A comprehensive taxonomy for structure and material deficiencies, preventions and remedies of timber bridges

As timber bridges have become archaic, they are no longer able to effectively service their community. It is neither practical, nor possible, to replace all existing timber bridges, hence it is of paramount importance to maintain and extend the service life of those remaining timber bridges. The following discourse intends to provide an extensive and comprehensive review of the various deterioration mechanisms, the preventive actions and possible remedial options for management and maintenance of timber bridges. The classified information has been summarised in a tabular format and presented as a ready-reckoner taxonomy for quick reference. This taxonomy is purely a re-staetment of the information already covered in the paper, but when presented in the summary form, reference becomes highly convenient

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS-I)

The past decade has witnessed an expanded accessibility and popularity of gambling worldwide, and in Italy the phenomenon significantly increased. Nevertheless, little is known about the role of gambling cognitions among Italian individuals, and few scales assessing problem gambling have been validated. The purpose of the present study was to examine and validate the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale-Italian version (GRCS-I), based on the 23-item Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS). Two-tailed t tests, ANOVA, MANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analyses were used for continuous variables, while χ2 tests with Yates's correction for categorical variables. Cronbach's α was utilized to determine the internal consistency, and logistic regression analysis and the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to determine discriminant validity. Principal axis factoring with Oblimin rotation was applied, and then confirmatory factor analysis was used to cross-validate the factor structures. We extracted a five-factor solution that accounted for 60\ua0% of variance. All 23 items had communalities and factor loadings were satisfactory, and the factor structures were similar to the original version of the measure. The Cronbach's α coefficients were adequate, and concurrent and discriminant validities of the GRCS were also confirmed. GRCS-I presented good psychometric properties and it demonstrated good validity and reliability, providing a valid and suitable tool for the assessment of gambling related cognitions among Italian individuals