Determining the Optimal Traffic Opening Timing Through an In-Situ NDT Method for Concrete Early Age Properties

Developing a reliable in-situ testing method to determine the strength of concrete for traffic opening is a critical need for INDOT, due to the fast-pace construction schedule exposes concrete pavements and/or structures undergoing a substantial loading conditions even at its early ages. Nevertheless, the current methods for determining traffic opening times are inefficient and expensive, often causing construction delays or cost overruns. To address this critical need, we propose to develop an in-situ nondestructive testing (NDT) method that enables an accurate and efficient understanding of early age properties of concrete using electromechanical impedance (EMI) method coupled with piezoelectric sensors. Previous literature has indicated that a piezoelectric sensor coupled with electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique can be a promising method to monitor the concrete properties changes of newly casted concrete and evaluate the condition of existed concrete at the laboratory scale. Based on the direct and indirect effect, piezoelectric materials can act both as a transducer and a receiver to capture the properties change of host structures of which it is attached to. The high frequency detection and fast response of this method will provide an accurate and reliable dataset of early age properties of concrete. This data enables us to monitor the in-situ concrete strength for determining the optimal traffic opening time. In this report, the feasibility of EMI sensing technology for monitoring the compressive strength gain of concrete is systematically investigated. The substantial experiments were conducted from cement paste, various mortar, concrete to field test on the interstate highway. Also, computer modeling work was performed to assist the experimental studies. Finally, the novel EMI technology can be delivered to DOT as one of the optional methods for in-situ concrete strength monitoring to determine the optimal traffic opening time

2-{3,4-Dibut­oxy-5-[5-(3-methyl­phen­yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]thio­phen-2-yl}-5-(3-methyl­phen­yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole

In the title compound, C30H32N4O4S, the dihedral angles between the central thio­phene ring and the pendant oxadiazole rings are 10.1 (2) and 6.8 (3)°. The dihedral angles between each oxadiazole ring and its adjacent benzene ring are 6.8 (2) and 5.3 (3)°

5-Chloro­pyrimidin-2-amine

The complete mol­ecule of the title compound, C4H3ClN3, is generated by crystallographic mirror symmetry, with the Cl atom, one N atom and two C atoms lying on the reflecting plane. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into chains propagating in [100]

2-(4-tert-Butyl­phen­yl)-5-{3,4-dibutoxy-5-[5-(4-tert-butyl­phen­yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]-2-thienyl}-1,3,4-oxadiazole

In the title compound, C36H44N4O4S, the dihedral angles between the central thio­phene ring and the pendent oxadiazole rings are 12.7 (2) and 13.7 (2)°, and the dihedral angles between the oxadiazole rings and their adjacent benzene rings are 6.1 (2) and 17.5 (2)°. An intra­molecular C—H⋯O inter­action may help to establish the conformation

2-Methyl-3-nitro­benzonitrile

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C8H6N2O2, contains two independent mol­ecules, the aromatic rings of which are oriented at a dihedral angle of 1.68 (3)°. Intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds result in the formation of two non-planar six-membered rings, which adopt envelope and twisted conformations. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules. There are π–π contacts between the benzene rings [centroid–centroid distances = 3.752 (3) and 3.874 (3) Å]

Involvement of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the inhibition of invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer cells

Purpose: To investigate the effects of zerumbone on cell invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the potential signaling pathway involved in ovarian cancer cells.Methods: Caov-3 cell proliferation was assessed using 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-diphenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay. Wound healing assay was used to determine Caov-3 cell migration while cell invasion was evaluated using Transwell assay. Protein expression was determinedby western blot.Results: Cell viability was reduced by 5, 10, 20, and 50 μM zerumbone (p < 0.05) in a concentrationdependent manner while cell migration and invasion were inhibited by 10 and 20 μM zerumbone (p < 0.05). Protein expression levels of E-cadherin and cytoplasm β-catenin were upregulated by zerumbone (p < 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner. On the other hand, protein expression levels of Ncadherin, vimentin, ZEB1, nuclear β-catenin, and c-Myc were suppressed by zerumbone (p < 0.05) also in a concentration-dependent manner.Conclusion: The results demonstrate that zerumbone inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion, but represses the EMT process via inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Keywords: Zerumbone, Ovarian cancer, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, Epithelial-mesenchymal transitio

2-[2-(4-Nitro­phenyl)hy­dra­zin­yl­idene]malononitrile

The title compound, C10H8N8, is close to planar (r.m.s. deviation from the mean plane = 0.118 Å). In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds generate R 2 2(12) loops

Methyl 4-(3-chloro­prop­oxy)-3-methoxy­benzoate

In the title compound, C12H15ClO4, the molecules are linked by C—H⋯O interactions

Methyl 4-(3-chloro­prop­oxy)-5-meth­oxy-2-nitro­benzoate

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C12H14ClNO6, contains two crystallographically independent mol­ecules, in which the benzene rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 9.12 (3)°. In the crystal structure, weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into a three-dimensional network

Methyl 4-but­oxy-3-methoxy­benzoate

The title compound, C13H18O4, is an inter­mediate product in the synthesis of quinazoline derivatives. Crystal structure analysis shows that the benzene–butoxy Car—O—C—C torsion angle is 175.3 (2)° and that the benzene–methoxycarbonyl Car—C—O—C torsion angle is 175.2 (2)°. Torsion angles close to 180° indicate that the molecule is almost planar