Vijay Kumar Vishvakarma

The plant Stephania glabra belongs to the genus Stephania Menispermaceae family, which is used in the treatment of many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, inflammation, intestinal problems, and tuberculosis in many countries of Asia, while some important medicinal activity of plants is pending for new findings. In this paper, we have tried to find the anti‐inflammatory activity of various extracts of tuber of S. glabra by the in vitro method as the cyclooxygenase inhibitory potential. The pre‐isolated phytochemicals of the plant were in silico screened to find the cyclooxygenase inhibitory potential by molecular docking method. The molecular docking study of pre‐isolated phytochemicals from the tuber of the plant shows that compounds possessing a great inhibition potential against COX‐1 and COX‐2. 8‐(4’‐methoxybenzyl) xylopinine (SG1) and 8‐(4'‐hydroxybenzyl) xylopinine (SG2) were isolated from the tuber of the plant. The in vitro analysis of all four extracts of the tuber of S. glabra shows that chlorofrmic extract has greater potential to inhibit th COX‐2 compared to celecoxib; therefore, further chemical composition, in vivo analysis, and isolation of chloroformic extract may give rise to potential NSAIDs in the future. On the other hand, the in vitro study of chloroformic extract in the different models also may provide a good therapeutic option to treat the inflammation. In the other part of the paper, the antioxidant activity of the various extracts was also evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging method.

In this study, graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized using an improved Hummers method. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were prepared using a simple mixing method. The synthesis of DES-GO composites is employed to increase the thermal stability of flame retardants. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is widely recognized due to its advantageous properties, including low weight, thermal insulation, and impact resistance. However, its inherent flammability poses significant safety risks. This study investigates the development of innovative green flame-retardant coatings for EPS by incorporating DES and DES-GO composite. These eco-friendly coatings are engineered to improve flame resistance while ensuring optimal mechanical integrity, thermal stability, adhesion, and water resistance. The findings demonstrate that DES and GO provide exceptional flame-retardant performance by forming thermally stable carbonaceous layers, effectively suppressing heat and smoke generation during combustion. Additionally, density functional theory analyses reveal insights into the formation mechanisms of DES and DES-GO composite materials. Annealing molecular dynamics simulation reveals the adhesion behavior and stability at elevated temperatures for the number of cycles. Vertical flammability tests and limiting oxygen index measurements confirm significant improvements in the flame resistance for EPS foam. This study paves the way for safer, greener, and more effective flame-retardant solutions for EPS, promoting advancements in fire safety technology with enhanced environmental sustainability.

KNOTTED-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX) proteins are homeodomain containing transcription factors, and regulate many aspects of plant development through homo or heterodimerization with another group of TALE transcription factors known as BELL. In Medicago truncatula the MtKNOX3 gene is involved in nodule development. In this work, we hypothesized that MtKNOX3 involvement in the activation of cytokinin signaling during nodule development could be through heterodimerization with BELL proteins. Thereby, the expression of different BELL genes in Medicago was analyzed, and it was shown that the expression of Medtr8g078480 and Medtr8g098815 genes increases during nodule development. Besides, the Medtr8g078480 shows a co-expression pattern with MtKNOX3 at different developmental stages of nodule development. Afterward, the interaction of MtKNOX3 with the MtBELL1-2 (Medtr8g078480) protein was shown using docking, and their stability was analyzed by molecular dynamic simulation and mmpbsa methods. Moreover, the stability of MtKNOX3- Medtr8g078480 heterodimers was compared with the MtKNOX3 homodimer.

It is important to understand nanocatalysts, a chemical or species or substance at the nanoscale level with catalytic ability. These have the ability to increase the rate of reaction by decreasing the activation energy of the reaction. Nanocatalysts are preferred over tradition catalysts as they can greatly reduce the point of mass transfer loss; reduce the price for the biodiesel; have many active sites; synthetic means can be synthesized easily; and they have huge surface area. The most important property of nanocatalysts is that they can be recycled and reused easily with no or little loss of their activity. Nanocatalysts are claimed to result in the minimum wastage of chemicals, better yield, less global warming, safe and easy to handle, etc. These properties have helped them to replace the tradition catalysts used in the production of biodiesel. The demand for nanocatalysts has been exponentially increased in different disciplines of sciences and applications, meaning that they can be fit into different areas where traditional catalysts cannot be used. Nanomaterials are considered to be effective and promising active catalysts for the transesterification reactions of crops, municipal waste, edible oils and fatty acids to obtain a green energy source of biodiesel. Selectivity with superior reactivity, controlled rate of reaction, easy retrieval and recyclability make nanomaterials distinctive from other catalysts used in biofuel production. The major focus of this review chapter is to understand the different generations of biofuels and the methodologies available for biodiesel production. Biofuels obtained through thermo-chemical conversion, their outcome on biodiesel formation and methodologies of biodiesel production using nanomaterials for better global socioeconomic outcomes and the prevention of environmental deterioration, are discussed. Thereafter, the significance of various promising nanomaterials as suitable catalysts for the production, conversion rate and recyclability of biofuels is discussed. The main focus of this review is given an understanding of the potential of nanomaterials as catalysts to obtain biofuel production, such as bioethanol. The advantages and disadvantages of nanomaterials in biodiesel production are also discussed.