Freezing Temperature Research Articles

Thermophysical properties of Cordyceps militaris change during the freezing process

This study focuses on determining the thermophysical parameters of Cordyceps militaris in the freezing stage of the freeze-drying process. When the temperature of Cordyceps militaris changed from an ambient temperature of 25°C to a freezing temperature of -45°C, the thermophysical parameters of Cordyceps militaris changed much. The study determined the initial freezing point temperature of Cordyceps militaris to be -0.6°C. At temperatures above the initial freezing point, the density (ρ) and specific heat (c) increase slightly as the temperature decreases. In contrast, thermal conductivity (k), thermal diffusivity (a), and enthalpy (h) decrease. However, at temperatures below the initial freezing point, when the temperature decreases, the density, specific heat, and enthalpy decrease while the coefficient of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusion increase. The results obtained from this study can be applied in calculating the heat and mass transfer during the freezing phase in the freeze-drying process of Cordyceps militaris.

Frost hardiness of 10 olive cultivars after natural and controlled freezing

Selecting winter-hardy cultivars is an effective way to avoid freezing damage in olive trees. In this study, we evaluated the cold hardiness of 10 olive cultivars in the field after a natural freezing event (-12°C in December 2016, Sorkhe, Semnan, Iran) and treatment with controlled freezing temperatures ranging from 0°C to -21°C. The 50% lethal temperature (LT50) based on electrolyte leakage (LT50-EL) and tetrazolium tests (LT50-TZ) before, during, and after dormancy were determined in each cultivar's shoots. The proline and soluble carbohydrate content of leaves and shoots also were measured during dormancy. The LT50-EL had a mean of -9.5°C and ranged from -16.5°C to -4.8°C. The LT50-TZ had a mean of -10.2°C and ranged from -16.3°C to -6.4°C. We classified the olive cultivars into five groups based on their lab-freezing evaluations using cluster analysis. 'Manzanilla', 'Mission', and 'Rashid' were very sensitive to freezing, while 'Roughani' and 'Zrad' were the hardiest cultivars. In Field evaluation, the recovery ability and yield of each cultivar were evaluated six years after freezing damage. Visual scoring indicated that 'Roghani' and 'Zard' had the least amount of trunk damage. However, 'Zard' showed low regrowth power in the field after freezing damage despite its high freezing tolerance in lab and field experiments. 'Roughani' had the maximum fruit yield among the 10 olive cultivars six years after freezing damage (P < 0.01). Our finding indicates that laboratory techniques be combined with field assessments to more accurately evaluate the cold hardiness of olive trees.

Reentrant canonical spin-glass dynamics and tunable field-induced transitions in (GeMn)Co2O4 Kagomé lattice

We report on the reentrant canonical semi spin-glass characteristics and controllable field-induced transitions in distorted Kagomé symmetry of (GeMn)Co2O4. This B-site spinel exhibits complicated, yet interesting magnetic behaviour in which the longitudinal ferrimagnetic (FiM) order sets in below the Néel temperature T FN ∼ 77 K due to uneven moments of divalent Co (↑ 5.33 μ B) and tetravalent Mn (↓ 3.87 μ B) which coexists with transverse spin-glass state below 72.85 K. Such complicated magnetic behaviour is suggested to result from the competing anisotropic superexchange interactions (J AB/k B ∼ 4.3 K, J AA/k B ∼ −6.2 K and J BB/k B ∼ −3.3 K) between the cations, which is extracted following the Néel’s expression for the two-sublattice model of FiM. Dynamical susceptibility (χ ac (f, T)) and relaxation of thermoremanent magnetization, M TRM (t) data have been analysed by means of the empirical scaling-laws such as Vogel–Fulcher law and Power law of critical slowing down. Both of which reveal the reentrant spin-glass like character which evolves through a number of intermediate metastable states. The magnitude of Mydosh parameter (Ω ∼ 0.002), critical exponent zυ = (6.7 ± 0.07), spin relaxation time τ 0 = (2.33 ± 0.1) × 10−18 s, activation energy E a/k B = (69.8 ± 0.95) K and interparticle interaction strength (T 0 = 71.6 K) provide the experimental evidences for canonical spin-glass state below the spin freezing temperature T F = 72.85 K. The field dependence of T F obtained from χ ac (T) follows the irreversibility in terms of de Almeida–Thouless mean-field instability in which the magnitude of crossover scaling exponent Φ turns out to be ∼2.9 for the (Ge0.8Mn0.2)Co2O4. Isothermal magnetization plots reveal two field-induced transitions across 9.52 kOe (H SF1) and 45.6 kOe (H SF2) associated with the FiM domains and spin-flip transition, respectively. Analysis of the inverse paramagnetic susceptibility after subtracting the temperature independent diamagnetic term (=−3 × 10−3 emu mol−1 Oe−1) results in the effective magnetic moment = 7.654 μ B/f.u. This agrees well with the theoretically obtained = 7.58 μ B/f.u. resulting the cation distribution in support of the Hund’s ground state spin configuration and of Mn4+ and Co2+, respectively. The H–T phase diagram has been established by analysing all the parameters (T F(H), T FN(H), H SF1(T) and H SF2(T)) extracted from various magnetization measurements. This diagram enables clear differentiation among the different phases of the (GeMn)Co2O4 and also illustrates the demarcation between short-range and long-range ordered regions.

Effect of dispersant on the performances of an ice slurry-wet precooling system

This study addresses the problem of prolonged precooling time and excessive weight loss of fruits and vegetables during postharvest processes. Ice slurry precooling system shows potential but faces challenges like low undercooling and ice blockage. Dispersants are introduced to optimize heat and moisture transfer as well as the flow characteristics of the ice slurry. This research investigates the effects of four dispersants on the performance of an ice slurry-based wet precooling system through experiments. Key parameters analyzed include temperature and humidity in the chamber, cooling rate, and weight loss rate of the tested load. Results show that the addition of dispersants effectively reduces the freezing temperature, enhancing the cooling rate in the system. Among the four dispersants tested, sodium diacetate yields the lowest freezing temperature of −6.4 °C and the highest cooling rate of 0.3 °C min−1. Furthermore, dispersants influence moisture transfer between ice slurry and circulating air, impacting the humidity within the precooling chamber. Notably, the addition of sodium diacetate results in the lowest weight loss rate of 2.74 %. This research shows the potential of using dispersants in ice slurry-based wet precooling systems to enhance the postharvest preservation of fruits and vegetables.

Biotechnological production of ectoine: current status and prospects.

Ectoine is an important natural secondary metabolite in halophilic microorganisms. It protects cells against environmental stressors, such as salinity, freezing, drying, and high temperatures. Ectoine is widely used in medical, cosmetic, and other industries. Due to the commercial market demand of ectoine, halophilic microorganisms are the primary method for producing ectoine, which is produced using the industrial fermentation process "bacterial milking." The method has some limitations, such as the high salt concentration fermentation, which is highly corrosive to the equipment, and this also increases the difficulty of downstream purification and causes high production costs. The ectoine synthesis gene cluster has been successfully heterologously expressed in industrial microorganisms, and the yield of ectoine was significantly increased and the cost was reduced. This review aims to summarize and update microbial production of ectoine using different microorganisms, environments, and metabolic engineering and fermentation strategies and provides important reference for the development and application of ectoine.

Sensitivity of cloud-phase distribution to cloud microphysics and thermodynamics in simulated deep convective clouds and SEVIRI retrievals

Abstract. The formation of ice in clouds is an important process in mixed-phase clouds, and the radiative properties and dynamical developments of clouds strongly depend on their partitioning between the liquid and ice phases. In this study, we investigated the sensitivities of the cloud phase to the ice-nucleating particle (INP) concentration and thermodynamics. Moreover, passive satellite retrieval algorithms and cloud products were evaluated to identify whether they could detect cloud microphysical and thermodynamical perturbations. Experiments were conducted using the ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic (ICON) model at the convection-permitting resolution of about 1.2 km on a domain covering significant parts of central Europe, and they were compared to two different retrieval products based on Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) measurements. We selected a day with multiple isolated deep convective clouds, reaching a homogeneous freezing temperature at the cloud top. The simulated cloud liquid pixel fractions were found to decrease with increasing INP concentration, both within clouds and at the cloud top. The decrease in the cloud liquid pixel fraction was not monotonic and was stronger in high-INP cases. Cloud-top glaciation temperatures shifted toward warmer temperatures with an increasing INP concentration by as much as 8 ∘C. Moreover, the impact of the INP concentration on cloud-phase partitioning was more pronounced at the cloud top than within the cloud. Furthermore, initial and lateral boundary temperature fields were perturbed with increasing and decreasing temperature increments from 0 to ±3 and ±5 K between 3 and 12 km, respectively. Perturbing the initial thermodynamic state was also found to systematically affect the cloud-phase distribution. However, the simulated cloud-top liquid pixel fraction, diagnosed using radiative transfer simulations as input to a satellite forward operator and two different satellite remote-sensing retrieval algorithms, deviated from one of the satellite products regardless of perturbations in the INP concentration or the initial thermodynamic state for warmer subzero temperatures while agreeing with the other retrieval scheme much better, in particular for the high-INP and high-CAPE (convective available potential energy) scenarios. Perturbing the initial thermodynamic state, which artificially increases the instability of the mid- and upper-troposphere, brought the simulated cloud-top liquid pixel fraction closer to the satellite observations, especially in the warmer mixed-phase temperature range.

Condensation of preformed charge density waves in kagome metals

Charge density wave (CDW) is a spontaneous spatial modulation of charges in solids whose general microscopic descriptions are yet to be completed. Kagome metals of AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs) provide a chance to realize CDW intertwined with dimensional effects as well as their special lattice. Here, based on a state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulation, we propose that their phase transition to CDW is a condensation process of incoherently preformed charge orders. Owing to unavoidable degeneracy in stacking charge orders, phases of preformed orders on each layer are shown to fluctuate between a limited number of states with quite slower frequencies than typical phonon vibrations until reaching their freezing temperature. As the size of interfacial alkali atom increases, the fluctuations are shown to counterbalance the condensation of orderings, resulting in a maximized transition temperature for RbV3Sb5. Our results resolve controversial observations on their CDWs, highlighting a crucial role of their interlayer interactions.

Improving the practicality of recombinant Escherichia coli biosensor in detecting trace Cr(VI) by modifying the cryogenic storage conditions of biosensors and applying simple pretreatment

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a global environmental pollutant. To reduce the risk caused by Cr(VI), a simple, accurate, reproducible, and inexpensive method for quantifying Cr(VI) in water and soil should be developed. In this study, three types of recombinant Escherichia coli biosensors (namely T7-lux-E. coli, T3-lux-E. coli, and SP6-lux-E. coli biosensor) containing promoters (T7, T3, and SP6), chromate-sensing regulator chrB, and the reporter gene luxAB were constructed. This study investigated the effects of cryogenic freezing temperature and time on trace Cr(VI) measurement by using recombinant E. coli biosensors. The results indicated that the activity of thawed frozen SP6-lux-E. coli cells stored at −20 °C for 270 days did not differ from that of freshly prepared cells. Turbidity and conductivity in water samples and organic matter in soil interfered with Cr(VI) measurement using the biosensor. The SP6-lux-E. coli biosensor exhibited a wide measurement range and a low deviation of <5% for measuring Cr(VI) in various Cr(VI)-contaminated water and soil samples and required only a simple pretreatment or extraction process even after 270-day storage at −20 °C. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the use of recombinant biosensors for accurately measuring Cr(VI) in both water and soil.

Experimental Study of the Freeze–Thaw Damage of Alpine Surface Coal Mine Roads Based on Geopolymer Materials

In the process of mining and transportation, the temporary non-hardened mine-road structure is mainly a mixture of soil and stone, which very easily produces dust hazards via crushing and wind transportation. Geopolymers can be used in the road’s soil and stone mixture so that the road reaches certain strength requirements in line with the short-term use of the mine. However, in alpine open-pit coal mines, which are subject to the influence of weather changes, freezing and thawing phenomena will affect the long-term use of the road and its normal and safe operation. An open-pit coal mine in Xinjiang, China, was chosen as the research object of alpine open-pit coal mines. Using the method of indoor testing, different freeze–thaw freezing temperatures, different numbers of cycles, changes in the mechanical properties of the mine-road materials, and microscopic changes were studied. From the experimental results, it was determined that with a reduction in the freeze–thaw freezing temperature, the specimen strength declines after stabilizing, and with an increase in the number of freeze–thaw cycles, the specimen strength exhibits a linear decline. The specimen’s internal structure gradually changed from dense to loose; the fracture mode changed from toughness fractures to crystal fractures after the removal of the maximum load reduction. The uniaxial compressive strength was reduced to 61%; the tensile strength was reduced to 49%. The fracture zone of the specimen was analyzed using energy spectra, and the main elements changed from O (57.19%), Si (17.07%), and Al (12.19%) without freezing and thawing to O (49.76%), Si (15.70%) and Ca (11.09%) after freezing and thawing.

PSVII-17 Differential Freeze/Thaw Rates Affect Water-Holding Capacity and Lipid Oxidation in Beef Rib Primal Cuts

Abstract Fresh meat is vulnerable to microbial contamination and loss of quality. Hence, freezing is used to mitigate these issues during transport and storage. However, freezing may negatively impact the same quality characteristics it was meant to preserve, resulting in products that are dissatisfying to the consumer. During the freezing process of meat, water forms ice crystals of various shapes and sizes. The degree of ice crystal growth, mainly due to the freezing rate, has been shown to affect several meat quality characteristics, including tenderness, juiciness, and color. Previous research has primarily evaluated the effect of freezing/thawing on the quality of beef retail cuts. To the best of our knowledge, however, minimal research has been devoted to examining the impact of freezing/thawing on the quality of beef primal and sub-primal cuts. Therefore, this study aimed to gain deeper insight into the histological, ultrastructural, and physiochemical changes occurring in whole beef ribs in response to different freezing/thawing treatments. To achieve our objective, we purchased 32 choice beef rib primals from a local harvest facility 24 h postmortem. Ribs were vacuum packaged and randomly divided into four groups (8 ribs/group). The first group was frozen in a −20 °C freezer (slow freezing), stored in the same freezer for 12 weeks, and thawed at 4 °C for 24 h (slow thawing). The second group was frozen in an ultralow temperature freezer (−80 °C; fast freezing), stored in the same freezer for 12 weeks, and thawed at 4 °C for 48 h. The third and fourth groups were frozen and stored in the same manner as groups one and two, respectively, but were thawed in a water bath (10 °C) for 8 h (fast thawing). Two 2.5-cm-steaks from the middle and each end were collected to represent the entire rib. One steak from each of the three areas was used for color, cook loss, and tenderness evaluation, while the other three supplied tissue for drip loss and lipid oxidation analysis. Data were analyzed using the mixed model of SAS with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant. No differences were observed in color or tenderness between the treatments (P &amp;gt; 0.05). However, slow thawing increased drip loss, regardless of the freezing rate (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Greater cook loss was observed in the fast frozen-slow thawed samples compared with fast frozen-fast thawed samples (P &amp;lt; 0.05). The slow frozen-fast thawed steaks had greater lipid oxidation than the slow frozen-slow thawed treatment (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In general, our data show that subjecting whole beef rib sections to fast freezing may reduce water loss at the expense of increased lipid oxidation. This demonstrates that additional research is needed to further optimize beef primal cut storage.

Spin glass behavior and dielectric properties of Sm2CuMnO6 perovskites

Monoclinic Sm2CuMnO6 is a fascinating material that exhibits intriguing magnetic and dielectric properties. In this study, we investigated the magnetic transition, conduction mechanism, and dielectric behavior of the material. Mott's variable range hopping of polarons is proposed as a satisfactory explanation for the conduction process, shedding light on the underlying charge transport mechanism. Furthermore, the material displays a spin glass transition at a freezing temperature of Tf = 18 K, suggesting the presence of competing magnetic interactions. Dielectric measurements reveal intriguing temperature and frequency dependence of the dielectric constant (ε) in Monoclinic Sm2CuMnO6. Below 100 K, the dielectric constant remains unchanged with variations in both temperature and frequency, indicating a stable dielectric response. However, above 100 K, ε exhibits an increasing trend with rising temperature and also displays frequency dependence. This behavior suggests the contribution of both deformational and relaxation polarizations, emphasizing the complex nature of the dielectric response.

Achieving superhydrophobicity of Zr-based metallic glass surface with anti-corrosion and anti-icing properties by nanosecond laser ablation and subsequent heat treatment

Water repellency of superhydrophobic surfaces offers an opportunity to enhance the corrosion and icing resistance of metallic glasses (MGs). Inspired by the “lotus effect” in nature, hierarchical micro/nanostructures were constructed on a Zr-based MG surface using nanosecond laser ablation. By subsequent heat treatment in air, the structured surface showed a water contact angle (CA) of 168.2 ± 1.5° and a sliding angle (SA) of 4 ± 0.7° (adhesion force of 9.8 ± 1.7 μN), exhibiting repellency and low adhesion to water. Specifically, the superhydrophobic surface stored in air and immersed in water possessed stability and durability, and the superhydrophobic surface still maintained superhydrophobicity after mechanical scratching. The heat treatment temperature worked as a switch for controlling the wettability transition, and by tuning the temperature, the structured surface can switch from superhydrophobicity (CA: 168.2 ± 1.5°) to superhydrophilicity (CA: ~0°). Furthermore, compared to the polished MG surface, the superhydrophobic surface increased the corrosion resistance and freezing time, and delayed the freezing temperature. This study provides a facile non-fluorinated method for fabricating superhydrophobic MG surfaces with anti-corrosion and anti-icing properties, which would enhance the application of MGs as structural and functional materials under extreme conditions.

Modeling Northern Highbush Blueberry Cold Hardiness for the Pacific Northwest

Freezing temperatures in fall, winter, and spring can cause damage to multiple perennial fruit crops including northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). Predictive modeling for lethal temperatures allows producers to make informed decisions about freeze mitigation practices but is lacking for northern highbush blueberry grown in the Pacific Northwest. If buds are hardier than air temperatures, unnecessary use of propane heaters and/or wind machines is costly. In contrast, use of heaters and/or wind machines during freezing, damaging temperatures can minimize crop damage and potential yield loss. The objective of this study was to model cold hardiness across multiple cultivars of northern highbush blueberry grown in various regions in Washington, USA, and to generate predictive cold hardiness models that producers in the Pacific Northwest could use to inform freeze mitigation. Multiple years of experimental cold hardiness data were collected on four cultivars of northern highbush blueberry grown in western and eastern Washington, USA. Freeze chambers were used to reduce bud temperatures systematically, after which buds were dissected and bud survival was assessed. A generalized linear mixed model with a binomial response and logit link was fit to each cultivar to characterize the relationship between bud survival, freezer temperature, recent air temperatures, and growing degree days from fall acclimation to late winter/spring deacclimation. Model simulation was performed to obtain marginal-scale lethal temperature estimates. Model error estimation was performed using cross validation. Results show cultivar-specific cold hardiness models can be generated, and model development and use can help growers make more informed decisions regarding freeze protection that also minimizes costly applications of freeze protection when unnecessary. Furthermore, such models can be adapted to other blueberry growing regions and cultivars experiencing similar climactic conditions.

Raising Mowing Height Improves Freeze Tolerance of Putting Green–type Bermudagrass

There is a growing trend of cultivating hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] on golf course putting greens in the transition zone because of its excellent quality in the summer months, coupled with less pesticide input than creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). However, the long-term success of bermudagrass putting greens is hindered by low temperatures in winter months, particularly in the transition zone. To address this issue, in addition to genetic improvement for cold hardiness through the development of new cultivars, effective management approaches are necessary to enhance the winter survival of putting green–type bermudagrass. The objective of this study was to investigate the relative freeze tolerance of four bermudagrasses and the effects of raising mowing height on the freeze tolerance of putting green–type bermudagrasses. In this study, two experimental putting green–type bermudagrasses (11X2 and OKC0805) along with cultivars TifEagle and OKC3920 were tested at two mowing heights (3.2 vs. 6.4 mm) at freeze temperatures that ranged between –4 and –11 °C. The lethal temperature to kill 50% of the population (LT50) as well as regrowth vigor during recovery were evaluated. Variety ‘OKC3920’ demonstrated enhanced freeze tolerance compared with ‘TifEagle’ at both mowing heights. Increasing the mowing height from 3.2 mm to 6.4 mm improved freeze tolerance for most genotypes tested in this study. After exposing the grasses to –8 °C for 1 hour, genotypes such as 11X2 exhibited better regrowth vigor and demonstrated a faster recovery. This study suggests that golf course managers can enhance winter resilience of bermudagrass putting greens by selecting genotypes strategically with superior freeze tolerance and raising mowing heights in the fall acclimation process.

Macroencapsulation of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSPV002C as nutritional supplement for piglets: Storage stability and survival in gastrointestinal conditions

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of the encapsulation of Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSPV002C in macrocapsules made from industrial materials during production, storage and under simulated gastrointestinal conditions in vitro and in vivo. The production of macrocapsules involved the evaluation of different wall materials (matrix), namely, gelatin and pregelatinized starch, different inoculums, matrix ratios, and diverse cryoprotectants (whey permeate and maltodextrin). The different macrocapsules were arranged in molds of similar size to pig pelleted food and lyophilized. Then, the viability of the macrocapsules was assessed over time during storage at different temperatures (freezing, refrigeration and room temperature) and atmospheres (vacuum and non-vaccum). The macrocapsules with 10% w/v gelatin+5% w/v pregelatinized starch, permeated (10%, w/v), with a 9:1 inoculum:matrix ratio (GS7.5P9), stored under freezing conditions and vacuum, exhibited the highest viability of L. reuteri DSPV002C (9.3 log CFU/cap until 210 d). Under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, the encapsulated inoculum showed less viability loss (0.58±0.09 log CFU/ml, 26.53%), compared to the free culture (1.56±0.16 log CFU/ml, 2.85%). Finally, by administering GS7.5P9 to pigs, the tolerance of the bacteria to the gastrointestinal environment was verified, with viable counts equal to or greater than 3.72 log CFU/g of fecal matter throughout the trial. In this study, a high-density carrier probiotic macrocapsule of L. reuteri DSPV002C was obtained, which displayed a long shelf life, a suitable shape to be included in pig feed and an adequate survival of viable cells at the site of action.

Towards fast relaxation rates and creep resistance in disulfide vitrimer-like materials

Reaching a delicate balance between polymer flow for reprocessing and mechanical robustness at service temperatures remains a challenge in designing dynamic polymer networks. The demand for creep-resistant materials with fast relaxation rates at relatively low temperatures is a crucial research topic in the academic world. In this study, we present the preparation of a series of disulfide vitrimeric materials by curing two commercially available aromatic and aliphatic epoxy resins and cystamine. Through careful variation of the proportions between the epoxy resins, the properties of the final materials can be properly tailored. The completion of the curing was confirmed using FTIR spectrometry, and the thermal stability of all materials was evaluated by TGA. The thermomechanical properties were investigated using DMA analysis, obtaining glass transition temperatures (Tgs) above 60 °C and high rigidity in the glassy state depending on the proportion of the aromatic resin.Extensive stress relaxation tests unveiled remarkable vitrimeric behavior, with all materials capable of relaxing 63% of the initial stress in less than 2 min at 140 °C. The in-depth creep experiments not only allowed for determining material viscosity at high temperatures and the topology freezing temperatures (Tvs) but also offered control over dynamic stability at room temperature, depending on the initial formulation composition. Dilatometry and tensile tests provided further insights into the materials' characteristics.The self-healing and self-welding behavior enabled by the disulfide metathesis exchange reactions were also evaluated, revealing a total self-healing recovery process with short times and comparable tensile modulus in the welded samples. The facile preparation, commercial availability of monomers, and excellent thermosetting and vitrimeric properties highlight the immense potential of this series of materials.

Expression of Ice Nucleation Protein in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Its Application in Food Freezing Process.

To produce food-grade ice nucleators, a 3.77 kb ice nucleation gene (iceE) isolated from Pantoea agglomerans (Erwinia herbicola) was introduced into the Gram-positive microorganism Bacillus amyloliquefaciens for the first time. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that recombined strain B9-INP was an effective ice nucleator for controlling the supercooling point of distilled water at low concentrations. In the presence of B9-INP cells, model food systems, including sucrose solution and sodium chloride solution, different pH solutions froze at a relatively high subzero temperature, thus increasing the supercooling point by 5.8~16.7 °C. Moreover, B9-INP also facilitated model and real food systems to freeze at -6 °C. This recombinant strain not only improved the freezing temperature of food systems but also shortened the total freezing time, thus saving energy and reducing consumption. The results suggest that B9-INP has great application potential in the frozen food industry.

The effect of freezing and storage temperature on the stability of the fat emulsion in cream

The article presents the results of a study of frozen cream, the purpose of which was to assess the feasibility of using various freezing and storage modes to obtain a product with a stable fat phase. The objects of the study were cream samples of various fat contents (30%, 40% and 50%). Freezing was carried out at three temperature conditions (–50 °C, —25 °C and –18 °C) followed by storage for 4 months in refrigerators maintaining temperatures of –18 °C, —25 °C and –50 °C. Before and after low-temperature treatment, the state of the fat phase of the cream and the size of ice crystals were assessed using a microscopic method. Destabilization of fat dispersion was determined by the content of destabilized fat. It has been confirmed that with increasing mass fraction of fat in cream, the degree of destabilization increases. The amount of destabilized fat in cream samples with 30, 40 and 50% fat content before freezing was 14.3%, 20.0% and 32.0%, respectively. According to the research results, it has been revealed that when the freezing temperature decreases from –18 °C to –50 °C, there is no noticeable reduction in the amount of destabilized fat. The degree of destabilization decreased when cream was moved from lower to more gentle temperature conditions. At a storage temperature of –18 °C for cream previously frozen at –50 °C and –25 °C, the amount of destabilized fat in the cream was lower by 8.0–14.0% and 20.0–25.0%, respectively, in comparison with samples frozen and stored at the same temperature. When conducting microstructural studies, it has been revealed that freezing at a lower temperature with a change in storage temperature allows obtaining ice crystals with a smoother surface, which cause less damage to the membranes of fat globules.

Impact of Cell-Debris and Room-Temperature Storage on Urine Circulating Tumor DNA from Hepatocellular Carcinoma

This study evaluated the impact of cell debris and 7-day room temperature storage on the quality and yield of transrenal DNA. Archived urine specimens collected from five hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients and two pregnant women carrying male fetuses were used to assess the impact of cell debris on urine cell-free DNA (ucfDNA) isolation as measured by quantitative PCR for Y-chromosome DNA, or HCC-associated mutation and methylation markers, and by capillary electrophoresis. Prospectively collected urine from 21 HCC patients was aliquoted after collection for paired immediate freezing versus 7-day room temperature storage followed by freezing for further analysis. Cell debris contained more Y-chromosome DNA than supernatant in three of the six urine specimens tested from pregnant women, suggesting that cell debris can be associated with 20.6% to 84.9% of transrenal ucfDNA. Ninety-five percent (20 of 21) of frozen and room temperature urine pairs had overlapping DNA size distribution. ucfDNA quantity determined by quantitative PCR for TP53, CTNNB1, TERT, and HCC-associated urine circulating tumor DNA markers were statistically similar between room temperature and frozen samples. This suggests no significant difference in DNA degradation between the groups. The association of transrenal ucfDNA with cell debris and HCC circulating DNA stability at room temperature is significant to further the understanding of transrenal circulating tumor DNA pre-analytical handling for HCC screening.

Design and Building of a Two-Stage Cascade Refrigeration System for Storage of Blood Plasma

Daily life-saving transfusions rely on the usage of blood products in clinical and research settings. With its proteins used for replacement treatment, human blood plasma serves as the main source for a variety of therapeutic transfusions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, plasma-based therapy was one of the treatment modalities used to treat infectious infections and as a source of neutralizing antibodies in patients. The specialty of transfusion medicine was adversely impacted and faced a stockpile shortage because plasma must be quickly frozen within six hours of collection in order for its proteins and coagulation components to be of the optimum quality. As a result, the cascade refrigeration system is an innovative technology that can provide the required ultra-low freezing temperature and maintain the same temperature in storage for plasma management. The paper concentrated on the design and construction analysis of a two-stage cascade refrigeration system for quick freezing time, and storing plasma proteins at extremely low temperatures to prolong their limited shelf life in a sensitive, temperature-controlled storage system. The choice of refrigerants R404A and R410A is made for high temperature and low temperature circuits which are carefully selected based on study and analysis of the characteristics of different refrigerants for short-term freezing. The ultra-low temperature evaporator is achieved using a blend of two vapour compression refrigeration cycles thermally connected by a heat exchanger to produce a freezing temperature of -35 0C. For analysis, the system was charged with various weights of plasma weighing between 1 kg and 4 kg for two hours and a half hour and kept at a temperature of -35 0C. The system's dependability and practicality for extending plasma shelf life were assessed. After 72 hours of temperature-controlled storage, the results showed 75% efficiency and a negligible (0.4) plasma quality drop.&#x0D;