Background Vitamin D has an established role in female reproduction. There is also evidence for an association between vitamin D levels and menstrual problems such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea. Curcumin, is a bioactive polyphenol constituent of turmeric, that can potentially interact with vitamin D receptors and its molecular targets. This study evaluated the effects of curcumin on vitamin D levels in young women with PMS and dysmenorrhea. Methods In this randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial, women with PMS and dysmenorrhea were divided randomly into experimental and control groups to receive one capsule (500 mg of curcuminoid+ 5 mg piperine, or placebo) daily, from approximately 7 days before until 3 days after menstruation for three consecutive menstrual cycles. Serum vitamin D levels, renal function, and liver enzymes were also measured before and after intervention. Results A total of 76 subjects (38 in each group) were recruited into the trial. Curcumin significantly increased the median (IQR) serum levels of vitamin D [from 12.8 ng/ml (7.0–24.6) to 16.2 ng/ml (6.4–28.8); P = 0.045], compared with placebo [from 18.6 ng/ml (2.2–26.8) to 21.3 ng/ml (5.2–27.1); P = 0.17]. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and direct bilirubin were reduced by the end of trial in the curcumin group (p < 0.05), but did not change significantly in the control group (p > 0.05). Finally, no significant differences in levels of fasting blood glucose were detected between curcumin and placebo groups. Conclusion Curcumin supplementation in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea led to a significant improvement of vitamin D, liver function enzyme test, but did not affect blood glucose. Trial registration The trial was registered on Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials registry (Trial ID: IRCT20191112045424N1 on 23 January 2020; available at https://www.irct.ir).

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Bunium persicum (Boiss) B. Fedtsh (Apiaceae, Persian name: Zireh Kermani) has been used to treat various diseases in traditional and folkloric medicine including gastrointestinal, respiratory, nasopharyngeal, cardiac, ocular, neurological, rheumatological and urinary tract diseases. Its essential oil contains different monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and phenyl propenes. Other chemical constituents identified in B. persicum are phenolic compounds, fatty acids, carboxylic acids, and carbohydrates. Wide range of biological and pharmacological activities including antioxidant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, acetylcholinesterase inhibitory, anticonvulsant, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitory, anti-pancreatic lipase, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihistamine, antidiarrheal, antispasmodic, antihematoxic, antityrosinase and antimicrobial activities have been reported from this plant in modern medicine. This article summarizes comprehensive information attributing traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Zireh Kermani.

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This study aimed at identifying fungal pathogens causing pre‐ and postharvest fruit rots on local cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.) in the main mango‐growing regions of southern Iran. Mango fruits showing rot symptoms from commercial orchards were used for isolation of fungal species associated with preharvest fruit rots. Latent infections were assessed on intact healthy mango fruits which were surface‐disinfested and incubated in moist chambers at 25ºC. For evaluation of postharvest wound infections, intact healthy mango fruits were artificially wounded and incubated in moist chambers at 25ºC. In addition, fungal decays were assessed on intact healthy mango fruits stored at 13ºC for up to 4 weeks. Isolated fungi were identified based on morphological characteristics, as well as sequence data from the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. In addition, the sequence data inferred from translation elongation factor 1‐alpha (tef1) gene were used for determination of Fusarium species and Alternaria and Colletotrichum isolates were defined genetically based on multi‐gene sequencing. Accordingly, eight fungal species, including Alternaria alternata, Neofussicoccum mediterraneum, Aureobasidium melanogenum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Fusarium proliferatum, Xenoacremonium falcatus, F. verticillioides and Diaporthe phyllanthicola, were identified to associate with preharvest mango fruit rots. Fungi associated with latent infections, mostly stem‐end rots, included A. alternata, N. mediterraneum, C. gloeosporioides, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, F. proliferatum and A. melanogenum, and those associated with wound infections were A. alternata, N. mediterraneum, Penicillium spp. and Cladosporium spp. A. alternata was the only pathogen isolated from the fruits stored at low temperature. Pathogenicity of the selected isolates was demonstrated by fulfilling Koch's postulates.

Introduction:Work environments have harmful physical, social, and workplace psychological factors that can affect people's health and disrupt other areas of people's lives. Workplace human resources spend at least a third of their lives at work, and the pressures and stresses of work can jeopardize their health and, consequently, threaten organizational interests and goals. Decreasing the performance of the individual, the amount of productivity of the organization also decreases. In recent years, one of the most critical issues and problems in administrative systems, including occupational hazards that have attracted the attention of researchers, is the issue of public health and burnout of individuals in an organization. Due to the recorded adverse effects of burnout, this syndrome can affect job performance, such as quality of work, general health, and job satisfaction. One of the main inevitable consequences of job stress is burnout, affecting the quality of care provided by health workers. This study aimed to determine the relationship between burnout and general health in health workers in Arak health centers. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 110 health workers working in the Arak health center were studied. The number of samples was done using census, and all health workers working in Arak Health Center were selected. Data collection tools in this study were a 22-item Maslach burnout questionnaire and a 28-item general health questionnaire. The data of this study were analyzed using descriptive data and one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient by SPSS22 software. Results: According to the findings of this study, there was a significant relationship between general health and burnout, meaning that people with higher general health experienced lower rates of burnout. The status of burnout was moderate among the health workers studied. The burnout scores of male and female health workers were almost the same, and there was no significant difference between them. There was a statistically significant direct relationship between general health and emotional fatigue and depersonalization using Kendall, Pearson, and Spearman test. A statistically significant inverse relationship was observed between general health and personal inadequacy. Conclusion: Considering the relationship between burnout and public health, the Arak city health center managers must implement programs to promote and improve job motivation, human relations, and a sense of self-efficacy. Promoting general health and reducing the burnout rate of health workers should be a priority for the University of Medical Sciences managers.

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