Shear Strength Study of RC Beams Retrofitted Using Vinyl Ester Bonded GFRP and Epoxy Bonded GFRP

Many of the existing reinforced concrete structures throughout the world are in urgent need of rehabilitation, repair or reconstruction because of deterioration due to various factors like corrosion, lack of detailing, failure of bonding between beam-column joints, increase in service loads, etc., leading to cracking, spalling, loss of strength, deflection, etc. The recent developments in the application of the advanced composites in the construction industry for concrete rehabilitation and strengthening are increasing on the basis of specific requirements, national needs and industry participation. The need for efficient rehabilitation and strengthening techniques of existing concrete structures has resulted in research and development of composite strengthening systems. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite has been accepted in the construction industry as a promising substitute for repairing and in incrementing the strength of RCC structures. FRP composites possess some outstanding properties such as: resistance to corrosion, good fatigue and damping resistance, high strength to weight ratio, and electromagnetic transparency. FRPs over the years have gained respect in terms of its superior performance and versatility and now are being used not only in housing industry but its potentials are being continuously explored for its use in retro-fitting and strengthening of damaged structural members. This paper focuses exclusively on shear behaviour of RCC beams and the Vinyl-Ester bonded GFRP and Epoxy bonded GFRP wrapped retrofitted RCC beams. Beams were retrofitted with 1.2 mm Epoxy bonded GFRP sheets and 0.9 mm Vinyl-Ester bonded GFRP sheets using epoxy resins. In all a total of 10 beams were tested and the respective readings were recorded. The beams were full-wrapped and strip-wrapped and tested for shear behavior analysis. Cracking and deflection of GFRP reinforced concrete beams are analyzed experimentally. It was  concluded that the wrapping of GFRP sheets increases the ultimate load carrying capacity of RCC beams. Also a cost analysis was done in order to get a cost effective solution for the issue of retrofitting, which is a rising concern in the recent times. Keywords: Glass Fibres, Vinyl Ester Bonded GFRP, Epoxy bonded GFRP, Shear Strength, RC Beam

Pretreatment of Woven Jute FRP Composite and Its Use in Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Beams in Flexure

Environmental awareness motivates researchers worldwide to perform studies of natural fibre reinforced polymer composites, as they come with many advantages and are primarily sustainable. The present study aims at evaluating the mechanical characteristics of natural woven jute fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composite subjected to three different pretreatments, alkali, benzyl chloride, and lastly heat treatment. It was concluded that heat treatment is one of the most suitable treatment methods for enhancing mechanical properties of jute FRP. Durability studies on Jute FRP pertaining to some common environmental conditions were also carried out such as effect of normal water and thermal aging on the tensile strength of jute FRP followed by fire flow test. The heat treated woven jute FRP composites were subsequently used for flexural strengthening of reinforced concrete beams in full and strip wrapping configurations. The study includes the effect of flexural strengthening provided by woven jute FRP, study of different failure modes, load deflection behavior, effect on the first crack load, and ultimate flexural strength of concrete beams strengthened using woven jute FRP subjected to bending loads. The study concludes that woven jute FRP is a suitable material which can be used for flexural upgradation of reinforced concrete beams

Anaerobic microbial community response to methanogenic inhibitors 2‐bromoethanesulfonate and propynoic acid

Methanogenic inhibitors are often used to study methanogenesis in complex microbial communities or inhibit methanogens in the gastrointestinal tract of livestock. However, the resulting structural and functional changes in archaeal and bacterial communities are poorly understood. We characterized microbial community structure and activity in mesocosms seeded with cow dung and municipal wastewater treatment plant anaerobic digester sludge after exposure to two methanogenic inhibitors, 2‐bromoethanesulfonate (BES) and propynoic acid (PA). Methane production was reduced by 89% (0.5 mmol/L BES), 100% (10 mmol/LBES), 24% (0.1 mmol/LPA), and 95% (10 mmol/LPA). Using modified primers targeting the methyl‐coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) gene, changes in mcrA gene expression were found to correspond with changes in methane production and the relative activity of methanogens. Methanogenic activity was determined by the relative abundance of methanogen 16S rRNA cDNA as a percentage of the total community 16S rRNA cDNA. Overall, methanogenic activity was lower when mesocosms were exposed to higher concentrations of both inhibitors, and aceticlastic methanogens were inhibited to a greater extent than hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Syntrophic bacterial activity, measured by 16S rRNA cDNA, was also reduced following exposure to both inhibitors, but the overall structure of the active bacterial community was not significantly affected.This manuscript reports a comprehensive approach to characterizing the effects of commonly used methanogenesis inhibitors on an anaerobic microbial community. We use mock and environmental communities and target two genes using DNA‐ and RNA‐based methods. Results from Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, 16S rRNA cDNA, mcrA gene, and mcrA transcript cDNA highlight shifts in both methanogenic archaeal activity and syntrophic bacterial activity.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134127/1/mbo3349.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134127/2/mbo3349_am.pd

Comparative Proteomics of Root Apex and Root Elongation Zones Provides Insights into Molecular Mechanisms for Drought Stress and Recovery Adjustment in Switchgrass

Switchgrass plants were grown in a Sandwich tube system to induce gradual drought stress by withholding watering. After 29 days, the leaf photosynthetic rate decreased significantly, compared to the control plants which were watered regularly. The drought-treated plants recovered to the same leaf water content after three days of re-watering. The root tip (1cm basal fragment, designated as RT1 hereafter) and the elongation/maturation zone (the next upper 1 cm tissue, designated as RT2 hereafter) tissues were collected at the 29th day of drought stress treatment, (named SDT for severe drought treated), after one (D1W) and three days (D3W) of re-watering. The tandem mass tags mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics analysis was performed to identify the proteomes, and drought-induced differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs). From RT1 tissues, 6156, 7687, and 7699 proteins were quantified, and 296, 535, and 384 DAPs were identified in the SDT, D1W, and D3W samples, respectively. From RT2 tissues, 7382, 7255, and 6883 proteins were quantified, and 393, 587, and 321 proteins DAPs were identified in the SDT, D1W, and D3W samples. Between RT1 and RT2 tissues, very few DAPs overlapped at SDT, but the number of such proteins increased during the recovery phase. A large number of hydrophilic proteins and stress-responsive proteins were induced during SDT and remained at a higher level during the recovery stages. A large number of DAPs in RT1 tissues maintained the same expression pattern throughout drought treatment and the recovery phases. The DAPs in RT1 tissues were classified in cell proliferation, mitotic cell division, and chromatin modification, and those in RT2 were placed in cell wall remodeling and cell expansion processes. This study provided information pertaining to root zone-specific proteome changes during drought and recover phases, which will allow us to select proteins (genes) as better defined targets for developing drought tolerant plants. The mass spectrometry proteomics data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017441

Heat-induced Proteome Changes in Tomato Leaves

Three tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivars [Walter LA3465 (heat-tolerant), Edkawi LA 2711 (unknown heat tolerance, salt-tolerant), and LA1310 (cherry tomato)] were compared for changes in leaf proteomes after heat treatment. Seedlings with four fully expanded leaves were subjected to heat treatment of 39/25 °C at a 16:8 h light–dark cycle for 7 days. Leaves were collected at 1200 hr, 4 h after the light cycle started. For ‘Walter’ LA3465, heat-suppressed proteins were geranylgeranyl reductase, ferredoxin-NADP (+) reductase, Rubisco activase, transketolase, phosphoglycerate kinase precursor, fructose–bisphosphate aldolase, glyoxisomal malate dehydrogenase, catalase, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, and methionine synthase. Two enzymes were induced, cytosolic NADP-malic enzyme and superoxide dismutase. For ‘Edkawi’ LA2711, nine enzymes were suppressed: ferredoxin-NADP (+) reductase, Rubisco activase, S-adenosylmethionine synthetase, methioine synthase, glyoxisomal malate dehydrogenase, enolase, flavonol synthase, M1 family peptidase, and dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase. Heat-induced proteins were cyclophilin, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, transketolase, phosphoglycolate phosphatase, ATPase, photosystem II oxygen-evolving complex 23, and NAD-dependent epimerase/dehydratase. For cherry tomato LA1310, heat-suppressed proteins were aminotransferase, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, L-ascorbate peroxidase, lactoylglutathione lyase, and Rubisco activase. Heat-induced enzymes were glyoxisomal malate dehydrogenase, phosphoribulokinasee, and ATP synthase. This research resulted in the identification of proteins that were induced/repressed in all tomato cultivars evaluated (e.g., Rubisco activase, methionine synthase, adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, and others) and those differentially expressed (e.g., transketolase)

The MOSDEF survey: a stellar mass-SFR-metallicity relation exists at z∼2.3z\sim2.3

We investigate the nature of the relation among stellar mass, star-formation rate, and gas-phase metallicity (the M$_*$-SFR-Z relation) at high redshifts using a sample of 260 star-forming galaxies at $z\sim2.3$ from the MOSDEF survey. We present an analysis of the high-redshift M$_*$-SFR-Z relation based on several emission-line ratios for the first time. We show that a M$_*$-SFR-Z relation clearly exists at $z\sim2.3$. The strength of this relation is similar to predictions from cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. By performing a direct comparison of stacks of $z\sim0$ and $z\sim2.3$ galaxies, we find that $z\sim2.3$ galaxies have $\sim0.1$ dex lower metallicity at fixed M$_*$ and SFR. In the context of chemical evolution models, this evolution of the M$_*$-SFR-Z relation suggests an increase with redshift of the mass-loading factor at fixed M$_*$, as well as a decrease in the metallicity of infalling gas that is likely due to a lower importance of gas recycling relative to accretion from the intergalactic medium at high redshifts. Performing this analysis simultaneously with multiple metallicity-sensitive line ratios allows us to rule out the evolution in physical conditions (e.g., N/O ratio, ionization parameter, and hardness of the ionizing spectrum) at fixed metallicity as the source of the observed trends with redshift and with SFR at fixed M$_*$ at $z\sim2.3$. While this study highlights the promise of performing high-order tests of chemical evolution models at high redshifts, detailed quantitative comparisons ultimately await a full understanding of the evolution of metallicity calibrations with redshift.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, accepted to Ap

The MOSDEF Survey: Kinematic and Structural Evolution of Star-Forming Galaxies at 1.4≤z≤3.81.4\leq z\leq 3.8

We present ionized gas kinematics for 681 galaxies at $z\sim 1.4-3.8$ from the MOSFIRE Deep Evolution Field survey, measured using models which account for random galaxy-slit misalignments together with structural parameters derived from CANDELS Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging. Kinematics and sizes are used to derive dynamical masses. Baryonic masses are estimated from stellar masses and inferred gas masses from dust-corrected star formation rates (SFRs) and the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation. We measure resolved rotation for 105 galaxies. For the remaining 576 galaxies we use models based on HST imaging structural parameters together with integrated velocity dispersions and baryonic masses to statistically constrain the median ratio of intrinsic ordered to disordered motion, $V/\sigma_{V,0}$. We find that $V/\sigma_{V,0}$ increases with increasing stellar mass and decreasing specific SFR (sSFR). These trends may reflect marginal disk stability, where systems with higher gas fractions have thicker disks. For galaxies with detected rotation we assess trends between their kinematics and mass, sSFR, and baryon surface density ($\Sigma_{\mathrm{bar},e}$). Intrinsic dispersion correlates most with $\Sigma_{\mathrm{bar},e}$ and velocity correlates most with mass. By comparing dynamical and baryonic masses, we find that galaxies at $z\sim 1.4-3.8$ are baryon dominated within their effective radii ($R_E$), with Mdyn/Mbaryon increasing over time. The inferred baryon fractions within $R_E$, $f_{\mathrm{bar}}$, decrease over time, even at fixed mass, size, or surface density. At fixed redshift, $f_{\mathrm{bar}}$ does not appear to vary with stellar mass but increases with decreasing $R_E$ and increasing $\Sigma_{\mathrm{bar},e}$. For galaxies at $z\geq2$, the median inferred baryon fractions generally exceed 100%. We discuss possible explanations and future avenues to resolve this tension.Comment: Accepted to ApJ. Added Figure 9, corrected sample size (main results unchanged). 28 pages, 13 figure

3-Acetyl-6-chloro-2-methyl-4-phenyl­quinolinium perchlorate

In the title mol­ecular salt, C18H15ClNO+·ClO4 −, the quinolin­ium ring system is approximately planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.027 (1) Å. The dihedral angle formed between the mean planes of the quinolinium ring system and the benzene ring is 78.46 (3)°. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the cations and anions into a three-dimensional network. The crystal structure is further consolidated by C—H⋯π inter­actions