Fred Ullrich

Publications (27)55.2 Total impact

• Article: Late effects in 164 patients with rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder/prostate region: a report from the international workshop.

  Beverly Raney, James Anderson, Meriel Jenney, Carola Arndt, Ines Brecht, Modesto Carli, Gianni Bisogno, Odile Oberlin, Annie Rey, Jörn Treuner, Fred Ullrich, Michael Stevens
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  ABSTRACT: We determined the late sequelae in children and adolescents with rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder/prostate treated in the United States, Canada and selected Western European countries, primarily France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, from 1979 to 1998. We used a data collection form to record data from patient records available at the group statistical centers. A total of 164 patient charts had sufficient data available to be included in the study. Median patient age at diagnosis was 2.4 years. Median length of followup was approximately 8 years (range 3 to 24). Of the patients with available data 78 did not undergo cystectomy, 49 underwent partial cystectomy and 34 underwent complete cystectomy. Urinary continence was assessed at age 6 years or older in 62 patients who did not undergo cystectomy. Of these patients 43 (69%) were continent, 16 had nocturnal incontinence and 9 had diurnal incontinence. Of 44 patients who underwent partial cystectomy and had pertinent followup data 32 (73%) were continent, and 12 had nocturnal and/or diurnal incontinence. Only 11 patients underwent urodynamic investigation. Other nephrourological complications consisted of 3 or more urinary tract infections in 29 of 53 patients, abnormal renal function in 19 of 48 (tubulopathy 14, increased creatinine/blood urea nitrogen 5), chronic hematuria in 13 of 51 and hydronephrosis in 8 of 54 with available data. Vesicoureteral reflux, urinary stones and bowel problems were infrequent. Of the patients 48% had a relatively intact bladder after biopsy only. However, 31% of patients 6 years or older had some urinary incontinence, as did 27% of patients who had undergone partial cystectomy. In addition, 55% of all patients had 3 or more urinary tract infections, 40% had decreased renal function and 25% had chronic hematuria. Other complications were present in 15% or less of the patients with available data.
  The Journal of Urology 12/2006; 176(5):2190-4; discussion 2194-5. · 3.75 Impact Factor
• Article: Differences in beneficiary assessments of health care between TRICARE prime and TRICARE prime remote.

  Jane L Meza, Li-Wu Chen, Thomas V Williams, Fred Ullrich, Keith J Mueller
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  ABSTRACT: We examined differences in health care ratings and reported health care experiences for active duty uniform services personnel using health care plans other than military treatment facilities. We used a cross-sectional mail survey of a stratified sample of 3,871 beneficiaries enrolled in TRICARE Prime (TP) and TRICARE Prime Remote (TPR). The adjusted plan mean composite and global ratings were compared between TP and TPR participants. There were few significant differences between the two groups. Patient satisfaction was higher when patients chose their providers (TPR), and use of some preventive services was higher in managed-care plans (TP). Respondents in metropolitan locations differed significantly from those in nonmetropolitan locations in ratings of plans, quality of health care received, and access to services. The military health system is achieving some success in delivering uniform benefits but faces challenges in delivering high-quality uniform benefits in rural communities.
  Military medicine 11/2006; 171(10):950-4. · 0.92 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: unl.edu

  Article: Proteomic fingerprints distinguish microglia, bone marrow, and spleen macrophage populations.

  Yoshimi Enose, Christopher J Destache, Andrea L Mack, James R Anderson, Fred Ullrich, Pawel S Ciborowski, Howard E Gendelman
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  ABSTRACT: Mononuclear phagocytes (MP; dendritic cells, monocytes, tissue macrophages, and microglia) maintain tissue homeostasis and provide a first line of defense against invading pathogens. In specific circumstances, MPs also induce inflammatory responses and as such affect disease onset and progression. Despite intensive research into MP biology, little is known of the functional and molecular properties of individual MP subtypes. Using a novel proteomics platform, unique protein patterns and protein identities were observed among populations of spleen and bone marrow macrophages and microglia. Cells were obtained from C57BL/6 mice and were cultivated in macrophage colony-stimulating factor. MP subtypes were indistinguishable by morphological or antigenic criteria. Protein profiling by Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight (SELDI-TOF) ProteinChip assays with weak cationic exchange chips showed unique MP spectral profiles. Corresponding protein fractions were recovered by high performance liquid chromatography and identified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The results provide a unique means to distinguish microglia from other MP subtypes.
  Glia 09/2005; 51(3):161-72. · 4.82 Impact Factor
• Article: Plasma carotenoid and vitamins a and e concentrations in older African American women after wheat bran supplementation: effects of age, body mass and smoking history.

  Boyd R Switzer, Jan R Atwood, Aliza H Stark, John W Hatch, Rebecca Travis, Fred Ullrich, Elizabeth R Lyden, Xiumei Wu, Yulanda Chiu, Jan L Smith
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  ABSTRACT: This study investigated the relationships of plasma vitamins A, E, and carotenoids with age, BMI and former/non-smoking history after adjusting for wheat bran supplementation. All 39 African American women in the church-based, volunteer sample, 40-70 years old, supplemented their daily diets for 5-6 wks. with 1/2 cup of a riboflavin-spiked wheat bran cereal. Urinary riboflavin concentrations increased from 0.8 +/- 0.1 mg/day at baseline to 7.5 +/- 0.5 mg/day after supplementation, confirming the 99.2 +/- 10.5% self-reported adherence. Plasma nutrient concentrations did not change significantly with supplementation nor was never/former smoking history related to diet. Plasma retinol and serum cholesterol were significantly higher (p < 0.0002) in persons older than 55 years compared to younger adults. Plasma retinol (microg/dL) but not serum cholesterol was associated significantly with menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy (HRT; p = 0.05); progressive increases in retinol concentrations were found in the women after adjusting for pre/post supplementation: lowest in pre-menopause (47.7 +/- 4.8); intermediate concentrations in post-menopause on HRT (54.6 +/- 3.0); highest level in post-menopause without HRT (61.1 +/- 3.0). Similarly, a progressive increase was found in lipid-unadjusted alpha-tocopherol concentrations and menopausal status with or without HRT. Vitamin A and cholesterol intakes were not significantly different by age group. Plasma carotenoids were not significantly different by age or fiber supplementation, but alpha- and beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin were significantly lower with BMI > or = 30. In contrast to carotenoids, both plasma levels of gamma-tocopherol and lipid-adjusted gamma-tocopherol were significantly higher with obesity compared to those with BMI < 30. Plasma alpha- and beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin were negatively associated with obesity, whereas gamma-tocopherol measures were consistently elevated with high BMI. The increase in age-associated plasma retinol in postmenopausal women was likely related to decreased estrogen concentrations in the African American women. Smoking history was not influential in this study.
  Journal of the American College of Nutrition 06/2005; 24(3):217-26. · 2.29 Impact Factor
• Article: Does bladder preservation (as a surgical principle) lead to retaining bladder function in bladder/prostate rhabdomyosarcoma? Results from intergroup rhabdomyosarcoma study iv.

  Carola Arndt, David Rodeberg, Philip P Breitfeld, R Beverly Raney, Fred Ullrich, Sarah Donaldson
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  ABSTRACT: We determine patient and tumor characteristics, event-free and overall survival, methods of local control, rate of bladder preservation and proportion with normal bladder function for patients with localized bladder/prostate (BP) rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) treated on the Fourth Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS IV). We reviewed the records of 90 patients with nonmetastatic BP RMS enrolled on IRS IV for presenting characteristics, details of therapy and outcome. Of the 90 records 88 had sufficient information for review. Patient age distribution was less than 1 year for 7 patients, 1 to 9 years for 71 and 10 or greater years for 10. Tumors commonly arose in the bladder (70%), had favorable histology (embryonal or botryoid 80%), large (69% greater than 5 cm), unresectable (84% group III) and invasive (56% T2). Local therapy included radiation in 74 patients, and most patients underwent second-look operations after radiation. All patients received alkylating based chemotherapy. With a median followup of 6.1 years there have been 3 second malignancies, 1 toxic death and 18 relapses, for an event-free survival rate of 77%. Bladders were retained without relapse at last contact in 55 patients. Of those 55 patients 36 and of the entire group 40% had normal function determined by history. Of patients with nonmetastatic BP RMS on IRS IV 82% survived 6 years. Bladder function was preserved in 55% (36/66) of event-free survivors. Of all patients entered on study 40% (36 of 88) survive event-free with apparently normal functioning bladders. More precise long-term evaluation of bladder and sexual function will require application of better tools such as urodynamic studies and validated patient surveys.
  The Journal of Urology 07/2004; 171(6 Pt 1):2396-403. · 3.75 Impact Factor
• Article: Web-based decision support for clinical trial eligibility determination in an international clinical trials network.

  Philip P Breitfeld, Fred Ullrich, James Anderson, William M Crist
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  ABSTRACT: Matching individuals to multisite cooperative clinical trials can be a complex and nonintuitive decision process that expends considerable time and may be prone to errors. We developed and tested a web-based decision support tool to aid investigators in matching patients to open clinical trials for children with rhabdomyosarcoma in the context of an international cooperative cancer clinical trials network. A decision tree for trial eligibility based on eight clinical variables representing major disease characteristics was translated into a web-based format. In a blinded fashion, we assessed the accuracy of the tool in assigning 100 randomly selected cases to the proper clinical trial. The web-based tool assigned patients to the proper clinical trial in all 100 randomly selected cases. The time needed to enter data and receive results using this tool is about 1 minute per patient entered. It is feasible to develop a web-based tool to help investigators in matching patients to clinical trials. When such decisions are complex and nonintuitive, such tools have the potential to improve the accuracy of clinical trial assignment and save time.
  Controlled Clinical Trials 01/2004; 24(6):702-10.
• Article: Sclerosing rhabdomyosarcomas in children and adolescents: a clinicopathologic review of 13 cases from the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group and Children's Oncology Group.

  Melissa C Chiles, David M Parham, Stephen J Qualman, Lisa A Teot, Julia A Bridge, Fred Ullrich, Frederic G Barr, William H Meyer
  Pediatric and Developmental Pathology 8(1):141. · 0.99 Impact Factor