Reinforcement of wood with natural fibers

This paper describes an experimental programme which examines the reinforcement in flexure of timber beams with composite materials based on natural fibers in the form of fabrics made from hemp, flax, basalt and bamboo fibers. The industrial use of natural fibers has been continuously increasing since 1990s due to their advantages in terms of production costs, pollution emissions and energy consumption for production and disposal. The technique allows the reinforcement of the intrados of beams, avoiding the dismantling of the overlying part of the structure with significant savings in terms of costs and work time. The test program consists of three phases incorporating 45 beams. The bending tests on the wooden elements made it possible to measure the increase in capacity and stiffness resulting from the composite reinforcement. This was applied to beams, creating different arrangements and using different quantities (number of layers). Despite the diversity of the various tests carried out, the results obtained in some cases showed significant increases in terms of load-carrying capacity and in deflection ductility

Shear strengthening of masonry panels using a gfrp-reinforced mortar coating

The use of new composite materials for reinforcement of heritage masonry structures, especially in seismic prone areas, is of interest structural engineers and conservators. However, the need to increase the structural performance of masonry structures is often in contrast with the principles of conservation in terms of reversibility, limited visual impact, compatibility of new materials with masonry. With the aim at striking a balance between structural safety and heritage protection, this paper investigates strengthening stone and brickwork masonry walls using glass-fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) meshes embedded into a coating of lime or cement mortar. An experimental research program was undertaken in the laboratory on large-scale wall panels. Both clay brick and stone work specimens were tested, with and without strengthening. Single-sided and double-sided strengthenings were considered, as it is often not practicable to apply the reinforcement to both sides of a wall. Static tests were carried out on twelve masonry panels, under in-plane diagonal shear loading. The mechanisms by which load was carried were observed, varying from the initial, uncracked state, to the final, fully cracked state. The results demonstrate that a significant increase of the in-plane shear capacity of masonry can be achieved by using the proposed retrofitting technique. The experimental data were used to assess the effectiveness of the strengthening, and a finite element (FE) numerical model is discussed and calibrated against experimental results. The FE model was used to investigate further aspects of the reinforced masonry under shear-loading

Comparison between two non-contact techniques for art digitalization

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Determinant Factors of Dividend Payments in Brazil

This study identifies factors that shaped cash disbursement distribution policies employed by Brazilian public companies listed on the Brazilian Securities, Commodities and Futures Exchange (BM&FBOVESPA) from 1995 to 2011. Relationships between Dividends/Total Assets and potential determinants discussed in the literature, including firm size, corporate governance, profitability, leverage, market to book, liquidity, investment, risk, profit growth, information asymmetry and agency conflict, are examined. The following econometric methods are employed: (1) Tobit, given the nature of the dividend data, and (2) the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to control for endogenous regressors. Significant positive variables found include size, return on assets (ROA), market to book, liquidity and profit growth. It can thus be inferred that larger firm size, profitability, market value, liquidity and profit growth correlate with greater firm pro pensity to distribute money to shareholders, thus supporting the theory of corporate finance. Significant negative variables found include leverage, liquidity squared, capex, beta and tag along 100%. It is thus inferred that more significantly leveraged companies that invest more heavily in fixed assets and that exhibit high liquidity, higher risk and less conflict between controlling and minority shareholders will be less likely to pay dividends to shareholders.</p

Os dividendos como estratégia de investimentos em ações

Na Teoria de Finanças, o papel dos dividendos nas cotações é um tema controverso, uma vez que há diferentes teorias que abordam sua relevância para o valor das ações e, em conseqüência, para a riqueza dos acionistas. Além disso, as descobertas empíricas que originaram a Hipótese de Mercado Eficiente de Capitais (HME) não apenas contradizem a Análise Técnica, mas também impõem um desafio à declarada habilidade superior da Análise Fundamentalista em gerar retornos superiores, com base em fatores ou variáveis contábeis, financeiros e econômicos, tais como o dividend yield (retorno em dividendos). A fim de se verificar a relação entre dividend yields e as taxas de retornos das ações, bem como a viabilidade de uma estratégia baseada em dividend yields históricos de "bater" o mercado, foram construídas, mensalmente, durante o período que vai do Plano Real em julho de 1994 a dezembro de 1999, três diferentes carteiras (alto, baixo e zero). Seus riscos, retornos e indicadores de desempenho ajustados ao risco foram calculados e comparados entre si e com seu paradigma (benchmark), o Índice da Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo - Ibovespa. A evidência empírica é incapaz de sugerir que as ações de altos dividend yield tendem a possuir maiores ou menores taxas de retorno do que as ações de baixo ou zero yield. Ademais, as evidências sugerem que não é possível demonstrar, usando o método empírico aplicado, uma clara associação entre dividend yield e taxas de retorno das ações.In Finance Theory, the role of dividends in stock prices is a controversial issue, considering the different theories that exist on their relevance for stock value and, consequently, for shareholders' wealth. Furthermore, empirical findings that have originated the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) not only contradict Technical Analysis, but also pose a challenge to the Fundamental Analysis' supposedly superior ability to generate higher returns based on accounting, financial and economic factors or variables such as the dividend yield. In order to assess the relationship between dividend yields and stocks returns as well as the viability of a strategy based on historic dividend yield to "beat" the market, with reference to the period from the beginning of the Real Plan in July 1994 until December 1999, three different yield portfolios (high, low and zero) were formed on a monthly basis.Their risks, returns and risk-adjusted portfolio performance measurements were calculated, and then compared both among themselves and to the benchmark (São Paulo Stock Exchange Index - Ibovespa). Empirical evidence is unable to suggest either that stocks with a high dividend yield tend to have higher or lower returns than those with a low or zero yield. Moreover, the evidences suggest that, using the applied empirical method, no clear association between dividend yield and stock returns can be demonstrated

Development and validation of a diagnostic prediction model for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: VAPOR 1, protocol for a prospective multicentre case-control study

\ua9 Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ Group. Introduction: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) continues to have extremely poor patient outcomes, unlike other cancer types which have seen significant improvements in their treatments and survival. A major contributing factor is that PDAC is often detected at an advanced, incurable stage. In the UK, nearly half of patients have stage 4 disease at the time of diagnosis, which has a profound effect on treatment options and, ultimately, survival. To address the challenge of early detection of PDAC, this study aims to develop and validate a clinical prediction model based on a non-invasive breath test. The proposed breath test aims to assist general practitioners in the triaging of patients who present with symptoms that do not meet current criteria for urgent suspected PDAC pathway referral. Methods and analysis: The Volatile organic compound Assessment in Pancreatic ductal adenOcaRcinoma (VAPOR 1) study is a prospective, multicentre, case-control study that aims to recruit 771 participants from England, Wales and Scotland. These include adult participants, aged ≥18 years, in three cohorts: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; benign pancreatic controls (chronic pancreatitis or new-onset diabetes); healthy controls with a normal pancreas on imaging. A one-off breath sample will be obtained from participants who have fasted for at least 6 hours, and participant demographics and clinical data will be recorded. Breath samples will be analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present. Relationships between VOCs of interest and the presence of PDAC will be explored, and a clinical prediction model will be developed using statistical and machine learning methods and internally validated. Ethics and dissemination: The VAPOR 1 study has received approval from the South East Scotland Research Ethics Committee 02, and from the Health Research Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (REC 22/SS/0061). Results of this study will be published in open-access peer-reviewed journals, and disseminated through pancreatic cancer conference presentations. In addition, lay summaries shared on our website, social media platforms and through our charitable funder, Pancreatic Cancer UK, will enable engagement with patients and the wider public