Estimation of organelle water fractions from frozen-dried cryosections

Local dry mass or water fractions can be measured on frozen-dried cryosections assuming constant section thickness in the hydrated state and no net water movements and no differential shrinkage during freezing and drying. These assumptions have been tested on a model consisting of isolated rat liver mitochondria in an albumin matrix with a concentration similar to the dry mass concentration of the cytoplasm. The dry mass concentrations of mitochondria before freezing as measured by interference microscopy and after freezing and freeze-drying of the sections as measured by X-ray microanalysis and scanning microdensitometry are shown to be equal as long as the ice crystals in the medium are smaller than about 100 nm. It is concluded, therefore, that the above-mentioned assumptions could also hold for the cryopreparation of cells and tissues.     

Freezing patterns in quench frozen,freeze-dried polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)

An SEM investigation of the effects of freezing and freeze-drying on 2 mm diameter columns as well as on 10 mm diameter thick discs of PVP was carried out using standard techniques of quench freezing and cryofracturing followed by freeze-drying. Quench freezing in liquid Freon 12 or liquid propane led to patterns of ice formation that depended on the position in the sample, the orientation of the fracture plane observed relative to the geometry of the sample and the concentration of PVP. Vitrification did not occur. Quench freezing in liquid N₂ resulted in larger ice crystals and the pattern of the crystals was much less predictable.     

Preparation of polyacrylamide-based supermacroporous monolithic cryogel beds under freezing-temperature variation conditions

Continuous supermacroporous monolithic cryogel is a novel sponge-like chromatographic adsorbent for bioseparation in downstream process and it is always prepared under a constant freezing-temperature condition. In this work, polyacrylamide-based supermacroporous monolithic cryogel beds in different inner diameter glass columns (I.D. 10, 16 and 26 mm) have been prepared by radical cryogenic copolymerization process under the condition of freezing-temperature variation. The matrix microstructure morphologies of these cryogels were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the axial liquid dispersion characteristics in these cryogel beds were also analyzed by measuring the residence time distributions (RTDs). The formation of cryogel bed under the present situation has been considered as a coinstantaneous process of solvent crystal growth and polymeric monomer copolymerization. Effects of freezing-temperature variation route, cooling rate and redox initiator concentration on the cryogel microstructure and the liquid dispersion characteristics were investigated experimentally to reveal the cooperative mechanisms of these two processes on the formation of cryogel bed. The results showed that the cryogel pore-structures and the axial liquid dispersion coefficients in the cryogel beds depended strongly on the cooling condition, which controls the solvent crystallization process, and the redox initiator concentration, which influences the monomer polymerization.     

Effects of alkali addition on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete

Increasing the concrete alkali content from 0.6% to 1.25% of Na₂O_e of the cement mass by adding NaOH to the mixture water has harmful effects on most mechanical properties (compressive, splitting, direct tensile, and flexure strengths) of concrete made with a water-to-cement (w/c) ratio of 0.41 and limestone aggregates not susceptible to alkali-silica reaction (ASR), however not on the elasticity modulus measured under compression or direct tension. Shrinkage tests at 50% RH and 23 °C started after 7 days at 100% RH and 23 °C show that the low-alkali concrete shrinks more than the high-alkali one, despite similar water losses. Freeze-thaw tests performed on air-entrained concretes show that the two concretes resist well to freezing and thawing while showing similar air-void systems. When examined under the scanning electron microscope (SEM), the hydrates in the two concretes present similar microstructure; however, the high-alkali concrete shows a more reticular and porous microtexture, which could explain the reduction in strength.     

Wastewater treatment by radial freezing with stirring effects

Radial freezing experiments on wastewater models were conducted in the presence of imposed stirring in order to remove impurities. The studied samples (dilute Na-montmorillonite suspensions charged with nitrates and with zinc or lead) were placed inside a cylindrical annulus, cooled at a controlled temperature around -7 degrees C at its inner wall which rotated around a vertical axis. The freezing front propagated toward the still outer wall which was maintained at a constant temperature around +1 degrees C. Thanks to stirring, considerable purification rates up to 99.97% were attained. It was also demonstrated that combining radial freezing and stirring ended in residual concentrations which agreed with drinking water standards.     

Optimization of stepwise blanching of frozen-thawed potato tissues (cv. Monalisa)

 Response surface methodology was used to compare the effect of temperature and time of the first step of blanching on compression, shear, tension and stress-relaxation parameters of frozen-thawed potato tissues. A central, composite rotatable design was used to study the effects of variation in levels of temperature (52.93–67.07  °C) and time (15.86–44.14 min) on rheological parameters. Blanching temperature was the most important factor affecting the mechanical properties tested. The models fitted for the apparent modulus of elasticity in compression, maximum tension force, and relaxed force in the first cycle (F _r1); all had R ²>0.85 (P≤0.01) and were used for doing predictions. Optimum conditions were with in the ranges of temperature (60–65  °C) and time (25–35 min) used for each factor. In the experimental verification of the models at 65  °C during 30 min, the lowest percentage residual between experimental and predicted values was obtained for F _r1 (0.644), which was therefore the most appropiate parameter for detecting the firming effect that the pectinesterase activity produced on frozen potato tissues as a consequence of stepwise blanching under these conditions. Received: 3 February 1999 / Revised version: 12 April 1999     

数字化无模冷冻铸造成形方法研究

本文提出了一种数字化无模冷冻铸造成形方法。它是用纯水做砂型铸造用粘接剂,预混适量水分的型砂颗粒通过低温冻结后形成冷冻砂坯,然后进行基于减材制造成形原理的冷冻砂型切削的新技术。文中揭示了包覆型砂颗粒的水膜通过低温相变后冻结成冰晶粘接桥的微观形貌演化规律,发现冷冻砂型的强度是由冰晶颗粒和型砂颗粒的界面结合作用产生的,并且随着冷冻温度降低,砂型抗拉强度显著增加。同时系统地开展了A356铝合金在冷冻砂型中的快速凝固成形机理研究,包括冷冻砂型中铸件凝固的铸态微观组织、成分分布及力学行为。结果表明：随着凝固速率提高,组织中初生α-Al相的二次枝晶臂间距（SDAS）显著减小,晶粒尺寸明显细化,Si元素在基体中的溶解度增大。试件抗拉强度、塑性值和微观硬度值均显著升高,金属构件尺寸精度可达CT8级。     

导线覆冰与逆温的概率关系研究

本文以雪峰山观冰站2006～2013年冬季的覆冰观测成果为样本资料,运用GrADS软件对再分析气象资料NECP做数据读取与加工计算,统计出雪峰山区域的逆温日数和分布特性,根据雪峰山站实测资料,统计出样本资料的结冰日数,结合再分析资料的计算结果,对雪峰山站结冰日数与逆温日数做概率统计分析,建立结冰日数与逆温日数之间的条件概率关系,获得了结冰日数的一般公式与雪峰山结冰日数的经验公式,选择湖南雪峰山站、四川罗汉林站、贵州大新寨点的覆冰观测资料为验证样本,运用结冰日数经验公式计算各站点的结冰日数,其结果与实际观测结冰日数误差范围为0～0.8天,结冰日数公式具有一定的适用性。     

Effects of sodium bicarbonate containing traces of citric acid in combination with sodium chloride on yield and some properties of white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) frozen by shelf freezing, air-blast and cryogenic freezing

Effects of sodium bicarbonate with traces of citric acid in combination with sodium chloride on yield, freezing time, freezing rate, freezing loss and cutting force of white shrimp frozen by shelf, air-blast and cryogenic freezing with/without precooking were investigated. Shelf freezing was done at −40 °C ± 2 °C while air-blast freezing was carried out at −35 °C ± 2 °C, and cryogenic freezing was done at −35 °C, −40 °C and −60 °C. The freezing loss in the non-treated samples was 8.25, 4.6-5.84 and 1.92-3.48 g/100 g fresh shrimp for peeled samples frozen without precooking and increased to 21.85, 17.54-26.97, 17.92-20.31 g/100 g fresh shrimp in the precooked samples frozen by shelf, air-blast and cryogenic freezing, respectively. The treatment of sodium bicarbonate containing traces of citric acid at 4 g/100 ml with sodium chloride at 3 g/100 ml lead to the increase of yield thus reduced the freezing loss by about 6.83-10.28 and 6.41-12.4 g/100 g fresh shrimp for the frozen-thawed samples frozen as uncooked and cooked products, respectively. The toughening of shrimp was observed while sodium bicarbonate containing traces of citric acid treatment with sodium chloride could reduce the texture change occurred during the freezing.     

Effect of frozen storage conditions (temperature and length of storage) on microbiological and sensory quality of rustic crossbred beef at different states of ageing

The effect of frozen storage conditions on meat from 36 Morucha × Charolais crossbred yearlings was studied. Slices of M. Longissimus thoracis were randomly assigned to groups arising from the combination of experimental factors. These factors were: ageing extent (3 and 10 days), length of frozen storage (0, 30, 75 and 90 days) and temperature (−20 and −80 °C). Regarding microbiological counts, although values were acceptable in all cases, longer storage time and longer previous ageing extent provided higher phychrotrophic bacteria counts. As frozen storage period increased, colorimetric parameters L^∗, a^∗ and C^∗ decreased, but H^∗ increased. Regarding Warner–Braztler shear force and tenderness values, an interaction (p < 0.05) between frozen storage and post-mortem ageing resulted from larger differences between frozen storage periods at shorter ageing periods than those at longer ageing periods. Frozen storage for 90 days resulted in a reduction in water holding capacity, without differences in juiciness. No effect of freezing temperature was observed in any of the parameters studied.