Learning with the test : adapting encoding strategies to the retrieval requisites

Tese de doutoramento, Psicologia (Psicologia Cognitiva), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2017Retrieving information from memory is usually, and obviously, the final objective of encoding it. In that line, we propose that we encode and store information as a function of the particular ways we have used similar information in the past. More specifically, we contend that the experience of retrieval can serve as a powerful cue to the most effective ways to encode similar information in comparable future learning episodes. This ubiquitous characteristic of human memory and its effects will be explored along six studies, modifications of the repeated retrieval paradigm, where we keep encoding conditions constant, but manipulate the requisites of memory tests and observe the gains and costs in learning across several study-test cycles, along with manifestations of learning based on the structures and requisites of the tests (and not of the studied materials) in final surprise-tasks. In this dissertation we will introduce the evolution of the study of the impact of retrieval in memory functioning, and establish possible parallels with conceptual learning. In three empirical chapters we will explore the adaptive aspects, benefits and costs of repeated retrieval. In Chapter II we will show how the nature of the distracters in recognition tests will, by itself, impact subsequent encoding strategies of new similar information: relational when when distracters are not related to the lists, and distinctiveness-based when they are related to the study lists and conceptual knowledge is not useful for the task. In Chapter III we will present converging evidence to this phenomenon, showing that if memory tests demand responding to spatial cues, instead of semantic cues, the activation of the item’s semantic networks will be hindered, suggesting that along several study-test cycles we learn to disregard stimuli dimensions that are irrelevant to the tasks. In Chapter IV we show that even if the structure of memory tests encourage and allow for the use of conceptual knowledge (and not episodic) to respond, conceptual processing of information only present at test is hindered. We will discuss interactions, similarities and differences between memory and conceptual learning, and also how acts of retrieval in a given context can impact further attention to specific stimuli attributes. We will advance some theoretical considerations on the present research, along with some practical applications.Recuperar informação da memória é, obviamente, o objectivo final da sua codificação. Pensando neste propósito final, propomos que codificamos e armazenamos informação em função das formas específicas como fizemos uso de informação semelhante no passado. Especificamente, argumentamos que a experiência da recuperação pode servir como uma forte pista para as formas mais eficientes de codificar informação semelhante noutras situações equiparáveis de aprendizagem. Esta característica ubíqua da memória humana e os seus efeitos serão explorados a partir dos dados de seis estudos - modificações do paradigma de recuperação repetida - em que mantemos as condições de codificação constantes, mas manipulamos os requisitos dos testes de memória. Vamos analisar os ganhos e custos na aprendizagem ao longo de vários ciclos estudo-teste, bem como as manifestações de aprendizagens baseadas nas estruturas e requisitos dos testes (e não nos materiais estudados) em tarefas-surpresa finais. Nesta dissertação introduziremos a evolução do estudo do impacto da recuperação no funcionamento mnésico, e possíveis paralelismos com a aprendizagem conceptual. Em três capítulos empíricos iremos explorar os aspectos adaptativos, benefícios e custos da recuperação repetida de informação. No Capítulo II mostramos como o tipo de distractores presente em testes de reconhecimento vai, por si, impactar estratégias de codificação subsequentes para informação nova, tornando-se estas mais relacionais quando os distractores não estão relacionados com as listas, ou mais baseadas na distintividade quando são relacionadas com as listas de estudo, e o conhecimento conceptual não é útil na tarefa. No Capítulo III apresentamos evidências convergentes para este fenómeno, mostrando que se testes de memória exigirem resposta a pistas espaciais, em vez de semânticas, a ativação das redes semânticas das palavras será atenuada, sugerindo que ao longo de ciclos de estudo-teste aprendemos a negligenciar dimensões irrelevantes dos estímulos. No Capítulo IV mostramos como apesar de a estrutura de testes de memória poder encorajar e permitir o uso de conhecimento conceptual (por oposição a episódico) para responder, o processamento conceptual de informação presente no teste é deficitário. Serão discutidas interações, semelhanças e diferenças entre memória e aprendizagem conceptual, bem como a influência dos atos de recuperação em contexto na atenção a atributos específicos dos estímulos. Serão ainda avançadas algumas considerações teóricas e aplicações práticas da investigação aqui apresentada

A controlabilidade da extracção do gist : explicando um processo difuso

Tese de mestrado, Psicologia (Cognição Social Aplicada), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2010As duas principais teorias explicativas das falsas memórias obtidas através do paradigma DRM (Deese, 1959; Roediger & McDermott, 1995) são a abordagem da activação-monitorização (e.g. Roediger, Watson, McDermott & Gallo, 2001) e a teoria fuzzy-trace (e.g. Brainerd & Reyna, 2002). Enquanto que a activaçãomonitorização baseia a explicação do efeito num processo automático de dispersão de activação, a fuzzy-trace pressupõe a extracção de um traço temático gist como principal processo responsável pelo efeito. Contudo, ao contrário da abordagem da activação-monitorização, a teoria fuzzy-trace não explica objectivamente este processo nem é clara quanto à natureza automática ou controlada do mesmo. Serão propostas duas experiências que permitem averiguar esta questão. Na Experiência 1 será aplicado o paradigma DRM com listas categoriais, manipulando-se o study-rate e a apresentação do tema da lista ou de um tema de uma categoria ad hoc (Barsalou, 1983) como pista antes do estudo de cada lista, e adicionando-se no teste de reconhecimento exemplares frequentemente instanciados das categorias ad hoc como distractores não relacionados. Na Experiência 2, a esta manipulação será adicionada a manipulação da apresentação do tema (da lista vs. ad hoc) já na fase de teste. Se a extracção do gist for um processo controlado e estratégico serão de esperar falsos reconhecimentos dos distractores relacionados com o tema ad hoc na condição de study-rate lento (sendo a necessidade de tempo para actuar uma característica dos processos controlados) (Exp. 1) e não será de esperar que os sujeitos recodifiquem o gist extraído com um study rate lento a partir do tema dado no teste (Exp. 2), uma vez que um gist robusto terá já sido extraído. Serão brevemente discutidas as implicações destes resultados para a definição do conceito de gist e do seu processo de extracção no âmbito das falsas memórias.The two main explanatory theories of false memories obtained through the DRM paradigm (Deese, 1959, Roediger & McDermott, 1995) are the activation-monitoring approach (e.g. Roediger, Watson, McDermott, & Gallo, 2001) and the fuzzy-trace theory (e.g. Brainerd & Reyna, 2002). While the activation-monitoring explanation is based on the effect of an automatic process of spreading activation, the fuzzy-trace theory proposes the extraction of a thematic gist trace as the main process responsible for the false memory effect. However, unlike the activation-monitoring approach, fuzzy-trace theory does not explain this process objectively and is not clear about it's automatic or controlled nature. Two experiments that will allow to test this issue will be proposed. In Experiment 1 the DRM paradigm with categorical lists will be applied, manipulating the study-rate and the presentation of the category theme or the theme of an ad hoc category (Barsalou, 1983) as a cue before each study list, and adding to the recognition test exemplars of the ad hoc categories (used in the study fase) as unrelated distractors. In Experiment 2, a further manipulation will be added: presentation of the theme (from the list vs. ad hoc) during the testing phase. If the gist extraction is a controlled and strategic process it should be expected false recognition of unrelated distractors (related to the ad hoc categories' themes used as cues during study) on the condition of slow study-rate (being the time-dependence a characteristic of controlled processes) (Exp. 1) and it should not be expected that subjects will recode the gist extracted with a slow rate study from the thematic cue given at test (Exp. 2), since a robust gist trace was already coded. The implications of these results for the definition of gist and its extraction process in the context of false memories will be briefly discussed.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial

Funding This work was supported by ERDF through the operation POCI-01−0145-ERDF-007746 funded by the Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização − COMPETE2020 and by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, IP national support through CINTESIS, R&D Unit (UIDB/4255/2020), CHRC (UIDP/04923/2020 and UIDB/04923/2020) and through the project reference PTDC/BAA-AGR/7419/2020.Gut microbiota modulation might constitute a mechanism mediating the effects of beer on health. In this randomized, double-blinded, two-arm parallel trial, 22 healthy men were recruited to drink 330 mL of nonalcoholic beer (0.0% v/v) or alcoholic beer (5.2% v/v) daily during a 4-week follow-up period. Blood and faecal samples were collected before and after the intervention period. Gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Drinking nonalcoholic or alcoholic beer daily for 4 weeks did not increase body weight and body fat mass and did not changed significantly serum cardiometabolic biomarkers. Nonalcoholic and alcoholic beer increased gut microbiota diversity which has been associated with positive health outcomes and tended to increase faecal alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker of intestinal barrier function. These results suggest the effects of beer on gut microbiota modulation are independent of alcohol and may be mediated by beer polyphenols.publishersversionpublishe

MarinEye - A tool for marine monitoring

This work presents an autonomous system for marine integrated physical-chemical and biological monitoring – the MarinEye system. It comprises a set of sensors providing diverse and relevant information for oceanic environment characterization and marine biology studies. It is constituted by a physicalchemical water properties sensor suite, a water filtration and sampling system for DNA collection, a plankton imaging system and biomass assessment acoustic system. The MarinEye system has onboard computational and logging capabilities allowing it either for autonomous operation or for integration in other marine observing systems (such as Observatories or robotic vehicles. It was designed in order to collect integrated multi-trophic monitoring data. The validation in operational environment on 3 marine observatories: RAIA, BerlengasWatch and Cascais on the coast of Portugal is also discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gut Microbiota Diversity and C-Reactive Protein Are Predictors of Disease Severity in COVID-19 Patients

Funding Information: We acknowledge support from the NOVA Medical School of Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, CINTESIS, and CHRC. Funding. This study was sponsored by the Funda??o para a Ci?ncia e a Tecnologia (FCT, project no. 268_596883842), BIOCODEX, and CINTESIS (reference UIDB/4255/2020). The funders had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or manuscript writing. Publisher Copyright: © Copyright © 2021 Moreira-Rosário, Marques, Pinheiro, Araújo, Ribeiro, Rocha, Mota, Pestana, Ribeiro, Pereira, de Sousa, Pereira-Leal, de Sousa, Morais, Teixeira, Rocha, Silvestre, Príncipe, Gatta, Amado, Santos, Maltez, Boquinhas, de Sousa, Germano, Sarmento, Granja, Póvoa, Faria and Calhau.The risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity are still poorly understood. Considering the pivotal role of the gut microbiota on host immune and inflammatory functions, we investigated the association between changes in the gut microbiota composition and the clinical severity of COVID-19. We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study prospectively enrolling 115 COVID-19 patients categorized according to: (1) the WHO Clinical Progression Scale—mild, 19 (16.5%); moderate, 37 (32.2%); or severe, 59 (51.3%), and (2) the location of recovery from COVID-19—ambulatory, 14 (household isolation, 12.2%); hospitalized in ward, 40 (34.8%); or hospitalized in the intensive care unit, 61 (53.0%). Gut microbiota analysis was performed through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the data obtained were further related to the clinical parameters of COVID-19 patients. The risk factors for COVID-19 severity were identified by univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. In comparison to mild COVID-19 patients, the gut microbiota of moderate and severe patients have: (a) lower Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio; (b) higher abundance of Proteobacteria; and (c) lower abundance of beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria such as the genera Roseburia and Lachnospira. Multivariable regression analysis showed that the Shannon diversity index [odds ratio (OR) = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.09–7.41, p = 0.032) and C-reactive protein (OR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.33–8.91, p = 0.011) are risk factors for severe COVID-19 (a score of 6 or higher in the WHO Clinical Progression Scale). In conclusion, our results demonstrated that hospitalized patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 have microbial signatures of gut dysbiosis; for the first time, the gut microbiota diversity is pointed out as a prognostic biomarker of COVID-19 severity.publishersversionpublishe

Portuguese Football Federation consensus statement 2020: nutrition and performance in football

Nutrition is an undeniable part of promoting health and performance among football (soccer) players. Nevertheless, nutritional strategies adopted in elite football can vary significantly depending on culture, habit and practical constraints and might not always be supported by scientific evidence. Therefore, a group of 28 Portuguese experts on sports nutrition, sports science and sports medicine sought to discuss current practices in the elite football landscape and review the existing evidence on nutritional strategies to be applied when supporting football players. Starting from understanding football's physical and physiological demands, five different moments were identified: preparing to play, match-day, recovery after matches, between matches and during injury or rehabilitation periods. When applicable, specificities of nutritional support to young athletes and female players were also addressed. The result is a set of practical recommendations that gathered consensus among involved experts, highlighting carbohydrates periodisation, hydration and conscious use of dietary supplements.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Production of Hydrogen and their Use in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

This work will show an overview of the hydrogen production from ethanol by steam reforming method, using distinct catalysts, resulting in low carbon monoxide content in H2 produced; a thermodynamic analysis of reforming employing entropy maximization, the ideal condition for ethanol, and other steam reforming reactions, the state of the art of steam reforming catalysts for H2 production with low CO content. Moreover, in the second part, there will be an overview of the use of hydrogen in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), the fuel cell operational conditions, a thermodynamic analysis of PEMFC, the catalysts used in the electrodes of the fuel cell, consequences of the CO presence in the hydrogen fuel feed in PEMFC, and the operation conditions for maximum output power density

Estudo inicial sobre a evolução do novo CORONAVÍRUS (SARS-COV-2) no estado do Pará (Brasil), no período entre 17/03/2020 e 06/04/2020.

O presente artigo apresenta o estudo inicial sobre a evolução do novo coronavírus (SARS-CoV-2) no estado do Pará, desde a confirmação do primeiro infectado no dia 18/03/2020 até o dia 06/04/2020.O estudo apresenta também um modelo matemático para estimar o número de infectados até o dia 06/05/2020. Os resultados mostram que o modelo é confiável para predições de curto prazo, cuja evolução pode ser de 1 infectado em 18/03/2020 a 761 infectados em 18/04/2020.This paper presents the initial study on the evolution of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in the state of Pará, from the confirmation of the first infected on 18/03/2020 until 06/04/2020. The study also presents a mathematical model for estimating the number of infected by 06/05/2020. The results show that the model is reliable for short-term predictions, whose evolution can be from 01 infected on 03/18/2020 to 761 infected on 18/04/2020

MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ATLANTIC-CAMTRAPS: a dataset of medium and large terrestrial mammal communities in the Atlantic Forest of South America

Our understanding of mammal ecology has always been hindered by the difficulties of observing species in closed tropical forests. Camera trapping has become a major advance for monitoring terrestrial mammals in biodiversity rich ecosystems. Here we compiled one of the largest datasets of inventories of terrestrial mammal communities for the Neotropical region based on camera trapping studies. The dataset comprises 170 surveys of medium to large terrestrial mammals using camera traps conducted in 144 areas by 74 studies, covering six vegetation types of tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of South America (Brazil and Argentina), and present data on species composition and richness. The complete dataset comprises 53,438 independent records of 83 species of mammals, includes 10 species of marsupials, 15 rodents, 20 carnivores, eight ungulates and six armadillos. Species richness averaged 13 species (±6.07 SD) per site. Only six species occurred in more than 50% of the sites: the domestic dog Canis familiaris, crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous, tayra Eira barbara, south American coati Nasua nasua, crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus and the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus. The information contained in this dataset can be used to understand macroecological patterns of biodiversity, community, and population structure, but also to evaluate the ecological consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and trophic interactions. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of Americ