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Background: Seven million US adults are living with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) with current treatments ineffective for many. Recent RCT results demonstrate high-frequency (10 kHz) spinal cord stimulation (SCS) relieves pain and may improve sensation in patients with refractory symptoms. Methods: Prospective, multicenter RCT assigned 216 patients 1:1 to 10 kHz SCS (Nevro Corp.) plus conventional medical management (CMM) or CMM alone (NCT03228420). Patients had PDN symptoms ≥12 months, lower limb pain ≥5 cm (10 cm visual analog scale), and hemoglobin A1c ≤10%. Outcomes included pain, neurological function, and quality of life over 12 months. Patients could opt to crossover to the alternative treatment at 6 months. Results: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. At 6 months, 82% of the CMM group crossed over to SCS treatment and none in the 10 kHz SCS group crossed over to CMM. In total, 154 patients underwent SCS implant; 5 (3.2%) were explanted for infection. At 12-month follow-up, there were clear, sustained benefits of 10 kHz SCS in lower limb pain, pain interference with daily living, sleep quality, and activity (Figure). Most patients treated with 10 kHz SCS also showed improvements on neurological examination. Conclusion: The largest RCT to date of SCS management of PDN demonstrates durable pain relief and improved quality of life over 12 months with high-frequency (10 kHz) SCS. Disclosure E. Petersen: Consultant; Self; Abbott, Medtronic, Nevro Corp., Research Support; Self; Neuros Medical, Inc., Nevro Corp., ReNeuron Group plc, Saluda, Stock/Shareholder; Self; SynerFuse. N. Mehta: Research Support; Self; Nevro Corp. P. W. Wu: None. C. Argoff: Consultant; Self; Nevro Corp., Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Other Relationship; Self; Amgen Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Speaker’s Bureau; Self; AbbVie Inc. C. E. Nasr: Advisory Panel; Self; Nevro Corp. R. Taylor: Consultant; Self; Nevro Corp. Senza-pdn study group: n/a. J. Scowcroft: Research Support; Self; Boston Scientific Corporation, Nevro Corp. E. S. Brooks: Employee; Self; Nevro Corp. J. L. White: Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Nevro Corp. K. Amirdelfan: Advisory Panel; Self; Biotronik, Nevro Corp., Consultant; Self; Boston Scientific Corporation. M. Guirguis: Consultant; Self; Avanos medical, Nevro Corp. J. Xu: None. D. G. Patterson: Advisory Panel; Self; Advanced Infusion Systems (AIS), Spark Biomedical, Consultant; Self; Vivex Biologics, Other Relationship; Self; Abbott Laboratories, CornerLoc, Saluda, Vertos Medical Inc., Speaker’s Bureau; Self; AbbVie Inc., Amgen Inc., Lundbeck. V. Galan: None. Funding Nevro Corp.

Background: Six million adults in the U.S. are living with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) and current treatments are ineffective for many. Preliminary data suggest 10 kHz spinal cord stimulation (SCS) relieves pain and may improve sensation in refractory patients. Methods: Prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (SENZA-PDN) with 216 subjects assigned 1:1 to 10 kHz SCS (Nevro Corp.) combined with conventional medical management (CMM) or CMM alone. Patients with PDN symptoms ≥12 months, lower limb pain intensity ≥5cm (0-10cm visual analog scale [VAS]), hemoglobin A1c ≤10%, and upper limb pain intensity Results: Randomization of 113 subjects to 10 kHz SCS+CMM and 103 to CMM resulted in groups well-matched at baseline. There were 2 procedure-related infections in the 10 kHz SCS+CMM group (1.8%). At 3-month follow-up, there were clear differences in lower limb pain scores (Fig 1A) and Diabetes Quality of Life (Fig 1B). Patients in the 10 kHz SCS+CMM group demonstrated improvements in sensation on physical examination (Fig 1C) and by patient report of numbness (Fig 1D). In addition, differences between treatment groups were observed in 6-minute walk test distance (Fig 1E) and sleep (Fig 1F). Conclusion: SENZA-PDN is the largest RCT to-date of SCS management of PDN and will inform the treatment continuum. Disclosure E. Petersen: Consultant; Self; Abbott, Medtronic, Neuros Medical, Nevro. Research Support; Self; Medtronic, Neuros Medical, Nevro, ReNeuron. T. Stauss: None. J.L. White: Research Support; Self; Allergan plc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly and Company, Fitbit, Inc., Nevro, NovMetaPharma Co. Ltd., Theracos, Inc. S.M. Sills: None. K. Amirdelfan: Consultant; Self; Biotronik, Medtronic, Nevro Corporation, Saluda. M. Guirguis: Consultant; Self; Boston Scientific, nevro incop, spr. J. Xu: None. C. Yu: None. A. Nairizi: None. D.G. Patterson: Research Support; Self; Nevro Corporation. V. Galan: None. N. Mehta: Advisory Panel; Self; Nevro. Research Support; Self; Nevro. S.P. Lad: None. D. DiBenedetto: None. P.W. Wu: None. C.E. Nasr: Other Relationship; Self; Exilxis, Neurogastrx, Nevro Corp. R. Taylor: Consultant; Self; Nevro. E.S. Brooks: Employee; Self; Nevro. J. Subbaroyan: Employee; Self; Nevro Corp. B. Gliner: Employee; Self; Nevro Corp. D.L. Caraway: Employee; Self; Nevro. N. Mekhail: Consultant; Self; Boston Scientific, Nevro, Nuvectra, Relievant, Saluda, Sollis Therapeutics, Vertos Medical. Research Support; Self; Halyard, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Mesoblast, Neuros Medical. Funding Nevro Corp.

In the 21st century, it is more obvious than ever before that health services research and its practitioners exist in an extremely complex contextual environment. Consequently, at the heart of unde ...

Massive amounts of tandem mass spectra are produced in high-throughput proteomics studies. The manual interpretation of these spectra is not feasible. Instead, search engines are used to match the tandem mass spectra with sequence information contained in proteomics and genomics databases. Typically, these search engines provide a list of the best matching peptide sequences for an individual tandem mass spectrum. As well, they provide scores that are somewhat related to the confidence level in the match. Many peptide tandem mass spectra search engines have been reported. These search engines provide very different results depending on the type of mass spectrometers used and their input parameters. Here we describe a comparative analysis of different search engines using validated test sets of tandem mass spectra. We have defined test sets of MS/MS spectra derived from high throughput proteomics experiments performed by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS on ion trap (LCQ) and tandem quadrupole time-of-flight instruments with a pulsar functionality (Qstar Pulsar) mass spectrometers. We analyzed the ability of the different search engines to identify the correct peptides, and the cross-validations of the different search engines.

Virtually anyone who has ever worked with or collected fossils has had to look up a reference on this technique or that methodology at some point in their efforts. Sometimes this is a fast process, resolved simply by going back to a well-thumbed reference lying cosily under a stack of reprints on your desk. Other times, it might take age-long trawls through ancient and mouldering volumes at your local library, much to the annoyance of any present librarians and allergy sufferers. Owen R. Green’s A Manual of Practical Laboratory and Field Techniques in Palaeobiology will go a long way towards eliminating (or at least reducing) this problem for many of us. Green’s book is divided into three sections. Part I is short and includes introductory comments on palaeontological techniques and laboratory documentation. Part II consists of a considerably longer discussion on field techniques. Topics covered include: collection …

The subject working group appointed to advise the Secretary of State on art in the National Curriculum reported last June and its recommendations for attainment targets, programmes of study and statements of attainment were published in August in its final report. Rod Taylor, art adviser for Wigan and director of the Drumcroon Education Art Centre, comments on the relevance of the proposals for pupils with special educational needs. Art becomes a foundation subject in September.