Shivaji University, established in 1962, is a state university located at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The university, with a campus spread over 853 acres (345 ha), is named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha Empire. It was inaugurated on 18 November 1962 by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the then president of India. Yashwantrao Chavan and Balasaheb Desai took the lead in establishing this university. Educational institutions from Kolhapur, Sangli, and Satara districts come under its jurisdiction with 279 affiliated colleges and recognised institutes. One of the major objectives behind its foundation was to cater to the educational needs of South Maharashtra region. The University's efforts towards excellence are being recognised by the substantial grants received from funding agencies such as University Grants Commission (India), Department of Science and Technology (India), and DBT. The university is self reliant in water, which is stored on campus during the rainy season. It has a biodiversity-rich campus.Shivaji University has recently signed MoU with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for research in Material Science. It has also partnered with the Indian Institute of Geo-Magnetism, Mumbai and industries like Phyto-Pharma. Institutes including Maharashtra Police Academy at Nashik and Centre for Social Studies have sought affiliation with the Shivaji University.
This research paper presents a comprehensive study of the development, fabrication, and analysis of a novel surfactant-based task-specific ionic liquid (TSIL, cetyltrimethylammoniumprolinate [CTA][Pro]), which possesses versatile abilities as a phase-transfer catalyst, ligand, and reducing agent. The IL [CTA][Pro] exhibited high activity and recyclability in the palladium-catalyzed Mizoroki–Heck (MH) cross-coupling reaction of various haloarenes with olefins to generate cross-coupling products with excellent yields, in the presence of palladium chloride under aqueous phosphine-free conditions. Notably, both palladium and [CTA][Pro] can be reused for up to 6 consecutive cycles without significant loss of catalytic performance, reflecting the principles of green chemistry and the potential of these recyclable components in sustainable synthetic methodologies.
In the present study we have reported novel geminal dicationic ionic liquids (DILs) and their catalytic application in the Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction. A novel series of thermally stable 2-hydroxyethylmorpholinium (HEM)-based dicationic ionic liquids, namely [HEM][Br]2, [HEM][BF4]2, and [HEM][PF6]2, were synthesized and thoroughly characterized using FT-IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry, and their thermal stability was further evaluated through thermogravimetric analysis. The catalytic performance of the synthesized DILs was evaluated in the MBH reaction in an aqueous medium. Remarkably, the use of only 0.011 mol% of [HEM][PF6]2 afforded a 97% yield with a significant enhancement in reaction rate. Furthermore, [HEM][PF6]2 could be efficiently recovered and reused for up to six consecutive cycles without notable loss of activity. The present protocol offers several advantages, including mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, use of water:ethanol as a green solvent, higher yields, and comparatively shorter reaction times.
Neurodegenerative disorders are closely associated with oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and disrupted neuronal homeostasis, demanding the development of multifunctional and sustained therapeutic strategies. In this study, Sahaj-vati, a classical Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation comprising Shilajeet, Guggul, Chitrak, Haridra, and Agnimantha was extracted using Soxhlet-assisted methanolic extraction and subsequently modified into electrospun nanofibers (SNFs) to enhance its stability, bioactivity, and translational applicability. The extract exhibited total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 0.85 mg GAE/g DW and 2.497 mg QE/g DW, respectively. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis confirmed the presence of bioactive phytoconstituents such as tumerone, caffeine, theobromine, and oleic acid, associated with antioxidant and neuroprotective functions. The morphological and physicochemical characterization revealed uniform nanofibrous architecture with an average diameter of 559 nm and thermal stability up to 350 °C. The biological evaluation demonstrated significantly enhanced antioxidant activity of SNFs, with DPPH and FRAP IC50 values of 27.09 µg/mL and 34.89 µg/mL, respectively, compared to the crude extract. The SNFs also showed improved anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 = 34.89 µg/mL) and moderate acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC50 = 60.73 µg/mL). The cytocompatibility assays on L929 and SH-SY5Y cell lines confirmed high cell viability (> 85–90
Marine organisms, particularly macroalgae, are globally recognized as key sources of valuable biomolecules with applications in the agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors. They are also an inexpensive source in developing countries with high population density, such as India, where pressing demands conflict with the sustainable use of resources. The abundance of Sargassum spp. in India could provide an opportunity to create cost-effective marine-derived natural products, and the implementation of an optimized extraction and scaling process could contribute to overcoming sustainability issues. Thus, the present study examines the nutritional, mineral, and fatty acid composition of Sargassum cinereum J. Agardh from the Karnataka coast. Ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was used to optimize the yield of bioactive compounds using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Carbohydrates were the most abundant (53.15%) macronutrients, followed by fiber (20%) and protein (13.35%) on a dry-weight basis. Fatty acid composition showed abundance of palmitic acid, with a varied mineral composition, similar to other macroalgae already in use as a feed ingredient. RSM-BBD analysis underscored the impacts of solvent concentration, extraction time, and the solid-to-solvent ratio on the yields of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity. The optimized parameters provide clear evidence of the interaction effect, presented through second-order polynomial equations. Although differences may arise depending on sample processing techniques, geographical variability, storage conditions, and the possible degradation of sensitive compounds, the data obtained herein highlight the need for future studies, given the potential of Sargassum spp., which grows abundantly, is nutritionally and chemically rich, and can be a high-value compound and used for multiple purposes.
We report the synthesis and electrochemical performance of a novel binary composite comprising rod-shaped α-phase Manganese dioxide (MnO₂) and pea-derived carbon (PDC) (MnO₂/PDC) for high-performance supercapacitors. The composite was prepared by mechanical milling and characterized using XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, SEM, and XPS. The electrochemical evaluation in three- and two-electrode configurations with aqueous Na₂SO₄ electrolyte revealed good charge-storage capability, excellent rate performance, and superior cyclic stability. The synergistic combination of MnO₂ nanostructures with sustainable biomass-derived carbon significantly enhances electrochemical performance, offering a promising and environmentally friendly approach to next-generation energy-storage materials. The MnO2/PDC composite exhibited a specific capacitance of 303.4 F g− 1 at a current density of 4 mA cm− 2. Additionally, the MnO2/PDC composite demonstrated an excellent electrode material-electrolyte interface compatibility with capacitance retention rate of 90
