Functional cerebral distance and the effect of emotional music on spatial rotation scores in undergraduate women and men.

The influence of listening to music on subsequent spatial rotation scores has a controversial history. The effect is unreliable, seeming to depend on several as yet unexplored factors. Using a large sample (167 women, 160 men; M age = 18.9 yr.), two related variables were investigated: participants' sex and the emotion conveyed by the music. Participants listened to 90 sec. of music that portrayed emotions of approach (happiness), or withdrawal (anger), or heard no music at all. They then performed a two-dimensional spatial rotation task. No significant difference was found in spatial rotation scores between groups exposed to music and those who were not. However, a significant interaction was found based on the sex of the participants and the emotion portrayed in the music they heard. Women's scores increased (relative to a no-music condition) only after hearing withdrawal-based music, while men's scores increased only after listening to the approach-based music. These changes were explained using the theory of functional cerebral distance.

[Thromboembolism prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin in abdominal surgery]. / Thromboembolieprophylaxe mit niedermolekularem Heparin in der Abdominalchirurgie.

The effect of low-molecular weight (LMW) heparin fragment (one injection of 1500 aPTT [activated partial thromboplastin time]-U/24 h)--group 1--was compared with unfractionated (UF) heparin (3 x 5000 IU/24 h)--group 2--in a randomized prospective double-blind trial of 404 patients (202 patients in each group), aged 50 years or older, undergoing abdominal surgery. The two groups were well matched for thromboembolic risk factors. The first subcutaneous injection was made two hours preoperatively; postoperative injections continued for at least seven days. The radiofibrinogen test served as the test criterion. If positive, phlebography and lung sequence scanning were performed. On complete prophylaxis the thrombosis rate was nearly identical in the two groups--10.8% vs 11.4%. No pulmonary emboli were detected in either group if correctly treated. There was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to peroperative blood loss, re-operation rate and wound haematoma rate. But there was a significantly higher number of injection haematomas in group 2. These results suggest that a single daily injection of 1500 aPTT-U LMW heparin provides effective prophylaxis against postoperative venous thromboembolism.