• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.578-593
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• 2023

Intense convective activity and heavy precipitation inundated Seoul and its metropolitan area on July 15, 2017. This study investigated the synoptic-scale meteorological drivers of cold cloud genesis of this event. The WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry) model was employed to explore the intricate interplay between meteorological factors and the indirect effects of PM_2.5 aerosols originating from eastern China. The PM_2.5 aerosols' indirect effect was quantified by contrasting outcomes between the comprehensive Aerosol Radiation Interaction experiment (encompassing aerosol radiation feedback, cloud chemistry processes, and wet scavenging in the WRF-Chem model) and ACR (Aerosol Cloud Radiation interaction) experiment. The ACR experiment specifically excluded aerosol radiation feedback while incorporating only cloud chemistry processes and wet scavenging. Results indicated that in the early hours of July 15, 2017, a convergence of warm, moisture-laden airflow originating from southeast China and the East China Sea unfolded over the Yellow Sea. This convergence was driven by the juxtaposition of a low-pressure system over the Chinese mainland and Northwest Pacific high. Notably, at approximately 12 km altitude, the resultant convective clouds were characterized by the presence of ice crystals, a hallmark of continental-origin cold clouds. The WRF-Chem model simulations elucidated the role of PM_2.5 aerosols from eastern China, attributing 5.7, 10.4, and 10.8% to cloud water, ice crystal column, and liquid water column formation, respectively, within the developing cold clouds. Thus, this study presented a meteorological mechanism elucidating the formation of deep convective clouds over the Yellow Sea and the indirect effects of PM_2.5 aerosols originating from eastern China.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.266-273
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• 2008

Natural gas hydrates are ice-like solid substances, which are composed of water and natural gas, mainly methane. They have three kinds of crystal structures of five polyhedra formed by hydrogen-bonded water molecules, and are stable at high pressures and low temperatures. They contain large amounts of organic carbon and widely occur in deep oceans and permafrost regions. Therefore, they are expected as a potential energy resource in the future. Especially, $1m^3$ natural gas hydrate contains up to $172Nm^3$ of methane gas, de pending on the pressure and temperature of production. Such large volumes make natural gas hydrates can be used to store and transport natural gas. In this study, three-phase equilibrium conditions for forming natural gas hydrate were numerically obtained in pure water and single electrolyte solution containing 3 wt% NaCl. The results show that the predictions match the previous experimental values very well, and it was found that NaCl acts as an inhibitor. Also, help gases such that ethane, propane, i-butane, and n-butane reduce the hydrate formation pressure at the same temperature.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2003

Human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines have been derived from human blastocysts and are expected to have far-reaching applications in regenerative medicine. The objective of this study is to improve freezing method with less cryo-injuries and best survival rates in hES cells by comparing various vitrification conditions. For the vitrifications, ES cells are exposed to the 4 different cryoprotectants, ethylene glycol (EG), 1,2-propanediol (PROH), EG with dime-thylsulfoxide (DMSO) and EG with PROH. We compared to types of vehicles, such as open pulled straw (OPS) or electron microscopic cooper grids (EM grids). Thawed hES cells were dipped into sequentially holding media with 0.2 M sucrose for 1 min, 0.1 M sucrose for 5 min and holding media for 5 min twice and plated onto a fresh feeder layer. Survival rates of vitrified hES cells were assessed by counting of undifferentiated colonies. It shows high survival rates of hES cells frozen with EG and DMSO (60.8％), or EG and PROH(65.8％) on EM grids better than those of OPS, compared to those frozen with EG alone (2.4％) or PROH alone (0％) alone. The hES cells vitrified with EM grid showed relatively constant colony forming efficiency and survival rates, compared to those of unverified hES cells. The vitrified hES cells retained the normal morphology, alkaline phosphates activity, and the expression of SSEA-3 and 4. Through RT-PCR analysis showed Oct-4 gene expression was down-regulated and embryonic germ layer markers were up-regulated in the vitrified hES cells during spontaneous differentiation. These results show that vitrification method by using EM grid supplemented with EG and PROH in hES cells may be most efficient at present to minimize cyto-toxicity and cellular damage derived by ice crystal formation and furthermore may be employed for clinical application.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1135-1145
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• 2024

When cells are exposed to freezing temperatures, high concentrations of cryoprotective agents (CPA) prevent ice crystal formation, thus enhancing cell survival. However, high concentrations of CPAs can also cause cell toxicity. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) from polar marine environments exhibit lower toxicity and display effects similar to traditional CPA. In this study, we sought to address these issues by i) selecting strains that produce EPS with novel cryoprotective activity, and ii) optimizing culture conditions for EPS production. Sixty-six bacteria producing mucous substances were isolated from the Ross Sea (Antarctic Ocean) using solid marine agar plates. Among them, Pseudoalteromonas sp. RosPo-2 was ultimately selected based on the rheological properties of the produced EPS (p-CY02). Cryoprotective activity experiments demonstrated that p-CY02 exhibited significantly cryoprotective activity at a concentration of 0.8% (w/v) on mammalian cells (HaCaT). This activity was further improved when combined with various concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) compared to using DMSO alone. Moreover, the survival rate of HaCaT cells treated with 5% (v/v) DMSO and 0.8% (w/v) p-CY02 was measured at 87.9 ± 2.8% after freezing treatment. This suggests that p-CY02 may be developed as a more effective, less toxic, and novel non-permeating CPA. To enhance the production of EPS with cryoprotective activity, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was implemented, resulting in a 1.64-fold increase in production of EPS with cryoprotective activity.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.85-89
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• 2017

This study was conducted to prevent hardened texture in retorted frozen seafoods such as small octopus, squid, and top shell by adding sorbitol; the strength of mechanical hardness and other qualities were measured. The hardness of the 3 kinds of seafood pretreated with 2-4% (w/w) sorbitol solution decreased by 9-36% compared to the control. The hardness of retorted frozen octopus, squid, and top shell treated with sorbitol solution upon freezing significantly decreased to 1670, 1015, and $521g_f/cm^2$ compared to levels in untreated food of 1841, 1291, and $815g_f/cm^2$ (p<0.05), respectively. Yields based on weight in retorted seafood treated with sorbitol were increased by 2-5% compared to untreated samples. Additionally, the overall preference of texture was 0.4 points higher than that of control samples in descriptive sensory evaluation (p<0.05). The tissue softening of pretreated seafood was based on decreased dewatering due to the formation of small ice crystals during freezing as a result of sorbitol treatment.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.223-229
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• 2013

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) is a power generation system to convert chemical energy of fuels and oxidants to electricity directly by electrochemical reactions. As a catalyst support for PEMFCs, carbon black has been generally used due to its large surface area and high electrical conductivity. However, under certain circumstances (start up/shut down, fuel starvation, ice formation etc.), carbon supports are subjected to serve corrosion in the presence of water. Therefore, it would be desirable to switch carbon supports to corrosion-resistive support materials such as metal oxide. $TiO_2$ has been attractive as a support with its stability in fuel cell operation atmosphere, low cost, commercial availability, and the ease to control size and structure. However, low electrical conductivity of $TiO_2$ still inhibits its application to catalyst support for PEMFCs. In this paper, to explore feasibility of $TiO_2$ as a catalyst support for PEMFCs, $TiO_2$ nanofibers were synthesized by electrospinning and calcinated at 600, 700, 800 and $900^{\circ}C$. Effects of calcination temperature on crystal structure and electrical conductivity of electrospun $TiO_2$ nanofibers were examined. Electrical conductivity of $TiO_2$ nanofibers increased significantly with increasing calcination temperature from $600^{\circ}C$ to $700^{\circ}C$ and then increased gradually with increasing the calcination temperature from $700^{\circ}C$ to $900^{\circ}C$. It was revealed that the remarkable increase in electrical conductivity could be attributed to phase transition of $TiO_2$ nanofibers from anatase to rutile at the temperature range from $600^{\circ}C$ to $700^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.219-228
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• 2003

Background:Liquid nitrogen freezing techniques have already met with widespread success in biology and medicine as a means of long-term storage for cells and tissues. The use of cryoprotectants such as glycerol and dimethylsulphoxide to prevent ice crystal formation, with carefully controlled rates of freezing and thawing, allows both structure and viability to be retained almost indefinitely. Cryopreservation of various tissues has various con-trolled rates of freezing. Material and Method: To find the optimal freezing curve and the chamber temperature, we approached the thermodynamic calculation of tissues in two ways. One is the direct calculation method. We should know the thermophysical characteristics of all components, latent heat of fusion, area, density and volume, etc. This kind of calculation is so sophisticated and some variables may not be determined. The other is the indirect calculation method. We performed the tissue freezing with already used freezing curve and we observed the actual freezing curve of that tissue. And we modified the freezing curve with several steps of calculation, polynomial regression analysis, time constant calculation, thermal response calculation and inverse calculation of chamber temperature. Result: We applied that freezing program on mesenchymal stem cell, chondrocyte, and osteoblast. The tissue temperature decreased according to the ideal freezing curve without temperature rising. We did not find any differences in survival. The reason is postulated to be that freezing material is too small and contains cellular components. We expect the significant difference in cellular viability if the freezing curve is applied on a large scale of tissues. Conclusion: This program would be helpful in finding the chamber temperature for the ideal freezing curie easily.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.682-687
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• 1999

The destruction of tissues by volume increase at food freezing is accepted as one of the factor responsible for quality damage. For this reason, the internal pressure developed in meats were investigated with a pressure transducer during freezing, frozen storage and thawing. Increasement of 6.33% for volume and $942.17\;kg/cm^2$ for density at $-20^{\circ}C$ for beef were shown. In quick and slow freezing of beef, internal pressure reached to highest point after reached to the lowest point at initial of the zone of ice crystal formation. The internal pressure was approximately $8{\sim}10\;psig$ and pressure difference was about 1 psig, which was bigger in immersion freezing than that of still-air freezing. During frozen storage of pork, internal pressure of $1.84{\sim}2.32\;psig$ occurred repeatedly as a function of sample weight at material temperature difference of ${\pm}1^{\circ}C$. The internal pressure during thawing of pork was decreased slowly after rapid increase to the maximum for less than 5min at the beginning of thawing. Internal pressure value at thawing was higher than that at freezing in most cases. Internal pressure of beef with thermal equalized freezing was about $1{\sim}4\;psig$, which was lower than that of non-thermal equalized freezing. Also, freezing time was shortened to $10{\sim}20%$.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.463-470
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• 1998

To improve muscle quality and prolong freshness of sashimi, the effects of freezing-thawing condition on physicochemical and rheological properties of plaice muscle were investigated. Muscle tested were frozen with quick freezing (liquid nitrogen gas) or slow freezing ($-15^{\circ}C$ air). Transition time of zone of ice crystal formation was within 10 minute for quick freezing and 110 minute for slow freezing. Time required for thawing to $0^{\circ}C$ in muscle temperature by various thawing methods was shortest with $25^{\circ}C$ tap water, followed by $15^{\circ}C$ tap water, $10^{\circ}C$ tap water, $25^{\circ}C$ air, $5^{\circ}C$ tap water and $0^{\circ}C$ cold water. Breaking strength of muscle was higher in quickly frozen sample than in slowly frozen sample. According to sashimi term, changes in breaking strength of muscle did not show any difference in quickly frozen sample, while showed significant difference in slowly frozen sample. The remaining content of ATP was not effected by freezing speed, and ATP content was apt to higher in quickly thawed sample than in slowly thawed sample. IMP was the majority of ATP and it's related compounds of sample after freezing and thawing. Collagen matrix was weakened markedly in slowly frozen sample than in quickly frozen sample.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.307-319
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• 2010

Objective: Vitrification requires a high concentration of cyroprotectant (CPA) and an elevated cooling speed to avoid ice crystal formation. We have evaluated the effect of different combinations of cooling rate and CPA on embryonic integrity (developmental competence) in order to increase the efficiency of vitrification without impairing embryo viabilit. We hypothesized that the combination of CPA or the increase of cooling rates can reduce the concentration of toxic CPA for vitrification. As consequently, we performed experiments to evaluate the effect of various composition of CPA or slush nitrogen ($SN_2$) on the mouse embryonic development following vitrification using low CPA concentration. Methods: Vitrification of mouse embryos was performed with EM grid using liquid nitrogen ($LN_2$) or $SN_2$ and different composition of CPAs, ethylene glycol (EG) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). After vitrification-warming process, their survival and blastocyst formation rates were examined. For analyzing long-term effect, these blastocysts were transferred into the uterus of foster mothers. Results: Survival and blastocyst formation rates of vitrified embryos were higher in EG+DMSO group than those in EG only. Furthermor, the group using $SN_2$ with a lower CPA concentration showed a higher survival of embryos and developmental rates than group using $LN_2$. Conclusion: The combination of EG and DMSO as CPAs may enhance the survival of mouse embryos and further embryonic development after vitrification. $SN_2$ can generate high survival and developmental rate of vitrified/warmed mouse embryos when a lower concentration of CPA was applied. Therefore, these systems may contribute in the improvement of cryopreservation for fertility preservation.