The aim was to investigate the vector‐cardiographic effects in patients submitted to dental extraction under local anesthesia. Twenty‐one patients aged 36.6 ± 12.4 years with a clinical and radiographic indication of mandibular or maxillary tooth extraction were enrolled. The intervention was a local or mandibular nerve block anesthesia with 4% articaine hydrochloride containing epinephrine (1 : 100,000; 40 mg/ml + 10 μg/ml). Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), pulse wave transit time, and vector‐cardiography data were recorded throughout 3 min before and 5 min after injection. QRS‐ and T‐wave area under the curve (QRS_AUC/T_AUC) were calculated from the X/Y/Z QRS‐vector or T‐vector. T‐wave amplitude (T_AM), T_AUC values, and diastolic BP decreased, and HR significantly increased 4 min after injection. A transient moderate HR drop and a corresponding small increase in T_AM and T_AUC immediately after the injection procedure may be explained by a decreased sympathetic tone due to psychological relief. In dental anesthesia, the systemic epinephrine effects are represented by a decrease in T_AUC. These effects are most pronounced in the X‐ and Y‐leads. The 3D determination of vector planes or amplitudes is a simple method to register the sympathetic tone in local anesthesia independently of possible effects on T‐wave characteristics in single leads. In conclusion, T‐wave determination may help to detect even small increases in systemic adrenaline concentration in case of accidental intravascular injection. At the same time, full rhythm and spatial ischemia control is provided.

In addition to drug therapy, lifestyle modification, including physical activity, and nutrition management are an integral part of current guidelines for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, evidence on which clinical parameters are most influenced by nutritional behaviour, exercise capacity, or iron status is scarce. For a multicenter intervention study, we included participants with diagnosed CHF (n = 165) as well as participants with elevated NT-proBNP values and risk factors for CHF (n = 74). Cardiorespiratory fitness was tested with a bicycle test, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was assessed with the MDS questionnaire. Our data strengthened previous results confirming that the higher a person’s adherence to MedDiet, the higher the cardiorespiratory fitness and the lower the body fat. Furthermore, our results showed that anemia in patients with CHF has an impact in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness, and functional outcomes by questionnaire. Since our data revealed gaps in iron supply (37.9% with iron deficiency), malnutrition (only 7.8% with high adherence to MedDiet), and both symptomatic and non-symptomatic study participants failed to meet reference values for physical performance, we encourage the enforcement of the guidelines in the treatment of CHF more strongly.

Periodontal disease (PD) is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular events. However, its relationship to chronic heart failure (CHF) is unclear. The aim was to compare cardiac and inflammatory parameters in CHF patients with (PG) versus without periodontitis (NPG). The following parameters were recorded in 58 patients: periodontal screening and recording (PSR), troponin T, NT-proBNP, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), blood pressure, heart rate, ejection fraction (EF), ventricular systolic and diastolic function parameters, incremental test, and three questionnaires (Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, MEDAS; Oral Health Impact Profile, OHIP-14; Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ). The serum levels of NT-proBNP and troponin T were significantly higher in the PG, and the left ventricular systolic and diastolic function parameters were significantly lower. The correlation analysis showed age as the only independent risk factor for periodontitis and cardiac biomarkers. No significant group differences were found in the MEDAS, OHIP-14, and PHQ scores, or in CRP, IL-6, and cardiocirculatory parameters. Overall, the BMI correlated significantly with the mean PSR and total cholesterol. The occurrence of increased PSR together with increased age and cardiac risk parameters does not exclude an association between periodontitis and CHF, though no positive correlation was calculated. Periodontitis may be a modifiable risk factor for CHF. Its treatment may help to control the inflammatory burden.

Purpose: This study examined whether a semi-rigid and a textile passive back-support exoskeleton reduced acute physical strain during repetitive lifting across loads of 10–20% of body mass and whether their effects changed with relative load.Methods: Twenty-six healthy adults completed three experimental conditions in randomized order: unsupported lifting, semi-rigid support, and textile support. Each condition comprised three 5-min lifting blocks at 10%, 15%, and 20% of body mass in randomized order. Rate-pressure product was the primary outcome. Energy expenditure, perceived exertion, and iliocostalis lumborum and longissimus thoracis activities were secondary outcomes. Linear mixed-effects models tested condition, load, and their interaction effects.Results: Compared with unsupported lifting, rate-pressure product was 8.5–11.4% lower with the semi-rigid and 9.6–11.7% lower with the textile exoskeleton across loads (all adjusted p ≤ 0.002). Energy expenditure was 8.0–13.5% lower and perceived exertion 11.9–26.3% lower across devices and loads (all adjusted p ≤ 0.039). Longissimus thoracis muscle activity was 18.6–22.8% lower (all adjusted p ≤ 0.009), whereas evidence for iliocostalis lumborum was less consistent. No global or system-specific condition-by-load test indicated systematic changes in exoskeleton effects across loads (all p ≥ 0.119). Post-task comfort was descriptively lower with both exoskeletons.Conclusion: Both exoskeletons reduced acute cardiovascular, metabolic, perceptual, and back-extensor demand across the tested loads. No systematic load-related change in these effects was detected, although the results do not establish load invariance.

Background: Video-based biomechanical running gait analysis is widely used to optimise technique, guide footwear selection, and identify orthopaedic risk factors. Despite the increasing availability of such assessments, it is often assumed—without strong empirical support—that key kinematic parameters of running gait remain stable over short periods of time. This study aimed to examine the short-term stability of key joint angles during running using a standard 2D video-based kinematic analysis. Specifically, it was investigated whether these angles change within the first 4 min of treadmill running under three defined conditions: barefoot at 12 km h⁻¹, shoed at 12 km h⁻¹, and shoed at 14 km h⁻¹, in a homogeneous sample of twelve young, trained, male recreational soccer players. Methods: Participants completed three four-minute runs. Joint angles were quantified manually from 2D video recordings. Temporal variation was analysed using repeated-measures statistics, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and minimal detectable changes (MDCs). Results: Six out of nine joint angles showed statistically significant temporal changes, mainly in hip extension, knee flexion, the Duchenne angle, the Trendelenburg angle, the leg axis angle, and heel-bottom angle. Lower leg angle and Achilles tendon angle remained stable. ICCs showed moderate to excellent agreement, indicating high within-session consistency across all angles. Discussion: Under the applied study protocol, significant short-term variations were observable in several joint angles during the first four minutes of running. These findings highlight the importance of analysing multiple strides and considering measurement uncertainty when interpreting short-duration running kinematics.