To determine precisely the reduction of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in the petioles and young spikes of Petasites japonicus by pre-treatment and cooking, we developed an analytical method for PAs in cooked products with a combination of solid phase extraction and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy/mass spectroscopy. Using this method, we surveyed the contents of total PAs in cooked dishes of P. japonicus (aoni, itameni, tsukudani, fukimiso, and tempura), then evaluated the PAs' reduction during pre-treatment and cooking. The retention ratios for total PAs (PAs after cooking against PAs before cooking (in case of cooking includes pre-treatment, after pre-treatment)) were 0.62–1.23. The retention ratios for pre-treated petioles and young spikes (PAs after pre-treatment against PAs before pretreatment, which includes soaking for 6 h to reduce PAs) were 0.16 and 0.34, respectively. It was indicated that PAs are more effectively reduced in a process of pre-treatment than in a subsequent cooking process. The petioles pre-treated with soaking for 6 h to reduce PAs had almost equivalent palatability to those pre-treated with soaking for 0.5 h, which is closer to the conventional method.

  In this study, we focused on “energy consumption” among residents living in renovated houses in a new housing complex, and proposed factors for effective energy consumption by analyzing the relationship between residential attributes, awareness of energy consumption, and living behavior and energy consumption.

  The research methodology involved a questionnaire survey of residents living in renovated housing to assess their awareness of energy consumption and environmental issues, as well as their energy consumption behaviors. The collected data was then tabulated and analyzed.

  There was a high correlation between the number of residents and energy consumption. Concerning awareness and behaviors related to energy consumption reduction, positive results were achieved by engaging in “actions to reduce energy consumption.” Specifically, those who “conserved water and electricity,” “adjusted the temperature of air conditioners,” and “went green” managed to reduce their energy consumption. Suggesting these effective methods to residents could lead to positive results.

  In this paper, a questionnaire survey of municipalities was conducted in order to obtain suggestions for policies to reduce vacant houses that have been abandoned.

  Many of the vacant house management measures in municipalities involve awareness-raising activities aimed at disseminating the responsibilities and obligations associated with vacant houses. The implementation rate for each of these awareness activities was high, ranging from more than half to 80%. Awareness-raising activities related to more specific management measures, such as preventing abandoned vacant houses and inheritance registration, had very low rates, ranging from 10% to 20%. However, the evaluation of the implemented awareness-raising activities was generally high, at more than 60%. While utilizing and removing vacant houses is essnetial, educational activities that focus on more detailed management measures are considered a priority.

  Primary and secondary schools have merged since the Compulsory Education Law of the People's Republic of China was promulgated in 1986 and the number of ethnic schools has been decreasing gradually in Inner Mongolia since then. As a result, introducing young people to ethnic cultures is becoming more and more difficult. Since 1986, traditional culture has been disseminated through folklore classes.

  With the pupils and parents of ethnic primary and secondary schools as the main object of this study, we researched the status of ethnic education and ethnic education regional cooperation by pupils and their parents. Parents of the city-based secondary school students seemed less satisfied than the parents in the village. This mainly reflects the parents' ethnic education, their residence, and the result of choosing a school for their children. However, with regard to pupils, the evaluation was almost the same between the city and the village.