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Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are the most common subtypes of the heterogeneous group of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). With the expansion of the biologic treatment landscape, new treatment options have become available in recent years, most notably the C-C chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4)-directed monoclonal antibody mogamulizumab. Based on the phase III pivotal trial, mogamulizumab is recommended by the German S2k guidelines for the second-line treatment of stage IB and above SS and MF, after at least one prior systemic therapy. Since then, new insights on safety and efficacy of mogamulizumab were generated by post hoc analyses and real-world evidence. A panel of CTCL-experts discussed available literature and own experiences and developed relevant recommendations on the use of mogamulizumab in clinical practice in Germany. The recommendations cover patient criteria, prior therapies, use of mogamulizumab as monotherapy or combination therapy, management of side effects, duration of therapy, and monitoring schedules. The aim of these clinical recommendations is to support healthcare professionals in their decision-making and use of mogamulizumab in daily practice., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft.)

Due to technical roadblocks, it is unclear how visual circuits represent multiple features or how behaviorally relevant representations are selected for long-term memory. Here we developed Moculus, a head-mounted virtual reality platform for mice that covers the entire visual field, and allows binocular depth perception and full visual immersion. This controllable environment, with three-dimensional (3D) corridors and 3D objects, in combination with 3D acousto-optical imaging, affords rapid visual learning and the uncovering of circuit substrates in one measurement session. Both the control and reinforcement-associated visual cue coding neuronal assemblies are transiently expanded by reinforcement feedback to near-saturation levels. This increases computational capability and allows competition among assemblies that encode behaviorally relevant information. The coding assemblies form partially orthogonal and overlapping clusters centered around hub cells with higher and earlier ramp-like responses, as well as locally increased functional connectivity., Competing Interests: Competing interests: G.D., B.R. and G.S. are inventors on patent PCT/HU2020/050029. B.R. is a founder of Femtonics and a member of its scientific advisory board. The remaining authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives: Patients with cutaneous lymphomas (CL) are at an increased risk of developing secondary malignancies. This study aimed to assess the frequency of association between CL and Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and to identify factors that may promote the co-occurrence of these two diseases., Patients and Methods: On January 25, 2024, we conducted a systematic search of four electronic medical databases to identify all published cases of KS associated with CL. The clinical course and outcomes of these patients were summarized. For critical appraisal, we applied the JBI Checklist for Case Reports. The study was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42022313204)., Results: A total of 40 articles reporting on 45 patients were assessed for eligibility. We included 27 cases in the final analysis (26 cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, 1 cutaneous B-cell lymphoma). In 71% of cases, the diagnosis of CL preceded KS. Nearly half (48%) of the patients had erythrodermic mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome. KS lesions were predominantly limited to the skin, with complete remission achieved in 53% of cases., Conclusions: The association between KS and CL is rare, limiting our study due to the small sample size and potential reporting bias. Skin-targeted therapies, a restricted T-cell repertoire, and impaired T-cell responses in erythrodermic CTCL patients may contribute to the development of KS., (© 2025 The Author(s). Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft.)

The number of primary cutaneous lymphoma patients receiving low-dose radiotherapy is increasing, though controlled clinical trials defining the standard radiation dose for each specific entity have not yet been completed. Radiation oncologists are left with making highly individualized decisions that would be better enriched by additional clinical evidence. In this expert opinion, we aim to provide a clear recommendation to improve the current practice of radiation oncology. In addition, existing literature has been reviewed to develop recommendations for all types of primary cutaneous lymphoma. A prospective trial is urgently needed to identify the factors influencing patient outcomes following different radiation doses., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Khaled Elsayad: received consulting and lecture fees from Kyowa Kirin and Gilead Sciences. Franz Trautinger: received consulting and lecture fees from Kyowa Kirin, Recordati Rare Diseases and Takeda. Maxime Battistella: received consulting and lecture fees from Kyowa Kirin, Innate Pharma, and Takeda. All remaining authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Traditionally, Sezary syndrome (SS) has been associated with few therapeutic options and poor prognosis, with 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS) less than one-third in historical cohorts. However, newer therapies and combinations are associated with impressive time-to-next-treatment (TTNT), particularly allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (AlloSCT) and combination therapies notably those including extracorporeal photopheresis. In this multicentre, international study, we explored the prognostic outcomes of 178 patients exclusively managed for SS, diagnosed between 2012 and 2020, and treated in the modern therapeutic era. In this cohort, 58 different therapies were delivered, with 13.5% of patients receiving AlloSCT. Long-term survival exceeded historical reports with 5-year DSS and OS of 56.4% and 53.4% respectively. In those receiving AlloSCT, prognosis was excellent: 5-year DSS and OS were 90.5% and 78.0% respectively. Confirming the results from the Cutaneous Lymphoma International Consortium (CLIC), LDH and LCT had significant prognostic impact. Unlike earlier studies, stage did not have prognostic impact; we speculate that greater relative benefit favours patients with extensive lymphomatous nodal disease (Stage IVA2) compared to historical reports. For patients ineligible for AlloSCT, the prognosis remains relatively poor (5-year DSS 51.4% and OS 49.6%), representing ongoing unmet needs for more effective novel agents and investigation of improved therapeutic combinations., (© 2024 The Author(s). British Journal of Haematology published by British Society for Haematology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Interferon-alpha is an important therapeutic option for the treatment of the cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). Since the approved recombinant interferon-α-2a (IFN-α2a) has no longer been produced since January 2020, pegylated interferon-α2a (pegIFN-α2a) can be used as an alternative treatment, even though it is not approved for the treatment of CTCL. The aim of this multicentre study was to generate comprehensive data on the efficacy and tolerability of pegIFN-α2a in the treatment of CTCL., Patients and Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted with 70 patients with CTCL from twelve German skin centers., Results: In total, 70 patients were included in the study, with 57.2% male and a mean age of 58.8 ± 14.9 years. Mycosis fungoides was present in 71.4% of cases and Sézary Syndrome in 28.6%. An overall response rate of 55.2% was observed with pegIFNα-2a therapy. In 50% of cases, therapy was discontinued after 63.6 ± 33.5 weeks. The most common reason for discontinuation was adverse events, which occurred in 68.6% of cases and which were classified as severe in 29.2%. Blood count changes, fatigue and liver toxicity occurred most frequently., Conclusions: Our analysis provides comprehensive data on the efficacy and tolerability of pegIFNα-2a therapy in patients with CTCL. In terms of response rates and side effect profile, pegIFNα-2a appears to be comparable to IFN-α2a therapy., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH on behalf of Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft.)

In 1997 rituximab, a genetically engineered chimeric monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting CD20 expressed on B cells was approved for treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Since then, pharmacological improvements combined with increased knowledge on the immunopathogenesis of diseases led to the development of specific mAb targeting different antigens (e.g., interleukins or transmembrane receptors). This approach reshaped the therapeutic methodology in many fields, including dermatology. Nowadays, the treatment of frequent and possibly impairing inflammatory disorders such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis or hidradenitis suppurativa have different mAbs approved for both adult and pediatric patients. This class of drugs often shows a more favorable outcome and a better safety profile than routine immunosuppressants, such as steroids and steroid-sparing substances. For many years mAbs also represented a pillar of oncological treatment for severe diseases such as malignant melanoma or Merkel cell carcinoma. This review summarizes the current knowledge on already approved and promising new mAbs for the treatment of inflammatory and oncological skin diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Sézary syndrome is an extremely rare and fatal cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Mogamulizumab, an anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody, has recently been associated with increased progression-free survival in a randomized clinical trial in CTCL. We aimed to evaluate OS and prognostic factors in Sézary syndrome, including treatment with mogamulizumab, in a real-life setting., Methods: Data from patients with Sézary (ISCL/EORTC stage IV) and pre-Sézary (stage IIIB) syndrome diagnosed from 2000 to 2020 were obtained from 24 centers in Europe. Age, disease stage, plasma lactate dehydrogenases levels, blood eosinophilia at diagnosis, large-cell transformation and treatment received were analyzed in a multivariable Cox proportional hazard ratio model. This study has been registered in ClinicalTrials (SURPASSe01 study: NCT05206045)., Findings: Three hundred and thirty-nine patients were included (58% men, median age at diagnosis of 70 years, Q1-Q3, 61-79): 33 pre-Sézary (9.7% of 339), 296 Sézary syndrome (87.3%), of whom 10 (2.9%) had large-cell transformation. One hundred and ten patients received mogamulizumab. Median follow-up was 58 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 53-68). OS was 46.5% (95% CI, 40.6%-53.3%) at 5 years. Multivariable analysis showed that age ≥ 80 versus <50 (HR: 4.9, 95% CI, 2.1-11.2, p = 0.001), and large-cell transformation (HR: 2.8, 95% CI, 1.6-5.1, p = 0.001) were independent and significant factors associated with reduced OS. Mogamulizumab treatment was significantly associated with decreased mortality (HR: 0.34, 95% CI, 0.15-0.80, p = 0.013)., Interpretation: Treatment with mogamulizumab was significantly and independently associated with decreased mortality in Sézary syndrome., Funding: French Society of Dermatology, Swiss National Science Foundation (IZLIZ3&#95;200253/1) and SKINTEGRITY.CH collaborative research program., Competing Interests: AdM declares nonfinancial support from Kyowa Kirin and Recordati Rare Diseases; fees from Takeda, Almirall and Recordati Rare Diseases, and research funding, outside the scope of this study, from Kyowa Kirin, Innate Pharma, Almirall and Takeda. MB declares consultant fees from Innate Pharma, Kyowa Kirin, Takeda, BMS, Sanofi, Quantum Genomics, and research funding from Kyowa Kirin and Takeda, outside the scope of this study. SM declares consultant fees outside the scope of this study, from Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, Novartis and Biocartis, and has received research funding from BMS, Novartis and Roche. NF declares having received nonfinancial support from Kyowa Kirin. PS received a research grant from Pierre Fabre, fees unrelated to this manuscript from Bristol-Myers Squibb, MSD, Merck-Serono, Pfizer, Roche-Genentech, Pierre Fabre, and Novartis; received nonfinancial support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, MSD, Roche-Genentech, Pierre Fabre, and Novartis outside of the scope of this study. MBB declares consultant fees from Kyowa Kirin, Takeda and Recordati and research funding from Kyowa Kirin and Almirall outside the scope of this study. HMT declares consultant fees outside from the scope of this study from Innate Pharma, and has received research funding, outside the scope of this study, from Kyowa Kirin. SIHO consultant fees outside the scope of this study from Takeda and Recordati. GD declares consultant fees outside of the scope of this study from Kyowa Kirin and Recordati. EG declares consultant fees and/or grant support from Mallinckrodt, Helsinn, Takeda, Novartis and Kyowa Kirin unrelated to this work. FG declares consultant fees from Recordati and Kyowa Kirin, outside from the scope of this study. GQ declares consultant fees from Takeda, Recordati and Kyowa Kirin, outside the scope of this study. CM declares nonfinancial support from MSD, Pfizer, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pierre Fabre, Leo Pharma, Sanofi Aventis, Jannsen Cilag outside of the scope of this study. SB declares having received nonfinancial support from Kyowa Kirin and Recordati. MBag declares consulting fees from Kyowa Kirin, Takeda, Recordati. HB declares consultant fees from Kyowa Kirin. EH declares consultant fees outside the scope of this study from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Takeda, Sanofi, Jannsen Cilag, Blueprint Medicines, AbbVie and nonfinancial support from Kyowa Kirin, MSD, UCB Pharma, Novartis, Almirall, Pierre Fabre. The other authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Ramadan fasting has seen increased attention in research, often with inconsistent findings. This study aims to investigate whether dietary and lifestyle modifications during Ramadan can improve well-being and health in healthy adult Muslims., Method: A randomised controlled trial with two parallel groups was conducted in an outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Essen, Germany, in 2016. Healthy adult Muslims (n = 114) aged 18-60 years were randomised to a modified fasting group; i.e., they received educational material prompting dietary and lifestyle modifications pre-Ramadan, and a control group who undertook Ramadan fasting as usual. Primary outcome was quality of life (WHO-5 Well-Being Index). Secondary outcomes included sleep quality, spirituality, and mindfulness (all self-report), body weight, body mass index, body fat, waist circumference, hip circumference, blood pressure, and heart rate, as well as blood serum biomarkers. Safety was examined via adverse events., Results: The modified fasting group reported significantly higher quality of life (WHO-5) compared to the control after Ramadan (MD 5.9; 95% CI, 0.02-11.8; p < 0.05). Group differences in favour of the modified fasting were also found for satisfaction with health (MD 5.9, 95% CI 0.19-11.67), ease of life (MD 4.1, 95% CI 0.38-7.80) and mindfulness (MD 7.6, 95% CI 2.68-12.52), reductions in weight (MD, - 0.9 kg; 95% CI - 1.39 to - 0.42), BMI (MD - 0.3 kg/m 2 , 95% CI - 0.50 to - 0.15), hip circumference (MD - 0.3 kg/m 2 , 95% CI - 0.50 to - 0.15), and diastolic blood pressure (MD - 2.8 mmHg, 95% CI - 5.15 to - 0.43). About 60% of participants reported adverse events, mostly headaches/migraines, dizziness/fatigue, common cold, and gastrointestinal symptoms, with no group differences. One serious non-related adverse event each occurred in both groups., Conclusion: Pre-Ramadan dietary and lifestyle advice can lead to short-term improvements in mental and physical well-being of adult Muslims observing Ramadan. As such, this study demonstrates the potential benefits of culturally appropriate health interventions in a religious context., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT02775175)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Neck reflex points or Adler-Langer points are commonly used in neural therapy to detect so-called interference fields. Chronic irritations or inflammations in the sinuses, teeth, tonsils, or ears are supposed to induce tension and tenderness of the soft tissues and short muscles in the upper cervical spine. The individual treatment strategy is based on the results of diagnostic Adler-Langer point palpation. This study investigated the inter- and intra-rater reliability and explored treatment effects., Methods: We performed a randomized controlled trial with 104 inpatients (80.8% female, 51.8 ± 12.74 years) of a German department for internal and integrative medicine. Patients were randomized to individual neural therapy according to the pathological findings (n = 48) or no treatment (n = 56). In each patient, three experienced raters (20-45 years of experience in neural therapy) and two novice raters (medical students) rated Adler-Langer points rigidity on a standardized rating scale ("strong," "weak," "none"). The patients independently evaluated the tenderness on palpation of the eight points using the same scale. Pressure pain thresholds were assessed at the eight Adler-Langer points. All patients were retested after 30 min. The five raters were blinded to treatment allocation and assessments of the other raters. Video recordings were obtained to assess the consistency of the areas tested by the different raters., Results: Agreement between patients and raters (Cohen's kappa = 0.161-0.400) and inter-rater reliability were low (Fleiss kappa = 0.132-0.150). Moreover, the individual agreement (pre-post comparisons in untreated patients) was similarly low even in experienced raters (Cohen's kappa = 0.099-0.173). Video documentation suggests that raters do not place their fingers in the correct segments (percentage of correct position: 42.0-60.6%). Pressure pain thresholds at five of the eight Adler-Langer points showed significant changes after treatment compared to none in the control group., Conclusion: Under this artificial experimental setting, this method of Adler-Langer point palpation has not proven to be a reliable diagnostic tool. But it could be shown that, as claimed by the method, the tenderness in five of eight Adler-Langer points decreased after neural therapy., (© 2024 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Visual virtual reality (VR) systems for head-fixed mice offer advantages over real-world studies for investigating the neural circuitry underlying behavior. However, current VR approaches do not fully cover the visual field of view of mice, do not stereoscopically illuminate the binocular zone, and leave the lab frame visible. To overcome these limitations, we developed iMRSIV (Miniature Rodent Stereo Illumination VR)-VR goggles for mice. Our system is compact, separately illuminates each eye for stereo vision, and provides each eye with an ∼180° field of view, thus excluding the lab frame while accommodating saccades. Mice using iMRSIV while navigating engaged in virtual behaviors more quickly than in a current monitor-based system and displayed freezing and fleeing reactions to overhead looming stimulation. Using iMRSIV with two-photon functional imaging, we found large populations of hippocampal place cells during virtual navigation, global remapping during environment changes, and unique responses of place cell ensembles to overhead looming stimulation., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests D.P. and G.D. are on a patent related to this work: “Virtual reality simulator and method for small experimental animals” HU1900400A1., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Despite increasing availability of therapies, patients with Sezary syndrome (SS) commonly endure multi-line treatment journeys, mostly with partial responses of short duration. Measuring clinical benefit is challenging; time-to-next-treatment (TTNT) provides a robust, objective measurement of efficacy. This international observational study examines patterns of clinical care and therapeutic benefit as measured by TTNT. TTNT was calculated for monotherapies and combination therapies, with consideration to treatment line. 178 patients with SS (73% de novo, 27% secondary) were included, receiving 721 lines of systemic therapy, with median follow-up of 56.9 months. Across all lines, 58 different therapeutic regimens were prescribed (54 were systemic therapies) and classified into 17 treatment groups. The most common first-line treatments were extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP)-containing combination therapy (20%) and retinoid monotherapy (19%). Median TTNT for all first-line therapies was short (5.4 months). First-line, combination therapies had longer median TTNT than monotherapies, 10.0 vs 5.0 months (P = .004), respectively. Later delivery of combination therapies was associated with shorter clinical benefit, with median TTNT reduced to 6.2 and 2.2 months for mid-line (2nd-4th line) and late-line (≥5th line), respectively (P < .001). First-line ECP-containing treatments were associated with longer median TTNT than non-ECP-containing treatments, 9.0 vs 4.9 months (P = .007). For both ECP-monotherapy and ECP-containing combination therapy, significant reductions in TTNT were seen in later lines. These data suggest therapeutic benefit from first-line delivery of combination therapy for SS and favor early inclusion of ECP in the treatment algorithm for those who can access it., (© 2023 by The American Society of Hematology. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.)

Background: Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCL) are rare skin tumors of lymphoproliferative neoplasms and belong to the heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. PCL encompass a broad spectrum of clinical and histologic manifestations, with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) being the most common (73%). Due to the rarity of the diseases, population-based studies of care and epidemiology are limited., Patients and Methods: Based on anonymized, age- and sex-adjusted SHI (statutory health insurance) claims data of approximately five million SHI-insured patients, a retrospective analysis was conducted over a six-year period (2012-2017) to determine the prevalence, incidence, and lethality in patients with mature-cell T/NK-cell lymphoma in Germany., Results: A total of 1,336 patients with T-cell lymphoma were identified during the observation period. The six-year prevalence ranged from 27.35 to 43.58 per 100,000. Patients were 65% male with a mean age of 66 years (SD 15). There were 246 patients (approx. 20%) who died within the 6 years, up to 7% per year. The calculated incidence in 153 identified patients in 2017 is 3.65 to 3.92 per 100,000., Conclusions: For the first time, valid epidemiologic findings of patients with mature T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas were obtained using SHI claims data in Germany. Further analyses are needed to gain a deeper insight into the healthcare reality of patients with this rare disease., (© 2023 Kyowa Kirin Gmbh and The Authors. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Arterial hypertension is a major public health issue. Non-pharmacological approaches like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) might be a promising addition to conventional therapy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the effects of MBSR on systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among individuals with prehypertension or hypertension. We searched Medline/PubMed, Scopus and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from their inception until August 1st 2021. RCTs were included that compared MBSR to any control intervention in participants with diagnosed prehypertension (120-139/80-89 mmHg) or hypertension (≥140/≥90 mmHg). Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Risk of Bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. Seven RCTs with 429 participants were included. Very low quality of evidence was found for positive effects of MBSR on SBP (MD = -11.26 mmHg, 95%CI = -20.24 to -2.29, p = 0.01) but no evidence for effects on DBP levels (MD = -3.62 mmHg, 95%CI = -8.52 to 1.29, p = 0.15) compared to waitlist control. Compared to active control, very low quality of evidence was found for positive effects on DBP (MD = -5.51 mmHg, 95%CI = -10.93 to -0.09, p = 0.05) but no effects on SBP levels (MD = -4.33 mmHg, 95%CI = -12.04 to 3.38, p = 0.27). Overall, the studies showed a high degree of heterogeneity. The effects found were robust against selection, detection, and attrition bias. Only one RCT reported safety data. MBSR may be an option for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension to hypertension. More and larger high-quality studies are needed to substantiate our findings., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Our research group developed a novel nano-pitted (NP) TiO 2 surface on grade 2 titanium that showed good mechanical, osteogenic, and antibacterial properties; however, it showed weak hydrophilicity. Our objective was to develop a surface treatment method to enhance the hydrophilicity of the NP TiO 2 surface without the destruction of the nano-topography. The effects of dilute and concentrated orthophosphoric (H 3 PO 4 ) and nitric acids were investigated on wettability using contact angle measurement. Optical profilometry and atomic force microscopy were used for surface roughness measurement. The chemical composition of the TiO 2 surface and the oxidation state of Ti was investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ccH 3 PO 4 treatment significantly increased the wettability of the NP TiO 2 surfaces (30°) compared to the untreated control (88°). The quantity of the absorbed phosphorus significantly increased following ccH 3 PO 4 treatment compared to the control and caused the oxidation state of titanium to decrease (Ti 4+ → Ti 3+ ). Owing to its simplicity and robustness the presented surface treatment method may be utilized in the industrial-scale manufacturing of titanium implants.

Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are epidermotropic cutaneous lymphomas, and both of them are rare diseases. Mycosis fungoides is the most frequent primary cutaneous lymphoma. In about 25% of patients with mycosis fungoides, the disease may progress to higher stages. The pathogenesis and risk factors of progression in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are not yet fully understood. Previous works have investigated inter- and intrapatient tumor cell heterogeneity. Here, we overview the role of the tumor microenvironment of mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome by describing its key components and functions. Emphasis is put on the role of the microenvironment in promoting tumor growth or antitumor immune response, as well as possible therapeutic targets. We focus on recent advances in the field and point out treatment-related alterations of the microenvironment. Deciphering the tumor microenvironment may help to develop strategies that lead to long-term disease control and cure.

The adsorption technique is widely used in water purification, and its efficiency can be significantly improved by target-specific adsorbent design. Research on iodine and its ion removal from water has attracted a great deal of interest due to increased concentrations in the environment and acute toxic effects, e.g., in human thyroid cells. In this work, the iodide removal performance of two high-surface-area resorcinol-formaldehyde-based carbon aerogels was studied under acidic conditions. The BET surface area was 790 m 2 /g (RF&#95;ac) and 375 m 2 /g (RMF-GO), with a corresponding micropore ratio of 36 and 26%, respectively. Both aerogels showed outstanding adsorption capacity, exceeding the reported performance of other carbons and Ag-doped materials. Owing to its basic nature, the RMF-GO carbon aerogel showed higher I - capacity, up to 97 mg/g, than the acidic RF&#95;ac, which reached a capacity of 82 mg/g. The surface chemistry of the aerogels also played a distinct role in the removal. In terms of kinetics, RF&#95;ac removed 60% of the iodide ions and RMF-GO 30% within 8 h. The removal kinetics was of the first order, with a half-life of 1.94 and 1.70 h, respectively., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Primary cutaneous T‑cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of rare diseases. Patients often suffer from visible, severely pruritic skin lesions, infections, relapses, and their life expectancy may be reduced. Under current therapies, long-lasting, complete remission is rare. However, new treatment approaches and combination therapies are changing the future. Here, we provide an overview on this topic., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Lifestyle interventions can have a positive impact on quality of life and psychological parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this randomized controlled trial, 145 participants with MetS (62.8% women; 59.7 ± 9.3 years) were randomized to (1) 5-day fasting followed by 10 weeks of lifestyle modification (F + LM; modified DASH diet, exercise, mindfulness; n = 73) or (2) 10 weeks of lifestyle modification only (LM; n = 72). Outcomes were assessed at weeks 0, 1, 12, and 24, and included quality of life (Short-Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire, SF-36), anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), stress (Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, CPSS), mood (Profile of Mood States, POMS), self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy Scale, GSE), mindfulness (Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, MAAS), and self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale, SCS). At week 1, POMS depression and fatigue scores were significantly lower in F + LM compared to LM. At week 12, most self-report outcomes improved in both groups-only POMS vigor was significantly higher in F + LM than in LM. Most of the beneficial effects within the groups persisted at week 24. Fasting can induce mood-modulating effects in the short term. LM induced several positive effects on quality of life and psychological parameters in patients with MetS.

Background: Lifestyle interventions, such as fasting, diet, and exercise, are increasingly used as a treatment option for patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). This study assesses the efficacy and safety of fasting followed by lifestyle modification in patients with MS compared to lifestyle modification only., Methods: Single-blind, multicenter, parallel, randomized controlled trial in two German tertiary referral hospitals in metropolitan areas., Interventions: (a) 5-day fasting followed by 10 weeks of lifestyle modification (modified DASH diet, exercise, mindfulness; n = 73); (b) 10 weeks of lifestyle modification only ( n = 72)., Main Outcomes and Measures: Co-primary outcomes were ambulatory systolic blood pressure and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index at week 12. Further outcomes included anthropometric, laboratory parameters, and the PROCAM score at weeks 1, 12, and 24., Results: A total of 145 patients with metabolic syndrome (62.8% women; 59.7 ± 9.3 years) were included. No significant group differences occurred for the co-primary outcomes at week 12. However, compared to lifestyle modification only, fasting significantly reduced HOMA index (Δ = -0.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.7, -0.1), diastolic blood pressure (Δ = -4.8; 95% CI = -5.5, -4.1), BMI (Δ = -1.7; 95% CI = -2.0, -1.4), weight (Δ = -1.7; 95% CI = -2.0, -1.4), waist circumference (Δ = -2.6; 95% CI = -5.0, -0.2), glucose (Δ = -10.3; 95% CI = -19.0, -1.6), insulin (Δ = -2.9; 95% CI = -5.3, -0.4), HbA1c (Δ = -0.2; 95% CI = -0.4, -0.05;), triglycerides (Δ = -48.9; 95% CI = -81.0, -16.9), IL-6 (Δ = -1.2; 95% CI = -2.5, -0.005), and the 10-year risk of acute coronary events (Δ = -4.9; 95% CI = -9.5, -0.4) after week 1. Fasting increased uric acid levels (Δ = 1.0; 95% CI = 0.1, 1.9) and slightly reduced eGRF (Δ = -11.9; 95% CI = -21.8, -2.0). Group differences at week 24 were found for weight (Δ = -2, 7; 95% CI = -4.8, -0.5), BMI (Δ = -1.0; 95% CI = -1.8, -0.3), glucose (Δ = -7.7; 95% CI = -13.5, -1.8), HDL (Δ = 5.1; 95% CI = 1.5, 8.8), and CRP (Δ = 0.2; 95% CI = 0.03, 0.4). No serious adverse events occurred., Conclusions: A beneficial effect at week 24 was found on weight; fasting also induced various positive short-term effects in patients with MS. Fasting can thus be considered a treatment for initializing lifestyle modification for this patient group; however, it remains to be investigated whether and how the multilayered effects of fasting can be maintained in the medium and longer term.

Background: Acupuncture is frequently used to treat the side effects of cancer treatment, but the safety of this intervention remains uncertain. The current meta-analysis was conducted to assess the safety of acupuncture in oncological patients., Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus databases were searched from their inception to August 7, 2020. Randomized controlled trials in oncological patients comparing invasive acupuncture with sham acupuncture, treatment as usual (TAU), or any other active control were eligible. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study characteristics and adverse events (AEs). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool., Results: Of 4590 screened articles, 65 were included in the analyses. The authors observed that acupuncture was not associated an with increased risk of intervention-related AEs, nonserious AEs, serious AEs, or dropout because of AEs compared with sham acupuncture and an active control. Compared with TAU, acupuncture was not associated with an increased risk of intervention-related AEs, serious AEs, or drop out because of AEs but was associated with an increased risk for nonserious AEs (odds ratio, 3.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-13.35; P = .03). However, the increased risk of nonserious AEs compared with TAU was not robust against selection bias. The meta-analyses may have been biased because of the insufficient reporting of AEs in the original randomized controlled trials., Conclusions: The current review indicates that acupuncture is as safe as sham acupuncture and active controls in oncological patients. The authors recommend researchers heed the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) safety and harm extension for reporting to capture the side effects and better investigate the risk profile of acupuncture in oncology., Lay Summary: According to this analysis, acupuncture is a safe therapy for the treatment of patients with cancer. Acupuncture seems to be safe compared with sham acupuncture and active controls., (© 2022 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Cancer Society.)

Cutaneous involvement of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) has a wide range of manifestations including a lichenoid form with a currently assumed mixed Th1/Th17 signature and a sclerotic form with Th1 signature. Despite substantial heterogeneity of innate and adaptive immune cells recruited to the skin and of the different clinical manifestations, treatment depends mainly on the severity of the skin involvement and relies on systemic, high-dose glucocorticoids alone or in combination with a calcineurin inhibitor. We performed the first study using RNA sequencing to profile and compare the transcriptome of lichen planus cGVHD (n = 8), morphea cGVHD (n = 5), and healthy controls (n = 6). Our findings revealed shared and unique inflammatory pathways to each cGVHD subtype that are both pathogenic and targetable. In particular, the deregulation of IFN signaling pathway was strongly associated with cutaneous cGVHD, whereas the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 pathway was found to be specific of lichen planus and likely contributes to its pathogenesis. The results were confirmed at a protein level by performing immunohistochemistry staining and at a transcriptomic level using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction., (© 2022 by The American Society of Hematology. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), permitting only noncommercial, nonderivative use with attribution. All other rights reserved.)