Saved Queries

by Raquel Travassos, Daniela Basto, Carlos Miguel Marto, Catarina Nunes, Anabela Paula, Francisco Caramelo, Inês Francisco and Francisco Vale

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 2811; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16062811 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Background: The maxillary canine is the second-most frequently impacted tooth, affecting 1–3% of the population. It plays a crucial role in occlusion, facial esthetics, and arch development, making orthodontic traction the preferred approach over extraction or clinical monitoring without intervention. This systematic review aimed to identify the factors associated with the duration of orthodontic traction for impacted maxillary canines and to evaluate their influence. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and grey literature following PRISMA guidelines. Traction duration was defined as follows: (A) time from traction initiation to alignment; (B) time to cusp emergence; and (C) time to appliance removal. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I v2. Results: Out of 1156 initial studies, 43 were included in qualitative analysis and 24 in quantitative analysis. The pooled mean treatment duration was 43.13 months (95% CI: 32.50–53.77; I² = 99.6%) for definition A, 44.81 months (95% CI: 23.28–66.34; I² = 99.8%) for definition B, and 87.48 months (95% CI: 69.80–106.07) for definition C. Alpha angle, vertical height, and sector were the most frequently reported factors, potentially influencing traction duration. Meta-regression showed a significant association between mean patient age and treatment duration for definition B (β = −8.168, 95% CI: −15.299 to −1.037; p = 0.025), whereas no significant associations were observed for definition A. Heterogeneity across studies was high, and most non-randomized studies showed moderate to serious risk of bias, while randomized trials presented some concerns. Conclusions: Patient- and treatment-related factors, including higher alpha angle, greater vertical height, and more midline positioning, appear to influence traction duration. Despite variability across studies, these findings provide valuable insights for clinical practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics)

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14 pages, 415 KB

Open AccessCase Report

Expanded Hemodialysis Using a Medium Cut-Off Dialyzer for Severe Valproic Acid Poisoning: A Case Report with Real-Time Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

by Celia Rodríguez Tudero, Avinash Chandu Nanwani, Elena Jiménez Mayor, Esperanza Moral Berrio, Marco Vaca Gallardo, Juan Daniel Díaz García and José C. De La Flor

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(6), 2220; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15062220 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Background: Valproic acid (VPA) poisoning has a dynamic clinical course and may require extracorporeal toxin removal (ECTR) in severe cases. Intermittent hemodialysis is the preferred ECTR technique; however, clinical experience with expanded hemodialysis (HDx) using medium cut-off (MCO) membranes in acute VPA intoxication is scarce. We describe a case of severe VPA poisoning managed with intermittent HDx and outline the clinical rationale and kinetic response. Case Report: A 54-year-old woman presented to the emergency department after accidental presumably ingesting approximately 4 g of VPA, with depressed consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale 7) and metabolic acidosis (pH 7.10, HCO₃⁻ 13 mmol/L, PCO₂ 50 mmHg, lactate 2.8 mmol/L, ionized calcium 0.8 mmol/L, elevated anion gap). Initial plasma VPA was 262.99 µg/mL, ammonia was 14 µmol/L, and cranial computed tomography showed no acute abnormalities. ECTR was initiated in the intensive care unit as intermittent HDx using an MCO dialyzer for 4 h. Serial VPA concentrations were obtained before treatment, at 2 h, and at the end of the session to guide real-time prescription adjustment, with an increase in blood flow from 200 to 230 mL/min. Results: VPA decreased from 262.99 µg/mL pre-HD to 141.48 µg/mL at 2 h (46.2% reduction) and 97.81 µg/mL at 4 h (62.8% reduction), with clear improvement in the level of consciousness. A mild post-dialysis rebound was observed (100.07 µg/mL at 14 h). The patient recovered without additional ECTR and was discharged with normalized VPA levels on follow-up. Conclusions: In this patient, intermittent HDx with an MCO membrane was feasible, well tolerated, and associated with rapid VPA clearance and neurological recovery. Serial drug monitoring enabled bedside optimization of the dialysis prescription and post-treatment evaluation. A single HDx session was sufficient, and VPA therapy was safely reintroduced under close monitoring. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Nephrology & Urology)

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17 pages, 1144 KB

Open AccessArticle

Does Size Matter? Evaluating the Impact of Intermediate Screw Length in Short-Segment Fixation of Thoracolumbar A3–A4 Fractures

by Andrea Perna, Andrea Franchini, Luca Ricciardi, Francesco Maruccia, Luca Macchiarola, Felice Barletta, Franco Gorgoglione and Giuseppe Rovere

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(6), 2221; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15062221 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Background: Short-segment posterior fixation with intermediate pedicle screws is widely used for thoracolumbar junction (TLJ) burst fractures. However, the optimal penetration depth of intermediate screws remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether intermediate screw penetration depth influences radiographic alignment and functional outcomes at 12 months following short-segment posterior fixation of AO Spine A3–A4 thoracolumbar burst fractures. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 105 patients with AO Spine A3–A4 TLJ burst fractures treated between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2022. All patients underwent short-segment posterior stabilization with intermediate screws at the fracture level. Penetration depth was categorized as either <50% (Group A) or ≥50% (Group B) of vertebral body depth. Radiographic parameters (kyphotic deformity, segmental kyphosis, sagittal index, anterior vertebral body height) and clinical outcomes (Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index) were evaluated preoperatively and at 12 months. Results: Both groups demonstrated significant postoperative improvement in radiographic alignment and clinical outcomes. No statistically significant differences were detected between groups in kyphotic correction, loss of correction, pain reduction, disability scores, operative time, length of stay, or complication rates at 12 months. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this retrospective study, intermediate screw penetration depth did not significantly influence radiographic or clinical outcomes at 12 months. Screw length selection may therefore depend on anatomical considerations and surgeon preference rather than expected differences in clinical performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Trauma Surgery: Strategies, Challenges and Vision of the Future)

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27 pages, 12383 KB

Open AccessArticle

Invasion Status, Distribution, and Environmental Preferences of Non-Native Ornamental Thunbergia Species (Acanthaceae) in Ecuador: An Emerging Threat to Tropical Montane Forests

by Ana Reyes-Hernández, Ileana Herrera, Anahí Vargas, Nora H. Oleas, Josue Alvarez and Jordi López-Pujol

Forests 2026, 17(3), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17030363 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Species of the genus Thunbergia, native to Africa, Asia, and Australia, are widely cultivated as ornamental plants; however, their ability to escape cultivation and establish themselves in novel environments poses a growing threat to tropical forests. Here, we provide the first nationwide assessment of Thunbergia species occurring in Ecuador, integrating data from citizen science platforms, herbarium collections, and field surveys. We analyzed spatiotemporal patterns of occurrence, evaluated invasion status based on wild persistence and spread, and assessed environmental preferences using climatic niche analyses. Species distributions were further examined across land-cover types, conservation areas, and forest–non-forest interfaces. We confirmed the presence of five Thunbergia species in Ecuador, two of which also occur in the Galapagos Islands. All species were recorded both in cultivation and in the wild, indicating ornamental horticulture as the main introduction pathway for the genus, and occurrences were documented within 24 conservation areas. Thunbergia alata, T. fragrans, and T. grandiflora were categorized as invasive in Ecuador. Among them, T. fragrans exhibited broad environmental tolerance across bioregions. Wild occurrences were predominantly associated with human-modified landscapes but frequently occurred near forest edges, indicating ongoing encroachment into natural forests. These findings highlight the urgent need for preventive and targeted management strategies, particularly against T. alata, which represents an emerging threat to Andean forest ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Non-Native Species in Forest Ecosystems)

35 pages, 1423 KB

Open AccessReview

Intelligent Optimization in Power Electronics: Methods, Applications, and Practical Limits

by Nikolay Hinov

Electronics 2026, 15(6), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15061216 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Power electronic converters are being pushed toward higher power density and switching frequency, turning both design and operation into multi-objective, multi-physics optimization problems. While analytical rules and gradient-based methods remain essential, they often struggle with non-convex, mixed-integer trade-offs that include thermal behavior, Electromagnetic Interference/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMI/EMC), and reliability constraints. This review surveys intelligent optimization approaches for power electronics across design-time, commissioning-time, and run-time horizons. We propose a deployment-oriented taxonomy of intelligent optimization approaches covering metaheuristics, surrogate-assisted and learning-guided design, constrained optimization via model predictive control, reinforcement learning-based supervisory policies, and hybrid physics-informed methods. For each family, we summarize typical tasks, computational and data requirements, robustness, interpretability, and validation maturity, highlighting where intelligent methods provide clear benefits and where classical approaches remain preferable. Reliability- and diagnostics-oriented optimization is discussed with emphasis on residual-based monitoring, stress-aware operation, and lifetime proxies. Practical adoption barriers—model–reality mismatch, data scarcity, real-time determinism, and certification—are synthesized into recurring design patterns that improve deployability. Finally, a conceptual cognitive design framework is proposed that couples virtual engineering, physics-informed surrogates, human-in-the-loop validation, and knowledge reuse in a closed-loop workflow, offering a structured perspective on how intelligent optimization may be integrated more reliably into industrial design practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies in Power Electronics)

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24 pages, 701 KB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Educational Sustainability: The Role of Kinesthetic Profiles in Predicting Sports Attitudes and Academic Success Among Adolescents

by Gokhan Esen and Halil Evren Evren Senturk

Sustainability 2026, 18(6), 2862; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18062862 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Educational sustainability necessitates a holistic development paradigm where academic resilience and physical literacy are mutually reinforcing. Within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (specifically SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4: Quality Education), this study investigates the predictive capacity of kinesthetic profiles—encompassing both intelligence and learning styles—on sports attitudes and academic achievement among adolescents. Employing a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from a substantial sample of 695 adolescents. The regression analyses revealed a critical pedagogical distinction: unlike kinesthetic intelligence, the kinesthetic learning style (β = 0.612), emerged as the paramount predictor of sports attitudes explaining a substantial 42.3% of the total variance. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between kinesthetic traits and academic performance, challenging the traditional dichotomy between physical and cognitive development. These findings advocate for a strategic paradigm shift from “one-size-fits-all” instruction to kinesthetic-based pedagogies that align with students’ sensory preferences. Consequently, integrating movement-oriented strategies into curricula is proposed not merely as an instructional choice, but as a vital sustainable education strategy to foster both academic excellence and the lifelong physical and mental well-being of the next generation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Influence of Physical Activity, Nutrition, Educators and Parents on Children's Health Development)

9 pages, 277 KB

Open AccessArticle

One-Month Rifapentine–Isoniazid Regimen Versus Six-Month Isoniazid Monotherapy for Latent Tuberculosis: Experience from a Reference Center

by Joana Marques Simões, Dalila Ferreira, Teresa Mourato, Ana Pais, André Dias, Margarida Torres and Luís Coelho

Medicina 2026, 62(3), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62030542 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Isoniazid monotherapy has been the most widely used treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Although effective, it has been associated with poor adherence and a higher incidence of adverse events. The shorter duration of rifamycin-based regimens has become increasingly preferable. The one month of daily rifapentine plus isoniazid (1HP) has demonstrated low toxicity and higher completion rates in HIV-infected populations. This study aims to compare the completion rate and adverse events between the 1HP and daily isoniazid for 6 months (6H) regimens in the non-HIV adult population. Materials and Methods: Retrospective, observational, longitudinal study, followed at the National Reference Center for Tuberculosis (Lisbon, Portugal), from January 2024 to January 2025. Treatment-related symptoms and liver function were assessed throughout the treatment. Relevant hepatic toxicity was defined as aspartate transaminase (AST) and/or alanine transaminase (ALT) > 1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN). Results: A total of 90 and 74 patients were assigned to the 1HP and 6H groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the frequency of reported adverse symptoms between the 1HP and 6H groups (28.9% vs. 23.0%, p = 0.4). The 1HP regimen was associated with a significantly lower risk of relevant hepatic toxicity (4.6% vs. 32.9%, p < 0.001) and a higher rate of treatment completion (97.8% vs. 67.6%, p < 0.001). Adverse drug reactions were the leading cause of treatment discontinuation in both groups, with hepatic toxicity and gastrointestinal intolerance being the most frequent events. A therapeutic switch to rifampicin was required in 16.2% of patients receiving the 6H regimen, whereas no switch was needed in the 1HP group. Conclusions: The 1HP regimen was associated with a higher rate of treatment completion and lower hepatic toxicity with no significant differences in the reported adverse symptoms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Pulmonology)

20 pages, 1426 KB

Open AccessReview

Profiling Decision-Making Styles Under Healthcare Resource Scarcity: An Interdisciplinary Clustering Approach

by Micaela Pinho, Fátima Leal and Isabel Miguel

Information 2026, 17(3), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/info17030287 (registering DOI) - 14 Mar 2026

Abstract

Scarcity of healthcare resources requires prioritisation decisions that raise complex ethical, economic, and social challenges. While normative frameworks provide guidance on how such decisions ought to be made, growing evidence suggests that individuals differ substantially in how they approach morally charged allocation choices. This study investigates heterogeneity in decision-making styles and support for healthcare prioritisation criteria using an interdisciplinary approach that integrates health economics, social psychology, and computational methods to identify latent decision-making profiles among a sample of adults residing in Portugal. Data were collected from adults residing in Portugal using a structured online questionnaire comprising socio-demographic characteristics, decision-making styles, and preferences elicited through twenty hypothetical healthcare rationing scenarios. The results reveal three meaningful decision-making profiles characterised by different combinations of cognitive styles and ethical prioritisation patterns: analytically oriented decision-makers prioritising health gains; intuitive, context-sensitive decision-makers balancing clinical and social criteria; heuristic-driven decision-makers relying on simpler or less differentiated heuristics. These findings demonstrate that, within this sample, healthcare prioritisation preferences are shaped by systematic variations in decision style rather than a single moral or rational framework. By linking behavioural heterogeneity with ethical decision-making, this study contributes to theoretical debates on healthcare rationing and demonstrates the value of clustering techniques for uncovering latent structures in complex decision data. The results provide insights relevant for the design of decision-support systems and rationing policies, which may be adapted to accommodate heterogeneous decision styles in comparable settings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Machine Learning and Data Mining: Theory and Applications)

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20 pages, 1221 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Criteria Decision Framework to Support Managerial Choices in IT-Enabled Waste Reduction and Sustainability in Tourism

by Željko Grujčić, Brankica Pažun, Magdalena Nikolić, Zlatko Langović, Ana Langović Milićević, Dragan Ugrinov, Milena Cvjetković and Ana Jurčić

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 2787; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16062787 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

Sustainable tourism is essential for preserving natural habitats and represents a vital component of sustainable development. This study addresses a business decision-making problem related to natural resource conservation and habitat protection through waste management and IT applications in the Serbian hotel sector. Tourism in Serbia and the Western Balkans represents a sensitive issue concerning the balance between economic development and environmental protection. Therefore, the multi-criteria optimization methods Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) are applied to address this problem. To achieve this goal, a hierarchical model was developed that considers nine criteria and four alternatives. The alternatives considered are: service user satisfaction, service cost, waste minimization, and service quality. The developed model was analyzed using a hybrid AHP–TOPSIS approach to identify the optimal alternative. The results indicate that environmental waste prevention ranks highest among all considered alternatives and plays a significant role in the development of sustainable tourism in Serbia. Full article

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52 pages, 3083 KB

Open AccessReview

Ultradeformable Vesicles for Wound Healing: Ethosomes, Transferosomes, and Transethosomes in Topical Drug Delivery

by Shery Jacob, Namitha Raichel Varkey and Anroop B. Nair

Pharmaceutics 2026, 18(3), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics18030361 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

Wound healing is a dynamic and multifaceted biological process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and tissue remodeling. Topical therapy is widely preferred for wound management due to its localized action and reduced systemic adverse effects. However, the effective delivery of therapeutic agents is often limited by the skin’s barrier properties, the complex wound microenvironment, and the physicochemical characteristics of drugs. This review highlights the key physicochemical parameters governing topical drug delivery in wound therapy, including drug solubility, molecular size, lipophilicity, vesicle size distribution, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency, lipid composition, ethanol concentration, and vesicle deformability, which collectively influence drug permeation and retention at the wound site. Nanovesicular delivery systems have emerged as promising strategies to overcome these limitations. In particular, ultradeformable vesicles such as ethosomes, transferosomes, and transethosomes have demonstrated enhanced skin permeation and improved drug deposition in periwound tissue due to their flexible membrane structure and optimized physicochemical properties. This review systematically discusses the composition, preparation techniques, and critical formulation parameters of these vesicular systems that determine their stability, elasticity, and permeation performance. Furthermore, their applications in delivering anti-inflammatory drugs, antimicrobial agents, bioactive phytochemicals, and regenerative therapeutics for different wound types are examined. Widely used in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo evaluation methods, including permeation studies and wound healing models such as excision, burn, infected, and diabetic wounds, are also summarized. Finally, the review outlines current challenges related to formulation standardization, physicochemical characterization, safety assessment, and large-scale production, while highlighting the future potential of ultradeformable vesicles as next-generation nanocarriers for advanced wound healing therapies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Perspectives in Dermal and Transdermal Drug Delivery)

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29 pages, 2839 KB

Open AccessArticle

Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing with Personalized Encrypted Retrieval

by Hongfei Song, Lianhai Wang, Shujiang Xu, Shuhui Zhang, Wei Shao and Qizheng Wang

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(6), 2771; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16062771 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

With the rapid development of cloud-based data sharing technologies, enterprises and organizations tend to outsource their local data to cloud servers. They adopt searchable encryption (SE) techniques to access and search encrypted data. However, most existing SE schemes use static ranking strategies based on query–index similarity. These strategies fail to capture users’ personalized retrieval preferences and often result in suboptimal search performance. In this article, we present a privacy-preserving data sharing framework with personalized encrypted retrieval (PP-PER) that combines SE technology with federated learning. PP-PER trains user interest models locally on user devices by utilizing historical query behavior. Only encrypted model parameters are uploaded for aggregation, which avoids the centralized collection of users’ private data. In addition, we design an attention-based user query update algorithm. The learned personalized features are integrated into the ciphertext query process. This design enables personalized ranking results and improves the user retrieval experience. Furthermore, PP-PER combines matrix factorization with ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE). This mechanism ensures secure document key distribution and supports fine-grained access control. Finally, we formalize the security model under a practical threat and leakage setting and provide a theoretical analysis of the proposed scheme. Experimental results on real-world datasets further validated its practicality and effectiveness. Full article

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18 pages, 523 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sensory Acceptability and Sensory Profiles of Flavoured Foods for Special Medical Purposes: A Quantitative Descriptive Analysis

by Agata Kiciak, Wiktoria Staśkiewicz-Bartecka, Natalia Kuczka, Małgorzata Słoma-Krześlak, Kommi Kalpana and Marek Kardas

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(6), 2188; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15062188 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives Foods for special medical purposes are an important component of nutritional management in patients at risk of malnutrition or already affected by it. The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensory properties and sensory acceptability of selected powdered foods for special medical purposes (FSMPs) from a single manufacturer with different flavour variants using quantitative descriptive analysis. Methods: The study was conducted under laboratory conditions in accordance with the PN-EN ISO 8589:2010 standard. A semi-trained panel of 49 participants took part in the sensory evaluation. Five powdered FSMP products with comparable nutritional composition and different flavour variants were analyzed. Quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) was applied using a 10-point rating scale, along with a ranking method to assess consumer preferences. Statistical analysis was performed using Welch’s one-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc tests, with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between the analyzed variants for most of the assessed sensory attributes. Preparations with white chocolate and raspberry, strawberry, and vanilla flavours showed the highest sensory acceptability, characterized by a harmonious taste, creamy texture, and low intensity of undesirable sensory attributes. The neutral variant received the lowest overall ratings. The coffee-flavoured product was distinguished by a high aroma intensity but also by a greater intensity of attributes negatively affecting sensory acceptability. Conclusions: The findings indicate that flavour plays a significant role in determining the sensory acceptability of FSMP products. Considering sensory characteristics in the development and selection of FSMP preparations may increase their consumption and enhance the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in clinical practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics)

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25 pages, 6775 KB

Open AccessArticle

UPTRec: Fusing User Graph, Point-of-Interest Transitions, and Temporal Embeddings for Next Point-of-Interest Recommendations

by Junxia Li, Linyuan Xia, Yuezhen Cai and Qianxia Li

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2026, 15(3), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi15030122 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

Next Point-of-Interest (POI) recommendations are pivotal for enhancing location-based services; however, accurate prediction remains challenging due to the complex interplay between dynamic user preferences and spatiotemporal constraints. Existing graph-sequence hybrids often fail to unify these dimensions, typically treating temporal contexts as disjoint features or neglecting implicit collaborative signals within sparse user trajectories. This fragmentation limits the ability to capture high-order dependencies in user mobility. To address these challenges, we propose UPTRec, a unified framework that synergizes social, spatial, and temporal reasoning. UPTRec constructs a TF-IDF-weighted user similarity graph to recover latent social connections and a flow-based POI-transition graph to encode sequential mobility patterns. These structural priors are fused with fine-grained temporal-category embeddings (utilizing Time2Vec and periodic encoding) via a multi-layer Transformer encoder to comprehensively capture user behavior. Extensive experiments on three real-world datasets (NYC, TKY, and CA) demonstrate that UPTRec achieves state-of-the-art performance among the compared baselines under the same experimental settings. On the NYC dataset, UPTRec yields a Top-1 Accuracy of 25.76% and a Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR) of 0.3879, representing a relative improvement of 5.8% and 7.1% over the strongest baseline (GETNext). These results validate the efficacy of jointly modeling collaborative and spatiotemporal dependencies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in AI-Driven Geospatial Analysis and Data Generation (2nd Edition))

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16 pages, 728 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparison of Risk Willingness Between Same-Sex and Different-Sex Couples: A Quasi-Experimental Approach

by Matthew Jaramillo, Donald Lacombe, Leobardo Diosdado and Laura Ricaldi

Risks 2026, 14(3), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/risks14030064 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

Household composition in the United States is increasingly diverse; however, research into the diversity of the financial decision maker’s sexual orientation has yet to be explored. This analysis examines whether there are differences in financial risk tolerance between same-sex and different-sex couples using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances. The results from a propensity score matching technique, a Mann–Whitney U test, and interpretations of average treatment effects and average treatment effects of the treated suggest there is a statistical difference in risk tolerance between couples and that, on average, same-sex households are significantly more likely to report higher risk tolerance scores, at the 10% alpha level, when compared to their counterparts. Both treatment effect estimates suggest a high impact of the treatment at the 1% alpha level. This highlights the importance of not assuming homogeneous risk preferences across household types. These findings emphasize the importance of recognizing diversity in household composition. Thus, this study identifies the need for inclusiveness in all segments of financial planning. Full article

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10 pages, 1556 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Competition Between Two Swan Species: Nesting Site Selection and Reproductive Success

by Wojciech Szewczuk, Iga Słomkiewicz-Szewczuk and Zbigniew Kasprzykowski

Animals 2026, 16(6), 901; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16060901 - 13 Mar 2026

Abstract

Climate change-driven range expansions are creating novel interspecific interactions that may significantly impact the breeding success of established resident species. This study examines the ecological consequences of competition between Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) and expanding Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus) in central and eastern Poland. We monitored 80 Mute Swan breeding pairs across fishpond complexes using UAV-based surveys to assess habitat selection and reproductive output in sites with and without Whooper Swan presence. Mute Swans breeding alongside Whooper Swans selected nest sites deeper within reed vegetation and showed altered habitat preferences compared to pairs breeding without competition from a related species. Significantly, reproductive output was reduced in competitive environments, with pairs breeding in areas without Whooper Swans producing considerably more offspring than those coexisting with the expanding species. These results demonstrate that the expansion of a given species’ range can cause immediate costs to local species, both via direct confrontations and through the impact on the quality of the occupied habitat. The substantial reduction in breeding success suggests that interspecific competition may have population-level consequences for established waterbird communities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Ecology and Conservation)

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