Seeing and liking cigarette advertisements: is there a 'mere exposure' effect?

AIMS: We aimed to explain the association between exposure to a cigarette advertisement and favorable attitudes towards the advertisement. METHODS: We used data from an observational cross-sectional study with a sample of 3,415 German schoolchildren aged 10-17 years. Cigarette advertising exposure was assessed with an image of a Marlboro ad, asking for contact frequency (number of times seen the ad) and brand name. Liking of the ad was measured with two items (alpha = 0.78). RESULTS: We found a positive linear association between exposure to the Marlboro ad and liking it. This association remained significant (standardized β = 0.09; p < 0.001) even after statistical control for smoking status, smoking of friends and parents, attitudes towards smoking in general, cigarette advertising receptivity (having a favorite cigarette ad), exposure to other advertisings, age, sex, socioeconomic status, rebelliousness and sensation seeking, self-reported school performance, and study region. CONCLUSIONS: The association between exposure to an advertisement and liking it was robust and could not be fully explained without referring to either unmeasured confounding or implicit advertising effects (e.g. mere exposure). Implicit effects have implications for prevention strategies as it may be very difficult to counteract unconscious advertising effects

Report on organic protein availability and demand in Europe = Deliverable 1.2 of the CORE Organic project (ICOPP)

The aim of this study, carried out as part of work package 1 of the project “Improved Contribution of Local Feed to Support 100% Organic Feed Supply to Pigs and Poultry” (ICOPP), was to assess feed availability and demand throughout the countries of the ICOPP project and Europe. The ICOPP project is funded by national funding bodies that are part of the CORE Organic II project (Coordination of European Transnational Research in Organic Food and Farming Systems, www.coreorganic2.org). Partners from the following ten European countries were part of the project: Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. All partners provided information from their country on feed production, livestock numbers and feeding strategies. The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), the Swiss project partner, conducted the survey and made the calculations on the supply and demand of concentrate feed, crude protein as well as essential amino acids from certified organic origin. Consequently, the self-sufficiency regarding organic feed for monogastrics was calcu-lated for each of the countries participating in the project

Parental alcohol use disorders and alcohol use and disorders in offspring: a community study

Background. We examined the association between parental alcohol use disorders and patterns of alcohol consumption and DSM-IV alcohol use disorders in their offspring in a community-based sample of young adults. Methods. Data are based on baseline and 4-year follow-up data of 2427 respondents aged 14–24 at baseline. Alcohol use and disorders in respondents were assessed using the Munich-Composite-International-Diagnostic-Interview with DSM-IV algorithms. Diagnostic information about parents was collected by family history information from the respondents, and by direct interview with one parent (cohort aged 14 to 17 years only). Results. Although the association between maternal and paternal alcohol use disorders and non-problematical drinking in offspring was minimal, there was a strong effect for the transition to hazardous use and for alcohol abuse and dependence; the effect of parental concordance for transition into hazardous use was particularly striking. Maternal history was associated with a higher probability of progression from occasional to regular use, whereas paternal history was associated with progression from regular to hazardous use. Parental alcoholism increased the risk for first onset of hazardous use and alcohol dependence between the ages of 14–17, and for an earlier onset of the alcohol outcomes in offspring. The impact of parental alcohol use disorders was comparable for male and female offspring. Conclusions. Parental alcoholism predicts escalation of alcohol use, development of alcohol use disorders and onset of alcohol outcomes in offspring

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

On the Integration of Carbon Capture and Storage into the International Climate Regime

As GHG emissions did not decline as anticipated early of the 1990ties Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) recently gained more and more attention as a climate change mitigation option. However, CO2 suppressed in geological reservoirs is likely to lead to future releases of the CO2 stored. This „non-permanence“ must be considered if an environmentally sound policy is desired. Against this background, the present article analyses a potential integration of CCS in the international climate regime. It is based on existing rules and modalities regarding non-permanence of sequestration in the Land use, Land-use change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector. Interestingly, the experience from LULUCF has almost completely been neglected during the discussion on CCS. We argue that CCS can only be accounted for in a transparent and comprehensive way, if it is considered a „removal“ (or „sink“) activity. This is, however, incompatible with the current UNFCCC rules and definitions. Consequently, they would have to be changed. Accounting and problems of cross-border projects are discussed. They arise due to the potential geographical separation of capture and storage site. Furthermore, an economic analysis is conducted considering the consequences of non-permanent storage. We apply the tCER approach for LULUCF projects which has already been agreed upon during the international climate negotiations. It may thus form the basis for CCS, too. The study suggests that CCS is probably not as attractive as widely claimed

Reward Versus Nonreward Sensitivity of the Medial Versus Lateral Orbitofrontal Cortex Relates to the Severity of Depressive Symptoms

BackgroundThe orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is implicated in depression. The hypothesis investigated was whether the OFC sensitivity to reward and nonreward is related to the severity of depressive symptoms.MethodsActivations in the monetary incentive delay task were measured in the IMAGEN cohort at ages 14 years (n = 1877) and 19 years (n = 1140) with a longitudinal design. Clinically relevant subgroups were compared at ages 19 (high-severity group: n = 116; low-severity group: n = 206) and 14.ResultsThe medial OFC exhibited graded activation increases to reward, and the lateral OFC had graded activation increases to nonreward. In this general population, the medial and lateral OFC activations were associated with concurrent depressive symptoms at both ages 14 and 19 years. In a stratified high-severity depressive symptom group versus control group comparison, the lateral OFC showed greater sensitivity for the magnitudes of activations related to nonreward in the high-severity group at age 19 (p = .027), and the medial OFC showed decreased sensitivity to the reward magnitudes in the high-severity group at both ages 14 (p = .002) and 19 (p = .002). In a longitudinal design, there was greater sensitivity to nonreward of the lateral OFC at age 14 for those who exhibited high depressive symptom severity later at age 19 (p = .003).ConclusionsActivations in the lateral OFC relate to sensitivity to not winning, were associated with high depressive symptom scores, and at age 14 predicted the depressive symptoms at ages 16 and 19. Activations in the medial OFC were related to sensitivity to winning, and reduced reward sensitivity was associated with concurrent high depressive symptom scores