Shape Memory Alloys Applied to Automotive Adaptive Aerodynamics.

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are gaining popularity in the fields of automotive and aerospace engineering due to their unique thermomechanical properties. This paper proposes a numerical implementation of a comprehensive constitutive model for simulating the thermomechanical behavior of shape memory alloys, with temperature and strain as control variables to adjust the shape memory effect and super elasticity effect of the material. By implementing this model as a user subroutine in the FE code Abaqus/Standard, it becomes possible to account for variations in material properties in complex components made of shape memory alloys.

The Potential Impact of a Dog Training Program on the Animal Adoptions in an Italian Shelter.

One of the main concerns of the human-dog relationship is today associated with the quality life inside the kennels, which are very often regarded as animal dump where dogs are exiled, representing a burden on society. In the present study we sought to investigate the importance of performing an appropriate behavioral program on the adoption chances within an Italian shelter, near Naples (Ottaviano). In this respect, we enrolled 555 adopted dogs of different ages, who followed a tailored-4-month lasting training program between 2018 and 2020.

Three-dimensional simulation of clouds of multi-disperse evaporating saliva droplets in a train cabin.

In line with recent ongoing efforts to collect crucial information about the mechanisms of virus diffusion and put them in relation to the effective complexity of the several natural or artificial environments where human beings leave and operate, the present study deals with the dispersion of evaporating saliva droplets in the cabin of an interregional train. A relevant physical model is constructed taking into account the state of the art in terms of existing paradigms and their ability to represent some fundamental aspects related to the evolution in time of a cloud of multi-disperse droplets. Conveniently, such a theoretical framework is turned into a computational one that relies on low Mach-number asymptotics and can therefore take advantage of the typical benefits (relatively low computational cost) associated with pressure-based methods.

Cortisol Levels of Shelter Dogs in Animal Assisted Interventions in a Prison: An Exploratory Study.

Previous studies regarding the Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) have mainly focused on the beneficial effects of human-animal interactions on human health; whereas the impact of such activities on the welfare of the animals involved has received limited attention. So far, few studies have addressed this issue by evaluating the physiological and behavioral reactions of therapy dogs during the interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effect of AAI on the cortisol levels of shelter dogs.

Investigating the Role of the Host Multidrug Resistance Associated Protein Transporter Family in Burkholderia cepacia Complex Pathogenicity Using a Caenorhabditis elegans Infection Model.

This study investigated the relationship between host efflux system of the non-vertebrate nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) strain virulence. This is the first comprehensive effort to profile host-transporters within the context of Bcc infection. With this aim, two different toxicity tests were performed: a slow killing assay that monitors mortality of the host by intestinal colonization and a fast killing assay that assesses production of toxins.