Browse Articles

PERMA-Profiler as a multidimensional measure of well-being in a French context

Abstract Subjective well-being is a central component of physical and mental health and is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of quality of life. Despite the widespread use of the PERMA framework, no validated French version of the PERMA-Profiler is currently available. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the PERMA-Profiler into French and to examine its psychometric properties in a large sample of adults. A total of 612 French-speaking adults completed the French version of the PERMA-Profiler as well as measures of flourishing, anxiety and depression. The sample was randomly divided into two independent subsamples to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA suggested a parsimonious three-factor solution, while comparative model tests confirmed the theoretical five-factor structure of the PERMA model. The CFA conducted on an independent subsample strongly confirmed a correlated five-factor model, as well as a second-order hierarchical model reflecting a general well-being factor. The PERMA-Profiler demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency for most dimensions and for the total score, although the “engagement” dimension showed lower reliability, which is consistent with previous validation studies. Test–retest analyses indicated good temporal stability for the total score and most subscales. Convergent validity was confirmed by strong positive associations with flourishing and perceived happiness. Discriminant validity was evidenced by weaker associations with anxiety, depression, loneliness and negative emotions than with flourishing, although some correlations with HADS anxiety and depression scores reached moderate to strong magnitude. Overall, the French version of the PERMA-Profiler has robust psychometric properties and supports the multidimensional structure of psychological well-being proposed by the PERMA framework. This instrument is a reliable and theoretically grounded tool for assessing the well-being of French-speaking adult population, while highlighting the distinct psychometric behavior of the Engagement dimension.

Bioinformatic pipeline to identify potential therapeutic targets with subsequent isolation and characterization of novel human anti- DDR1 antibodies

Leveraging reinforcement learning for an efficient windows registry analysis during cyber incident response

Abstract Microsoft Windows remains the dominant desktop operating system and therefore a frequent focus of digital forensic and incident response investigations. Windows Registry analysis is particularly valuable because it captures persistence mechanisms, execution traces, user activity, device usage, and system configuration changes that are often central to incident reconstruction. Nevertheless, modern investigations are challenged by the scale of Registry data, the fragmentation of evidence across hives and complementary sources, and the need to prioritise investigative actions under time pressure. This paper presents WinRegRL, a hybrid framework that combines a Markov Decision Process (MDP) solved by dynamic programming with bounded Reinforcement Learning (RL) refinement and Rule-based Artificial Intelligence (RB-AI) for automated Windows Registry and timeline-centred forensic analysis. Methodologically, the core planner is a finite-state dynamic-programming solver over an expert-specified model; reinforcement learning enters only as bounded, local tabular refinement for low-support state-action regions, so the framework is positioned as an MDP/dynamic-programming approach with bounded RL rather than as an end-to-end learned agent. The framework models the investigation process as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) with explicitly defined states, actions, transition dynamics, and reward design, and incorporates expert-derived policy graphs to initialise and refine the search strategy. We evaluate the framework on four heterogeneous forensic datasets spanning multiple Windows versions and incident scenarios, and we compare it against analyst-assisted baselines and controlled examiner-led workflows. Under the evaluation protocol adopted in this study, WinRegRL reduced investigation time by up to 68%, increased the number of adjudicated relevant artefacts identified by up to 35%, and achieved high artefact-level precision on the evaluated datasets. Rather than claiming universal superiority, we show that the proposed framework provides a reproducible and explainable decision-support mechanism that improves investigation efficiency while maintaining strong evidential coverage in the tested scenarios. These findings position WinRegRL as a promising decision-support framework for large-scale and time-critical Windows incident response.

Metabolomic signatures prior to in-hospital cardiac arrest: insights into potential therapeutic targets

Abstract Plasma metabolomic alterations occurring up to 48 h before in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) and their associations with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and in-hospital mortality (IHM) were evaluated in this exploratory case-control study. Adults with IHCA at a tertiary university hospital were identified, and archived serum samples collected within 48 h before the event were analyzed. For the ROSC analysis, patients with ROSC were matched to non-ROSC patients, while for the IHM analysis, patients with IHM were matched to survivors according to age, sex, initial IHCA rhythm, interval between sample collection and cardiac arrest, and major comorbidities. Untargeted metabolomic profiling was performed, and data was analyzed using complementary multivariate and univariate approaches. Candidate metabolites were further evaluated through qualitative assessment of their distribution across groups. Six metabolites initially differed between groups; however, after this refinement step, only two remained consistently associated with clinically relevant outcomes. Lower circulating tryptophan concentrations were associated with IHM, whereas higher levels of 2-methylbutyryl-L-carnitine were associated with failure to achieve ROSC and increased IHM. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested disruptions in mitochondrial energy metabolism, particularly within the tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as alterations in amino acid–related pathways, including tryptophan, histidine, and alanine–aspartate–glutamate metabolism. These findings indicate that detectable metabolic disturbances are present up to 48 h before IHCA and are associated with clinical outcomes. As all patients in this study experienced IHCA, these results should be interpreted as differences between outcome groups rather than predictors of IHCA occurrence. Within this context, the findings support the concept that IHCA may represent the culmination of a progressive metabolic deterioration rather than an abrupt event, highlighting a potential window for earlier risk stratification and future investigation of preventive strategies.

Higher psychological frailty index is associated with incident cardiometabolic diseases in Chinese adults aged 45 years and older

Abstract To prospectively investigate the association between the Psychological Frailty Index (PFI) and incident cardiometabolic diseases in middle-aged and older adults. Data were obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total of 4,060 participants aged ≥ 45 years who were free of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke at baseline were included. The PFI was constructed from 15 items covering psychological distress, cognitive orientation, subjective physical vulnerability, and memory function. Incident CMD was defined as the occurrence of diabetes, heart disease, or stroke during follow-up. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Restricted cubic spline analyses assessed dose–response relationships, and receiver operating characteristic analyses evaluated the incremental predictive value of PFI. During a median follow-up of 24 months, higher PFI was significantly associated with increased risk of incident CMD. In the fully adjusted model, each 0.1-point increase in PFI was associated with higher risks of CMD (HR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.09–1.23), diabetes (HR = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02–1.26), heart disease (HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.05–1.24), and stroke (HR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.24–1.64). Participants in the highest PFI group had significantly greater risks of CMD and its components than those in the lowest group, with the strongest association observed for stroke. Spline analyses suggested a progressive increase in CMD risk across higher PFI levels. Adding PFI to traditional risk factors significantly improved discrimination for overall CMD and stroke, but not for diabetes or heart disease. Higher PFI was independently associated with incident CMD, particularly stroke, among middle-aged and older adults. PFI may serve as a complementary marker for cardiometabolic risk assessment, especially for identifying individuals at elevated risk of overall CMD and stroke.

Causal inference-integrated temporal graph convolutional networks for dynamic prediction and optimization of enterprise total factor productivity

Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses in the district of Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Abstract Gastrointestinal parasitic infections constitute a major constraint to equine health and productivity, particularly in tropical regions where climatic and environmental conditions favor parasite survival and transmission. In Côte d’Ivoire, epidemiological data regarding gastrointestinal parasites in horses remain limited, especially in urban and peri-urban settings such as the district of Abidjan. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, diversity, and associated risk factors of gastrointestinal parasites affecting horses in the study area. A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2024 to February 2025 among 277 horses originating from 19 equine facilities, including 8 riding schools and 11 breeding farms, located in the district of Abidjan. Fresh fecal samples were collected and analyzed using four coprological techniques: direct examination, flotation, the simplified Ritchie concentration method, and Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, were performed to identify factors significantly associated with parasitic infections at a significance threshold of p ≤ 0.05. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites was 88.80%, indicating widespread circulation of equine gastrointestinal parasites within the study area. Fifteen parasite species were identified, with predominance of Strongylus spp. (48.37%), Parascaris equorum (40.07%), cyathostomins (Cyathostominae) (30.68%), Fasciola hepatica (29.24%), and Cryptosporidium parvum (28.51%). Nematodes represented the predominant parasitic group. Significant associations were observed between parasitic infections and management-related factors, particularly feeding practices and type of equine activity. Horses from riding schools appeared more exposed to certain parasitic infections compared with horses raised on breeding farms. The high prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites observed among horses in the district of Abidjan highlight an important equine health concern in Côte d’Ivoire. These findings emphasize the need to strengthen integrated parasite control strategies, including regular parasitological monitoring, improved hygiene and management practices, rational use of anthelmintics to reduce the risk of resistance, and targeted deworming programs. Reinforcing veterinary surveillance and increasing awareness among horse owners and managers could substantially contribute to improving equine health and productivity in the study area.

Gaze dynamics of cued speech perception

Abstract For many deaf people, lip-reading plays a major role in verbal communication. However, lip reading is inherently ambiguous and does not allow for a complete understanding of speech. The consequences of these limitations are significant, potentially impeding language, cognitive, and social development. Cued speech (CS) was developed to eliminate this ambiguity by supplementing lip-reading with hand gestures, giving access to the entire phonological content of speech through the visual modality alone. Despite its documented efficacy in enhancing linguistic and communicative abilities, the mechanisms of CS perception remain largely unknown. The present study is the first to examine eye movements during CS perception, with a sample of deaf CS users, hearing CS users, and hearing naive controls. We presented silent videos of words, pseudowords, and sentences in their CS form, while recording the participants’ eye movements. All groups fixated almost exclusively on the face, and predominantly on the lips of the speaker, despite the effective processing of CS gestures by CS users. Deaf and hearing participants differed strikingly in the way fixation was distributed between the left and right halves of the face. While both hearing groups mostly fixated the left side of the speaker’s face, deaf participants showed a more symmetrical pattern. Finally, in CS users, stimuli that were phonologically, lexically or semantically more difficult tended to increase fixation in the inferior and left sector of the face. Apart from reading, CS stands as the sole system for visually conveying full phonological information of a spoken language. This study elucidates the fundamental behavioral tuning that facilitates the efficient recovery of phonology in this distinctive form.

Self-inconsistency and attachment insecurity mediate and moderate the association between anxiety and reasons for living in Chinese college students

Research on deformation and seepage properties of Larssen pile reinforcing cofferdam based on numerical analysis, Tianjin, China

A pH-responsive double network hydrogel for control of tomato bacterial wilt

Abstract Ralstonia solanacearum is a major plant pathogen causing bacterial wilt, whose unpredictable onset hinders timely detection and effective control. Here, we report the design, preparation and field use of a dual pH-responsive multifunctional double network (DN) hydrogel for the efficient and sustainable control of bacterial wilt. The primary network of carboxylated agarose chelates Zn 2+ and loosens under acidic conditions (pH ≤ 5) to release a pesticide (zhongshengmycin) and Zn 2+ , while the secondary L-phenylalanine (Phe)/ Zn 2+ network disassembles to provide additional bioactive components (Phe and Zn 2+ ). This dual-triggered release achieves a combined antibacterial effect, enhances plant growth, and activates plant disease resistance pathways. A simple root application protects plants for up to 14 days, and field experiments demonstrate disease control for up to 30 days, significantly preserving tomato yield. Here, we present a sustainable, effective system for managing bacterial wilt and highlight the potential of smart hydrogels in crop protection.

Selenium biofortification in conditions of soil salinity improve some nutritional value parameters of spinach for the fresh market

Abstract This study investigated the interactive effects of soil salinity (2.88 and 3.79 dS⋅m − 1 ) and foliar sodium selenate application (0.80 and 0.15 kg Se⋅ha⁻ 1 ) on the yield parameters and phytochemical composition of spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Matador) under the conditions of semi-controlled pot trial under field conditions. The experiment confirmed that selenium biofortification is effective, increasing its levels in the plant ten-fold. Selenium has a positive effect, mitigating salt stress, and its uptake is closely linked to sulfur metabolism. Foliar application of selenium to spinach under salt stress conditions (up to 3.79 dS⋅m − 1 ) does not negatively impact yield, effectively increasing the content of bioactive components such as phenols and antioxidants. Studies confirm the synergistic effects of selenium and salinity, improving stress tolerance, mitigating sodium toxicity, and stimulating dry matter growth and S/Zn/Mn content. These findings demonstrate the viability of selenium foliar application for producing nutritionally enhanced spinach on salt-affected agricultural soils.

Multiscale structural engineering enables superior energy storage in tetragonal tungsten bronze relaxor ferroelectrics

RHCR: a reinforced heterogeneous knowledge graph for course recommendation

Thermochemical Treatment of Wastewater Residual Solids for Global Mitigation of Emerging Contaminants

Abstract Emerging contaminants are ubiquitous across the environment, posing rising ecological and public-health threats. Through a global data compilation, we show wastewater residual solids, by-products of wastewater treatment, represent a concentrated reservoir of emerging contaminants, capturing an estimated 20%, 24%, and 13% of global releases of microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotic resistance genes, respectively. This concentration creates a strategic intervention point where eliminating emerging contaminants within wastewater residual solids can substantially reduce environmental loading. Leveraging this opportunity requires next-generation technologies such as thermochemical processing capable of near-complete emerging contaminant destruction. Simulation-based evaluation suggests thermochemical wastewater residual solids management exhibits overlapping cost and greenhouse gas emission ranges with conventional systems, with average costs typically higher and average greenhouse gas emission consistently lower. The Global North faces higher costs yet greater investment capacity, whereas the Global South benefits economically but faces infrastructure gaps. Collectively, this analysis provides insights into intercepting emerging contaminants, reframing wastewater systems as active planetary defenses.

Breeding phenology plasticity to climate revealed by automated monitoring of two Eudyptes penguin species across the sub-Antarctic

Cadonilimab plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment in PD-L1-negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a phase II clinical trial

Validation of the Shoebox PureTest audiometry technology for remote data collection in clinical trials

Closed-loop iron chelate recycling via molecularly imprinted hydrogels suppresses ferroptosis

Environmental DNA from pumped deep-sea water enables monitoring of deep-sea fish diversity

Abstract Monitoring deep-sea biodiversity is challenging because conventional methods, such as net-sampling and visual surveys, require substantial logistical effort. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers an alternative for detecting marine organisms; however, its application in deep-sea ecosystems is limited by the sampling accessibility. Because the influence of long‑pipeline transportation on eDNA is unknown, we compared two deep-sea water sampling methods: pumped deep-sea water (pumped method) and water collected near the intake using a Niskin bottle (Niskin method). Samples were collected from pumping stations in Sagami and Suruga bays, Japan, and baited camera observations were conducted to verify eDNA-based detections. In Sagami Bay, both sampling methods detected similar numbers of fish species. In Suruga Bay, the Niskin method exhibited higher species diversity and steeper accumulation curves than the pumped method. The habitat depth ranges of identified species corresponded to the water intake depths in both bays, supporting the effectiveness of the pumped method. Fish community composition showed substantial overlap between methods, and baited cameras recorded 11 and 17 fish taxa in Sagami and Suruga bays, respectively, with 7 and 10 taxa matching eDNA detections. These findings indicate that eDNA metabarcoding of pumped deep-sea water is a feasible method for monitoring deep-sea fish biodiversity.