the most difficult genera for tissue culture owning to its severe browning. In the present study, intact aseptic plantlets of Medinilla formosana Hayata previously obtained by ovary culture, were used to explore the characteristics and molecular mechanism of the browning response. Successive morphological and anatomical observations after cutting showed that the browning of M. formosana was not lethal but adaptive. De novo transcriptome and digital gene expression (DGE) profiling using Illumina high-throughput sequencing were then used to explore molecular regulation after cutting. About 7.5 million tags of de novo transcriptome were obtained and 58,073 unigenes were assembled and annotated. A total of 6,431 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at three stages after cutting were identified, and the expression patterns of these browning-related genes were clustered and analyzed. A number of putative DEGs involved in signal transduction and secondary metabolism were particularly studied and the potential roles of these cutting-responsive mRNAs in plant defense to diverse abiotic stresses are discussed. The DGE profiling data were also validated by quantitative RT-PCR analysis. The data obtained in this study provide an excellent resource for unraveling the molecular mechanisms of browning processes during in vitro tissue culture, and lay a foundation for future studies to inhibit and eliminate browning damage. PMID:28066460

Transcriptomic events associated with internal browning of apple during postharvest storage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although apple (Malus x domestica) is of economic importance, little information is available about the transriptomic profiling of postharvest disorders, particularly internal browning. This study aimed to explore changes in the apple transcriptome associated with development of flesh browning durin...

DNA DAMAGE AND EXTERNAL LESIONS IN BROWN BULLHEAD FROM CONTAMINATED HABITATS

EPA Science Inventory

The single cell gel electrophoresis ("Comet") assay was used to compare levels of DNA damage in brown bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus) collected from three known contaminated locations, the Cuyahoga River, Ashtabula River, and Ashumet Pond (Cape Cod), with brown bullheads collected...

DNA DAMAGE AND EXTERNAL LESIONS IN BROWN BULLHEADS FROM CONTAMINATED HABITATS

EPA Science Inventory

The Comet assay was used to compare levels of DNA damage in brown bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus) collected from three known contaminated locations, the Cuyahoga River, Ashtabula River, and Ashumet Pond (Cape Cod), with brown bullheads collected from three paired reference sites, ...

Molecular analysis of proanthocyanidins related to pigmentation in brown cotton fibre (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

PubMed

Feng, Hongjie; Li, Yanjun; Wang, Shaofang; Zhang, Liangliang; Liu, Yongchuang; Xue, Fei; Sun, Yuqiang; Wang, Yongmei; Sun, Jie

2014-11-01

The structural characteristics and component differences of proanthocyanidins in brown and white cotton fibres were identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analyses. Proanthocyanidins in brown and white cotton fibres were found to contain mainly procyanidin (PC) and prodelphidin (PD) units with 2, 3-cis form (epigallocatechin and epicatechin). However, part of the proanthocyanidins in the white cotton fibres were modified by acylation and were constitutively different from the proanthocyanidins in brown cotton fibres. The relative amount of PD was similar to that of PC in white cotton fibres, while proanthocyanidins in brown cotton fibres consisted mainly of PD units with a relative ratio of 9:1. In brown cotton fibres, the proanthocyanidin monomeric composition was consistent with the expression profiles of proanthocyanidin synthase genes, suggesting that anthocyanidin reductase represented the major flow of the proanthocyanidin biosynthesis pathway. In addition, the structural characteristics and component differences of proanthocanidins in brown and white cotton fibres suggested that quinones, the oxidation products of proanthocyanidins, were the direct contributors to colour development in brown cotton fibre. This was demonstrated by vanillin-HCl staining and Borntrager's test. Collectively, these data demonstrated that the biosynthesis of proanthocyanidins is a crucial pigmentation process in brown cotton fibre, and that quinones may represent the main pigments contributing to formation of the the brown colour. This study revealed the molecular basis of pigmentation in brown cotton fibres, and provided important insights for genetic manipulation of pigment production in cotton fibres. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

FIRE Spectroscopy Of The Ultracool Brown Dwarf, UGPS 0722-05

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bochanski, John J.; Burgasser, A. J.; Simcoe, R. A.

2011-05-01

We present FIRE spectroscopic observations of the ultracool (T ˜ 520 K) brown dwarf, UGPS 0722-05, obtained during instrument commissioning on the 6.5m Baade Magellan Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. At a distance of 4.1 pc, this cool brown dwarf is well-suited for detailed followup, and represents a keystone at the transition between the lowest-mass brown dwarfs and exoplanets. Our spectrum of UGPS 0722-05 covers the 0.8-2.5 micron bandpasses at a resolution of R ˜ 6,000, and is measured to high signal-to-noise, peaking at 80 near 1.27 microns. We derive radial and rotational velocities for the isolated brown dwarf, and examine its space motion and Galactic orbit. The spectrum of UGPS 0722-05 is also compared to theoretical spectral models to constrain its atmospheric parameters. Finally, we comment on the presence of unidentified absorption features reported in the discovery spectrum of Lucas et al. (2010). We thank Mauricio Martinez and the entire Magellan staff for assistance during FIRE commissioning and observations. JJB acknowledges the support of Kevin Luhman.

Consortial brown tide - picocyanobacteria blooms in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

PubMed

Hall, Nathan S; Litaker, R Wayne; Kenworthy, W Judson; Vandersea, Mark W; Sunda, William G; Reid, James P; Slone, Daniel H; Butler, Susan

2018-03-01

A brown tide bloom of Aureoumbra lagunensis developed in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during a period of drought in 2013 that followed heavy winds and rainfall from Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012. Based on satellite images and water turbidity measurements, the bloom appeared to initiate in January 2013. The causative species (A. lagunensis) was confirmed by microscopic observation, and pigment and genetic analyses of bloom samples collected on May 28 of that year. During that time, A. lagunensis reached concentrations of 900,000 cells ml -1 (28 ppm by biovolume) in the middle portion of the Bay. Samples could not be collected from the northern (Cuban) half of the Bay because of political considerations. Subsequent sampling of the southern half of the Bay in November 2013, April 2014, and October 2014 showed persistent lower concentrations of A. lagunensis, with dominance shifting to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus (up to 33 ppm in April), an algal group that comprised a minor bloom component on May 28. Thus, unlike the brown tide bloom in Laguna Madre, which lasted 8 years, the bloom in Guantánamo Bay was short-lived, much like recent blooms in the Indian River, Florida. Although hypersaline conditions have been linked to brown tide development in the lagoons of Texas and Florida, observed euhaline conditions in Guantánamo Bay (salinity 35-36) indicate that strong hypersalinity is not a requirement for A. lagunensis bloom formation. Microzooplankton biomass dominated by ciliates was high during the observed peak of the brown tide, and ciliate abundance was high compared to other systems not impacted by brown tide. Preferential grazing by zooplankton on non-brown tide species, as shown in A. lagunensis blooms in Texas and Florida, may have been a factor in the development of the Cuban brown tide bloom. However, subsequent selection of microzooplankton capable of utilizing A. lagunensis as a primary food source may have contributed to the short-lived duration

Insights in the Fruit Flesh Browning Mechanisms in Solanum melongena Genetic Lines with Opposite Postcut Behavior.

PubMed

Docimo, T; Francese, G; De Palma, M; Mennella, D; Toppino, L; Lo Scalzo, R; Mennella, G; Tucci, M

2016-06-08

Color, taste, flavor, nutritional value, and shelf life are important factors determining quality and healthiness of food and vegetables. These factors are strongly affected by browning processes, occurring after fruit or vegetable cutting. Characterization of ten eggplant genotypes for chlorogenic acid (CGA) content, total phenols (TP), polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activity, and browning tendency corroborated a lack of significant correlations between biochemical factors and fruit flesh browning. Further in-depth molecular and biochemical analyses of two divergent eggplant genetic lines, AM199 (high browning) and AM086 (low browning), within 30 min from cutting, highlighted differences in the physiological mechanisms underlying the browning process. qRT-PCR analysis revealed distinct activation mechanisms of CGA biosynthetic and PPO genes in the two genetic lines. Metabolic data on CGA, sugars, and ascorbic acid contents confirmed that their different browning tendency matched with different metabolic responses to cutting. Our findings suggest that the complex mechanism of flesh browning in the two eggplant genetic lines might be mediated by multiple specific factors.

Reproductive maturation and senescence in the female brown bear

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwartz, Charles C.; Keating, Kim A.; Reynolds III, Harry V.; Barnes, Victor G.; Sellers, Richard A.; Swenson, J.E.; Miller, Sterling D.; McLellan, B.N.; Keay, Jeffrey A.; McCann, Robert; Gibeau, Michael; Wakkinen, Wayne F.; Mace, Richard D.; Kasworm, Wayne; Smith, Rodger; Herrero, Steven

2003-01-01

Changes in age-specific reproductive rates can have important implications for managing populations, but the number of female brown (grizzly) bears (Ursus arctos) observed in any one study is usually inadequate to quantify such patterns, especially for older females and in hunted areas. We examined patterns of reproductive maturation and senescence in female brown bears by combining data from 20 study areas from Sweden, Alaska, Canada, and the continental United States. We assessed reproductive performance based on 4,726 radiocollared years for free-ranging female brown bears (age 3); 482 of these were for bears 20 years of age. We modeled age-specific probability of litter production using extreme value distributions to describe probabilities for young- and old-age classes, and a power distribution function to describe probabilities for prime-aged animals. We then fit 4 models to pooled observations from our 20 study areas. We used Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) to select the best model. Inflection points suggest that major shifts in litter production occur at 4–5 and 28–29 years of age. The estimated model asymptote (0.332, 95% CI ¼ 0.319–0.344) was consistent with the expected reproductive cycle of a cub litter every 3 years (0.333). We discuss assumptions and biases in data collection relative to the shape of the model curve. Our results conform to senescence theory and suggest that female age structure in contemporary brown bear populations is considerably younger than would be expected in the absence of modern man. This implies that selective pressures today differ from those that influenced brown bear evolution.

Characteristics of an open-cut coal mine fire pollution event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reisen, Fabienne; Gillett, Rob; Choi, Jason; Fisher, Gavin; Torre, Paul

2017-02-01

On 9 February 2014, embers from a nearby grass/shrub fire spotted into an unused part of the Hazelwood open-cut brown coal mine located in the Latrobe Valley of Victoria, Australia and started a fire that spread rapidly and extensively throughout the mine under strong south-westerly winds and burned over a period of 45 days. The close proximity of the town to the coal mine and the low buoyancy of the smoke plume led to the accumulation of dense smoke levels in the township of Morwell (population of 14,000) particularly under south-westerly winds. A maximum daily PM2.5 concentration of 731 μg m-3 and 8-h CO concentration of 33 ppm were measured at Morwell South, the closest residential area located approximately 500 m from the mine. These concentrations were significantly higher than national air quality standards. Air quality monitoring undertaken in the Latrobe Valley showed that smoke from the Hazelwood mine fire affected a wide area, with particle air quality standards also exceeded in Traralgon (population of 25,000) located approximately 13 km from the mine. Pollutant levels were significantly elevated in February, decreased in March once the fire abated and then returned to background levels once the fire was declared safe at the end of March. While the smoke extent was of a similar order of magnitude to other major air pollution events worldwide, a closer look at emissions ratios showed that the open combustion of lignite brown coal in the Hazelwood mine was different to open combustion of biomass, including peat. It suggested that the dominant combustion process was char combustion. While particle and carbon monoxide monitoring started approximately 4 days after the fire commenced when smoke levels were very high, targeted monitoring of air toxics only began on 26 February (17 days after the fire) when smoke levels had subsided. Limited research on emission factors from open-cut coal mine fires make it difficult to assess the likely concentrations of air

Estimates of brown bear abundance on Kodiak Island, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, V.G.; Smith, R.B.

1998-01-01

During 1987-94 we used capture-mark-resight (CMR) methodology and rates of observation (bears/hour and bears/100 km2) of unmarked brown bears (Ursus arctos middendorffi) during intensive aerial surveys (IAS) to estimate abundance of brown bears on Kodiak Island and to establish a baseline for monitoring population trends. CMR estimates were obtained on 3 study areas; density ranged from 216-234 bears/1,000 km2 for independent animals and 292-342 bears/1,000 km2 including dependent offspring. Rates of observation during IAS ranged from 1.4-5.4 independent bears/hour and 2.9-18.0 independent bears/100 km2. Density estimates for independent bears on each IAS area were obtained by dividing mean number of bears observed during replicate surveys by estimated sightability (based on CMR-derived sightability in areas with similar habitat. Brown bear abundance on 21 geographic units of Kodiak Island and 3 nearby islands was estimated by extrapolation from CMR and IAS data using comparisons of habitat characteristics and sport harvest information. Population estimates for independent and total bears were 1,800 and 2,600. The CMR and IAS procedures offer alternative means, depending on management objective and available resources, of measuring population trend of brown bears on Kodiak Island.

Zones, spots, and planetary-scale waves beating in brown dwarf atmospheres.

PubMed

Apai, D; Karalidi, T; Marley, M S; Yang, H; Flateau, D; Metchev, S; Cowan, N B; Buenzli, E; Burgasser, A J; Radigan, J; Artigau, E; Lowrance, P

2017-08-18

Brown dwarfs are massive analogs of extrasolar giant planets and may host types of atmospheric circulation not seen in the solar system. We analyzed a long-term Spitzer Space Telescope infrared monitoring campaign of brown dwarfs to constrain cloud cover variations over a total of 192 rotations. The infrared brightness evolution is dominated by beat patterns caused by planetary-scale wave pairs and by a small number of bright spots. The beating waves have similar amplitudes but slightly different apparent periods because of differing velocities or directions. The power spectrum of intermediate-temperature brown dwarfs resembles that of Neptune, indicating the presence of zonal temperature and wind speed variations. Our findings explain three previously puzzling behaviors seen in brown dwarf brightness variations. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

Enzymatic oxalic acid regulation correlated with wood degradation in four brown-rot fungi

Treesearch

Anne Christine Steenkjær Hastrup; Frederick Green III; Patricia K. Lebow; Bo Jensen

2012-01-01

Oxalic acid is a key component in the initiation of brown-rot decay and it has been suggested that it plays multiple roles during the degradation process. Oxalic acid is accumulated to varying degrees among brown-rot fungi; however, details on active regulation are scarce. The accumulation of oxalic acid was measured in this study from wood degraded by the four brown-...

Role of ascorbic acid in the inhibition of polyphenol oxidase and the prevention of browning in different browning-sensitive Lactuca sativa var. capitata (L.) and Eruca sativa (Mill.) stored as fresh-cut produce.

PubMed

Landi, Marco; Degl'Innocenti, Elena; Guglielminetti, Lorenzo; Guidi, Lucia

2013-06-01

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and, to a minor extent, peroxidase (POD) represent the key enzymes involved in enzymatic browning, a negative process induced by cutting fresh-cut produce such as lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and rocket salad (Eruca sativa). Although ascorbic acid is frequently utilised as an anti-browning agent, its mechanism in the prevention of the browning phenomenon is not clearly understood. The activity of PPO and POD and their isoforms in lettuce (a high-browning and low-ascorbic acid species) and rocket salad (a low-browning and high-ascorbic species) was characterised. The kinetic parameters of PPO and in vitro ascorbic acid-PPO inhibition were also investigated. In rocket salad, PPO activity was much lower than that in lettuce and cutting induced an increase in PPO activity only in lettuce. Exogenous ascorbic acid (5 mmol L(-1)) reduced PPO activity by about 90% in lettuce. POD did not appear to be closely related to browning in lettuce. PPO is the main enzyme involved in the browning phenomenon; POD appears to play a minor role. The concentration of endogenous ascorbic acid in rocket salad was related to its low-browning sensitivity after cutting. In lettuce, the addition of ascorbic acid directly inhibited PPO activity. The results suggest that the high ascorbic acid content found in rocket salad plays an effective role in reducing PPO activity. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Seasonal movement of brown trout in a southern Appalachian river

Treesearch

Kyle H. Burrell; J. Jeffery Isely; David B. Bunnell; David H. Van Lear; C. Andrew Dolloff

2000-01-01

Radio telemetry was used to evaluate the seasonal movement, activity level, and home range size of adult brown trout Salmo trutta in the Chattooga River watershed, one of the southernmost coldwater stream systems in the United States. In all, 27 adult brown trout (262-452 mm total length) were successfully monitored from 16 November 1995 to 15...

Arctic Tundra Greening and Browning at Circumpolar and Regional Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Epstein, H. E.; Bhatt, U. S.; Walker, D. A.; Raynolds, M. K.; Yang, X.

2017-12-01

Remote sensing data have historically been used to assess the dynamics of arctic tundra vegetation. Until recently the scientific literature has largely described the "greening" of the Arctic; from a remote sensing perspective, an increase in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), or a similar satellite-based vegetation index. Vegetation increases have been heterogeneous throughout the Arctic, and were reported to be up to 25% in certain areas over a 30-year timespan. However, more recently, arctic tundra vegetation dynamics have gotten more complex, with observations of more widespread tundra "browning" being reported. We used a combination of remote sensing data, including the Global Inventory Monitoring and Modeling System (GIMMS), as well as higher spatial resolution Landsat data, to evaluate the spatio-temporal patterns of arctic tundra vegetation dynamics (greening and browning) at circumpolar and regional scales over the past 3-4 decades. At the circumpolar scale, we focus on the spatial heterogeneity (by tundra subzone and continent) of tundra browning over the past 5-15 years, followed by a more recent recovery (greening since 2015). Landsat time series allow us to evaluate the landscape-scale heterogeneity of tundra greening and browning for northern Alaska and the Yamal Peninsula in northwestern Siberia, Russia. Multi-dataset analyses reveal that tundra greening and browning (i.e. increases or decreases in the NDVI respectively) are generated by different sets of processes. Tundra greening is largely a result of either climate warming, lengthening of the growing season, or responses to disturbances, such as fires, landslides, and freeze-thaw processes. Browning on the other hand tends to be more event-driven, such as the shorter-term decline in vegetation due to fire, insect defoliation, consumption by larger herbivores, or extreme weather events (e.g. winter warming or early summer frost damage). Browning can also be caused by local or

Controlled cellular energy conversion in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horowitz, J. M.; Plant, R. E.

1978-01-01

Brown adipose tissue serves as a model system for nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) since a) it has as a primary physiological function the conversion of chemical energy to heat; and b) preliminary data from other tissues involved in NST (e.g., muscle) indicate that parallel mechanisms may be involved. Now that biochemical pathways have been proposed for brown fat thermogenesis, cellular models consistent with a thermodynamic representation can be formulated. Stated concisely, the thermogenic mechanism in a brown fat cell can be considered as an energy converter involving a sequence of cellular events controlled by signals over the autonomic nervous system. A thermodynamic description for NST is developed in terms of a nonisothermal system under steady-state conditions using network thermodynamics. Pathways simulated include mitochondrial ATP synthesis, a Na+/K+ membrane pump, and ionic diffusion through the adipocyte membrane.

A resolved outflow of matter from a brown dwarf.

PubMed

Whelan, Emma T; Ray, Thomas P; Bacciotti, Francesca; Natta, Antonella; Testi, Leonardo; Randich, Sofia

2005-06-02

The birth of stars involves not only accretion but also, counter-intuitively, the expulsion of matter in the form of highly supersonic outflows. Although this phenomenon has been seen in young stars, a fundamental question is whether it also occurs among newborn brown dwarfs: these are the so-called 'failed stars', with masses between stars and planets, that never manage to reach temperatures high enough for normal hydrogen fusion to occur. Recently, evidence for accretion in young brown dwarfs has mounted, and their spectra show lines that are suggestive of outflows. Here we report spectro-astrometric data that spatially resolve an outflow from a brown dwarf. The outflow's characteristics appear similar to, but on a smaller scale than, outflows from normal young stars. This result suggests that the outflow mechanism is universal, and perhaps relevant even to the formation of planets.

Brown at aft controls during PAMS STU deploy

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-05-22

S77-E-5066 (22 May 1996) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown, Jr., pilot, is seen on the starboard side of the Space Shuttle Endeavour's aft flight deck just prior to the deployment of the Satellite Test Unit (STU), part of the Passive Aerodynamically Stabilized Magnetically Damped Satellite (PAMS). Brown's image was captured with an Electronic Still Camera (ESC). Minutes later the camera was being used to document the deployment of PAMS-STU. The six-member crew will continue operations (tracking, rendezvousing and station-keeping) with PAMS-STU periodically throughout the remainder of the mission.

Heated apple juice supplemented with onion has greatly improved nutritional quality and browning index.

PubMed

Lee, Bonggi; Seo, Jeong Dae; Rhee, Jin-Kyu; Kim, Choon Young

2016-06-15

Although fruit juices are very popular, enzymatic browning occurs easily. Browning of fruit juice deteriorates nutrition value and product quality due to oxidation of polyphenol compounds. Therefore, development of natural food additives that reduce browning will be beneficial for improving quality of fruit juices. Onion has been reported to be a potent natural anti-browning agent. Here, we compared unheated and heated apple juices pre-supplemented with onion with respect to browning and nutritional quality. The unheated apple juice supplemented with onion showed reduced browning as well as increased total soluble solid, total phenol concentration, radical scavenging activities, and ferric reducing and copper chelating activities without any change in flavonoid concentration. On the other hand, heated juice supplemented with onion not only showed improved values for these parameters but also markedly increased flavonoid concentration. Thus, we conclude that application of heating and onion addition together may greatly improve quality of apple juice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioural Differences between Single Scandinavian Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) and Females with Dependent Young When Experimentally Approached by Humans

PubMed Central

Sahlén, Veronica; Ordiz, Andrés; Swenson, Jon E.; Støen, Ole Gunnar

2015-01-01

Carnivore-human encounters that result in human injury present a conservation and management challenge and it is therefore important to understand under what conditions such incidents occur. Females with cubs are often involved when humans are injured by brown bears Ursus arctos. In Scandinavia, this is particularly true for unarmed recreational forest users. Our aim was to document behavioural differences between single bears and females with cubs in order to develop recommendations to minimize the risk of injuries to recreational forest users. We documented the reactions of GPS-collared females with cubs and single brown bears to experimental approaches by humans to 50 m from the bear on 42 and 108 occasions, respectively. The majority of females with cubs (95%) and single bears (89%) left when approached. Bears that left were passed at shorter distances and were in more open areas than those that stayed. Both groups had similar flight initiation distances, which were longer for bears that were active at the time of the disturbance. Females with cubs selected more open habitat than single bears, also for the new site they selected following disturbance. Females with cubs, particularly active females with cubs of the year, moved greater distances and spent more time active following the approach. Females with cubs and single bears were seen or heard in 26% and 14% of the approaches, respectively. None of the bears displayed any aggressive behaviour during the approaches. Females with cubs selected more open habitat, perhaps predisposing them to encountering people that are not involved in hunting activities, which might be the primary explanation why females with cubs are most frequently involved when unarmed people are injured by bears in Scandinavia. To mitigate injury risks, one must consider factors that bring bears closer to human activity in the first place. PMID:25830333

Utilization of a major brown rust resistance gene in sugarcane breeding

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brown rust, caused by Puccinia melanocephala has had devastating effects on sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) breeding programs and on commercial production. The discovery of Bru1, a major gene conferring resistance to brown rust represented a substantial breakthrough and markers for the detection of Bru1 ...

Brown carbon formation from ketoaldehydes of biogenic monoterpenest.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tran B; Laskin, Alexander; Laskin, Julia; Nizkorodov, Sergey A

2013-01-01

Sources and chemical composition of brown carbon are poorly understood, and even less is known about the mechanisms of its atmospheric transformations. This work presents molecular-level investigations of the reactive compound ketolimononaldehyde (KLA, C9H14O3), a second-generation ozonolysis product of limonene (C10H16), as a potent brown carbon precursor in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) through its reactions with reduced nitrogen compounds, such as ammonium ion (NH4+), ammonia, and amino acids. The reactions of synthesized and purified KLA with NH4+ and glycine resulted in the formation of chromophores nearly identical in spectral properties and formation rates to those found in similarly-aged limonene/O3 SOA. Similar chemical reaction processes of limononaldehyde (LA, C10H16O2) and pinonaldehyde (PA, C10H16O2), the first-generation ozonolysis products of limonene and alpha-pinene, respectively, were also studied, but the resulting products did not exhibit the light absorption properties of brown carbon, suggesting that the unique molecular structure of KLA produces visible-light-absorbing compounds. The KLA/NH4+ and KLA/GLY reactions produce water-soluble, hydrolysis-resilient chromophores with high mass absorption coefficients (MAC = 2000-4000 cm2 g(-1)) at lambda - 500 nm, precisely at the maximum of the solar emission spectrum. Liquid chromatography was used to isolate the light-absorbing fraction, and UV-Vis, FTIR, NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) techniques were used to investigate the structures and chemical properties of the light-absorbing compounds. The KLA browning reaction generates a diverse mixture of light-absorbing compounds, with the majority of the observable products containing 1-4 units of KLA and 0-2 nitrogen atoms. Based on the HR-MS product distribution, conjugated aldol condensates, secondary imines (Schiff bases), and N-heterocycles like pyrroles may contribute in varying degree to the light-absorbing properties of the

Direct bioconversion of brown algae into ethanol by thermophilic bacterium Defluviitalea phaphyphila.

PubMed

Ji, Shi-Qi; Wang, Bing; Lu, Ming; Li, Fu-Li

2016-01-01

Brown algae are promising feedstocks for biofuel production with inherent advantages of no structural lignin, high growth rate, and no competition for land and fresh water. However, it is difficult for one microorganism to convert all components of brown algae with different oxidoreduction potentials to ethanol. Defluviitalea phaphyphila Alg1 is the first characterized thermophilic bacterium capable of direct utilization of brown algae. Defluviitalea phaphyphila Alg1 can simultaneously utilize mannitol, glucose, and alginate to produce ethanol, and high ethanol yields of 0.47 g/g-mannitol, 0.44 g/g-glucose, and 0.3 g/g-alginate were obtained. A rational redox balance system under obligate anaerobic condition in fermenting brown algae was revealed in D. phaphyphila Alg1 through genome and redox analysis. The excess reducing equivalents produced from mannitol metabolism were equilibrated by oxidizing forces from alginate assimilation. Furthermore, D. phaphyphila Alg1 can directly utilize unpretreated kelp powder, and 10 g/L of ethanol was accumulated within 72 h with an ethanol yield of 0.25 g/g-kelp. Microscopic observation further demonstrated the deconstruction process of brown algae cell by D. phaphyphila Alg1. The integrated biomass deconstruction system of D. phaphyphila Alg1, as well as its high ethanol yield, provided us an excellent alternative for brown algae bioconversion at elevated temperature.

Production of the blood pressure lowing peptides from brown alga ( Undaria pinnatifida)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minoru, Sato; Takashi, Oba; Takao, Hosokawa; Toshiyasu, Yamaguchi; Toshiki, Nakano; Tadao, Saito; Koji, Muramoto; Takashi, Kahara; Katsura, Funayama; Akio, Kobayashi; Takahisa, Nakano

2005-07-01

Brown alga ( Undaria pinnatifida) was treated with alginate lyase and hydrolyzed using 17 kinds of proteases and the inhibitory activity of the hydrolysates for the angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE) was measured. Four hydrolysates with potent ACE-inhibitory activity were administered singly and orally to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). The systolic blood pressure of SHRs decreases significantly after single oral administration of the brown alga hydrolysates by protease S ‘Amano’ (from Bacillus stearothermophilus) at the concentration of 10 (mg protein) (kg body weight)-1. In the 17 weeks of feeding experiment, 7-week-old SHRs were fed standard diet supplemented with the brown alga hydrolysates for 10 weeks. In SHRs fed 1.0 and 0.1% brown alga hydrolysates, elevating of systolic bloodpressure was significantly suppressed for 7 weeks. To elucidate the active components, the brown alga hydrolysates were fractionated by 1-butanol extraction and HPLC on a reverse-phase column. Seven kinds of ACE-inhibitory peptides were isolated and identified by amino acid composition analysis, sequence analysis, and LC-MS with the results Val-Tyr, Ile-Tyr, Ala-Trp, Phe-Tyr, Val-Trp, Ile-Trp, and Leu-Trp. Each peptide was determined to have an antihypertensive effect after a single oral administration in SHRs. The brown alga hydrolysates were also confirmed to decrease the blood pressure in humans.

Non-enzymatic browning and flavour kinetics of vacuum dried onion slices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitra, Jayeeta; Shrivastava, Shanker L.; Rao, Pavuluri S.

2015-01-01

Onion slices were dehydrated under vacuum to produce good quality dried ready-to-use onion slices. Colour development due to non-enzymatic browning and flavour loss in terms of thiosulphinate concentration was determined, along with moisture content and rehydration ratio. Kinetics of non-enzymatic browning and thiosulphinate loss during drying was analysed. Colour change due to non-enzymatic browning was found to be much lower in the case of vacuum dried onion, and improved flavour retention was observed as compared to hot air dried onion slices. The optical index values for non-enzymatic browning varied from 18.41 to 38.68 for untreated onion slices and from 16.73 to 36.51 for treated slices, whereas thiosulphinate concentration in the case of untreated onion slices was within the range of 2.96-3.92 μmol g-1 for dried sample and 3.71-4.43 μmol g-1 for the treated onion slices. Rehydration ratio was also increased, which may be attributed to a better porous structure attained due to vacuum drying. The treatment applied was found very suitable in controlling non-enzymatic browning and flavour loss during drying, besides increasing rehydration ratio. Hence, high quality dried ready- to-use onion slices were prepared.

Quercetin, a functional compound of onion peel, remodels white adipocytes to brown-like adipocytes.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Gil; Parks, John S; Kang, Hye Won

2017-04-01

Adipocyte browning is a promising strategy for obesity prevention. Using onion-peel-derived extracts and their bioactive compounds, we demonstrate that onion peel, a by-product of onion, can change the characteristics of white adipocytes to those of brown-like adipocytes in the white adipose tissue of mice and 3T3-L1 cells. The expression of the following brown adipose tissue-specific genes was increased in the retroperitoneal and subcutaneous adipose tissues of 0.5% onion-peel-extract-fed mice: PR domain-containing 16, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1α, uncoupling protein 1, fibroblast growth factor 21 and cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, onion peel extract induced the expression of brown adipose tissue-specific genes and increased the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1α. This effect was supported by decreased lipid levels and multiple small-sized lipid droplets. The ethyl acetate fraction of the onion peel extract that contained the highest proportion of hydrophobic molecules showed the same browning effect in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. A high-performance liquid chromatography analysis further identified quercetin as a functional compound in the browning effect of onion peel. The quercetin-associated browning effect was mediated in part by the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase. In summary, our study provides the first demonstration of the browning effects of onion peel and quercetin using both animal and cell models. This result indicates that onion peel has the potential to remodel the characteristics of white adipocytes to those of brown-like adipocytes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Galactose Is the Limiting Factor for the Browning or Discoloration of Cheese during Storage.

PubMed

Igoshi, Asuka; Sato, Yui; Kameyama, Kumi; Murata, Masatsune

2017-01-01

The browning or discoloration of cheese is often observed during long-time ripening or aging. In the present study, we identified galactose as a limiting factor for the browning, and clarified the involvement of the Maillard reaction for the discoloration. A precursor of browning of Cheddar cheese was isolated by procedures of solvent extraction and chromatography. D-Galactose and D-lactose were identified as a precursor of browning of Cheddar cheese A and B, respectively. Cheddar cheese (A, B, and C), sugar-added cheese, and nine kinds of retail cheese were stored at 4 to 70ºC for 0 to 10 d, before the L*-, a*-, and b*-values and sugar contents of each sample were measured. Cheese to which galactose was added turned brown more intensively during storage than the non-added control and the other sugar-added cheese. The more galactose was added, the more intensive the browning of the cheese appeared. The decrease in galactose correlated with the ΔL*-, Δa*-, Δb*-, and ΔE-values indicating the browning or discoloration of cheese samples. The decrease in sugars of nine kinds of retail cheese during storage also correlated with the ΔL*-, Δa*-, and ΔE-values of these cheese samples. These results clearly indicate that sugars, especially galactose, in cheese are an important factor for the browning of cheese during storage. In general, a high amount of amino acids, peptides, and proteins exists in ripe or mature cheese. Therefore, sugars, especially galactose, were considered to be the limiting factor for the Maillard reaction causing the browning of ripe or mature cheese during storage.

Black-Brown Relations and Stereotypes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mindiola, Tatcho Jr.; Niemann, Yolanda Flores; Rodriguez, Nestor

This book analyzes how African and Hispanic Americans perceive and interact with one another, highlighting black-brown relations in Houston, Texas, one of the largest cities with a majority ethnic population and one in which Hispanic Americans outnumber African Americans. Using results from several sociological studies, the book examines: how each…

Monoterpene limonene induces brown fat-like phenotype in 3T3-L1 white adipocytes.

PubMed

Lone, Jameel; Yun, Jong Won

2016-05-15

Several dietary compounds that are able to induce the brown fat-like phenotype in white adipocytes have been considered for treatment of obesity due to their ability to increase energy expenditure. Here, we report that limonene induces the brown fat-like phenotype in 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing expression of brown adipocyte-specific genes and proteins. Limonene-induced browning in white adipocytes was investigated by determining expression levels of brown fat-specific genes and proteins by real-time RT-PCR, immunoblot analysis, and immunocytochemical staining. Limonene enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis, as evidenced by increased mitochondrial content and immunofluorescent intensity. Limonene also significantly elevated protein levels of HSL, PLIN, p-AMPK, p-ACC, ACO, COX4, CPT1, and CYT C, suggesting its possible role in enhancement of lipolysis and lipid catabolism. Increased expression of PRDM16, UCP1, C/EBPβ, and other brown fat-specific markers by limonene was possibly mediated by activation of β3-adnergenic receptor (β3-AR), as inhibition of β3-AR inhibited up-regulation of brown fat-specific markers. Similarly, limonene-mediated activation of ERK and up-regulation of key brown adipocyte specific markers were eliminated by treatment with ERK antagonist. Taken together, these results suggest that limonene induces browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via activation of β3-AR and the ERK signaling pathway. In conclusion, our findings suggest that limonene plays a dual modulatory role in induction of the brown adipocyte-like phenotype as well as promotion of lipid metabolism and thus may have potential therapeutic implications for treatment of obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometry with twisted light

PubMed Central

Magaña-Loaiza, Omar S.; Mirhosseini, Mohammad; Cross, Robert M.; Rafsanjani, Seyed Mohammad Hashemi; Boyd, Robert W.

2016-01-01

The rich physics exhibited by random optical wave fields permitted Hanbury Brown and Twiss to unveil fundamental aspects of light. Furthermore, it has been recognized that optical vortices are ubiquitous in random light and that the phase distribution around these optical singularities imprints a spectrum of orbital angular momentum onto a light field. We demonstrate that random fluctuations of intensity give rise to the formation of correlations in the orbital angular momentum components and angular positions of pseudothermal light. The presence of these correlations is manifested through distinct interference structures in the orbital angular momentum–mode distribution of random light. These novel forms of interference correspond to the azimuthal analog of the Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect. This family of effects can be of fundamental importance in applications where entanglement is not required and where correlations in angular position and orbital angular momentum suffice. We also suggest that the azimuthal Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect can be useful in the exploration of novel phenomena in other branches of physics and astrophysics. PMID:27152334

Hanbury Brown and Twiss interferometry with twisted light.

PubMed

Magaña-Loaiza, Omar S; Mirhosseini, Mohammad; Cross, Robert M; Rafsanjani, Seyed Mohammad Hashemi; Boyd, Robert W

2016-04-01

The rich physics exhibited by random optical wave fields permitted Hanbury Brown and Twiss to unveil fundamental aspects of light. Furthermore, it has been recognized that optical vortices are ubiquitous in random light and that the phase distribution around these optical singularities imprints a spectrum of orbital angular momentum onto a light field. We demonstrate that random fluctuations of intensity give rise to the formation of correlations in the orbital angular momentum components and angular positions of pseudothermal light. The presence of these correlations is manifested through distinct interference structures in the orbital angular momentum-mode distribution of random light. These novel forms of interference correspond to the azimuthal analog of the Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect. This family of effects can be of fundamental importance in applications where entanglement is not required and where correlations in angular position and orbital angular momentum suffice. We also suggest that the azimuthal Hanbury Brown and Twiss effect can be useful in the exploration of novel phenomena in other branches of physics and astrophysics.

Multi-party quantum key agreement with five-qubit brown states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Tao; Jiang, Min; Cao, Gang

2018-05-01

In this paper, we propose a multi-party quantum key agreement protocol with five-qubit brown states and single-qubit measurements. Our multi-party protocol ensures each participant to contribute equally to the agreement key. Each party performs three single-qubit unitary operations on three qubits of each brown state. Finally, by measuring brown states and decoding the measurement results, all participants can negotiate a shared secret key without classical bits exchange between them. With the analysis of security, our protocol demonstrates that it can resist against both outsider and participant attacks. Compared with other schemes, it also possesses a higher information efficiency. In terms of physical operation, it requires single-qubit measurements only which weakens the hardware requirements of participant and has a better operating flexibility.

An ERβ agonist induces browning of subcutaneous abdominal fat pad in obese female mice.

PubMed

Miao, Yi-Fei; Su, Wen; Dai, Yu-Bing; Wu, Wan-Fu; Huang, Bo; Barros, Rodrigo P A; Nguyen, Hao; Maneix, Laure; Guan, You-Fei; Warner, Margaret; Gustafsson, Jan-Åke

2016-12-06

Estrogen, via estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), exerts several beneficial effects on metabolism and energy homeostasis by controlling size, enzymatic activity and hormonal content of adipose tissue. The actions of estrogen on sympathetic ganglia, which are key players in the browning process, are less well known. In the present study we show that ERβ influences browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) via its actions both on sympathetic ganglia and on the SAT itself. A 3-day-treatment with a selective ERβ agonist, LY3201, induced browning of SAT in 1-year-old obese WT and ERα -/- female mice. Browning was associated with increased expression of ERβ in the nuclei of neurons in the sympathetic ganglia, increase in tyrosine hydroxylase in both nerve terminals in the SAT and sympathetic ganglia neurons and an increase of β3-adrenoceptor in the SAT. LY3201 had no effect on browning in young female or male mice. In the case of young females browning was already maximal while in males there was very little expression of ERβ in the SAT and very little expression of the β3-adrenoceptor. The increase in both sympathetic tone and responsiveness of adipocytes to catecholamines reveals a novel role for ERβ in controlling browning of adipose tissue.

Acute and chronic cold exposure differentially affects the browning of porcine white adipose tissue.

PubMed

Gao, Y; Qimuge, N R; Qin, J; Cai, R; Li, X; Chu, G Y; Pang, W J; Yang, G S

2018-07-01

Piglets are characteristically cold intolerant and thus susceptible to high mortality. However, browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) can induce non-shivering thermogenesis as a potential strategy to facilitate the animal's response to cold. Whether cold exposure can induce browning of subcutaneous WAT (sWAT) in piglets in a similar manner as it can in humans remains largely unknown. In this study, piglets were exposed to acute cold (4°C, 10 h) or chronic cold exposure (8°C, 15 days), and the genes and proteins of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-dependent and independent thermogenesis, mitochondrial biogenesis, lipogenic and lipolytic processes were analysed. Interestingly, acute cold exposure induced browning of porcine sWAT, smaller adipocytes and the upregulated expression of UCP1, PGC1α, PGC1β, C/EBPβ, Cidea, UCP3, CKMT1 and PM20D1. Conversely, chronic cold exposure impaired the browning process, reduced mitochondrial numbers and the expression of browning markers, including UCP1, PGC1α and PRDM16. The present study demonstrated that acute cold exposure (but not chronic cold exposure) induces porcine sWAT browning. Thus, browning of porcine sWAT could be a novel strategy to balance the body temperature of piglets, and thus could be protective against cold exposure.

An ERβ agonist induces browning of subcutaneous abdominal fat pad in obese female mice

PubMed Central

Miao, Yi-fei; Su, Wen; Dai, Yu-bing; Wu, Wan-fu; Huang, Bo; Barros, Rodrigo P. A.; Nguyen, Hao; Maneix, Laure; Guan, You-fei; Warner, Margaret; Gustafsson, Jan-Åke

2016-01-01

Estrogen, via estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), exerts several beneficial effects on metabolism and energy homeostasis by controlling size, enzymatic activity and hormonal content of adipose tissue. The actions of estrogen on sympathetic ganglia, which are key players in the browning process, are less well known. In the present study we show that ERβ influences browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) via its actions both on sympathetic ganglia and on the SAT itself. A 3-day-treatment with a selective ERβ agonist, LY3201, induced browning of SAT in 1-year-old obese WT and ERα−/− female mice. Browning was associated with increased expression of ERβ in the nuclei of neurons in the sympathetic ganglia, increase in tyrosine hydroxylase in both nerve terminals in the SAT and sympathetic ganglia neurons and an increase of β3-adrenoceptor in the SAT. LY3201 had no effect on browning in young female or male mice. In the case of young females browning was already maximal while in males there was very little expression of ERβ in the SAT and very little expression of the β3-adrenoceptor. The increase in both sympathetic tone and responsiveness of adipocytes to catecholamines reveals a novel role for ERβ in controlling browning of adipose tissue. PMID:27922125

Recommendations related to Browns Ferry Fire

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1976-02-01

Based on its review of the events transpiring before, during and after the Browns Ferry fire, the Review Group concludes that the probability of disruptive fires of the magnitude of the Browns Ferry event is small, and that there is no need to restrict operation of nuclear power plants for public safety. However, it is clear that much can and should be done to reduce even further the likelihood of disabling fires and to improve assurance of rapid extinguishment of fires that occur. Consideration should be given also to features that would increase further the ability of nuclear facilities tomore » withstand large fires without loss of important functions should such fires occur. The Review Group believes that improvements, especially in the areas of fire prevention and fire control, can and should be made in most existing facilities.« less

Database for content of mercury in Polish brown coal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jastrząb, Krzysztof

2018-01-01

Poland is rated among the countries with largest level of mercury emission in Europe. According to information provided by the National Centre for Balancing and Management of Emissions (KOBiZE) more than 10.5 tons of mercury and its compounds were emitted into the atmosphere in 2015 from the area of Poland. Within the scope of the BazaHg project lasting from 2014 to 2015 and co-financed from the National Centre of Research and Development (NCBiR) a database was set up with specification of mercury content in Polish hard steam coal, coking coal and brown coal (lignite) grades. With regard to domestic brown coal the database comprises information on coal grades from Brown Coal Mines of `Bełchatów', `Adamów', `Turów' and `Sieniawa'. Currently the database contains 130 records with parameters of brown coal, where each record stands for technical analysis (content of moisture, ash and volatile particles), elemental analysis (CHNS), content of chlorine and mercury as well as net calorific value and combustion heat. Content of mercury in samples of brown coal grades under test ranged from 44 to 985 μg of Hg/kg with the average level of 345 μg of Hg/kg. The established database makes up a reliable and trustworthy source of information about content of mercury in Polish fossils. The foregoing details completed with information about consumption of coal by individual electric power stations and multiplied by appropriate emission coefficients may serve as the background to establish loads of mercury emitted into atmosphere from individual stations and by the entire sector of power engineering in total. It will also enable Polish central organizations and individual business entities to implement reasonable policy with respect of mercury emission into atmosphere.

Molecular phylogeography of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Northeastern Asia based on analyses of complete mitochondrial DNA sequences.

PubMed

Hirata, Daisuke; Mano, Tsutomu; Abramov, Alexei V; Baryshnikov, Gennady F; Kosintsev, Pavel A; Vorobiev, Alexandr A; Raichev, Evgeny G; Tsunoda, Hiroshi; Kaneko, Yayoi; Murata, Koichi; Fukui, Daisuke; Masuda, Ryuichi

2013-07-01

To further elucidate the migration history of the brown bears (Ursus arctos) on Hokkaido Island, Japan, we analyzed the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of 35 brown bears from Hokkaido, the southern Kuril Islands (Etorofu and Kunashiri), Sakhalin Island, and the Eurasian Continent (continental Russia, Bulgaria, and Tibet), and those of four polar bears. Based on these sequences, we reconstructed the maternal phylogeny of the brown bear and estimated divergence times to investigate the timing of brown bear migrations, especially in northeastern Eurasia. Our gene tree showed the mtDNA haplotypes of all 73 brown and polar bears to be divided into eight divergent lineages. The brown bear on Hokkaido was divided into three lineages (central, eastern, and southern). The Sakhalin brown bear grouped with eastern European and western Alaskan brown bears. Etorofu and Kunashiri brown bears were closely related to eastern Hokkaido brown bears and could have diverged from the eastern Hokkaido lineage after formation of the channel between Hokkaido and the southern Kuril Islands. Tibetan brown bears diverged early in the eastern lineage. Southern Hokkaido brown bears were closely related to North American brown bears.

Exoplanet exploration for brown dwarfs with infrared astrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Masaki

The astrometry is one of the oldest method for the exoplanet exploration. However, only one exoplanet has been found with the method. This is because the planet mass is sufficiently smaller than the mass of the central star, so that it is hard to observe the fluctuation of the central star by the planet. Therefore, we investigate the orbital period and mass of planets which we can discover by the future astrometric satellites for brown dwarfs, with the mass less than a tenth of the solar mass. So far five planetary systems of brown dwarfs have been found, whose mass ratios are larger than a tenth. For example, for the system whose distance, orbital period and mass ratio are 10 pc, 1 year and a tenth, respectively, the apparent semi-major axis reaches 3 milli-arcsecond, which can be well detected with the future astrometric satellites such as Small-JASMINE and Gaia. With these satellite, we can discover even super-Earth for the above system. We further investigate where in the period-mass plane we can explore the planet for individual brown dwarf with Small-JASMINE and Gaia. As a result, we find that we can explore a wide region where period and mass are within 5 years and larger than 3 earth mass. In addition, we can explore the region around 0.1 day and 10 Jovian mass, where planets have never found for any central star, and where we can explore only with Small-JASMINE for most target brown dwarfs.

An historical perspective - Brown is not a color. [astrophysics of infrared dwarf stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarter, J. C.

1986-01-01

Major shifts in theoretical understanding of the star formation process and the possible components of the local mass density are reviewed. Those aspects of brown dwarf structure and evolution that are still not well enough understood are outlined, and the types of observations that might force the modification of current theories to accommodate the existence of brown dwarfs are suggested. The appropriateness of the name 'brown dwarf' is defended.

Antimicrobials for reduction of Salmonella contamination in uncooked, surface-browned breaded chicken products.

PubMed

Moschonas, Galatios; Geornaras, Ifigenia; Stopforth, Jarret D; Wach, Damien; Woerner, Dale R; Belk, Keith E; Smith, Gary C; Sofos, John N

2012-06-01

Surface-browned but uncooked frozen breaded chicken products have been associated with salmonellosis outbreaks due to inadequate or no cooking of the products before consumption. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three antimicrobials against Salmonella during manufacture of a surface-browned, uncooked frozen breaded chicken meat product. Fresh chicken breast meat portions (5 by 5 by 5 cm) were inoculated (4 to 5 log CFU/g) with Salmonella and mixed with caprylic acid (CAA; 0.5 and 1.0%), carvacrol (CAR; 0.3 and 0.5%), ε-polylysine (POL; 0.125 and 0.25%), or distilled water (control). Sodium chloride (1.2%) and sodium tripolyphosphate (0.3%) were added to all treatments, and the mixtures were ground (5% total moisture enhancement level) and formed into portions (9 by 5 by 3 cm). The products were breaded and surface browned by baking in an oven (208°C for 15 min) or deep frying in vegetable oil (190°C for 15 s), packaged in polyethylene bags, and stored at -20°C for 7 days. Total reductions of inoculated Salmonella in untreated control oven- or fryer-browned products after frozen storage were 1.2 and 0.8 log CFU/g, respectively. In comparison, treatment with CAA, CAR, or POL reduced initial pathogen counts by 3.3 to >4.5, 4.1 to >4.7, and 1.1 to 1.6 log CFU/g, respectively, regardless of the antimicrobial concentration and browning method. Treatment with 1.0% CAA (oven browned) or 0.5% CAR (oven or fryer browned) reduced Salmonella to nondetectable levels (<0.3 log CFU/g) in stored frozen products. These data may be useful for development of suitable antimicrobial treatments to reduce the risk of Salmonella contamination in surface-browned, uncooked frozen breaded chicken products.

Physical changes in white and brown rice during simulated gastric digestion.

PubMed

Kong, Fanbin; Oztop, Mecit Halil; Singh, R Paul; McCarthy, Michael J

2011-08-01

Previous studies have shown that brown rice generates lower glycemic responses than white rice, a trait that may be beneficial in the dietary management of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia. The objective of this study was to investigate influence of rice digestion on the physical properties of the gastric digesta that may further impact intestinal absorption. A dynamic stomach model, human gastric simulator, was used to simulate the gastric digestion of white and brown rice. The pH, solids content, and rheological properties of the gastric digesta, as well as the size distribution of particles were studied. Static soaking was conducted to reveal the changes in moisture absorption and texture in rice kernels during simulated gastric digestion, as affected by shaking and the acid in gastric juice. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to image the diffusion of gastric juice into the rice kernels. The results indicate that the bran layer on brown rice had a profound effect in digestion, as it inhibited the absorption of moisture and acid leading to decreased texture degradation, thus delaying the rice disintegration as well as dissolution and slowing emptying of solids. MRI is effective in exhibiting the diffusion of gastric juice as affected by gastric acid and the influence of bran. This study provided quantitative evidence regarding the manner in which structural differences between white and brown rice affect their gastric digestion. The study presented in this paper focuses on how the structural differences in white and brown rice affect their gastric digestion. This information may help consumers to better understand the health benefits associated with eating brown rice. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Cardiac natriuretic peptides promote adipose 'browning' through mTOR complex-1.

PubMed

Liu, Dianxin; Ceddia, Ryan P; Collins, Sheila

2018-03-01

Activation of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and the ability to increase uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) levels and mitochondrial biogenesis in white fat (termed 'browning'), has great therapeutic potential to treat obesity and its comorbidities because of the net increase in energy expenditure. β-adrenergic-cAMP-PKA signaling has long been known to regulate these processes. Recently PKA-dependent activation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) was shown to be necessary for adipose 'browning' as well as proper development of the interscapular BAT. In addition to cAMP-PKA signaling pathways, cGMP-PKG signaling also promotes this browning process; however, it is unclear whether or not mTORC1 is also necessary for cGMP-PKG induced browning. Activation of mTORC1 by natriuretic peptides (NP), which bind to and activate the membrane-bound guanylyl cyclase, NP receptor A (NPRA), was assessed in mouse and human adipocytes in vitro and mouse adipose tissue in vivo. Activation of mTORC1 by NP-cGMP signaling was observed in both mouse and human adipocytes. We show that NP-NPRA-PKG signaling activate mTORC1 by direct PKG phosphorylation of Raptor at Serine 791. Administration of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) to mice induced Ucp1 expression in inguinal adipose tissue in vivo, which was completely blocked by the mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin. Our results demonstrate that NP-cGMP signaling activates mTORC1 via PKG, which is a component in the mechanism of adipose browning. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Genetic characterization of Kenai brown bears (Ursus arctos): Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA control region variation in brown bears of the Kenai Peninsula, south central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, J.V.; Talbot, S.L.; Farley, S.

2008-01-01

We collected data from 20 biparentally inherited microsatellite loci, and nucleotide sequence from the maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region, to determine levels of genetic variation of the brown bears (Ursus arctos L., 1758) of the Kenai Peninsula, south central Alaska. Nuclear genetic variation was similar to that observed in other Alaskan peninsular populations. We detected no significant inbreeding and found no evidence of population substructuring on the Kenai Peninsula. We observed a genetic signature of a bottleneck under the infinite alleles model (IAM), but not under the stepwise mutation model (SMM) or the two-phase model (TPM) of microsatellite mutation. Kenai brown bears have lower levels of mtDNA haplotypic diversity relative to most other brown bear populations in Alaska. ?? 2008 NRC.

Determining the Locations of Brown Dwarfs in Young Star Clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, Lauren A.

2005-01-01

Brown dwarfs are stellar objects with masses less than 0.08 times that of the Sun that are unable to sustain nuclear fusion. Because of the lack of fusion, they are relatively cold, allowing the formation of methane and water molecules in their atmospheres. Brown dwarfs can be detected by examining stars' absorption spectra in the near-infrared to see whether methane and water are present. The objective of this research is to determine the locations of brown dwarfs in Rho Ophiuchus, a star cluster that is only 1 million years old. The cluster was observed in four filters in the near-infrared range using the Wide-Field Infra-Red Camera (WIRC) on the 100" DuPont Telescope and Persson's Auxiliary Nasymith Infrared Camera (PANIC) on the 6.5-m Magellan Telescope. By comparing the magnitude of a star in each of the four filters, an absorption spectrum can be formed. This project uses standard astronomical techniques to reduce raw frames into final images and perform photometry on them to obtain publishable data. Once this is done, it will be possible to determine the locations and magnitudes of brown dwarfs within the cluster.

OGLE-2016-BLG-1469L: Microlensing Binary Composed of Brown Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, C.; Udalski, A.; Sumi, T.; Gould, A.; Albrow, M. D.; Chung, S.-J.; Jung, Y. K.; Ryu, Y.-H.; Shin, I.-G.; Yee, J. C.; Zhu, W.; Cha, S.-M.; Kim, S.-L.; Kim, D.-J.; Lee, C.-U.; Lee, Y.; Park, B.-G.; KMTNet Collaboration; Soszyński, I.; Mróz, P.; Pietrukowicz, P.; Szymański, M. K.; Skowron, J.; Poleski, R.; Kozłowski, S.; Ulaczyk, K.; Pawlak, M.; OGLE Collaboration; Abe, F.; Asakura, Y.; Bennett, D. P.; Bond, I. A.; Bhattacharya, A.; Donachie, M.; Freeman, M.; Fukui, A.; Hirao, Y.; Itow, Y.; Koshimoto, N.; Li, M. C. A.; Ling, C. H.; Masuda, K.; Matsubara, Y.; Muraki, Y.; Nagakane, M.; Ohnishi, K.; Oyokawa, H.; Rattenbury, N. J.; Saito, To.; Sharan, A.; Sullivan, D. J.; Suzuki, D.; Tristram, P. J.; Yamada, T.; Yamada, T.; Yonehara, A.; Barry, R.; MOA Collaboration

2017-07-01

We report the discovery of a binary composed of two brown dwarfs, based on the analysis of the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-1469. Thanks to the detection of both finite-source and microlens-parallax effects, we are able to measure both the masses {M}1˜ 0.05 {M}⊙ and {M}2˜ 0.01 {M}⊙ , and the distance {D}{{L}}˜ 4.5 {kpc}, as well as the projected separation {a}\\perp ˜ 0.33 au. This is the third brown-dwarf binary detected using the microlensing method, demonstrating the usefulness of microlensing in detecting field brown-dwarf binaries with separations of less than 1 au.

Brown-McLean Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient

PubMed Central

Tourkmani, Abdo Karim; Martinez, Jaime D.; Berrones, David; Juárez-Domínguez, Brenda Y.; Beltrán, Francisco; Galor, Anat

2015-01-01

The purpose of this manuscript is to report the case of a 12-year-old patient who presented for routine ophthalmic examination after congenital cataract surgery performed at 2 months of age. The patient was diagnosed with bilateral Brown-McLean syndrome by slit lamp examination. No treatment was required because the patient was asymptomatic and had a clear central cornea. This is the first described case of Brown-McLean syndrome in a pediatric patient, representing the importance of clinical examination in the pediatric age group after cataract surgery because of the risk for patients of developing peripheral edema. PMID:26034485

Brown-McLean Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient.

PubMed

Tourkmani, Abdo Karim; Martinez, Jaime D; Berrones, David; Juárez-Domínguez, Brenda Y; Beltrán, Francisco; Galor, Anat

2015-01-01

The purpose of this manuscript is to report the case of a 12-year-old patient who presented for routine ophthalmic examination after congenital cataract surgery performed at 2 months of age. The patient was diagnosed with bilateral Brown-McLean syndrome by slit lamp examination. No treatment was required because the patient was asymptomatic and had a clear central cornea. This is the first described case of Brown-McLean syndrome in a pediatric patient, representing the importance of clinical examination in the pediatric age group after cataract surgery because of the risk for patients of developing peripheral edema.

BRIC - Brown with canisters on middeck

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-02

STS095-E-5171 (2 Nov. 1998) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown, STS-95 commander, during Flight Day 3 activity aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 05:57:03 GMT, Nov. 2.

Preservation of hyphal-forming brown- and white-rot wood-inhabiting basidiomycetes

Treesearch

Suki C. Croan

2001-01-01

Lyophilization is an excellent technique for the long-term preservation of hyphal-forming brown-and white-rot wood-inhabiting basidiomycotina. However, vegetative mycelial isolates are not lyophilizable. In this study, 10 brown-rot and 10 white-rot basidiomycetous non-sporulating, non-chlamydosporulating, and non-bubillerferous basidiomycetes fungi were tested for...

Imaging accretion sources and circumbinary disks in young brown dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiners, Ansgar

2010-09-01

We propose to obtain deep WFC3/UVIS imaging observations of two accreting, nearby, young brown dwarf binaries. The first, 2M1207, is a brown dwarf with a planetary mass companion that became a benchmark in low-mass star formation and low-mass evolutionary models. The second, 2M0041, is a nearby young brown dwarf with clear evidence for accretion, but its space motion suggests a slightly higher age than the canonical accretion lifetime of 5-10 Myr. It has recently been discovered to be a binary and is likely to become a second benchmark object in this field. With narrow band images centered on the Halpha line that is indicative of accretion, we aim to determine the accretion ratio between the two components in each system. Halpha was observed in both systems but so far not spatially resolved. In particular, we want to search for accretion in the planetary mass companion of 2M1207. The evidence for accretion in 2M0041 and the possibility that it is in fact older than 10Myr suggests that the accretion lifetime is longer in brown dwarfs than in stars, and in particular that it is longer in brown dwarf binaries. Accretion could be sustained for a longer time if the accreting material is replenished by a circumbinary disk that might exist in both systems. We propose deep WFC/UVIS observations in the optical to search for circumbinary disks, similar to the famous disk around the binary TTauri system GG Tau.

Altered miRNA processing disrupts brown/white adipocyte determination and associates with lipodystrophy

PubMed Central

Mori, Marcelo A.; Thomou, Thomas; Boucher, Jeremie; Lee, Kevin Y.; Lallukka, Susanna; Kim, Jason K.; Torriani, Martin; Yki-Järvinen, Hannele; Grinspoon, Steven K.; Cypess, Aaron M.; Kahn, C. Ronald

2014-01-01

miRNAs are important regulators of biological processes in many tissues, including the differentiation and function of brown and white adipocytes. The endoribonuclease dicer is a major component of the miRNA-processing pathway, and in adipose tissue, levels of dicer have been shown to decrease with age, increase with caloric restriction, and influence stress resistance. Here, we demonstrated that mice with a fat-specific KO of dicer develop a form of lipodystrophy that is characterized by loss of intra-abdominal and subcutaneous white fat, severe insulin resistance, and enlargement and “whitening” of interscapular brown fat. Additionally, KO of dicer in cultured brown preadipocytes promoted a white adipocyte–like phenotype and reduced expression of several miRNAs. Brown preadipocyte whitening was partially reversed by expression of miR-365, a miRNA known to promote brown fat differentiation; however, introduction of other miRNAs, including miR-346 and miR-362, also contributed to reversal of the loss of the dicer phenotype. Interestingly, fat samples from patients with HIV-related lipodystrophy exhibited a substantial downregulation of dicer mRNA expression. Together, these findings indicate the importance of miRNA processing in white and brown adipose tissue determination and provide a potential link between this process and HIV-related lipodystrophy. PMID:24983316

Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome.

PubMed

Francis, D A; Ponsford, J R; Wiles, C M; Thomas, P K; Duchen, L W

1993-02-01

The clinical and pathological findings of a male with the Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome are described. This rare and fatal affection of the nervous system involves mainly the brain stem with the prominent and early manifestation of sensorineural deafness. Increased awareness and documentation of this disorder has added information on the mode of inheritance.

View southwest along Brown Road showing residential and commercial buildings ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

View southwest along Brown Road showing residential and commercial buildings on the north and south sides of the road - Brooklyn Green, North Green, South Green, & West Green, parts of Brown Road, Canterbury Road (Route 169), Hartford Road (Route 6), Hyde Road, Pomfret Road (Route 169), Prince Hill Road, Providence Road (Route 6), Wauregan Road (Routes 169 & 205), & Wolf Den Road, Brooklyn, Windham County, CT

Adipocyte Browning and Higher Mitochondrial Function in Periadrenal But Not SC Fat in Pheochromocytoma.

PubMed

Vergnes, Laurent; Davies, Graeme R; Lin, Jason Y; Yeh, Michael W; Livhits, Masha J; Harari, Avital; Symonds, Michael E; Sacks, Harold S; Reue, Karen

2016-11-01

Patients with pheochromocytoma (pheo) show presence of multilocular adipocytes that express uncoupling protein 1 within periadrenal (pADR) and omental (OME) fat depots. It has been hypothesized that this is due to adrenergic stimulation by catecholamines produced by the pheo tumors. To characterize the prevalence and respiratory activity of brown-like adipocytes within pADR, OME, and SC fat depots in human adult pheo patients. This was an observational cohort study. The study took place in a university hospital. We studied 46 patients who underwent surgery for benign adrenal tumors (21 pheos and 25 controls with adrenocortical adenomas). We characterized adipocyte browning in pADR, SC, and OME fat depots for histological and immunohistological features, mitochondrial respiration rate, and gene expression. We also determined circulating levels of catecholamines and other browning-related hormones. Eleven of 21 pheo pADR adipose samples, but only one of 25 pADR samples from control patients exhibited multilocular adipocytes. The pADR browning phenotype was associated with higher plasma catecholamines and raised uncoupling protein 1. Mitochondria from multilocular pADR fat of pheo patients exhibited increased rates of coupled and uncoupled respiration. Global gene expression analysis in pADR fat revealed enrichment in β-oxidation genes in pheo patients with multilocular adipocytes. No SC or OME fat depots exhibited aspects of browning. Browning of the pADR depot occurred in half of pheo patients and was associated with increased catecholamines and mitochondrial activity. No browning was detected in other fat depots, suggesting that other factors are required to promote browning in these depots.

The brain and brown fat

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Francisco; Fernø, Johan; Diéguez, Carlos; Rahmouni, Kamal; Nogueiras, Rubén

2015-01-01

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized organ responsible for thermogenesis, a process required for maintaining body temperature. BAT is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which activates lipolysis and mitochondrial uncoupling in brown adipocytes. For many years, BAT was considered to be important only in small mammals and newborn humans, but recent data have shown that BAT is also functional in adult humans. On the basis of this evidence, extensive research has been focused on BAT function, where new molecules, such as irisin and bone morphogenetic proteins, particularly BMP7 and BMP8B, as well as novel central factors and new regulatory mechanisms, such as orexins and the canonical ventomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) AMP- activated protein kinase (AMPK)–SNS–BAT axis, have been discovered and emerged as potential drug targets to combat obesity. In this review we provide an overview of the complex central regulation of BAT and how different neuronal cell populations co-ordinately work to maintain energy homeostasis. PMID:24915455

Invasive Brown Treesnake movements at road edges indicate road-crossing avoidance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Siers, Shane R.; Savidge, Julie S; Reed, Robert N.

2014-01-01

Roads have significant impacts on the dispersal of wildlife. Although this poses a threat to the abundance and diversity of desirable flora and fauna, it also affords some opportunity for enhancing control of invasive species. Roads are the most common terrain features that may affect the rate of landscape-scale movements of invasive Brown Treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) throughout Guam. We radio tracked 45 free-ranging Brown Treesnakes in close proximity to two roads in Guam and recorded instances where daily relocations of snakes spanned roads. Then we reconstructed observed movement histories with randomized turning angles, which served as a useful null hypothesis for assessing the effect of roads or road edge habitat on Brown Treesnake movement patterns. Random walk simulations demonstrated that Brown Treesnakes crossed these roads at a rate far lower than would be expected if snake movement was random with respect to roads and road edge habitat. We discuss two alternative hypotheses for these results: 1) habitat gaps posed by roads physically or behaviorally restrict snake movement; or 2) road edges provide preferred foraging habitat from which snakes are reluctant to depart. Because roads often form the boundaries of jurisdictional and management units, the effects of roads on the movement of invasive Brown Treesnakes will influence the prospects for success of future landscape-level suppression efforts.

Parkin-mediated mitophagy is downregulated in browning of white adipose tissue.

PubMed

Taylor, David; Gottlieb, Roberta A

2017-04-01

Browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) promotes increased energy expenditure through the action of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and is an attractive target to promote weight loss in obesity. Lowering of mitochondrial membrane potential by UCP1 is uniquely beneficial in this context; in other tissues, reduced membrane potential promotes mitochondrial clearance via mitophagy. It is unknown how parkin-mediated mitophagy is regulated in beige adipocytes. The relationship between parkin expression and WAT browning was investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and parkin-deficient male C57BL/6 mice in response to pharmacological browning stimuli. Rosiglitazone treatment in 3T3-L1 adipocytes promoted mitochondrial biogenesis, UCP1 expression, and mitochondrial uncoupling. Parkin expression was decreased and reduced mitochondrial-associated parkin, and p62 indicated a reduction in mitophagy activity. Parkin overexpression prevented mitochondrial remodeling in response to rosiglitazone. In CL 316,243-treated wild-type mice, decreased parkin expression was observed in subcutaneous inguinal WAT, where UCP1 was strongly induced. CL 316,243 treatment weakly induced UCP1 expression in the gonadal depot, where parkin expression was unchanged. In contrast, parkin-deficient mice exhibited robust UCP1 expression in gonadal WAT following CL 316,243 treatment. WAT browning was associated with a decrease in parkin-mediated mitophagy, and parkin expression antagonized browning of WAT. © 2017 The Obesity Society.

Multimodal imaging approach to monitor browning of adipose tissue in vivo.

PubMed

Chan, Xin Hui Derryn; Balasundaram, Ghayathri; Attia, Amalina Binte Ebrahim; Goggi, Julian L; Ramasamy, Boominathan; Han, Weiping; Olivo, Malini; Sugii, Shigeki

2018-06-01

The discovery that white adipocytes can undergo a browning process to become metabolically active beige cells has attracted significant interest in the fight against obesity. However, the study of adipose browning has been impeded by a lack of imaging tools that allow longitudinal and noninvasive monitoring of this process in vivo. Here, we report a preclinical imaging approach to detect development of beige adipocytes during adrenergic stimulation. In this approach, we expressed near-infrared fluorescent protein, iRFP720, driven under an uncoupling protein-1 ( Ucp1 ) promoter in mice by viral transduction, and used multispectral optoacoustic imaging technology with ultrasound tomography (MSOT-US) to assess adipose beiging during adrenergic stimulation. We observed increased photoacoustic signal at 720 nm, coupled with attenuated lipid signals in stimulated animals. As a proof of concept, we validated our approach against hybrid positron emission tomography combined with magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging modality, and quantified the extent of adipose browning by MRI-guided segmentation of 2-deoxy-2- 18 F-fluoro-d-glucose uptake signals. The browning extent detected by MSOT-US and PET/MR are well correlated with Ucp1 induction. Taken together, these systems offer great opportunities for preclinical screening aimed at identifying compounds that promote adipose browning and translation of these discoveries into clinical studies of humans. Copyright © 2018 Chan et al.

Endocannabinoid regulation in white and brown adipose tissue following thermogenic activation

PubMed Central

Krott, Lucia M.; Piscitelli, Fabiana; Heine, Markus; Borrino, Simona; Scheja, Ludger; Silvestri, Cristoforo; Heeren, Joerg; Di Marzo, Vincenzo

2016-01-01

The endocannabinoids and their main receptor, cannabinoid type-1 (CB1), suppress intracellular cyclic AMP levels and have emerged as key players in the control of energy metabolism. CB1 agonists and blockers have been reported to influence the thermogenic function of white and brown adipose tissue (WAT and BAT), affecting body weight through the inhibition and stimulation of energy expenditure, respectively. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the regulation of the endocannabinoid system in WAT and BAT following exposure to either cold or specific agonism of β3-adrenoceptors using CL316,243 (CL), conditions known to cause BAT activation and WAT browning. To address this question, we performed quantitative PCR-based mRNA profiling of genes important for endocannabinoid synthesis, degradation, and signaling, and determined endocannabinoid levels by LC-MS in WAT and BAT of control, cold-exposed, and CL-treated wild-type mice as well as primary brown adipocytes. Treatment with CL and exposure to cold caused an upregulation of endocannabinoid levels and biosynthetic enzymes in WAT. Acute β3-adrenoceptor activation increased endocannabinoids and a subset of genes of biosynthesis in BAT and primary brown adipocytes. We suggest that the cold-mediated increase in endocannabinoid tone is part of autocrine negative feed-back mechanisms controlling β3-adrenoceptor-induced BAT activation and WAT browning. PMID:26768656

Elucidation of the mechanism of enzymatic browning inhibition by sodium chlorite.

PubMed

He, Qiang; Luo, Yaguang; Chen, Pei

2008-10-15

Sodium chlorite (SC) is a well known anti-microbial agent and its strong inhibitory effect on enzymatic browning of fresh-cut produce has recently been identified. We investigated the effect of SC on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and its substrate, chlorogenic acid (CA), as it relates to the mechanisms of browning inhibition by SC. Results indicate that the browning reaction of CA (1.0mM) catalyzed by PPO (33U/mL) was significantly inhibited by 1.0mM SC at pH 4.6. Two PPO isoforms were identified by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and both were inactivated by SC (3.0mM). This suggests that SC serves as a PPO inhibitor to prevent enzymatic browning. Furthermore, the effect of SC on the stability of CA in both acidic (pH 4.5) and basic conditions (pH 8.3) was studied by UV-Vis scan and LC-MS analysis. The results showed that at the presence of SC (3.0mM), CA (0.1mM) degraded to quinic acid and caffeic acid as well as other intermediates. Hence, the anti-browning property of SC can be attributed to the two modes of action: the inactivation of polyphenol oxidase directly and the oxidative degradation of phenolic substrates. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Low accumulation of chlorogenic acids represses reddening during flesh browning in Japanese peach "Okayama PEH7".

PubMed

Yokotani, Naoki; Uraji, Misugi; Hara, Miyuki; Hihara, Seisuke; Hatanaka, Tadashi; Oda, Kenji

2017-01-01

In peaches, fruit flesh browns unattractively after peeling or cutting. A recently developed cultivar, Okayama PEH7, was distinct from other Japanese cultivars, including Okayama PEH8, with respect to its reduced browning potential. Homogenate prepared from Okayama PEH7 flesh had significantly less reddening during the browning reaction. Okayama PEH7 had less soluble phenolic compounds and higher polyphenol oxidase activity than Okayama PEH8. Reduced browning was observed even when phenols prepared from Okayama PEH7 were incubated with crude extract from Okayama PEH8, suggesting that phenols lower the browning potential of Okayama PEH7. In Okayama PEH7, contents of chlorogenic acid and its isomers were about one-tenth compared to Okayama PEH8. Exogenous addition of chlorogenic acid to Okayama PEH7 homogenate increased the browning potential and visibly enhanced reddening. These results indicate that the reduced browning of Okayama PEH7 flesh is due to a defect in chlorogenic acid accumulation.

Population-level resource selection by sympatric brown and American black bears in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belant, Jerrold L.; Griffith, Brad; Zhang, Yingte; Follmann, Erich H.; Adams, Layne G.

2010-01-01

Distribution theory predicts that for two species living in sympatry, the subordinate species would be constrained from using the most suitable resources (e.g., habitat), resulting in its use of less suitable habitat and spatial segregation between species. We used negative binomial generalized linear mixed models with fixed effects to estimate seasonal population-level resource selection at two spatial resolutions for female brown bears (Ursus arctos) and female American black bears (U. americanus) in southcentral Alaska during May–September 2000. Black bears selected areas occupied by brown bears during spring which may be related to spatially restricted (i.e., restricted to low elevations) but dispersed or patchy availability of food. In contrast, black bears avoided areas occupied by brown bears during summer. Brown bears selected areas near salmon streams during summer, presumably to access spawning salmon. Use of areas with high berry production by black bears during summer appeared in response to avoidance of areas containing brown bears. Berries likely provided black bears a less nutritious, but adequate food source. We suggest that during summer, black bears were displaced by brown bears, which supports distribution theory in that black bears appeared to be partially constrained from areas containing salmon, resulting in their use of areas containing less nutritious forage. Spatial segregation of brown and American black bears apparently occurs when high-quality resources are spatially restricted and alternate resources are available to the subordinate species. This and previous work suggest that individual interactions between species can result in seasonal population-level responses.

Gastric emptying rate and chyme characteristics for cooked brown and white rice meals in vivo.

PubMed

Bornhorst, Gail M; Chang, Lucy Q; Rutherfurd, Shane M; Moughan, Paul J; Singh, R Paul

2013-09-01

Rice structure is important to rice grain and starch breakdown during digestion. The objective of this study was to determine the gastric emptying and rice composition during gastric digestion of cooked brown and white medium-grain (Calrose variety) rice using the growing pig as a model for the adult human. Brown and white rice did not show significantly different gastric emptying rates of dry matter or starch, but brown rice had slower protein emptying (P < 0.05). Moisture content was greater and pH was lower in the distal stomach compared to the proximal stomach (P < 0.0001), and varied with time (P < 0.0001). The mechanism of physical breakdown for brown and white rice varied. Brown rice exhibited an accumulation of bran layer fragments in the distal stomach, quantified by lower starch and higher protein content. The quantity of gastric secretions observed after a brown or white rice meal may be related to the meal buffering capacity, and are accumulated in the distal stomach. The delayed rate of protein emptying in brown rice compared to white rice was most likely due to the accumulation of bran layers in the stomach. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of the Mysteriously Cool Brown Dwarf HD 4113

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ednie, Michaela; Follette, Katherine; Ward-Duong, Kimberly

2018-01-01

Characterizing the physical properties of brown dwarfs is necessary to expand and improve our understanding of low mass companions, including exoplanets. Systems with both close radial velocity companions and distant directly imaged companions are particularly powerful in understanding planet formation mechanisms. Early in 2017, members of the SPHERE team discovered a companion brown dwarf in the HD 4113 system, which also contains a known RV planet. Atmospheric model fits to the Y and J-band spectra and H2/H3 photometry of the brown dwarf suggested it is unusually cool. We obtained new Magellan data in the Z and K’ bands in mid-2017. This data will help us to complete a more detailed atmospheric and astrometric characterization of this unusually cool companion. Broader wavelength coverage will help in accurate spectral typing and estimations of luminosity, temperature, surface gravity, radius, and composition. Additionally, a second astrometric epoch will help constrain the architecture of the system.

Population Genomics Reveals Speciation and Introgression between Brown Norway Rats and Their Sibling Species

PubMed Central

Teng, Huajing; Zhang, Yaohua; Shi, Chengmin; Mao, Fengbiao; Cai, Wanshi; Lu, Liang; Zhao, Fangqing; Sun, Zhongsheng; Zhang, Jianxu

2017-01-01

Abstract Murine rodents are excellent models for study of adaptive radiations and speciation. Brown Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are successful global colonizers and the contributions of their domesticated laboratory strains to biomedical research are well established. To identify nucleotide-based speciation timing of the rat and genomic information contributing to its colonization capabilities, we analyzed 51 whole-genome sequences of wild-derived Brown Norway rats and their sibling species, R. nitidus, and identified over 20 million genetic variants in the wild Brown Norway rats that were absent in the laboratory strains, which substantially expand the reservoir of rat genetic diversity. We showed that divergence of the rat and its siblings coincided with drastic climatic changes that occurred during the Middle Pleistocene. Further, we revealed that there was a geographically widespread influx of genes between Brown Norway rats and the sibling species following the divergence, resulting in numerous introgressed regions in the genomes of admixed Brown Norway rats. Intriguing, genes related to chemical communications among these introgressed regions appeared to contribute to the population-specific adaptations of the admixed Brown Norway rats. Our data reveals evolutionary history of the Brown Norway rat, and offers new insights into the role of climatic changes in speciation of animals and the effect of interspecies introgression on animal adaptation. PMID:28482038

Old Business: From Brown to Now.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Kenneth B.

1978-01-01

During the past ten years, subtle White northern liberal racism, White backlash, and Black separatism have seriously threatened the gains of the civil rights movement that were triggered by the "Brown" decision. Fortunately, this negative tide is now being reversed. (Author/IRT)

An unusual presentation of Brown-Sequard syndrome.

PubMed

Herr, R D; Barrett, J

1987-11-01

We report the case of a man with Brown-Sequard syndrome following a fall in which he sustained fractures of the thoracic and lumbosacral spine. Despite characteristic neurological findings, the diagnosis was delayed due to the absence of history of penetrating spinal trauma and incorrect attribution of unilateral-like weakness and numbness to lumbosacral trauma. A directed history and examination revealed that the patient was stabbed in the back with a penknife while leaving a bus and stepped down onto a paralyzed leg, which collapsed beneath him. The patient was given an antibiotic, underwent a negative peritoneal lavage, and had myelography and nerve conduction velocity confirmatory for Brown-Sequard syndrome. With rehabilitation he became ambulatory with a cane one month after the stabbing.

[Cancer cachexia and white adipose tissue browning].

PubMed

Zhang, S T; Yang, H M

2016-08-01

Cancer cachexia occurs in a majority of advanced cancer patients. These patients with impaired physical function are unable to tolerance cancer treatment well and have a significantly reduced survival rate. Currently, there is no effective clinical treatment available for cancer cachexia, therefore, it is necessary to clarify the molecular mechanisms of cancer cachexia, moreover, new therapeutic targets for cancer cachexia treatment are urgently needed. Very recent studies suggest that, during cancer cachexia, white adipose tissue undergo a 'browning' process, resulting in increased lipid mobilization and energy expenditure, which may be necessary for the occurrence of cancer cachexia. In this article, we summarize the definition and characteristics of cancer cachexia and adipose tissue 'browning', then, we discuss the new study directions presented in latest research.

Brown at 50: Keeping Promises

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Frank H.

2004-01-01

The story of Brown is compelling. Blacks and Whites alike understood that the Jim Crow system of "separate but equal" was a convenient fiction. There was no actual effort to ensure that Whites and Blacks were provided the same services. Invariably, the White schools had higher funding, better buildings, newer supplies and so on. Indeed,…

21 CFR 890.3675 - Denis Brown splint.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... DEVICES PHYSICAL MEDICINE DEVICES Physical Medicine Prosthetic Devices § 890.3675 Denis Brown splint. (a... on young children with tibial torsion (excessive rotation of the lower leg) or club foot. (b...

Consortial brown tide − picocyanobacteria blooms in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, Nathan S; Litaker, R. Wayne; Kenworthy, W. Judson; Vandersea, Mark W.; Sunda, William G.; Reid, James P.; Slone, Daniel H.; Butler, Susan M.

2018-01-01

A brown tide bloom of Aureoumbra lagunensis developed in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba during a period of drought in 2013 that followed heavy winds and rainfall from Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012. Based on satellite images and water turbidity measurements, the bloom appeared to initiate in January 2013. The causative species (A. lagunensis) was confirmed by microscopic observation, and pigment and genetic analyses of bloom samples collected on May 28 of that year. During that time, A. lagunensis reached concentrations of 900,000 cells ml−1 (28 ppm by biovolume) in the middle portion of the Bay. Samples could not be collected from the northern (Cuban) half of the Bay because of political considerations. Subsequent sampling of the southern half of the Bay in November 2013, April 2014, and October 2014 showed persistent lower concentrations of A. lagunensis, with dominance shifting to the cyanobacterium Synechococcus (up to 33 ppm in April), an algal group that comprised a minor bloom component on May 28. Thus, unlike the brown tide bloom in Laguna Madre, which lasted 8 years, the bloom in Guantánamo Bay was short-lived, much like recent blooms in the Indian River, Florida. Although hypersaline conditions have been linked to brown tide development in the lagoons of Texas and Florida, observed euhaline conditions in Guantánamo Bay (salinity 35–36) indicate that strong hypersalinity is not a requirement for A. lagunensis bloom formation. Microzooplankton biomass dominated by ciliates was high during the observed peak of the brown tide, and ciliate abundance was high compared to other systems not impacted by brown tide. Preferential grazing by zooplankton on non-brown tide species, as shown in A. lagunensis blooms in Texas and Florida, may have been a factor in the development of the Cuban brown tide bloom. However, subsequent selection of microzooplankton capable of utilizing A. lagunensis as a primary food source may have contributed to the

"'Look More Closely,' Said Mum": Mothers in Anthony Browne's Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joosen, Vanessa

2015-01-01

In this article, Vanessa Joosen explores Anthony Browne's construction of motherhood in four of his picture books that focus on family. She focuses on the use of narratological perspective, visual point of view, and intertextual references to explain how an ideology of motherhood is evoked. While Browne makes use of child narrators and focalizers…

An environmental DNA marker for detecting nonnative brown trout (Salmo trutta)

Treesearch

K. J. Carim; T. M. Wilcox; M. Anderson; D. Lawrence; Michael Young; Kevin McKelvey; Michael Schwartz

2016-01-01

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are widely introduced in western North America where their presence has led to declines of several native species. To assist conservation efforts aimed at early detection and eradication of this species, we developed a quantitative PCR marker to detect the presence of brown trout DNA in environmental samples. The marker strongly...

Relative Weight of Brown Trout and Lake Trout in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-27

Published data concerning the standard weight in lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and brown trout (salmo trutta) have been established. The...standard weights can be used to compute relative weights for data collected in the spring and summer of 2011 for brown trout and lake trout in the Blue Mesa...Reservoir, Colorado. The mean relative weight of a sample of 100 brown trout ranging in length from 260 to 432 mm was 80.01 +/- 0.74, showing that the

Biosorption of heavy metal ions to brown algae, Macrocystis pyrifera, Kjellmaniella crassiforia, and Undaria pinnatifida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seki, Hideshi; Suzuki, Akira

1998-10-01

A fundamental study of the application of brown algae to the aqueous-phase separation of toxic heavy metals was carried out. The biosorption characteristics of cadmium and lead ions were determined with brown algae, Macrocystis pyrifera, Kjellmaniella crassiforia, and Undaria pinnatifida. A metal binding model proposed by the authors was used for the description of metal binding data. The results showed that the biosorption of bivalent metal ions to brown algae was due to bivalent binding to carboxylic groups on alginic acid in brown algae.

Microwave-assisted co-pyrolysis of brown coal and corn stover for oil production.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaning; Fan, Liangliang; Liu, Shiyu; Zhou, Nan; Ding, Kuan; Peng, Peng; Anderson, Erik; Addy, Min; Cheng, Yanling; Liu, Yuhuan; Li, Bingxi; Snyder, John; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2018-07-01

The controversial synergistic effect between brown coal and biomass during co-pyrolysis deserves further investigation. This study detailed the oil production from microwave-assisted co-pyrolysis of brown coal (BC) and corn stover (CS) at different CS/BC ratios (0, 0.33, 0.50, 0.67, and 1) and pyrolysis temperatures (500, 550, and 600 °C). The results showed that a higher CS/BC ratio resulted in higher oil yield, and a higher pyrolysis temperature increased oil yield for brown coal and coal/corn mixtures. Corn stover and brown coal showed different pyrolysis characteristics, and positive synergistic effect on oil yield was observed only at CS/BC ratio of 0.33 and pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C. Oils from brown coal mainly included hydrocarbons and phenols whereas oils from corn stover and coal/corn mixtures were dominated by ketones, phenols, and aldehydes. Positive synergistic effects were observed for ketones, aldehydes, acids, and esters whereas negative synergistic effects for hydrocarbons, phenols and alcohols. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of germination on the characteristics of brown rice flour and starch.

PubMed

Xu, Jie; Zhang, Hui; Guo, Xiaona; Qian, Haifeng

2012-01-30

In recent years, germinated brown rice as a functional food has received great attention with its improved sensory and nutritional properties. Particularly of interest are the high levels of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) which can be obtained during germination. However, more studies are needed to fully understand the effect of germination on the physicochemical properties of brown rice. Germination altered the chemical composition of brown rice, resulting in an increase in reducing sugar and ash content, and a reduction in amylose. Solubility, paste viscosity, transition temperatures (T(o) , T(p) and T(c) ) and percentage of retrogradation (%Retrogradation) were decreased, while swelling power and turbidity were significantly increased. Scanning electron micrographs indicated that starch granules from germinated brown rice became smaller and less homogeneous. Moreover, germination shortened the chain length of amylopectin and amylose molecules. This investigation provides information on changes in the characteristics of rice flour and rice starch during germination, leading to a better understanding on the chemistry of brown rice germination. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Continuity of brown bear maternal lineages in northern England through the Last-glacial period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Ceiridwen J.; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Barnett, Ross; Coxon, Peter; Bradley, Daniel G.; Lord, Tom C.; O'Connor, Terry

2014-07-01

Brown bears recolonised Europe rapidly after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), but there has been debate about whether bear populations were confined to separate glacial refugia in southern Europe, or if there was continuous gene flow among groups. To look in more detail at recolonisation routes into the British Isles after the LGM, 16 brown bear (Ursus arctos) samples from Lateglacial Yorkshire were analysed for mitochondrial DNA survival. The resulting data were compared with earlier work on Late Pleistocene and Holocene bears from Ireland (Edwards et al., 2011), as well as with both modern and ancient bears from across continental Europe. The results highlight the temporal and spatial continuity of brown bear maternal lineages through the Lateglacial period in northern England. While this region was not a refugial area in the LGM for the Irish Clade 2 brown bears, our data suggest that populations of brown bear in England did act as refugial sources for the later colonisation of Ireland, by Clade 1-i bears, during the Holocene. Our results contribute to a wider understanding of the phylogenetic relationships of brown bears through the Late Quaternary, and lend a valuable perspective on bear migration into peripheral Europe.

Could brown bears (Ursus arctos) have survived in Ireland during the Last Glacial Maximum?

PubMed Central

Leonard, Saoirse A.; Risley, Claire L.; Turvey, Samuel T.

2013-01-01

Brown bears are recorded from Ireland during both the Late Pleistocene and early–mid Holocene. Although most of the Irish landmass was covered by an ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Irish brown bears are known to have hybridized with polar bears during the Late Pleistocene, and it is suggested that the Irish brown bear population did not become extinct but instead persisted in situ through the LGM in a southwestern ice-free refugium. We use historical population modelling to demonstrate that brown bears are highly unlikely to have survived through the LGM in Ireland under any combination of life-history parameters shown by living bear populations, but instead would have rapidly become extinct following advance of the British–Irish ice sheet, and probably recolonized Ireland during the end-Pleistocene Woodgrange Interstadial from a closely related nearby source population. The time available for brown bear–polar bear hybridization was therefore restricted to narrow periods at the beginning or end of the LGM. Brown bears would have been extremely vulnerable to extinction in Quaternary habitat refugia and required areas substantially larger than southwestern Ireland to survive adverse glacial conditions. PMID:23676655

Could brown bears (Ursus arctos) have survived in Ireland during the Last Glacial Maximum?

PubMed

Leonard, Saoirse A; Risley, Claire L; Turvey, Samuel T

2013-08-23

Brown bears are recorded from Ireland during both the Late Pleistocene and early-mid Holocene. Although most of the Irish landmass was covered by an ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Irish brown bears are known to have hybridized with polar bears during the Late Pleistocene, and it is suggested that the Irish brown bear population did not become extinct but instead persisted in situ through the LGM in a southwestern ice-free refugium. We use historical population modelling to demonstrate that brown bears are highly unlikely to have survived through the LGM in Ireland under any combination of life-history parameters shown by living bear populations, but instead would have rapidly become extinct following advance of the British-Irish ice sheet, and probably recolonized Ireland during the end-Pleistocene Woodgrange Interstadial from a closely related nearby source population. The time available for brown bear-polar bear hybridization was therefore restricted to narrow periods at the beginning or end of the LGM. Brown bears would have been extremely vulnerable to extinction in Quaternary habitat refugia and required areas substantially larger than southwestern Ireland to survive adverse glacial conditions.

Effect of water content and heating temperature on thermal properties of brown rice batter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboukzail, Jehan; Abdullah, Aminah; Ghani, Maaruf Abd

2015-09-01

The objectives of this research were to assess the effect of water content in the formulation (60%,80%, 100%, 105%, 110%, 120% flour basis) on starch gelatinization of brown rice batter, and to identify the effects of heat treatment at 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C on starch gelatinization and degree of starch gelatinization of brown rice batter and wheat dough. At 60% water content, there was no gelatinization of brown rice batter, but the batter was gelatinized by increasing the water content to 80%. No significant differences in onset (To) peak (Tp) and endest (Tend) temperature when the water content increased from 80% to 120%; however, enthalpy (ΔH) decreased when water content grew up. Heat treatment of brown rice batter at 60% water content made brown rice batter gelatinized. Starch gelatinization temperature To, Tend and ΔH did not have significant differences when temperature of heat treatment increased from 50°C to 80°C while Tp increased significantly (p<0.05) at 80°C. However, heat treatment had more effect on wheat dough compared to brown rice batter.

Brown on middeck with drink packet

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-10-31

STS095-E-5125 (31 Oct. 1998) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown Jr., STS-95 commander, has just added water to a snack at Discovery's galley on the middeck. The photo was taken with an electronic still camera (ESC) at 9:52:32, Oct. 31.

Biosynthetic Pathway and Health Benefits of Fucoxanthin, an Algae-Specific Xanthophyll in Brown Seaweeds

PubMed Central

Mikami, Koji; Hosokawa, Masashi

2013-01-01

Fucoxanthin is the main carotenoid produced in brown algae as a component of the light-harvesting complex for photosynthesis and photoprotection. In contrast to the complete elucidation of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathways in red and green algae, the biosynthetic pathway of fucoxanthin in brown algae is not fully understood. Recently, two models for the fucoxanthin biosynthetic pathway have been proposed in unicellular diatoms; however, there is no such information for the pathway in brown seaweeds to date. Here, we propose a biosynthetic pathway for fucoxanthin in the brown seaweed, Ectocarpus siliculosus, derived from comparison of carotenogenic genes in its sequenced genome with those in the genomes of two diatoms, Thalassiosira pseudonana and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Currently, fucoxanthin is receiving attention, due to its potential benefits for human health. Therefore, new knowledge regarding the medical and nutraceutical properties of fucoxanthin from brown seaweeds is also summarized here. PMID:23820585

Nonhealing Wounds Caused by Brown Spider Bites: Application of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

PubMed

Hadanny, Amir; Fishlev, Gregory; Bechor, Yair; Meir, Oshra; Efrati, Shai

2016-12-01

Bites by Loxosceles spiders (also known as recluse spiders or brown spiders) can cause necrotic ulcerations of various sizes and dimensions. The current standard of care for brown spider bites includes analgesics, ice, compression, elevation, antihistamines, and surgical debridement. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in the treatment of brown spider bites has been administered in the early stage of ulceration, or 2 to 6 days after the bite. Unfortunately, the diagnosis of spider bite-related ulcers is often delayed and weeks or months may elapse before HBOT is considered. To evaluate the effect of HBOT on nonhealing wounds caused by brown spider bites in the late, chronic, nonhealing stage. Analysis of 3 patients with brown spider-bite healing wounds treated at The Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research in Israel. Patients presented 2 to 3 months after failure of other therapies including topical dressings, antibiotics, and corticosteroids. All patients were treated with daily 2 ATA (atmospheres absolute) with 100% oxygen HBOT sessions. All 3 patients were previously healthy without any chronic disease. Their ages were 30, 42, and 73 years. They were treated once daily for 13, 17, and 31 sessions, respectively. The wounds of all 3 patients healed, and there was no need for additional surgical intervention. There were no significant adverse events in any of the patients. Microvascular injury related to brown spider bites may culminate in ischemic nonhealing wounds even in a relatively young, healthy population. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered as a valuable therapeutic tool even months after the bite.

Perceptions about varieties of brown rice: a qualitative study from Southern India.

PubMed

Kumar, Shuba; Mohanraj, Rani; Sudha, Vasudevan; Wedick, Nicole M; Malik, Vasanti; Hu, Frank B; Spiegelman, Donna; Mohan, Viswanathan

2011-10-01

Consumption of whole grains, such as brown rice, compared to white rice can decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This qualitative study conducted in 2009 sought to identify factors that can act as barriers to or promote acceptance of brown rice as a staple food among South Indian adults (n=65). Using purposeful sampling, eight focus groups were conducted among adults with normal body mass index and adults who were overweight, aged 24 to 47 years, living in slum and non-slum sites in Chennai, a city in Southern India. These focus groups, conducted in Tamil, the local language of Chennai, were homogenous by sex. The focus groups were audiotaped after obtaining consent. Results were transcribed and coded according to four major themes that emerged during the focus group discussions, including culture and dietary practices, factors influencing rice preferences, awareness and perceptions of brown rice, and barriers to and factors influencing acceptance of brown rice. Overall, the majority of participants favored eating rice and rice-based foods. Tradition largely dictated the specific form of rice that people consumed. Awareness about the nutritive properties of brown rice was poor and was cited as a major barrier to its acceptance. In addition, participants tended to consider cooked rice that was neither white nor long-grained to be inferior. However, they believed that although convincing people to switch to brown rice would be a slow process, promoting its healthful benefits could serve to popularize it. Copyright © 2011 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phylogeographic structure and demographic patterns of brown trout in North-West Africa.

PubMed

Snoj, Aleš; Marić, Saša; Bajec, Simona Sušnik; Berrebi, Patrick; Janjani, Said; Schöffmann, Johannes

2011-10-01

The objectives of the study were to determine the phylogeographic structure of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in Morocco, elucidate their colonization patterns in North-West Africa and identify the mtDNA lineages involved in this process. We also aimed to resolve whether certain brown trout entities are also genetically distinct. Sixty-two brown trout from eleven locations across the Mediterranean and the Atlantic drainages in Morocco were surveyed using sequence analysis of the mtDNA control region and nuclear gene LDH, and by genotyping twelve microsatellite loci. Our study confirms that in Morocco both the Atlantic and Mediterranean basins are populated by Atlantic mtDNA lineage brown trout only, demonstrating that the Atlantic lineage (especially its southern clade) invaded initially not only the western part of the Mediterranean basin in Morocco but also expanded deep into the central area. Atlantic haplotypes identified here sort into three distinct groups suggesting Morocco was colonized in at least three successive waves (1.2, 0.4 and 0.2-0.1 MY ago). This notion becomes more pronounced with the finding of a distinct haplotype in the Dades river system, whose origin appears to coalesce with the nascent stage of the basal mtDNA evolutionary lineages of brown trout. According to our results, Salmo akairos, Salmo pellegrini and "green trout" from Lake Isli do not exhibited any character states that distinctively separate them from the other brown trout populations studied. Therefore, their status as distinct species was not confirmed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical Properties of Brown Carbon Aerosol Generated at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washenfelder, R. A.; Womack, C.; Franchin, A.; Middlebrook, A. M.; Wagner, N.; Manfred, K.

2017-12-01

Aerosol scattering and absorption are still among the largest uncertainties in quantifying radiative forcing. Biomass burning is a major source of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosol in the United States. These aerosol are generally classified into two categories: black carbon (graphitic-like aerosol that absorbs broadly across the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions) and brown carbon (organic aerosol that absorbs strongly in the ultraviolet and near-visible spectral regions). The composition, volatility, and chemical aging of brown carbon are poorly known, but are important to understanding its radiative effects. We deployed three novel instruments to the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory in 2016 to measure brown carbon absorption: a photoacoustic spectrometer, broadband cavity enhanced spectrometer, and particle-into-liquid sampler coupled to a liquid waveguide capillary cell. The instruments sampled from a shared inlet with well-characterized dilution and thermal denuding. We sampled smoke from 32 controlled burns of fuels relevant to western U.S. wildfires. We use these measurements to determine the volatility of water-soluble brown carbon, and compare this to the volatility of water-soluble organic aerosol and total organic aerosol. We further examine the wavelength-dependence of the water-soluble brown carbon absorption as a function of denuder temperature. Together this gives new information about the solubility, volatility, and chemical composition of brown carbon.

A Universal Spin–Mass Relation for Brown Dwarfs and Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, Aleks; Moore, Keavin; Jayawardhana, Ray; Aigrain, Suzanne; Peterson, Dawn; Stelzer, Beate

2018-06-01

While brown dwarfs show similarities to stars early in their lives, their spin evolutions are much more akin to those of planets. We have used light curves from the K2 mission to measure new rotation periods for 18 young brown dwarfs in the Taurus star-forming region. Our sample spans masses from 0.02 to 0.08 M ⊙ and has been characterized extensively in the past. To search for periods, we utilize three different methods (autocorrelation, periodogram, Gaussian processes). The median period for brown dwarfs with disks is twice as long as for those without (3.1 versus 1.6 days), a signature of rotational braking by the disk, albeit with small numbers. With an overall median period of 1.9 days, brown dwarfs in Taurus rotate slower than their counterparts in somewhat older (3–10 Myr) star-forming regions, consistent with spin-up of the latter due to contraction and angular momentum conservation, a clear sign that disk braking overall is inefficient and/or temporary in this mass domain. We confirm the presence of a linear increase of the typical rotation period as a function of mass in the substellar regime. The rotational velocities, when calculated forward to the age of the solar system, assuming angular momentum conservation, fit the known spin–mass relation for solar system planets and extra-solar planetary-mass objects. This spin–mass trend holds over six orders of magnitude in mass, including objects from several different formation paths. Our result implies that brown dwarfs by and large retain their primordial angular momentum through the first few Myr of their evolution.

"Brown v Board of Education" at 50: An Update on School Desegregation in the US

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russo, Charles J.

2004-01-01

"Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas" (1954) ("Brown I"), is the United States Supreme Court's most significant ruling on education, if not of all time. In "Brown I", the Court unanimously held that "de jure" racial segregation in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth…

75 FR 69152 - Wisconsin Central Ltd.-Abandonment Exemption-in Brown County, WI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [Docket No. AB 303 (Sub-No. 36X)] Wisconsin Central Ltd.--Abandonment Exemption--in Brown County, WI Wisconsin Central Ltd. (WCL) filed a... Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin Reservation, in Brown County, Wis.\\1\\ The line traverses United...

Brown Nail-bed Arcs and Chronic Renal Disease

PubMed Central

Stewart, W. K.; Raffle, E. J.

1972-01-01

A brown arc affecting the distal part of the fingernail-bed, just proximal to the point of separation of the nail from its bed, has been found in 12 out of 34 patients with chronic renal disease (35%) compared with an incidence of less than 2% in a series of unselected patients. It represents a distinctive form of pigmentation, possibly due to lipochromes. No decisive association could be found between the presence or absence of the pigmented nail arc and the level of impaired renal function. Nevertheless it seems that renal disease predisposes towards the development of brown nail arcs. Imagesp786-a PMID:5014252

The Role of Physical Exercise to Improve the Browning of White Adipose Tissue via POMC Neurons.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Kellen C da Cruz; Pereira, Rodrigo M; de Campos, Thaís D P; de Moura, Rodrigo F; da Silva, Adelino S R; Cintra, Dennys E; Ropelle, Eduardo R; Pauli, José R; de Araújo, Michel B; de Moura, Leandro P

2018-01-01

Obesity is a public health issue that affects more than 600 million adults worldwide. The disease is characterized by fat accumulation, mainly in the abdominal area. The human body is mainly composed of two types of adipose tissue: white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT); however, the browning process generates a different type of brown fat-like adipocyte in WAT, which similar to BAT has thermogenic capacity by activating UCP-1. The hypothalamic arcuate nucleus plays an important role in WAT browning via POMC neurons, which are influenced by synergistic insulin and leptin signaling. On the other hand, stimulation of AgRP neurons suppresses WAT browning. The hypothalamic inflammatory process that occurs in obesity impairs insulin and leptin signaling in this tissue and, consequently, can decrease WAT browning. In addition, practicing physical exercise may be a great strategy for triggering the browning process since it reduces hypothalamic inflammation and increases POMC neurons gene expression. Moreover, physical exercise stimulates irisin gene expression, which has an important impact on thermogenesis, which in turn culminates in increased gene expression of proteins such as UCP-1 and Cidea, which are related to WAT browning. Furthermore, thermogenetic activation of WAT leads to increased energy expenditure, favoring obesity treatment. Therefore, this mini-review aimed to highlight the most recent studies that link the control of hypothalamic activity with the browning metabolism of adipose tissue in response to physical exercise.

Acquired simulated brown syndrome following surgical repair of medial orbital wall fracture.

PubMed

Hwang, Jong-uk; Lim, Hyun Taek

2005-03-01

Simulated Brown syndrome is a term applied to a myriad of disorders that cause a Brown syndrome-like motility. We encountered a case of acquired simulated Brown syndrome in a 41-year-old man following surgical repair of fractures of both medial orbital walls. He suffered from diplopia in primary gaze, associated with hypotropia of the affected eye. We performed an ipsilateral recession of the left inferior rectus muscle as a single-stage intraoperative adjustment procedure under topical anesthesia, rather than the direct approach to the superior oblique tendon. Postoperatively, the patient was asymptomatic in all diagnostic gaze positions.

Characterization of the central neural projections to brown, white, and beige adipose tissue.

PubMed

Wiedmann, Nicole M; Stefanidis, Aneta; Oldfield, Brian J

2017-11-01

The functional recruitment of classic brown adipose tissue (BAT) and inducible brown-like or beige fat is, to a large extent, dependent on intact sympathetic neural input. Whereas the central neural circuits directed specifically to BAT or white adipose tissue (WAT) are well established, there is only a developing insight into the nature of neural inputs common to both fat types. Moreover, there is no clear view of the specific central and peripheral innervation of the browned component of WAT: beige fat. The objective of the present study is to examine the neural input to both BAT and WAT in the same animal and, by exposing different cohorts of rats to either thermoneutral or cold conditions, define changes in central neural organization that will ensure that beige fat is appropriately recruited and modulated after browning of inguinal WAT (iWAT). At thermoneutrality, injection of the neurotropic (pseudorabies) viruses into BAT and WAT demonstrates that there are dedicated axonal projections, as well as collateral axonal branches of command neurons projecting to both types of fat. After cold exposure, central neural circuits directed to iWAT showed evidence of reorganization with a greater representation of command neurons projecting to both brown and beiged WAT in hypothalamic (paraventricular nucleus and lateral hypothalamus) and brainstem (raphe pallidus and locus coeruleus) sites. This shift was driven by a greater number of supraspinal neurons projecting to iWAT under cold conditions. These data provide evidence for a reorganization of the nervous system at the level of neural connectivity following browning of WAT.-Wiedmann, N. M., Stefanidis, A., Oldfield, B. J. Characterization of the central neural projections to brown, white, and beige adipose tissue. © FASEB.

Survival of a brown dwarf after engulfment by a red giant star.

PubMed

Maxted, P F L; Napiwotzki, R; Dobbie, P D; Burleigh, M R

2006-08-03

Many sub-stellar companions (usually planets but also some brown dwarfs) orbit solar-type stars. These stars can engulf their sub-stellar companions when they become red giants. This interaction may explain several outstanding problems in astrophysics but it is unclear under what conditions a low mass companion will evaporate, survive the interaction unchanged or gain mass. Observational tests of models for this interaction have been hampered by a lack of positively identified remnants-that is, white dwarf stars with close, sub-stellar companions. The companion to the pre-white dwarf AA Doradus may be a brown dwarf, but the uncertain history of this star and the extreme luminosity difference between the components make it difficult to interpret the observations or to put strong constraints on the models. The magnetic white dwarf SDSS J121209.31 + 013627.7 may have a close brown dwarf companion but little is known about this binary at present. Here we report the discovery of a brown dwarf in a short period orbit around a white dwarf. The properties of both stars in this binary can be directly observed and show that the brown dwarf was engulfed by a red giant but that this had little effect on it.

Distinct Growth and Secretome Strategies for Two Taxonomically Divergent Brown Rot Fungi.

PubMed

Presley, Gerald N; Schilling, Jonathan S

2017-04-01

Brown rot fungi are wood-degrading fungi that employ both oxidative and hydrolytic mechanisms to degrade wood. Hydroxyl radicals that facilitate the oxidative component are powerful nonselective oxidants and are incompatible with hydrolytic enzymes unless they are spatially segregated in wood. Differential gene expression has been implicated in the segregation of these reactions in Postia placenta , but it is unclear if this two-step mechanism varies in other brown rot fungi with different traits and life history strategies that occupy different niches in nature. We employed proteomics to analyze a progression of wood decay on thin wafers, using brown rot fungi with significant taxonomic and niche distances: Serpula lacrymans (Boletales; "dry rot" lumber decay) and Gloeophyllum trabeum (order Gloeophyllales; slash, downed wood). Both fungi produced greater oxidoreductase diversity upon wood colonization and greater glycoside hydrolase activity later, consistent with a two-step mechanism. The two fungi invested very differently, however, in terms of growth (infrastructure) versus protein secretion (resource capture), with the ergosterol/extracted protein ratio being 7-fold higher with S. lacrymans than with G. trabeum In line with the native substrate associations of these fungi, hemicellulase-specific activities were dominated by mannanase in S. lacrymans and by xylanase in G. trabeum Consistent with previous observations, S. lacrymans did not produce glycoside hydrolase 6 (GH6) cellobiohydrolases (CBHs) in this study, despite taxonomically belonging to the order Boletales, which is distinguished among brown rot fungi by having CBH genes. This work suggests that distantly related brown rot fungi employ staggered mechanisms to degrade wood, but the underlying strategies vary among taxa. IMPORTANCE Wood-degrading fungi are important in forest nutrient cycling and offer promise in biotechnological applications. Brown rot fungi are unique among these fungi in that they

PM2.5 soluble brown-carbon measured in contrasting urban and rural environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, R.; Zhang, X.

2011-12-01

An instrument was developed to continuously measure the light absorption spectra and carbon mass of soluble PM2.5 components by coupling a particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS), UV-VIS (200-800nm) spectrophotometer with long-path absorption cell and total organic carbon (TOC) analyzer. The analytical system has also been used to measure brown carbon in aqueous extracts from integrated filters. Measurements have been conducted at a number of locations, including urban sites in Los Angeles, Atlanta and smaller urban and rural locations in the southeastern US. At all locations a characteristic brown carbon absorption spectra was observed, where soluble chromophores produce an increasing absorption with decreasing wavelength, starting from mid-visible and extending into the near UV. Incomplete combustion from biomass and fossil fuel burning and secondary processes have been identified as sources of soluble brown carbon. During summer when biomass burning impacts were minimal, mass absorption efficiencies calculated relative to ambient particle water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) were highest in Los Angeles and correlated with the daily production of secondary organic aerosol. Nitro-aromatics were identified as a component of the brown carbon. In contrast, the Atlanta secondary aerosol was significantly less light-absorbing, and unlike Los Angeles the diurnal trend in brown carbon largely tracked primary sources. Absorption Angstrom exponents varied between 3 and 7 with fresh Los Angeles secondary organic aerosol associated with smaller exponents, indicting greater absorption into the visible spectrum. The southeastern US regional/rural brown carbon was the least absorbing per WSOC mass in the UV and with largest Angstrom exponents (7) the least absorbing at higher wavelengths. A correlation between the regional brown carbon and fine particle oxalate suggested an aqueous phase heterogeneous source for these chromophores. Compared to pure black carbon, brown carbon was

Population Genomics Reveals Speciation and Introgression between Brown Norway Rats and Their Sibling Species.

PubMed

Teng, Huajing; Zhang, Yaohua; Shi, Chengmin; Mao, Fengbiao; Cai, Wanshi; Lu, Liang; Zhao, Fangqing; Sun, Zhongsheng; Zhang, Jianxu

2017-09-01

Murine rodents are excellent models for study of adaptive radiations and speciation. Brown Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are successful global colonizers and the contributions of their domesticated laboratory strains to biomedical research are well established. To identify nucleotide-based speciation timing of the rat and genomic information contributing to its colonization capabilities, we analyzed 51 whole-genome sequences of wild-derived Brown Norway rats and their sibling species, R. nitidus, and identified over 20 million genetic variants in the wild Brown Norway rats that were absent in the laboratory strains, which substantially expand the reservoir of rat genetic diversity. We showed that divergence of the rat and its siblings coincided with drastic climatic changes that occurred during the Middle Pleistocene. Further, we revealed that there was a geographically widespread influx of genes between Brown Norway rats and the sibling species following the divergence, resulting in numerous introgressed regions in the genomes of admixed Brown Norway rats. Intriguing, genes related to chemical communications among these introgressed regions appeared to contribute to the population-specific adaptations of the admixed Brown Norway rats. Our data reveals evolutionary history of the Brown Norway rat, and offers new insights into the role of climatic changes in speciation of animals and the effect of interspecies introgression on animal adaptation. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

miR-199a-3p regulates brown adipocyte differentiation through mTOR signaling pathway.

PubMed

Gao, Yao; Cao, Yan; Cui, Xianwei; Wang, Xingyun; Zhou, Yahui; Huang, Fangyan; Wang, Xing; Wen, Juan; Xie, Kaipeng; Xu, Pengfei; Guo, Xirong; You, Lianghui; Ji, Chenbo

2018-05-10

Recent discoveries of functional brown adipocytes in mammals illuminates their therapeutic potential for combating obesity and its associated diseases. However, on account of the limited amount and activity in adult humans of brown adipocyte depots, identification of miRNAs and characterization their regulatory roles in human brown adipogenesis are urgently needed. This study focused on the role of microRNA (miR)-199a-3p in human brown adipocyte differentiation and thermogenic capacity. A decreased expression pattern of miR-199a-3p was consistently observed during the differentiation course of brown adipocytes in mice and humans. Conversely, its level was induced during the differentiation course of human white pre-adipocytes derived from visceral fat. miR-199a-3p expression was relatively abundant in interscapular BAT (iBAT) and differentially regulated in the activated and aging BAT in mice. Additionally, miR-199a-3p expression level in human brown adipocytes was observed decreased upon thermogenic activation and increased by aging-related stimuli. Using primary pre-adipocytes, miR-199a-3p over-expression was capable of attenuating lipid accumulation and adipogenic gene expression as well as impairing brown adipocytes' metabolic characteristics as revealed by decreased mitochondrial DNA content and respiration. Suppression of miR-199a-3p by a locked nucleic acid (LNA) modified-anti-miR led to increased differentiation and thermogenesis in human brown adipocytes. By combining target prediction and examination, we identified mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR) as a direct target of miR-199a-3p that affected brown adipogenesis and thermogenesis. Our results point to a novel role for miR-199a-3p and its downstream effector mTOR in human brown adipocyte differentiation and maintenance of thermogenic characteristics, which can be manipulated as therapeutic targets against obesity and its related metabolic disorders. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Coiled-Coil and Nucleotide Binding Domains of BROWN PLANTHOPPER RESISTANCE14 Function in Signaling and Resistance against Planthopper in Rice[OPEN

PubMed Central

Hu, Liang; Wu, Yan; Wu, Di; Rao, Weiwei; Guo, Jianping; Ma, Yinhua; Wang, Zhizheng; Shangguan, Xinxin; Wang, Huiying; Xu, Chunxue; Huang, Jin; Shi, Shaojie; Chen, Rongzhi; Du, Bo; Zhu, Lili

2017-01-01

BROWN PLANTHOPPER RESISTANCE14 (BPH14), the first planthopper resistance gene isolated via map-based cloning in rice (Oryza sativa), encodes a coiled-coil, nucleotide binding site, leucine-rich repeat (CC-NB-LRR) protein. Several planthopper and aphid resistance genes encoding proteins with similar structures have recently been identified. Here, we analyzed the functions of the domains of BPH14 to identify molecular mechanisms underpinning BPH14-mediated planthopper resistance. The CC or NB domains alone or in combination (CC-NB [CN]) conferred a similar level of brown planthopper resistance to that of full-length (FL) BPH14. Both domains activated the salicylic acid signaling pathway and defense gene expression. In rice protoplasts and Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, these domains increased reactive oxygen species levels without triggering cell death. Additionally, the resistance domains and FL BPH14 protein formed homocomplexes that interacted with transcription factors WRKY46 and WRKY72. In rice protoplasts, the expression of FL BPH14 or its CC, NB, and CN domains increased the accumulation of WRKY46 and WRKY72 as well as WRKY46- and WRKY72-dependent transactivation activity. WRKY46 and WRKY72 bind to the promoters of the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase gene RLCK281 and the callose synthase gene LOC_Os01g67364.1, whose transactivation activity is dependent on WRKY46 or WRKY72. These findings shed light on this important insect resistance mechanism. PMID:29093216

Margaret Beale Spencer Delivers AERA's Fourth Annual "Brown" Lecture in Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Educational Researcher, 2007

2007-01-01

This article describes AERA's Fourth Annual "Brown" Lecture in Education Research delivered by internationally known education researcher and developmental psychologist Margaret Beale Spencer. The Lecture--"Lessons Learned and Opportunities Ignored Post-"Brown v. Board of Education": Youth Development and the Myth of a Colorblind Society"--drew…

Glyphosate Control of Orange and Brown Rusts in Glyphosate-Sensitive Sugarcane Cultivars

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Technical Abstract: Brown and orange rust diseases cause substantial yield reductions on sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) in Florida and other regions where sugarcane is grown. Brown rust caused by Puccinia melanocephala Syd. & P. Syd has been present in Florida since 1978 and orange rust caused by Pucci...

Detection, breeding, and selection of durable resistance to brown rust in sugarcane

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Brown rust, caused by Puccinia melanocephala, is an important disease of sugarcane in Louisiana. The adaptability of the pathogen has repeatedly resulted in resistant cultivars becoming susceptible once they are widely grown. The frequency of the brown rust resistance gene Bru1 was low in the breedi...

Application of exogenous ethylene inhibits postharvest peel browning of ‘Huangguan’ pear

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peel browning disorder has an enormous impact on the exterior quality of ‘Huangguan’ pear whereas the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study, the effect of exogenous ethylene on peel browning of pear fruits stored at 0' was evaluated. Results showed that ethylene effectively inhibited ...

Alaskan brown bears, humans, and habituation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, Thomas; Herrero, Stephen; DeBruyn, Terry D.

2005-01-01

We present a new paradigm for understanding habituation and the role it plays in brown bear (Ursus arctos) populations and interactions with humans in Alaska. We assert that 3 forms of habituation occur in Alaska: bear-to-bear, bear-to-human, and human-to-bear. We present data that supports our theory that bear density is an important factor influencing a bear’s overt reaction distance (ORD); that as bear density increases, overt reaction distance decreases, as does the likelihood of bear– human interactions. We maintain that the effects of bear-to-bear habituation are largely responsible for not only shaping bear aggregations but also for creating the relatively safe environment for bear viewing experienced at areas where there are high densities of brown bears. By promoting a better understanding of the forces that shape bear social interactions within populations and with humans that mingle with them, we can better manage human activities and minimize bear–human conflict.

Understanding of variability properties in very low mass stars and brown dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Soumen; Ghosh, Samrat; Khata, Dhrimadri; Joshi, Santosh; Das, Ramkrishna

2018-04-01

We report on photometric variability studies of a L3.5 brown dwarf 2MASS J00361617+1821104 (2M0036+18) in the field and of four young brown dwarfs in the star-forming region IC 348. From muti-epoch observations, we found significant periodic variability in 2M0036+18 with a period of 2.66 ± 0.55 hours on one occasion while it seemed to be non-variable on three other occasions. An evolving dust cloud might cause such a scenario. Among four young brown dwarfs of IC 348 in the spectral range M7.25 - M8, one brown dwarf 2MASS J03443921+3208138 shows significant variability. The K-band spectra (2.0-2.4 μm) of nine very low mass stars (M1 - M9 V) are used to characterize the water band index (H20-K2). We found that it is strongly correlated with the surface temperature of M dwarfs.

Image analysis to evaluate the browning degree of banana (Musa spp.) peel.

PubMed

Cho, Jeong-Seok; Lee, Hyeon-Jeong; Park, Jung-Hoon; Sung, Jun-Hyung; Choi, Ji-Young; Moon, Kwang-Deog

2016-03-01

Image analysis was applied to examine banana peel browning. The banana samples were divided into 3 treatment groups: no treatment and normal packaging (Cont); CO2 gas exchange packaging (CO); normal packaging with an ethylene generator (ET). We confirmed that the browning of banana peels developed more quickly in the CO group than the other groups based on sensory test and enzyme assay. The G (green) and CIE L(∗), a(∗), and b(∗) values obtained from the image analysis sharply increased or decreased in the CO group. And these colour values showed high correlation coefficients (>0.9) with the sensory test results. CIE L(∗)a(∗)b(∗) values using a colorimeter also showed high correlation coefficients but comparatively lower than those of image analysis. Based on this analysis, browning of the banana occurred more quickly for CO2 gas exchange packaging, and image analysis can be used to evaluate the browning of banana peels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

O-GlcNAc transferase enables AgRP neurons to suppress browning of white fat

PubMed Central

Ruan, Hai-Bin; Dietrich, Marcelo O.; Liu, Zhong-Wu; Zimmer, Marcelo R.; Li, Min-Dian; Singh, Jay Prakash; Zhang, Kaisi; Yin, Ruonan; Wu, Jing; Horvath, Tamas L.; Yang, Xiaoyong

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Induction of beige cells causes the browning of white fat and improves energy metabolism. However, the central mechanism that controls adipose tissue browning and its physiological relevance are largely unknown. Here we demonstrate that fasting and chemical-genetic activation of orexigenic AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus suppress the browning of white fat. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins regulates fundamental cellular processes. The levels of O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAc modification are enriched in AgRP neurons and are elevated by fasting. Genetic ablation of OGT in AgRP neurons inhibits neuronal excitability through the voltage-dependent potassium channel, promotes white adipose tissue browning, and protects mice against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance. These data reveal adipose tissue browning as a highly dynamic physiological process under central control, in which O-GlcNAc signaling in AgRP neurons is essential for suppressing thermogenesis to conserve energy in response to fasting. PMID:25303527

Modelling the growth of the brown frog (Rana dybowskii)

PubMed Central

Du, Xiao-peng; Hu, Zong-fu; Cui, Li-yong

2018-01-01

Well-controlled development leads to uniform body size and a better growth rate; therefore, the ability to determine the growth rate of frogs and their period of sexual maturity is essential for producing healthy, high-quality descendant frogs. To establish a working model that can best predict the growth performance of frogs, the present study examined the growth of one-year-old and two-year-old brown frogs (Rana dybowskii) from metamorphosis to hibernation (18 weeks) and out-hibernation to hibernation (20 weeks) under the same environmental conditions. Brown frog growth was studied and mathematically modelled using various nonlinear, linear, and polynomial functions. The model input values were statistically evaluated using parameters such as the Akaike’s information criterion. The body weight/size ratio (Kwl) and Fulton’s condition factor (K) were used to compare the weight and size of groups of frogs during the growth period. The results showed that the third- and fourth-order polynomial models provided the most consistent predictions of body weight for age 1 and age 2 brown frogs, respectively. Both the Gompertz and third-order polynomial models yielded similarly adequate results for the body size of age 1 brown frogs, while the Janoschek model produced a similarly adequate result for the body size of age 2 brown frogs. The Brody and Janoschek models yielded the highest and lowest estimates of asymptotic weight, respectively, for the body weights of all frogs. The Kwl value of all frogs increased from 0.40 to 3.18. The K value of age 1 frogs decreased from 23.81 to 9.45 in the first four weeks. The K value of age 2 frogs remained close to 10. Graphically, a sigmoidal trend was observed for body weight and body size with increasing age. The results of this study will be useful not only for amphibian research but also for frog farming management strategies and decisions.

NASA Space Telescopes See Weather Patterns in Brown Dwarf

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

JANUARY 8, 2013: Astronomers using NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes have probed the stormy atmosphere of a brown dwarf named 2MASSJ22282889-431026, creating the most detailed "weather map" yet for this class of cool, star-like orbs. The forecast shows wind-driven, planet-sized clouds enshrouding these strange worlds. Brown dwarfs form out of condensing gas, as stars do, but lack the mass to fuse atoms and produce energy. Instead, these objects, which some call failed stars, are more similar to gas planets with their complex, varied atmospheres. The new research is a stepping stone toward a better understanding not only brown dwarfs, but also of the atmospheres of planets beyond our solar system. Hubble and Spitzer simultaneously watched the brown dwarf as its light varied in time, brightening and dimming about every 90 minutes as the body rotated. Astronomers found the timing of this change in brightness depended on whether they looked using different wavelengths of infrared light. The variations are the result of different layers or patches of material swirling around in the brown dwarf in windy storms as large as Earth itself. Spitzer and Hubble see different atmospheric layers because certain infrared wavelengths are blocked by vapors of water and methane high up, while other infrared wavelengths emerge from much deeper layers. Daniel Apai, the principal investigator of the research from the University of Arizona, Tucson, presented the results at the American Astronomical Society meeting on January 8 in Long Beach, Calif. A study describing the results, led by Esther Buenzli, also of the University of Arizona, is published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. For more information about this study, visit www.nasa.gov/spitzer . NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA�

A coronagraphic search for brown dwarfs around nearby stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nakajima, T.; Durrance, S. T.; Golimowski, D. A.; Kulkarni, S. R.

1994-01-01

Brown dwarf companions have been searched for around stars within 10 pc of the Sun using the Johns-Hopkins University Adaptive Optics Coronagraph (AOC), a stellar coronagraph with an image stabilizer. The AOC covers the field around the target star with a minimum search radius of 1 sec .5 and a field of view of 1 arcmin sq. We have reached an unprecedented dynamic range of Delta m = 13 in our search for faint companions at I band. Comparison of our survey with other brown dwarf searches shows that the AOC technique is unique in its dynamic range while at the same time just as sensitive to brown dwarfs as the recent brown dwarf surveys. The present survey covered 24 target stars selected from the Gliese catalog. A total of 94 stars were detected in 16 fields. The low-latitude fields are completely dominated by background star contamination. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were carried out for a sample restricted to high latitudes and a sample with small angular separations. The high-latitude sample (b greater than or equal to 44 deg) appears to show spatial concentration toward target stars. The small separation sample (Delta Theta less than 20 sec) shows weaker dependence on Galactic coordinates than field stars. These statistical tests suggest that both the high-latitude sample and the small separation sample can include a substantial fraction of true companions. However, the nature of these putative companions is mysterious. They are too faint to be white dwarfs and too blue for brown dwarfs. Ignoring the signif icance of the statistical tests, we can reconcile most of the detections with distant main-sequence stars or white dwarfs except for a candidate next to GL 475. Given the small size of our sample, we conclude that considerably more targets need to be surveyed before a firm conclusion on the possibility of a new class of companions can be made.

Tribbles 3 inhibits brown adipocyte differentiation and function by suppressing insulin signaling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jeong, Ha-Won; Choi, Ran Hee; McClellan, Jamie L.

Recent studies have demonstrated that adult humans have substantial amounts of functioning brown adipose tissue (BAT). Since BAT has been implicated as an anti-obese and anti-diabetic tissue, it is important to understand the signaling molecules that regulate BAT function. There has been a link between insulin signaling and BAT metabolism as deletion or pharmaceutical inhibition of insulin signaling impairs BAT differentiation and function. Tribbles 3 (TRB3) is a pseudo kinase that has been shown to regulate metabolism and insulin signaling in multiple tissues but the role of TRB3 in BAT has not been studied. In this study, we found thatmore » TRB3 expression was present in BAT and overexpression of TRB3 in brown preadipocytes impaired differentiation and decreased expression of BAT markers. Furthermore, TRB3 overexpression resulted in significantly lower oxygen consumption rates for basal and proton leakage, indicating decreased BAT activity. Based on previous studies showing that deletion or pharmaceutical inhibition of insulin signaling impairs BAT differentiation and function, we assessed insulin signaling in brown preadipocytes and BAT in vivo. Overexpression of TRB3 in cells impaired insulin-stimulated IRS1 and Akt phosphorylation, whereas TRB3KO mice displayed improved IRS1 and Akt phosphorylation. Finally, deletion of IRS1 abolished the function of TRB3 to regulate BAT differentiation and metabolism. These data demonstrate that TRB3 inhibits insulin signaling in BAT, resulting in impaired differentiation and function. - Highlights: • TRB3 is expressed in brown adipose tissue and its expression is increased during differentiation. • Overexpression of TRB3 inhibits differentiation and its activity. • Overexpression of TRB3 in brown preadipocytes inhibits insulin signaling. • TRB3KO mice displays improved insulin signaling in brown adipose tissue. • Insulin signaling is required for the effects of TRB3 to regulate brown adipose tissue

Decoupled diversity dynamics in green and brown webs during primary succession in a saltmarsh.

PubMed

Schrama, Maarten; van der Plas, Fons; Berg, Matty P; Olff, Han

2017-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems are characterized by a strong functional connection between the green (plant-herbivore-based) and brown (detritus-detritivore-based) parts of the food web, which both develop over successional time. However, the interlinked changes in green and brown food web diversity patterns in relation to key ecosystem processes are rarely studied. Here, we demonstrate changes in species richness, diversity and evenness over a wide range of invertebrate green and brown trophic groups during 100 years of primary succession in a saltmarsh ecosystem, using a well-calibrated chronosequence. We contrast two hypotheses on the relationship between green and brown food web diversity across succession: (i) 'coupled diversity hypothesis', which predicts that all trophic groups covary similarly with the main drivers of successional ecosystem assembly vs. (ii) the 'decoupled diversity hypothesis', where green and brown trophic groups diversity respond to different drivers during succession. We found that, while species richness for plants and invertebrate herbivores (green web groups) both peaked at intermediate productivity and successional age, the diversity of macrodetritivores, microarthropod microbivores and secondary consumers (brown web groups) continuously increased towards the latest successional stages. These results suggest that green web trophic groups are mainly driven by vegetation parameters, such as the amount of bare soil, vegetation biomass production and vegetation height, while brown web trophic groups are mostly driven by the production and standing stock of dead organic material and soil development. Our results show that plant diversity cannot simply be used as a proxy for the diversity of all other species groups that drive ecosystem functioning, as brown and green diversity components in our ecosystem responded differently to successional gradients. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2016 British Ecological Society.

Relying on fin erosion to identify hatchery-reared brown trout in a Tennessee river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meerbeek, Jonathan R.; Bettoli, Phillip William

2012-01-01

Hatchery-induced fin erosion can be used to identify recently stocked catchable-size brown trout Salmo trutta during annual surveys to qualitatively estimate contributions to a fishery. However, little is known about the longevity of this mark and its effectiveness as a short-term (≤ 1 year) mass-marking technique. We evaluated hatchery-induced pectoral fin erosion as a mass-marking technique for short-term stocking evaluations by stocking microtagged brown trout in a tailwater and repeatedly sampling those fish to observe and measure their pectoral fins. At Dale Hollow National Fish Hatchery, 99.1% (228 of 230) of microtagged brown trout in outdoor concrete raceways had eroded pectoral fins 1 d prior to stocking. Between 34 and 68 microtagged and 26-35 wild brown trout were collected during eight subsequent electrofishing samples. In a blind test based on visual examination of pectoral fins at up to 322 d poststocking, one observer correctly identified 91.7% to 100.0% (mean of 96.9%) of microtagged brown trout prior to checking for microtags. In the laboratory, pectoral fin length and width measurements were recorded to statistically compare the fin measurements of wild and microtagged hatchery brown trout. With only one exception, all pectoral fin measurements on each date averaged significantly larger for wild trout than for microtagged brown trout. Based on the number of pectoral fin measurements falling below 95% prediction intervals, 93.7% (148 of 158) of microtagged trout were correctly identified as hatchery fish based on regression models up to 160 d poststocking. Only 72.2% (70 of 97) of microtagged trout were identified correctly after 160 d based on pectoral fin measurements and the regression models. We concluded that visual examination of pectoral fin erosion was a very effective way to identify stocked brown trout for up to 322 d poststocking.

Anatomy of Brown Dwarf Atmosphere Artist Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-01-08

This artist illustration shows the atmosphere of a brown dwarf called 2MASSJ22282889-431026, which was observed simultaneously by NASA Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes. The results were unexpected, revealing offset layers of material.

Molecular cloning, expression analysis and subcellular localization of a Transparent Testa 12 ortholog in brown cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

PubMed

Gao, Jun-Shan; Wu, Nan; Shen, Zhi-Lin; Lv, Kai; Qian, Sen-He; Guo, Ning; Sun, Xu; Cai, Yong-Ping; Lin, Yi

2016-02-01

Transparent Testa 12 (TT12) is a kind of transmembrane transporter of proanthocyanidins (PAs), which belongs to a membrane-localized multidrug and toxin efflux (MATE) family, but the molecular basis of PAs transport is still poorly understood. Here, we cloned a full-length TT12 cDNA from the fiber of brown cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), named GhTT12 (GenBank accession No. KF240564), which comprised 1733 bp with an open reading frame (ORF) of 1503 bp and encoded a putative protein containing 500 amino acid residues with a typical MATE conserved domain. The GhTT12 gene had 96.8% similarity to AA genome in Gossypium arboretum. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis denoted that the relative expression of GhTT12 in brown cotton was 1-5 folds higher than that in white cotton. The mRNA level was the highest at 5 days post anthesis (DPA) and reduced gradually during the fiber development. Expressing GhTT12-fused green fluorescent protein (GFP) in Nicotiana tabacum showed that GhTT12-GFP was localized in the vacuole membrane. The content of PAs increased firstly and decreased afterwards, and reached the maximum at 15 DPA in brown cotton. But for white cotton, the content of PAs remained at a low level during the fiber development. We speculate that GhTT12 may participate in the transportation of PAs from the cytoplasmic matrix to the vacuole. Taken together, our data revealed that GhTT12 was functional as a PAs transmembrane transporter. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

"Brown v. Board of Education" at 50: Reflections on "Plessy", "Brown", and Our Professional Conscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wishon, Phillip

2004-01-01

In this article, the author discusses racial and school segregation with the Plessy vs. Ferguson case, as well as the Brown vs. Board of Education case as an example. The Plessy case deals with Louisiana's separate car law, wherein a 30-year-old apprentice shoemaker named Homer Plessy, who was 1/8 Negro, was arrested for sitting in the Whites-only…

Characterization of immortalized human brown and white pre-adipocyte cell models from a single donor

PubMed Central

Andersen, Elise S.; Rasmussen, Nanna E.; Petersen, Louise I.; Pedersen, Steen B.; Richelsen, Bjørn

2017-01-01

Brown adipose tissue with its constituent brown adipocytes is a promising therapeutic target in metabolic disorders due to its ability to dissipate energy and improve systemic insulin sensitivity and glucose homeostasis. The molecular control of brown adipocyte differentiation and function has been extensively studied in mice, but relatively little is known about such regulatory mechanisms in humans, which in part is due to lack of human brown adipose tissue derived cell models. Here, we used retrovirus-mediated overexpression to stably integrate human telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) into stromal-vascular cell fractions from deep and superficial human neck adipose tissue biopsies from the same donor. The brown and white pre-adipocyte cell models (TERT-hBA and TERT-hWA, respectively) displayed a stable proliferation rate and differentiation until at least passage 20. Mature TERT-hBA adipocytes expressed higher levels of thermogenic marker genes and displayed a higher maximal respiratory capacity than mature TERT-hWA adipocytes. TERT-hBA adipocytes were UCP1-positive and responded to β-adrenergic stimulation by activating the PKA-MKK3/6-p38 MAPK signaling module and increasing thermogenic gene expression and oxygen consumption. Mature TERT-hWA adipocytes underwent efficient rosiglitazone-induced ‘browning’, as demonstrated by strongly increased expression of UCP1 and other brown adipocyte-enriched genes. In summary, the TERT-hBA and TERT-hWA cell models represent useful tools to obtain a better understanding of the molecular control of human brown and white adipocyte differentiation and function as well as of browning of human white adipocytes. PMID:28957413

BRIC - Brown works with middeck experiment

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-08-12

S85-E-5058 (12 August 1997) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown, Jr., commander, performs operations with an experiment called Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) operations on the mid-deck of the Space Shuttle Discovery during flight day six. The photograph was taken with the Electronic Still Camera (ESC).

Ron Brown Scholar Program. Evaluation Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broton, Katie; Mueller, Dan

2009-01-01

The Ron Brown Scholar Program aims to be a major force in producing this nation's next generation of leaders by providing academic scholarships, service opportunities, and leadership experiences to exemplary young African Americans. The program is highly selective, with several hundred applicants per scholarship awarded. Students are selected…

Spatial Heterogeneity of SOM Concentrations Associated with White-rot Versus Brown-rot Wood Decay.

PubMed

Bai, Zhen; Ma, Qiang; Dai, Yucheng; Yuan, Haisheng; Ye, Ji; Yu, Wantai

2017-10-23

White- and brown-rot fungal decay via distinct pathways imparts characteristic molecular imprints on decomposing wood. However, the effect that a specific wood-rotting type of fungus has on proximal soil organic matter (SOM) accumulation remains unexplored. We investigated the potential influence of white- and brown-rot fungi-decayed Abies nephrolepis logs on forest SOM stocks (i.e., soil total carbon (C) and nitrogen (N)) and the concentrations of amino sugars (microbial necromass) at different depths and horizontal distances from decaying woody debris. The brown-rot fungal wood decay resulted in higher concentrations of soil C and N and a greater increase in microbial necromass (i.e., 1.3- to 1.7-fold greater) than the white-rot fungal wood decay. The white-rot sets were accompanied by significant differences in the proportions of the bacterial residue index (muramic acid%) with soil depth; however, the brown-rot-associated soils showed complementary shifts, primarily in fungal necromass, across horizontal distances. Soil C and N concentrations were significantly correlated with fungal rather than bacterial necromass in the brown-rot systems. Our findings confirmed that the brown-rot fungi-dominated degradation of lignocellulosic residues resulted in a greater SOM buildup than the white-rot fungi-dominated degradation.

Proliferative kidney disease in brown trout: infection level, pathology and mortality under field conditions.

PubMed

Schmidt-Posthaus, Heike; Hirschi, Regula; Schneider, Ernst

2015-05-21

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an emerging disease threatening wild salmonid populations. In temperature-controlled aquaria, PKD can cause mortality rates of up to 85% in rainbow trout. So far, no data about PKD-related mortality in wild brown trout Salmo trutta fario are available. The aim of this study was to investigate mortality rates and pathology in brown trout kept in a cage within a natural river habitat known to harbor Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae. Young-of-the-year (YOY) brown trout, free of T. bryosalmonae, were exposed in the River Wutach, in the northeast of Switzerland, during 3 summer months. Samples of wild brown trout caught by electrofishing near the cage location were examined in parallel. The incidence of PKD in cage-exposed animals (69%) was not significantly different to the disease prevalence of wild fish (82 and 80% in the upstream and downstream locations, respectively). The mortality in cage-exposed animals, however, was as low as 15%. At the termination of the exposure experiment, surviving fish showed histological lesions typical for PKD regression, suggesting that many YOY brown trout survive the initial infection. Our results at the River Wutach suggest that PKD in brown trout does not always result in high mortality under natural conditions.

A Trio of Brown Dwarfs Artist Concept

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-23

This artist conception based on data from NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer illustrates what brown dwarfs of different types might look like to a hypothetical interstellar traveler who has flown a spaceship to each one.

Influence of Didymosphenia geminata blooms on prey composition and associated diet and growth of Brown Trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

James, Daniel A.; Chipps, Steven R.

2016-01-01

We compared diet, stomach fullness, condition, and growth of Brown Trout Salmo trutta among streams with or without blooms of the benthic diatom Didymosphenia geminata in the Black Hills, South Dakota. In Rapid Creek, where D. geminata blooms covered ∼30% of the stream bottom, Brown Trout consumed fewer ephemeropterans (6–8% by weight) than individuals from two stream sections that have not had D. geminatablooms (Castle and Spearfish creeks; 13–39% by weight). In contrast, dipterans (primarily Chironomidae) represented a larger percentage of Brown Trout diets from Rapid Creek (D. geminata blooms present; 16–28% dry weight) compared with diets of trout from streams without D. geminata blooms (6–19% dry weight). Diets of small Brown Trout (100–199 mm TL) reflected the invertebrate species composition in benthic stream samples; in Rapid Creek, ephemeropterans were less abundant whereas dipterans were more abundant than in streams without D. geminata blooms. Stomach fullness and condition of Brown Trout from Rapid Creek were generally greater than those of Brown Trout from other populations. Linkages among invertebrate availability, diet composition, and condition of Brown Trout support the hypothesis that changes in invertebrate assemblages associated with D. geminata (i.e., more Chironomidae) could be contributing to high recruitment success for small Brown Trout in Rapid Creek.

On the relationship between boreal forest browning and tree mortality: insights from Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, B. M.; Goetz, S. J.

2015-12-01

Long-term satellite measurements of vegetation productivity in high-latitude environments have revealed profound and widespread responses to climate warming. Although warmer and longer summers are causing the Arctic to "green", many regions of boreal forest are showing the opposite response, particularly since the mid 1990s. This "browning" phenomenon was generally unexpected at the time of discovery, is not captured by global models, and may have profound consequences for the boreal biome. A number of studies have linked satellite-based browning trends to tree productivity through tree rings. However, our understanding of the environmental controls and ecosystem consequences of browning remains remarkably limited. Here we examine to what extent browning patterns are related to a fundamental demographic process: tree mortality. We focus on a long-term inventory database in Alaska to characterize mortality events and trends from 1994 to 2014. These patterns were related to vegetation productivity indices from MODIS and the AVHRR-based GIMMS3g data set. We explore three central hypotheses: (1) mortality events are likely to be preceded by 5-10 year browning trends ("press stress"), (2) mortality events are likely to be preceded by distinct pulses of low productivity ("pulse stress"), and (3) long-term trends in mortality are related to long-term browning. Within our study region, which encompasses eastern Alaskan from the Pacific coastal mountains up through the interior, we find strong evidence for the first two hypotheses. The third is weakly supported, which may be a consequence of the episodic nature of mortality in the region. However, preliminary analyses in the southern Canadian boreal reveal a markedly stronger relationship between long-term mortality and browning. Taken together, our study suggests a robust correlation between satellite-based metrics of productivity and forest demography; one that has consequences for forest composition, carbon stocks, and

Astronaut Curtis Brown suspended by simulated parachute gear during training

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-06-28

S94-37516 (28 June 1994) --- Astronaut Curtis L. Brown is suspended by a simulated parachute gear during an emergency bailout training exercise in the Johnson Space Center's (JSC) Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F). Making his second flight in space, Brown will join four other NASA astronauts and a European mission specialist for a week and a half in space aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis in support of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) mission.

Measuring Atmospheric Abundances and Rotation of a Brown Dwarf with a Measured Mass and Radius

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birkby, Jayne

2015-08-01

There are no cool brown dwarfs with both a well-characterized atmosphere and a measured mass and radius. LHS 6343, a brown dwarf transiting one member of an M+M binary in the Kepler field, provides the first opportunity to tie theoretical atmospheric models to the observed brown dwarf mass-radius diagram. We propose four half-nights of observations with NIRSPAO in 2015B to measure spectral features in LHS 6343 C by detecting the relative motions of absorption features during the system's orbit. In addition to abundances, we will directly measure the brown dwarf's projected rotational velocity and mass.

Helminths of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the Kola Peninsula.

PubMed

Bugmyrin, S V; Tirronen, K F; Panchenko, D V; Kopatz, A; Hagen, S B; Eiken, H G; Kuznetsova, A S

2017-06-01

We present data on the species composition of helminths in brown bears (Ursus arctos) from the Murmansk Region, Russia. The absence of any information about helminths of brown bear in the region necessitated the conduct of these studies. Samples were collected in 2014 and 2015 in the southern part of the Kola Peninsula from the White Sea coastal habitats. Annually, in the study area, 1-3 bears are legally hunted and biological samples for examination are very difficult to obtain. Therefore, we used fecal samples. We studied 93 feces and identified parasite eggs identified in 43 of them by morphometric criteria. The surveys revealed eggs of the following helminths: Dicrocoelium sp., Diphyllobothrium sp., Anoplocephalidae, Capillariidae, Baylisascaris sp., Strongylida 1, and Strongylida 2. These results represent the first reconnaissance stage, which allowed characterizing the taxonomic diversity and prevalence of parasites of brown bears of the Kola Peninsula.

Brown trout as an invader: A synthesis of problems and perspectives in western North America: Chapter 20

USGS Publications Warehouse

Budy, Phaedra; Gaeta, Jereme W.; Lobón-Cerviá, Javier; Sanz, Nuria

2017-01-01

Brown trout are one of the most pervasive and successful invaders worldwide and are ubiquitous across the Intermountain West, USA (IMW). This species is the foundation of extremely popular and economically significant sport fisheries despite well-established negative effects on native fishes and ecosystems, resulting in very challenging, and often opposing, conservation and management goals. Herein, we review the direct (e.g., competition and predation) and indirect (e.g., disease vectors) pathways through which brown trout across the IMW have posed a threat to native species. We discuss the importance of brown trout as economically and culturally important fisheries, especially in novel tailwater ecosystems created by damming. To this end, we surveyed 24 experts from eight states across the IMW to document the relevance of novel brown trout fisheries in 51 tailwaters and found brown trout are thriving in these novel ecosystems, which are often unsuitable for native fishes. We discuss the challenging interplay between protecting native species and managing novel brown trout fisheries. Notably, the future of exotic brown trout in the IMW is shifting as the prestige of native fisheries is growing and many non-native eradication efforts have occurred. The future of exotic brown trout in the IMW, will depend on the nexus of public sentiment and policy, the effectiveness of eradication efforts, and the effect of climate change on both the native fishes and exotic brown trout. Regardless, because brown trout are pervasive and have a broad distribution through the IMW, populations of this species will likely persist at least in some locations into the future.

Are brown trout replacing or displacing bull trout populations in a changing climate?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Schmetterling, David A.; Clancy, Chris; Saffel, Pat; Kovach, Ryan; Nyce, Leslie; Liermann, Brad; Fredenberg, Wade A.; Pierce, Ron

2016-01-01

Understanding how climate change may facilitate species turnover is an important step in identifying potential conservation strategies. We used data from 33 sites in western Montana to quantify climate associations with native bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and non-native brown trout (Salmo trutta) abundance and population growth rates (λ). We estimated λ using exponential growth state space models and delineated study sites based on bull trout use for either Spawning and Rearing (SR) or Foraging, Migrating, and Overwintering (FMO) habitat. Bull trout abundance was negatively associated with mean August stream temperatures within SR habitat (r = -0.75). Brown trout abundance was generally highest at temperatures between 12 and 14°C. We found bull trout λ were generally stable at sites with mean August temperature below 10°C but significantly decreasing, rare, or extirpated at 58% of the sites with temperatures exceeding 10°C. Brown trout λ were highest in SR and sites with temperatures exceeding 12°C. Declining bull trout λs at sites where brown trout were absent suggests brown trout are likely replacing bull trout in a warming climate.

Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae persists in brown trout Salmo trutta for five years post exposure.

PubMed

Soliman, Hatem; Kumar, Gokhlesh; El-Matbouli, Mansour

2018-01-31

Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae is a malacosporean parasite and the causative agent of proliferative kidney disease (PKD) that seriously impacts farmed and wild salmonids. The parasite's life cycle includes an invertebrate host, the bryozoan Fredericella sultana, and a vertebrate host, salmonid fish. The persistence of T. bryosalmonae in brown trout Salmo trutta for up to 2 yr following exposure is well documented. Results from the present study confirmed that one brown trout that had recovered from PKD did not completely clear the parasite from its tissues and that T. bryosalmonae could persist in brown trout for up to 5 yr post exposure. Furthermore, recovered infected brown trout can release viable T. bryosalmonae spores that are able to infect specific pathogen-free F. sultana colonies. T. bryosalmonae DNA was detected by PCR in every organ, and parasite stages were observed in the kidney, spleen and liver following immunohistochemistry. This finding indicates that T. bryosalmonae-infected brown trout can act as asymptomatic carriers and release the parasite for several years after the initial infection, acting as a reservoir of infection, and contributing to the dissemination of the parasite to new areas.

Brown trout and food web interactions in a Minnesota stream

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, J.K.H.; Vondracek, B.

2007-01-01

1. We examined indirect, community-level interactions in a stream that contained non-native brown trout (Salmo trutta Linnaeus), native brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis Mitchill) and native slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus Richardson). Our objectives were to examine benthic invertebrate composition and prey selection of fishes (measured by total invertebrate dry mass, dry mass of individual invertebrate taxa and relative proportion of invertebrate taxa in the benthos and diet) among treatments (no fish, juvenile brook trout alone, juvenile brown trout alone, sculpin with brook trout and sculpin with brown trout). 2. We assigned treatments to 1 m2 enclosures/exclosures placed in riffles in Valley Creek, Minnesota, and conducted six experimental trials. We used three designs of fish densities (addition of trout to a constant number of sculpin with unequal numbers of trout and sculpin; addition of trout to a constant number of sculpin with equal numbers of trout and sculpin; and replacement of half the sculpin with an equal number of trout) to investigate the relative strength of interspecific versus intraspecific interactions. 3. Presence of fish (all three species, alone or in combined-species treatments) was not associated with changes in total dry mass of benthic invertebrates or shifts in relative abundance of benthic invertebrate taxa, regardless of fish density design. 4. Brook trout and sculpin diets did not change when each species was alone compared with treatments of both species together. Likewise, we did not find evidence for shifts in brown trout or sculpin diets when each species was alone or together. 5. We suggest that native brook trout and non-native brown trout fill similar niches in Valley Creek. We did not find evidence that either species had an effect on stream communities, potentially due to high invertebrate productivity in Valley Creek. ?? 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Vertical Distribution of Black and Brown Carbon over Shanghai during Winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, M.; Yan, C.; Wang, D.; Fu, Q.

2016-12-01

Carbonaceous aerosols (i.e., black carbon, BC, and organic aerosol, OA) have significant impact on Earth's energy budget by scattering and absorbing solar radiation. Extensive carbonaceous aerosols have been emitted in mainland China. It is essential to study the column burden of carbonaceous aerosol and associated light absorption to better understand its radiative forcing. In this study, a tethered balloon-based field campaign was conducted over a Chinese megacity, Shanghai, in December of 2015, with the primary goal to investigate the vertical profile of air pollutants within the lower troposphere, especially during the polluted days. A 7-wavelength Aethalometer (AE-31) were adopted in the observation to obtain vertical profiles of atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols within the lower troposphere. Light absorption by black and brown carbon, the light absorbing organic components, were distinguished and separated based on difference between light absorption at 450 nm versus 880 nm. Light absorption of brown carbon relative to black carbon were also estimated to pose the importance of brown carbon. Besides, diurnal variation of black and brown carbon vertical profiles would also be discussed, with consideration of variation of height of planetary boundary layer.

Microbiota depletion promotes browning of white adipose tissue and reduces obesity

PubMed Central

Chevalier, Claire; Stojanović, Ozren; Colin, Didier J.; Stevanović, Ana; Veyrat-Durebex, Christelle; Tarallo, Valentina; Rigo, Dorothée; Germain, Stéphane; Ilievska, Miroslava; Montet, Xavier; Seimbille, Yann; Hapfelmeier, Siegfried; Trajkovski, Mirko

2015-01-01

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) promotes a lean and healthy phenotype and improves insulin sensitivity1. In response to cold or exercise brown fat cells also emerge in the white adipose tissue (named beige cells), a process known as browning2,3,4. Here, we show that the development of functional beige fat is promoted by microbiota depletion either by antibiotic treatment or in germ-free mice within the inguinal subcutaneous and perigonadal visceral adipose tissues (ingSAT and pgVAT, respectively). This leads to improved glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and decreased white fat and adipocyte size in lean mice and obese leptin-deficient (ob/ob) and high fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. These metabolic improvements are mediated by eosinophil infiltration and enhanced type 2 cytokine signaling and M2 macrophage polarization in the subcutaneous white fat depots of microbiota-depleted animals. The metabolic phenotype and the browning of the subcutaneous fat are impaired by suppression of the type 2 signaling and are reversed by recolonization of the antibiotic-treated, or the germ-free mice with microbes. These results provide insight into microbiota-fat signaling axis and beige fat development in health and metabolic disease. PMID:26569380

The albumin of the brown trout (Salmo trutta) is a glycoprotein.

PubMed

Metcalf, V J; Brennan, S O; Chambers, G K; George, P M

1998-07-28

The albumin from an Atlantic salmonid, the brown trout (Salmo trutta), is 1730 Da higher in molecular mass than the albumin from a Pacific salmonid, the chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), at 65230 Da. Digestion with neuraminidase revealed that purified brown trout albumin contained sialic acid while chinook salmon albumin did not. Concanavalin A-sepharose affinity chromatography was used to purify a glycopeptide from a total tryptic digest of brown trout albumin. The mass of this glycopeptide (3815 Da) was determined by mass spectrometry, and the sequence largely confirmed by N-terminal sequencing. The identified sequence of IAHCCNQSYSM-, contains an Asn-Gln-Ser glycosylation site and is identical to residues 475-485 derived from the cDNA of the albumin from the Atlantic salmon, the closest relative of the brown trout. Glycosylation of albumin is very unusual, and has not been identified in either reptilian or mammalian albumins. The finding of a glycoalbumin in salmonids, ancient members of the teleost fish subclass, coupled with evidence of albumin glycosylation in the oldest vertebrates, agnathans, as well as amphibians, suggests that albumin was originally a glycoprotein, but lost this modification sometime between the divergence of amphibians and reptiles.

Honeys from different floral sources as inhibitors of enzymatic browning in fruit and vegetable homogenates.

PubMed

Chen, L; Mehta, A; Berenbaum, M; Zangerl, A R; Engeseth, N J

2000-10-01

Honeys from different floral sources were evaluated for their antioxidant content and for their ability to inhibit enzymatic browning in fruits and vegetables. Antioxidant contents of honeys vary widely from different floral sources, as do their abilities to protect against enzymatic browning. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity was reduced over a range of approximately 2-45% in fruit and vegetable homogenates, corresponding to a reduction in browning index by 2.5-12 units. Soy honey was particularly effective when compared to clover honey, which had a similar antioxidant content. When compared to commercial inhibitors of browning, honeys were less effective; however, in combination they added to the effectiveness of metabisulfite and ascorbic acid. Honey has great potential to be used as a natural source of antioxidants to reduce the negative effects of PPO browning in fruit and vegetable processing.

A Tale of Two Movements: The Power and Consequences of Misremembering "Brown"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Joy Ann

2006-01-01

If, as James Anderson stated, a nation committed to democracy and equality has every reason to be ashamed on "Brown v. Board of Education's" 50th anniversary, why the commemoration and celebration? By revising Anderson's challenge to examine the complex role of "Brown" in the nation's memory and history, this chapter…

The efficacy of breeding for brown spot disease resistance in longleaf pine

Treesearch

D.P. Gwaze; Larry H. Lott; C. Dana Nelson

2003-01-01

The study objective was to determine whether selection for brown spot disease (caused by Scirrhia acicola (Dearn.) Siggers) resistance in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) is beneficial for areas where brown spot is not present. Two groups of selections, comprising those that performed (survival and growth) well in the presence...

Brown Dwarf HIP 79124 B

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-01-30

This image shows brown dwarf HIP 79124 B, located 23 times as far from its host star as Earth is from the sun. The vortex coronagraph, an instrument at the W.M. Keck Observatory, was used to suppress light from the much brighter host star, allowing its dim companion to be imaged for the first time. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21417

Ancestral Polymorphisms and Sex-Biased Migration Shaped the Demographic History of Brown Bears and Polar Bears

PubMed Central

Nakagome, Shigeki; Mano, Shuhei; Hasegawa, Masami

2013-01-01

Recent studies have reported discordant gene trees in the evolution of brown bears and polar bears. Genealogical histories are different among independent nuclear loci and between biparentally inherited autosomal DNA (aDNA) and matrilineal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Based on multi-locus genomic sequences from aDNA and mtDNA, we inferred the population demography of brown and polar bears and found that brown bears have 6 times (aDNA) or more than 14 times (mtDNA) larger population sizes than polar bears and that polar bear lineage is derived from within brown bear diversity. In brown bears, the effective population size ratio of mtDNA to aDNA was at least 0.62, which deviated from the expected value of 0.25, suggesting matriarchal population due to female philopatry and male-biased migration. These results emphasize that ancestral polymorphisms and sex-biased migration may have contributed to conflicting branching patterns in brown and polar bears across aDNA genes and mtDNA. PMID:24236053

Ancestral polymorphisms and sex-biased migration shaped the demographic history of brown bears and polar bears.

PubMed

Nakagome, Shigeki; Mano, Shuhei; Hasegawa, Masami

2013-01-01

Recent studies have reported discordant gene trees in the evolution of brown bears and polar bears. Genealogical histories are different among independent nuclear loci and between biparentally inherited autosomal DNA (aDNA) and matrilineal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Based on multi-locus genomic sequences from aDNA and mtDNA, we inferred the population demography of brown and polar bears and found that brown bears have 6 times (aDNA) or more than 14 times (mtDNA) larger population sizes than polar bears and that polar bear lineage is derived from within brown bear diversity. In brown bears, the effective population size ratio of mtDNA to aDNA was at least 0.62, which deviated from the expected value of 0.25, suggesting matriarchal population due to female philopatry and male-biased migration. These results emphasize that ancestral polymorphisms and sex-biased migration may have contributed to conflicting branching patterns in brown and polar bears across aDNA genes and mtDNA.

Isolation of phenolic compounds from iceberg lettuce and impact on enzymatic browning.

PubMed

Mai, Franziska; Glomb, Marcus A

2013-03-20

Enzymatic browning is generally reported as the reaction between phenolic substances and enzymes. The quality of iceberg lettuce is directly linked to this discoloration. In particular, the color change of lettuce stems considerably reduces consumer acceptance and thus decreases sales revenue of iceberg lettuce. Ten phenolic compounds (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, phaseolic acid, chicoric acid, isochlorogenic acid, luteolin-7-O-glucuronide, quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, and quercetin-3-O-(6″-malonyl)-glucoside) were isolated from Lactuca sativa var. capitata by multilayer countercurrent chromatography (MLCCC) and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, syringin was identified for the first time in iceberg lettuce. This polyphenolic ingredient was previously not mentioned for the family of Cichorieae in general. The purity and identity of isolated compounds were confirmed by different NMR experiments, HPLC-DAD-MS, and HR-MS techniques. Furthermore, the relationship between discoloration of iceberg lettuce and enzymatic browning was thoroughly investigated. Unexpectedly, the total concentration of phenolic compounds and the activity of polyphenol oxidase were not directly related to the browning processes. Results of model incubation experiments of plant extract solutions led to the conclusion that in addition to the typical enzymatic browning induced by polyphenol oxidases, further mechanisms must be involved to explain total browning of lettuce.

Primeval very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs - III. The halo transitional brown dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z. H.; Pinfield, D. J.; Gálvez-Ortiz, M. C.; Homeier, D.; Burgasser, A. J.; Lodieu, N.; Martín, E. L.; Osorio, M. R. Zapatero; Allard, F.; Jones, H. R. A.; Smart, R. L.; Martí, B. López; Burningham, B.; Rebolo, R.

2018-05-01

We report the discovery of an esdL3 subdwarf, ULAS J020858.62+020657.0 and a usdL4.5 subdwarf, ULAS J230711.01+014447.1. They were identified as L subdwarfs by optical spectra obtained with the Gran Telescopio Canarias, and followed up by optical to near infrared spectroscopy with the Very Large Telescope. We also obtained an optical to near infrared spectrum of a previously known L subdwarf, ULAS J135058.85+081506.8, and re-classified it as a usdL3 subdwarf. These three objects all have typical halo kinematics. They have Teff around 2050-2250 K, -1.8 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤-1.5, and mass around 0.0822-0.0833 M⊙, according to model spectral fitting and evolutionary models. These sources are likely halo transitional brown dwarfs with unsteady hydrogen fusions, as their masses are just below the hydrogen-burning minimum mass, which is ˜ 0.0845 M⊙ at [Fe/H] = -1.6 and ˜ 0.0855 M⊙ at [Fe/H] = -1.8. Including these, there are now nine objects in the `halo brown dwarf transition zone', which is a `substellar subdwarf gap' spans a wide temperature range within a narrow mass range of the substellar population.

Brown dwarfs: at last filling the gap between stars and planets.

PubMed

Zuckerman, B

2000-02-01

Until the mid-1990s a person could not point to any celestial object and say with assurance that "here is a brown dwarf." Now dozens are known, and the study of brown dwarfs has come of age, touching upon major issues in astrophysics, including the nature of dark matter, the properties of substellar objects, and the origin of binary stars and planetary systems.

Germination conditions affect physicochemical properties of germinated brown rice flour.

PubMed

Charoenthaikij, Phantipha; Jangchud, Kamolwan; Jangchud, Anuvat; Piyachomkwan, Kuakoon; Tungtrakul, Patcharee; Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon

2009-01-01

Germinated brown rice has been reported to be nutritious due to increased free gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The physicochemical properties of brown rice (BR) and glutinous brown rice (GNBR) after germination as affected by different steeping times (24, 36, 48, and 72 h depending on the rice variety) and pHs of steeping water (3, 5, 7, and as-is) were determined and compared to those of the nongerminated one (control). As the steeping time increased or pH of steeping water decreased, germinated brown rice flours (GBRF) from both BR and GNBR had greater reducing sugar, free GABA and alpha-amylase activity; while the total starch and viscosity were lower than their respective controls. GBRFs from both BR and GNBR prepared after 24-h steeping time at pH 3 contained a high content of free GABA at 32.70 and 30.69 mg/100 g flour, respectively. The peak viscosity of GBRF obtained from both BR and GNBR (7.42 to 228.22 and 4.42 to 58.67 RVU, respectively) was significantly lower than that of their controls (255.46 and 190.17 RVU, respectively). The principal component analysis indicated that the important variables for discriminating among GBRFs, explained by the first 2 components at 89.82% of total explained variance, were the pasting profiles, alpha-amylase activity, and free GABA.

Social Vocalizations of Big Brown Bats Vary with Behavioral Context

PubMed Central

Gadziola, Marie A.; Grimsley, Jasmine M. S.; Faure, Paul A.; Wenstrup, Jeffrey J.

2012-01-01

Bats are among the most gregarious and vocal mammals, with some species demonstrating a diverse repertoire of syllables under a variety of behavioral contexts. Despite extensive characterization of big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) biosonar signals, there have been no detailed studies of adult social vocalizations. We recorded and analyzed social vocalizations and associated behaviors of captive big brown bats under four behavioral contexts: low aggression, medium aggression, high aggression, and appeasement. Even limited to these contexts, big brown bats possess a rich repertoire of social vocalizations, with 18 distinct syllable types automatically classified using a spectrogram cross-correlation procedure. For each behavioral context, we describe vocalizations in terms of syllable acoustics, temporal emission patterns, and typical syllable sequences. Emotion-related acoustic cues are evident within the call structure by context-specific syllable types or variations in the temporal emission pattern. We designed a paradigm that could evoke aggressive vocalizations while monitoring heart rate as an objective measure of internal physiological state. Changes in the magnitude and duration of elevated heart rate scaled to the level of evoked aggression, confirming the behavioral state classifications assessed by vocalizations and behavioral displays. These results reveal a complex acoustic communication system among big brown bats in which acoustic cues and call structure signal the emotional state of a caller. PMID:22970247

Range and movement of resident holdover and hatchery brown trout tagged with radio transmitters in the Farmington River, Connecticut

USGS Publications Warehouse

Popoff, N.D.; Neumann, Robert M.

2005-01-01

The 5.8-km West Branch Farmington River Trout Management Area (TMA) is one of Connecticut's premier catch-and-release fisheries for brown trout Salmo trutta. However, little is known about the behavior of brown trout in this system and to what extent brown trout emigrate from the TMA. The objectives of this study were to determine the movement, range, and emigration of resident holdover and newly stocked brown trout tagged with radio transmitters in the TMA. Transmitters were implanted into 22 first-year (mean total length = 314 mm) and 25 second-year (mean total length = 432 mm) holdover brown trout. Twenty catchable-size (mean total length = 290 mm) brown trout were also implanted with transmitters and released into the TMA. The mean range (distance between the extreme upstream and downstream locations) was greater for second-year holdover brown trout than for first-year holdover brown trout, and it was greater in fall than in winter. The movement (distance moved between successive locations) of holdover brown trout was greater in fall than in winter. Movement of first-year holdover brown trout was significantly related to discharge, water temperature, and the number of days between successive locations. Newly stocked brown trout exhibited the two largest ranges (5.3 and 4.7 km). The range of newly stocked brown trout was not different between seasons, but movement was greater in spring than in summer. Through 16 weeks poststocking, there was no discernable difference in the percentage of stocked brown trout dispersing in a predominantly upstream or downstream direction. Mean dispersal distances from the stocking location were 0.5 and 0.9 km at 2 and 12 weeks poststocking, respectively. Movement of newly stocked brown trout was positively related to discharge and negatively related to water temperature. A known 6% (4 of 67) of the tagged brown trout emigrated from the TMA, but up to 21% (14 of 67) of tagged fish could have left the study area if all missing fish

Grumbling, Raised Eyebrows, and Worse as Gordon Gee Prepares To Leave Brown.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lively, Kit

2000-01-01

Reports on controversy Brown University (Rhode Island) as Gordon Gee leaves to become chancellor of Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) after only two years as president of Brown, and notes feelings of betrayal in light of large compensation offered Gee by Vanderbilt. Reports average tenures for college presidents and quotes Gee as saying that he…

Brown Dog: A Data Transformation Ecosystem for Research - Advancing from Beta to 1.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puthanveetil Satheesan, S.; Alameda, J.; Bradley, S.; Dietze, M.; Jansen, G.; Kooper, R.; Kumar, P.; Lee, J.; Marciano, R.; Marini, L.; Minsker, B. S.; Navarro, C.; Roeder, E.; Schmidt, A.; Slavenas, M.; Sullivan, W.; Zhang, B.; Zhao, Y.; Zharnitsky, I.; McHenry, K.

2017-12-01

Brown Dog is a data transformation service that aims at bringing un-curated unstructured data into light. Data wrangling is a common problem across research projects and most of the times, parallel, one-off efforts are undertaken to address this. Brown Dog proposes a solution to this by leveraging available software tools to create a pervasive data transformation service that can transform data from one form to another. Using Brown Dog API, users can access the extraction and conversion services, which are its main building blocks. Extraction services extract metadata from data while conversion services convert data between formats. Currently, scientific use cases in Civil & Environmental Engineering (Green Infrastructure), Hydrology (Critical Zone Observatories), and Ecology (Predictive Ecosystem Analyzer) domains use Brown Dog, while some allied use cases in Digital Humanities domain (Image Analysis of Rural Photography and Decomposing Bodies) are also getting its benefits. E.g., the first use case deals with developing novel green infrastructure design norms and models that combine requirements for storm water management, ecosystem, human health, and well-being. It uses Brown Dog to curate long-tail research data on human landscape preferences and health impacts, which is used to develop a human health impacts model. Recently, using Brown Dog, researchers of this use case were able to make inroads into understating the relationship between high school students' exposure to green spaces and their well-being [Li et al, CELA16, p. 221, 2016]. Researchers have also been able to accurately predict the vegetation density in photographs of landscapes using a scripting tool integrated with Brown Dog [Suppakittpaisarn et al, CELA16, p. 241, 2016]. In Digital Humanities, researchers are now being able to study text and numbers extracted from scanned RAW images of century old Bertillon Cards that were preserved in Ohio History Connection [Langmead et al, PEARC17, p. 41

Efficacy of phytic acid as an inhibitor of enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning in apple juice.

PubMed

Du, Yunjian; Dou, Siqi; Wu, Shengjun

2012-11-15

Browning decreases the commercial value of apple juice, and therefore colour preservation during processing and storage is the main objective of manufacturers. In this study, the efficacy of phytic acid as a browning inhibitor for use on apple juice was investigated. Browning of apple juice treated with phytic acid was monitored during processing and storage. 0.1 mM Phytic acid inhibited the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from the apple juice by 99.2%. Consequently, the apple juice treated with phytic acid had significantly lower browning formation during processing and after 6 months of storage at room temperature compared with the control (p<0.05). Results indicate that this is a promising way to inhibit browning in apple juice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Possible Observational Criteria for Distinguishing Brown Dwarfs From Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, David C.

1997-01-01

The difference in formation process between binary stars and planetary systems is reflected in their composition, as well as orbital architecture, particularly in their orbital eccentricity as a function of orbital period. It is suggested here that this difference can be used as an observational criterion to distinguish between brown dwarfs and planets. Application of the orbital criterion suggests that, with three possible exceptions, all of the recently discovered substellar companions may be brown dwarfs and not planets. These criterion may be used as a guide for interpretation of the nature of substellar-mass companions to stars in the future.

Two key temporally distinguishable molecular and cellular components of white adipose tissue browning during cold acclimation.

PubMed

Jankovic, Aleksandra; Golic, Igor; Markelic, Milica; Stancic, Ana; Otasevic, Vesna; Buzadzic, Biljana; Korac, Aleksandra; Korac, Bato

2015-08-01

White to brown adipose tissue conversion and thermogenesis can be ignited by different conditions or agents and its sustainability over the long term is still unclear. Browning of rat retroperitoneal white adipose tissue (rpWAT) during cold acclimation involves two temporally apparent components: (1) a predominant non-selective browning of most adipocytes and an initial sharp but transient induction of uncoupling protein 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) coactivator-1α, PPARγ and PPARα expression, and (2) the subsistence of relatively few thermogenically competent adipocytes after 45 days of cold acclimation. The different behaviours of two rpWAT beige/brown adipocyte subsets control temporal aspects of the browning process, and thus regulation of both components may influence body weight and the potential successfulness of anti-obesity therapies. Conversion of white into brown adipose tissue may have important implications in obesity resistance and treatment. Several browning agents or conditions ignite thermogenesis in white adipose tissue (WAT). To reveal the capacity of WAT to function in a brownish/burning mode over the long term, we investigated the progression of the rat retroperitoneal WAT (rpWAT) browning during 45 days of cold acclimation. During the early stages of cold acclimation, the majority of rpWAT adipocytes underwent multilocularization and thermogenic-profile induction, as demonstrated by the presence of a multitude of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1)-immunopositive paucilocular adipocytes containing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16) in their nuclei. After 45 days, all adipocytes remained PRDM16 immunopositive, but only a few multilocular adipocytes rich in mitochondria remained UCP1/PGC-1α immunopositive. Molecular evidence showed that thermogenic recruitment of rpWAT occurred following cold exposure, but returned to starting levels after cold

Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein is a negative regulator of adipose tissue browning in mice and humans.

PubMed

Gavaldà-Navarro, Aleix; Moreno-Navarrete, José M; Quesada-López, Tania; Cairó, Montserrat; Giralt, Marta; Fernández-Real, José M; Villarroya, Francesc

2016-10-01

Adipocyte lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) biosynthesis is associated with obesity-induced adipose tissue dysfunction. Our purpose was to study the role of LBP in regulating the browning of adipose tissue. Adult mice were maintained at 4°C for 3 weeks or treated with the β3-adrenergic agonist, CL316,243, for 1 week to induce the browning of white fat. Precursor cells from brown and white adipose tissues were cultured under differentiation-inducing conditions to yield brown and beige/brite adipocytes, respectively. In vitro, Lbp was knocked down in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and cells were treated with recombinant LBP or co-cultured in transwells with control 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Wild-type and Lbp-null mice, fed a standard or high fat diet (HFD) for 15 weeks, were also used in investigations. In humans, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue samples were obtained from a cohort of morbidly obese participants. The induction of white fat browning by exposure of mice to cold or CL316,243 treatment was strongly associated with decreased Lbp mRNA expression in white adipose tissue. The acquisition of the beige/brite phenotype in cultured cells was associated with downregulation of Lbp. Moreover, silencing of Lbp induced the expression of brown fat-related genes in adipocytes, whereas LBP treatment reversed this effect. Lbp-null mice exhibited the spontaneous induction of subcutaneous adipose tissue browning, as evidenced by a remarkable increase in Ucp1 and Dio2 gene expression and the appearance of multivacuolar adipocyte clusters. The amount of brown adipose tissue, and brown adipose tissue activity were also increased in Lbp-null mice. These changes were associated with decreased weight gain in Lbp-null mice and protection against HFD-induced inflammatory responses, as shown by reduced IL-6 levels. However, rather than improving glucose homeostasis, these effects led to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. LBP is identified as a negative regulator of the

Diagnostics of models and observations in the contexts of exoplanets, brown dwarfs, and very low-mass stars.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopytova, Taisiya

2016-01-01

When studying isolated brown dwarfs and directly imaged exoplanets with insignificant orbital motion,we have to rely on theoretical models to determine basic parameters such as mass, age, effective temperature, and surface gravity.While stellar and atmospheric models are rapidly evolving, we need a powerful tool to test and calibrate them.In my thesis, I focussed on comparing interior and atmospheric models with observational data, in the effort of taking into account various systematic effects that can significantly influence the data analysis.As a first step, about 460 candidate member os the Hyades were screened for companions using diffraction limited imaging observation (both our own data and archival data). As a result I could establish the single star sequence for the Hyades comprising about 250 stars (Kopytova et al. 2015, accepted to A&A). Open clusters contain many coeval objects of the same chemical composition and age, and spanning a range of masses. We compare the obtained sequence with a set of theoretical isochrones identifying systematic offsets and revealing probable issues in the models.However, there are many cases when it is impossible to test models before comparing them with observations.As a second step, we apply atmospheric models for constraining parameters of WISE 0855-07, the coolest known Y dwarf(Kopytova et al. 2014, ApJ 797, 3). We demonstrate the limits of constraining effective temperature and the presence/absence of water clouds.As a third step, we introduce a novel method to take into account the above-mentioned systematics. We construct a "systematics vector" that allows us to reveal problematic wavelength ranges when fitting atmospheric models to observed near-infrared spectraof brown dwarfs and exoplanets (Kopytova et al., in prep.). This approach plays a crucial role when retrieving abundances for these objects, in particularly, a C/O ratio. The latter parameter is an important key to formation scenarios of brown dwarf and

Late-Quaternary biogeographic scenarios for the brown bear ( Ursus arctos), a wild mammal model species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davison, John; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Bray, Sarah C.; Korsten, Marju; Tammeleht, Egle; Hindrikson, Maris; Østbye, Kjartan; Østbye, Eivind; Lauritzen, Stein-Erik; Austin, Jeremy; Cooper, Alan; Saarma, Urmas

2011-02-01

This review provides an up-to-date synthesis of the matrilineal phylogeography of a uniquely well-studied Holarctic mammal, the brown bear. We extend current knowledge by presenting a DNA sequence derived from one of the earliest known fossils of a polar bear (dated to 115 000 years before present), a species that shares a paraphyletic mitochondrial association with brown bears. A molecular clock analysis of 140 mitochondrial DNA sequences, including our new polar bear sequence, provides novel insights into the times of origin for different brown bear clades. We propose a number of regional biogeographic scenarios based on genetic data, divergence time estimates and paleontological records. The case of the brown bear provides an example for researchers working with less well-studied taxa: it shows clearly that phylogeographic models based on patterns of modern genetic variation alone can be substantially improved by including data on historical patterns of genetic diversity in the form of ancient DNA sequences derived from accurately dated samples and by using an approach to divergence-time estimation that suits the data under analysis. Using such approaches it has been possible to (i) establish that the processes shaping modern genetic diversity in brown bears acted recently, within the last three glacial cycles; (ii) distinguish among hypotheses concerning species' responses to climatic oscillations in accordance with the lack of phylogeographic structure that existed in brown bears prior to the last glacial maximum (LGM); (iii) reassess theories linking monophyletic brown bear populations to particular LGM refuge areas; and (iv) identify vicariance events and track analogous patterns of migration by brown bears out of Eurasia to North America and Japan.

Complex interaction between proliferative kidney disease, water temperature and concurrent nematode infection in brown trout.

PubMed

Schmidt-Posthaus, Heike; Steiner, Pascale; Müller, Barbara; Casanova-Nakayama, Ayako

2013-04-29

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is a temperature-dependent disease caused by the myxozoan Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae. It is an emerging threat to wild brown trout Salmo trutta fario populations in Switzerland. Here we examined (1) how PKD prevalence and pathology in young-of-the-year (YOY) brown trout relate to water temperature, (2) whether wild brown trout can completely recover from T. bryosalmonae-induced renal lesions and eliminate T. bryosalmonae over the winter months, and (3) whether this rate and/or extent of the recovery is influenced by concurrent infection. A longitudinal field study on a wild brown trout cohort was conducted over 16 mo. YOY and age 1+ fish were sampled from 7 different field sites with various temperature regimes, and monitored for infection with T. bryosalmonae and the nematode Raphidascaris acus. T. bryosamonae was detectable in brown trout YOY from all sampling sites, with similar renal pathology, independent of water temperature. During winter months, recovery was mainly influenced by the presence or absence of concurrent infection with R. acus larvae. While brown trout without R. acus regenerated completely, concurrently infected brown trout showed incomplete recovery, with chronic renal lesions and incomplete translocation of T. bryosalmonae from the renal interstitium into the tubular lumen. Water temperature seemed to influence complete excretion of T. bryosalmonae, with spores remaining in trout from summer-warm rivers, but absent in trout from summer-cool rivers. In the following summer months, we found PKD infections in 1+ brown trout from all investigated river sites. The pathological lesions indicated a re-infection rather than a proliferation of remaining T. bryosalmonae. However, disease prevalence in 1+ trout was lower than in YOY.

Refractive Index and Absorption Attribution of Highly Absorbing Brown Carbon Aerosols from an Urban Indian City-Kanpur.

PubMed

Shamjad, P M; Tripathi, S N; Thamban, Navaneeth M; Vreeland, Heidi

2016-11-24

Atmospheric aerosols influence Earth's radiative balance, having both warming and cooling effects. Though many aerosols reflect radiation, carbonaceous aerosols such as black carbon and certain organic carbon species known as brown carbon have the potential to warm the atmosphere by absorbing light. Black carbon absorbs light over the entire solar spectrum whereas brown carbon absorbs near-UV wavelengths and, to a lesser extent, visible light. In developing countries, such as India, where combustion sources are prolific, the influence of brown carbon on absorption may be significant. In order to better characterize brown carbon, we present experimental and modeled absorption properties of submicron aerosols measured in an urban Indian city (Kanpur). Brown carbon here is found to be fivefold more absorbing at 365 nm wavelength compared to previous studies. Results suggest ~30% of total absorption in Kanpur is attributed to brown carbon, with primary organic aerosols contributing more than secondary organics. We report the spectral brown carbon refractive indices along with an experimentally constrained estimate of the influence of aerosol mixing state on absorption. We conclude that brown carbon in Kanpur is highly absorbing in nature and that the mixing state plays an important role in light absorption from volatile species.

Refractive Index and Absorption Attribution of Highly Absorbing Brown Carbon Aerosols from an Urban Indian City-Kanpur

PubMed Central

Shamjad, P. M.; Tripathi, S. N.; Thamban, Navaneeth M.; Vreeland, Heidi

2016-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols influence Earth’s radiative balance, having both warming and cooling effects. Though many aerosols reflect radiation, carbonaceous aerosols such as black carbon and certain organic carbon species known as brown carbon have the potential to warm the atmosphere by absorbing light. Black carbon absorbs light over the entire solar spectrum whereas brown carbon absorbs near-UV wavelengths and, to a lesser extent, visible light. In developing countries, such as India, where combustion sources are prolific, the influence of brown carbon on absorption may be significant. In order to better characterize brown carbon, we present experimental and modeled absorption properties of submicron aerosols measured in an urban Indian city (Kanpur). Brown carbon here is found to be fivefold more absorbing at 365 nm wavelength compared to previous studies. Results suggest ~30% of total absorption in Kanpur is attributed to brown carbon, with primary organic aerosols contributing more than secondary organics. We report the spectral brown carbon refractive indices along with an experimentally constrained estimate of the influence of aerosol mixing state on absorption. We conclude that brown carbon in Kanpur is highly absorbing in nature and that the mixing state plays an important role in light absorption from volatile species. PMID:27883083

Understanding the Biology of Thermogenic Fat: Is Browning A New Approach to the Treatment of Obesity?

PubMed

Vargas-Castillo, Ariana; Fuentes-Romero, Rebeca; Rodriguez-Lopez, Leonardo A; Torres, Nimbe; Tovar, Armando R

2017-07-01

Obesity is characterized by an excess of white adipose tissue (WAT). Recent evidence has demonstrated that WAT can change its phenotype to a brown-like adipose tissue known as beige/brite adipose tissue. This transition is characterized by an increase in thermogenic capacity mediated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). This browning process is a potential new target for treating obesity. The aim of this review is to integrate the different mechanisms by which beige/brite adipocytes are formed and to describe the physiological, pharmacological and nutritional inducers that can promote browning. An additional aim is to show evidence of how some of these inducers can be used as potential therapeutic agents against obesity and its comorbidities. This review shows the importance of brown and beige/brite adipose tissue and the mechanisms of their formation. Particularly, the two theories of beige/brite adipocyte origin are discussed: de novo differentiation and transdifferentiation. The gene markers that identify these types of adipocytes and the involvement of microRNAs in the epigenetic regulation of the browning process is also discussed. Additionally, we describe the transcriptional control of UCP1 expression by some of the inducers of browning. Furthermore, we describe in detail how some bioactive dietary compounds can induce browning and their subsequent beneficial health effects. The evidence suggests that browning is a new potential strategy for the treatment of obesity and obesity-associated metabolic disorders. Copyright © 2017 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of natural and modified cyclodextrins as inhibiting agents of peach juice enzymatic browning.

PubMed

López-Nicolas, José M; Pérez-López, Antonio J; Carbonell-Barrachina, Angel; García-Carmona, Francisco

2007-06-27

Although cyclodextrins (CDs) have been successfully used as antibrowning agents in different fruit juices, no research has studied the effect of these compounds on enzymatic browning in peach juice. In this paper, the color of fresh peach juice was evaluated in the presence of two types of natural (alpha-CD and beta-CD) and a modified (maltosyl-beta-CD) CD, and the effectiveness of these compounds as browning inhibitors was determined using the color space CIELAB system. Moreover, to clarify the mechanism by which CDs inhibit peach juice enzymatic browning, the process was kinetically modeled in the absence and presence of CDs using a colorimetric method; the apparent complexation constants between the mixtures of diphenols present in peach juice and some types of CD were calculated. The results show that the highest affinity constant was presented by alpha-CD (Kc = 18.31 mM-1) followed by maltosyl-beta-CD (Kc = 11.17 mM-1), whereas beta-CD was incapable of inhibiting peach juice enzymatic browning. Cyclodextrin; browning; peach; juice; color; polyphenol oxidase.

Early overfeed-induced obesity leads to brown adipose tissue hypoactivity in rats.

PubMed

de Almeida, Douglas L; Fabrício, Gabriel S; Trombini, Amanda B; Pavanello, Audrei; Tófolo, Laize P; da Silva Ribeiro, Tatiane A; de Freitas Mathias, Paulo C; Palma-Rigo, Kesia

2013-01-01

Brown adipose tissue activation has been considered a potential anti-obesity mechanism because it is able to expend energy through thermogenesis. In contrast, white adipose tissue stores energy, contributing to obesity. We investigated whether the early programming of obesity by overfeeding during lactation changes structure of interscapular brown adipose tissue in adulthood and its effects on thermogenesis. Birth of litters was considered day 0. On day 2, litter size was adjusted to normal (9 pups) and small (3 pups) litters. On day 21, the litters were weaned. A temperature transponder was implanted underneath interscapular brown adipose tissue pads of 81-day-old animals; local temperature was measured during light and dark periods between days 87 and 90. The animals were euthanized, and tissue and blood samples were collected for further analysis. The vagus and retroperitoneal sympathetic nerve activity was recorded. Small litter rats presented significant lower interscapular brown adipose tissue temperature during the light (NL 37.6°C vs. SL 37.2°C) and dark (NL 38°C vs. SL 37.6°C) periods compared to controls. Morphology of small litter brown adipose tissue showed fewer lipid droplets in the tissue center and more and larger in the periphery. The activity of vagus nerve was 19,9% greater in the small litter than in control (p<0.01), and no difference was observed in the sympathetic nerve activity. In adulthood, the small litter rats were 11,7% heavier than the controls and presented higher glycemia 13,1%, insulinemia 70% and corticosteronemia 92,6%. Early overfeeding programming of obesity changes the interscapular brown adipose tissue structure in adulthood, leading to local thermogenesis hypoactivity, which may contribute to obesity in adults. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Reduced adiposity by compensatory WAT browning upon iBAT removal in mice.

PubMed

Piao, Zhengyu; Zhai, Baiqiang; Jiang, Xiaoxiao; Dong, Meng; Yan, Changguo; Lin, Jun; Jin, Wanzhu

2018-06-27

The strong effects of classic brown adipose tissue (BAT) and recruited beige adipocytes in treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome have been attracting increasing research interest. Cold treatment is an effective, convenient approach to stimulate BAT activity and induce white adipose tissue (WAT) browning. Here, we utilized prolonged cold exposure (from 2 h to 2 weeks in a 4° cold chamber) to elucidate dynamic changes in BAT and in WAT browning during acute and chronic cold exposure in mice. BAT mass decreased quickly, with reduced lipid droplet sizes within 8 h of cold exposure owing to the utilization of BAT pre-storage triglycerides, and subsequently increased during prolonged cold exposure. These dynamic morphological changes in BAT were confirmed by gene expression changes in ADRB3 and PGC1α, while UCP1 and ELOVL3 expression was continuously up-regulated throughout the entire cold exposure period. Additionally, cold treatment increased BAT secretion of FGF21, which has been reported to activate beige adipocyte formation. Thus, to illustrate potential crosstalk between secreted BAT proteins (so-called BATokines) and beige adipogenesis during cold stress, we performed an interscapular BAT (iBAT) removal experiment in mice. Surprisingly, loss of classic iBAT enhanced WAT browning due to compensatorily increased sympathetic WAT input. Unexpectedly, we observed significantly reduced adiposity in the iBAT removal group compared with the control group. These results further suggest that WAT browning plays an important role in whole-body energy metabolism during cold acclimation, even without iBAT. Furthermore, our data imply that enhanced WAT browning may be an efficient therapeutic tool to combat obesity and related syndromes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Copper tolerance of brown-rot fungi : time course of oxalic acid production

Treesearch

Frederick Green; Carol A. Clausen

2003-01-01

The increase in the use of non-arsenical copper-based wood preservatives in response to environmental concerns has been accompanied by interest in copper-tolerant decay fungi. Oxalic acid production by brown-rot fungi has been proposed as one mechanism of copper tolerance. Fifteen brown-rot fungi representing the genera Postia, Wolfiporia, Meruliporia, Gloeophyllum,...

Black-Brown Relations: Are Alliances Possible?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klor de Alva, J. Jorge; West, Cornel

1997-01-01

Dialogue between Cornel West and Jorge Klor de Alva explores the question of black-brown alliances, those between African Americans and Hispanic Americans. If minority groups can put aside the difference of skin color and join to combat economic and social racism, they can have far-reaching and meaningful impacts on society. (SLD)

A global cloud map of the nearest known brown dwarf.

PubMed

Crossfield, I J M; Biller, B; Schlieder, J E; Deacon, N R; Bonnefoy, M; Homeier, D; Allard, F; Buenzli, E; Henning, Th; Brandner, W; Goldman, B; Kopytova, T

2014-01-30

Brown dwarfs--substellar bodies more massive than planets but not massive enough to initiate the sustained hydrogen fusion that powers self-luminous stars--are born hot and slowly cool as they age. As they cool below about 2,300 kelvin, liquid or crystalline particles composed of calcium aluminates, silicates and iron condense into atmospheric 'dust', which disappears at still cooler temperatures (around 1,300 kelvin). Models to explain this dust dispersal include both an abrupt sinking of the entire cloud deck into the deep, unobservable atmosphere and breakup of the cloud into scattered patches (as seen on Jupiter and Saturn). However, hitherto observations of brown dwarfs have been limited to globally integrated measurements, which can reveal surface inhomogeneities but cannot unambiguously resolve surface features. Here we report a two-dimensional map of a brown dwarf's surface that allows identification of large-scale bright and dark features, indicative of patchy clouds. Monitoring suggests that the characteristic timescale for the evolution of global weather patterns is approximately one day.

Fractional parentage analysis and a scale-free reproductive network of brown trout.

PubMed

Koyano, Hitoshi; Serbezov, Dimitar; Kishino, Hirohisa; Schweder, Tore

2013-11-07

In this study, we developed a method of fractional parentage analysis using microsatellite markers. We propose a method for calculating parentage probability, which considers missing data and genotyping errors due to null alleles and other causes, by regarding observed alleles as realizations of random variables which take values in the set of alleles at the locus and developing a method for simultaneously estimating the true and null allele frequencies of all alleles at each locus. We then applied our proposed method to a large sample collected from a wild population of brown trout (Salmo trutta). On analyzing the data using our method, we found that the reproductive success of brown trout obeyed a power law, indicating that when the parent-offspring relationship is regarded as a link, the reproductive system of brown trout is a scale-free network. Characteristics of the reproductive network of brown trout include individuals with large bodies as hubs in the network and different power exponents of degree distributions between males and females. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brown dwarf science at Project 1640: the case of HD 19467 B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar, Jonathan; Crepp, Justin R.; Rice, Emily L.; Pueyo, Laurent; Veicht, Aaron; Nilsson, Ricky; Oppenheimer, Rebecca; Hinkley, Sasha; Brenner, Douglas; Vasisht, Gautam; Cady, Eric; Beichman, Charles A.; Hillenbrand, Lynne; Lockhart, Thomas; Matthews, Christopher T.; Roberts, Lewis C.; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Soummer, Remi; Zhai, Chengxing; Giorla, Paige

2015-01-01

Project 1640 is an extreme-AO, coronagraphic, hyperspectral direct-imaging instrument designed to characterize substellar companions in the giant planet to brown dwarf mass regime. It also plays an important role in the TRENDS survey, which targets solar-type stars with Doppler accelerations known to be caused by brown dwarf-sized companions. A recent highlight from TRENDS is HD 19467 B -- this is currently the only directly-imaged benchmark T dwarf known to induce a measurable Doppler acceleration around its host. J- and H-band spectra taken by the Project 1640 integral field spectrograph were fitted against SpeX/IRTF T dwarf standards and synthetic spectra from BT-Settl atmospheric models. Spectral typing classified HD 19467 B as a T5.5±1 brown dwarf with an effective temperature of Teff = 978+20-43 K. The new spectrum helps resolve a previous disagreement about the system age, helping constrain the range of allowed masses for the companion. We expect that new data from the ongoing TRENDS survey will help improve our understanding of brown dwarf atmospheres in high mass ratio systems.

Brown dwarfs: At last filling the gap between stars and planets

PubMed Central

Zuckerman, Ben

2000-01-01

Until the mid-1990s a person could not point to any celestial object and say with assurance that “here is a brown dwarf.” Now dozens are known, and the study of brown dwarfs has come of age, touching upon major issues in astrophysics, including the nature of dark matter, the properties of substellar objects, and the origin of binary stars and planetary systems. PMID:10655468

Spatial and temporal movement dynamics of brook Salvelinus fontinalis and brown trout Salmo trutta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, L.A.; Wagner, Tyler; Barton, Meredith L.

2015-01-01

Native eastern brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis and naturalized brown trout Salmo trutta occur sympatrically in many streams across the brook trout’s native range in the eastern United States. Understanding within- among-species variability in movement, including correlates of movement, has implications for management and conservation. We radio tracked 55 brook trout and 45 brown trout in five streams in a north-central Pennsylvania, USA watershed to quantify the movement of brook trout and brown trout during the fall and early winter to (1) evaluate the late-summer, early winter movement patterns of brook trout and brown trout, (2) determine correlates of movement and if movement patterns varied between brook trout and brown trout, and (3) evaluate genetic diversity of brook trout within and among study streams, and relate findings to telemetry-based observations of movement. Average total movement was greater for brown trout (mean ± SD = 2,924 ± 4,187 m) than for brook trout (mean ± SD = 1,769 ± 2,194 m). Although there was a large amount of among-fish variability in the movement of both species, the majority of movement coincided with the onset of the spawning season, and a threshold effect was detected between stream flow and movement: where movement increased abruptly for both species during positive flow events. Microsatellite analysis of brook trout revealed consistent findings to those found using radio-tracking, indicating a moderate to high degree of gene flow among brook trout populations. Seasonal movement patterns and the potential for relatively large movements of brook and brown trout highlight the importance of considering stream connectivity when restoring and protecting fish populations and their habitats.

The role of brown adipose tissue in temperature regulation. [of hibernating and hypothermic mammals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, R. E.

1973-01-01

The thermogenetic capacities of brown adipose tissue were studied on marmots, rats and monkeys in response to cold exposure. All experiments indicated that the brown fat produced heat and slowed the cooling of tissues.

Astronaut John Young displays drawing of Charlie Brown

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1969-01-01

Astronaut John W. Young, Apollo 10 command module pilot, displays drawing of Charlie Brown in this color reproduction taken from the fourth telecast made by the color television camera aboard the Apollo 10 spacecraft. When this picture was made the Apollo 10 spacecraft was about half-way to the moon, or approximately 112,000 nautical miles from the earth. Charlie Brown will be the code name of the Command Module (CM) during Apollo 10 operations when the Lunar Module and CM are separated (34075); Young displays drawing of Snoopy in this reproduction taken from a television transmission. Snoopy will be the code name of the Lunar Module (LM) during Apollo 10 operations when the LM and CM are separated (34076).

Reading Second. Brown Letters on Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehurst, Grover

2009-01-01

Former President George W. Bush finished his tenure without having won congressional renewal of his No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy. With President Barack Obama now at the helm, NCLB is up for debate. Brown Center Director Grover "Russ" Whitehurst examines Reading First, a key component of NCLB, that aims to ensure that all children…

Humans and Mice Display Opposing Patterns of "Browning" Gene Expression in Visceral and Subcutaneous White Adipose Tissue Depots.

PubMed

Zuriaga, Maria A; Fuster, Jose J; Gokce, Noyan; Walsh, Kenneth

2017-01-01

Visceral adiposity is much more strongly associated with cardiometabolic disease in humans than subcutaneous adiposity. Browning, the appearance of brown-like adipocytes in the white adipose tissue (WAT), has been shown to protect mice against metabolic dysfunction, suggesting the possibility of new therapeutic approaches to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes. In mice, subcutaneous WAT depots express higher levels of browning genes when compared with visceral WAT, further suggesting that differences in WAT browning could contribute to the differences in the pathogenicity of the two depots. However, the expression of browning genes in different WAT depots of human has not been characterized. Here, it is shown that the expression of browning genes is higher in visceral than in subcutaneous WAT in humans, a pattern that is opposite to what is observed in mice. These results suggest that caution should be applied in extrapolating the results of murine browning gene expression studies to human pathophysiology.

Enhancement of Adipocyte Browning by Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockade.

PubMed

Tsukuda, Kana; Mogi, Masaki; Iwanami, Jun; Kanno, Harumi; Nakaoka, Hirotomo; Wang, Xiao-Li; Bai, Hui-Yu; Shan, Bao-Shuai; Kukida, Masayoshi; Higaki, Akinori; Yamauchi, Toshifumi; Min, Li-Juan; Horiuchi, Masatsugu

2016-01-01

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 system (RAS) plays a role in various aspects of adipose tissue physiology and dysfunction. The biological effects of angiotensin II, a major component of RAS, are mediated by two receptor subtypes, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and type 2 receptor (AT2R). However, the functional roles of angiotensin II receptor subtypes in WAT browning have not been defined. Therefore, we examined whether deletion of angiotensin II receptor subtypes (AT1aR and AT2R) may affect white-to-beige fat conversion in vivo. AT1a receptor knockout (AT1aKO) mice exhibited increased appearance of multilocular lipid droplets and upregulation of thermogenic gene expression in inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) compared to wild-type (WT) mice. AT2 receptor-deleted mice did not show miniaturization of lipid droplets or alteration of thermogenic gene expression levels in iWAT. An in vitro experiment using adipose tissue-derived stem cells showed that deletion of the AT1a receptor resulted in suppression of adipocyte differentiation, with reduction in expression of thermogenic genes. These results indicate that deletion of the AT1a receptor might have some effects on the process of browning of WAT and that blockade of the AT1 receptor could be a therapeutic target for the treatment of metabolic disorders.

Involvement of phenoloxidase in browning during grinding of Tenebrio molitor larvae

PubMed Central

Lakemond, Catriona M. M.; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Renzone, Giovanni; Scaloni, Andrea; Vincken, Jean-Paul

2017-01-01

Insects are investigated as alternative protein source to meet the increasing demand for proteins in the future. Enzymatic browning occurring during grinding of insect and subsequent extraction of proteins can influence the proteins’ properties, but it is unclear which enzymes are responsible for this phenomenon. This study was performed on larvae of three commonly used insect species, namely Tenebrio molitor, Alphitobius diaperinus and Hermetia illucens. Oxygen consumption measurements on protein extracts showed activity on L-tyrosine, L-3,4-di-hydroxy-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) and L-dopamine, indicating phenoloxidase as a key player in browning. Furthermore, no reaction on 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) was observed, ruling out an important contribution of laccase to browning. The browning reaction was most prominent at pH 6 for T. molitor and A. diaperinus, and 7 for H. illucens. As the enzyme activity of H. illucens was the lowest with the darkest color formation, this was likely caused by another factor. The activity of phenoloxidase was confirmed for T. molitor and A. diaperinus by activity measurements after fractionation by anion-exchange chromatography. Color measurements showed the presence of activity on both L-DOPA and L-tyrosine in the same fractions. Both substrates were converted into dopachrome after incubation with enzyme-enriched fractions. No DOPA-decarboxylase, tyrosine hydroxylase and peroxidase activities were observed. By using native PAGE with L-DOPA as staining-solution, active T. molitor protein bands were resolved and characterized, identifying a tyrosinase/phenoloxidase as the active enzyme species. All together, these data confirmed that tyrosinase is an important enzyme in causing enzymatic browning in T. molitor and likely in A. diaperinus. PMID:29244828

Involvement of phenoloxidase in browning during grinding of Tenebrio molitor larvae.

PubMed

Janssen, Renske H; Lakemond, Catriona M M; Fogliano, Vincenzo; Renzone, Giovanni; Scaloni, Andrea; Vincken, Jean-Paul

2017-01-01

Insects are investigated as alternative protein source to meet the increasing demand for proteins in the future. Enzymatic browning occurring during grinding of insect and subsequent extraction of proteins can influence the proteins' properties, but it is unclear which enzymes are responsible for this phenomenon. This study was performed on larvae of three commonly used insect species, namely Tenebrio molitor, Alphitobius diaperinus and Hermetia illucens. Oxygen consumption measurements on protein extracts showed activity on L-tyrosine, L-3,4-di-hydroxy-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) and L-dopamine, indicating phenoloxidase as a key player in browning. Furthermore, no reaction on 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) was observed, ruling out an important contribution of laccase to browning. The browning reaction was most prominent at pH 6 for T. molitor and A. diaperinus, and 7 for H. illucens. As the enzyme activity of H. illucens was the lowest with the darkest color formation, this was likely caused by another factor. The activity of phenoloxidase was confirmed for T. molitor and A. diaperinus by activity measurements after fractionation by anion-exchange chromatography. Color measurements showed the presence of activity on both L-DOPA and L-tyrosine in the same fractions. Both substrates were converted into dopachrome after incubation with enzyme-enriched fractions. No DOPA-decarboxylase, tyrosine hydroxylase and peroxidase activities were observed. By using native PAGE with L-DOPA as staining-solution, active T. molitor protein bands were resolved and characterized, identifying a tyrosinase/phenoloxidase as the active enzyme species. All together, these data confirmed that tyrosinase is an important enzyme in causing enzymatic browning in T. molitor and likely in A. diaperinus.

Geographic distribution: Boiga irregularis (Brown treesnake)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knox, Adam; Holldorf, Elden; Reed, Robert N.; Igisomar, Sylvan; Gotte, Steve W.

2015-01-01

Rota: Rota Seaport (14.136502°N, 145.135351°E; WGS84). 3 September 2014. Shelwyn Taisacan, Robert Ulloa. Verified by G. Zug. USNM 581745. Snake (42 g, 810 mm SVL, 1020 mm total length) captured in a mouse-baited trap hung on the fence perimeter of the Rota Seaport. Because the Northern Marianas Islands are historically snake-free, these traps are used around ports and airports for early detection of snakes that may stow away in vessels or aircraft from Guam (60 km to the south), possibly evading quarantine detections. Necropsy revealed no prey items in stomach or gas- trointestinal tract. Dissection at USNM confirmed the snake was female. To our knowledge, this is the first incursion of a live Boiga irregularis on Rota. Brown Treesnakes previously observed on the island (N = 3) arrived in cargo already dead. The USGS Brown Treesnake Rapid Response Team mobilized 4 September–20 Oc- tober 2014 to search the focal and surrounding areas for evidence of a possible incipient population; no additional snakes were found during this search effort.

Green tea extract as an anti-browning agent for cloudy apple juice.

PubMed

Klimczak, Inga; Gliszczyńska-Świgło, Anna

2017-03-01

Enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables and their products is an important factor worsening their quality. The influence of five green tea extracts at the concentrations of 1 g L -1 , 2 g L -1 and 3 g L -1 on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in fresh cloudy apple juice was investigated. Moreover, PPO inhibition by tea extract and colour stability of juice during short-time refrigerated storage was studied. The changes of juice colour during storage was expressed as the total colour differences (ΔE*), browning index (BI), yellowness index (YI), and the absorbance at 420 nm (A 420 ). All extracts inhibited PPO activity in fresh apple juice in concentration-dependent manner. PPO activity in pure apple juice decreased by 7% after 48 h, whereas PPO activity in samples with 1 g L -1 , 2 g L -1 and 3 g L -1 tea extract decreased by 53%, 74%, and 96%, respectively. Browning of apple juice during storage decreased with increased concentration of green tea extract. After 48 h, extract at 1 g L -1 , 2 g L -1 and 3 g L -1 inhibited browning of juice expressed as BI by 48%, 60%, and 86%, respectively, comparing to pure apple juice. Green tea extract may be an effective anti-browning agent for short-time stored cloudy apple juices. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE.

DTIC Science & Technology

Studies were performed to clarify the influence of various factors which might be involved in vascular regulation. Topical application of lidocain ...and treatment with reserpine effectively blocked, while denervation of brown fat, syrosingopine and atropine were ineffective to prevent the blood flow

Reigning Title-Holder for Coldest Brown Dwarf

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-08-23

NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has uncovered the coldest brown dwarf known so far green dot in very center of this infrared image. WISE 1828+2650 is located in the constellation Lyra. The blue dots are a mix of stars and galaxies.

The mechanism of ethanol treatment on inhibiting lettuce enzymatic browning and microbial growth

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tissue browning of fresh-cut lettuce greatly affects its quality and consumers’ appreciation. This study investigated the effects of ethanol treatment on enzymatic browning and natural microflora growth of lettuce stem discs. After treated with 20% ethanol for 2 min and then drained by a spinner, le...

ECM microenvironment unlocks brown adipogenic potential of adult human bone marrow-derived MSCs.

PubMed

Lee, Michelle H; Goralczyk, Anna G; Kriszt, Rókus; Ang, Xiu Min; Badowski, Cedric; Li, Ying; Summers, Scott A; Toh, Sue-Anne; Yassin, M Shabeer; Shabbir, Asim; Sheppard, Allan; Raghunath, Michael

2016-02-17

Key to realizing the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of human brown/brite adipocytes is the identification of a renewable, easily accessible and safe tissue source of progenitor cells, and an efficacious in vitro differentiation protocol. We show that macromolecular crowding (MMC) facilitates brown adipocyte differentiation in adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs), as evidenced by substantially upregulating uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and uncoupled respiration. Moreover, MMC also induced 'browning' in bmMSC-derived white adipocytes. Mechanistically, MMC creates a 3D extracellular matrix architecture enshrouding maturing adipocytes in a collagen IV cocoon that is engaged by paxillin-positive focal adhesions also at the apical side of cells, without contact to the stiff support structure. This leads to an enhanced matrix-cell signaling, reflected by increased phosphorylation of ATF2, a key transcription factor in UCP1 regulation. Thus, tuning the dimensionality of the microenvironment in vitro can unlock a strong brown potential dormant in bone marrow.

Multiple Symmetrical Lipomatosis--a mitochondrial disorder of brown fat.

PubMed

Plummer, C; Spring, P J; Marotta, R; Chin, J; Taylor, G; Sharpe, D; Athanasou, N A; Thyagarajan, D; Berkovic, S F

2013-07-01

Multiple Symmetrical Lipomatosis (MSL) is an unusual disorder characterized by the development of axial lipomas in adulthood. The pathoetiology of lipoma tissue in MSL remains unresolved. Seven patients with MSL were followed for a mean period of 12 years (8-20 years). All patients had cervical lipomas ranging from subtle lesions to disfiguring masses; six patients had peripheral neuropathy and five had proximal myopathy. Myoclonus, cerebellar ataxia and additional lipomas were variably present. All patients showed clinical progression. Muscle histopathology was consistent with mitochondrial disease. Five patients were positive for mtDNA point mutation m.8344A>G, three of whom underwent lipoma resection--all samples were positive for uncoupling protein-1 mRNA (unique to brown fat). Lipoma from one case stained positive for adipocyte fatty-acid protein-2 (unique to brown fat and immature adipocytes). This long-term study hallmarks the phenotypic heterogeneity of MSL's associated clinical features. The clinical, genetic and molecular findings substantiate the hypothesis that lipomas in MSL are due to a mitochondrial disorder of brown fat. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

Brown Trout removal effects on short-term survival and movement of Myxobolus cerebralis-resistant rainbow trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fetherman, Eric R.; Winkelman, Dana L.; Bailey, Larissa L.; Schisler, George J.; Davies, K.

2015-01-01

Following establishment of Myxobolus cerebralis (the parasite responsible for salmonid whirling disease) in Colorado, populations of Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykissexperienced significant declines, whereas Brown Trout Salmo trutta densities increased in many locations across the state, potentially influencing the success of M. cerebralis-resistant Rainbow Trout reintroductions. We examined the effects of Brown Trout removal on the short-term (3-month) survival and movement of two crosses of reintroduced, M. cerebralis-resistant Rainbow Trout in the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado. Radio frequency identification passive integrated transponder tags and antennas were used to track movements of wild Brown Trout and stocked Rainbow Trout in reaches where Brown Trout had or had not been removed. Multistate mark–recapture models were used to estimate tagged fish apparent survival and movement in these sections 3 months following Brown Trout removal. A cross between the German Rainbow Trout and Colorado River Rainbow Trout strains exhibited similar survival and movement probabilities in the reaches, suggesting that the presence of Brown Trout did not affect its survival or movement. However, a cross between the German Rainbow Trout and Harrison Lake Rainbow Trout exhibited less movement from the reach in which Brown Trout had been removed. Despite this, the overall short-term benefits of the removal were equivocal, suggesting that Brown Trout removal may not be beneficial for the reintroduction of Rainbow Trout. Additionally, the logistical constraints of conducting removals in large river systems are substantial and may not be a viable management option in many rivers.

Browns in Anger: The Overlooked Minority.