Topic Review
Agro-Based Polymers Food Packaging
This entry compiles information on biopolymers and natural bioactive compounds used in the production of bioactive films. Particular emphasis has been given to the methods used for incorporating bioactive compounds into film-forming solutions and their influence on the functional properties of biopolymer films. 
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  • 13 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Alchemy and Chemistry in Medieval Islam
Alchemy and chemistry in Islam refers to the study of both traditional alchemy and early practical chemistry (the early chemical investigation of nature in general) by scholars in the medieval Islamic world. The word alchemy was derived from the Arabic word كيمياء or kīmiyāʾ. and may ultimately derive from the ancient Egyptian word kemi, meaning black. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the focus of alchemical development moved to the Caliphate and the Islamic civilization. Much more is known about Islamic alchemy as it was better documented; most of the earlier writings that have come down through the years were preserved as Arabic translations.
  • 2.2K
  • 24 Nov 2022
Topic Review
ALK Inhibitor
ALK inhibitors are anti-cancer drugs that act on tumours with variations of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) such as an EML4-ALK translocation. They fall under the category of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which work by inhibiting proteins involved in the abnormal growth of tumour cells. All the current approved ALK inhibitors function by binding to the ATP pocket of the abnormal ALK protein, blocking its access to energy and deactivating it. A majority of ALK-rearranged NSCLC harbour the EML4-ALK fusion, although as of 2020, over 92 fusion partners have been discovered in ALK+ NSCLC. For each fusion partner, there can be several fusion variants depending on the position the two genes were fused at, and this may have implications on the response of the tumour and prognosis of the patient.
  • 469
  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Alloplastic Bone Substitutes
Various bone graft products are commercially available worldwide. However, there is no clear consensus regarding the appropriate bone graft products in different clinical situations. This study is intended to summarize bone graft products, especially alloplastic bone substitutes that are available in multiple countries. It also provides dental clinicians with detailed and accurate information concerning these products. Furthermore, it discusses the prospects of alloplastic bone substitutes based on an analysis of the current market status, as well as a comparison of trends among countries. 
  • 929
  • 17 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Alpha-Amanitin
alpha-Amanitin or α-amanitin is a cyclic peptide of eight amino acids. It is possibly the most deadly of all the amatoxins, toxins found in several species of the mushroom genus Amanita, one being the death cap (Amanita phalloides) as well as the destroying angel, a complex of similar species, principally A. virosa and A. bisporigera. It is also found in the mushrooms Galerina marginata and Conocybe filaris. The oral -1">50 of amanitin is 100 μg/kg for rats. Unlike most cyclic peptides, amatoxins (and phallotoxins) are synthesized on ribosomes. The genes encoding the proprotein for α-amanitin belong to the same family as those that encode for phallacidin (a phallotoxin).
  • 461
  • 14 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Aluminium Oxide
The promising techniques of obtaining AO adsorbents are discussed, namely the technique of thermal activation in the mode of pneumatic transport with gibbsite by heated air (TCA Gb) and the technique of thermal activation of gibbsite in centrifugal flash reactors (CTA Gb).
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  • 17 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Aluminium(I)
In chemistry, aluminium(I) refers to monovalent aluminium (+1 oxidation state) in both ionic and covalent bonds. Along with aluminium(II), it is an extremely unstable form of aluminium. While late Group 3 elements such as thallium and indium prefer the +1 oxidation state, aluminium(I) is rare. Unlike late Group XIII elements, aluminium does not experience the inert pair effect, a phenomenon where valence s electrons are poorly shielded from nuclear charge due to the presence of filled d and f orbitals. As such, aluminium (III) ([math]\ce{ Al^3+ }[/math]) is the much more common oxidation state for aluminium. Aluminium(I) compounds are both prone to disproportionation and difficult to prepare. At standard conditions, they readily oxidize to the aluminium(III) form.
  • 517
  • 14 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Amalgam
An amalgam is an alloy of mercury with another metal. It may be a liquid, a soft paste or a solid, depending upon the proportion of mercury. These alloys are formed through metallic bonding, with the electrostatic attractive force of the conduction electrons working to bind all the positively charged metal ions together into a crystal lattice structure. Almost all metals can form amalgams with mercury, the notable exceptions being iron, platinum, tungsten, and tantalum. Silver-mercury amalgams are important in dentistry, and gold-mercury amalgam is used in the extraction of gold from ore. Dentistry has used alloys of mercury with metals such as silver, copper, indium, tin and zinc.
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  • 31 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Amphibole
Amphibole (/ˈæmfəboʊl/) is a group of inosilicate minerals, forming prism or needlelike crystals, composed of double chain SiO4 tetrahedra, linked at the vertices and generally containing ions of iron and/or magnesium in their structures. Its IMA symbol is Amp. Amphiboles can be green, black, colorless, white, yellow, blue, or brown. The International Mineralogical Association currently classifies amphiboles as a mineral supergroup, within which are two groups and several subgroups.
  • 1.4K
  • 28 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Annatto
Annatto (/əˈnætoʊ/ or /əˈnɑːtoʊ/) is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to tropical America. It is often used to impart a yellow or orange color to foods, but sometimes also for its flavor and aroma. Its scent is described as "slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg" and flavor as "slightly nutty, sweet and peppery". The color of annatto comes from various carotenoid pigments, mainly bixin and norbixin, found in the reddish waxy coating of the seeds. The condiment is typically prepared by grinding the seeds to a powder or paste. Similar effects can be obtained by extracting some of the color and flavor principles from the seeds with hot water, oil, or lard, which are then added to the food. Annatto and its extracts are now widely used in an artisanal or industrial scale as a coloring agent in many processed food products, such as cheeses, dairy spreads, butter and margarine, custards, cakes and other baked goods, potatoes, snack foods, breakfast cereals, smoked fish, sausages, and more. In these uses, annatto is a natural alternative to synthetic food coloring compounds, but it has been linked to rare cases of food-related allergies. Annatto is of particular commercial value in the United States because the Food and Drug Administration considers colorants derived from it to be "exempt of certification".
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  • 20 Oct 2022
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