Experimental Phase Research Articles

Energy expenditure in the Z-type plate heat and mass exchanger based on the concept of heat-integrated distillation column

Thermal separation of substances typically involves the use of rectification columns equipped with condensers and reboilers. This conventional method is notably energy-intensive, necessitating substantial heat input to the reboiler and leading to significant waste heat discharge through the condenser into the environment. This paper presents our further study on an innovative alternative technology for thermal separation. The proposed approach involves conducting thermal separation within flow channels of a Heat and Mass Exchanger (HME), which are composed of plates with intricate geometries. In this system, heat distribution is maintained through the diaphragm, i.e., the channel walls, facilitating both heat exchange and simultaneous thermal separation of substances.This paper focuses on both laboratory and numerical investigations of two-phase flow within various channel geometries. Experimentally, four distinct channel designs were examined using an air–water mixture, aiming to identify a new geometry that facilitates countercurrent flow patterns in this challenging substance combination. The experimental phase led to the selection of a channel geometry that demonstrated the most effective countercurrent flow for intensive cases, then used for ethane-ethylene mixture. Subsequently, this selected geometry was subjected to numerical calculations using the mathematical model of the Heat and Mass Exchanger (HME). These calculations encompassed flow dynamics, thermal behavior, and the sizing of the HME, tailored specifically for the newly identified channel geometry.

Effect of high oxalic acid intake on growth performance and digestion, blood parameters, rumen fermentation and microbial community in sheep

Oxalic acid, a crucial secondary metabolite prevalent in most plants, often constitutes an unavoidable component of the diet for grazing animals, particularly in saline-alkaline grasslands. This research focused on examining the effects of elevated oxalic acid consumption on various aspects of sheep health and metabolism, including growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood biochemical indices, rumen fermentation, and microbial populations. Employing a single-factor experimental model, 24 six-month-old German Merino sheep (with an average body weight of 32.08 ± 3.43 kg) were systematically segregated into three distinct groups. Each group contained eight replicates, with each replicate comprising a single sheep. The diet of the experimental groups was enhanced with oxalic acid concentrations of 1 % (T1) and 2 % (T2), whereas the control group received no oxalic acid addition. Under ad libitum feeding, the duration of the experimental phase spanned a total of 60 days. Outcomes demonstrated that a 2 % oxalic acid augmentation notably diminished the sheep's daily weight gain (ADG) (P<0.05), elevated the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P<0.05), and reduced the ruminal pH levels (P<0.05), compared to both control group and 1 % oxalic acid group. This pH reduction markedly curtailed the synthesis of essential ruminal constituents such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid (P<0.05). Furthermore, there was a notable decline in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, alongside rises in both blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (CREA)(P<0.05), coupled with a significant reduction in serum calcium concentrations (P<0.05) in 2 % oxalic acid group, compared to both control group and 1 % oxalic acid group. Moreover, the 2 % oxalic acid addition adversely impacted the digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF), as well as the concentration of NH3-N in the rumen fluid (P<0.05), compared to both control group and 1 % oxalic acid group. Pertaining to rumen microorganisms, there was a significant escalation in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria at the phylum level, contrasted by a substantial reduction in the presence of Fibrobacteres (P<0.05). At the genus level, an increased concentration of oxalic acid in the diet correlated with a pronounced decline in the relative abundance of Prevotella_1, and a substantial decrease was observed in the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 (P<0.05). In summary, while sheep can acclimate to an inclusion of 1 % oxalic acid in their diet, an augmentation of 2 % oxalic acid appears detrimental, impinging upon growth performance, fiber and crude protein (CP) digestibility, blood calcium levels, rumen pH, volatile acid content, and the microbial ecosystem within the sheep’s rumen.

Phase equilibria of CaO–Al2O3–CaO·TiO2 system at 1500 °C in hydrogen atmosphere

The phase diagram of CaO–Al2O3-TiOx system is of great importance in guiding the design of metallurgical slag systems for Al–Ti alloy steel, controlling Ti-bearing inclusions in molten steel, and regulating the mineral phase of vanadium-titanium magnetite. In the present work, the high temperature equilibration-quench technique was adopted, and the types and compositions of equilibrium phases were identified by Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The isothermal section of CaO–Al2O3–CaO·TiO2 system at 1500 °C in H2 atmosphere was constructed for the first time. There are 7 three-phase fields, 10 two-phase fields, and a single liquid phase field. On this basis, according to the theoretical analysis of the crystal structure, the formation energy analysis based on first-principles calculations, and the related theories of defect chemistry, the formation mechanisms of CaTiO3 and Ca3Ti2O7 solid solution with were determined, respectively. Additionally, the experimental phase diagram was utilized to discuss the dissolution type and the equilibrium solubility of typical inclusions (Al2O3, Ti3O5, and CaO·TiO2) in Al–Ti alloy steel.

R32-Al5W: A new stable high-temperature alloy

Due to the high melting point, exceptional mechanical properties, and remarkable corrosion resistance exhibited by Al5W, researchers have conducted extensive research on the structural characteristics of Al5W. To identify the lowest energy structures and find new structures, a combination of particle swarm optimization and first-principles calculations was employed to identify energy-favorable Al5W structures under ambient pressure. The experimental P63 phase and the previously predicted R3¯c phase were identified. Notably, a new R32-Al5W phase was proposed. A comparative analysis on the structural stability, elastic, thermodynamic, and electronic properties of these three Al5W phases were conducted. The results indicate that R32-Al5W exhibits favorable thermodynamic stability, with a predicted bulk modulus close to that of R3¯c-Al5W. All the three Al5W phases demonstrate brittle behavior. The P63-Al5W phase displays larger shear anisotropy in the (010) and (001) planes, while the R32-Al5W phase shows greater shear anisotropy on the (100) plane compared to other two phases. Furthermore, employing Clarke’s and Cahill’s models, the minimum thermal conductivity of Al5W phases was predicted, revealing a magnitude order of P63 >R3¯c > R32. Our calculated melting points also conform to this trend.

Analyzing the Effects of Cr and Mo on the Pearlite Formation in Hypereutectoid Steel Using Experiments and Phase Field Numerical Simulations.

In this study, we quantitatively investigate the impact of 1.4 wt.% chromium and 1.4 wt.% molybdenum additions on pearlitic microstructure characteristics in 1 wt.% carbon steels. The study was carried out using a combination of experimental methods and phase field simulations. We utilized MatCalc v5.51 and JMatPro v12 to predict transformation behaviors, and electron microscopy for microstructural examination, focusing on pearlite morphology under varying thermal conditions. Phase field simulations were carried out using MICRESS v7.2 software and, informed by thermodynamic data from MatCalc v5.51 and the literature, were conducted to replicate pearlite formation, demonstrating a good agreement with the experimental observations. In this work, we introduced a semi-automatic reliable microstructural analysis method, quantifying features like lamella dimensions and spacing through image processing by Fiji ImageJ v1.54f. The introduction of Cr resulted in longer, thinner, and more homogeneously distributed cementite lamellae, while Mo led to shorter, thicker lamellae. Phase field simulations accurately predicted these trends and showed that alloying with Cr or Mo increases the density and circularity of the lamellae. Our results demonstrate that Cr stabilizes pearlite formation, promoting a uniform microstructure, whereas Mo affects the morphology without enhancing homogeneity. The phase field model, validated by experimental data, provides insights into the morphological changes induced by these alloying elements, supporting the optimization of steel processing conditions.

The impact of clock timing on VDT visual search performance under time constraint.

Conducting Visual Display Terminal (VDT) visual search tasks under time constraint has broad applications in fields such as security checks, medical diagnostics, and rescue operations. While excessive time pressure can impair performance, moderate time pressure can motivate individuals to complete tasks and increase productivity. Investigating the positive impact of time pressure on visual search tasks has become a crucial area of study. Clock timing plays a vital role in the visual interface, influencing the perception of time pressure and impacting visual search performance. However, existing research has paid little attention to the induction of time pressure and the impact of clock timing in VDT visual interfaces on visual search performance. Hence, the objective of this study is to investigate the impact of clock timing on VDT visual search performance under time constraint. The content of the experimental tasks was determined through a pilot experiment. The formal experiment was conducted in two phases over six sessions. Participants were tasked with locating the letter "E" embedded within the distractor letter "F," displayed with a clock area above the interface. The first phase of experiments included conditions of no clock, 4-min clock timing, and 4-min countdown clock timing. In the second phase of the experiment, the clock display method was a countdown clock, with three experiments conducted featuring long time, medium time, and short time. Search speed and accuracy were used as primary performance evaluation metrics to examine the impact of clock timing methods and duration on visual search performance. Twenty-one undergraduate students participated in the formal experiment. In the first phase of experiments, participants demonstrated significantly faster reaction times (RTs) in tasks where a clock display was present compared to tasks without (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 4.588, P = 0.014). However, there were no significant differences in accuracy rates across different timing conditions (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 0.146, P = 0.865), and no significant correlation between RTs and accuracy was found (Kendall's R = 0.11, P = 0.914). During the second phase, RTs decreased significantly as time constraints became more stringent (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 7.564, P < 0.05). Conversely, accuracy rates decreased significantly under shorter time constraints (ANOVA, F(2, 60) = 4.315, P < 0.05), with a negative correlation observed between RTs and accuracy (Kendall's R = 0.220, P < 0.01). Compared to conditions without clock displays, having clock displays significantly improved the speed of the visual search task, although the difference in accuracy was not statistically significant. In the context of shorter clock countdown limits, Shorter timing constraints resulted in faster search speeds but also led to reduced accuracy and increased fatigue. Overall, a correlation exists between search speed and accuracy in visual tasks, where higher speed often correlates with lower accuracy. These findings provide valuable insights into clock timing design for visual search interfaces under time pressure.

Propagation dynamics of orbital angular momentum beams under the hazy scattering environment

The disturbance of the scattering medium, such as hazy, can affect the propagation of vortex beams and induce cross−talk within the orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectrum in optical communications based on vortex beams. This paper first validates the integrated scattering phase screen model through experimental beam phase measurements using a simple interferometer. Then, the influence of macroscopic physical parameters of the scattering medium on the OAM spectrum is investigated based on the hazy scattering phase model. It is demonstrated that the larger particle radius, concentration, and thickness will result in a greater cross−talk of the OAM spectrum. Moreover, the behavior of multiplexed vortex beams influenced by the hazy environment is also studied. The results may be a powerful tool to estimate the effect of the scattering medium on beam quality in optical communication based on vortex beams.

Understanding Vortex Ring Instability During Droplet Impact Onto Thin Liquid Films Using High Speed PIV

This study investigates vortex ring instability during droplet impact on thin liquid films using high-speed Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF). Experiments were conducted using two different setups, capturing the droplet impact from both bottom and side views. The study examines how different dimensionless parameters (Reynolds number, Weber number and dimentionless thickness) influence vortex ring behavior in thin liquid films. Vortices were analyzed by identifying the centers using Gamma_2 scalar and calculating the vortex circulation through a two superposed Lamb-Oseen vortex fitting. The effect of film thickness on vortex dynamics reveals that thinner films lead to greater instability due to higher energy at the moment of wall collision, facilitating the formation of additional vortex structures. Experimental phase mapping highlights the critical threshold of Reynolds number and dimensionless thickness for vortex ring instability. Moreover, the number of fingers formed due to vortex ring instabilities increases with higher Reynolds numbers and thinner films, providing a clear relationship between film thickness, impact energy, and the complexity of resulting fluid structures.

Search for charged excited states of dark matter with KamLAND-Zen

Particle dark matter could belong to a multiplet that includes an electrically charged state. WIMP dark matter (χ0) accompanied by a negatively charged excited state (χ−) with a small mass difference (e.g. < 20 MeV) can form a bound-state with a nucleus such as xenon. This bound-state formation is rare and the released energy is O(1−10) MeV depending on the nucleus, making large liquid scintillator detectors suitable for detection. We searched for bound-state formation events with xenon in two experimental phases of the KamLAND-Zen experiment, a xenon-doped liquid scintillator detector. No statistically significant events were observed. For a benchmark parameter set of WIMP mass mχ0=1 TeV and mass difference Δm=17 MeV, we set the most stringent upper limits on the recombination cross section times velocity 〈σv〉 and the decay-width of χ− to 9.2×10−30cm3/s and 8.7×10−14 GeV, respectively at 90% confidence level.

Analysis of MR–VR tele-operation methods for legged-manipulator robots

The development of immersive technologies in recent years has facilitated the control and execution of tasks at a high level of complexity in robotic systems. On the other hand, exploration and manipulation tasks in unknown environments have been one of the main challenges in search and rescue (SAR) robotics. Due to the complexity and uncertainty involved in autonomous manipulation tasks in unstructured environments, these are usually tele-operated initially. This article addresses a comparative study between Mixed Reality (MR—Hololens) and Virtual Reality (VR—HTC-Vive) methods for teleoperating legged-manipulator robots in the context of search and rescue. For this purpose, a teleoperation robotics method was established to address the comparison, developing VR–MR interfaces with the same contextualization and operational functionality for mission management and robot control of a robotic set composed of a quadrupedal robot equipped with a 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) manipulator, by a user using hand gestures. A set of metrics is proposed for the comparative evaluation of the interfaces considering parameters that allow analyzing operability in the context of the mission (latencies, physical parameters of the equipment, etc.), as well as from the aspect of operator performance (required training, confidence levels, etc.). The experimental phase was conducted using both on-site and remote operations to evaluate and categorize the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Development of a Premium Tea-Picking Robot Incorporating Deep Learning and Computer Vision for Leaf Detection

Premium tea holds a significant place in Chinese tea culture, enjoying immense popularity among domestic consumers and an esteemed reputation in the international market, thereby significantly impacting the Chinese economy. To tackle challenges associated with the labor-intensive and inefficient manual picking process of premium tea, and to elevate the competitiveness of the premium tea sector, our research team has developed and rigorously tested a premium tea-picking robot that harnesses deep learning and computer vision for precise leaf recognition. This innovative technology has been patented by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (ZL202111236676.7). In our study, we constructed a deep-learning model that, through comprehensive data training, enabled the robot to accurately recognize tea buds. By integrating computer vision techniques, we achieved exact positioning of the tea buds. From a hardware perspective, we employed a high-performance robotic arm to ensure stable and efficient picking operations even in complex environments. During the experimental phase, we conducted detailed validations on the practical application of the YOLOv8 algorithm in tea bud identification. When compared to the YOLOv5 algorithm, YOLOv8 exhibited superior accuracy and reliability. Furthermore, we performed comprehensive testing on the path planning for the picking robotic arm, evaluating various algorithms to determine the most effective path planning approach for the picking process. Ultimately, we conducted field tests to assess the robot’s performance. The results indicated a 62.02% success rate for the entire picking process of the premium tea-picking robot, with an average picking time of approximately 1.86 s per qualified tea bud. This study provides a solid foundation for further research, development, and deployment of premium tea-picking robots, serving as a valuable reference for the design of other crop-picking robots as well.

A Deep Learning Model Based on the Introduction of Attention Mechanism is Used to Predict Lithium-Ion Battery SOC

In order to enhance the accuracy of state of charge (SOC) prediction for lithium-ion batteries, this paper developed a deep learning model optimized by slime mold algorithm (SMA). This model combines convolutional neural networks, bidirectional gated recurrent units, and attention mechanisms. Through SMA optimization of critical parameters in the model, the predictive performance has been significantly improved. In the experimental phase, the paper collected discharge data from an 18650 battery pack under 8 different operating conditions, totaling 10596 sets of data. These data were used to fully train and validate the model. The test results show that the new model demonstrates exceptional accuracy in SOC prediction, with average absolute error, root mean square error, and mean absolute percentage error reaching 0.46462%, 0.56406%, and 6.8028%, respectively. Moreover, the decision coefficient R reaches 0.962. This result not only surpasses single models and unoptimized models but also provides important technical support for improving the battery life and driving range of electric vehicles.

Sacral Magnetic Neuromodulation with Intermittent Theta Burst Waveform Enhances Overactive Bladder: In Vivo Study

BackgroundThe current treatment options for overactive bladder (OAB) continue to pose challenges for refractory cases and may involve invasive procedures. To assess the potential benefit of non-invasive repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) on sacral roots using intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) as treatment option for OAB. The study involved a total of 33 rats, which were divided into three different experimental phases. Materials and methodsTo induce bladder overactivity rats were pretreated with a continuous transvesical infusion of 0.5% acetic acid (AA). During bladder infusion, the intravesical pressure was recorded using cystometrography (CMG) to investigate the effects of AA pretreatment and the therapeutic intervention of acute sacral rPMS using iTBS. ResultsPre-application of rPMS with iTBS at a 100% intensity significantly extended the mean first voiding time (Tv) in normal healthy rats to 132%. Acute rPMS iTBS at a 100% intensity resulted in a significant increase of the inter-contraction interval (ICI) to 121%. An AA model was established with continuous saline infusion after 0.5% AA treatment and resulted in significant reductions of Tv to 42% and ICI to 56% of the corresponding control values. Subsequently, rPMS iTBS at a 100% intensity on the sacral nerve effectively inhibited AA-induced bladder overactivity and significantly increased the ICI to 167%∼222%. No significant changes in maximum bladder pressure (Pmax) were found. ConclusionsSacral nerve rPMS with iTBS demonstrated the ability to suppress AA-induced bladder overactivity. This promising modality could be developed as an alternative approach to enhance bladder continence in OAB syndrome patients.

Self-organized vortex phases and hydrodynamic interactions in Bos taurus sperm cells.

Flocking behavior is observed in biological systems from the cellular to superorganismal length scales, and the mechanisms and purposes of this behavior are objects of intense interest. In this paper, we study the collective dynamics of bovine sperm cells in a viscoelastic fluid. These cells appear not to spontaneously flock, but transition into a long-lived flocking phase after being exposed to a transient ordering pulse of fluid flow. Surprisingly, this induced flocking phase has many qualitative similarities with the spontaneous polar flocking phases predicted by Toner-Tu theory, such as anisotropic giant number fluctuations and nontrivial transverse density correlations, despite the induced nature of the phase and the clearly important role of momentum conservation between the swimmers and the surrounding fluid in these experiments. We also find a self-organized global vortex state of the sperm cells, and map out an experimental phase diagram of states of collective motion as a function of cell density and motility statistics. We compare our experiments with a parameter-matched computational model of persistently turning active particles and find that the experimental order-disorder phase boundary as a function of cell density and persistence time can be approximately predicted from measures of single-cell properties. Our results may have implications for the evaluation of sample fertility by studying the collective phase behavior of dense groups of swimming sperm.

A novel approach for handling missing data to enhance network intrusion detection system

Managing missing data is a critical challenge in Intrusion Detection System (IDS) datasets, significantly affecting the performance of deep learning models. To address this issue, we introduce DeepLearning_Based_MissingData_Imputation (DMDI), a novel method designed to enhance the quality of input data by efficiently handling missing values. Our approach employs the Random Missing Value (RMV) algorithm to simulate missing data, enabling thorough testing and comparison of various imputation techniques. The DMDI method integrates a stacked denoising autoencoder with Gradient Boosting to improve imputation accuracy. We evaluated the effectiveness of our approach through three experimental phases: generating missing data, imputing missing values, and assessing imputation models. Using the NSL-KDD and UNSW-NB15 datasets, our results demonstrate significant improvements in the performance of five different classifiers (SVM, KNN, Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, and Random Forest) after imputation. On average, our method achieved accuracy improvements ranging from 0.95 to 0.97 across these classifiers compared to baseline imputation methods. Detailed analysis using Python 3 validates our findings, demonstrating enhanced model performance and robustness. This study underscores the necessity of precise missing data imputation for enhancing deep learning tasks, particularly in anomaly detection systems. It provides a reliable solution for managing missing data in IDS datasets.

Impact of Different Amounts of Lithium Plating on the Thermal Safety of Lithium Ion Cells

Safety tests are usually conducted on fresh cells. However, occurring lithium plating for example due to harsh aging conditions or electrode inhomogeneities can negatively affect the thermal properties of cells over their lifespan. Recent literature studies showed serious deterioration of the thermal cell properties due to lithium plating while other studies showed no impact at all. These differences are at least partly explained by different amounts of metallic lithium. Here, the impact of the amount of lithium plating on the thermal cell properties was investigated. 1 Ah LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NMC811)||artificial graphite pouch cells were aged at 0 °C between zero and ten cycles. The amount of lithium plating was found to influence the self-heating-rates reached during the initial phase of a thermal safety experiment, but did not have a major impact on the safety at higher temperatures. Despite the presence of lithium plating of up to 15% of the initial capacity, none of the cells showed exothermic self-heating for more than three consecutive measuring points below 85 °C. An impact on the onset temperature of first permanent exothermic reactions could only be reliably detected if a cell had already suffered from 10% capacity loss due to lithium plating.

Non-Contact Laser Doppler Vibrometer for Characterization of Guided Waves in Timber Structures with Varying Moisture Content and Grain Orientations

Timber structures have been widely used in critical engineering applications throughout history. The need for Non-Destructive Testing of timbers has arisen, and ultrasonic-guided waves (GWs) have proved their efficacy in studying structural integrity. The effect of the grain direction in orthotropic timber structures on the propagation characteristics of GWs is not well understood, especially in the presence of moisture. This study aims to comprehend the effects of timber-grain orientations and the moisture content (MC) on dominant GW modes, specifically, on the anti-symmetric A0 mode. The study is based on samples extracted from a Western White Pine utility pole, in three different orientations including longitudinal, tangential, and radial. The MC is introduced using a desiccator with a saturated salt solution. The studied MC conditions included dry, ambient MC, and high MCs varying from 10% to 27%. The GWs were excited using piezoelectric actuators and sensed with a Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer with Free-Free boundary condition. Phase velocities were obtained using the frequency-wavenumber plots of the measured line scans and were compared to the analytical curves for mode analysis. The results showed that the experimental A0-mode phase velocities match well with those generated analytically. The difference was negligible for longitudinally oriented specimens with a percentage difference ranging from 0.28% to 5.34%, as the MC varied. The phase velocity decreased by about 7% as the MC increased from 0% to 27%. A noticeable difference in the phase velocity was measured with different orientations; at dry conditions, the A0 propagated at 958 m/s in the longitudinal specimens, while it decreased in the tangential specimens to about 760 m/s, and had the lowest phase velocity in the radial direction reaching 433 m/s. The results show a high sensitivity of the propagating GWs to the direction of the fibers and the MC present in the timber.

Tamanhos de parcelas e amostras para variáveis biométricas em mudas de alface

ABSTRACT: In order to ensure reliable inferences in scientific experiments, sampling criteria should be determined and defined during the experimental design phase. Determining plot and sample sizes without scientific criteria could result in resource and labor inefficiencies with no gain in experimental precision. In this work we estimate plot and sample sizes for biometric variable analyses in lettuce seedlings. The seedlings were sown in four expanded polystyrene foam transplant trays with 128 and 200 cells. Foliar area, stem diameter, shoot height, root length, root volume, root area, fresh and dry shoot and root masses. The methods described by Paranaiba (PARANAIBA et al., 2009) and Cochran (COCHRAN, 1977) were used for plot size and sample size estimations, respectively. Sample size varied according to the variables analysed and transplant tray cell number. Root variables required the highest number of samples. For a 10% margin of error, 12 seedlings were necessary for evaluations in a 128 cell tray, while 11 seedlings were required for analysis in 200 cell trays.

Realidad aumentada en educación universitaria

This study presents the “Augmented Reality in University Education” project, whose objective was to develop and evaluate mobile applications with augmented reality (AR) to improve the learning of Information Technology students at the Technological University of Nayarit. The literature review offers a clear definition of AR and documents international research on its use in education, with a specific analysis in the state of Nayarit. The research methodology was of a mixed nature, with a quasi-experimental design, in the development of the applications the agile Scrum methodology was used, subsequently implementing an experimental evaluation phase to verify the functionality and effectiveness of the apps in the educational environment; Questionnaires, observations and interviews were used to collect data on usability, motivation and improvement in student learning. Three mobile applications were created for the Data Structure and Databases subjects. The results showed that the applications are functional and were valued by students in usability, motivation and usefulness as an educational complement. The conclusions highlight that the applications allow students to use interactive models to understand abstract concepts, which improves their learning experience.

Digital transformation, blockchain, and the music industry: A review from the perspective of performers’ collective management organizations

This study examines the challenges related to the music industry's digital transformation and potential role of blockchain from the perspective of collective management organizations (CMOs). Building on desk research and primary data from semi-structured surveys conducted with C-level executives and managers, this empirical analysis identifies major projects, their state of development, and prospects for digital transformation based on blockchain in the music industry. The findings reveal that there are a limited number of blockchain projects led by and/or with the relevant participation of CMOs. However, most are just research projects, proofs of concept, or pilots, showing that blockchain is currently in an experimental phase of development on the periphery of the music industry's digital transformation. This is not very different from analysts' understanding of the current situation and perspectives on the mass adoption of blockchain in other industries. In summary, blockchain is neither at the core of the music industry's digital transformation nor a priority for CMOs leading this process from the perspective of intellectual property rights management. The limited quality of music metadata, sparsity of sound data sources, and absence of a common data governance framework among different stakeholders within the industry are the main impediments to transforming blockchain into a global solution with transformative potential. Overall, the results provide a snapshot of the current status and possible future trajectories of blockchain adoption as a paradigm for intellectual property rights exchange within the music industry.