Saturday, August 29, 2026

Graz University of Technology opens a railway test rig that is unique in Europe

With the railway and infrastructure laboratory, TU Graz is expanding its railway research facilities to include a state-of-the-art testing laboratory. Here, the entire track system can be tested under realistic conditions

Graz University of Technology

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The Railway and Infrastructure Laboratory at the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design at TU Graz.
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Credit: Lunghammer - TU Graz

How much load can a railway track bear when trains run over it for decades? And how does its behaviour change when conditions change underground? Such questions will be able to be investigated at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) under controlled, realistic conditions. With the new Railway and Infrastructure Laboratory (RaIL) at the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design (RID), a laboratory facility for railway research – one of a kind in Europe – is commencing operations. At RaIL, complete railway track systems can be tested for their load-bearing capacity and durability during simulated real-world operation – from rails and sleepers, to ballast and subgrade, and including subsoil. This will provide new insights into the interactions between traffic loads and the various layers of the track structure.

The facility, which cost around four million euros, was built using funds from TU Graz, the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and with financial support from voestalpine AG. The technical testing machines are supplied by the German company Form + Test.

To date, research into new solutions for the railway track has primarily involved a combination of analytical calculations, numerical simulations and measurements taken during actual operation. The laboratory now makes it possible to test the entire rail system, as well as individual developments such as points components and fastening systems, before carrying out extensive testing while the railway is in operation. This can shorten development cycles and lay the foundations for more efficient and longer-lasting track systems. RaIL also offers possibilities for standard-compliant testing of track superstructures, as well as for product development trials and type approval.

Track-bed simulator, clamping frame and ballast box

The centrepiece of the laboratory is a track-bed simulator five metres long, 3.5 metres wide and 1.8 metres deep. Hydraulically and electronically controlled test cylinders are used to simulate the static and dynamic loads to which tracks are subjected when a train weighing several tonnes rolls over them. It can be used to investigate the dynamic force transmission within the system comprising rail, fastenings, ballast bed, track bed and up to eight sleepers. It is also possible to investigate critical areas such as isolated joints, expansion joints and bridge junctions, as well as the effects of tamping work.

For larger systems, a clamping area measuring nine by five metres is available (expandable to 14 by five metres), in which the test cylinders are also used. For example, switch sections and expansion joints, which compensate for temperature-induced changes in the length of the rails, can be tested in accordance with standards. A flexible ballast test rig enables the investigation of individual components, such as sleepers or wooden replacement sleepers, in order to study the fundamental wear behaviour of the ballast under specific frequencies and loads. This helps to ensure that elastic elements and sleepers are optimally matched, thereby minimising wear and tear on the track structure.

Tests on a saturated track bed

One of RaIL’s unique selling points is its ability to specifically alter humidity conditions. This makes it possible to investigate experimentally how different levels of water saturation affect the stiffness, load distribution and long-term behaviour of the superstructure and substructure. This will enable research to be carried out into the effects of changing environmental conditions on the durability of railway infrastructure.

Research into the resilient railways of the future

“Railway research is a key area of research for TU Graz, and one in which we rank amongst the top three universities in Europe,” says Horst Bischof, Rector of TU Graz. “We work closely with industry in the Research Cluster Railway Systems. We also carry out internationally recognised research of the highest standard with our railway institutes, a number of professorships and state-of-the-art testing facilities. The Railway and Infrastructure Laboratory is the logical complement to this research infrastructure, which, taken as a whole, is unique in Austria. I would like to thank the FFG and voestalpine AG for their support in setting up the new laboratory."

“The opening of the Railway and Infrastructure Laboratory ‘RaIL’ at the Institute for Railway Infrastructure Design represents an important next step in the collaboration between TU Graz and the Austrian railway and supply industries as part of the Research Cluster Railway Systems at TU Graz,” says Franz Kainersdorfer, member of the Executive Board of voestalpine AG. “The research cluster, established by TU Graz in collaboration with ÖBB, Siemens, voestalpine, Plasser & Theurer and Virtual Vehicle, is unique worldwide in this form. The new laboratory will significantly advance its development and underlines both the capabilities of Austrian university research and those of the Austrian railway and its supply industry.”

“With RaIL, we aim to gain a better understanding of the railway track system as a whole. At the same time, we are creating an infrastructure that enables new components to be developed and tested under reproducible conditions, while allowing students to learn directly on the actual system. Our aim is to put scientific findings into practice more quickly and thus to contribute to an efficient and climate-resilient railway," says Ferdinand Pospischil, head of the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design at TU Graz. The laboratory will be headed by Julian Torggler, the deputy head of the institute.

Method of Research

News article

The Railway and Infrastructure Laboratory at the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design at TU Graz.

From left: Franz Kainersdorfer, Member of the Executive Board of voestalpine AG, Ferdinand Pospischil, Head of the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design at TU Graz, Horst Bischof, Rector of TU Graz.

from left: Julian Torggler, Deputy Head of the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design at TU Graz and Head of the Railway and Infrastructure Laboratory; Ferdinand Pospischil, Head of the Institute of Railway Infrastructure Design.

Credit

Lunghammer - TU Graz

Mould toxins in food are not destroyed during cooking or baking

Survey reveals gaps in knowledge about mould and its potential health risks

BfR Federal Institute for Risk Assessment

Moulds occur virtually everywhere in nature and therefore also end up on plants that we consume directly or process further. Under suitable conditions, they can produce toxins, amongst other things to defend themselves against natural predators. In total, scientists are currently aware of around 650 different mycotoxins produced by some 400 species of mould. Depending on the frequency and amount of intake, these can cause acute symptoms in humans, such as gastrointestinal problems, but may also lead to liver damage or increase the cancer risk.

Wissenschaftsbericht (in German)
https://www.bfr.bund.de/wissenschaftsbericht/wahrnehmung-von-mykotoxinen-schimmelpilzgiften-in-lebensmitteln/

The survey, which took place in April this year, shows that only a small proportion of the population (29 per cent) is concerned about potential health risks posed by mould, whilst the majority (51 per cent) do not give it any thought at all. According to the survey, microplastics or heavy metal residues in food are issues that tend to cause consumers more concern in terms of potential health risks.

Despite this comparatively low perception of risk, almost all respondents behave in line with the BfR’s recommendations when it comes to avoiding mycotoxins: around 96 per cent of respondents stated that they store food in a clean, dry and cool place; 95 per cent said they dispose of mouldy food immediately and do not leave it lying around uncovered. More specific protective measures, such as regularly shaking out stored flour and grain, are, however, less well-known – only 17 per cent said they took such action.

There is room for improvement when it comes to dealing with food that has already gone mouldy. Here, just under a third of respondents stated that, in the case of mouldy fresh fruit or vegetables, they only remove the affected parts and consume the rest. The BfR, however, recommends disposing of mouldy food completely, as the mould may have already penetrated deep into the food, even if it is not visible on the surface. This applies in particular to foods with a high water content, such as fruit and vegetables, but also to bread, for example.

Many people are also unaware that mycotoxins can occur in food that does not show visible signs of mould. This applies in particular to processed foods, such as plant-based drinks or dried spices. To protect consumers as effectively as possible from the health risks posed by this ‘invisible’ contamination, EU-wide maximum levels for many mycotoxins in food have been established, and compliance with these is regularly monitored by the authorities.

Further information on the BfR website regarding mycotoxins

Topic page: Health risk assessment of Mycotoxins and Plant toxins in Food
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/food-safety/assessment-of-substance-risks-in-foods/health-assessment-of-contaminants-in-food/health-risk-assessment-of-mycotoxins-and-plant-toxins-in-food/

FAQ: Mould in foods: health risks and how to avoid them
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/service/frequently-asked-questions/topic/mould-in-foods-health-risks-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Opinion: Mycotoxins in plant-based drinks (soy, almond and oat): the BfR updates its assessment of their health risks based on newly collected data
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/opinions/mycotoxins-in-plant-based-drinks-soy-almond-and-oat-the-bfr-updates-its-assessment-of-their-health-risks-based-on-newly-collected-data/

Cattle research may provide answers to father’s role in pregnancy loss

Texas A&M AgriLife researcher investigates paternal epigenetics to uncover causes of early pregnancy loss

- by Kay Ledbetter

When a pregnancy ends early and unexplained, the search for answers usually begins with the mother. Lacey Luense, Ph.D., wants to know what the father’s sperm might have to do with it.

Lacey Luense, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science, is studying the male role in early pregnancy loss. (Courtney Sacco/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Luense, an assistant professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Animal Science, studies the causes of early pregnancy loss — a problem that cuts across species and carries both personal and economic costs.

She is working with cattle, where almost 50% of pregnancies are estimated to end prematurely, to study the root causes of human infertility, where over 50% of all conceptions are estimated not to result in birth.

“We know that maternal issues can be involved,” Luense said. “Sometimes it can be a chromosomal abnormality, disease or problems with the uterine environment. But we don’t know the causes of many pregnancy losses. It’s unexplained, and we are still trying to figure out why this happens so frequently.”

Luense, who also has an appointment with Texas A&M AgriLife Research, is joining forces with Ky Pohler, Ph.D., administrator for the Texas A&M AgriLife Animal Reproductive Biotechnology Center and associate professor, Department of Animal Science, on a $1.65 million National Institutes of Health grant to look at how paternal epigenetic contributions, or non-genetic changes to DNA, are delivered to the embryo.

Determining the male factor in unsuccessful pregnancies

Luense said one potential cause for pregnancy loss could be the male’s sperm and epigenetics — or everything above and around the DNA sequence — that affect how the DNA is structured or packaged.

“We are talking about nongenetic changes that can alter how those genes are turned on or off,” she said. “Our research is trying to understand how dad’s epigenetics or the epigenetic changes carried by the sperm can affect fertility, pregnancy and then long-term health and development.”

The overall goal is to understand the nongenetic changes to DNA that are delivered to cattle embryos. The team will use sperm from bulls of high and low fertility to investigate the role of the paternal epigenome in abnormal embryo development and pregnancy loss.

Texas A&M AgriLife research is trying to understand how the male epigenetics can affect fertility and pregnancy. (Laura McKenzie/Texas A&M AgriLife)

One focus is histones, the proteins that DNA wraps around like a spool and thread. Previous studies indicate males with abnormal sperm histones are more likely to have partners who experience pregnancy loss.

“However, we don’t know why that happens,” Luense said. “This is something we have been learning much about over the last decade or two. We know a clinical correlation exists, but we do not understand the reasons it occurs. Determining that is our challenge.”

Cattle can answer questions humans cannot

Luense is determined to help with human pregnancy loss, but experimenting with human embryos is not an option. And, while she has also worked with mouse models, cattle offer something they couldn’t: early embryonic development that more closely mirrors human embryo development, particularly in cell division and timing when genes from the new embryo activate.

Where discovery meets industry

Department of Animal Science faculty are asking questions with answers that reach far beyond agriculture — into human health and everyday life.

Explore the research

Her team will conduct different molecular and genomic analyses on the semen samples from the high- and low-performing bulls to try to understand their biomarkers and to identify changes in the sperm to predict pregnancy loss.

Through in vitro fertilization, IVF, they will be able to generate embryos from bulls with specific changes to the sperm epigenome. These embryos will undergo time-lapse imaging and cutting-edge genomic analyses to determine if changes to sperm histones alter development and gene regulation. Performing such experiments in humans is not possible, making the use of cattle an exciting opportunity to further our understanding of human fertility and pregnancy, Luense said.

The new Animal Reproductive Biotechnology Center, which opened in 2025, will allow them to perform gene editing, including CRISPR/CAS 9, to advance knowledge about pregnancy loss and how treatments can be developed to solve the issue.

“We are trying to identify changes in gene expression that are happening very early in pre-implantation embryo development in cattle and how that might give us information about what is happening in humans,” Luense said.

The goal of the research is to find ways to achieve a higher rate of live births and calves on the ground. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Biomarkers to predict, and someday prevent, pregnancy loss

Beyond the human health question, the findings could give cattle producers new tools to address a costly problem — roughly half of cattle pregnancies do not result in live births. Better prediction could mean real savings for the industry.

“We hope that, after five years, we will be able to identify biomarkers or alterations to sperm chromatin or sperm histones that may predict pregnancy loss in humans and cattle,” Luense said. “If we know what to look for, maybe it can be treated. We are trying to understand the specific gene pathways regulated by sperm epigenetics occurring in the early embryo and are necessary for a healthy pregnancy and a live birth.”

The results could impact reproductive efficiency and help clinical management of human patients and livestock diagnosed with infertility, poor embryogenesis and pregnancy loss, she said.

Beyond hunger: Food insecurity in later life linked to dementia

University of Michigan

Study table and researcher profile image

Older adults who experienced food insecurity in both midlife and later life had nearly four times the risk of probable dementia as those who remained food secure, according to new University of Michigan research.

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found the strongest association among people experiencing food insecurity later in life. Researchers found no significant association between food insecurity in midlife alone and probable dementia.

Food insecurity is often discussed in terms of hunger and access to adequate nutrition, but researchers increasingly are examining its potential connections to health across the life course.

The study used longitudinal data from the Institute for Social Research Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the longest-running nationally representative household panel survey in the United States. The survey allowed researchers to track food insecurity within the same families over decades and examine whether the timing of food insecurity was associated with cognitive health in later years.

"Not only can we now track the changes one family experiences, but by collecting this information for decades, we can also examine different parts of the life course," said Noura Insolera, assistant research scientist at ISR. "We have known for some time that hunger and nutritional deficiencies make it harder for children to learn in school, for example, but only by collecting this information year after year for many years can we look at something like the connections between food insecurity and dementia risk."

This study followed 2,051 adults and looked at whether they experienced food insecurity at two different periods: midlife (1999–2003) and later life (2015–2019). Of the total of the adults studied, 3% experienced food insecurity only in midlife, 5.2% experienced it only in later life and 5% experienced it during both periods.

While food-insecure families are in the minority, when it occurred mattered. The association with probable dementia was concentrated among those who experienced food insecurity in later life, rather than midlife alone.

The findings suggest that food insecurity in later adulthood may be particularly important to cognitive health. However, the study cannot determine whether food insecurity itself contributes to dementia or whether other factors associated with food insecurity help explain the relationship.

"Food insecurity has different adverse impacts across the life course," Insolera said. "If you have been to the doctor recently, there are often screening questions for food security upon intake, but health practitioners are often at a loss when tasked with helping their patients. They are often not equipped, as medical doctors, to solve these problems. The first step is identifying the problem by asking questions, but the next step is much more complicated."

Later-life food insecurity

The people who experienced food insecurity in both midlife and later have an estimated probability of dementia of 40% as compared with 11% of those who were food secure in both midlife and later life. Those who reported food insecurity in later-life only also saw a statistically significant increased probability of 34%.

"As individuals age, there are many factors, including financial safety, community, family and government programs that help to make sure needs are met," Insolera said. "If someone is forced to choose to pay a bill that may accrue interest if unpaid or spend less money on food, the food is often seen as the easier option to forgo.

"The physical toll that a lack of nutrition has on the body is a tangible health issue, but the mental strain of worry and anxiety about where their next meal might come from is also a very real problem. Food insecurity causes both of these, and the combination of these adverse physical and mental conditions can create a problem that is larger than the sum of its parts."

The findings also raise questions about how health care providers and policymakers can respond to food insecurity, researchers said.

"If there is one thing I could change, it would be to go back to the generosity of benefits that SNAP was able to provide during the pandemic," Insolera said. "The federal government was able to swiftly intervene and help American families in a very successful way. If those levels of benefit would have been kept, we might not see the increases in food insecurity we have seen since those benefits expired."

Study: Associations between mid-life and later-life food insecurity on probable dementia in a national sample of United States adults (DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2026.101386)

Journal

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

New consensus reshapes care for childhood bed-wetting

Zhejiang University

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Updated framework for childhood NE management.
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Credit: World Journal of Pediatrics

Nocturnal enuresis (NE) in school-age children is more than a nighttime inconvenience: when persistent, it can affect self-esteem, sleep, family life and social functioning. An updated expert consensus now offers a practical roadmap for recognizing and treating childhood NE, with 18 recommendations spanning diagnosis, classification, evaluation, first-line therapy, comorbidity management and referral. The framework lowers the diagnostic frequency threshold to at least one involuntary nighttime void per month for three months in children aged five years or older, and places greater emphasis on tailoring treatment to the child’s clinical pattern. The goal is to help clinicians move from symptom-based treatment toward more standardized, individualized and family-centered care.

Nocturnal enuresis (NE) is common in childhood and arises from multiple interacting factors, including excess nighttime urine production, reduced functional bladder capacity and difficulty waking to bladder signals. Effective treatments are available, yet underdiagnosis, inconsistent clinical practice and poor adherence continue to limit outcomes. In China, care is further complicated by regional differences in access, cultural perceptions of bedwetting and uneven coordination between primary and specialist services. Since the previous Chinese consensus was issued in 2014, international standards and the evidence base have changed substantially, while domestic clinical experience has expanded. Given these challenges, an updated, locally applicable framework was needed to align diagnosis, treatment and referral with current evidence and frontline practice.

Researchers from the Department of Nephrology, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Children's Medical Center, together with the Chinese Cooperative Group for the Management of Pediatric NE and the Pediatric Nephrology Committee of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, published (DOI: 10.1007/s12519-026-01051-4) an updated expert guidance in the World Journal of Pediatrics. The consensus establishes 18 recommendations for diagnosing, classifying, and managing childhood NE, emphasizing symptom-based classification, voiding diaries, individualized first-line treatment, management of daytime urinary symptoms and comorbidities, and referral pathways for refractory cases.

The consensus introduces several key updates. First, it lowers the diagnostic threshold: children aged five years or older who experience at least one involuntary nighttime void per month for three months now qualify for diagnosis—a shift from the previous weekly standard that enables earlier intervention. Second, it mandates a clear clinical distinction between monosymptomatic NE (MNE), without daytime lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and non‑monosymptomatic NE (NMNE), where daytime symptoms such as urgency, frequency or incontinence are present. This classification drives all subsequent treatment decisions. Third, the voiding diary becomes a diagnostic cornerstone—patients must record at least two daytime charts and seven consecutive nights of fluid intake and voids, allowing clinicians to phenotype children as having nocturnal polyuria, reduced bladder capacity, or both. For MNE, the consensus specifies phenotype‑driven first‑line therapy: desmopressin for nocturnal polyuria and the enuresis alarm for reduced bladder capacity, with combination therapy for mixed types. For NMNE, management must prioritize daytime LUTS and comorbidities—especially constipation, which affects 36–80% of these children—before addressing nighttime wetting. The framework also outlines clear referral criteria: primary care may manage MNE, but non‑responders or suspected NMNE require specialist evaluation with urodynamics and lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For refractory cases, defined as less than 50% improvement after three months, the consensus advises systematic re‑evaluation of adherence, diary findings and underlying causes before escalating treatment.

The authors said the central message is that NE should not be managed as a single, uniform disorder. They said the updated pathway asks clinicians to identify the child’s specific pattern, look for daytime symptoms and comorbidities, and match treatment to the likely underlying mechanism while keeping the family involved. They also stressed that apparent treatment failure should trigger a careful review—of adherence, voiding records and possible missed conditions—before stronger or more complex therapy is added. In this way, they said, the consensus is designed to make care both more systematic and more responsive to individual children.

In practice, the recommendations could help pediatricians and primary‑care clinicians identify children who can be managed locally and those who need specialist assessment. Clearer use of voiding diaries and symptom‑based classification may reduce trial‑and‑error treatment, while earlier attention to constipation, sleep‑disordered breathing, attention‑deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and daytime urinary symptoms could improve response rates. The framework also encourages timely referral when first‑line therapy fails or NMNE is suspected, supporting better coordination across levels of care. The authors acknowledge that some recommendations reflect Chinese practice patterns and that evidence remains limited for areas such as desmopressin withdrawal strategies. Future trials and multidisciplinary care models could further refine individualized treatment.

###

References

DOI

10.1007/s12519-026-01051-4

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12519-026-01051-4

About World Journal of Pediatrics

World Journal of Pediatrics (WJP) is an international, peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to advancing pediatric medicine and child health. Published monthly, WJP publishes original research, reviews, and special reports covering all aspects of pediatrics. It welcomes contributions from pediatricians and researchers worldwide, focusing on the latest developments in pediatric clinical practice, pediatric surgery, preventive child healthcare, pharmacology, stomatology, and biomedicine, as well as basic and experimental sciences. The journal provides a global platform for academic exchange and dissemination of medical research findings. WJP currently has an Impact Factor of 7.3 and a CiteScore of 8.5.

Journal

World Journal of Pediatrics

DOI

10.1007/s12519-026-01051-4

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Expert consensus on the management of nocturnal enuresis in children

Mimicry connects smokers and makes quitting difficult

SWPS University

Going out for a smoke together and mimicking behaviours associated with smoking can double tobacco consumption and make quitting more difficult. Researchers from SWPS University examined mimicry as a "social glue" in interactions between smokers, and published the results in the International Journal of Psychology.

The research findings could revolutionise the design of smoking areas, and anti-smoking campaigns.

Tobacco addiction is one of the major factors leading to preventable adult deaths worldwide. That is why researchers from SWPS University decided to investigate whether mimicry, a phenomenon also known as the "chameleon effect," in which people mimic each other’s mannerisms, words, and even facial expressions depicting emotions and moods, could support quitting. It turns out that while smoking has long been considered a habit with a strong social basis, recent experiments show that the mechanism behind this phenomenon is mimicry, not the mere presence of others.

Mimicry fosters smooth interactions and smoking

The researchers conducted the first experiment in a laboratory setting. 40 adults participated in brief interviews about their health lifestyles. During the interviews with some of the participants, the experimenter discreetly mimicked the participants' movements, while refraining from doing so in the control group. The participants were then invited to a smoking area. The result? The mimicked participants smoked an average of 2.5 cigarettes, twice as many as the control group, whose gestures were not mimicked. Furthermore, these participants reported greater liking for the experimenter.

The results showed that mimicry previously led to an increased cigarette consumption. We assumed that, consistently with the "social glue" hypothesis, copying movements increases liking for the person who mimics us. In the experiment, this induced sense of connection that acted as a dangerous and unhealthy catalyst for increased tobacco use, says the lead author of the study, social psychologist Professor Wojciech Kulesza, PhD, head of the Department of Social Psychology at the Faculty of Psychology, SWPS University in Warsaw.

Mimicry discourages smokers from quitting the addiction

The second phase of the study (involving 120 participants) was conducted in a natural environment , in the smoking areas of Warsaw clubs and pubs. Participants were randomly divided into three groups. In the control group, the experimenter did not smoke at all; in the second (mimicry) group, the experimenter smoked, taking a puff shortly after the participant and exhaling the smoke in the same direction. In the third (in-group/no mimicry) condition, the experimenter smoked, but in a way that was not in sync with the participant.

The participants were briefly interviewed about their lifestyles and then asked to complete a questionnaire. They were asked, among other things, whether they considering quitting within the next five years and whether they would consider switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

The effect of mimicry was evident: Synchronised smoking reduced the declared willingness to quit smoking within five years from 8.80 (in the control group) to just 2.65 on a 10-point scale. The mere presence of a smoker did not reduce participants' motivation to quit, which means that the decisive factor is not a sense of belonging to a group, it is mimicry, reports the study co-author Paweł Muniak, PhD, from the Faculty of Psychology at SWPS University in Warsaw.

Interestingly, the mimicked individuals declared a significantly higher willingness to switch from regular cigarettes to e-cigarettes (an increase from 2.65 to 8.32).

No more communal smoking rooms?

The researchers point out that mimicry can help therapists develop more effective intervention strategies. Understanding this phenomenon is also crucial for improving the effectiveness of anti-smoking campaigns. Fighting addiction requires a holistic approach that combines social and environmental strategies with traditional psychological and biological methods of coping with tobacco addiction. The authors of the paper propose, for example, transforming communal smoking areas into single-person spaces. The lack of contact with others eliminates the phenomenon of mimicry and weakens the bonds that perpetuate the addiction.

Educating smokers about the role of mimicry in maintaining nicotine addiction is also important.

The results of our experiments have significant practical implications, particularly for addiction treatment professionals. They show that while smokers whose smoking behaviour was mimicked were more likely to switch to e-cigarettes (which are considered a healthier alternative), they were less likely to quit smoking altogether than participants from the control group. This highlights the complex interplay of psychological, social and environmental factors in behaviours associated with this addiction, emphasises Wojciech Kulesza from SWPS University.

Journal

International Journal of Psychology

DOI

10.1002/ijop.70248