BACKGROUND: Since polymerase chain reaction(PCR) was devised by Saiki in 1985, it has been used extensively in various fields of molecular biology. Clinically, PCR is especially useful in situation when microbiological or serological diagnosis is limited by scanty amount of causative agents. Thus, PCR can provide rapid and sensitive way of detecting M. tuberculosis in tuberculosis pleurisy which is diagnosed in only about 60% of cases by conventional method. METHOD: To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of PCR in tuberculosis pleurisy, The results of PCR was compared with those of conventional method, including pleural biopsy. The pleural effusion fluid was collected from 7 proven patients, 7 clinically suspected patients and control group(7 patients with malignant effusion). We extracted DNA from pleural fluid by modified method of Eisennach method(1991). The amplification target for PCR was 123 base pair DNA, a part of IS6110. RESULT: 1) Sensitivity of PCR: We detected upto 50fg DNA. 2) In patients with pleural effusion of proven tuberculosis, the positive rate of PCR was 85.7% (6/7). In patients with pleural effusion of clinically suspected tuberculosis, the positive rate was 71.5% (5/7). In control group, positive rate was 0% (0/7). CONCLUSION: We concluded that PCR methd could be a very rapid, sensitive and specific one for diagnosis of M tuberculosis in pleural effusion. Further studies should be followed for the development of easier method.
Base Pairing ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; DNA ; Humans ; Molecular Biology ; Mycobacterium tuberculosis* ; Mycobacterium* ; Pleural Effusion* ; Pleurisy ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tuberculosis

Meningiomas account for approximately 13 to 18 per cent of all primary intracranial neoplasms. The majority of meningioma cases develops in the supratentorial compartment with only 8 to 9 per cent occurring in the posterior fossa. Twenty per cent of intracranial meningiomas eventually develop an extracranial extension. Intracranial tumors that extend to the middle ear and external auditory canal are uncommon. The most common pathway in the temporal bone is through the jugular foramen and foramen lacerum into the parapharyngeal space. When a meningioma gains access to the temporal bone, neurological symptoms usually develop. By the time symptoms become apparent, however, the tumor is usually quite large. The presentation was unusual in that there were no demonstrable neurological signs clinically, despite the large size of the intracranial tumor and mass effect. We experienced a case of extracranial meningioma in the external auditory canal that was extended from intracranial meningioma, and which was diagnosed with biopsy and radiographic examination. In this paper, we report this case with review of literature.
Biopsy ; Brain Neoplasms ; Ear Canal* ; Ear, Middle ; Meningioma* ; Temporal Bone

BACKGROUND: Some opioids have been shown to attenuate an ischemia-reperfusion injury in an isolated-heart model. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sufentanil on the cardiac function in isolated-heart models when given before and after prolonged periods of low flow ischemia. METHODS: Isolated rat hearts were stabilized for 30 minutes and subdivided into four groups (each n = 7). The control group was subjected to low flow ischemia (LFI 0.3 ml/min) of 5% dextrose water for 30 minutes, followed by perfusion with a modified Krebs solution at a constant pressure for 60 minutes. In the sufentanil groups, different sufentanil (12.5 mg/L, 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L) doses were administered with the modified Krebs solution after 30 minutes of stabilization until the end of the experiment with the exception of the LFI group. The left ventricular end systolic pressure (LVESP), dP/dt max, heart rate and coronary flow were measured. After reperfusion, the infarct size of all groups was measured. RESULTS: The control and the sufentanil groups had a lower LVESP, dP/dt max, coronary effluent flow and arrhythmia duration after ischemia and reperfusion than those before ischemia. The infarct sizes in the sufentanil groups were smaller than those in the control group. However the infarct sizes of the sufentanil groups were similar. CONCLUSION: Sufentanil reduces the infarct size but does not improve the post-ischemic functional dysfunction.
Analgesics, Opioid ; Animals ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Blood Pressure ; Glucose ; Heart ; Heart Rate ; Ischemia ; Models, Animal* ; Perfusion ; Rats* ; Reperfusion ; Reperfusion Injury ; Sufentanil* ; Ventricular Function, Left ; Water