It is certainly reminiscent of P&F, in loading a metal matrix with deuterium. And the effect this paper documents could ... conceivably ... possibly ... maybe e

It is certainly reminiscent of P&F, in loading a metal matrix with deuterium. And the effect this paper documents could ... conceivably ... possibly ... maybe explain the erratic and fugitive positive results that P&F-style experimenters sometimes produced. But I don't think your certainty is well-founded yet.