Effect of Thymus vulgaris, Myrtus communis and nystatin on Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the most frequent etiological agent of oral candidiasis. This study was done to compare the anticandidal effect of Thymus vulgaris and Myrtus communis to nystatin on Candida albicans. In this laboratory study thirty-two strains of Candida albicans isolated from patients with oral candidiasis. Yeast suspension of Candida yeast cells was provided, subsquntly a serial dilution from Thymus vulgaris and Myrtus communis and Nystatin in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar [SDA] medium were prepared. Then a loop of Candida suspension was cultured on all of the solid media and was incubated at 25°C. The findings of fungus growing were recorded during 7 days. MIC of Thymus vulgaris, Myrtus communis L, mix of these essences and Nystatin was 0.390 microl/ml, 12.5 microl/ml, 0.78 microl/ml and 160 IU/ml, respectively. Thymus vulgaris contained antifungal activity against Candida albicans, but Myrtus communis demonstrated a very low activity against Candida albicans

[Critical thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions in freshmen and senior students of health care management]

Nowadays, experts introduce critical thinking as the main outcome of higher education and consider teaching "how to think" as the basis for learning. This study compares the critical thinking skills and critical thinking dispositions in freshmen and senior students of health care management. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 60 freshmen and senior students of health care management. The data gathering tools included California critical thinking skills test, as well as California critical thinking dispositions inventory. Data was analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics, T-test, and Chi[2]. The mean and standard deviation of critical thinking skills total score in freshmen and senior students was respectively 11.55 +/- 2.18 and 11.21 +/- 2.59, which was in the normal limit for both. There was no significant difference between the freshmen and senior students' score patterns. Considering critical thinking disposition total score, the mean and standard deviation in freshmen, was 282.37 +/- 27.93 and in senior students was 289.64 +/- 21.13. There was a significant difference between the score pattern of critical thinking disposition in freshmen and senior students. The scores of senior students were higher than freshmen scores. The total score of critical thinking skills achieved by students was in a normal limit. Also, the total score of critical thinking dispositions revealed the students' positive tendency. But, with regard to the reported scores from other similar schools of the world, administrators and teachers should pay more attention to their educational planning in developing cultivating critical thinking skills