Objective measures of emotion related to brand attitude: a new way to quantify emotion-related aspects relevant to marketing.

With this study we wanted to test the hypothesis that individual like and dislike as occurring in relation to brand attitude can be objectively assessed. First, individuals rated common brands with respect to subjective preference. Then, they volunteered in an experiment during which their most liked and disliked brand names were visually presented while three different objective measures were taken. Participant's eye blinks as responses to acoustic startle probes were registered with electromyography (EMG) (i) and their skin conductance (ii) and their heart rate (iii) were recorded. We found significantly reduced eye blink amplitudes related to liked brand names compared to disliked brand names. This finding suggests that visual perception of liked brand names elicits higher degrees of pleasantness, more positive emotion and approach-oriented motivation than visual perception of disliked brand names. Also, skin conductance and heart rate were both reduced in case of liked versus disliked brand names. We conclude that all our physiological measures highlight emotion-related differences depending on the like and dislike toward individual brands. We suggest that objective measures should be used more frequently to quantify emotion-related aspects of brand attitude. In particular, there might be potential interest to introduce startle reflex modulation to measure emotion-related impact during product development, product design and various further fields relevant to marketing. Our findings are discussed in relation to the idea that self reported measures are most often cognitively polluted.

Expected reduction of colorectal cancer incidence within 8 years after introduction of the German screening colonoscopy programme: estimates based on 1,875,708 screening colonoscopies.

In late 2002, colonoscopy was introduced as a primary screening tool for colorectal cancer (CRC) in Germany. We aimed to estimate the expected reduction in case numbers and incidence of CRC between 2003 and 2010 by detection and removal of advanced adenomas. Data from 1,875,708 women and men included in the national screening colonoscopy database were combined with estimates of transition rates of advanced adenomas and with national population projections. Despite relatively low screening participation, incident CRC cases are expected to be reduced by more than 15,000 between 2003 and 2010. The impact is expected to be largest in age groups 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69 in whom total case numbers in 2010 are expected to be reduced by 13%, 19% and 14% among women, and by 11%, 15% and 12%, respectively, among men. Our results forecast a major rapid reduction of the CRC burden in Germany by screening colonoscopy.

CT-guided lung biopsy: incidence of pneumothorax after instillation of NaCl into the biopsy track.

This study was conducted to evaluate whether instillation of NaCl 0.9% solution into the biopsy track reduces the incidence of pneumothoraces after CT-guided lung biopsy. A total of 140 consecutive patients with pulmonary lesions were included in this prospective study. All patients were alternatingly assigned to one of two groups: group A in whom the puncture access was sealed by instillation of NaCl 0.9% solution during extraction of the guide needle (n = 70) or group B for whom no sealing was performed (n = 70). CT-guided biopsy was performed with a 18-G coaxial system. Localization of lesion (pleural, peripheral, central), lesion size, needle-pleural angle, rate of pneumothorax and alveolar hemorrhage were evaluated. In group A, the incidence of pneumothorax was lower compared to group B (8%, 6/70 patients vs. 34%, 24/70 patients; P < 0.001). All pneumothoraces occurred directly post punctionem after extraction of the guide needle. One patient in group A and eight patients in group B developed large pneumothoraces requiring chest tube placement (P = 0.01). The frequency of pneumothorax was independent of other variables. After CT-guided biopsy, instillation of NaCl 0.9% solution into the puncture access during extraction of the needle significantly reduces the incidence of pneumothorax.

Risk of progression of advanced adenomas to colorectal cancer by age and sex: estimates based on 840,149 screening colonoscopies.

OBJECTIVES: To derive age and sex specific estimates of transition rates from advanced adenomas to colorectal cancer by combining data of a nationwide screening colonoscopy registry and national data on colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. DESIGN: Registry based study. SETTING: National screening colonoscopy programme in Germany. PATIENTS: Participants of screening colonoscopy in 2003 and 2004 (n = 840,149). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Advanced adenoma prevalence, colorectal cancer incidence, annual and 10 year cumulative risk of developing CRC among carriers of advanced adenomas according to sex and age (range 55-80+ years) RESULTS: The age gradient is much stronger for CRC incidence than for advanced adenoma prevalence. As a result, projected annual transition rates from advanced adenomas to CRC strongly increase with age (from 2.6% in age group 55-59 years to 5.6% in age group >or=80 years among women, and from 2.6% in age group 55-59 years to 5.1% in age group >or=80 years among men). Projections of 10 year cumulative risk increase from 25.4% at age 55 years to 42.9% at age 80 years in women, and from 25.2% at age 55 years to 39.7% at age 80 years in men. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced adenoma transition rates are similar in both sexes, but there is a strong age gradient for both sexes. Our estimates of transition rates in older age groups are in line with previous estimates derived from small case series in the pre-colonoscopy era independent of age. However, our projections for younger age groups are considerably lower. These findings may have important implications for the design of CRC screening programmes.