University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University or CU) is a collegiate public state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.&nbsp;Within India it is recognized as a &quot;Five-Star University&quot; and accredited &quot;A&quot; Grade by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

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The University of Calcutta has secured the Fifth position among the Universities of India in the prestigious &quot;Indian University Ranking 2019&quot; list, released by the NIRF of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

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It was established on 24 January 1857, and was one of the first institutions in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and Western-style university. Its alumni and faculty include several heads of state, heads of government, social reformers, prominent artists, only academy award winner and Dirac medal winner in India, many Fellows of the Royal Society and five Nobel laureates as of 2019 which is highest in South Asia.

University Of Calcutta

Chemical Technology

World University root node

Materials Today: Proceedings

Preparation and characterization of In-situ nano Silver/Polyvinyl alcohol membrane for pervaporative separation of benzene from model pyrolysis gasoline

Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization and Environmental Effects

Non-catalytic desulfurization of model diesel using synthesized biodegradable ionic liquid

Since the advent of biologics in human welfare various bio-molecules have been explored. Different bacterial exopolysaccharides have proved their worth in many industrial and commercial applications. In this perspective, while exploring a surfactant exopolysaccharide of Ochrobactrum pseudintermedium C1, it is strikingly observed that it possesses a potent antibacterial property which encourages its bio-medical applications. Following isolation and purification of the said exopolysaccharide, its structural configuration and functional attributes are studied by several analytical procedures involving FTIR, 13C- NMR, CHN-analysis, estimation of zeta potential, XRD-study and digital tensiometry. When treated with pathological samples in vitro, it distinctly elicits its antibacterial property by exhibiting a characteristic zone of inhibition. Combined with a standard antibiotic (like ciprofloxacin), it enhances the action of antibiotic also. Mechanism of its antibacterial action is evaluated by crystal violet entrapment assay with UV–vis spectrophotometry, bacterial cell viability assay by trypan blue staining and SEM study. Results show that its basic surfactant property, anionic character, crystalline nature and scaffolding architecture are supposed to facilitate its antibacterial property which is manifested by its capability of disrupting bacterial cell envelope causing eventual cell death. In the current global scenario, an increasing threat of antibiotic resistance is prevailing due to their indiscriminate use. If used as an adjuvant with a judicious dose of antibiotic, this bio-molecule might play a significant role in bio-medicine to combat such threat. © 2020 Elsevier GmbH

Fulltext

Microbiological Research

Surfactant exopolysaccharide of Ochrobactrum pseudintermedium C1 has antibacterial potential: Its bio-medical applications in vitro

The aim of this work was to develop a transdermal delivery system consisting of a glucosamine sulfate–laden xanthan hydrogel containing a nanoemulsion-loaded diacerein. The system was intended to prevent cartilage degradation typical of osteoarthritis. The nanoemulsion, made of soybean oil as the oil phase; soybean lecithin, Tween 80, and poloxamer 407 as surfactants; and propylene glycol as cosurfactant, was formed within the hydrogel. The hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoemulsion globules was 81.95 ± 0.256 nm with 0.285 ± 0.036 of PDI value and the zeta potential value of the formulation was 39.33 ± 0.812 mV. CryoSEM and TEM studies revealed the uniform morphology of the vehicle. A rheological study exposed the nanoemulsion-loaded hydrogel as a thixotropic system. Satisfactory storage stability under ICH conditions was established by the zeta potential and rheological studies. Furthermore, skin biocompatibility of the hydrogel was ascertained on the basis of skin irritation study. Additionally, the diffusion of the drugs across rat skin followed a controlled non-Fickian anomalous steady mechanism. Following in vivo administration in experimental osteoarthritis, the transdermal hydrogel showed a reduction in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, high mobility group box protein, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. Finally, histopathological analysis of the animals showed satisfactory chondroprotection in the in vivo study. In conclusion, the developed transdermal systems showed a potential against the progression of experimental osteoarthritis. © 2020, Controlled Release Society.

Drug Delivery and Translational Research

Transdermal co-delivery of glucosamine sulfate and diacerein for the induction of chondroprotection in experimental osteoarthritis

Synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) from common food waste is an eco-friendly and cost-effective method. The present communication reports one-pot biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Citrus sinensis (orange) peel extract (OPE). A clear synthesis of monodispersed AgNPs with average size of 22 nm has been indicated by UV–Vis spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. On the other hand, FTIR study clearly revealed that ‘ether’ and ‘alcoholic’ groups are mainly responsible for the stabilization of AgNPs. Theoretical simulation using density functional theory showed that among the alcoholic and ether groups, hotrienol is primarily responsible for the stabilization of AgNPs with the highest interaction energy of 62.92 kJ/mol. Synthesized AgNPs were found to induce apoptosis in model system hepatocellular carcinoma cell, Hep3B and showed increased percentages of late apoptotic cells. © 2020, Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences.

Botany

Chemical Papers

Biogenic silver nanoparticle synthesis and stabilization for apoptotic activity; insights from experimental and theoretical studies

Dry reforming of methane is conducted in a catalyst packed-bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor aiming to improve the reaction efficiency. The MgO- and CeO2-promoted Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst is tested to carry out the reaction. An interesting observation is that Ni/MgO_Al2O3 integration provides ∼35 and 13% conversion of CH4 and CO2, respectively. The highest syngas ratio of 0.94 is obtained with Ni/MgO_Al2O3, whereas the ratio is only 0.57 with Ni/CeO2_Al2O3 and 0.64 with bare DBD. In addition, Ni/CeO2_Al2O3 offers the highest selectivity (68%) of CO due to the oxygen buffer property of CeO2. Finally, the optimal acid/base property is highly desirable for the dry reforming reaction. Copyright © 2020 American Chemical Society.

ACS Omega

Promising Utilization of CO2for Syngas Production over Mg2+- And Ce2+-Promoted Ni/γ-Al2O3Assisted by Nonthermal Plasma

Lysozyme, like many other well-folded globular proteins, under stressful conditions produces nanoscale oligomer assembly and amyloid-like fibrillar aggregates. With engaging Raman microscopy, we made a critical structural analysis of oligomer and other assembly structures of lysozyme obtained from hen egg white and provided a quantitative estimation of a protein secondary structure in different states of its fibrillation. A strong amide I Raman band at 1660 cm-1 and a N-Cα-C stretching band at ∼930 cm-1 clearly indicated the presence of a substantial amount of α-helical folds of the protein in its oligomeric assembly state. In addition, analysis of the amide III region and Raman difference spectra suggested an ample presence of a PPII-like secondary structure in these oligomers without causing major loss of α-helical folds, which is found in the case of monomeric samples. Circular dichroism study also revealed the presence of typical α-helical folds in the oligomeric state. Nonetheless, most of the Raman bands associated with aromatic residues and disulfide (-S-S-) linkages broadened in the oligomeric state and indicated a collapse in the tertiary structure. In the fibrillar state of assembly, the amide I band became much sharper and enriched with the β-sheet secondary structure. Also, the disulfide bond vibration in matured fibrils became much weaker compared to monomer and oligomers and thus confirmed certain loss/cleavage of this bond during fibrillation. The Raman band of tryptophan and tyrosine residues indicated that some of these residues experienced a greater hydrophobic microenvironment in the fibrillar state than the protein in the oligomeric state of the assembly structure. © 2019 American Chemical Society.

Journal of Physical Chemistry B

Order, Disorder, and Reorder State of Lysozyme: Aggregation Mechanism by Raman Spectroscopy

InterCeram: International Ceramic Review

Effect of Zr4+ Dopant on Microstructure, Densification and Thermomechanical Behaviour of ZnAl2O4 Spinel

Obesity represents an important public health concern because it substantially increases the risk of multiple chronic diseases and thereby contributing to a decline in both quality of life and life expectancy. Besides unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and genetic susceptibility, environmental pollutants also contribute to the rising prevalence of obesity epidemic. An environmental obesogen is defined as a chemical that can alter lipid homeostasis to promote adipogenesis and lipid accumulation whereas an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) is defined as a synthetic chemical that can interfere with the endocrine function and cause adverse health effects. Many obesogens are EDCs that interfere with normal endocrine regulation of metabolism, adipose tissue development and maintenance, appetite, weight and energy balance. An expanding body of scientific evidence from animal and epidemiological studies has begun to provide links between exposure to EDCs and obesity. Despite the significance of environmental obesogens in the pathogenesis of metabolic diseases, the contribution of synthetic chemical exposure to obesity epidemic remains largely unrecognised. Hence, the purpose of this review is to provide a current update on the evidences from animal and human studies on the role of fourteen environmental obesogens in obesity, a comprehensive view of the mechanisms of action of these obesogens and current green and sustainable chemistry strategies to overcome chemical exposure to prevent obesity. Designing of safer version of obesogens through green chemistry approaches requires a collaborative undertaking to evaluate the toxicity of endocrine disruptors using appropriate experimental methods, which will help in developing a new generation of inherently safer chemicals. © 2020 The Author(s)

Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry

Endocrine disruption and obesity: A current review on environmental obesogens

The thermal conductivity of the matrix part of alumina – carbon unshaped refractory has been estimated to accurately interpret its thermophysical and thermomechanical behavior. The properties of precalcined composite matrix containing either as-received or surface-modified graphite in equal quantity (20.0 wt%) have been investigated at three different temperatures (110,550,900 °C). The thermal compatibility or degradation of both kinds of carbonaceous matrices had been correlated with respective scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. The monolithic matrices were also subjected to X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies to distinguish between their phase evolution patterns. A synergestic study on an equivalent graphite-free formulation was also carried out. The thermal shock resistance profile of respective castables had been addressed to confirm the superiority of surface-treated graphites. Nanoengineering at graphite surface was conceived by Rietveld analysis of the (004) peak that substantiated the additional influence of calcium aluminate coating on selective clumping and partial exfoliation of graphite sheets. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.