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Background: Skin Sympathetic Response (SSR) is an electrophysiological technique and a central polysynaptic process. In mood disorders there are some changes in the cortex, hypothalamus activity, limbic system and basalganglia. Therefore, we compare the SSR changes in the patients with depression, mania and healthy persons. Methods and Materials: The patients with depression and mania were chosen based on DSM IV criterion by the psychiatrist. In cross-sectional analytic study, control group was selected away healthy men and women. The SSR was written by physiograph. The stimulat electrod was fixed on the middle finger of the left hand and 5 sympathetic responses were recored for every sample. The mean of amplitude, duration and latency time were computed and compared among three groups. Results: The mean of latency in control, mania and depressed groups were not statistically difference (p=.8). There were no difference between mean of duration in latency time in three groups. The mean of amplitude were not significant in three groups. Conclusion: It seems hypothalamus has not direct effect balance of sympathy skin responses.

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Background: Leishmania major and leishmania tropica are the main causes of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran, especially in Isfahan and Bam regions. In this study, noticing the effect of diversity of this parasite strains on designing disease control strategies, human isolates were examined through PCR-RFLP to determine the type of strains. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 340 samples obtained from CL patients due to Leishmania were cultured and prepared for microscopic study and examined through PCR-RFLP. The products of some of these samples were sequenced and analyzed. ITS1 region of genomic DNA was extracted and amplified with LITSr and L5.8s primers. Data on sequencing the samples were related to ITS1 region that in extracted DNAs with LITSr and L5.8s primers appeared with four kinds of genotype patterns, two for L.major and two for L.tropica in Isfahan and Bam regions. Results: Genotypic groups, LmA and LmB, were detected from L.major isolates while LtA and LtB genotypic groups were indicated for L.tropica in these two regions. The most prevalent genotypes related to isolates of Isfahan were LmA geneotype, whereas LtA geneotype was mostly reported in isolates of Bam. Conclusion: Leishmania major and leishmania tropica, the causative agents of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in Isfahan and anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) in Bam, respectively, are genetically polymorphic species. There exists a relationship between genetic heterogeneousness and clinical manifestation and geographical regions of this disease in human

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Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a health problem in many areas of Iran. Cutaneous leishmaniasisis reported mostly in the central county of Qom province, including Ghanavat and Qomrood villages. This study was done to identify parasite species in human and rodents in order to illustrate the epidemiologic picture of the disease and provide an appropriate control program in 2010 Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on microscopic smears of 45 human samples and rodents samples hunted around Ghanavat and Qomrood villages in the central county of Qom province in 2010.In total,15 human samples and one hunted rodent sample were positive. In this study,the DNA of the parasites were extracted from the slides and analyzed by Leishmania specific premiers using ITS1 PCR-amplification (Internal Transcribed Spacer1). PCR (PolymeraseChain Reaction) products were digested by Haelll enzyme. Results: Overall, 15 human samples and one rodent sample from Merioneslibycus species were evaluated by PCR-RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism). After electrophoresis, it was demonstrated that the parasite was Leishmaniamajor in both human and rodent species. Conclusion: PCR-RFLP technique is an effective method to determine Leishmania parasite species in Geimsa stained slides from human and rodent reservoirs. One of the advantages of this technique is that it is possible to recognize the pathogen species of Leishmania parasite without gene sequencing. Besides, PCR-RFLP technique is a method of quite high sensitivity and specificity which can identify parasite species in addition to the diagnosis of leishmaniasis within 24 hours.

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Background: Leishmaniasis is a protozoan parasitic disease and a global health problem. The aim of this study is to diagnose the parasitic infection in humans for epidemiological identification and providing control programs using proprietary co-designed primers in three species of Leishmania.

Materials and Methods: 30 common Leishmania isolates were gathered from different centers in Iran. Having been cultured in RPMI-1640 Medium, DNA was extracted and the gene   ITS2-rRNA was amplified by PCR. The amplicons were examined by electrophoresis on agarose gel 2%. Also, in FLASH PCR method, a specific probe and florence colour were used to investigae the amplicon existence on sample.

Results: The results of the investigations by PCR and FLASH PCR methods show that these methods are sensitive and specific for diagnosis of Leishmania

Conclusion: In this study, identification of Leishmania parasite using specific primer pairs was successful and TaqMan could be one of the most sensitive diagnostic methods to identify parasite load for the ITS2 region of Leishmania.