How frequently is alcohol advertised on television in Canada?: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: Alcohol marketing is a commercial driver of alcohol use, including among youth. This study sought to quantify and characterize alcohol advertising on broadcast television in Canada. METHODS: Open-source television program logs for January to December 2018 submitted to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission by 147 stations with alcohol advertisements were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 501 628 alcohol advertisements were broadcast. Four companies accounted for 83% of advertisements, namely, Anheuser-Busch in Bev (33.7%), Molson Coors (22.7%), Diageo (16.1%), and Arterra Wines Canada (10.8%). On conventional stations, advertising was highest on French-language stations [Median (Mdn) = 3224; interquartile range (IQR) = 2262] followed by those with programming in foreign/mixed languages (Mdn = 2679; IQR = 219) and English-language stations (Mdn = 1955; IQR = 1563). On speciality stations, advertising was most frequent on those primarily focused on sports programming (Mdn = 8036; IQR = 7393), movies and scripted shows (Mdn = 7463; IQR = 5937), and cooking (Mdn = 5498; IQR = 4032). On weekdays, 33% of alcohol ads aired from 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 9 p.m. and on weekends, 52% aired from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. when children or adolescents are more likely to be watching television. On youth-oriented stations (n = 4), 7937 alcohol advertisements were broadcast with most airing from 9 p.m. to midnight (44-45%) or 12-6 a.m. (50%) on both weekdays and weekends. CONCLUSIONS: While few alcohol advertisements were broadcast on youth-oriented stations, young people in Canada are likely exposed to such advertising on programming intended for older or general audiences (e.g. sports). More research is needed to ascertain the extent to which broadcast television constitutes a source of alcohol advertising exposure among youth and to inform policies aimed at protecting them from the influence of such exposure.

Acceptability and feasibility of an intervention for Alaska Native and American Indian couples.

Objective: This acceptability and feasibility study assessed a previously tested movie discussion intervention culturally adapted for a tribal health setting. Background: Despite family and relationships being important in Alaska Native and American Indian (ANAI) cultures, social health interventions supporting committed ANAI couples have not been investigated. Couples watching and discussing movies can promote and sustain relationship health as effectively as intensive skill-building classes. Method: This study culturally adapted a movie discussion intervention. Multiple stakeholders guided adaptations, including changes to intervention duration, recommended movies, discussion guide, and study measures. Eligible participants were cohabitating adults in a committed relationship, with at least one person in the couple being ANAI. Participants watched and discussed movies over 4 weeks at home or in person. Study measures assessed demographics, relationship characteristics, and intervention acceptability and feasibility. Results: Twenty-three couples participated: 87% chose at-home participation, 70% completed the intervention. Almost 90% of couples felt comfortable discussing the movies, felt the discussion guide improved communication, and would recommend the intervention to other couples, but 26% were mildly stressed by the discussions. Conclusion: This intervention was a feasible and acceptable way to help ANAI couples maintain positive relationship features. Implications: This intervention could support ANAI couples in regions with limited access to behavioral health services.

The immediate impacts of TV programs on preschoolers' executive functions and attention: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has presented varying perspectives on the potential effect of screen media use among preschoolers. In this study, we systematically reviewed experimental studies that investigated how pacing and fantasy features of TV programs affect children's attention and executive functions (EFs). METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across eight online databases to identify pertinent studies published until August 2023. We followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. RESULTS: Fifteen papers involving 1855 participants aged 2-7 years fulfilled all the inclusion criteria for this review and were entered into the narrative synthesis. Despite the challenge of reaching general conclusions and encountering conflicting outcomes, a nuanced analysis reveals distinct patterns within various subgroups. The impact of pacing on attention is discernible, particularly in bottom-up attention processes, although the nature of this effect remains contradictory. Conversely, consistent findings emerge regarding top-down attention, suggesting any impact. Moreover, a subgroup analysis of different EF components yields valuable insights, highlighting the negative effect of fantasy on inhibitory control within the EF framework. CONCLUSION: The complexity of these outcomes highlights the need for further research, considering factors such as content, child-specific characteristics, environmental factors, and methodological approaches. These findings collectively emphasize the necessity of conducting more comprehensive and detailed research, especially in terms of the underlying mechanisms and their impact on brain function.

Advertisement design in dynamic interactive scenarios using DeepFM and long short-term memory (LSTM).

This article addresses the evolving landscape of data advertising within network-based new media, seeking to mitigate the accuracy limitations prevalent in traditional film and television advertising evaluations. To overcome these challenges, a novel data-driven nonlinear dynamic neural network planning approach is proposed. Its primary objective is to augment the real-time evaluation precision and accuracy of film and television advertising in the dynamic interactive realm of network media. The methodology primarily revolves around formulating a design model for visual advertising in film and television, customized for the dynamic interactive milieu of network media. Leveraging DeepFM+long short-term memory (LSTM) modules in deep learning neural networks, the article embarks on constructing a comprehensive information statistics and data interest model derived from two public datasets. It further engages in feature engineering for visual advertising, crafting self-learning association rules that guide the data-driven design process and system flow. The article concludes by benchmarking the proposed visual neural network model against other models, using F1 and root mean square error (RMSE) metrics for evaluation. The findings affirm that the proposed model, capable of handling dynamic interactions among images, visual text, and more, excels in capturing nonlinear and feature-mining aspects. It exhibits commendable robustness and generalization capabilities within various contexts.

A cinenurducation activity using Call the Midwife to teach about sexually transmitted infections and preeclampsia: design, implementation, and assessment.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students need to learn about sexually transmitted infections and preeclampsia. Cinenureducation is a rigorous method that uses materials from commercial movies or television series to teach health sciences students. OBJECTIVES: Using content analysis of the television series Call the Midwife, design a cinenureducation activity teaching nursing students about sexually transmitted infections and preeclampsia. Evaluate its effectiveness in knowledge acquisition. DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND PRE-POST ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE GAIN FOR TEACHING ACTIVITIES: The study comprised three main steps: designing the teaching activity, implementing it, and analyzing its pedagogical effectiveness through a pre-and-post study to assess knowledge acquisition resulting from the teaching activity. PARTICIPANTS: A six-member panel assessed the suitability of materials for the teaching goals. All second-year undergraduate nursing students in the course "Nursing management and leadership" at a nursing school in the 2022-2023 academic year were invited to participate (N = 160). METHODS: The panel conducted a content analysis of the first two seasons of the series to determine the usefulness of each episode for teaching the chosen topics. Students were randomly assigned to groups watching episodes emphasizing either sexually transmitted infections or preeclampsia, followed by discussion. Learning was gauged through a pre-post viewing 20-question multiple-choice test. Additionally, students' satisfaction was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 142 nursing students participated. Significant differences between mean scores before and after intervention were found [6.90 vs. 6.42 on the preintervention assessment, p < 0.05; mean gain, 0.49 (95 % CI: 0.22-0.76)]. Most students were satisfied with the activity. CONCLUSIONS: The activity was useful for teaching about sexually transmitted infections and preeclampsia. The use of a television series portraying nurses enables the exploration of these critical topics. This has potential implications for integrating similar methods into nurse education curricula, emphasizing the broader impact of the research on pedagogical practices in healthcare education.

Longitudinal relationship between screen-based sedentary behavior and nutrient intake in Japanese children: an observational epidemiological cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Concerns regarding the impact of screen-based sedentary behavior on health have been increasing. Therefore, the present study investigated the longitudinal relationship between multiple screen time and nutrient intake in children and adolescents. METHODS: The present study was conducted utilizing 3 years longitudinal data. Study subjects were 740 Japanese children aged between 6 and 12 years at baseline and between 9 and 15 years in the follow-up. Screen-based sedentary behavior was assessed using screen time, including television (TV) viewing, personal computer (PC) use, and mobile phone (MP) use. The main outcomes were the intakes of nutrients. Mixed effect multivariate linear regression analyses were used to examine the longitudinal relationship between screen-based sedentary time and nutrient intake. Covariates included in the multivariable analysis consisted of sex, age, solitary eating, skipping breakfast, staying up late, and body weight status, as confounders, and physical inactivity, as mediator. RESULTS: In boys, a longer total screen time longitudinally correlated with higher intake of energy and lower intakes of protein, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. In girls, longer total screen time longitudinally associated with higher intake of sucrose and lower intakes of protein, minerals, and vitamins. In boys, a longer TV viewing time was associated with higher intake of sucrose and lower intakes of protein, minerals, and vitamins. In girls, a longer TV viewing time was associated with higher intake of carbohydrates and lower intakes of protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins. In boys, relationships were observed between a longer PC use time and higher intakes of energy as well as lower intakes of protein, minerals, and vitamins. Relationship was observed between longer PC use time and lower intakes of minerals in girls. An increased MP use time was associated with higher intakes of energy, and lower intakes of protein, sucrose, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins in boys. A longer MP use time was associated with higher intakes of fat, and salt as well as lower intakes of carbohydrates, protein, minerals, and vitamins in girls. CONCLUSIONS: The present results revealed that longer screen-based sedentary behaviors were longitudinally associated with nutrient intake in children and adolescents. Future study is needed to elucidate these relationships.

Eugenics and genetic screening in television medical dramas.

Medical dramas offer unique insights into the way popular media makes sense of genetic technology and the ethics of its applications. In this paper we evaluate the contrasting depictions in television medical dramas of reproductive genetic screening and eugenics-two medical themes that some commentators see as closely related. By conducting a content analysis of 32 episodes of doctor shows featuring eugenic and/or genetic screening themes, we put the medical drama landscape in conversation with bioethics scholarship and mark a significant divergence between the two. While the academic literature has been parsing the possible relationship between genetic screening and eugenics for over 50 years, doctor shows tend to champion genetic screening as a powerful tool for promoting individual reproductive choice and criticise eugenics as a socially unjust infringement of reproductive freedom. In doing so, medical dramas mark a subtle but important moral distinction between the population-level implications of eugenics and the highly personal, emotional impact of genetic screening.

Differences in children's exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages in Spain by socio-economic level.

BACKGROUND: The influence of food advertising on food preferences and consumption could also contribute to the socio-economic inequalities among Spanish children in terms of eating habits and childhood obesity. Although the main food advertising channel targeted at children in Spain is television, available studies estimate exposure indirectly by combining content data with audience data. The aim of this study was therefore to describe the frequency of exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and drinks, measured directly, among Spanish children and adolescents, and analyse its socio-economic inequalities. METHODS: Observational study of television advertising impacts in a sample of 1590 children aged 4 to 16 years drawn from a consumer panel representative of the Spanish population in this age group, over the course of a full week of broadcasting in February 2022. The sample was obtained through stratified random sampling by Autonomous Region, with quotas being set by reference to socio-demographic variables. Exposure was measured with an audiometer, and the nutrient content of the food and drink advertised was analysed using the nutrient profile of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. We used the Chi-squared test to analyse possible differences in advertising coverage by socio-economic level. RESULTS: The participants saw a weekly mean of 82.4 food and drink commercials, 67.4 of which were for unhealthy products (81.8%), mostly outside the child-protection time slot. On average, low-social class participants received 94.4% more impacts from unhealthy food and drink advertising than did high-class participants (99.9 vs. 51.4 respectively). The mean advertising coverage of unhealthy foods and drinks was 71.6% higher in low-class than in high-class participants (10.9% vs. 18.7%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Spanish children and adolescents received an average of 10 impacts per day from television spots for unhealthy foods and drinks. The exposure of low-class children is double that of high-class children, a finding compatible with the high prevalence of childhood obesity in Spain and the related socio-economic inequalities. To protect Spanish minors from the harmful effects of food advertising and reduce the related social health inequalities would require the implementation of a 24:00 watershed for unhealthy food advertising on television.

Evaluation of Screen Time in Children Under Five Years Old.

INTRODUCTION: Due to the rapid advancement of technology, there has been a noteworthy increase in the diversity and abundance of activities involving children. The most effective methods to enhance and facilitate children's media interactions are to minimize, reduce, use with caution, and establish healthy patterns. We aimed to evaluate media exposure of children below five years of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study that was conducted between December 2017 and September 2019 in Eskisehir, Türkiye. To assess the frequency of electronic device usage among children under the age of five, including televisions, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, as well as its impact on their sleep patterns and physical measurements, and to evaluate families' understanding of the terms "screen time" and "back screen time," we developed a questionnaire. RESULTS: We analyzed a total of 731 questionnaires: 334 (45.7%) were girls, 397 (54.3%) were boys, and the mean age was 33.55±16.37 months. Upon examining the technical equipment accessible to the children in our study, we found that 98.6% possessed a television, 96.9% owned a mobile phone, 54% had a laptop, 49.5% had a tablet, and 34.1% possessed a gaming console. The study revealed the following proportions of electronic devices in children's rooms: 13% televisions, 11.9% tablets, 7.4% laptops, and 7% mobile phones. There has been a substantial increase in the amount of time they spend watching television and playing computer games among children who have at least one sibling. There was a statistically significant disparity between the television viewing periods and the body mass index of children older than two years old. Additionally, we have seen a significant disparity in the presence of media devices in children's bedrooms and the subsequent impact on their sleep duration and patterns throughout both nighttime and daytime. Around 65.8% of parents did not know of the concept of screen time, while 88.4% of parents did not know of the concept of back screen time. DISCUSSION: Parental compliance with the current guidelines for screen time is insufficient, among parents with children under the age of five, even though exposure to screens begins in the first months of life. Our analysis highlighted the necessity for parents to establish and enforce a unified and logical media usage policy for all children residing in the household. It is crucial to allocate sufficient time during the routine healthcare visit to discuss these recommendations.

A Mendelian randomization-based study of the causal relationship between leisure sedentary behavior and delirium.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is an acute or subacute change in mental status caused by various factors. We evaluated the causal relationship between leisure sedentary behaviors (LSBs) and delirium. METHODS: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study was performed to evaluate the causal relationship between sedentary behaviors (time spent watching television, time spent using computer, and time spent driving) and delirium. Statistical information for the associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the traits of interest was obtained from independent consortia that focused on European populations. The dataset for LSBs was acquired from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) comprising a substantial sample size: 437887 samples for time spent watching television, 360,895 for time spent using computer, and 310,555 for time spent driving. A GWAS with 1269 delirium cases and 209,487 controls was used to identify genetic variation underlying the time of LSBs. We used five complementary MR methods, including inverse variance weighted method (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode. RESULTS: Genetically predicted time spent watching television (odds ratio [OR]: 2.921, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.381-6.179) demonstrated significant association with delirium (P = 0.005), whereas no significant associations were observed between time spent using computer (OR: 0.556, 95 % CI: 0.246-1.257, P = 0.158) and time spent driving (OR: 1.747, 95 % CI: 0.09-3. 40, P = 0.713) and delirium. Sensitivity analyses supported a causal interpretation, with limited evidence of significant bias from genetic pleiotropy. Moreover, our MR assumptions appeared to be upheld, enhancing the credibility of our conclusions. LIMITATIONS: Larger sample sizes are needed to validate the findings of our study. CONCLUSION: Time spent watching television is a significant risk factor for delirium. Reducing television time may be an important intervention for those at higher risk of delirium.

Beyond lectures and practical courses: Teaching pharmacology using imaginative pedagogical tools.

Pharmacology has broadened its scope considerably in recent decades. Initially, it was of interest to chemists, doctors and pharmacists. In recent years, however, it has been incorporated into the teaching of biologists, molecular biologists, biotechnologists, chemical engineers and many health professionals, among others. Traditional teaching methods, such as lectures or laboratory work, have been superseded by the use of new pedagogical approaches to enable a better conceptualization and understanding of the discipline. In this article, we present several new methods that have been used in Spanish universities. Firstly, we describe a teaching network that has allowed the sharing of pedagogical innovations in Spanish universities. A European experience to improve prescribing safety is described in detail. The use of popular films and medical TV series in biomedical students shows how these audiovisual resources can be helpful in teaching pharmacology. The use of virtual worlds is detailed to introduce this new approach to teaching. The increasingly important area of the social aspects of pharmacology is also considered in two sections, one devoted to social pharmacology and the other to the use of learning based on social services to improve understanding of this important area. Finally, the use of Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation in pharmacology allows to know how this approach can help to better evaluate clinical pharmacology students. In conclusion, this article allows to know new pedagogical methods resources used in some Spanish universities that may help to improve the teaching of pharmacology.

Abortion pills on TV: An exploratory study of the associations between abortion plotline viewership and beliefs regarding in-clinic and self-managed medication abortion.

OBJECTIVES: Entertainment television is an influential source of health information, including about reproductive health. We investigated the association between exposure to television plotlines about medication abortion on audience awareness and beliefs about medication abortion. STUDY DESIGN: We administered a national cross-sectional online survey from December 2021 to January 2022 with a probability-based sample of people assigned female at birth. We asked respondents to select plotlines they had seen from a list of seven that portrayed medication abortion. Among the 3425 people who responded to plotline items, 3340 responded to our outcome measures. Using weighed multivariable analyses, we examined adjusted relationships between exposure to specific types of abortion plotlines and awareness of and beliefs about medication abortion medical safety. RESULTS: We found that audience exposure to medication abortion plotlines in which the medication abortion was obtained from a clinic and portrayed as safe was associated with greater awareness of medication abortion compared to nonexposure (RR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.17, 2.40). Exposure to plotlines that portrayed MA or self-managed MA as safe was associated with audience beliefs that medication abortion is safe. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the content of abortion plotlines and exposure to accurate information may be connected to audience awareness of and beliefs about abortion. IMPLICATIONS: In a climate of misinformation about abortion, audience exposure to medically accurate television plotlines about medication abortion may be an effective way to increase awareness of medication abortion and influence beliefs about medication abortion safety.

Patient Outcomes in Helicopter Emergency Medical Service Documentaries and on Air Ambulance Websites.

Background Helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) documentaries attract millions of viewers, and publicly available patient stories on Air Ambulance websites are vital to raise awareness and funding for Air Ambulance charities in the United Kingdom (UK). Despite abundant research investigating how fictional programs and news outlets present patient health outcomes, there are no comprehensive studies that investigate how non-fictional HEMS documentaries or Air Ambulance websites present patient outcomes. The aim of this study is to capture the frequency of poor outcomes (mortality) in patients broadcasted on documentaries focusing on HEMS and the patient stories section of UK Air Ambulance websites. Methods A retrospective cohort study reviewed five HEMS documentaries between January 2016 and October 2019 and 20 Air Ambulance websites that had patient stories published until October 2020. In all, 628 patients identified fit the eligibility criteria: 311 from HEMS documentaries and 317 patients from Air Ambulance websites.  Results In all, 0.64% (4/628) of patients died before the hospital, including 0.96% (3/311) of patients on HEMS documentaries and 0.32% (1/317) of patients on Air Ambulance websites. In addition, 2.23% (14/628) of patients died according to their final mention in the data source, including 1.93% (6/311) of patients on HEMS documentaries and 2.52% (8/317) of patients on Air Ambulance websites. Conclusions This study suggests under-reporting of poor patient outcomes in HEMS documentaries and on UK Air Ambulance websites. This could be attributed to the logistical and ethical implications of capturing and presenting poor outcomes but likely impacts upon public perception. Medical professionals should recognize this in order to proactively address potential misconceptions when communicating with patients and their families.

Exposure and power of TV food advertising during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: a content analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions imposed to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the Brazilian population has increased the time spent at home and watching television (TV). Since food advertising exposure is a key driver of food choices, this study described the content of food advertisements (ads) on Brazilian TV during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is an exploratory study. A total of 684 h of TV programming comprised of three free-to-air channels and two pay-per-view channels was recorded from 06 a.m. to 12 a.m. for eight non-consecutive days in June 2020. A content analysis of all the food-related ads was carried out. The data collection process followed INFORMAS Protocol for TV food advertising monitoring. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 7,083 ads, 752 (10.6%) of which were food-related and 487 (6.9%) were promoting ultra-processed foods. The content analysis indicated seven thematic categories, all of them with reference to the COVID-19 pandemic: brand and product differentials (79.8%); visual and sound effects (70.2%); thematic campaigns (56.0%); digitization (22.9%); convenience (16.5%); economic benefits (11.9%); and commensality and social interaction (6.1%). Ads content varied according to the day of the week, the time of the day, the length of the ad, and the channel type. CONCLUSIONS: The thematic of food advertising on Brazilian TV during the COVID-19 pandemic is aligned with the country's health crisis context and varied during the programming.

A study of early multilingualism in Iran: The effects of mother tongue literacy, socio-economic status and foreground TV exposure.

This study investigated interactions among linguistics, social and political factors in a linguistically rich environment. For this purpose, two-hundred Iranian preschoolers (aged 5 to 6 years old) from four ethnic/linguistic groups (Arab, Kurd, Turk and Fars) were selected using multi-stage stratified sampling. All participants took part in an Elementary English language course and their exposure to foreground TV was recorded using media exposure portfolio. Maternal education and family income were considered as criteria for socio-economic status. Children's language proficiency was measured through Language Sample Analysis (LSA). The LSA components included total number of utterances produced, total number of words produced, total number of new words produced and mean length of utterances. Regression analysis, ANOVA and t-tests were used for data analyses. The results showed that bilingual children performed slightly better than multilingual children in LSA measures but this cannot be taken for granted. Moreover, socio-economic status and LSA measures were significantly related but TV exposure was not associated with the LSA measures. These results supported the arguments purported by minority language proponents on the importance of using children's mother tongue in educational curriculum.

A Comprehensive Framework for Measuring the Immediate Impact of TV Advertisements: TV-Impact.

Measuring the immediate impact of television advertisements (TV ads) on online traffic poses significant challenges in many aspects. Nonetheless, a comprehensive consideration is essential to fully grasp consumer reactions to TV ads. So far, the measurement of this effect has not been studied to a large extent. Existing studies have either determined how a specific focus group, i.e., toddlers, people of a certain age group, etc., react to ads via simple statistical tests using a case study approach or have examined the effects of advertising with simple regression models. This study introduces a comprehensive framework called TV-Impact. The framework uses a Bayesian structural time-series model called CausalImpact. There are additional novel approaches developed within the framework. One of the novelties of TV-Impact lies in its dynamic algorithm for selecting control variables which are supporting data sources and presumed to be unaffected by TV ads. In addition, we proposed the concept of Group Ads to combine overlapping ads into a single ad structure. Then, Random Forest Regressor, which is a commonly preferred supervised learning method, is used to decompose the impact into single ads. The TV-Impact framework was applied to the data of iLab, a venture company in Turkey, and manages its companies' advertising strategies. The findings reveal that the TV-Impact model positively influenced the companies' strategies for allocating their TV advertisement budgets and increased the amount of traffic driven to company websites, serving as an effective decision support system.

Causal associations between leisure sedentary behaviors and sleep status with frailty: insight from Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have suggested that sedentary behaviors and sleep status are associated with frailty. However, it remains unclear whether these associations are causal. METHODS: Using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies, we evaluated the causal effect of modifiable risk factors, including leisure sedentary behaviors and sleep status on the frailty index (FI) using two-sample univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. Genetic correlations were tested between the correlated traits. RESULTS: We identified potential causal associations between the time spent watching television (ß = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.21-0.31, P = 3.98e-25), sleep duration (ß = -0.18, 95%CI: -0.26, -0.10; P = 6.04e-06), and daytime napping (ß = 0.29, 95%CI: 0.18-0.41, P = 2.68e-07) and the FI based on the inverse-variance-weighted method. The estimates were consistent across robust and multivariate MR analyses. Linkage disequilibrium score regression detected a genetic correlation between the time spent watching television (Rg = 0.43, P = 6.46e-48), sleep duration (Rg = -0.20, P = 5.29e-10), and daytime napping (Rg = 0.25, P = 3.34e-21) and the FI. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic predispositions to time spent watching television and daytime napping were positively associated with the FI, while sleep duration was negatively associated with the FI. Our findings offer key insights into factors influencing biological aging and suggest areas for interventions to promote healthy aging and slow down the aging process.

The influence of television content on advertisement: a neurophysiological study.

Emotional and cognitive reactions to the media context prove impactful on advertising effectiveness. However, research on the topic remains lacking and with a profusion of mixed results regarding the role of the context in enhancing or detracting communication effectiveness. This study explores the media context-advertising relationship, by investigating the influence of television content on advertisement in light of media psychophysiology and grounding on the Halo effect theory. Consumers' responses to different television content and advertisements are assessed. Specifically, consumers' arousal, pleasure, attention, and memorization are measured through brain analysis, heart rate, and skin conductance detection. Self-reported methods complement such analysis, by exploring the values associated with the television content and the advertised brands. Results show that television content influences consumer responses to the advertisement and the values associated with the brands, confirming the existence of a halo effect. Responses differ among television content typologies.

Examining the Authenticity of Autistic Portrayals in US Adult and Children's Television Shows Using Medical and Social Models of Disability.

Television programs have introduced viewers to characters on the autism spectrum (e.g., Sesame Street, The Good Doctor), impacting audiences' knowledge and attitudes. Thus, it is essential that character representations convey accurate health information. This study explores how autistic portrayals across six adult and children's television programs align with the medical (e.g., American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text rev., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787 ) and social models of disability. A content analysis methodology was used to investigate defining characteristics of autism (i.e., medical model) and how characters navigated their environment (i.e., social model) in 252 scenes (across six characters in 22 episodes). Measures included the frequency with which autism characteristics (e.g., social-communicative difficulties, restrictive repetitive behaviors) were present across autistic portrayals and the valence (e.g., positive, negative, neutral) with which characters interacted with their environment (e.g., character and neurodiversity affirming valence). Findings indicate that (a) television portrayals depict social-communication difficulties significantly more than behavioral characteristics, (b) children's programming portrays autistic characters with significantly more positive personal attributes (i.e., character valence) than adult programs, and (c) the majority of programs portray characters navigating autism in positive or neutral ways (i.e., neurodiversity affirming valence). Results offer stakeholders (e.g., writers, advocates, neurodiverse community) insight into how autistic characters are portrayed on television, adding to a growing body of literature examining how such representations impact public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards individuals on the autism spectrum. Collectively, such studies highlight how changes in diagnostic criteria, legal protections, and social inclusivity are presented to viewers, who are seeking entertainment but gaining public health information.

Sleep and Technology in Early Childhood.

Research suggests that technology use is associated with poorer sleep outcomes among children less than 6 years of age. These associations are evident regardless of the type of technology studied, although evening exposure may have the greatest impact compared with technology use during other parts of the day. More work is needed, particularly given that technology use is relatively high among young children. Clinicians should assess patients' technology exposure, including before bedtime, to assess whether sleep issues stem from children's technology use. Moreover, clinicians should educate caregivers about the association between technology use and sleep problems among young children.