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Summary Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are lifelong disorders in which an interaction between genetic and environmental factors is involved. IBDs include two entities: Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC); these can be adequately diagnosed and distinguished with a correct methodological approach based on communicating exhaustive clinical, endoscopic and laboratory information to the pathologist and performing adequate bioptic sampling and precise morphological signs including crypt architecture, distribution of inflammation and granulomas, when present. IBD needs to be distinguished from non-IBD colitis, mostly at its onset. Moreover, IBDs are associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal adenocarcinoma. In daily pathological practice, correct diagnosis of IBD and its subclassification as well as a correct detection of dysplasia is imperative to establish the best therapeutic approach.

Objective To facilitate development of novel disease-modifying therapies for lysosomal storage disorder (LSDs) characterized by nervous system involvement such as metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), molecular markers for monitoring disease progression and therapeutic response are needed. To this end, we sought to identify blood transcripts associated with the progression of MLD. Methods Genome-wide expression analysis was performed in primary T lymphocytes of 24 patients with MLD compared to 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Genes associated with MLD were identified, confirmed on a quantitative polymerase chain reaction platform, and replicated in an independent patient cohort. mRNA and protein expression of the prioritized gene family of metallothioneins was evaluated in postmortem patient brains and in mouse models representing 6 other LSDs. Metallothionein expression during disease progression and in response to specific treatment was evaluated in 1 of the tested LSD mouse models. Finally, a set of in vitro studies was planned to dissect the biological functions exerted by this class of molecules. Results Metallothionein genes were significantly overexpressed in T lymphocytes and brain of patients with MLD and generally marked nervous tissue damage in the LSDs here evaluated. Overexpression of metallothioneins correlated with measures of disease progression in mice and patients, whereas their levels decreased in mice upon therapeutic treatment. In vitro studies indicated that metallothionein expression is regulated in response to oxidative stress and inflammation, which are biochemical hallmarks of lysosomal storage diseases. Interpretation Metallothioneins are potential markers of neurologic disease processes and treatment response in LSDs.

Summary Rationale: Calcidiol can be employed to correct vitamin D deficiency. Main results: Calcidiol administered at daily and weekly regimens over a period of 3 months was able to successfully raise 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels without altering other markers related to bone and mineral metabolism. Significance: Calcidiol supplementation is effective and safe. Introduction The correction of vitamin D status is necessary to maintain an optimal mineral and skeletal homeostasis. Despite cholecalciferol (vitamin D 3 ) is the most commonly used drug for vitamin D supplementation, the more hydrophilic compound calcidiol (25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 ) can be employed at daily, weekly, and monthly regimens to reach in the short term the target levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. In the administration of different doses of calcidiol pharmacokinetic study (ADDI-D study), the efficacy and safety of daily and weekly dosages of calcidiol were tested. Methods A total of 87 Caucasian, community-dwelling, postmenopausal women, aged 55 years or older, with vitamin D inadequacy (serum 25(OH)D levels <30 ng/ml, with mean 25(OH)D below 20 ng/ml, namely 16.5 ± 7.5 ng/ml) were randomized to receive three different dosages of calcidiol: 20 μg/day, 40 μg/day, and 125 μg/week for 3 months. The attained level of serum 25(OH)D was selected as primary endpoint to assess efficacy, while other parameters of mineral metabolism, (serum calcium, parathyroid hormone, phosphate, FGF23, urinary calcium, and markers of bone turnover) were assessed as secondary endpoints to establish safety. Results In all the three groups, serum 25(OH)D values significantly and promptly rose and plateaued above the 30 ng/ml threshold remaining within safety interval after 14 days of treatment, with similar efficacy for the similar daily and weekly dose regimens. The different dosages were also equally effective in controlling secondary hyperparathyroidism. No significant changes in calcium and phosphate metabolism and in bone turnover markers were observed for any of the treatments, confirming the safety of this compound. Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate the shortand mid-term efficacy and safety on core parameters of mineral metabolism of different daily or weekly dosages of calcidiol when used to treat vitamin D inadequacy or deficiency in postmenopausal women. Further studies are needed to assess falls as primary outcome of calcidiol supplementation.

358 Background: In resectable GAC/GEJAC, MSI status is associated with better survival and potential lack of benefit from chemotherapy. Given the high responsiveness of MSI tumors to immunotherapy, neoadjuvant or definitive dual CTLA-4/PD(L)-1 inhibition may allow omission of chemotherapy or surgery. Methods: INFINITY is a multicentre, single-arm, multi-cohort phase II trial (NCT04817826) investigating the activity and safety of tremelimumab+durvalumab as neoadjuvant (Cohort 1) or definitive (Cohort 2) treatment for MSI, mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) and EBV-negative resectable GAC/GEJAC. In Cohort 1, patients (pts) received a 12-week treatment with single high dose tremelimumab 300 mg and durvalumab 1500 mg q4 weeks (T300/D) for 3 cycles followed by surgery. The primary endpoint was pCR rate (ypT0N0) with negative ctDNA after T300/D. Secondary endpoints: disease-free survival, overall survival, quality of life. Exploratory: correlation of pCR with clinical variables, PDL-1 CPS assessed by IHC 22C3, tumor mutational burden (TMB) by Foundation One, liquid biopsies and other biomarkers. Cohort 2 investigates non operative management after same treatment regimen. Results: Overall, 18 pts with MSI/dMMR resectable cT2-4 any N GAC/GEJAC were recruited in Cohort 1. One withdrew consent and 2 achieved a complete clinical-pathological response at radiology and endoscopy (ongoing) and refused surgery. Among 15 evaluable patients, 1 had disease progression and 14 underwent resection. pCR rate was 60% (9/15) and major-complete pathological response (<10% viable cells) was 80%. All pts with pCR had negative ctDNA status pre-surgery. pCR rate was 1/6 (17%) in T4 vs 8/9 (89%) in T2-3 tumors (p=0.011), whereas no correlation was found with baseline N status. PDL-1 CPS was not associated with outcomes and TMB had a non-significant trend of correlation with pCR (median TMB 26 in non-pCR vs 40 in pCR group, p=0.2). Grade≥3 immune-related AEs occurred in 3 pts of safety population (n=18): colitis, pneumonitis, liver toxicity, all resolved with high dose steroids and did not impair surgery. Two pts died after surgery for other reasons than disease or AEs, whereas no disease relapses were observed in remaining pts. QoL and additional translational analyses on RNA-seq, digital spatial profiling and ctDNA monitoring will be presented. Conclusions: Pre-operative T300/D for 3 months was safe and provided promising proof of efficacy in MSI, dMMR GAC/GEJAC pts. These results open the way to investigate NOM in pts with clinical, pathological and molecular (ctDNA minimal residual disease) complete response after T300/D. Enrollment in Cohort 2 has started after IDMC evaluation and protocol. amendment to include only pts with cT2-3 tumors confirmed at staging laparoscopy. Clinical trial information: NCT04817826 .

Summary Celiac disease is a multi-factorial chronic inflammatory intestinal disease, characterized by malabsorption resulting from mucosal injury after ingestion of wheat gluten or related rye and barley proteins. Inappropriate T-cell-mediated immune response against ingested gluten in genetically predisposed people, leads to characteristic histological lesions, as villous atrophy and intraepithelial lymphocytosis. Nevertheless, celiac disease is a comprehensive diagnosis with clinical, serological and genetic characteristics integrated with histological features. Biopsy of duodenal mucosa remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of celiac disease with the recognition of the spectrum of histological changes and classification of mucosa damage based on updated Corazza-Villanacci system. Appropriate differential diagnosis evaluation and clinical context also for the diagnosis of complications is, moreover, needed for correct histological features interpretation and clinical management.

Segmental anatomy has been investigated on 54 pig livers by bench-top radiology and ultrasonography of hepatic and portal vessels and bile ducts and dissection of suprahepatic veins. Eight segments were recognized, homologous to those of the human liver. Major variations were found only of arterial distribution. The inferior vena cava invariably ran within the parenchyma of the right lobe and close to the liver hilum; suprahepatic veins were also entirely intraparenchymal. Therefore, the pig liver can easily be divided into two halves, but only the right one can be used for reduced-size grafting into a recipient.

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