The Effect of Music on Anxiety and Cardiovascular Indices in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: The instability of cardiovascular indices and anxiety disorders are common among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and could interfere with their recovery. Therefore, improving the cardiovascular indices and anxiety is essential. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of music therapy on anxiety and cardiovascular indices in patients undergoing CABG. Patients and Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 60 patients hospitalized in the cardiovascular surgical intensive care unit of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Qom city, Iran, in 2013 were selected using a consecutive sampling method and randomly allocated into the experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, patients received 30 minutes of light music, whereas in the control group, patients had 30 minutes of rest in bed. The cardiovascular indices and anxiety were measured immediately before, immediately after and half an hour after the study. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Compared to the immediately before intervention, the mean anxiety scores immediately after and 30 minutes after the intervention were significantly lower in the experimental group (P 0.05). Conclusions: Music therapy is effective in decreasing anxiety among patients undergoing CABG. However, the intervention was not effective on cardiovascular indices. Music can effectively be used as a non-pharmacological method to manage anxiety after CABG

Object-Based Classification of UltraCamD Imagery for Identification of Tree Species in the Mixed Planted Forest

This study is a contribution to assess the high resolution digital aerial imagery for semi-automatic analysis of tree species identification. To maximize the benefit of such data, the object-based classification was conducted in a mixed forest plantation. Two subsets of an UltraCam D image were geometrically corrected using aero-triangulation method. Some appropriate transformations were performed and utilized. Segmentation was conducted stepwise at two levels and a hierarchical image object network was constructed. The classification hierarchy was developed and Nearest Neighbor classifier, using integration of different features was performed. Training samples and ground truth map were prepared through fieldwork. Accuracy assessment of the resulting maps in comparison with reference data showed overall accuracies and Kappa Index of Agreement of 90.2%, 0.82 (Area1) and 69.8%, 0.49 (Area2), respectively. Transformed images were advantageous to improve the results. The lower accuracy in Area2 can be attributed to high diversity and heterogeneous mixture of species. More detailed and accurate mapping of tree species would be fulfilled applying precise 3D data. The accuracy of detailed vegetation classification with very high-resolution imagery is highly dependent on the segmentation quality, sample size, sampling quality, classification framework and ground vegetation distribution and mixture

Gendered Representations of Male and Female Social Actors in Iranian Educational Materials

This research investigates the representations of gendered social actors within the subversionary discourse of equal educational opportunities for males and females in Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) books. Using critical discourse analysis (CDA) as the theoretical framework, the authors blend van Leeuwen’s (Texts and practices: Readings in critical discourse analysis, Routledge, London, 2003) ‘Social Actor Network Model’ and Sunderland’s (Gendered discourses, Palgrave Macmillan, Hampshire, 2004) ‘Gendered Discourses Model’ in order to examine the depictions of male and female social actors within this gendered discourse. The gendered discourse of equal opportunities was buttressed by such representations within a tight perspective in proportion to gender ideologies prevailing in Iran. Resorting to CDA, we can claim that resistance against such gendered discourse in Iranian EFL textbooks militates against such gender norms. These representations of male and female social actors in school books are indicative of an all-encompassing education, reinforcing that the discourse of equal opportunities is yet to be realized in the education system of Iran

A comparative analysis of the cultural representation of disability in school textbooks in Iran and England

The paper details the findings of a study which focused on the analysis of the cultural representation of disability in school textbooks in Iran and England. The paper argues that whilst inclusive education could facilitate the incorporating of disabled pupils into mainstream schools, there needs to be deeper examination as to how this transition should take place for children aged 3-13. The paper suggests that in such examinations school textbooks might be of significance in familiarizing non-disabled pupils, teachers and authorities with the issues related to disability and disabled pupils