The history of phytosterols dates back to the 1950s when the first known pharmaceutical preparation of phytosterols, Cytellin, was introduced in the US market. After their introduction, the adoption of phytosterols started in the 1990s. Phytosterols are widely available in a number of natural sources such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. To complement these natural sources, phytosterols are being increasingly incorporated into the human diet through fortified functional foods and dietary supplements. Furthermore, phytosterols are also being used in the manufacture of face creams and lipsticks. Phytosterols are known to block the cholesterol absorption in the small intestine and thereby aid in the reduction of LDL cholesterol or bad cholesterol. There is also substantial evidence, as suggested by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to justify the same. Phytosterols are also known to help in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Various health regulatory bodies prescribe different dosage rates of phytosterols, but a minimum intake of two grams of phytosterols daily is recommended in order to experience the health benefits offered by these compounds.

MEK, also known as butanone, is a colorless organic solvent that is volatile and has a pleasant pungent odor. It is used as a solvent for several applications because of its outstanding chemical properties such as high viscosity, high evaporation rate, low boiling point, and high solvency. MEK is used in the paints and coatings, adhesives and thinners, printing inks, and pharmaceutical sectors, and the others segment.

Polyol is an alcohol containing multiple hydroxyl groups. It is one of the major raw materials used in the manufacture of polyurethane foams. Polyols are segmented into polyether and polyester polyols. Polyether polyols are manufactured by propoxylation of a polyhydric alcohol in the presence of a catalyst.

Urea is an organic compound chemically produced from the waste that the body creates after metabolizing protein. The chemical compound can then be created into synthetic versions in the form of liquids and/or solids, which are often used as an ingredient in fertilizers, diuretics, animal feed, etc. They are also used industrially for various types of plastic, dish washing machine ingredients, adhesives, hair coloring products, toilet bowl cleaners, fungicides, and pesticides. There are also medicinal uses such as in dermatological products to rehydrate the skin, barbiturates, and diuretics.

Oleochemicals are the chemical compounds derived from bio-based resources such as plants and animal fats. Concerns regarding the environment are increasing with the continuous usage of fossil-based chemicals. Oleochemicals are similar to petrochemicals but the advantage of using them is that they are pollution-free, biodegradable, and low on toxicity levels.

合成了7个大黄素季铵盐、2个芦荟大黄素季铵盐、1个水溶性大黄素季铵盐和1个α-萘酚醌苯基甲烷季铵盐化合物,并测试了其抗癌活性.含有1条长碳链的大黄素季铵盐的抗癌活性很低,但是含有2条长碳链的大黄素和芦荟大黄素季铵盐的抗癌活性较好.用亲水性的长链替代季铵盐中亲脂性的长碳链会导致大黄素季铵盐失去抗癌活性.α-萘酚醌苯基甲烷季铵盐显示了中等的抗癌活性,表明在具有电子传递能力的分子中引入亲脂性的长碳链季铵盐可以增加其抗癌活性. 

基于聚多巴胺纳米粒子(PDA NPs)对Cy5标记单链DNA(Cy5-ssDNA)探针的荧光猝灭效应以及脱氧核糖核酸酶Ⅰ(DNaseⅠ)选择性切割DNA/RNA杂合结构中单链DNA的特性,建立了一种用于微小核糖核酸(miRNA)检测的新型恒温信号放大方法.在优化的实验条件下,体系的相对荧光强度(FR)与miR-21浓度的对数值成正比;对miR-21检测的线性范围为10 pmol/L~100 nmol/L,检出限达7 pmol/L.血清加标实验结果表明,该方法可用于生理环境下miR-21的检测.

以脱脂、除蛋白后的人乳为原料,联合运用阴离子交换色谱(AEC)、凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)和多孔石墨化碳色谱(PGC)等多种分离纯化技术制备了18种中性人乳寡糖,并采用电喷雾碰撞诱导串联质谱(ESI-CIDMS/MS)技术对其结构进行了鉴定.结果表明,所制备的中性人乳寡糖主要为三至九糖,含有半乳糖(Gal)、葡萄糖(Glc)、N-乙酰葡萄糖胺(GlcNAc)和岩藻糖(Fuc).所有寡糖的还原端均含有乳糖核心(Galβ1-4Glc),非还原端均含有乳糖胺(Galβ1-3/4GlcNAc),并且Fuc以α1-2,α1-3和α1-4连接于主链的Gal,Glc和GlcNAc上.

EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) requested the Science Advisory Board (SAB) to conduct a peer review of EPA's draft Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment, entitled Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos (August 2011). The draft document is the first IRIS assessment specific to Libby Amphibole asbestos (LAA), a term used to refer to the mixture of amphibole mineral fibers identified in the Rainy Creek complex near Libby, Montana. The SAB was asked to comment on the scientific soundness of the hazard and dose-response assessment of LAA-induced cancer and non-cancer health effects.

Polymer nanocomposite materials containing inorganic fillers such as metallic particles dispersed in a polymer have been the subject of intense research because of their enormous potential as electronic, photonic and energy storage materials. These hybrid materials combine the functionality of nanoparticles with the processability of polymer films. However, in order to achieve optimal performance of the composite material a uniform dispersion of nanoparticles is necessary to fully utilize the properties of nanoparticles. Usually the dispersion of nanoparticles in polymers is challenging and the nanoparticles tend to agglomerate or/and phase separate in the host polymer matrix.