True Density Research Articles

Analysis of Forest Biomass Wood Briquette Structure According to Different Tests of Density

X-ray technology is capable of non-destructively testing solid wood samples. The prepared wood briquette samples were identified by X-ray technology. The studies assessed the effect of biomass briquette structure by observing wood chip fractions under an X-ray. Study results show that X-ray technology is an effective tool for analyzing biomass wood-based materials, e.g., density, improving wood products quality and performance. The measurements are consistent with the true density, and chemical properties were measured from chosen material. In the article, a coefficient representing the picture density and true density of briquettes was proposed, and the comparison of both densities was based on the empirical measurements. Probably through an application of the conversion factor, the process of determining material densities could be simplified, cheaper, and quicker. Due to the conducted research, X-ray technology is an effective tool for improving wood products’ quality and performance. Combining X-ray technology with laboratory test results can provide quick and easy analysis. For example, the density comparison of shredded forest residues was defined. Based on the results, the mean value of the conversion factor was about 0.6. In addition, the observed results were compared with the doctoral research. Higher durability was found in briquettes with lower fractions of f1 (31–68%) compared to the higher f2, f3, and f4 (6–37%), which was approved in the spectrum picture.

The Killer Whale in the Caribbean Sea: An Updated Review of Its Ecology, Exploitation, and Interactions with Fisheries

The killer whale (Orcinus orca) is a cosmopolitan cetacean distributed worldwide. Extensive studies have described its ecology and behavior across multiple polar and temperate regions. On the other hand, there is limited information on the distribution, ecological roles, and abundance of killer whales in tropical and subtropical regions. Herein, we build on previous work to update information on the spatiotemporal distribution, exploitation, and natural history of killer whales in the Caribbean Sea. We also document new records on their interaction with other species and human activities. We collated 385 records from the literature, online biodiversity information systems, the Internet (social networks and video-hosting websites), and citizen science-based initiatives. Records included sightings (87.3%), intentional captures (10.6%), bycatch (0.3%), and strandings (1.8%). Data primarily originated from research projects/activities (57%) and citizen science-based initiatives (43%). Records were distributed in the eastern Caribbean (39.5%), the southern Caribbean (19.7%), the Greater Antilles (19.2%), the Bahamian Region (13.0%), Central America (6.8%), and eastern Florida (1.8%). Killer whales were recorded year-round, but most data were reported between March and August (59.6%). The scarcity of records in Central America could reflect true lower densities in the region, lower observation effort, or a combination of the two. Because of the paucity of data, this study supports the growing importance of citizen-science initiatives to document the occurrence and ecology of this species in the Caribbean. Our dataset also confirms the occasional and widespread occurrence of killer whales throughout the Caribbean Sea. Potential low densities and limited predictability of their occurrence hinder dedicated research on this species.

Zircon Concentrate Enrichment by Dry Magnetic Separation and Centrifugal Air Separation

The possibility of enrichment and radioactivity reduction of zirconium concentrate obtained at the Obukhovsky mining and processing plant, located in the North Kazakhstan region, was investigated. The zircon concentrate was enriched and deactivated by dry magnetic separation and centrifugal air separation. The elements distribution over the grain surface of the obtained fractions was studied and the particle size distribution was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The characteristics of the initial zircon concentrate were determined. The average particle size was 70 µm, the bulk density was 2.21 g/cm3, the true density was 4.05 g/cm3, the activity was 10.3 ± 0.6 kBq/kg, and the ZrO2 content was 44.85 wt.%. Dry magnetic separation was carried out at a magnetic induction value of 1.3 T in the separator working area and a feed rate of 5 g/min. Centrifugal air separation was carried out using a rotary classifier at rotor speeds of 3000, 980, and 600 rpm, consuming 2000 Nm3 of air per hour and a concentrate flow of 20 kg/h. The scheme of zircon concentrate processing to produce three final products was proposed. The first is the zircon concentrate having a low activity (ZrO2 content = 55.4 wt.%, P = 5.8 ± 0.6 kBq/kg). The second is the titanium-containing fraction having a low zirconium content (ZrO2 content = 17.7 wt.%, P = 14.2 ± 0.6 kBq/kg). The third is the concentrate having a considerable zirconium content and high activity (ZrO2 content = 23.5 wt.%, P = 12.8 ± 0.6 kBq/kg).

Investigation of Physicochemical, Mechanical, Thermal and Rheological properties of <em>mrig bahar</em> Nagpur Mandarin <em>(Citrus reticulate </em>Blanco<em>.

Nagpur mandarin (popularly known as Nagpur Santra) is an indigenous fruit with high nutritional and functional value. It is the only cultivar of mandarin grown in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. As per harvesting time they are ambiabahar (Ocrober-November) and mrigbahar (February-March). Out of these two, mrigbahar is unique to Nagpur and of superior quality, hence taken for the study. The physicochemical, thermal, mechanical, rheological and textural properties of mrigbahar Nagpur mandarin are studied in this work. The sphericity (0.90) of mrigbahar fruit is considered to be spherical. The mean breadth, thickness and length of the fruit are 54.9, 47.3 and 57.9 mm, respectively. The true density, porosity and bulk density are 1.364 g/m3, 65.10% and 0.517 g/m3. The thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat of Nagpur mandarin fruit are 0.588 W/m℃, 11.84 × 10−2 m2/s and 3.909 kJ/kg℃. Under rheological properties of Nagpur mandarin juice, it is observed that as the shear rate increased, viscosity (ƞ) and shear stress (σ) decreased and Herschel Bulkley model is most suitable to characterise flow behaviour. The textural properties reveal that fracturability with 1% load sensitivity is 10.27 N with respective values of stringiness length (4.04 mm). The findings of this investigation would help for the post-harvest handling, processing equipment and value-added products from Nagpur mandarin.

Determination of selected engineering properties of cashew nut (Anacardium Occidentale) related to the design of cashew nut processing equipments

Cashew plant is a tree in the family Anacardiaceous. Cashew with botanical name Anacardium occidentale is extensively cultivated in the tropics mainly for its apples and nuts. This study aims at investigating the interactions of physical properties of the cashew nuts and its moisture content. The size and shape were described in relation to its surface area and sphericity, geometric mean diameter and arithmetic mean diameter. They were characterized using established procedure. Density was described on the basis of its true and bulk density which resulted to the porosity of the nuts. They were determined with reference using water displacement method. The frictional characteristics which are angle of repose and coefficient of friction were determined on three different structural surfaces plastic, metal and plywood on an inclined plane. Result obtained revealed that the mean value for the nuts major diameter, intermediate diameter, minor diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, surface area, mass, volume, true density, bulk density and porosity were 31.58±0.75 mm, 24.25±0.40 mm, 17.23±0.55 mm, 24.35±0.51 mm, 23.63±0.51 mm, 0.75±0.01 mm, 1754.20±75.14 mm2, 7.75±0.72 g, 7.65±0.52 cm3, 1.01±0.03 g/cm3, 0.58±0.03 g/cm3 and 42.53±0.04 % respectively at a moisture content ranging between 5 % to 8 % wet basis. The mean value for coefficient of friction for wood, plastic and metal structural surface was 0.068±0.01, 0.102±0.033 and 0.100±0.037 respectively at a moisture content ranging between 5 % to 8 % wet basis. The mean value for angle of repose for metal, plastic and plywood structural surface were 31.5±1.73°, 25.5±1.29° and 26.25±4.35° respectively. The effect of moisture content on the physical properties considered was significant, the results were expressed graphically.

Impact of Using Hermetic Packaging and Preservative on Physical Properties of Rice Bran During Storage

Rice bran is one of the feed ingredients used in various types of animal rations in Indonesia. In addition to containing anti-nutrients, rice bran has also a low storability. This research was conducted to study the impact of using hermetic packaging and a preservative containing calcium propionate (ProsidTM MI 208) application on the physical properties of rice bran during storage. The factorial completely randomized design (CRD), 3 x 4 with 4 replications was applied. The first factor was storage time 0 (W0), 30 (W30), and 60 (W60) days; the second factor was burlap sack + 0 ppm calcium propionate (P1), burlap sack + 160 ppm calcium propionate (P2), hermetic sack + 0 ppm calcium propionate (P3), and hermetic sack + 160 ppm calcium propionate (P4). The variables measured were moisture content (MC), bulk density (BD), tapped density (TD) dan true density (TDS). The obtained data were analyzed using if there was a significant difference, followed by Duncan's multiple range test. The results showed that storage time significantly (P<0.05) increased the MC and decreased the BD, TD, and TDS values. The increasing MC and the decreasing BD, TD, and TDS values of the rice bran during storage were higher (P<0.05) in the burlap sakcs than in the hermetic sacks packaging both with and without the addition of calcium propionate. The combination of using hermetic sacks with the application of calcium propionate could further increase to maintain of the physical properties of rice bran from the damage. The use of a hermetic sack and the application of calcium propionate could maintain the quality of rice bran and increase the resistance of rice bran to damage during 60 days of storage.

Moisture dependent engineering properties of Musa balbisiana seeds

AbstractEngineering properties of wild banana seeds at different moisture content (8.66%, 12%, 16%, 20%, and 24% db) were investigated. Physical dimensions, seed surface area (SA), seed volume (SV), and thousand seed mass (M1000) increased linearly with increase inmoisture content. While porosity decreased linearly from 42.33% to 38.89%, bulk density (ρb) and true density (ρt) increased from 513.59 to 564.72 and 890.56–924.09 kg m−3, respectively. The angle of repose increased linearly from 29.84 to 36.48 with moisture content. The increased moisture content also caused an increase in static coefficient of friction for surfaces made of stainless steel, glass, and plywood. The thermal conductivity (λ) and volumetric specific heat (ρcp) were found to increase linearly from .17 to .20 Wm−1 K−1, and .58 to .99 MJ m−3 K−1, and thermal diffusivity (α) decreased from .31 to .19 (×10−6 m2 s−1) with a increase in moisture content.Practical applicationsThe research aimed to study the engineering properties of wild banana seeds as a function of moisture content as they are necessary to design equipment for handling, aeration, storage, and processing. Moreover, it helps in predicting flow and handling behavior during processing, including hopper flow, and conveying through feeders and other handling equipment. Furthermore, thermal properties are helpful in engineering, process design and modeling the thermal behavior of food products during storage, processing, and transportation.

Physical properties of four rice cultivars grown in Indian temperate region

Setting up of non-standard unit operations could result in cracking of rice grains during milling, leading to accumulation of broken rice and generation of inferior quality product. Therefore, it is very much important to study physical properties of rice for designing of appropriate rice processing machinery that would minimise post-harvest losses during milling operation. Hence, the present investigation was aimed to study physical properties of four rice cultivars (SR-4, K-39, Mushq Budij and pigmented) grown in Kashmir. Brown and polished rice variants of the four cultivars were studied for grain dimensions, equivalent diameter (ED), geometric mean diameter (GMD), arithmetic mean diameter (AMD), volume, surface area, sphericity, aspect ratio, bulk density (BD), true density (TD), porosity, thousand kernel weight, static coefficient of friction and colour. In general, polishing of rice led to significant (p<0.05) reduction in grain dimensions, volume, surface area, thousand kernel weight (TKW), ‘a’ and ‘b’ values and static coefficient of friction (SCOF). However, there was increase in sphericity, porosity and ‘L’ values of rice kernels after polishing. Amongst cultivars, brown SR-4 rice had the largest length (6.36 mm), GMD (3.30 mm) and AMD (3.73 mm), respectively. However, polished K-39 rice had the highest BD (790.0 kg/m3), TD (1540.0 kg/m3) and porosity (48.70) amongst cultivars. Moreover, unpolished pigmented rice had the highest TKW (23.03 g). In addition, the minimum SCOF was observed when rice kernels were allowed to slide through glass surface with the lowest value observed for pigmented variety (0.40). The present research will be beneficial in fabricating machines for rice processing industry which would be helpful in eliminating post-harvest losses that occur during milling operation.

Enhancing nutritional quality of spray‐dried concentrated watermelon juice using watermelon by‐product carrier blends

AbstractBlends of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) by‐products (freeze‐dried and ground into powders) and maltodextrin were used as carriers for the pilot‐scale spray drying of preconcentrated watermelon juice. Watermelon juice was first concentrated to 65 °Brix via forward osmosis and then diluted to 16 °Brix. The concentrate was mixed with 25% w/w carrier using one of five carrier blends: 100% maltodextrin, 11% rind (89% maltodextrin), 11% pomace (89% maltodextrin), 25% rind (75% maltodextrin), and 25% pomace (75% maltodextrin). The powders were analyzed for moisture content, water activity, color, true density, bulk density, lycopene and citrulline contents, and total soluble phenolics and antioxidant activity Results indicated that carrier composition had a significant (p &lt; 0.05) effect on all the quality metrics. Powders with any amount of by‐product carrier had higher a* color value than the 100% maltodextrin control. All of the by‐product carrier blends conferred an increase of at least fivefold in lycopene, 1.5‐fold in citrulline, and 1.3‐fold in total soluble phenolics, compared to the all‐maltodextrin carrier. The results of this work will inform the development of new environmentally‐sustainable processing strategies for watermelon juice powder.

Physical properties of white-fleshed and yellow-fleshed cassava (Manihot esculenta) foam powder

This study evaluated the physical properties of cassava foam powder (CFP) produced from white and yellow cassava by foam mat drying, and compared them with cassava pulp powder (CPP). Cassava foams were prepared, dried and milled to foam powder. The white CFP and yellow CFP had a true density of 1.466 g/cm3 and 1.534 g/cm3, respectively. The flow properties determined include Carr's index (CI), angle of repose (θ) and coefficient of static friction (μs). Micrographs of the CFP revealed that the foam powders were irregular, coalesced, and larger in size than CPP. The rehydration kinetics showed an estimated equilibrium water gain (WGeq) of 0.725–1.680 g/g at temperatures between 30 °C and 70 °C. Adsorption isotherm of the powders was best fit by the Halsey model. There were significant correlations between packed density and angle of repose (r = 0.972), CI (r = 0.970) and mean particle size (r = −0.957).

Processing of Low-Density HGM-Filled Epoxy–Syntactic Foam Composites with High Specific Properties for Marine Applications

A solution casting approach is used to create hollow glass microsphere (HGM)-filled epoxy-syntactic foam composites (e-SFCs) by varying the concentrations of HGM in epoxy according to different particle sizes. Density analysis is used to investigate the impact of concentration and particle size regularity on the microstructure of e-SFCs. It was observed that e-SFCs filled with an HGM of uniform particle sizes exhibit a reduction in density with increasing HGM concentration, whereas e-SFCs filled with heterogeneous sizes of HGM exhibit closeness in density values regardless of HGM concentration. The variation in e-SFC density can be related to HGM packing efficiency within e-SFCs in terms of concentration and particle size regularity. The particle size with lowest true density of 0.5529 g/cm3, experimental density of 0.949 g/cm3 and tensile strength of 55.74 MPa resulted in e-SFCs with highest specific properties of 100.81 (MPa·g/cm3), with a 35.1% increase from the lowest value of 74.64 (MPa·g/cm3) at a true density of 0.7286 g/cm3, experimental density of 0.928 g/cm3 and tensile strength of 54.38 MPa. The e-SFCs' theoretical density values were obtained. The variance in theoretical and experimental density values provides a thorough grasp of packing efficiency and inter-particle features.

Nickel removal from an industrial effluent by electrocoagulation in semi-continuous operation: Hydrodynamic, kinetic and cost analysis

In the nickel and cobalt production plant located in Punta-Gorda Cuba, an effluent liquor is obtained with several pollutants species of Ni(II)–NH3–CO2–SO2–H2O system. In previous studies the performance of electrocoagulation (EC) for the nickel removal from this effluent was demonstrated on a lab-scale and bench-scale. In this research, geometric, electrical and equilibrium parameters used as criteria for scaling-up the EC process were evaluated through hydrodynamic, kinetic and operating cost analysis. For this purpose, four semi-continuous stirred-tank electrochemical reactors of equal sized with 200 L useful volume were design. Based on the residence time distribution (RTD) curve, the hydrodynamic behavior of EC systems followed multi-branch tanks-in-series model. Experimental mean residence time was of 92 min and hydraulic efficiency 92% for a liquor flow rate 2 L∙min−1, due to the presence of short-circuit, internal recirculation and 3% dead zone. Then, at the operating parameters: nickel concentration 277 ± 52 mg L−1, current density 6.26 mA cm−2, pH 8.40 ± 0.28 and temperature 50 ± 2 °C, the maximum nickel removal was 97.8% with an operating cost $1.008 kg−1 Ni. Combination of RTD model and the conversion time kinetic model (CTV) was presented to predict the removal efficiency with successful outcomes, and the time for complete conversion was 23.3 min under control of chemical reaction. The precipitate presented a nickel concentration of 35.71 ± 2.13%, aluminum 6.05 ± 0.83%, true density 2836 ± 449 kg m−3 and typical layered structure. These results suggest the opportunity for the projection of an industrial production unit of double lamellar hydroxide and reduce the adverse environmental impact.

A material-sparing simplified buoyancy method for determining the true density of solids

True density is an important physical property of powdered materials, especially in the context of powder compaction. Currently available methods for true density determination either require a significant amount of materials or are laborious. Hence, a material-sparing and efficient method for true density determination is of value. In this work, we detail a simplified buoyancy-based method capable of fast determination of true density with accuracy comparable to helium pycnometry. This miniaturized method only uses a few milligrams of a powder with data collection process expedited by centrifugation in a laboratory centrifuge. This method can be easily adapted in a laboratory since determination of true density only requires a balance, a micropipette, a laboratory centrifuge, and standard stock liquids of low and high densities. Hence, it is a useful addition to the materials characterization tool kit critical for pharmaceutical formulation development.

Manufacturing and study the structural and electrical properties of the compounds Pb (Zr, Ti)O3 prepared in a manner Powders

Was prepared lead Zrconat titanate compounds with the chemical formula Pb (Zr1-x Tix) O3 as (x = 0.5,0.48) and using technology the way powders were prepared Plasticizer models at a temperature (1000˚C) and for (6hr). physical tests of the models were conducted, where it was the study of the structural properties, in terms of X-ray diffraction measurements as results showed that all models were four-wheel installation (Tetragonal) with Miller transactions (001), (100), (110), (111), (002), (200), (210), (211), (220), (221), (103) and that the prevailing trend is (110) and the results of plasticity microwave very close sense of distance intra-convergent also relatively few crystalline defects. Increasing the bulk density of the true density of altered concentration of zirconium and titanium. Results of the examination microscope-mail also showed that the particle size (Dnm) be tight between the models and the homogeneity of the granules, as well as increasing the homogeneity of compositional structure, causing an improvement in the physical properties and A mechanical. shown technique results EDAX compound of the interacting elements of the composition and there is little difference between the real weight and the weight is noticeable. To study the electrical properties as included electrical properties study both the dielectric constant true of both types ('ε) and fantasy ("ε) as well as the loss of the separation (tanδ) and connectivity alternating (σac)

Study structural, dielectric and ferroelectric properties of Pb (Zr1-x Tix)O3 ceramics near the morphotropic phase boundary

In the present work, Pb(Zr(1-x)Tix) ceramics (x = 0.50, 0.48, 0.45 and 0.42) were prepared using the solid state reaction method, at the sintaring temperature (1100 oC ) for (6hr).X-ray diffraction results demonstrate that all the samples lie within the morphtropic phase boundary (MPB) region in the pure perovskite tetragonal structure with Miller transactions (100), (110), (111), (200), (210), (211), (220), (103) and (311) that the prevailing trend is (110) and the results of plasticity microwave very close sense of distance intra-convergent also relatively few crystalline defects. Increasing the bulk density of the true density of altered concentration of zirconium and titanium. Results of the examination microscope also showed that the particle size (Dnm) be tight between the samples and the homogeneity of the granules, as well as increasing the homogeneity of compositional structure, causing an improvement in the structural and electrical properties. Shown technique results EDAX compound of the interacting elements of the composition and there is little difference between the real weight and the weight is noticeable. The temperature and concentration of titanium dependences of the dielectric constant of the ceramics has been investigated in detail. Excellent dielectric properties have been obtained for the selected compositions. Polarization-Elctric field hysteresis studies were carried out for all compositions at room temperature. It was found that with the increase of concentration of titanium content in the composition the remnant polarization decreases and ferroelectric loops get constricted.

Automatic Bulk Composition Analysis of Lunar Basalts: Novel Big-Data Algorithm for Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy

The bulk composition of lunar basaltic meteorites and clasts provides crucial information for understanding their petrogenesis and thus lunar thermal evolution. Meanwhile, the basalt type of Chang’E-5 based on the bulk TiO2 contents remains debatable. Modal recombination based on mineral volume fraction, densities, and average compositions is currently the most popular method to determine the bulk composition of lunar samples. Yet, the latter two parameters can be biased markedly by ubiquitous compositional variations in pyroxene, olivine, and plagioclase. To rectify these issues and provide more accurate classifications, this study devises a novel big-data algorithm that analyzes maps of energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) data of lunar basalts. The algorithm starts by labeling each point through a newly devised mineral classifier, then uses the mean of all points per mineral to represent average composition, and finally recalculates the true density per mineral to replace standard density. The accuracy of this mineral classifier is demonstrated by tests on a database of lunar minerals. The accuracy and precision of EDS mapping were verified by test analysis on certified reference minerals. Measurements on a lunar meteorite sample with a known composition, NWA 4734, are comparable to those measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and confirm the reliability of the bulk composition algorithm. To demonstrate its utility for comprehensive understanding of petrographic features, the high-efficiency algorithm was applied to Chang’E-5 basalts. The results reveal that these basalts are characterized by low-Ti and low-Mg features, thus distinct from previous Apollo and Luna samples.

Fast Quantum State Reconstruction via Accelerated Non-Convex Programming

We propose a new quantum state reconstruction method that combines ideas from compressed sensing, non-convex optimization, and acceleration methods. The algorithm, called Momentum-Inspired Factored Gradient Descent (MiFGD), extends the applicability of quantum tomography for larger systems. Despite being a non-convex method, MiFGD converges provably close to the true density matrix at an accelerated linear rate asymptotically in the absence of experimental and statistical noise, under common assumptions. With this manuscript, we present the method, prove its convergence property and provide the Frobenius norm bound guarantees with respect to the true density matrix. From a practical point of view, we benchmark the algorithm performance with respect to other existing methods, in both synthetic and real (noisy) experiments, performed on the IBM’s quantum processing unit. We find that the proposed algorithm performs orders of magnitude faster than the state-of-the-art approaches, with similar or better accuracy. In both synthetic and real experiments, we observed accurate and robust reconstruction, despite the presence of experimental and statistical noise in the tomographic data. Finally, we provide a ready-to-use code for state tomography of multi-qubit systems.

Moment-based density estimation of confidential micro-data: a computational statistics approach

Providing access to synthetic micro-data in place of confidential data to protect the privacy of participants is common practice. For the synthetic data to be useful for analysis, it is necessary that the density function of the synthetic data closely approximate the confidential data. Hence, accurately estimating the density function based on sample micro-data is important. Existing kernel-based, copula-based, and machine learning methods of joint density estimation may not be viable. Applying the multivariate moments’ problem to sample-based density estimation has long been considered impractical due to the computational complexity and intractability of optimal parameter selection of the density estimate when the true joint density function is unknown. This paper introduces a generalised form of the sample moment-based density estimate, which can be used to estimate joint density functions when only the information of empirical moments is available. We demonstrate optimal parametrisation of the moment-based density estimate based solely on sample data by employing a computational strategy for parameter selection. We compare the performance of the moment-based estimate to that of existing non-parametric and parametric density estimation methods. The results show that using empirical moments can provide a reasonable, robust non-parametric approximation of a joint density function that is comparable to existing non-parametric methods. We provide an example of synthetic data generation from the moment-based density estimate and show that the resulting synthetic data provides a reasonable disclosure-protected alternative for public release.

Impact of Integrated Ultra Violet-Ozone Treatment on Textural and Structural Properties of Dough Made of Natural Fiber Based Agro Residues

ABSTRACT In this study, de-oiled rice bran (RB) and virgin coconut oil cake (VCOC) were selected as base materials. Corn starch, wheat bran, and guar gum were taken as binding agents. The doughs were treated with combined Ultraviolet (UV) (1000 μW/cm2 for 15 min) and Aqueous Ozone (AO) (3 mg/L, exposure time 5 min and pH of 4). The effect of these non-thermal treatments on microbial log reduction, textural characteristics, glass transition (Tg), and crystallinity was studied and compared with the control. The results for all samples, dough raising capacities differed widely by 10–30%. Bulk Density and True Density were 1.6 to 2.5 g/cm3 and 2.3 to 3.3 g/cm3. X-Ray Diffraction indicated 30–45% crystallinity, and crystallite size ranges between 0.54 and 0.90 nm. DSC indicated Tg and melting point between 49°C-55°C and 98°C-101°C for RB dough and at 54°C-60°C and 107°C-134°C for VCOC dough samples. UV with AO treated dough showed a maximum of 5.2 log microbial reduction compared to the untreated sample. The developed RB and wheat bran combination demonstrated the highest tensile strength (0.62 MPa) whereas RB-starch combination had the minimum water absorption (1.33 ml/min). This indicates the ability of additives to improve the characteristics of biodegradable cutlery made from agricultural residues.

Bayesian circular lattice filters for computationally efficient estimation of multivariate time-varying autoregressive models

Nonstationary time series data exist in various scientific disciplines, including environmental science, biology, signal processing, econometrics, among others. Many Bayesian models have been developed to handle nonstationary time series. The time-varying vector autoregressive (TV-VAR) model is a well-established model for multivariate nonstationary time series. Nevertheless, in most cases, the large number of parameters presented by the model results in a high computational burden, ultimately limiting its usage. To address this issue, a computationally efficient multivariate Bayesian Circular Lattice Filter is developed, extending the usage of the TV-VAR model to a broader class of high-dimensional problems. The fully Bayesian framework allows both the autoregressive (AR) coefficients and innovation covariance to vary over time. The proposed estimation method is based on the Bayesian lattice filter (BLF), which is extremely computationally efficient and stable in univariate cases. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a comprehensive comparison with other competing methods is conducted through simulation studies and finds that, in most cases, the proposed approach performs superior in terms of the average squared error between the estimated and true time-varying spectral density. Finally, the methodology is demonstrated through applications to quarterly Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data and Northern California wind data.