Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing plant sciences by enabling precise plant species identification, early disease diagnosis, crop yield prediction, and precision agriculture optimization. AI uses machine learning and image recognition to aid ecological research and biodiversity conservation. It plays a crucial role in plant breeding by accelerating the development of resilient, high-yielding crops with desirable traits. AI models using climate and soil data contribute to sustainable agriculture and food security. In plant phenotyping, AI automates the measurement and analysis of plant characteristics, enhancing our understanding of plant growth. Ongoing research aims to improve AI models’ robustness and interpretability while addressing data privacy and algorithmic biases. Interdisciplinary collaboration is essential to fully harness AI’s potential in plant sciences for a sustainable, food-secure future.

Background: Lower limb chronic venous diseases (CVD) lead to possible edema. The aim of the present investigation was to study the effect of thermal aquatic standardize exercise on lower limb edema control in CVD patients assessed by bioimpedance analysis (BIA). Methods: Seventeen patients (34 legs) affected by CVD clinical class CEAP C3, 4c, Ep, As, Pr were included. All the cohort performed a standardized exercise protocol in thermal water environment for a total of five sessions. BIA, leg volume, and heart rate at rest were measured. Results: After the five exercise sessions, BIA showed a significant percentage of extracellular water (ECW) reduction from 42.1 ± 5.8 to 41.24 ± 5.5%; p < 0.001. Moreover, an improvement of resistance (p < 0.0009) and reactance (p < 0.009) was assessed. At the same time, the leg volume reduction rate was 15.7%, p <0.0001. A moderate-strong correlation was found between % ECW and leg volume variation (R = 0.59, p < 0.01). Finally, a significant HR at rest reduction was recorded, p < 0.0001. Conclusion: The investigated exercise protocol significantly affects the lower limb volume, and BIA parameters related to the tissue drainage improvement. The correlation founded between the ECW rate and volume variations suggest the possible use of BIA as a biomarker for monitoring the treatments aimed to reduce edema in CVD.

Background: Body image perception can significantly influence various aspects of adolescent lives. The study analyzed the relationship between body image satisfaction and sports participation in adolescents, examining various factors that contribute to body image concerns and their implications for sports engagement. Methods: A total of 237 schoolchildren were recruited from lower secondary Italian schools. Anthropometric characteristics were measured directly. Assessment of body image perception was performed using Body Silhouette Charts for preadolescent children. The Italian version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents questionnaire was administered to assess physical activity (PA) levels at school and during leisure time in the last 7 days. Analysis of variance was used to test differences in PA levels, while multiple regression models were carried out to assess possible predictors of body dissatisfaction. Results: In total, 42.6% of children were not satisfied with their figure and 23.2% were very dissatisfied; among them, the vast majority would have liked to be thinner. The dissatisfaction and satisfaction were similar in boys and girls. The frequency of satisfaction with one’s body image was higher in children who practiced extracurricular sports compared to those who did not. The percentage of dissatisfaction with one’s body image was similar in the two groups, but the frequency of children being very dissatisfied was double in the group that does not practice extracurricular sport (31.2% vs. 17.7%). Body dissatisfaction increases with increasing body mass index in both genders but decreases in children involved in extracurricular sports. Conclusions: Encouraging teenagers to engage in regular physical activity should be a key component of therapies supporting positive body image. This study found a relationship between extracurricular sports and body image satisfaction, suggesting that physical activity protects teenagers’ body image satisfaction.

(1) Background: Musculoskeletal disorders can be associated with advanced clinical stages of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of active stretching (AS) training on lower limb venous function and quality of life in patients affected by CVI. (2) Methods: A prospective two-armed pilot randomized controlled was conducted. Twenty (20) CVI patients were randomly assigned to an AS training or to a control group (C) who did not receive any exercise indication. At baseline and after three months all the participants were tested for leg volumetry (LV), air plethysmography (APG), and quality of life (QoL) measured by a disease specific validated questionnaire (VVSymQ), ankle range of motion (ROM), and postural deformities using an optoelectronic body posture machine. (3) Results: At the end of the training in the AS group a significant leg volume reduction was detected (from 2340 ± 239 mL to 2239 ± 237 mL (4.3%); p < 0.0001), whereas in the C group no significant volume changes were found. The ejection fraction rate (EF%) increased significantly from 49.3 ± 9.3 to 61.1 ± 14.5, p < 0.005. A moderate-strong linear correlation with EF% and ankle ROM variation was found (R² = 0.6790; p < 0.0034). Several postural outcomes such as pelvic tilt, pelvic torsion, and lordotic angle significantly improved in the AS group (p < 0.01, p < 0.04, p < 0.01 respectively). (4) Conclusion: The AS training impacts on the APG parameters related to the musculoskeletal pump efficiency, opening a further possibility in the management of CVI patients by means of an appropriate adapted physical exercise program.

The jugular venous pulse (JVP) is a one of the crucial parameters of efficient cardiovascular function. Nowadays, limited data are available regarding the response of JVP to exercise because of its complex and/or invasive assessment procedure. The aim of the present work is to test the feasibility of a non-invasive JVP plethysmography system to monitor different submaximal exercise condition. Twenty (20) healthy subjects (13M/7F mean age 25 ± 3, BMI 21 ± 2) underwent cervical strain-gauge plethysmography, acquired synchronously with the electrocardiogram, while they were carrying out different activities: stand supine, upright, and during the execution of aerobic exercise (2 km walking test) and leg-press machine exercise (submaximal 6 RM test). Peaks a and x of the JVP waveform were investigated since they reflect the volume of cardiac filling. To this aim, the Δax parameter was introduced, representing the amplitude differences between a and x peaks. Significant differences in the values of a, x, and $\Delta$ax were found between static and exercise conditions (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001), respectively. Particularly, the $\Delta$ax value for the leg press was approximately three times higher than the supine, and during walking was even nine times higher. The exercise monitoring by means of the novel JVP plethysmography system is feasible during submaximal exercise, and it provides additional parameters on cardiac filling and cerebral venous drainage to the widely used heartbeat rate value.

Background: Lack of physical activity represents a risk factor for both cardiovascular and chronic venous diseases (CVD), nevertheless a specific exercise protocol for CVD patient is still missing. This investigation was aimed to assess the impact of a standardized exercise protocol in a thermal water environment on physical fitness and quality-of-life (QoL) in CVD patients. Methods: Sixteen (16) CVD patients performed 5 standardized exercise sessions in a thermal water pool. Before starting the exercise protocol, the cohort filled International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to determine their physical activity level. At baseline and at the end of the exercise program, leg volume, QoL, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular physical fitness were assessed by means of water plethysmography, validated questionnaire and functional test, blood pressure and heart rate at rest were also reported. Results: All the patients were categorized as physically inactive: average activity time 235.6 (155.2) MET-minutes per week. At the end of the study, a significant leg volume reduction was found (−16%; p < .002). Significant improvement in lower limb strength (p < .0001), endurance (p < .006), rapidity and balance (p < .05) together with decrease in resting heart rate (−1.8%, p < .0001) and systolic blood pressure (−1.1%, p < .04) were reported, significant improvement in bodily pain (p < .0005) and social function (p < .002) QoL items were observed. Conclusions: The proposed exercise protocol in thermal aquatic environment demonstrated to be an effective treatment modality improving both cardiovascular and musculoskeletal outcomes and QoL in sedentary CVD patients. Aquatic environment investigations require proper analysis of the various factors involved, in a standardized and reproducible way. The herein report can be a reference for further studies on different health related conditions.