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Purpose: This study investigates the thermal interactions between adjacent vials during freezing and assesses their impact on nucleation times. Methods: Various loading configurations were analyzed to understand their impact on nucleation times. Configurations involving direct contact between vials and freeze-dryer shelves were studied, along with setups using empty vials between filled ones. Additionally, non-conventional loading configurations and glycol-filled vials were tested. The analysis includes 2R and 20R vials, which are commonly utilized in the freezing and lyophilization of drug products, along with two different fill depths, 1 and 1.4 cm. Results: The investigation revealed that configurations with direct contact between vials and freeze-dryer shelves led to substantial thermal interactions, resulting in delayed nucleation in adjacent vials and affecting the temperature at which nucleation takes place in a complex way. In another setup, empty vials were placed between filled vials, significantly reducing thermal interactions. Further tests with non-conventional configurations and glycol-filled vials confirmed the presence of thermal interactions with a minimal inhibitory effect. Conclusions: These findings carry significant implications for the pharmaceutical industry, highlighting the role of thermal interactions among vials during freezing and their impact on the temperature at which ice nucleation occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pursuit of advancing the efficiency of cold energy storage, a uniquely designed curved container has been employed, filled with a water-nanoparticle mixtureQ. The container is equipped with fins, strategically leveraging the enhanced conduction facilitated by the presence of nanoparticles. The simulation of the intricate unsteady phenomena in this study has been conducted using the finite element technique, providing a robust analytical framework. The incorporation of an adaptive grid ensures a refined resolution, particularly in the vicinity of the ice front region. The nanoparticle fraction (ϕ) emerges as a pivotal factor directly influencing the rate of solidifying. The dispersion of nano-powders leads to a noteworthy reduction in completion time, demonstrating a substantial 33.21% improvement. The diameter of the nano-powders (dp) introduces diverse effects on the solidification process, primarily due to its significant influence on the conductivity of the nanomaterial. An in-depth exploration of the impact of dp reveals compelling insights. As the dp increases from its smallest size to 40 nm, there is a commendable 15.12% reduction in the required freezing time. However, a subsequent increment in dp beyond this threshold results in a notable 36.56% increase in the freezing time. The findings presented here not only contribute to the fundamental understanding of freezing processes but also hold practical implications for the design and optimization of cold storage systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isochoric (constant volume) freezing is a novel food preservation technology that has demonstrated the ability to preserve food products at subfreezing temperatures in an unfrozen state, thereby avoiding the detrimental effects of ice formation. It minimizes the quality loss of fresh fruits and juices, increases their nutrient content, and reduces microbial counts. Orange juice (OJ) samples were subjected to conventional freezing (CF) and isochoric freezing (IF) for 7 days and then stored at 4°C for an additional 7 days. We evaluated the microbiological and physicochemical quality of CF and IF OJ before and after storage. The IF was performed at three different conditions: −5°C/73 MPa, −10°C/93 MPa, and −15°C/143 MPa. The results indicate that the total aerobic count of OJ remained below the detection limit after heat treatment, 7 days of CF and 7 days of IF. Yeast and mold counts increased in fresh and CF OJ after 7 days of storage at 4°C, whereas IF OJ remained below the detection limit. Less color difference was observed in IF (−15°C/143 MPa) OJ compared to heat‐treated and CF OJ. Heat treatment inactivated 42% of pectin methylesterase (PME), whereas 7‐day long IF increased PME activity up to 150%. Additionally, IF (−15°C/143 MPa) OJ showed reduced pulp sedimentation, which can be advantageous, as sedimentation in juices has been a recognized technological issue in the juice industry. Ascorbic acid level was significantly higher in IF (−15°C/143 MPa) OJ compared to fresh and CF OJ after storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Richtmyer–Meshkov instability (RMI) occurs when a shock wave traverses an interface separated by two fluids with different densities. Achieving "freeze out" (i.e., "killing" of RMI), a critical objective in RMI research for engineering applications, remains an open problem in the context of multi-mode RMI. Here, we introduce particles into the flow field to achieve freeze out, which is attributed to the momentum non-equilibrium effect inherent in the gas–particle phases. This effect facilitates the transfer of momentum and energy from the fluid to the particles, thereby mitigating the amplification of initial perturbations within the mixing zone. We developed a one-dimensional model to predict the velocities of the mixing zone boundaries in multiphase RMI. The growth of RMI was suppressed by controlling the velocities of the mixing zone boundaries through particle effects. A non-dimensional freeze out criterion was derived, incorporating the gas–particle coupling along with the particle volume fraction effect. The condition for freezing a multi-mode RMI was specially designed to estimate the required particle volume fraction to achieve the freeze out. A series of simulations were conducted using a well-verified compressible multiphase particle-in-cell method to validate the realization of freeze out. Further analysis reveals that the designed condition exhibits applicability across a spectrum of multi-mode perturbations, including both broadband and narrowband perturbations, as well as various initial Mach numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the productivity of the freeze desalination process is of key importance. This paper describes an analytical method to predict the productivity for the progressive freeze desalination process utilizing the rectangular channel crystallizer design. The mass of ice produced during the process is considered a measure of productivity. The model was developed using heat and mass transfer modeling. The effect of coolant temperature (from −8 to −16 °C), liquid flow rate (4400–6000 mL min−1), and initial salt concentration of the liquid (1.5–7 wt%) on the mass of ice produced was investigated. The analytical results of the mass of ice produced were compared with the experimental data. A plausible match was found between the analytical and experimental results, with an error range between 6 % and 9 %. The model can predict the mass of ice produced for given values of the initial salt concentration of the liquid, initial mass of the liquid, salt concentration of thawed ice, liquid flow rate, and coolant temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review recent work on Ising-like models with "compressible cells" of fluctuating volume that, as such, are naturally treated in N p T and μ p T ensembles. Besides volumetric phenomena, local entropic effects crucially underlie the models. We focus on "compressible cell gases" (CCG), namely, lattice gases with fluctuating cell volumes, and "compressible cell liquids" (CCL) with singly occupied cells and fluctuating cell volumes. CCGs contemplate singular diameters and "Yang–Yang features" predicted by the "complete scaling" formulation of asymmetric fluid criticality, with a specific version incorporating "ice-like" hydrogen bonding further describing the "singularity-free scenario" for the low-temperature unusual thermodynamics of supercooled water. In turn, suitable CCL variants constitute adequate prototypes of water-like liquid–liquid criticality and the freezing transition of a system of hard spheres. On incorporating vacant cells to such two-state CCL variants, one obtains three-state, BEG-like models providing a satisfactory description of water's "second-critical-point scenario" and the whole phase behavior of a simple substance like argon. Future challenges comprise water's crystal–fluid phase behavior and metastable states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frost damage on the concrete surface might be aggravated when freezing occurs in the presence of a salt solution, like sea water or de-icing salt. A possible mechanism behind this combination of frost and salt is discussed. When freezing takes place in pure water, ice formed at the surface will block inflow of water to the concrete, but it will cause drying of the concrete. When freezing occurs in salt solution, unfrozen water (brine) can enter the concrete surface and make the concrete completely saturated. When pore water freezes, it exerts pressure. The effect of air-entrainment is favourable since it reduces the stresses. A calculation is made of the air requirement for concrete with w/c-ratio 0.45. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freezing of water has a direct impact on the durability of cementitious materials, which include porous binding phases, like calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH). Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can capture behaviors of the water freezing in the pores and may give rise to insightful observations. In this work, the monoatomic water (mW) model and all-atom CSH model are combined to study low-temperature behavior of water molecules restricted within CSH layers. The developed model features good accuracy and accelerated computational rate, and is employed to study how ultra-confined water in CSH phases (≤6 nm) freezes. The threshold width of CSH gap that allows the stable existence of ice is 1.5 ± 0.1 nm. A non-icing layer with an average thickness of ∼0.65 nm exists ambient to CSH surface. The main factor affecting the melting point of confined water is the size of the confined space rather than the water filling fraction. The Gibbs-Thomson model is utilized to describe the relationship between the melting temperature and the width of the confined CSH layers. The utilization of this modeling technique presents a novel approach to replicate the freezing process of nanostructures in cementitious composites subjected to low-temperature erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As deep learning has evolved, larger and deeper neural networks are currently a popular trend in both natural language processing tasks and computer vision tasks. With the increasing parameter size and model complexity in deep neural networks, it is also necessary to have more data available for training to avoid overfitting and to achieve better results. These facts demonstrate that training deep neural networks takes more and more time. In this paper, we propose a training acceleration method based on gradually freezing the parameters during the training process. Specifically, by observing the convergence trend during the training of deep neural networks, we freeze part of the parameters so that they are no longer involved in subsequent training and reduce the time cost of training. Furthermore, an adaptive freezing algorithm for the control of freezing speed is proposed in accordance with the information reflected by the gradient of the parameters. Concretely, a larger gradient indicates that the loss function changes more drastically at that position, implying that there is more room for improvement with the parameter involved; a smaller gradient indicates that the loss function changes less and the learning of that part is close to saturation, with less benefit from further training. We use ViTDet as our baseline and conduct experiments on three remote sensing target detection datasets to verify the effectiveness of the method. Our method provides a minimum speedup ratio of 1.38×, while maintaining a maximum accuracy loss of only 2.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The baking industry is experiencing significant growth, primarily due to the widespread adoption of frozen dough baking. However, this process can negatively impact the fermentation ability of yeast, as freezing can induce stress in yeast cells. This study reports the molecular interplay between the ubiquitin–proteasome system and freezing stress tolerance in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using the proteasome inhibitor MG132, we first screened mutants with enhanced freezing stress tolerance. Three mutants showed elevated activity of the intracellular proteasome, particularly trypsin-like activity (more than threefold) and reduced sensitivity to MG132 inhibition of chymotrypsin-like activity (less than 0.125-fold). Genomic analysis of these mutants revealed mutations in the ROX1 gene, a heme-dependent repressor of hypoxic genes. Importantly, the ROX1 deletion strain displayed slightly improved freezing stress tolerance (about 1.5-fold). Comprehensive transcription analysis identified the ANB1 gene as a potential downstream target of Rox1. Overexpression of ANB1 enhanced freezing stress tolerance (about 1.5-fold) with increased the proteasome's activity, indicating that Rox1 contributes to changes in the proteasome's activity and freezing stress tolerance through the function of Anb1. The present data provide new insights into the mechanisms of freezing stress tolerance and help us improve the baking of frozen dough to produce higher-quality bread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes the freezing project of the North Arch Tunnel of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge as an example. Based on Darcy's law and the theory of heat transfer in porous media, using the coupled module of the temperature field and seepage field in the COMSOL Multiphysics software, numerical simulations of the freezing reinforcement of the new pipe curtain freezing method are conducted to study the influence of different factors on this method under seepage conditions. The research shows that an increase in the groundwater flow velocity will affect the development of frozen soil curtains, prolonging the formation time of frozen soil curtains. A rise in the initial ground temperature will increase the time required for the formation of frozen soil curtains during the freezing process, resulting in a slight increase in the temperature of the final frozen soil curtains. With an increase in the salinity of the groundwater, the temperature at the temperature measurement point upstream of the freezing pipe increases, while the temperature at the temperature measurement point downstream of the freezing pipe decreases. The average temperature of the frozen soil curtain also increases with an increase in the salinity of the groundwater. This study is expected to provide a valuable reference for similar projects in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil leakages cause environmental pollution, economic losses, and even engineering safety accidents. In cold regions, researchers urgently investigate the movement of oil spill in soils exposed to freeze-thaw cycles. In this study, a series of laboratory model experiments were carried out on the migration of oil leakage under freeze-thaw action, and the distributions of the soil temperature, unfrozen water content, and displacement were analyzed. The results showed that under freeze-thaw action, liquid water in soils migrated to the freezing front and accumulated. After the pipe cracked, oil pollutants first gathered at one side of the leak hole, and then moved around. The pipe wall temperature affected the soil temperature field, and the thermal influence range below and transverse the pipe wall (35-40 cm) was larger than that above the pipe wall (8 cm) owing to the soil surface temperature. The leaked oil's temperature would make the temperature of the surrounding soil rise. Oil would inhibit the cooling of the soils. Besides, oil migration was significantly affected by the gravity and water flow patterns. The freeze-thaw action would affect the migration of the oil, which was mainly manifested as inhibiting the diffusion and movement of oil when soils were frozen. Unfrozen water transport caused by freeze-thaw cycles would also inhibit oil migration. The research results would provide a scientific reference for understanding the relationship between the movement of oil pollutants, water, and soil temperature, and for establishing a waterheat-mass transport model in frozen soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Ram sperm are easily affected by cold shock and ice crystal damage during cryopreservation. Appropriate dilutions and freezing methods are crucial as they can provide energy to sperm, maintain a stable environment, minimize the formation of ice crystals, and ultimately impact the cryopreservation of semen. However, there is a lack of diluent formulas and semen freezing methods with simple components, low cost, easy operation, and effective results. Therefore, the effects of eight basic diluents and three freezing methods during ram semen cryopreservation were studied by assessing sperm motility, biokinetic characteristics, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and acrosome and membrane integrity. The findings indicated that combining basic diluent C (Tris-Citric acid-fructose) with liquid nitrogen fumigation (2 cm above the liquid–gas interface for 20 min) achieved the best effect for semen cryopreservation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different diluents and freezing methods on the quality of thawed sperm after cryopreservation and find an inexpensive and practical method for freezing Hu ram semen for use in inseminations under farm conditions. Ejaculates were collected from five Hu rams. In experiment I, ejaculates were diluted with eight different freezing diluents (basic diluents A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H). After dilution and cooling, the samples were loaded into 0.25 mL straws and frozen using the liquid nitrogen fumigation method. In experiment II, diluent C was used as the basic diluent and the semen was frozen using liquid nitrogen fumigation and two program-controlled cooling methods. For analysis, frozen samples were evaluated in terms of motility parameters (total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM)), biokinetic characteristics (straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), wobble movement coefficient (WOB), average motion degree (MAD)), reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and membrane and acrosome integrity. In experiment I, diluent C had higher TM, PM, and acrosome and membrane integrity and lower ROS compared to other extenders (p < 0.05) except diluent A. Diluent C exhibited higher (p < 0.05) VCL, VAP, ALH, WOB, and MAD compared to diluents B, D, E, and F. In experiment II, TM and all biokinetic characteristics did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) amongst the three freezing methods. Liquid nitrogen fumigation resulted in higher (p < 0.05) PM, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, and lower ROS level compared to the program. In conclusion, the thawed semen diluted with diluent C had higher quality compared to other diluents. The liquid nitrogen fumigation demonstrated superior semen cryopreservation effects compared to the program-controlled cooling method using diluent C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A suspended dense graded broken stone road foundation stabilized by cement is a commonly employed material in roadworks, which is vulnerable to harm caused by freezing and thawing processes. This investigation intends to evaluate the laboratory behavior and the characteristics of freezing and thawing process-induced deterioration in a broken stone road foundation stabilized by cement with suspended dense grading, employing mechanical examinations and acoustical methods. The rate of mass loss in the broken stone road foundation stabilized by cement progressively rises, and the rate of decline in the compressive strength could potentially intensify as freezing and thawing processes augment. The modulus of resilience diminishes as freezing and thawing processes progress, and ultrasonic wave velocity also decreases. The patterns of mass loss, compressive strength decline, resilience modulus reduction, and ultrasonic wave velocity alteration adhere to a parabolic fitting relationship with freeze–thaw cycles, with an R2 above 0.95. The curves depicting the relationship of mass, compressive strength, resilience modulus, and ultrasonic wave velocity exhibit a steeper trend significantly after 10–15 cycles, which can be ascribed to the emergence of microcracks and the progression of flaws within the material. The evolution of damage in the broken stone road foundation stabilized by cement is monitored to progress through three distinct stages based on acoustic emission: initial, stationary, and failure. As freezing and thawing processes accumulate to 20 cycles, the length of initial phase correspondingly rises to three times, the length of failure stage diminishes to about one fifth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article responds to the food engineering community's growing interest in an emerging and lauded approach to food preservation, popularised by its developers as 'isochoric freezing'. A strong campaign in the scientific literature and mass media has recently promoted this technique as a universal replacement for traditional food freezing and the frozen supply chain by highlighting a number of alleged advantages of 'isochoric freezing'. Some of these claims therefore require a more neutral and critical assessment against the background of the today's state of the art in food freezing technologies. Hence, this article spotlights several concerns regarding the plausibility, energy expenditure, resource efficiency, process rate, throughput and safety of 'isochoric freezing', as well as the correct use of food refrigeration terminology. The aspects considered are intended to make food scientists, technologists and engineers more aware of the real capabilities and the application perspectives of this still immature mode of refrigerated food processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, a study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of the use of Hericium erinaceus BP 16 polysaccharides mixed with AndroMed® to preserve the motility of bull spermatozoa after freezing and storage at -5 ℃. H. erinaceus polysaccharides have been shown to increase the osmolarity of AndroMed® solution, which lowers its freezing point. It has been established that the motility of progressive spermatozoa after 7 days of storage at - 5℃ is preserved to the greatest extent in the presence of H. erinaceus polysaccharides in the biological medium. At the same time, in the group with polysaccharides, there was a decrease in such indicators of mobility as the speed along the average trajectory, wobble, and beat frequency. The data obtained indicate the promise of using H. erinaceus polysaccharides as part of a cryoprotective solution to preserve the functional usefulness of gametes during their freezing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of knowledge on the combined effects of different stresses on plants, in particular different stresses that occur during winter in temperate climates. Perennial herbaceous plants in temperate regions are exposed to many different stresses during winter, but except for the fact that cold temperatures induce resistance to a number of them, very little is known about their interaction effects. Knowledge about stress interactions is needed in order to predict effects of climate change on both agricultural production and natural ecosystems, and to develop adaptation strategies, e.g., through plant breeding. Here, we conducted a series of experiments under controlled conditions to study the interactions between cold (low positive temperature), clover rot infection (caused by Sclerotinia trifoliorum) and freezing, in red clover (Trifolium pratense) accessions. We also compared our results with winter survival in field experiments and studied associations between stress and shoot growth. Results: Exposure to low positive temperatures (cold acclimation) induced resistance to clover rot. There was a clear negative interaction effect between freezing stress and clover rot infection, resulting in up to 37% lower survival rate compared to what would have been expected from the additive effect of freezing and infection alone. Freezing tolerance could continue to improve during incubation under artificial snow cover at 3 °C in spite of darkness, and we observed compensatory shoot growth following freezing after prolonged incubation. At the accession level, resistance to clover rot was negatively correlated with growth in the field during the previous year at a Norwegian location. It was also negatively correlated with the shoot regrowth of control plants after incubation. Clover rot resistance tests under controlled conditions showed limited correlation with clover rot resistance observed in the field, suggesting that they may reveal variation in more specific resistance mechanisms. Conclusions: We here demonstrate, for the first time, a strong negative interaction between freezing and infection with a winter pathogen. We also characterize the effects of cold acclimation and incubation in darkness at different temperatures on winter stress tolerance, and present data that support the notion that annual cycles of growth and stress resistance are associated at the genetic level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study is to explore the impact of internally guided (IG) versus externally guided (EG) adapted tango (AT) dance training (i.e., dancing the IG "Leader" role or the EG "Follower" role), on motor and non-motor functions in individuals with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait (PD-FOG). The "Leader" role, a proxy for IG movements, conveys direction, timing, and amplitude of steps with tactile cues. The "Follower" role, a proxy for EG movements, detects and responds to the leader's tactile cues. Case description: Six participants were randomly assigned to the IG ("Leader") or EG ("Follower") roles for 20, 90-min AT lessons over 12 weeks. Participants were assessed for PD-specific and non-PD-specific functions before and twice after the end of the 12-week intervention, at 1-week and 1-month post-intervention. Results: EG participants improved and/or maintained performance on more outcomes across all domains than IG participants. Five participants improved in PD motor symptoms, dynamic gait, global cognitive function, and the FOG Questionnaire immediately or 1month after intervention. All participants expressed positive attitudes toward the intervention, including improvements in walking, balance, and endurance. Conclusion: AT training in the follower role may benefit individuals with PD- FOG to a greater extent compared to the leader role. Impact: This case series study could inform additional research with the goal of enhancing physical therapy or music-based therapy approaches for addressing PD-FOG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice nucleating particles (INPs) can be important for deep convective storms through affecting microphysical, thermodynamical, and radiative properties and precipitation. Since the mass of a hailstone is predominantly contributed by supercooled cloud droplets, INPs in supercooled cloud droplets during deep convective storms can be indicated from INPs in hailstones. In this study, hailstones are collected from eight deep convective cases in three regions of China, and immersion freezing INPs in hailstones are measured using droplet freezing experiments over a wide temperature range from −27.5°C to −4.0°C. INP concentrations can vary by 2–3 orders of magnitude, which is consistent with the result in a previous study on hailstones for the same eight cases that insoluble aerosol number concentrations in hailstones also have a variability of 2–3 orders of magnitude. Using the fitting method, three INP modes are suggested to be included for most hailstone samples, while one to two INP modes can be good enough for a couple of hailstone samples. Furthermore, the INPs for warmer mode are more heat‐sensitive, indicating possible existence of proteinaceous biological species. Plain Language Summary: Ice nucleating particles (INPs) are a small portion of aerosols that can initiate ice crystals at temperatures between −38°C and 0°C in the atmosphere. The knowledge of INPs immersed in hailstones is helpful for understanding the heterogeneous ice production process during deep convective storms. This study measures immersion freezing INPs in hailstones collected from eight deep convective storm cases using droplet freezing experiments. Over the experiment temperature range from −27.5°C to −4.0°C, the variability of INP concentrations can be 2–3 orders of magnitude. Through further investigation of freezing nucleus spectra, three INP modes are suggested to be the best description of INP concentrations for most hailstone samples. Indications are found that INPs for warmer mode are more likely to be proteinaceous biological species. Key Points: Over a wide temperature range from −27.5°C to −4.0°C, ice nucleating particle concentrations for hailstones in China are measuredBest fitting of ice nucleating particle concentrations over the experiment temperature range suggests three modes for most hailstonesIce nucleating particles are heat‐sensitive at high temperatures, indicating the existence of proteinaceous biological species [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Freezing stress is one of the major abiotic stresses that causes extensive damage to plants. LEA (Late embryogenesis abundant) proteins play a crucial role in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress. However, there is limited research on the function of LEA genes in low-temperature stress in Brassica napus (rapeseed). Results: Total 306 potential LEA genes were identified in B. rapa (79), B. oleracea (79) and B. napus (148) and divided into eight subgroups. LEA genes of the same subgroup had similar gene structures and predicted subcellular locations. Cis-regulatory elements analysis showed that the promoters of BnaLEA genes rich in cis-regulatory elements related to various abiotic stresses. Additionally, RNA-seq and real-time PCR results indicated that the majority of BnaLEA family members were highly expressed in senescent tissues of rapeseed, especially during late stages of seed maturation, and most BnaLEA genes can be induced by salt and osmotic stress. Interestingly, the BnaA.LEA6.a and BnaC.LEA6.a genes were highly expressed across different vegetative and reproductive organs during different development stages, and showed strong responses to salt, osmotic, and cold stress, particularly freezing stress. Further analysis showed that overexpression of BnaA.LEA6.a increased the freezing tolerance in rapeseed, as evidenced by lower relative electrical leakage and higher survival rates compared to the wild-type (WT) under freezing treatment. Conclusion: This study is of great significance for understanding the functions of BnaLEA genes in freezing tolerance in rapeseed and offers an ideal candidate gene (BnaA.LEA6.a) for molecular breeding of freezing-tolerant rapeseed cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the development of the temperature field of a new type of freezing reinforcement under seepage conditions, in this paper, COMSOL finite element software was used to simplify the model and simulate the effect of groundwater seepage on the development of the temperature field of frozen pipes by coupling the Darcy's law module and the heat transfer module for porous media. The heads of water were also varied to simulate the change in seepage velocity to further investigate the effect of seepage velocity on the temperature field. The results of the study show that the freezing wall formed in the high head region was thinner than that in the low head region due to the effect of seepage, and this phenomenon was aggravated with the increase of seepage rate; The effect of seepage action on the temperature field had a hysteresis along the seepage direction; When the seepage rate was greater than 1.65 m/d, the soil in the center of the device feezed better and could form a tight and dense freezing wall comparable to the size of the freezing device; When the seepage rate was greater than 5.78 m/d, the temperature of the center soil body gradually increased, and eventually the freezing curtain cannot be formed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-based biomass aerogels recently have garnered significant attentions as emerging materials for water treatment, due to their excellent characteristics of high porosity, lightweight structure, chemical modifiability and environmental friendliness. However, conventional freeze-drying methods have resulted in disordered pore structures of aerogels, reducing their mechanical property and water treatment efficiency. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review on the role of freeze-drying in cellulose-based aerogels. Special emphases are placed on freezing optimization strategies in aerogels preparations, such as co-solvent addition, directional freezing, freeze-thaw and soft-ice freezing, and water treatment applications of aerogels including oil-water separation, dye and heavy metal ions adsorptions, and seawater desalination via photothermal interfacial evaporation. The ordered pore structure constructed by freezing optimization can significantly increase the specific surface area and enhance the mechanical property of aerogels, thus improving the mass transfer rate and recyclability. The high-performance biomass aerogels prepared through freezing optimizations have shown a great application promise for biomass resources to achieve green and sustainable water treatment processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on enhancing cold storage efficiency by introducing alumina nano-powders into water within a uniquely designed container. The governing model prioritizes the conduction mode as the primary driving force for the freezing process. To simulate this complex phenomenon, we employ a combination of the adaptive mesh and Galerkin method, utilizing a homogeneous mixture to mimic nanomaterial behavior. The diverse shapes of the dispersed powders are shown to influence system behavior, as detailed in the presented outputs. The investigation specifically considers two crucial variables: concentration (ϕ) and shape factor (m). Additionally, the adaptive grid adjusts according to the ice front's position. The results demonstrate a significant reduction in freezing time by approximately 45.94% with an increase in ϕ. Furthermore, selecting particles with a higher "m" value leads to a 9.68% decrease in the required time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study adopts an innovative approach to boost the efficiency of cold storage. It involves the introduction of CuO nano-powders into water within a uniquely designed rectangular container that features an H-shaped fin. In simulating the freezing process, we utilized the Galerkin technique. The model, intricately designed with conduction as its central driving force, incorporates a homogeneous mixture to mimic the behavior of nanomaterial. A noteworthy aspect of the study involved an in-depth exploration of the impact of powder shapes, providing comprehensive outputs to clarify this influence. The study meticulously considered two crucial variables, namely concentration (ϕ) and shape factor (m). Adding an extra layer of sophistication to the methodology, the shape of the grid was dynamically adjusted in response to the ice front's position. The accuracy of our approach was confirmed through validation against established benchmarks. The findings indicate that the lengthiest freezing process, spanning 6.4 s, was observed when using only water. Interestingly, with an augment in concentration (ϕ), the completion time exhibited a decrease of approximately 27.69%. Additionally, opting for particles with higher "m" values led to a noteworthy 10% decline in the required time, particularly when ϕ = 0.04. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of massive construction in urban subway projects contributes to the increased use of the artificial ground freezing (AGF) method in the construction of cross passages due to its reliability and environmental friendliness. However, the uplift or subsidence of the ground surface induced by the frost heave and thawing settlement of the soil can be a problem for existing buildings, and the current design method places way too much emphasis on the strength requirement of the freezing wall. In this study, FLAC3D was employed to develop a series of state-of-the-art numerical models of the construction of a typical subway cross passage by the AGF method, utilizing freezing walls with different thicknesses. The results of this study can be used to examine the ground deformation arising from the AGF method and the influence of the thickness of the freezing wall on the AGF method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of ultrasound–assisted immersion freezing (UIF) at different power rates (0, 200, 400, and 600 W) on the changes in beef quality and flavor after braising. The results demonstrated that UIF treatment at 400 W significantly reduced the juice loss (cooking loss decreased from 49.04% to 39.74%) and fat oxidation (TBARS value decreased from 0.32 mg/kg to 0.20 mg/kg) of braised beef. In addition, the tenderness (hardness value decreased from 5601.50 g to 2849.46 g) and color stability of braised beef were improved after UIF treatment. The flavor characteristics of braised beef were characterized using an electronic nose and an electronic tongue. The PCA analysis data showed that the cumulative contribution rates of the first and second principal components were 85% and 93.2%, respectively, with the first principal component accounting for a higher proportion. The UIF–400 W group had the highest concentration for the first principal component, and the differentiation was not significant compared to the control group. The total amino acid values of different power UIF treatment groups were improved compared to the AF treatment group, indicating that UIF can effectively reduce the losses caused by freezing. The results demonstrate that ultrasound–assisted freezing treatment is beneficial in enhancing the tenderness and flavor attributes of beef after braising, providing new insights into the processing of meat products with desirable quality characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The samples of small numbers of human sperm are not only difficult to obtain (testicular/ epididymal puncture surgery or microsurgical sperm extraction), but also few in number and poor in quality. Both the sperm recovery rate and the retrieval rate are low using traditional freezing methods. The existing technology of sperm cryopreservation has been improved in many aspects in order to enhance the cryopreservation effect of small numbers of sperm. The newly developed freezing vectors have made great progress in improving the recovery rate of motile sperm, the recovery rate of sperm and the convenience of operation. The cofactors of cryophosphate, such as antifreeze proteins, lecithin, nanoparticles and antioxidants, improved the cryophosphate effect to some extent. Sperm vitrification cryopreservation technology has gradually shown its development potential. This paper reviews the research progress of cryopreservation of small numbers of sperm, focusing on the optimization of cryopreservation vectors, cryopreservation protectant and cryopreservation program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sperm cryopreservation is an important procedure for oligozoospermic subjects at risk of azoospermia and after surgical recovery of spermatozoa in non‐obstructive azoospermic men. Conventional procedures for sperm cryopreservation might be, however, not suitable for samples with a very low sperm number. Objectives: In this pilot study, we investigated the recoveries of sperm motility and viability in severe oligozoospermic subjects (n = 39) after cryopreservation with a tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing, a procedure previously developed by our group for men with good semen quality. Sperm DNA fragmentation was also evaluated in a second group of oligozoospermic samples (n = 16). Materials and methods: We used a Vapour Fast Freezing procedure using 10 μL tips as carrier, and Test Yolk Buffer as freezing medium (tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing). In a subset of samples (n = 22), we compared recovery of motility and viability as obtained with tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing and with a Vapour Fast Freezing procedure using 500 μL straws. Sperm DNA fragmentation was evaluated by the sperm chromatin dispersion test. Results: We found a recovery rate (median [interquartile range]) of 0.29 (0.13–0.41) for progressive motility, 0.30 (0.21–0.52) for total motility and 0.48 (0.29–0.60) for viability. Interestingly, we observed that samples with the poorest motility were apparently less damaged by freezing/thawing. In a subset of samples (n = 22), we directly compared values of viability, progressive motility and total motility by freezing/thawing with tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing and Vapour Fast Freezing conducted with 500 μL straws. We found much better values of all sperm parameters in samples after freezing/thawing with tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing than with Vapour Fast Freezing in 500 μL straws: that is, progressive motility: 7.00 (3.00–8.50)% versus 2.00 (0.00–4.25)%, p < 0.001; total motility: 12.00 (8.00–16.25)% versus 6.50 (1.00–9.25)%, p < 0.001; viability: 29.75 (23.75–45.25) versus 22.50 (13.75–28.13), p < 0.001, respectively. In the second group of oligozoospermic samples, we found that tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing produced lower levels of sperm DNA fragmentation than straws (33.00 [19.75–36.00]% vs. 36.00 [22.75–41.87]%, p < 0.001). Discussion and conclusion: Tip‐microVapour Fast Freezing appears to be a very promising method to cryopreserve semen samples from severe oligozoospermic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phospholipase C zeta (PLCZ1) is considered the major sperm‐borne oocyte activation factor. Cryopreserved stallion spermatozoa are commonly used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). However, plasma membrane damage and protein modifications caused by cryopreservation could impair sperm structure and function, leading to a reduction of PLCZ1 and oocyte activation after ICSI. Objectives: We compared membrane integrity and PLCZ1 abundance in populations for fresh, frozen, and refrozen stallion spermatozoa, either thawed and refrozen at room or low temperature; and examined the effect of relative PLCZ1 content on cleavage after ICSI. Materials and methods: Western blotting, ELISA, and immunofluorescence were conducted in stallion spermatozoa, freezing extenders, and detergent‐extracted sperm fractions to detect and quantify PLCZ1. Retrospectively, PLCZ1 content and cleavage rate were analyzed. Fresh, frozen, and refrozen at room and low temperatures spermatozoa were evaluated for acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity and PLCZ1 content using flow cytometry. Results: Western blotting, ELISA, and immunofluorescence revealed significant reduction of PLCZ1 in spermatozoa after cryopreservation and confirmed PLCZ1 detection in extenders. After detergent extraction, a PLCZ1‐nonextractable fraction remained in the postacrosomal region of spermatozoa. Plasma membrane integrity was significantly reduced after freezing. Acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity were similar between frozen and refrozen samples at low temperature, but both were significantly higher than samples refrozen at room temperature. Acrosomal and plasma membrane integrity significantly correlated to PLCZ1 content. Percentages of PLCZ1‐labeled spermatozoa and PLCZ1 content were reduced after freezing but not after refreezing. Relative content and localization of PLCZ1 were associated with cleavage rates after ICSI. Discussion and conclusion: Sperm PLCZ1 content associates with cleavage rates after ICSI. Cryopreservation is detrimental to sperm plasma membrane integrity and PLCZ1 retention. However, refreezing did not result in additional PLCZ1 loss. Refreezing stallion spermatozoa at a low temperature resulted in better survival but did not improve PLCZ1 retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three stages of ice crystal formation in muscle tissue in this paper were analyzed. • The working principles and equipment of ultrasound-assisted freezing technique, high-voltage electric and magnetic field-assisted freezing technique, and liquid nitrogen freezing technique were discussed, respectively. • The future direction of cold chain storage and transport technology were analyzed. Low temperature environments can effectively inhibit the growth of microorganisms in raw meat products due to the reduced activity of enzymes, which is conducive to the long-term preservation of foodstuffs. At present, mainstream technologies include ultrasonic-assisted freezing, high-voltage electric and magnetic field-assisted freezing, and liquid nitrogen freezing technologies are widely used in the freezing process. In this paper, the freezing processes and devices for the fresh meat products were reviewed. The formation mechanism of ice crystals during the freezing of meat products was analyzed. The influence of the shape and size of ice crystals on their quality was studied. Also, the effect of different freezing processes and freezing device on the quality of meat products was studied. The key technologies regarding cold chain storage and transportation of meat products should move in the direction of intelligence, information, efficiency, and the unmanned. Finally, the key processes and device regarding freezing, cold chain, storage, and transportation were planned for the future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the volume of landfill sludge, a more environmentally friendly technology is used to study the effects of different freeze–thaw–vacuum pretreatment modes. In addition to the cumulative effect of cooling time within different temperature bands, we analyse the temperature difference loss rate of shallow sludge over the period of cooling. During the annular freezing process, the mechanism of ice front formation is revealed by exploring the energy transfer process of landfill sludge. When repeated freeze–thaw–vacuums are performed, the pretreatment modes of a single pre-freeze–thaw and two consecutive pre-freeze–thaws are compared. The superiority of two modes is discussed in the light of local differences in dewatering performance and overall settlement trend characteristics. Furthermore, the final micromorphological structure indicates that the repeated freeze–thaw–vacuum pretreatment mode of sludge is affected by its depth to a certain extent. It is found that factors such as sludge depth and radial water migration have a significant impact on the time accumulative effect and energy transfer of frozen sludge. The sludge treatment mode of two consecutive pre-freeze–thaws has a better effect on the overall dewatering and reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large temperature differences between day and night in winter at plateau areas can lead to the reduction of skid resistance of roads. However, most of the traditional salt storage and deicing fillers are chlorides, and their long-term usage will cause damage to the ecological environment. In order to achieve green deicing of asphalt pavement, this paper developed efficient and environmentally friendly salt storage fibers for the anti-icing of asphalt pavement, and the optimal components of salt storage fibers were determined. On this basis, the morphology and rust resistance of salt storage fibers were characterized, and the ice suppression and deicing performances were also determined. The experimental results show that the optimal component ratio of anti-icing reagent for sodium acetate, potassium acetate and sodium formate follows 7∶2∶1 and the optimal component ratio of organic salt and fiber is 3∶1 , which can achieve a better ice-melting effect and sustainable economy. According to the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, the salts in the salt storage fiber are fully absorbed, which has a certain slow-release performance due to the resin package. In addition, the effective anti-icing components of the salt storage fiber are less corrosive to the metal materials, and the asphalt mixtures doped with salt storage fibers can melt ice at the rate of (1,022 g/ h·m2) under relatively low temperatures. This can effectively weaken the freeze-bond strengths and ice–road interface adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the freezing project of a connecting passage on Guangzhou Metro Line 14 as the background, a joint construction method was adopted. A three-dimensional numerical model of the freezing and swelling displacement field of the connecting passage was established through finite element software. The influence of salt water temperature and cement content on soil freezing and swelling displacement was studied, and the surface freezing and swelling displacement under different freezing wall thicknesses and the plastic area of the excavated soil in the connecting passage were calculated. Under the premise of ensuring construction safety, further optimize the design parameters of the frozen wall to reduce soil frost heave displacement. The results show that when the cement content is set to 12% and the saline temperature is controlled at - 31 ~ - 25℃, the surface frost heave displacement can meet the engineering monitoring requirements at the end of active freezing. The cement content is set to 12%, the thickness of the frozen wall is set to 1. 8 m, and the brine temperature is controlled at - 31℃ . It can be seen that compared with the original construction scheme, the surface frost heave at the end of active freezing is reduced by 73% by using the combined construction method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteriophage fitness is determined by factors influencing both their replication within bacteria and their ability to maintain infectivity between infections. The latter becomes particularly crucial under adverse environmental conditions or when host density is low. In such scenarios, the damage experienced by viral particles could lead to the loss of infectivity, which might be mitigated if the virus undergoes evolutionary optimization through replication. In this study, we conducted an evolution experiment involving bacteriophage Qβ, wherein it underwent 30 serial transfers, each involving a cycle of freezing and thawing followed by replication of the surviving viruses. Our findings show that Qβ was capable of enhancing its resistance to this selective pressure through various adaptive pathways that did not impair the virus replicative capacity. Notably, these adaptations predominantly involved mutations located within genes encoding capsid proteins. The adapted populations exhibited higher resistance levels than individual viruses isolated from them, and the latter surpassed those observed in single mutants generated via site-directed mutagenesis. This suggests potential interactions among mutants and mutations. In conclusion, our study highlights the significant role of extracellular selective pressures in driving the evolution of phages, influencing both the genetic composition of their populations and their phenotypic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to enhance the cryo-survivability and fertilization potential of poor freezable Sahiwal bull semen by devising a modified extender and freezing protocol. This protocol incorporated a combination of trehalose and glycerol as cryoprotectants and freezing with an aluminium block. The semen samples were split into three; the split 1 was extended in routine tris fructose egg yolk glycerol (TFEG) extender and underwent the conventional vapour freezing (Control group). The other split samples considered as treatment samples were extended with diluent having 75 % of TFEG and 25 % of trehalose (280 mOsm/l both) with glycerol percentage being 5, and frozen using a conventional vapour freezing (T1) and modified freezing protocol with an aluminium block (T2). After freezing-thawing, the progressive sperm motility, viability, HOS response and acrosome integrity were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved in treatment 2 compared to the control and treatment 1 groups. Along with this, the degree of oxidative stress (MDA production) was substantially lower in treatment groups (T1 and T2) compared to control group. The results highlight the promising effectiveness of the modified freezing method incorporating trehalose and glycerol as cryoprotectants and using an aluminium block. The significance of these findings lies in the potential application of this technique for freezing-thawing semen, particularly from bulls with poor freezability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin hyperpigmentation is mainly caused by excessive synthesis of melanin; however, there is still no safe and effective therapy for its removal. Here, we found that the dermal freezer was able to improve UVB‐induced hyperpigmentation of guinea pigs without causing obvious epidermal damage. We also mimic freezing stimulation at the cellular level by rapid freezing and observed that freezing treatments <2.5 min could not decrease cell viability or induce cell apoptosis in B16F10 and Melan‐A cells. Critically, melanin content and tyrosinase activity in two cells were greatly reduced after freezing treatments. The dramatic decrease in tyrosinase activity was associated with the downregulation of MITF, TYR, TRP‐1 and TRP‐2 protein expression in response to freezing treatments for two cells. Furthermore, our results first demonstrated that freezing treatments significantly reduced the levels of p‐GSK3β and β‐catenin and the nuclear accumulation of β‐catenin in B16F10 and Melan‐A cells. Together, these data suggest that fast freezing treatments can inhibit melanogenesis‐related gene expression in melanocytes by regulating the Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway. The inhibition of melanin production eventually contributed to the improvement in skin hyperpigmentation induced by UVB. Therefore, fast freezing treatments may be a new alternative of skin whitening in the clinic in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is enriched with active biological components which showed proliferative and cytoprotective properties in healing different injuries in medicinal fields. This study was designed to assess cryoprotective effects of autologous PRP on quality of oligoasthenoteratospermia (OAT) samples during freezing and thawing procedure. Materials and Methods: The present study is an experimental research. Twenty OAT semen samples were obtained from individuals and prepared by discontinuous density -- gradients technique. Control group is sperm samples after DGC. After the procedure, the specimen divided into four groups. Freeze group which has no additive and other three groups were cryopreserved with different concentrations of PRP (1x105/µL, 0.5x105/µL and 0.25x105/µL). Autologous PRP was provided by each participant. After thawing, sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation by sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCD), protamine deficiency by (Chromomycin A3) CMA3 staining, acrosome integrity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were evaluated. Results: Cryopreservation resulted in significant decreased in all factors compared to the control group. There were no significant changes on sperm count, morphology, non-progressive motility and acrosome reaction by adding PRP as cryoprotectant in comparison with freeze group. PRP at all three concentrations showed significant increase in progressive motility (3.05±2.01 vs. 14.05±4.13, 12.35±4.90 and 12.15±9.65, P<0.001) and viability (36.85±10.25 vs. 47.85±5.86, 51.30±5.54 and 50.05±5.67, P<0.001) compared to the sperm samples without PRP. The percentage of immotile sperms decreased at all PRP concentrations compared to the freeze group. Moreover, PRP at 1x105/µL concentration showed cryoprotective effects on DNA fragmentation, protamine deficiency and MDA level compared to the other three concenterations. Conclusion: Cryopreservation and thawing procedures may exert adverse effects on biological factors of sperm samples. Therefore, adding PRP as cryoprotectant at all three concentrations especially 1x105/µL can be promising strategy to reduce adverse effects of cryopreservation on OAT samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) play important roles in plant stress response. As a major member of the MAPK family, MPK3 has been reported to participate in the regulation of chilling stress. However, the regulatory function of wheat (Triticum aestivum) mitogen-activated protein kinase TaMPK3 in freezing tolerance remains unknown. Dongnongdongmai No.1 (Dn1) is a winter wheat variety with strong freezing tolerance; therefore, it is important to explore the mechanisms underlying this tolerance. In this study, the expression of TaMPK3 in Dn1 was detected under low temperature and hormone treatment. Gene cloning, bioinformatics and subcellular localisation analyses of TaMPK3 in Dn1 were performed. Overexpressed TaMPK3 in Arabidopsis thaliana was obtained, and freezing tolerance phenotype observations, physiological indices and expression levels of ICE-C-repeat binding factor (CBF)-COR-related genes were determined. In addition, the interaction between TaMPK3 and TaICE41 proteins was detected. We found that TaMPK3 expression responds to low temperatures and hormones, and the TaMPK3 protein is localised in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Overexpression of TaMPK3 in Arabidopsis significantly improves freezing tolerance. TaMPK3 interacts with the TaICE41 protein. In conclusion, TaMPK3 is involved in regulating the ICE-CBF-COR cold resistance module through its interaction with TaICE41, thereby improving freezing tolerance in Dn1 wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oleifera Abel. is the dominant woody oil crop under significant development in China. Wild C. oleifera in Lu Mountain is a valuable genetic resource with strong freezing tolerance. With high-throughput sequencing, the genome of wild C. oleifera in Lu Mountain was analysed and 700.3 Gb clean reads were obtained. The genome of wild C. oleifera was estimated as allohexaploid, and its haplotype genome size was about 2.69 Gb-2.79 Gb, with repeat content of 63.01%-73.02% and heterozygosity of 6.30%-7.43%, belonging to a very complex genome. The genomic draft was assembled that contained a total of 6,952,303 scaffolds with N50 length of 1.23 kb, and the overall length was 2.39 Gb with GC content of 40.87%. In the genomic draft, 1,104,618 SSRs were identified; scaffold1096012 and scaffold1779458 were identified as key genes associated with freezing tolerance combined with the transcriptome data of field plus lab experiments. In this study, the genomic background of hexaploid wild C. oleifera in Lu Mountain was revealed. This lays the foundation for obtaining the high-quality chromosome-level reference genome of wild C. oleifera. The identification of SSRs and key genes associated with freezing tolerance may contribute to the efficient exploration and utilisation of this genetic resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the freezing characteristics and the effects of the horizontal freezing method of shield tunneling on the surrounding environment at a complex site, a systematic study with field measurements of the temperature and frost heave displacement fields of horizontal cup-type freezing was conducted on the south end shield tunneling of the Shuanghehu station of Zhengzhou metro line 17. The conclusions of the current research are: (1) the soil has a greater effect on freezing than the average moisture content of the soil layer. On the premise of a similar average moisture content, silt continues to cool at a faster rate after reaching the freezing point; (2) within the outer circle of the freezing tube, the rate of expansion of the freezing curtain decreases with distance from the freezing tube. The rates of development measured by the outer holes of the left and right line tests are 2.40 and 6.03 times those of the inner holes, respectively; (3) frost heave displacements are larger near the frozen area. The maximum frost heave in the frozen area is about 1.60–1.83 times that in the unfrozen area; (4) the temperature measurement holes in the left line fell below 0 °C 6 days later than the right line. The flow of groundwater has an adverse effect on the effect of freezing consolidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Condiment is the property of China Condiment and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, the qualitative changes in raw birch sap after freezing and thawing were determined. Ten-liter bottles and one-ton plastic containers with six replications were used for the freezing of birch sap and thawing of frozen sap. During and after the thawing, the physical and physical–chemical properties of the sap were measured. According to the results, as the ice melts, the concentration of acids and other soluble substances in the sap decreases, but changes in qualitative indicators indicate the beginning of fermentation processes through color changes and pH as the temperature of the melting sap becomes positive. As a result, to freeze raw sap in large-volume containers, it is necessary to develop fast thawing technology using auxiliary means—circulation, external energy sources, and mechanical ice crushing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective/Background: Oncorhynchus mykiss is the most popular type of freshwater fish consumed by Iranians. It has delicious taste and high nutritional value. The purpose of processing and preserving fish is to get it to the end consumer in a good, usable condition. Methods: This study is a descriptive study that compares and determines the analysis results of proximate, protein, and fat between fresh and processed fish using the standard method of AOAC and compares the analysis of this study with that of other studies. The effect of the processing methods' nutritional composition is determined. In addition to fresh fish, 5 treatments are used for the 5 different methods of fish processing. Results: The fresh fish and the different processed samples were analyzed by standard AOAC methods, and their pH was measured. After analyzing the macronutrient compounds of different samples, the energy values were then calculated in kcal. The moisture content ranged from 72.50% for fresh fish to 19.50% for frozen fish, while the fat content ranged from 8.09% for fresh fish to 64.47% for frozen fish. The ash contents were found to range from 4.82% to 5.82%, while the protein contents were found to range from 10.47% to 13.59%. The results showed that quick freezing of fish preserved nutrients with a high percentage of energy. This sample was recommended for consumption, followed by samples thawed in oven and in hot water. The fried and boiled samples were in the next stages of quality and energy values. Conclusions: Because the fat content of this type of fresh fish is high, and if fish feed and its nutrition are protein materials with high biological value, it will be useful to increase the percentage of meat protein for it to grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an experiment on the immediate and lasting effects of reminder nudges in a complex environment. In the study, 1,542 subjects face a setting where, within a brief time frame, they have to pay attention to and perform multiple actions in a computer game. The experiment investigates i) the effect of reminders on the reminded actions and their spillovers on nonreminded actions; ii) spillovers between multiple nudges when the number of reminded actions is increased; and iii) intertemporal spillovers from having been exposed to reminders on actions after reminders are withdrawn. Our findings reveal, first, that reminders have a positive effect on the overall number of actions performed. It results from the positive direct effect on the reminded actions dominating the negative spillovers on nonreminded actions. These negative effects are notable in our setting, where reminders could potentially have positive spillovers by freezing attention or by indirectly prompting actions similar to the reminded ones. Second, we observe that reminder nudges are scalable. Increasing the number of reminded actions leads subjects to take more actions overall, albeit with diminishing returns and more pronounced negative spillover effects. Third, after reminders are withdrawn, the positive effect on reminded actions diminishes, while negative spillovers on nonreminded actions persist, thus rendering reminders ineffective in increasing the overall number of actions performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Embryo cryopreservation is a valuable technique used for preserving genetic resources for long periods. However, the survival rate of embryos is dependent on the method used. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the efficiency of slow freezing method but with an additional dehydration step prior to freezing to overcome the formation of ice crystals. Methods: Oocytes collected from the ovaries of native Korean cattle subjected to in vitro fertilization were cultured for 7 days until the formation of expanded blastocysts. Before freezing, the blastocysts were placed in four pre-equilibration media: a control medium with no addition of sucrose, and three experimental media with the addition of 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 M sucrose, respectively. Then, the pre-equilibrated embryos were frozen. Embryo survival and hatching rates were evaluated morphologically at 24, 48, and 72 h after thawing. Immunofluorescence staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferasemediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, and gene expression analysis of the re-expanded blastocytes were examined 24 h after freeze-thawing. Results: The survival rate was significantly higher in the 0.1 M group than in the control group (p < 0.05), and the hatching rate at 72 h was significantly higher in the 0.25 and 0.5 M groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). TUNEL-positive cells were significantly lower in the 0.25 M group than in the control group (12.5 ± 0.9 vs. 8.3 ± 0.8; p < 0.05). The gene expression of BCL2 associated X, heat shock protein 70 kDa, and aquaporin 3 in the 0.25 M group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study revealed that treatment with 0.25 M sucrose before slow freezing improved the viability of bovine embryos after freeze-thawing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The short shelf life of platelets entails significant logistical problems when providing this blood component in the theater of operations. The platelet freezing procedure increases the useful life of this product from days to years, rendering cryopreserved platelets a suitable resource for use in austere and military environments. This work presents the validation protocol for the platelet freezing procedure developed by the Spanish Armed Forces Transfusion Center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting pavement temperature by depth is crucial for road design, analysis, and maintenance. However, current methods predominantly utilize regression and/or open-form solutions focusing on highways. Additionally, most machine-learning models focus on asphalt layers and do not extend to deeper pavement layers. Therefore, this study provides deep-learning models using weather parameters to predict pavement temperature from surface to sublayers and estimate pavement freezing depth for developing massive apartment complexes. Temperature-by-depth data collected from thin pavements from three locations in South Korea were used. Comparative analyses of long short-term memory (LSTM), convolutional neural network-LSTM (CNN-LSTM), and convolutional LSTM were performed. Results showed that CNN-LSTM model performed better with coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.965, 0.987, and 0.981. Additionally, the CNN-LSTM predicted freezing depth with 0.3%–13.1% error margins outperforming the LSTM, Aldrich's, and Korean Ministry of Transport approaches. The proposed approach shows that deep-learning models better estimate the freezing depth of pavements than existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Freezing propagation in microscale droplets significantly depends on ice bridge formation. • Microscale droplets condensed on tailored hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. • The local velocity of the ice bridge growth from frozen to supercooled droplets was observed. • The ice bridge growth was measured and formulated without any fitting parameters. • The proposed equation agreed well with the measured velocity. Condensation frosting causes performance degradation and other problems in various fields, such as wind power generation and heat exchangers. During the initial stage of condensation frosting, freezing propagation from frozen to supercooled water droplets is often observed, the dynamics of which must be clarified to solve these problems. A frozen droplet forms a protrusion to an adjacent supercooled droplet, known as an ice bridge; the growth velocity of the ice bridge is essential for discussing freezing propagation. In this study, we fabricated wettability-patterned surfaces on silicon wafers to obtain droplets with controlled spacing and size and visualized and evaluated the ice bridge formation process under reproducible conditions, and the local velocity change in the ice bridge growth was measured for the first time. Experiments showed the local velocity of the ice bridge growth increased as the tip of the ice bridge approached the adjacent supercooled droplet. Simple model equations for the freezing propagation velocity and ice bridge growth were proposed. The proposed model agreed well with the measured velocity and did not include any fitting or geometric parameters of the ice bridge or droplets, such as volume or shape. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]