[Effect of group cognitive-behavioral therapy on depression]

Depression is the most prevalent psychotic disorder. In order to cure and prevent the recurrence of this disease, it is necessary to gain more information about remedial methods like Group Cognitive- Behavior Therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of group cognitive-behavioral therapy on the amount of depression on the patients. This study was experimental and it included both experimental and control group with a pre test. The subjects were selected from patients with mild depression. Their Beck inventory score ranged between 17-20. Patients were randomly divided in two groups. The subjects of experimental group received eight sessions of group cognitive-behavioral therapy. The Beck depression test was completed by the subjects in three phases; before the intervention, after the intervention and one month after that. The data was transferred to SPSS program and analyzed. The results indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control group after the intervention at Beck tests [P=0.043]. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the experimental group between the depression score in patients before and after the intervention [p=0.033] and the score of patients before and one month after the intervention [p=0.492]. Group Cognitive-Behavioral therapy decreases depression in patients who suffer from mild depression

[Rate of production of inflammatory cytokines TNF and IL- by peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with mycolactone]

Mycobacterium ulcerans is the etiological agent of Buruli ulcer [BU]; the third most common mycobacterial infection in humans after tuberculosis and leprosy. BU is now considered by the WHO to be an emerging infection of major concern. M. ulcerans produces mycolactone toxin, which is required for the organism's virulence. Mycolactone destroys tissue and suppresses host immune responses. In this descriptive analytical study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from three volunteers with no history of buruli ulcer were used. IL-6 and TNF produced by these cells at different preincubation times with LPS and mycolactone were measured by using ELISA kits. This study showed hyper inhibition of IL-6 and TNF production by mycolactone. TNF levels in the control tubes [containing LPS] in 4hours reached its maximum value and then decreased. While the production of IL-6 in the tube with fresh cells [zero time] had the highest value, after 16hours, it reached its minimum. Since TNF and IL-6 are important immunity inflammatory cytokines, it can be well imagined that decrease of TNF production by this bacterium plays a role in weakening of inflammatory response. So Mycobacterium ulcerans destroys macrophages and at the same time prevents TNF production by important cells in innate immune mechanism