The effect of virtual reality on postoperative anxiety and pain in patients following cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The VRECOVERY investigated the impact of virtual reality (VR) distraction therapy on postoperative pain, anxiety and quality of recovery in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery.

Methods: A single-centre randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 192 participants, allocated to either the intervention or control group. Participants in the intervention group received VR distraction therapy on postoperative days 1, 2 and 3, while the control group received standard postoperative care.

Recommended or high daily intakes of plant stanol esters do not affect T-cell derived cytokine production in immunologically healthy volunteers.

A well-functioning immune system requires balanced immune responses. studies have shown that plant stanols contribute to restoring the T-helper (Th)1/Th2 ratio when it is imbalanced. However, effects of plant stanols on healthy immune responses are unknown.

Effects of Individual Amino Acids on PPARα Transactivation, mTORC1 Activation, ApoA-I Transcription and pro-ApoA-I Secretion.

A higher concentration of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) is associated with increased high density lipoprotein functionality and reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). A promising strategy to prevent cardiovascular diseases is therefore to improve RCT by increasing de novo ApoA-I production. Since experimental animal models have suggested effects of amino acids on hepatic lipoprotein metabolism, we here examined the effects of different amino acids on hepatic ApoA-I production.

Potential Contribution of Short Chain Fatty Acids to Hepatic Apolipoprotein A-I Production.

Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) is the major protein of high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles and has a crucial role in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). It has been postulated that elevating production of de novo ApoA-I might translate into the formation of new functional HDL particles that could lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk via RCT. During inflammation, serum ApoA-I concentrations are reduced, which contributes to the development of dysfunctional HDL particles as Serum Amyloid A (SAA) overtakes the position of ApoA-I within the HDL particles.

The applicability of antidepressants in the depressed medically ill: an open clinical trial with fluoxetine.

In the literature the side-effects and medical complications of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), in the medically ill have been extensively reviewed. This study uses a prospective design to examine these issues' questions in an almost solely in-patient C-L population (N = 37) treated with a serotinergic antidepressant (fluoxetine). A first remarkable finding is the fact that 83% of the patients have complaints comparable with the side-effects of the drug, prior to its administration.