[Comparison of the Accuracy of Measuring the Amount of Urine in the Bladder by Ultrasound Devices and Their Operability for the Bladder].

We investigated the accuracy and operability of two ultrasound devices for the bladder. The study included 232 adult patients who underwent surgery at our hospital. Before surgery, a nurse measured the amount of urine in the bladder using Lilium α-200® and Bladder Scan BVI 6100®. The amount was measured accurately later using a catheter. The measurements by the devices were compared with the amount measured by the catheter. Both Lilium and Bladder Scan had high accuracy (correlation coefficient for Lilium is 0.56 [95% CI : 0.46-0.64], and the correlation coefficient for Bladder Scan was 0.70 [95% CI : 0.63-0.76]). However, values obtained by the two devices significantly differed from the catheter measurement. The accuracy was improved by excluding patients with 0- ml readings by the two devices (the correlation coefficient for Lilium was 0.69 (95% CI : 0.61-0.76), and the correlation coefficient for Bladder Scan was 0.81 (95% CI : 0.76-0.86). Next, the operability was evaluated using a questionnaire. Both devices had high operability, but Bladder Scan was easier to operate. Based on the above, Bladder Scan had significantly higher accuracy and operability, but both devices had a sufficiently high accuracy and operability for clinical practice.

CXCL10 and CCL2 mRNA expression in monocytes is inversely correlated with the HLA-DR lower fraction of monocytes in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Circulating cluster of differentiation (CD)14+ human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRlow/- monocytes, those with a lower HLA-DR expression or are negative for HLA-DR, are considered to be involved in systemic immunosuppression in patients with several malignant tumors. However, few studies have investigated in detail the gene expression profile of CD14+HLA-DRlow/- monocytes. In the present study, the mRNA expression levels of immune-associated molecules in CD14+ monocytes isolated from healthy donors and patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were analyzed. Consistent with previous studies, the percentage of HLA-DRlow/- cells in CD14+ monocytes was significantly increased in patients with RCC compared with healthy donors. In 3 of the 4 patients who underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor, the percentage of CD14+HLA-DRlow/- cells was significantly decreased following surgery. The mRNA expression levels of cyclooxygenase 2, transforming growth factor ß, interleukin 6R, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10), oncostatin M, and vascular endothelial growth factor-A in CD14+ monocytes were quantified using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results of the present study revealed that increased expression levels of CCL2 and CXCL10 were inversely correlated with the percentage of CD14+HLA-DRlow/- monocytes. This suggested that monocytes in RCC patients were immunologically suppressed, and that immunosuppression in RCC patients may be due, in part, to the dysfunction of circulating monocytes.