1. Perceived psychological consequences of multiple overlapping crises in Slovenia : findings from a qualitative studyEva Sedlašek, Meta Lavrič, Lucia Rojs, Polonca Borko, Vita Poštuvan, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Background Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, people in Slovenia have faced a series of overlapping crises at both global and national levels, including the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, rising economic costs, and major natural disasters. Although extensive quantitative research has examined pandemic-related mental health outcomes, comparatively little is known about how individuals subjectively perceive multiple overlapping crises, given the cumulative and interactive nature of contemporary crises – situations in which crises across multiple systems become causally entangled and mutually amplify their effects. This study aimed to explore the perceived psychological consequences of multiple overlapping crises among adults in Slovenia, guided by the polycrisis framework. Methods Using a qualitative research design based on Constructivist Grounded Theory, we conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews between June and November 2023 with 24 participants (16 women, 8 men; mean age 49 years, range 21–76). Interviews were audio-recorded, manually transcribed, and analyzed using ATLAS.ti 24 software. Analysis involved initial and focused coding, constant comparison, and analytic memo-writing, continuing until theoretical saturation was reached. A total of 274 quotations were coded into 16 final codes. Results Three analytical categories of perceived psychological consequences emerged: duration (short-term vs. long-term), valence (positive vs. negative), and level of impact (individual vs. societal). Short-term consequences were predominantly individual-level experiences tied to the acute pandemic period, including negative outcomes (e.g., stress, mental health decline, social polarization) and positive outcomes (e.g., increased time with close ones, time in nature, reduced pressure). Positive long-term consequences included closer relationships and increased gratitude; negative ones included a reduced sense of safety, distrust in authorities, weaker social ties, and a perceived decline in social cohesion. Conclusions Based on the analytical findings, we developed the Fortress Wall Model of Psychological Adaptation to Crisis, which conceptualizes the experience of compounding crises as a dynamic, phased psychological process. The findings underscore the need to address people’s emotional experiences during acute crisis phases and to maintain monitoring and support of psychological well-being beyond the acute period, as negative consequences – particularly heightened uncertainty, distrust, and a diminished sense of safety – persist long after crises subside and are intensified by subsequent stressors.
Keywords: polycrisis, psychological, consequences, qualitative research, Grounded theory, Slovenia
Published in RUP: 01.09.2026; Views: 204; Downloads: 4
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2. Spectroscopic insights into nutrient-controlled biofilm formation in Aureobasidium pullulans as a basis for engineered living materialsAnja Černoša, Jose Manuel Amigo, Fatima Matroodi, Anna Malgorzata Sandak, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Fungal biofilms represent complex extracellular systems with potential application in engineered living materials (ELMs), yet their chemical composition and structural variability under defined environmental conditions remain poorly understood. Biofilms of Aureobasidium pullulans strains grown on different solid media were investigated using a multimodal spectroscopic approach, including FT-IR, FT-NIR, and Raman spectroscopy. Nutrient-rich media (PDA, SDA, YNB) produced biofilms with largely conserved chemical profiles across strains, whereas nutrient- poor SNA medium induced pronounced changes in polysaccharide, protein, and lipid components, as well as in matrix organization and hydration. Principal component analysis and multiblock data fusion revealed that growth medium is the primary driver of spectral variation, with strain identity exerting a secondary influence. Vibrational bands corresponding to hydroxyl (−OH) and aliphatic (−CH) groups were identified as key contributors to differentiation, reflecting changes in the composition of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS). Raman spectroscopy provided complementary molecular information, such as the presence of characteristic protein and polysaccharide vibrations, which helped confirm the biochemical composition of the biofilms and supported the observations from IR and NIR analyses. Results show that the control of nutrient composition and growth conditions enables precise tuning of biofilm properties, including hydration, matrix density, and functional polysaccharide content. Biofilm composition is primarily influenced by nutrient composition rather than by the strain’s morphological features. This is important because it indicates that research on living coating formulation can focus on supplying nutrients that promote EPS production and biofilm development, rather than on selecting strains with particular morphologies. These findings provide a foundation for understanding the environmental control of A. pullulans biofilm formation and are relevant to the future development of engineered living coatings, where environmental conditions can be leveraged to influence biofilm composition, structure, and its functional properties
Keywords: spectroscopy, fungi, engineered living materials, biofilm, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, FT-NIR
Published in RUP: 31.08.2026; Views: 180; Downloads: 2
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3. National wood product material flow analysis : PRODCOM data on wood products supporting improved macro-level sectoral assessments in SloveniaDaša Majcen, Andreja Kutnar, Špela Ščap, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: The study investigates the production of harvested wood products in Slovenia by applying the volumetric material flow analysis (MFA) from processed roundwood to secondary product. The study provides the methodological approach for data collection and consistency assessment to support nation-wide wood MFA by complementing FAOSTAT data with selected data categories of PRODCOM data. Consistency between the two datasets was found to be satisfactory, suggesting that the two datasets can together support wood product MFA. However, for PRODCOM to be applied without extensive prior analysis, further methodological improvements of the databases would be required. MFA for Slovenia for the period 1994 – 2021 was carried out to understand pathways and magnitudes of wood flows in Slovenia. The MFA demonstrated that for many secondary products produced in Slovenia, there is clearly a lack of domestic resources (veneer, particle boards, and sulphite chemical and mechanical wood pulp). On the contrary, despite the abundance of the primary resource, few secondary products are made using non-coniferous wood. This research highlights the importance of detailed and accurate wood product data to support the MFA in identifying missed opportunities to create value and/or reduce environmental footprint of the national wood products industry.
Keywords: harvested wood products, material flow analysis, PRODCOM database
Published in RUP: 13.08.2026; Views: 173; Downloads: 10
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4. Engaging with sustainable construction communication : the effects of tone, topic, and typeLea Primožič, Michael David Burnard, Andreja Kutnar, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Introduction: The built environment and the construction industry are responsible for a significant portion of global emissions. If climate goals are to be achieved, considerable changes must be made. It is important to strive for more sustainable practices across all sectors, including construction. Effective communication strategies play a crucial role in promoting sustainable construction; however, current communication efforts often lack targeted messages for key stakeholders. This study investigated how different message characteristics—tone (informational vs. emotional), topic (human health vs. cost effectiveness), and type (scientific vs. non-scientific)—in relation to sustainable construction concepts such as restorative environmental and ergonomic design (REED), influence professional stakeholder engagement. Methods: Lasswell’s model of communication from 1948 was used to identify the communicator, channel, and target audience. Communication messages and their effectiveness were tested using an online questionnaire with randomized controlled experiments. Eight communication messages were developed in order to test and compare all combinations of the three factors (tone, topic, and type). Responses were analysed using Bayesian ordinal regression. Results: Bayesian ordinal regression revealed that the effect of these factors varied based on the question asked. Of note, messages with a human health topic yielded greater agreement among respondents, indicating its importance in sustainable construction communication. Other effects differed across experimental conditions and response measures. Discussion: These findings provide suggestions for improving promotions of new concepts in sustainable construction and indicate that message framing plays an important role in shaping stakeholder responses in sustainable construction communication. In particular, health-related framing may be more effective in increasing engagement.
Keywords: communication, sustainable construction, REED
Published in RUP: 13.08.2026; Views: 154; Downloads: 8
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5. How Citizen Science Supports Statistical Reasoning: Literature ReviewAna Slavec, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: Citizen science has expanded to a widely used research approach, indicating that volunteers can contribute to scientific activities when supported by appropriate tools, infrastructures, and project designs. As participatory data practices grow, so does interest in how citizens understand and work with data, particularly in relation to statistical literacy. However, little is known about how involvement in citizen-science activities shapes volunteers’ understanding of key statistical ideas. This narrative literature review examines studies that link citizen-science participation with the development of statistical or data-literacy skills. A structured search of the Scopus database identified fifteen relevant peer-reviewed articles across diverse disciplines. Each study was analysed for its learning context, the nature of the citizen-science activity, the data tasks involved, and how statistical literacy was conceptualized. Thematic synthesis revealed recurring patterns: citizen-science settings frequently supported gains in data literacy, inferential reasoning, and understanding of uncertainty, while also fostering civic engagement and motivation. Digital tools and community co-creation played central roles in enabling learning, though challenges remained around misconceptions, accessibility, and inclusivity. Overall, the findings highlight the potential of citizen science as a rich context for developing statistical reasoning, while underlining the need for stronger theoretical frameworks and systematic empirical research.
Keywords: citizen science, statistical literacy, statistical reasoning
Published in RUP: 23.07.2026; Views: 351; Downloads: 11
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6. Pyrolysis oil-based polyurethane foams as a middle layer of the composite plywood sandwich panels for sustainable constructionJakub Grzybek, Jakub Michal Sandak, David Contus, Andrea Minigher, Hans Heeres, Bert van de Beld, Erfan Asgari, Rok Prislan, Anna Malgorzata Sandak, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: The construction sector’s substantial contribution to global energy consumption and CO2 emissions motivates the development of bio-based alternatives to fossil-derived rigid polyurethane (PUR) foam cores in structural sandwich panels. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of plywood sandwich panels manufactured with a rigid PUR foam containing a fast pyrolysis bio-oil (FPBO)-derived sugar polyol diluted with triethyl phosphate and panels of identical topology produced with a commercial reference PUR foam. In the bio-based formulation, a fraction of the sorbitol-based polyether polyol was replaced with the FPBO-derived sugar polyol. Both systems were characterized at the foam and panel levels for cellular microstructure, skeletal and envelope density, thermogravimetric stability, flammability, color, thermal conductivity and heat capacity, internal bond strength, compressive properties, and normal-incidence sound absorption and transmission loss. The newly developed foam exhibited similar skeletal density and porosity to the reference, comparable thermogravimetric stability with a slightly higher char residue, and lower thermal conductivity across the tested temperature range. Mechanical properties, including compressive strength, compressive modulus, and internal bond strength, showed minor reduction but remained within a comparable range. A distinct color change was observed, attributable to the presence of chromophoric constituents of the FPBO fraction. Overall, the results indicate that partial substitution of the fossil polyol with an FPBO-derived sugar polyol is technically feasible, yielding materials with comparable thermal, mechanical, or acoustic performance. No consistent performance advantage of either system was observed across the evaluated properties. The results support the potential of pyrolysis-derived bio-polyols for use in sustainable structural insulation products.
Keywords: bio-based polyol, fast pyrolysis bio-oil, rigid polyurethane foams, waste valorization
Published in RUP: 14.07.2026; Views: 306; Downloads: 13
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7. Positive body image is a pathway between nature contact and life satisfaction across 58 nationsViren Swami, Martin Voracek, Stefan Stieger, Toivo Aavik, Hamed Abdollahpour Ranjbar, Sulaiman Olanrewaju Adebayo, Reza Afhami, Oli Ahmed, Annie Aimé, Marwan Akel, Mirjam Koprivnik, Vita Poštuvan, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Time spent in nature benefits human mental and physical well-being. However, much of the variance in out- comes of nature contact remains unexplained, suggesting that new mechanistic pathways need to be considered. Here, we tested a novel conceptual model linking nature contact with life satisfaction via pathways involving positive experiences of living in and experiencing the world through the physical self. Using data from the Body Image in Nature Survey (BINS; N = 50,363), representing respondents from 58 nations and speaking 36 different languages, we find that nature contact is associated with greater self-compassion and greater perceived resto- ration in nature, which in turn are associated with more positive body image. In addition, more positive body image is associated with greater life satisfaction. These associations were robust to sensitivity tests, generalised to all gender identities and age groups, and held individually in almost all national groups and languages. Although replications are needed, we propose that the materialities of natural environments help to link bodily experiences to the production and experience of well-being, a process that is largely stable across national groups.
Keywords: body image, connectedness to nature, perceived restoration, nature contact, life satisfaction, self-compassion
Published in RUP: 10.07.2026; Views: 368; Downloads: 10
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8. Graphlet-based edge weighting for improved community detection in complex networksDziuba Anastasiia, Jure Pražnikar, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Community detection reveals the functional organization of complex networks. Unlike edge-based methods, graphlet-based approaches use higher-order structures, but most studies focus on common motifs or lack validation on networks with known communities. We evaluate eight small motifs on synthetic and real-world networks and propose a framework that weights node pairs by their graphlet co-occurrence while preserving original edges. This captures both direct connections and local topology, improving community detection. Our results show that graphlet-based weighting consistently enhances performance, but no single motif is best for all networks. Simpler motifs can perform as well as dense cliques, suggesting that relying only on cliques may miss important connectivity patterns.
Keywords: community, network, graphlets, small-motif
Published in RUP: 01.07.2026; Views: 347; Downloads: 10
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9. Wood modification using Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil (FPBO) : formulation development, characterization, and evaluation of wood performanceAnna Malgorzata Sandak, Faksawat Poohphajai, Amina Selmanović, Rene Alexander Herrera Diaz, Jakub Grzybek, Kelly Peeters, Sasikala Perumal, Edit Földvári-Nagy, Lei Han, Richard Acquah, Jakub Michal Sandak, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: This study presents a wood modification process using Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil (FPBO) as a fully biobased alternative to conventional, fossil-based and potentially toxic preservatives such as copper salts, organic biocides, and creosote. Standard FPBO was used in the devel- opment of 10 formulations, which were systematically characterized in terms of pot life, viscosity evolution, density, and pH. Radiata pine samples were subsequently impregnated using a bench-scale reactor, with specimens prepared in multiple geometries to assess treat- ment performance across different dimensions. The modified wood was comprehensively characterized with respect to moisture uptake, dimensional stability, density, mechanical strength, fixation efficiency, biological durability, and VOC emissions. Additional screening focused on properties relevant to outdoor applications, including aesthetic appearance and colour uniformity after UV exposure. The results enabled the identification of three top-performing formulations, treatments H, A, and E, which exhibited the most favourable balance between durability, environmental performance, and structural integrity. Overall, the findings demonstrate the strong potential of FPBO-based impregnation as a sustainable, multifunctional, and high-performance alternative for advanced wood protection systems.
Keywords: wood modification, fast pyrolysis bio-oil (FPBO), durability, bio-based impregnation treatment
Published in RUP: 29.06.2026; Views: 393; Downloads: 6
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10. A floating floor resilient layer development approach and its application to the design of a high impact sound insulation wood-based solutionRok Prislan, Andreja Kutnar, Urban Kavka, Maximilian Neusser, Daniel Svenšek, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Environmental considerations have become increasingly important in the construction industry, driving the search for more sustainable alternatives to conventional building materials and solutions. One resource-intensive material used for structural decoupling is the impact-resilient layer, which, when installed in floating floors, is crucial for achieving the required insulation ratings. This study presents a methodology for developing an impact-resilient layer. The approach defines the key performance parameters of a floating floor and follows an experimental development approach based on prototyping. Prototypes are iteratively improved, with the first generation providing proof of concept and evolving into a final large-scale prototype that validates the impact insulation performance. To validate the approach, it is applied to the development of a wood-based resilient layer as a case study. The introduced resilient layer is highly sustainable and follows design for disassembly principles, while technically relying on a novel elastic response mechanism based on the flexural deformation of wooden strips. Over three generations of prototypes, the design evolved systematically, considering different geometric configurations, wood species, and wood-cork composites to manufacture the strips. The experimental evaluation focused on load-bearing capacity, dynamic stiffness, and damping ratio, also accounting for the inherent variabil ity of wood and wood moisture content as experimental parameters. A viable design was achieved and showed competitive impact sound insulation compared to established reference solutions. These results demonstrate that the proposed development approach can be successfully applied in practice and that a wood-based resilient layer can be a viable alternative to conventional market solutions.
Keywords: impact sound, sustainable insulation, floating floor, wood moisture content
Published in RUP: 23.06.2026; Views: 467; Downloads: 14
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