The protection of rare species is an urgent task for all of mankind, however this task is challenging because it is usually difficult to determine their numbers and spatial distribution. Firmiana danxiaensis H. H. Hsue & H. S. Kiu, J. S. (Malvaceae), which is listed at the highest grade of critically endangered (CR) plants in the first volume of “The China Species Red List,” can be found at Danxiashan Mountain, one of the six World Nature Heritage sites of China Danxia, in Northern Guangdong Province, China. At present, UAV low-altitude photogrammetry technology can complete and produce orthophoto maps of 1:2000 resolution and high-precision DEM data, and has a high application value in the collection and research of rare species’ basic data. For this study, UAV technology was used especially for mapping, quantifying and monitoring plant species. F. danxiaensis is a good fit for automated identification from UAV imagery due to its leaf coloration making it stand out during the end of October. A fixed-wing UAV was used to aerially survey the Zhanglao Peak Tourist Area of Danxiashan Mountain (the aerial survey area is 4.25 km2) and the valleys and cliffs where it is difficult to conduct field surveys. 638 high-precision image data were obtained. Photoscan software was used to produce mosaic image data, an orthophoto map, and DEM data. Analyses of the targets’ locations and data visualizations were done with Arc GIS 10.5 software. 1,515 individuals of F. danxiaensis have been found in the aerial survey area. The results suggest that the red line boundary of ecological protection should be delineated in the densely distributed areas of F. danxiaensis, and scientific research plans should be formulated to protect the rare species and their natural environment so as to ensure sustainable development and utilization for human beings.
In clinical practice, the underlying pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) remains unknown. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have good biological properties and can be used as biological marker. Rehabilitation as a third treatment alongside drug and surgical has been shown to be clinically effective, but biomarkers of rehabilitation e ciency at genetic level is still lacking. In this study we identi ed differentially expressed circRNAs in peripheral blood exosomes between PD patients and health controls (HCs) and determined whether these circRNAs changed after rehabilitation, to explore the competing RNA networks and epigenetic mechanisms affected. We found that there were 558 upregulated and 609 downregulated circRNAs in PD patients compared to HCs, 3398 upregulated and 479 downregulated circRNAs in PD patients after rehabilitation compared to them before rehabilitation, along with 3721 upregulated and 635 downregulated circRNAs in PD patients after rehabilitation compared to HCs. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that differentially expressed circRNAs may affect the stability of the cellular actin backbone and synaptic structure by in uencing the aggregation of α-Synuclein (a-syn). We selected two circRNAs overexpressed in PD patients for validation (hsa_circ_0001535 and hsa_circ_0000437), the results revealed that their expression levels were all reduced to varying degrees (p < 0.05) after rehabilitation. After network analysis, we believe that hsa_circ_0001535 may be related to the aggregation of a-syn, while hsa_circ_0000437 may act on hsa-let-7b-5p or hsa-let-7c-5p through sponge effect to cause in ammatory response. Our ndings suggest that rehabilitation can mitigate the pathological process of PD by epigenetic means.
Background First-line rehabilitative strategies to improve motor deficits are based on functional training (physical or occupational therapy), which has been demonstrated to facilitate neural reorganisation. Accumulating evidence suggests that non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as repetitive TMS (rTMS), may enhance neuroplasticity, thereby facilitating neural reorganisation and recovery from Parkinson’s disease. Evidence also shows that intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) can improve motor function and quality of life in patients by promoting the excitability and neural remodelling of cerebral cortex. We aimed to combine iTBS stimulation with physiotherapy to improve the rehabilitation effect compared to physiotherapy alone in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Methods This randomised, double-blind clinical trial will enrol 50 Parkinson’s disease patients aged 45–70 years with Hoehn and Yahr scale scores of 1–3. Patients are randomly assigned to either the iTBS + physiotherapy or sham-iTBS + physiotherapy group. The trial consists of a 2-week double-blind treatment period and a 24-week follow-up period. iTBS and sham-iTBS will be administered twice daily for 10 days based on physiotherapy. The primary outcome will be the third part of Movement Disorders–Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS III) from the baseline to the first 2 days following completion hospitalised intervention. The secondary outcome will be 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after intervention. Tertiary outcomes are clinical evaluations and mechanism study outcomes such as NMSS, 6MWD, 10MT, TUG, BBS, MRI, and EEG, the length of time between the drug needs to be adjusted when symptoms fluctuate. Discussion The aim of this study is to demonstrate that iTBS can promote overall function and quality of life in Parkinson’s disease patients using physiotherapy and that this efficacy may be associated with altered neuroplasticity in exercise-related brain regions. The iTBS combined with physiotherapy training model will be evaluated during a 6-month follow-up period. With significant improvement in quality of life and motor function, iTBS combined with physiotherapy can be considered as a first-line rehabilitation option for Parkinson’s disease. The potential of iTBS to enhance neuroplasticity in the brain should have a more positive impact in increasing the generality and efficiency of physiotherapy, improving the quality of life and overall functional status of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200056581. Registered on 8 February 2022.
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