Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for CVD Prevention and Treatment

The authors identified individual randomized controlled trials from previous meta-analyses and additional searches, and then performed meta-analyses on cardiovascular disease outcomes and all-cause mortality. The authors assessed publications from 2012, both before and including the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force review. Their systematic reviews and meta-analyses showed generally moderate- or low-quality evidence for preventive benefits (folic acid for total cardiovascular disease, folic acid and B-vitamins for stroke), no effect (multivitamins, vitamins C, D, β-carotene, calcium, and selenium), or increased risk (antioxidant mixtures and niacin [with a statin] for all-cause mortality). Conclusive evidence for the benefit of any supplement across all dietary backgrounds (including deficiency and sufficiency) was not demonstrated; therefore, any benefits seen must be balanced against possible risks

Predicting visually induced motion sickness with lifestyle factors: An online survey study

Visually induced motion sickness (VIMS), a type of motion sickness (MS), is a common side-effect of visual devices and Virtual Reality (VR) usage. Due to its complexity, individual lifestyle factors may be possible predictors of experiencing VIMS and MS. This study aimed to (1) explore the association between lifestyle factors of video game use, fitness, diet, and substance use and self-reported VIMS and MS, as well as, to (2) determine the overall prevalence of VIMS. Responses to an online survey from 325 adults, between the ages of 18-49, were collected and analysed. Significant sex differences were observed for both VIMS and MS susceptibility. With regards to VIMS susceptibility, lifestyle factors including video game usage, physical activity as well as the consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and carbohydrates were identified as relevant predictors. Lifestyle factors were noted to be not relevant for MS susceptibility.</p

Towards benchmarking VR sickness: A novel methodological framework for assessing contributing factors and mitigation strategies through rapid VR sickness induction and recovery

Virtual Reality (VR) sickness remains a significant challenge in the widespread adoption of VR technologies. The absence of a standardized benchmark system hinders progress in understanding and effectively countering VR sickness. This paper proposes an initial step towards a benchmark system, utilizing a novel methodological framework to serve as a common platform for evaluating contributing VR sickness factors and mitigation strategies. Our benchmark, grounded in established theories and leveraging existing research, features both small and large environments. In two research studies, we validated our system by demonstrating its capability to (1) quickly, reliably, and controllably induce VR sickness in both environments, followed by a rapid decline post-stimulus, facilitating cost and time-effective within-subject studies and increased statistical power, (2) integrate and evaluate established VR sickness mitigation methods — static and dynamic field of view reduction, blur, and virtual nose — demonstrating their effectiveness in reducing symptoms in the benchmark and their direct comparison within a standardized setting. Our proposed benchmark also enables broader, more comparative research into different technical, setup, and participant variables influencing VR sickness and overall user experience, ultimately paving the way for building a comprehensive database to identify the most effective strategies for specific VR applications