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Environmental education (EE) is a concern in modern society. Plant blindness and nature-deficit disorder highlight how important nature contact and plant consciousness is for urban populations. Considering rapid urbanisation, these phenomena are of increasing concern in China. Integrating EE curricula in Chinese cities is necessary to help younger generations appreciate the environment and understand how to address environmental challenges. Based on our EE teaching experiences in Southwest China's largest urban conglomeration, Chengdu, we discuss anecdotes and propose strategies to improve Southwest China's EE, with guidance for future research. Although children are more drawn to animals, EE education should focus on ecosystem-wide approaches rather than entirely zoocentric or anthropocentric perspectives, since these could reinforce the problematic view that plants are merely 'backdrops'. Urban greenspaces should be utilised in active education schemes, with teachers trained via professional EE modules rooted in local environmental concerns and complementing national/regional priorities. EE programmes should actively engage parents, encouraging their interaction with schools during EE activity preparation and venue selection, as their participation can help overcome obsessive safety and liability concerns. Older generations should be encouraged to transmit their own environmental and ecological knowledge, with implications for both cultural resilience and biocultural diversity conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Evidence for the CFE was mixed. New dendrochronological experimental designs are needed, especially in tropical and boreal biomes. A weakness of current methodologies could impede the ability to detect a CFE. The effects of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide on plant growth and the carbon cycle have stimulated extensive research. Over the last three decades, CO2 enrichment experiments have tested the CO2 fertilization effect (CFE) hypothesis. Yet, CO2 enrichment studies have been criticized for having unrealistic designs. Multiple studies have sought to use tree-ring analyses to verify the CFE under more natural conditions. To assess the breadth of scholarship about CO2 fertilization on tree radial growth, this study conducted a tri-lingual (English, French, and Chinese) literature review. Finding no French, just one Chinese, and 73 English articles directly related to this topic, all 74 relevant tree-ring studies (1984–2020) were reviewed in-depth. We found an underrepresentation of studies from key regions important to the global carbon cycle, particularly tropical and boreal biomes. Evidence for the CFE was mixed: about 32.4% of dendrochronological studies found a CFE, another 23% found radial growth trends explained by both CO2 fertilization and other climatic variables, 5.4% attributed tree growth only to climate change, and 39.2% (primarily in tropical areas) did not find any evidence of a CFE. Synthesized results of global scholarship highlight the need for new dendrochronological experimental designs to exclude climatic and environmental variables and test whether CO2 fertilization occurs in tropical regions. Furthermore, weakness of current methodologies could lessen the ability to detect a CFE. More focused research is necessary from under-represented regions, and to test the effects of increasing anthropogenic activities (such as localized elevated CO2 emissions) on tree growth in nature settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The CO2 laser and 532 nm potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser have been applied to treat recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). This systematic review sought to compare outcome differences between these two methods. Data Sources: Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library. Review Methods: CO2 laser and KTP laser studies were obtained by keyword searches of four authoritative medical databases. Articles were screened and retained when conforming to inclusion criteria. The primary outcome was cure rate; the secondary outcomes were recurrence, death, remission, clearance, and human papillomavirus (HPV)‐detected rates, as well as laser effectiveness rates. Postoperative complications rate was the safety outcome measure. All outcomes were summarized within the CO2 and KTP groups, with results statistically compared (p <.05). Results: Overall, the cure rates were 87.25% (KTP group) and 75.98% (CO2 group; p <.05). Complication rates significantly differed between the KTP (2.32%) and CO2 (17.71%) groups (p <.0001). There was a relatively higher but not significant difference in the recurrence rates between the CO2 (18.6%) and KTP (10.87%) groups (p =.1595). The CO2 group remission rate was considerably lower (38.9%) than the KTP group (88.46%, p <.0001). HPV‐detected and clearance rates were only reported for the CO2 group. The bias risks were 13.1 ± 1.45 (CO2) and 13.6 ± 1.52 (KTP) for the two groups, indicating evidence was of fair quality. Conclusion: Overall, KTP laser excision showed significantly better postoperative clinical outcomes than the CO2 laser, with a lower failure rate. Available fair‐quality evidence suggests KTP laser excision might be better for treating RRP. Nevertheless, more high‐quality randomized controlled studies are needed to compare these two surgical techniques, particularly in terms of reporting functional data such as vocal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The earthquake early warning systems (EEWSs) in China have achieved great progress, with warning alerts being successfully delivered to the public in some regions. We examined the performance of the EEWS in China's Sichuan Province during the 2019 Changning Earthquake. Although its technical effectiveness was tested with the first alert released 10 s after the earthquake, we found that a big gap existed between the EEWS's message and the public's response. We highlight the importance of EEWS alert effectiveness and public participation for long-term resiliency, such as delivering useful alert messages through appropriate communication channels and training people to understand and properly respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to historical perceptions of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture (Sichuan Province, China) as being a violent place, and due to its rugged terrain, cultural differences, and relative inaccessibility, few researchers have conducted in-depth ethnobotanical investigations in Liangshan. But wild edible plants (WEPs) are widely consumed by the Yi people of Liangshan, and their associated ethnobotanical knowledge remains relatively unknown, especially outside of China. This study aimed to (1) investigate the WEPs used by the Liangshan Yi, (2) document the traditional knowledge held about these plants, (3) analyze their special preparation methods and consumption habits, and (4) identify species with important cultural significance to the Liangshan Yi. Methods: During 2016-2017, 396 Yi individuals were interviewed in 1 county-level city and 6 counties across Liangshan. Prior informed consent was obtained, and multiple ethnographic methods were utilized, including direct observation, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, informal discussions, and field visits. Market surveys were conducted in April, July, and August 2017 by interviewing 38 Yi merchants selling WEPs in 6 Liangshan traditional markets. We collected information about the parts consumed, preparation methods, consumption habits, growth pattern of species, collection months, market prices, and other uses of WEPs. Use values (UVs) were calculated to analyze the relative cultural importance of each WEP. Results: In total, 105 plant species belonging to 97 genera and 62 families were recorded. Rosaceae was the family with the largest number of species (14), and herbs (58 species) were the dominant growth form reported. Fruits (34 species), roots (21 species), and tender shoots (20 species) were the primary plant parts used for snacking and cooking. There were 6 main preparation and consumption methods of WEPs reported, ranging from primary food, famine food, snack, spice, culinary coagulant, and medicine, among a few other uses. The Liangshan Yi mainly collect WEPs from March to October, seldom collecting from November to February. There were 35 species of WEPs sold in the markets we visited in Liangshan. The price of medicinal plants was much higher than the price of food and fruits. In total, we documented 49 species of edible medicinal plants in Liangshan, accounting for 44.7% of all WEPs. They can be used for treating 27 medical conditions, including cough, diarrhea, injury, and headaches. The plants with the highest UVs were Berberis jamesiana (1.92), Pyracantha fortuneana (1.87), and Artemisia capillaris (1.44) indicating that these species are the most commonly used and important to the Liangshan Yi's traditional life and culture. Conclusions: The traditional knowledge of WEPs from the accumulated experience of the Yi people's long period residing in Liangshan reflects the cultural richness of the Yi and the plant diversity of the region. Future research on the nutrition, chemical composition, and bioactivity of the WEPs are needed. Some species with high medicinal value but with sharp wild population decline should be surveyed for resource assessment, conservation, and domestication potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by parasites belonging to the genus Echinococcus that primarily affect the liver. The western plateau and pastoral areas of China are high-risk regions for hepatic cystic echinococcosis and hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (HAE). The high late mortality rate associated with HAE underscores the critical need for early diagnosis to improve cure rates and mitigate the disease burden in endemic areas. Currently, the World Health Organization recommends ultrasonography as the preferred initial screening method for hepatic echinococcosis. However, distinguishing between specific types of lesions, such as those of hepatic cystic echinococcosis and HAE, and other focal liver lesions is challenging. To address this issue, contrast-enhanced ultrasound is recommended as a tool to differentiate solid and cysto-solid hepatic echinococcosis from other focal liver lesions, significantly enhancing diagnostic accuracy. In this comprehensive review, we discuss the progression of hepatic echinococcosis and detail the imaging features of various types of echinococcosis using conventional, contrast-enhanced, and intraoperative ultrasound techniques. Our objective is to provide robust imaging evidence and guidance for early diagnosis, clinical decision making, and postoperative follow-up in regions with high disease prevalence., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The CO 2 laser and 532 nm potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser have been applied to treat recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). This systematic review sought to compare outcome differences between these two methods., Data Sources: Embase, Web of Science, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library., Review Methods: CO 2 laser and KTP laser studies were obtained by keyword searches of four authoritative medical databases. Articles were screened and retained when conforming to inclusion criteria. The primary outcome was cure rate; the secondary outcomes were recurrence, death, remission, clearance, and human papillomavirus (HPV)-detected rates, as well as laser effectiveness rates. Postoperative complications rate was the safety outcome measure. All outcomes were summarized within the CO 2 and KTP groups, with results statistically compared ( p  < .05)., Results: Overall, the cure rates were 87.25% (KTP group) and 75.98% (CO 2 group; p  < .05). Complication rates significantly differed between the KTP (2.32%) and CO 2 (17.71%) groups ( p  < .0001). There was a relatively higher but not significant difference in the recurrence rates between the CO 2 (18.6%) and KTP (10.87%) groups ( p  = .1595). The CO 2 group remission rate was considerably lower (38.9%) than the KTP group (88.46%, p  < .0001). HPV-detected and clearance rates were only reported for the CO 2 group. The bias risks were 13.1 ± 1.45 (CO 2 ) and 13.6 ± 1.52 (KTP) for the two groups, indicating evidence was of fair quality., Conclusion: Overall, KTP laser excision showed significantly better postoperative clinical outcomes than the CO 2 laser, with a lower failure rate. Available fair-quality evidence suggests KTP laser excision might be better for treating RRP. Nevertheless, more high-quality randomized controlled studies are needed to compare these two surgical techniques, particularly in terms of reporting functional data such as vocal outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Triological Society.)