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S U M M A R Y Diabetic patients have longer interpeak latencies in the brainstem auditory evoked responses than age-matched controls. The delay is not related to clinical hearing loss or blood glucose level at time of testing. Since waves I and II are normal in latency, the conduction velocity of the eighth nerve is not involved. The delay occurs between waves II and V, which would reflect altered transmission times in auditory brainstem and midbrain structures, and suggests the presence of a central neuropathy in patients with diabetes.It is well known that diabetic patients develop peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. Recent reviewsl'3 have suggested that they may also suffer from central neuropathy, or degeneration of the higher nervous system; De Jong4 has pointed to clinical and pathological evidence that the brain parenchyma might be affected. Kent5 has argued that diabetic patients show some neurological and psychological symptoms that might signify premature aging. However, physiological evidence of central nervous system dysfunction has not been forthcoming, and relatively little attention has been paid to the possibility of central neuropathy in such patients.In a pilot study6 7 we compared the auditory cortical evoked responses of a group of diabetics with those of an age-matched control group, and found the diabetics to have greater suppression of the cortical auditory evoked response at high rates of stimulation, implying a slowing of the recovery process in the central nervous system. The interpretation of these changes was not clear; similar modifications of the auditory evoked response could occur in clinical hearing loss, which has been reported in diabetics.8-'2 Hypoglycaemia,

This paper provides an overview of the work performed in the last 13 years to predict the failure of largediameter trunk water mains. Large-diameter water mains, defined as water mains with a diameter greater than 500 mm, form the main transmission lines in most water distribution systems. The consequences of their failure can be severe and costly. In order for predictive models to be applicable to large-diameter water mains, all models reviewed are capable of analysing individual pipes or pipe segments and calculate either an absolute probability of failure or the hazard of failure relative to other pipes in the system. These models can be divided into two broad categories: physical and statistical models. This review provides a description and a brief critique for each model presented.

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