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Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the surgical treatment and prognosis of 27 cases of neurofibromatosis type 1 with severe dystrophic kyphosis. Methods: We performed surgical treatment for scoliosis and kyphosis caused by dystrophic curves at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China from December 2015 to December 2017. The study included 21 patients with moderate to severe kyphosis, 12 males and 9 females, with an average age of 14.95 ± 6.05 years. All patients had kyphosis angles greater than 70° and had more than four skeletal developmental defects. A total of 6 patients with severe kyphosis, 2 males and 4 females, with an average age of 12.5 years, had more than five skeletal developmental defects with a kyphosis angle greater than 90° or a lumbar kyphosis angle greater than 40°. According to the patient's own situation, we adopted a low‐grade surgery scheme (grades 1 or 2) or a high‐grade surgery scheme (grades 3–6). The low‐grade surgery was mainly lower articular surface resection or pontodestomy, and the high‐grade surgery was mainly apical vertebral body or upper discectomy. All patients were followed up to determine their prognosis. Results: Statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference in preoperative and postoperative scores between the two groups (P < 0.05), and scoliosis correction showed that surgical treatment had a significant effect on scoliosis kyphosis. The mean follow‐up time was 66.7 months. Follow‐up results showed that 50% of complications after internal fixation were related to high‐level surgery. Complications included displacement of the titanium cage, removal of the lamina hook, formation of pseudoarthrosis, and internal fixation failure (with a rate of 7.7%–14.3%). In contrast, there were no associated symptoms for low‐grade surgery. In addition, the results showed that gender, age, extent of resection, height, and body mass index had no significant effect on preoperative, postoperative, and prognostic indicators of patients (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Early identification of dysplastic scoliosis‐related deformities plays an important role in surgical planning and prognosis, and low‐level surgical procedures are more favorable for patients' prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) has become an important minimally invasive surgical technique for fracture stabilization and pain relief in patients with vertebral compression fractures. However, intraspinal cement leakage following PKP is a serious postoperative complication that can lead to morbidity and mortality.Case Presentation: We describe an uncommon case of epidural leakage of bone cement in an 81-year-old woman who underwent posterior lumbar decompression and fusion from L3-5 4 years prior and had an unremarkable postoperative course. The patient was admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital with complaints of muscle weakness and severe low back pain radiating to the left thigh 1 week after PKP of L5 due to an acute osteoporotic compression fracture. Computed tomographic imaging revealed massive leakage of cement into the spinal canal at L5-S1, and therefore, surgical decompression and removal of epidural cement were performed carefully without causing a dural tear. She improved remarkably and no neurologic deterioration was observed in the postoperative period during the one-year follow-up.Conclusions: We present the rare reported case, to our knowledge, of epidural cement leakage after PKP at the segment of internal fixation and discuss the most likely etiologies and preventive measures for this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of pollutant emissions from household solid fuel combustion has been a challenging issue in developing regions, especially in the heavily polluted northern China region. Basing on a survey of residential household energy use in all villages in Beijing, this study developed a village-based emission inventory of PM 2.5 , SO 2 , NOx, and NMVOCs emitted from household combustion in Beijing, as well as three emission control scenarios. Notably, 3805 kt and 556 kt of coal were used for household heating and cooking in 2015, respectively. The emissions of NO X , NMVOCs, SO 2 , and PM 2.5 forhousehold heating totaled11.5 kt, 29.3 kt, 43.1 kt, and 34.7 kt in 2015, respectively, while those for household cooking totaled 1.55 kt, 4.02 kt, 6.55 kt, and 3.99 kt. Emissions from household heating contributed to∼70% of PM 2.5 and ∼60% of SO 2 emissions in winter. Additionally, downtown Beijing is surrounded by polluted suburbs. A coal forbiddance policy (e.g. “coal to gas”) could gradually improve the air quality in urban Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to cope with heavy haze pollution in China, the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan including phased goals of the fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) was issued in 2013. In this study, China's emission inventories in the baseline 2012 and the future scenarios of 2017 and 2020 have been developed based on this Action Plan. Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region, one of the most polluted regions in China, was taken as a case to assess the impact of phased emission control measures on PM 2.5 concentration reduction using WRF-CMAQ model system. With the implementation of the Action Plan, the emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NO X ) , PM 2.5 , non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC), and ammonia (NH 3 ) in 2017 will decrease by36%, 31%, 30%,12%, and − 10% from the 2012 levels in Jing-Jin-Ji, respectively. In 2020, the emissions of SO 2 , NO X, PM 2.5 , NMVOC, and NH 3 will decrease by 40%, 44%, 40%, 22%, and − 3% from the 2012 levels in Jing-Jin-Ji, respectively. Consequently, the ambient annual PM 2.5 concentration under the scenarios of 2017 and 2020 will be 28.3% and 37.8% lower than those in 2012, respectively. The Action Plan provided an effective approach to alleviate PM 2.5 pollution level in Jing-Jin-Ji region. However, emission control of NMVOC and NH 3 should be paid more attention and be strengthened in future. Meanwhile, emission control of NO x , SO 2 , NH 3 and NMVOC synergistically are highly needed in the future because multiple pollutants impact on PM 2.5 and O 3 concentrations nonlinearly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]