Hydrogen production from dry reforming of methane, using CO2 previously chemisorbed in the Li6Zn1-xNixO4 solid solution.

Li6ZnO4 was chemically modified by nickel addition, in order to develop different compositions of the solid solution Li6Zn1-xNixO4. These materials were evaluated bifunctionally; analyzing their CO2 capture performances, as well as on their catalytic properties for H2 production via dry reforming of methane (DRM). The crystal structures of Li6Zn1-xNixO4 solid solution samples were determined through X-ray diffraction, which confirmed the integration of nickel ions up to a concentration around 20 mol%, meanwhile beyond this value, a secondary phase was detected. These results were supported by XPS and TEM analyses. Then, dynamic and isothermal thermogravimetric analyses of CO2 capture revealed that Li6Zn1-xNixO4 solid solution samples exhibited good CO2 chemisorption efficiencies, similarly to the pristine Li6ZnO4 chemisorption trends observed. Moreover, a kinetic analysis of CO2 isothermal chemisorptions, using the Avrami-Erofeev model, evidenced an increment of the constant rates as a function of the Ni content. Since Ni2+ ions incorporation did not reduce the CO2 capture efficiency and kinetics, the catalytic properties of these materials were evaluated in the DRM process. Results demonstrated that nickel ions favored hydrogen (H2) production over the pristine Li6ZnO4 phase, despite a second H2 production reaction was determined, methane decomposition. Thereby, Li6Zn1-xNixO4 ceramics can be employed as bifunctional materials.

Emotional false memories: the impact of response bias under speeded retrieval conditions.

Emotional false memory findings using the DRM paradigm have been marked by higher false alarms to negatively arousing compared to neutral critical lure items. Explanations for these findings have mainly focused on false memory-based accounts. However, here we address the question of whether a response bias for emotional stimuli can, at least in part, explain this phenomenon. Participants viewed both neutral and negative arousing DRM lists and completed a recognition test in speeded or self-paced conditions. Speeded test reduces the opportunity to adjust response bias. Analysis showed no significant difference in false recognition across critical lure types for the speeded condition, but false recognition was higher for negative compared to neutral critical lures in the self-paced condition. We argue that when retrieval does not allow for shifts in response criteria, false alarms to negative emotional critical lures appear more similar to neutral equivalents. The discussion explores memory-based and criterion-shift explanations for the enhanced emotional false memory finding.

The differential illusion memory for high-associated abstract concepts (DIM-HA) effect.

A vast body of evidence has shown that concrete concepts are processed faster and more accurately than abstract concepts in a variety of cognitive tasks. This phenomenon is widely known as the concreteness effect, and explanations for its occurrence seem to reflect differences in processing and organization for both types of representations. While there is considerable evidence to support this concreteness effect, the nature of these differences is still controversial. In developing an explanation, we have proposed a relatively different approach from a false memory perspective using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm. To explore the implications of the association in creating false memories, we explore behavioral and electrophysiologically the false memory effect, where targets were manipulated according to their association strength and their concreteness. Results showed that false recognition rates differed significantly between concrete and abstract critical words when they were associated strongly with their respective lists, which led to a higher proportion of abstract false alarms both in behavioral and electrophysiological experiments. The principal outcome, which was called the DIM-HA effect, was discussed in terms of theories of associative activation and qualitatively different representation.

Application of molecular epidemiology in revealing HIV-1 transmission network and recombination patterns in Tianjin, China.

Using a comprehensive molecular epidemiological approach, we characterized the transmission dynamics of HIV-1 among the MSM population in Tianjin, China. Our findings revealed that 38.56% (386/1001) of individuals clustered across 109 molecular transmission clusters (TCs), with MSM aged 50 and below being the group most commonly transmitting HIV-1. Among the identified TCs, CRF01_AE predominated, followed by CRF07_BC. Notably, CRF07_BC demonstrated a higher propensity for forming large clusters compared to CRF01_AE. Birth-death skyline analyses of the two largest clusters indicated that the HIV/AIDS transmission may be at a critical point, nearly all had Re approximately 1 by now. A retrospective analysis revealed that the rapid expansion of these large clusters was primarily driven by the introduction of viruses in 2021, highlighting the crucial importance of continuous molecular surveillance in identifying newly emerging high-risk transmission chains and adapting measures to address evolving epidemic dynamics. Furthermore, we detected the transmission of drug-resistant mutations (DRMs) within the TCs, particularly in the CRF07_BC clusters (K103N, Y181C, and K101E) and CRF01_AE clusters (P225H and K219R), emphasizing the importance of monitoring to support the continued efficacy of first-line therapies and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Recombination analyses indicated that complex recombinant patterns, associated with increased amino acid variability, could confer adaptive traits to the viruses, potentially providing a competitive advantage in certain host populations or regions. Our study highlights the potential of integrating molecular epidemiological and phylodynamic approaches to inform targeted interventions.

Transmitted Antiretroviral Drug Resistance to Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors Class in São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil.

A newer integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) cabotegravir was recently approved for both therapy and prophylaxis and can play an essential role in the fight against AIDS. It shares similar resistance profile to dolutegravir, the cornerstone of Brazilian antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, with about 600 thousand people living with HIV in Brazil currently on regimens that contain this INSTI. Health services in the São Paulo metropolitan area are responsible for a large proportion of ARV dispensation in the country. Estimating transmitted drug resistance mutation (TDRM) in the area before cabotegravir introduction may provide a useful baseline information. Partial HIV-1 pol gene was sequenced (Sanger) from 192 newly diagnosed individuals from São Paulo and nearby cities (2020 to March 2023) at integrase, with 85 also at protease/reverse transcriptase regions. Retrotranscribed plasma RNA, amplified with nested PCR, was edited (Recall or Sequencher) and analyzed at Rega and Stanford db. Surveillance drug resistance mutations (SDRM) to INSTI class was detected in three cases (1.6%; 95% CI: 0.5%-5%), two E138K and one R263K, with 7.8% (95% CI: 5%-13%) with resistance mutations (major or accessory). SDRM for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and PI classes were identified in 7 (8.2% CI: 95% 4%-16%) cases. Subtype B predominated (69%), followed by subtype C (16%), now the second most prevalent infection in this area. Among 131 patients treated for over 6 months, 92% were virally suppressed below 200 copies/mL, with low TCD4 counts independently associated to failure. SDRM to INSTI class is rare in the area. Intermediate rates of transmitted resistance to other ARV classes are comparable to previous estimates. Viral suppression rates may depend on TCD4 counts, another negative impact of late diagnosis in care that deserves more attention.

Hydrological dynamics in the China-Mongolia arid region: An integrated analysis of precipitation recycling and water vapor conversion.

This study examines the atmospheric water cycle dynamics in the China-Mongolia Arid Region (CMAR), a region significantly affected by aridity. By employing a combination of Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis, ERA5 reanalysis data, and the Dynamic Recycling Model (DRM), we investigate the spatial and temporal variations in the Precipitation Recycling Ratio (PRR) and Precipitable Water Conversion Rate (PWCR) over a forty-year period (1979-2021). Our findings reveal that both PRR and PWCR are generally higher but decreasing in most subregions of CMAR, suggesting a notable contribution of local moisture to precipitation. We also identify an increasing trend in PRR across the northwestern subregions and a decreasing trend in other areas. Similarly, PWCR exhibits an increasing trend in the northwestern and southern subregions, while decreasing elsewhere, implying a decline in water vapor conversion and recycling efficiency. Furthermore, our EOF analysis uncovers distinct spatial patterns, with dominant modes accounting for significant variances in PRR and PWCR, correlating with local variations in atmospheric moisture and advective changes. These results underscore the complex interplay between regional topography, atmospheric dynamics, and the hydrological cycle in CMAR. The insights from this study are vital for formulating effective water management strategies and adapting to climate change impacts in arid regions, holding broad implications for environmental science, climate studies, and sustainable resource management. Our findings reveal distinct spatial patterns and contrasting trends in precipitation recycling and water vapor conversion across the subregions of CMAR. This heterogeneity underscores the importance of conducting analyses at finer spatial scales to avoid contradictory conclusions that can arise from topographic influences when treating CMAR as a single unit. Future studies should focus on smaller subregions to accurately capture the intricacies of the water cycle in this topographically complex arid region.

Investigating a bias account of emotional false memories using a criterion warning and force choice restrictions at retrieval.

Here, we add to the debate as to whether false recognition of emotional stimuli is more memory-based or more bias-based. Emotional false memory findings using the DRM paradigm have been marked by higher false alarms to negatively arousing compared to neutral critical lure items. Explanation for these findings has mainly focused on false memory-based accounts. However, here we address the question of whether a response bias for emotional stimuli can, at least in part, explain this phenomenon. In Experiment 1, we used a criterion warning, previously shown to increase more conservative responding and reduce false recognition. Experiment 2, we employed a two-alternative-forced choice test, which minimises the role of criterion setting. In both experiments, we compared false alarms to negative and neutral critical lures. We observed a significant decrease in false recognition rates for both negative and neutral critical lures under the conditions of forced choice restriction and criterion warning. However, despite these conditions, negative items, compared to their neutral counterparts, still consistently provoked a higher degree of false recognition. The discussion that follows presents an exploration of both memory-based accounts and criterion-setting explanations for the enhanced emotional false memory finding.

False memories in forensic psychology: do cognition and brain activity tell the same story?

One of the most important problems in forensic psychology is the impossibility of reliably discriminating between true and false memories when the only prosecution evidence comes from the memory of a witness or a victim. Unfortunately, both children and adults can be persuaded that they have been victims of past criminal acts, usually of a sexual nature. In adults, suggestion often occurs in the context of suggestive therapies based on the belief that traumatic events are repressed, while children come to believe and report events that never occurred as a result of repeated suggestive questioning. Cognitive Researchers have designed false memory paradigms (i.e., misinformation effect, Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, event implantation paradigm) to first form false memories and then determine whether it is possible to reliably differentiate between false and true memories. In the present study, we review the contribution of cognitive research to the formation of false memories and the neuropsychological approaches aimed to discriminate between true and false memories. Based on these results, we analyze the applicability of the cognitive and neuropsychological evidence to the forensic setting.

The barriers to uptake of disaster risk management science in urban planning: A political economy analysis.

There is increasing effort in science to support disaster risk management (DRM) and climate change adaptation in urban environments. It is now common for research calls and projects to reference coproduction methods and science uptake goals. This paper identifies lessons for researchers, research funders, and research users wishing to enable useful, useable, and used science based on the perspectives of research users in urban planning from low- and middle-income countries. DRM-supporting science is viewed by policy actors as: complicated and poorly communicated; presenting inadequate, partial, and outdated information; misaligned with policy cycles; and costly to access and inadequately positioned to overcome the policy barriers that hinder integration of DRM into urban planning. Addressing these specific concerns points to more systematic collection and organisation of data and enhancement of supporting administrative structures to facilitate better sight of human vulnerability and its link to development decision-making and wider processes of urban risk creation.

From vector spaces to DRM lists: False Memory Generator, a software for automated generation of lists of stimuli inducing false memories.

The formation of false memories is one of the most widely studied topics in cognitive psychology. The Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm is a powerful tool for investigating false memories and revealing the cognitive mechanisms subserving their formation. In this task, participants first memorize a list of words (encoding phase) and next have to indicate whether words presented in a new list were part of the initially memorized one (recognition phase). By employing DRM lists optimized to investigate semantic effects, previous studies highlighted a crucial role of semantic processes in false memory generation, showing that new words semantically related to the studied ones tend to be more erroneously recognized (compared to new words less semantically related). Despite the strengths of the DRM task, this paradigm faces a major limitation in list construction due to its reliance on human-based association norms, posing both practical and theoretical concerns. To address these issues, we developed the False Memory Generator (FMG), an automated and data-driven tool for generating DRM lists, which exploits similarity relationships between items populating a vector space. Here, we present FMG and demonstrate the validity of the lists generated in successfully replicating well-known semantic effects on false memory production. FMG potentially has broad applications by allowing for testing false memory production in domains that go well beyond the current possibilities, as it can be in principle applied to any vector space encoding properties related to word referents (e.g., lexical, orthographic, phonological, sensory, affective, etc.) or other type of stimuli (e.g., images, sounds, etc.).

Effects of emotional ambiguity and emotional intensity on true and false memory.

Whereas the effects of emotional intensity (the perceived strength of an item's valence or arousal) have long been studied in true- and false-memory research, emotional ambiguity (the uncertainty that attaches to perceived emotional intensity) has only been studied recently. Available evidence suggests that emotional ambiguity has reliable effects on true memory that are distinct from those of emotional intensity. However, those findings are mostly restricted to recall, and the effects of emotional ambiguity on false memory remain unexplored. The current study addressed both limitations by measuring the effects of emotional ambiguity and emotional intensity on true and false recognition. In two experiments, we manipulated valence ambiguity and valence intensity (Experiment 1) and arousal ambiguity and arousal intensity (Experiment 2) of Deese/Roediger/McDermott lists. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted for Experiment 1, Experiment 2, and the combined data of the experiments to separate the effects of emotional ambiguity and emotional intensity. Our results showed that both valence ambiguity and arousal ambiguity improved true recognition, and the effects of valence ambiguity remained robust even when controlling for valence intensity, arousal intensity, and arousal ambiguity. More importantly, for both valence and arousal, there was an interaction between ambiguity and intensity in false memory. Specifically, we found that valence ambiguity increased false recognition with positive valence, while arousal ambiguity amplified the effect of arousal intensity on false recognition. Our results are discussed in the context of the emotional ambiguity hypothesis and fuzzy-trace theory.

Reduced false memory in the second language of Turkish-English bilinguals.

In the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm, studying a list of semantically related words leads to false memory for the critical non-studied word that is related to all the words in the study list. Previous studies questioning whether bilinguals are more prone to false memory in their first language (L1) or second language (L2) in the DRM paradigm revealed mixed results. The present study investigated the same question with Turkish-English bilinguals. The revised hierarchical model proposes that the link between the lexicon and the semantic system is weaker in L2 than in L1, suggesting that false memory in the DRM paradigm that relies on semantic relatedness would be higher in L1 than in L2. Furthermore, previous studies showed that L2 is more resistant to errors in decision-making when the two languages are dissimilar, but not when they are similar, and Turkish and English are historically distant and typologically dissimilar languages. We tested Turkish-English bilingual participants whose L1 is Turkish with Turkish and English DRM word lists that had similar prior norms for generating false recognition. In the recognition test, some of the studied items and the critical non-studied items were presented and participants identified the studied items. False recognition for the critical non-studied items was lower and correct recognition for studied items was higher in L2 than in L1. The results suggest that L2 is more resistant to false memory due to its weaker lexicon and semantic system associations, at least when the two languages spoken by the bilingual are dissimilar.

Examining the effects of pleasantness ratings on correct and false recognition in the DRM paradigm: accuracy, recollection and familiarity estimates.

Distinctive encoding usually increases correct recognition while also producing a reduction in false recognition. In the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) illusion this phenomenon, called the mirror effect, occurs when participants focus on unique features of each of the words in the study list. In previous studies, the pleasantness rating task, used to foster distinctive encoding, generated different patterns of results. The main aim of our research is to examine under what circumstances this task can produce the mirror effect in the DRM paradigm, based on evidence from recognition accuracy and subjective retrieval experience. In Experiment 1, a standard version (word pleasantness rating on a 5-point Likert-type scale) was used for comparison with two other encoding conditions: shallow processing (vowel identification) and a read-only control. The standard task, compared to the other conditions, increased correct recognition, but did not reduce false recognition, and this result may be affected by the number of lists presented for study. Therefore, in experiment 2, to minimize the possible effect of the so-called retention size, the number of studied lists was reduced. In addition, the standard version was compared with a supposedly more item-specific version (participants rated the pleasantness of words while thinking of a single reason for this), also including the read-only control condition. In both versions of the pleasantness rating task, more correct recognition is achieved compared to the control condition, with no differences between the two versions. In the false recognition observed here, only the specific pleasantness rating task achieved a reduction relative to the control condition. On the other hand, the subjective retrieval experience accompanied correct and false recognition in the various study conditions. Although the standard pleasantness rating task has been considered to perform item-specific processing, our results challenge that claim. Furthermore, we propose a possible boundary condition of the standard task for the reduction of false recognition in the DRM paradigm.

"I heard it before or not": time-course of ERP response and behavioural correlates associated with false recognition memory.

Electrophysiological and behavioural correlates of true and false memories were examined in the Deese/Roediger-McDermont (DRM) paradigm. A mass univariate approach for analysing event-related potentials (ERP) in the temporal domain was used to examine the electrophysiological effects associated with this paradigm precisely (point-by-point) and without bias (data-driven). Behaviourally, true and false recognition did not differ, and the predicted DRM effect was observed, as false recognition of critical lures (i.e., new words semantically related to studied words) was higher than false alarms of new (unrelated) words. Neurally, an expected old/new effect was observed during the time-range of the late positive component (LPC) over left centro-parietal scalp electrodes. Furthermore, true recognition also evoked larger LPC amplitudes than false recognition over both left centro-parietal and fronto-central scalp electrodes. However, we did not observe LPC-related differences between critical lures and new words, nor between correct rejections of critical lures and new words. In contrast, correct rejections of critical lures were accompanied by higher activation of a sustained positive slow wave (SPSW) in right fronto-central electrodes beyond 1200 ms. This result reveals a key role of post-retrieval processes in recognition. Results are discussed in light of theoretical approaches to false memory in the DRM paradigm.

Kinetic coevolutionary models predict the temporal emergence of HIV-1 resistance mutations under drug selection pressure.

Drug resistance in HIV type 1 (HIV-1) is a pervasive problem that affects the lives of millions of people worldwide. Although records of drug-resistant mutations (DRMs) have been extensively tabulated within public repositories, our understanding of the evolutionary kinetics of DRMs and how they evolve together remains limited. Epistasis, the interaction between a DRM and other residues in HIV-1 protein sequences, is key to the temporal evolution of drug resistance. We use a Potts sequence-covariation statistical-energy model of HIV-1 protein fitness under drug selection pressure, which captures epistatic interactions between all positions, combined with kinetic Monte-Carlo simulations of sequence evolutionary trajectories, to explore the acquisition of DRMs as they arise in an ensemble of drug-naive patient protein sequences. We follow the time course of 52 DRMs in the enzymes protease, RT, and integrase, the primary targets of antiretroviral therapy. The rates at which DRMs emerge are highly correlated with their observed acquisition rates reported in the literature when drug pressure is applied. This result highlights the central role of epistasis in determining the kinetics governing DRM emergence. Whereas rapidly acquired DRMs begin to accumulate as soon as drug pressure is applied, slowly acquired DRMs are contingent on accessory mutations that appear only after prolonged drug pressure. We provide a foundation for using computational methods to determine the temporal evolution of drug resistance using Potts statistical potentials, which can be used to gain mechanistic insights into drug resistance pathways in HIV-1 and other infectious agents.

Clinical nutrition in primary care: ESPEN position paper.

Primary care healthcare professionals (PCHPs) are pivotal in managing chronic diseases and present a unique opportunity for nutrition-related disease prevention. However, the active involvement of PCHPs in nutritional care is limited, influenced by factors like insufficient education, lack of resources, and time constraints. In this position paper The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) promotes the active engagement of PCHPs in nutritional care. We emphasize the importance of early detection of malnutrition by screening and diagnosis, particularly in all individuals presenting with risk factors such as older age, chronic disease, post-acute disease conditions and after hospitalization for any cause. ESPEN proposes a strategic roadmap to empower PCHPs in clinical nutrition, focusing on education, tools, and multidisciplinary collaboration. The aim is to integrate nutrition into medical curricula, provide simple screening tools for primary care, and establish referral pathways to address malnutrition systematically. In conclusion, we urge for collaboration with PCHP organizations to raise awareness, enhance nutrition skills, facilitate dietitian accessibility, establish multidisciplinary teams, and promote referral pathways, thereby addressing the underestimated clinical challenge of malnutrition in primary care.

False recall is associated with larger caudate in males but not in females.

After learning semantically related words, some people are more likely than others to incorrectly recall unstudied but semantically related lures (i.e., Deese-Roediger-McDermott [DRM] false recall). Previous studies have suggested that neural activity in subcortical regions (e.g., the caudate) is involved in false memory, and that there may be sex differences in the neural basis of false memory. However, sex-specific associations between subcortical volumes and false memory are not well understood. This study investigated whether sex modulates the associations between subcortical volumes and DRM false recall in 400 healthy college students. Volumes of subcortical regions including the caudate, accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus, pallidum, putamen and thalamus were obtained from structural magnetic resonance images and measured using FreeSurfer. The results showed that males had lower true and false recall but larger subcortical volumes than females. Interestingly, higher false recall was associated with a larger caudate in males, but not in females. This association was significant after controlling for age and intracranial volume. This study provides new evidence on the neural basis of false recall. It suggests that the caudate plays a role in false recall in young men, and that future studies of the neural correlates of false memory should consider sex differences.

Transcranial direct current stimulation over the left posterior temporal lobe modulates semantic control: Evidence from episodic memory distortions.

Evidence accumulates to show that semantic cognition requires, in addition to semantic representations, control processes that regulate the accessibility and use of semantic knowledge in a task- and time-appropriate fashion. Semantic control has been recently proposed to rely on a distributed network that includes the posterior temporal cortex. Along these lines, recent meta-analyses of neuroimaging data and studies with patients suffering from semantic aphasia have suggested that the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG) is critically involved whenever situational context must constrain semantic retrieval. In the present experiment, we used transcranial direct current stimulation over the left posterior temporal lobe in an attempt to interfere with semantic control while participants performed a DRM task, a procedure for inducing conceptually-based false recognition that is contingent on both activation and control processes. Paralleling findings with patients suffering from brain damage restricted to the temporoparietal cortex, anodal stimulation (relative to sham stimulation) resulted in increased false recognition but intact true recognition. These findings fit well with the idea that the left pMTG is a key component of a semantic control network, the alteration of which results in memory performance that is affected by the intrusion of contextually-inappropriate semantic information.

False memory-guided eye movements: insights from a DRM-Saccade paradigm.

The Deese-Roediger and McDermott (DRM) paradigm and visually guided saccade tasks are both prominent research tools in their own right. This study introduces a novel DRM-Saccade paradigm, merging both methodologies. We used rule-based saccadic eye movements whereby participants were presented with items at test and were asked to make a saccade to the left or right of the item to denote a recognition or non-recognition decision. We measured old/new recognition decisions and saccadic latencies. Experiment 1 used a pro/anti saccade task to a single target. We found slower saccadic latencies for correct rejection of critical lures, but no latency difference between correct recognition of studied items and false recognition of critical lures. Experiment 2 used a two-target saccade task and also measured corrective saccades. Findings corroborated those from Experiment 1. Participants adjusted their initial decisions to increase accurate recognition of studied items and rejection of unrelated lures but there were no such corrections for critical lures. We argue that rapid saccades indicate cognitive processing driven by familiarity thresholds. These occur before slower source-monitoring is able to process any conflict. The DRM-Saccade task could effectively track real-time cognitive resource use during recognition decisions.

Comparison of semantic and phonological false memories in short- and long-term tests.

The Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm has been at the centre of false memory research. Whereas most work with this paradigm has examined memory at the long term and with semantically associated lists, the present study examines phonological and semantic false memories at both short- and long-term delays. In two experiments, participants studied short lists containing six (Experiment 1) or four (Experiment 2) items, either semantically or phonologically related to the same non-studied critical items (CI). Following each list, participants completed 36 trials of an immediate recognition task (short-term memory [STM]-only condition) only or they also completed a surprise recognition test after a 1-min delay after all 36 STM trials (STM + long-term memory [LTM] condition). In STM, false alarms were higher in phonological lists, whereas after the delay, false alarms were higher in semantic lists, reflecting differential sensitivity to the type of association as a function of delay. A third experiment examined LTM performance after controlling for prior testing and yielded highly similar results. Both the activation-monitoring framework (AMF) and fuzzy-trace theory (FTT) can explain the majority of the findings, with some remaining issues. These results confirm that information from the knowledge base (LTM) does influence accuracy in an STM task, albeit less so than perceptual level similarity.