Normally skilled reading involves special processing strategies for letters, which are habitually funneled into an abstract letter code. On the basis of previous studies we argue that this habit leads to the preferred usage of an analytic strategy for the processing of letters, while non-letters are preferably processed via a holistic strategy. The well-known global precedence effect (GPE) seems to contradict to this assumption, since, with compound, hierarchical figures, including letter items, faster responses are observed to the global than to the local level of the figure, as well as an asymmetric interference effect from global to local level. We argue that with letters these effects depend on presentation conditions; only when they elicit the processing strategies automatized for reading, an analytic strategy for letters in contrast to non-letters is to be expected. We compared the GPE for letters and non-letters in central viewing, with the global stimulus size close to the functional visual field in whole word reading (6.5° of visual angle) and local stimuli close to the critical size for fluent reading of individual letters (0.5° of visual angle). Under these conditions, the GPE remained robust for non-letters. For letters, however, it disappeared: letters showed no overall response time advantage for the global level and symmetric congruence effects (local-to-global as well as global-to-local interference). We interpret these results as according to the view that reading is based on resident analytic visual processing strategies for letters.

The size congruity effect involves interference between numerical magnitude and physical size of visually presented numbers: congruent numbers (either both small or both large in numerical magnitude and physical size) are responded to faster than incongruent ones (small numerical magnitude/large physical size or vice versa). Besides, numerical magnitude is associated with lateralized response codes, leading to the Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect: small numerical magnitudes are preferably responded to on the left side and large ones on the right side. Whereas size congruity effects are ascribed to interference between stimulus dimensions in the decision stage, SNARC effects are understood as (in)compatibilities in stimulus-response combinations. Accordingly, size congruity and SNARC effects were previously found to be independent in parity and in physical size judgment tasks. We investigated their dependency in numerical magnitude judgment tasks. We obtained independent size congruity and SNARC effects in these tasks and replicated this observation for the parity judgment task. The results confirm and extend the notion that size congruity and SNARC effects operate in different representational spaces. We discuss possible implications for number representation.

We studied the global precedence effect in primary school children with and without developmental dyslexia, using a compound figures task with familiar (Latin) or unfamiliar (Hebrew) letters. The two components of the global precedence effect were considered separately: global advantage (faster processing of global than local letters) and asymmetric interference (global distracters interfere with local targets but not vice versa). Both groups of children showed a global advantage with familiar as well as with unfamiliar letters. Children without developmental dyslexia showed asymmetric interference on familiar letters, but not on unfamiliar ones. Children with developmental dyslexia showed no asymmetric interference, neither for familiar letters nor for unfamiliar ones. The results distinguish between alternative hypothesis regarding the roles of familiarity and visual processing strategies in the compound figures task. Consequences for understanding literacy acquisition and developmental dyslexia are discussed.

The thermo-mechanical behavior of sandwich panels was experimentally investigated. The panels featured two external concrete layers reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymer rebars (GFRP) and an internal expanded polystyrene insulation layer. These are typical for low load bearing and thermally insulated panels in façade claddings. To assess the suitability of the internal GFRP reinforcement, the heating condition was such that rebars in one concrete layer were exposed to temperatures higher than the glass transition temperature of the resins. Such extreme condition allowed verifying the retention of the mechanical behavior, in terms of deformability and load-carrying capacity, with bending tests of unheated and heated panels. As main outcome, the elevated temperature produced significant modification of the insulation layer, considerable reduction of global stiffness and load-carrying capacity, while GFRP bars were not apparently modified.concrete, glass fiber bars, mechanical testing, sandwich panels, thermomechanical loading | INTRODUCTIONIn the last two decades, several investigations showed the advantages and disadvantages of replacing the steel reinforcement with FRP (fiber reinforced polymers) rebars in structural concrete components. 1 Many investigations and applications were focused on the GFRP (glass fiber reinforced polymer) rebars for their non-corrosive and nonconductive characteristics as well as their high strength, low weight, and durability. 2-4 One important field of application of GFRP reinforcement is slender concrete structures. The lack of corrosion allows to reduce the bar protection decreasing the concrete covers and, as consequence, the thickness of concrete members. Slender layers of reinforced concrete are frequently adopted as the load-carrying members of sandwich panels used, in the construction industry, as façade panels or slabs for pavements. External cladding sandwich panels made of pre-cast concrete usually consist of three layers: thin load-carrying concrete layer, the thermal insulation, and a thin facing concrete layer. Sandwich panels are frequently adopted in buildings to exploit their structural and thermal efficiency. Nowadays, they play an important role in the building industry that aims to improve the energy efficiency and increase the durability of building constructions.Several efforts were dedicated to the understanding and optimization of the mechanical behavior of sandwich panels with different reinforcements: steel rebars and connectors (see, e.g., Reference 5); steel rebars and GFRP connectors (see, e.g., Reference 6); steel fiber reinforced selfcompacting concrete and GFRP connectors (see, e.g., Reference 7). Some investigations were devoted to the mechanical response of steel-free sandwich panels having both reinforcement and connectors made of GFRP (see, e.g., Reference 8).In spite of the interest in constructions industry on steelfree sandwich panels, their durability and in particular their

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