In memory of our mentor: Frans de Waal (1948-2024)

The world lost a towering figure when primatologist Frans de Waal passed away on March 14, 2024. Many are aware of his multitude of contributions to the field. His ability to see what animals were actually doing changed how we viewed first primates, then other species. He shared these insights through both traditional scientific outputs, such as journal articles and scientific presentations, and less common outputs, such as 15 books and two TED talks viewed millions of times. What may be less well known is his impact as a mentor. Here, 25 of us who were Frans' graduate students, postdocs, and long-term research assistants share his personal impact on our lives.

Comparative performances of nomograms and conditional survival after resection of adrenocortical cancer

Background

Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs) carry a poor prognosis. This study assessed the comparative performance of existing nomograms in estimating the likelihood of survival, along with the value of conditional survival estimation for patients who had already survived for a given length of time after surgery.

Methods

This was an observational study based on a prospectively developed departmental database that recorded details of patients operated for ACC in a UK tertiary referral centre.

Results

Of 74 patients with ACC managed between 2001 and 2020, data were analysed for 62 patients (32 women and 30 men, mean(s.d.) age 51(17) years) who had primary surgical treatment in this unit. Laparoscopic (9) or open adrenalectomies (53) were performed alone or in association with a multivisceral resection (27). Most of the tumours were left-sided (40) and 18 were cortisol-secreting.

Overall median survival was 33 months, with 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 79, 49, and 41 per cent respectively. Age over 55 years, higher European Network for Study of Adrenal Tumours stage, and cortisol secretion were associated with poorer survival in univariable analyses. Four published nomograms suggested widely variable outcomes that did not correlate with observed overall survival at 1, 3 or 5 years after operation. The 3-year conditional survival at 2 years (probability of surviving to postoperative year 5) was 65 per cent, compared with a 5-year actuarial survival rate of 41 per cent calculated from the time of surgery.

Conclusion

Survival of patients with ACC correlates with clinical parameters but not with published nomograms. Conditional survival might provide a more accurate estimate of survival for patients who have already survived for a certain amount of time after resection.

Neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer - less is more?

AIM

There is significant international variation in the use of neoadjuvant radiation prior to total mesorectal excision. The MERCURY group advocate selective neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). We have performed a retrospective, single-centre study of patients treated with CRT, where only the circumferential resection margin is threatened, with the aim of identifying whether a more selective approach to CRT provides acceptable local relapse rates (LRRs).

METHOD

All consecutive patients who underwent radical surgery for rectal adenocarcinoma over a 5-year period (2007-2012) in the Oxford University Trust were considered. Electronic hospital systems were reviewed to obtain patient and tumour demographics, treatment and follow-up information. All patients were classified into risk categories according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and R.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seventy-two patients were identified: 123, 89 and 60 in the high-, intermediate- and low-risk categories, respectively. Seventy-nine per cent of those in the high-risk group, 6% in the intermediate and 5% in the low-risk group underwent CRT. The overall 5-year LRR and distant recurrence rate (DRR) were 5.2% and 17.8%, respectively. The 5-year LRR for those who went straight to surgery was 2.0% and for those who had neoadjuvant CRT it was 7.4%. The DRR for these two groups was 8.5% and 18.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our series demonstrates that the use of CRT only in margin-threatening tumours, results in an exceptionally low LRR for those without margin-threatening disease. In routine clinical care, this strategy can minimize the significant morbidity of multimodal treatment and allow earlier introduction of systemic therapy to minimize distant recurrence.

Substrate Supporting Disc Method for Confirmed Detection of Total Coliforms and E. coli in all Foods: Collaborative Study

The Coli Complete® substrate supporting disc (SSD) method for simultaneous confirmed total coliform count and Escherichia coli determination in all foods was compared with AOAC most probable number (MPN) methods, 966.23 and 966.24. Twenty-nine laboratories participated in this collaborative study in which 6 food types were analyzed. Four food types, raw ground beef, pork sausage, raw liquid milk, and nut meats, were naturally contaminated with coliform bacteria. Two foods, dry egg and fresh frozen vegetables, were seeded with coliforms. Three food types, ground beef, raw liquid milk, and pork sausage, were naturally contaminated with E. coli. Although pork sausage was naturally contaminated, the level was very low (<10/50 g); therefore, additional E. coli were inoculated into 1 lot of this food type. Three food types, nut meats, dry egg, and fresh frozen vegetables, were inoculated with E. coli. For naturally contaminated samples, duplicate determinations were made on 3 separate lots for each food type. For inoculated samples, low, medium, and high contamination levels plus uninoculated control samples were examined in duplicate. Data were analyzed separately for total coliform bacteria and for E. coli. Mean log MPN counts were determined by the SSD method and the appropriate AOAC MPN method. Results were then analyzed for repeatability, reproducibility, and mean log MPN statistical equivalence. Results were statistically equivalent for all total coliform levels in all food types except frozen vegetable and raw nut meat uninoculated control samples and 1 lot of pork sausage where the SSD method produced statistically significant greater numbers. For the E. coli determinations, results were statistically equivalent across all samples and all levels for each food type. The SSD method has been adopted first action by AOAC International for confirmed detection of total coliforms and E. coli in all foods.

Mortality of civilian patients with suspected traumatic haemorrhage receiving pre-hospital transfusion of packed red blood cells compared to pre-hospital crystalloid

Background

Major haemorrhage is a leading cause of mortality following major trauma. Increasingly, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in the United Kingdom provide pre-hospital transfusion with blood products, although the evidence to support this is equivocal. This study compares mortality for patients with suspected traumatic haemorrhage transfused with pre-hospital packed red blood cells (PRBC) compared to crystalloid.

Methods

A single centre retrospective observational cohort study between 1 January 2010 and 1 February 2015. Patients triggering a pre-hospital Code Red activation were eligible. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality at 6 hours (h) and 28 days (d), including a sub-analysis of patients receiving a major and massive transfusion. Multivariable regression models predicted mortality. Multiple Imputation was employed, and logistic regression models were constructed for all imputed datasets.

Results

The crystalloid (n = 103) and PRBC (n = 92) group were comparable for demographics, Injury Severity Score (p = 0.67) and mechanism of injury (p = 0.73). Observed 6 h mortality was smaller in the PRBC group (n = 10, 10%) compared to crystalloid group (n = 19, 18%). Adjusted OR was not statistically significant (OR 0.48, CI 0.19–1.19, p = 0.11). Observed mortality at 28 days was smaller in the PRBC group (n = 21, 26%) compared to crystalloid group (n = 31, 40%), p = 0.09. Adjusted OR was not statistically significant (OR 0.66, CI 0.32–1.35, p = 0.26). A statistically significant greater proportion of the crystalloid group required a major transfusion (n = 62, 60%) compared to the PRBC group (n = 41, 40%), p = 0.02. For patients requiring a massive transfusion observed mortality was smaller in the PRBC group at 28 days (p = 0.07).

Conclusion

In a single centre UK HEMS study, in patients with suspected traumatic haemorrhage who received a PRBC transfusion there was an observed, but non-significant, reduction in mortality at 6 h and 28 days, also reflected in a massive transfusion subgroup. Patients receiving pre-hospital PRBC were significantly less likely to require an in-hospital major transfusion. Further adequately powered multi-centre prospective research is required to establish the optimum strategy for pre-hospital volume replacement in patients with traumatic haemorrhage.

Improving a process to obtain hepatitis B serology among patients treated with infliximab at a large urban children's hospital

BACKGROUND

Hepatitis B infection is a significant public health challenge despite improvements in vaccination efforts. Patients such as those on chronic immunosuppressive therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or rheumatic disease may incur greater risk. The risk of reactivation of hepatitis B while on immunosuppressive therapy may have mortality rates up to 25%. These patients should be screened for acute or chronic infection and vaccinated if necessary. Our aim was to reliably complete hepatitis B screenings in patients receiving infliximab at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC).

METHODS

Eligible patients included all patients with gastroenterology (GI) IBD and rheumatology receiving infliximab between October 2015 and March 2016. Using quality improvement methodology and the 'plan-do-study-act' (PDSA) approach, interventions centred around education of clinical providers, previsit planning and the development of 'talking points' for patients.

RESULTS

An initial screen of the IBD population revealed that 48% of the IBD patient population had been screened for anti-HBs alone, but no patients from GI or rheumatology divisions had a complete set of hepatitis B serology prior to the intervention including anti-Hep B Core and Hep B Surface Antigen. Seven PDSA cycles were performed during the 32-week intervention period, resulting in an increase in patients screened from 0% to ~85%. By March 2016, a total of 251 patients (201 GI, 50 rheumatology) had up-to-date hepatitis B serology screening. Automated ordering of the hepatitis B serology and 'talking points' for the provider had the greatest impact on successful screening.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a method to obtain hepatitis B serology on at-risk patients on infliximab within two subspecialty divisions within a large children's hospital. Next steps will be to develop a process to reliably provide vaccines for patients who are seronegative, expand this process to all patients who are identified as immunocompromised within GI and rheumatology and then expand this process to other divisions at the CCHMC.

Resources for the Provision of Nutrition Support to Children in Educational Environments

The use of nutrition support outside of institutional settings has contributed to maintaining the health, well-being, and nutrition status of many medically complex children. As these children grow and enter educational settings, there is a need for awareness of the care that these children require for nutrition support therapy. This document is designed to raise awareness to these needs, provide best practice educational resources for those involved in the supervision or provision of nutrition support to children in an educational environment, and promote safe and effective care. Care of children requiring nutrition support is an ongoing and shared partnership among the educational team, medical team, homecare team, and parents/caregivers. Care is individualized to the specific child and may include provision of nutrition support therapy while in the school setting, maintenance of a nutrition access device, and monitoring to safely prevent or act on signs of potential complications. Suggested roles and responsibilities of those involved with nutrition support care are discussed; however, all interventions and routine care must be in accordance with physician's orders, school nurse privileges and competencies, and state and local regulations.

The impact of providing blood to the scene of an accident on transfusion laboratory practice

BACKGROUND

Haemorrhage is the leading cause of mortality during trauma. In 2012, London's Air Ambulance introduced Blood on Board (BOB), transfusing group O red cells (RBC) to trauma patients at the scene.

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the impact of BOB on the number of mixed field samples received by the laboratory, the number of group O RBC transfused to non-group O patients and the ratio of RBC to fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfused in the initial 24 h.

METHODS

Three major trauma centres collected data on patients for whom the major haemorrhage protocol was activated between August 2008 and February 2012 pre-BOB and March 2012 and December 2013 post-BOB.

RESULTS

A total of 233 trauma patients were identified pre-BOB and 119 post-BOB. There was no significant difference in the percentage of group O units transfused to non-group O patients (75 vs 82%, P = 0·21) or the RBC : FFP ratio (pre-BOB mean 1·6 [interquartile range (IQR) 1·0-2·0]; post-BOB mean 1·7 [IQR 1·1-2·2], P = 0·24). There was no significant difference in the percentage of mixed field samples received (23% vs 27%, P = 0·3).

CONCLUSION

The introduction of BOB did not change the proportion of group O RBC transfused or the RBC : FFP ratio; however, the proportion of acceptable samples decreased. This is largely due to an increase in blood samples not received from the post-BOB cohort, which we believe is probably due to patients who died at the scene. We have introduced robust systems to indicate reasons for not obtaining samples.