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This paper addresses the myth of the Strand Lane cold bath’s Roman origins: it explains how this dream of Rome first emerged in the 1830s and became consolidated in the 1840s, and documents the means by which it was propagated, and the extent to which it was debated, between then and the 1890s. It is suggested that the origins of the idea were heavily indebted to popular awareness of the baths of Pompeii, spread both by archaeological publication and by Bulwer-Lytton’s Last Days and its offshoots; that the consolidation was the work of Charles Knight and Charles Dickens; and that the vigorous survival of the mirage for the remainder of the century was down in part to the absence of any other large-scale standing Roman structure in the capital, and in part to the lack of any plausible alternative story of the bath’s real origins. The auxiliary myth of the ‘Essex’ bath is also discussed, and the whole argument illuminates not only the history of the monument itself, but also Victorian engagement with the Roman past and the historical fabric of London more generally.

An observational, exploratory, cross-sectional study was performed to assess whether the presence of atypical naevi (AN) in adolescents is associated with psychological and psychovegetative stress parameters. Fifty-one students of a secondary school in Graz, Austria, completed a defined test procedure consisting of an initial period of rest, a standardised mental stress task, another period rest and a questionnaire, the change-sensitive symptom list (ASS-SYM). Electrocardiogram and blood pressure were recorded continuously. The study population was divided in two groups: probands without AN (NAN, n = 33), and probands with at least one AN (n = 18). We found higher values for the AN group in all scales of ASS-SYM, reaching statistical significance in the dimensions "nervousness and mental tension" (p = 0.025), "psychophysiological dysregulation" (p = 0.020), burden of pain" (p = 0.023) and "general symptoms and problems" (p = 0.031). Regarding physiological parameters, the AN group showed higher vegetative strain reflected in heart rate and heart rate varibility during the periods of rest as well as a reduced baroreceptor sensitivity. On the basis of our results, the presence of AN in adolescents seems to be associated with a higher vegetative arousal. Additionally, participants with AN complained significantly more often about stress-associated general psychological symptoms and problems.

Contents: Preface 'Ethics', 'philosophy' and philosophia Perfection and progress The passions Self, person and individual Self and others Politics 1: constitutions and the ruler Politics 2: good communities Politics 3: philosophia in politics and the community Philosophia and the mainstream Appendix Bibliography Indexes.

Among its several identities, the Strand Lane ‘Roman Bath’ is the last Central London survivor of the city's Georgian and Regency cold plunge baths. Using a combination of documentary and archaeological evidence, this paper traces the story of its conversion to this function in the last quarter of the eighteenth century, identifies the probable author of the conversion, reconstructs its eighteenth-century form and layout, and discusses the context in which the conversion took place.

The behavior of blood pressure under hypoxic conditions depends on individual factors, altitude and duration of stay at altitude. While most humans are normotensive at higher altitudes, a few will react with moderate hypertension or hypotension. Excessive elevation of arterial blood pressure is not even to be expected below 4,000 m. Rather, several weeks' stay at higher altitude will decrease systolic and diastolic blood pressure at rest as well as during physical exertion. A high-altitude treatment for rehabilitation purposes at moderate altitude may be recommended for patients with cardio-circulatory disorders. Improvements can last several months even after returning to accustomed altitudes. Furthermore, endurance-trained hypertensive patients with pharmacologically controlled arterial blood pressure might be able to participate in mountain treks without additional health risk.

The philosophical orations (dialexeis, “talks”) of Maximus of Tyre open a window not only onto the historical development of Platonism in the later second century ce, but also onto the integration of philosophy into elite culture in the period of the so-called Second Sophistic. Their blend of simplified philosophical content with lively and elegant rhetorical form is not exactly paralleled in any other surviving ancient author. Keywords: history of philosophy; oratory; Platonism; Roman Empire; Second Sophistic

Mental stress may have a negative impact on the immune state of cancer patients, in whom immunologic surveillance is essential for survival. This study investigated the immunological response of 19 patients with early-stage melanoma and a matched control group undergoing the Determination Stress Test before surgery. Cytokine and chemokine levels and lymphocyte subpopulations were measured at baseline and post-stress test time-points. Following the stress test lower levels of interleukin (IL)-6 were observed in the melanoma group compared with healthy volunteers (p = 0.044). IL-10 increased significantly in the control group 30 min after the stress test (p = 0.002) in comparison with the melanoma group (p = 0.407). CCL5/Rantes decreased significantly in the melanoma group, whereas CD16/CD56+ natural killer cells increased in both groups, with a sharp decrease below baseline after stress in the melanoma group (p = 0.001). This pilot study shows an altered immunological response to stressors in melanoma patients.

In this cross-sectional, exploratory case-control study the vegetative arousal in vitiligo patients compared to an age and gender matched healthy control group was assessed. Forty-eight participants (24 outpatients with generalised vitiligo and 24 healthy controls) completed a test procedure consisting of an initial period of rest (R1), a defined mental stress task (the d2 test of attention), a second period of rest (R2) followed by an individually, age adapted physical stress task (bicycle ergometry) and a final period of rest (R3). Based on a continuously recorded electrocardiogram, heart rate variability, in particular high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) components were determined. Within the 3 periods of rest, vitiligo patients showed a higher vegetative arousal than controls, represented by the ratio of LF/HF which mirrors the sympatho-vagal balance (R1: p = 0.027; R2: p = 0.003; R3: p = 0.029). No differences between the 2 groups were found during the mental (p = 0.187) and the physical stress task (p = 0.773). The results suggest a higher vegetative arousal in vitiligo patients.

In this exploratory case control study the association between stress coping strategies and lymphocyte subpopulations was calculated in 18 non-metastatic melanoma patients and 18 controls with benign skin diseases. Coping strategies were assessed using the German version of the stress-coping questionnaire (SVF 120). While in the control group patients showed significant negative correlations of lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD45+ cells) with coping strategies that refer to defence, in melanoma patients significant positive correlations between lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD19+, CD45+ cells) were found with regard to coping strategies that are characterized by diversion from stress and focusing on stress-compensating situations. The present data, in melanoma patients and controls, show contrary correlations between stress coping strategies and lymphocyte subpopulations. The interconnection between stress coping and immunologic alterations in malignant melanoma is a field deserving further multiprofessional investigation in order to provide new therapeutical approaches in the treatment and understanding of melanoma patients.

The biopsychosocial model represents a very important theoretical framework developed in the 21th century. According to a body mind unity theory, it postulates that research must focus not only on biomedical but also on other aspects in order to understand complex interactions occurring on different system levels. With regard to the occurrence of melanoma, both immunologic surveillance and a lack of cancerogenic factors are crucial in the suppression of tumor development. In addition, a reduction in mental stress (employing effective strategies for coping with stress) in cases of malignant disease seems to prolong life. Focusing on these theories, examples of studies that followed an interdisciplinary, biopsychosocial approach to melanoma research conducted at one center are given to emphasize the multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary aspects of the biopsychosocial model.

An observational, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study was performed to assess whether differences in coping behaviour (positive and negative strategies) between patients with either a recent diagnosis of malignant melanoma (MM) or with benign dermatological disease, were predictive of the diagnosis. Coping strategies were assessed with the German version of the stress-coping questionnaire (SVF 120) in 46 inpatients for whom surgery was planned at the Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Graz, Austria. Subjects were divided into two groups: patients with non-metastatic MM, and patients with benign dermatological diseases (controls). The risk for the diagnosis "melanoma" decreased with higher values of "situation control" (p = 0.007) and increased with higher values of resignation (p = 0.035) and trivialisation (p = 0.039). More-over, the risk for having a MM with thickness > 1 mm decreased in patients with higher values in positive coping strategies (p

Background/Objectives: Understanding the public’s perception of nevi and sunburn is crucial to melanoma prevention efforts. Methods: We investigated the knowledge and perception of melanocytic nevi and sunburns in 77 children 6 to 10 years old (mean 8.2) in two elementary schools in Styria, Austria. The children were interviewed by specially trained psychologists about the number of their moles and how they felt having them. Additionally questions about sunburn history and sunburn perception were asked. The spontaneous answers of the children were recorded, there were no pregiven answers. Afterwards the children were examined by dermatologists clinically and with dermatoscopes. Results: The 96% of the children could describe a nevus (the term “mole” was translated to “nevus”) and 91% did not feel bothered about theirs. Only 26% had noted the appearance of new nevi within the last year. The 67% of all children had at least one sunburn and remembered the clinical features. The 20% of the children knew that sunburns could provoke skin cancer. All children felt comfortable during the clinical and dermatoscopic examination. Conclusion: Children aged from 6 to 10 years know exactly why they had suffered from sunburn, can describe the sunburn and how to avoid it. They do not feel bothered by their nevi and are alert to the appearance of new nevi.

Background: Marathon runners seem to have an increased melanoma risk. Objective: To identify potential melanoma markers. Methods: 150 marathon runners volunteered to take part in the skin cancer screening campaign. After the runners completed a questionnaire about melanoma risk factors, types of sportswear and training programs, they received a total skin examination. The number of lentigines and nevi on the left shoulder and the left buttock were counted in each participant using templates in standardized positions. The potential association of training sportswear and training parameters with the number of lentigines and nevi on the left shoulder was evaluated. Results: The mean number of lentigines on the left shoulder was 19.6 ± 18.2 (SD), whereas no lentigines were found on the left buttock (p = 0.000). The number of nevi also differed significantly between the 2 localizations with higher numbers on the left shoulder (p = 0.000). While lifetime sunburn history and type of sportswear correlated with the number of lentigines, training parameters had an impact on the number of nevi. Independent of their mean weekly running time, runners with higher heart rates while training, higher training velocities and higher physical strain indexes showed more nevi on the shoulder than the other runners (p = 0.029, 0.046, 0.038, respectively). Conclusion: Sun exposure and high physical strain lead to an increase in melanoma markers such as lentigines and nevi in marathon runners.

Objective Hypobaric hypoxia, physical and psychosocial stress may influence key cardiovascular parameters including blood pressure (BP) and pulse pressure (PP). We investigated the effects of mild hypobaric hypoxia exposure on BP and PP reactivity to mental and physical stress and to passive elevation by cable car. Methods 36 healthy volunteers participated in a defined test procedure consisting of a period of rest 1, mental stress task (KLT-R), period of rest 2, combined mental (KLT-R) and physical task (bicycle ergometry) and a last period of rest both at Graz, Austria (353 m asl) and at the top station Dachstein (2700 m asl). Beat-to-beat heart rate and BP were analysed both during the test procedures at Graz and at Dachstein and during passive 1000 m elevation by cable car (from 1702 m to 2700 m). Results A significant interaction of kind of stress (mental vs. combined mental and physical) and study location (Graz vs. Dachstein) was found in the systolic BP (p = .007) and PP (p = .002) changes indicating that during the combined mental and physical stress task sBP was significantly higher under hypoxic conditions whereas sBP and PP were similar during mental stress both under normobaric normoxia (Graz) and under hypobaric hypoxia (Dachstein). During the passive ascent in cable car less trivialization (psychological coping strategy) was associated with an increase in PP (p = .004). Conclusion Our data show that combined mental and physical stress causes a significant higher raise in sBP and PP under hypoxic conditions whereas isolated mental stress did not affect sBP and PP under hypoxic conditions. PP-reaction to ascent in healthy subjects is not uniform. BP reactions to ascent that represents an accumulation of physical (mild hypobaric hypoxia) and psychological stressors depend on predetermined psychological traits (stress coping strategies). Thus divergent cardiovascular reactions can be explained by applying the multidimensional aspects of the biopsychosocial concept.

To evaluate the prognostic value of volumetric computed tomography (CT) for therapy control in patients treated with repeated transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Eighty-five patients with histologically proved HCC underwent 182 TACE procedures with 50 mg/m(2) doxorubicin hydrochloride, 50 mg/m(2) cisplatin, 10 mL/m(2) iodized oil, and amilomer microspheres. The volumes of liver and tumor were measured with a region-of-interest CT technique. Iodized oil retention was estimated with CT performed 24-48 hours after treatment.Tumor volume expressed as a percentage of liver volume was less than 5% in 26, less than 15% in 33, and 15% or greater in 26 patients. The overall 1-year survival rate was 57.6% (mean, 534 days; median, 428 days). There was a statistically significant prolongation of survival when the tumor volume was less than 200 mL (P.02) and less than 5% of the liver volume (P.01). Complete (/=75%) and good (50%-74%) iodized oil retention raised the median survival significantly (P.001 and P.07, respectively). Significantly reduced survival correlated with diffuse tumor growth pattern (P.05) and presence of more than nine lesions (P.03).TACE resulted in significant prolongation of survival in patients with tumor volumes of less than 200 mL, tumor-to-liver volume ratios of less than 5%, and iodized oil retention greater than or equal to 75%.

Human placental lactogen and unconjugated estriol concentrations in maternal serum were evaluated in 100 uneventful twin pregnancies, and these values were compared with those observed in 16 twin pregnancies associated with intrauterine growth retardation or single intrauterine fetal death. In pregnancies associated with intrauterine growth retardation (n = 8), human placental lactogen levels were at the lower limit of normal range for singleton pregnancies, whereas estriol levels were normal in most cases. When one of the fetuses had died before week 33 of pregnancy (n = 5), both human placental lactogen and estriol levels were low and they were almost at the levels in singleton pregnancy. When intrauterine fetal death occurred after week 36 of pregnancy (n = 3), both hormone levels remained normal until term. Thus human placental lactogen rather than estriol is a good indicator of intrauterine growth retardation in twin pregnancy. Both human placental lactogen and estriol are useful for the monitoring of the surviving fetus in the case of single intrauterine fetal death.

One-hundred and fourteen patients who underwent IVF treatment were asked about their smoking habits. Their rhodanide (SCN) concentrations were then estimated in serum and follicular fluid. SCN has been identified as an indicator for the amount of cigarettes smoked. The IVF outcome of non-smokers was compared with that of the smokers and no significant differences of fertilization rate and pregnancy rate between the two groups were found, but the SCN concentrations in serum and follicular fluid were increased in smokers (P less than 0.05). The effect of cigarette smoke toxins was perhaps not observable because other factors influencing the IVF treatment could possibly overlap with the influence of these particular toxins.