Effects of ultrasound-guided thoracolumbar interfascial plane block combined with general anaesthesia versus general anaesthesia alone on emergence agitation in children with cerebral palsy undergoing selective posterior rhizotomy: protocol for a randomised controlled clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Selective posterior rhizotomy (SPR) is a preferred procedure for relieving spastic children with cerebral palsy, but it is associated with severe pain and significant emergence agitation (EA). The thoracolumbar interfascial plane (TLIP) block provides an effective blockade to the dorsal branch of the spinal nerve. We hypothesise that the TLIP block may be an effective tool to alleviate EA and postoperative pain scores in children with cerebral palsy undergoing SPR. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a single-centre, randomised, parallel-controlled trial being conducted in Beijing, China. A total of 50 paediatric patients with cerebral palsy scheduled for SPR are randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive bilateral TLIP block with 0.2% ropivacaine 0.5 mL/kg or control. Patients in the TLIP group receive general anaesthesia combined with TLIP block, while patients in the control group receive only general anaesthesia, without a TLIP block. The primary outcome is the Paediatric Anaesthesia Emergence Delirium Score. The secondary outcomes are the incidence of EA, the Wong-Baker Faces Pain-rating Scale, the perioperative haemodynamics, the intraoperative remifentanil and propofol dosage, the extubation time and recovery time, and adverse reactions. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine on 21 September 2023 (2023DZMEC-379-02). Written informed consent is obtained from the legal guardian of each patient. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed international journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2300076397.

Development of a Shipboard Remote Control and Telemetry Experimental System for Large-Scale Model's Motions and Loads Measurement in Realistic Sea Waves.

Wave-induced motion and load responses are important criteria for ship performance evaluation. Physical experiments have long been an indispensable tool in the predictions of ship's navigation state, speed, motions, accelerations, sectional loads and wave impact pressure. Currently, majority of the experiments are conducted in laboratory tank environment, where the wave environments are different from the realistic sea waves. In this paper, a laboratory tank testing system for ship motions and loads measurement is reviewed and reported first. Then, a novel large-scale model measurement technique is developed based on the laboratory testing foundations to obtain accurate motion and load responses of ships in realistic sea conditions. For this purpose, a suite of advanced remote control and telemetry experimental system was developed in-house to allow for the implementation of large-scale model seakeeping measurement at sea. The experimental system includes a series of technique sensors, e.g., the Global Position System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) module, course top, optical fiber sensors, strain gauges, pressure sensors and accelerometers. The developed measurement system was tested by field experiments in coastal seas, which indicates that the proposed large-scale model testing scheme is capable and feasible. Meaningful data including ocean environment parameters, ship navigation state, motions and loads were obtained through the sea trial campaign.

A comparison of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging to assess visceral fat in the metabolic syndrome.

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) plays a key role in the metabolic syndrome. Easy detection of VAT could be an important tool to increase understanding of the metabolic syndrome. To study the relationship between the area of the inferior part of the perirenal fat (AIPPF) and anthropometric, imaging and cardiovascular risk factors of metabolic syndrome, seventy two subjects with metabolic syndrome were recruited including 44 men and 28 women (age: 26-68 yr). Each subject underwent ultrasound detection of AIPPF, intraabdominal fat thickness and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to calculate abdominal VAT (MRI VAT). Anthropometric and cardiovascular risk factors were also evaluated. AIPPF measured by ultrasonography demonstrated excellent reproducibility. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that AIPPF has the best sensitivity for women, specificity for men and accuracy of the various measures to predict visceral obesity (MRI VAT value > or = 110 cm2) for both genders. AIPPF was related to MRI VAT, ultrasound measured intraabdominal fat, waist circumference, the ratio of waist and hip circumferences (of men), body mass index and the main cardiovascular risk factors of metabolic syndrome. Multiple stepwise linear regression analysis suggested that MRI VAT affected AIPPF independent of other investigated obesity indices. This study showed that AIPPF could be applied as an easy and reliable imaging indicator of visceral obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in the metabolic syndrome.