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As soil fungi are major players in the carbon accumulation process, the two main fungal degraders in topsoil, Ascomycetes and Basidiomycetes, were investigated as indicators of land use effectiveness in increasing soil carbon accumulation and soil function. The study focused on the soil organic carbon content increase in a 20-year short rotation forest cycle with broadleaf woody plantations compared to a nearby arable cropping system. Total fungi, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota, were quantified in terms of DNA copy number, with specific probes using SYBR® Green I dye on the QuantStudio™ 3D digital PCR system (dPCR). Previously, next generation sequencing analysis using a general primer confirmed that Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the most represented phyla and that fungal community composition significantly differed between treatments. A range of key soil enzyme activities for the C-cycle were also assessed. Total organic carbon content (TOC), microbial biomass in term of dsDNA and enzyme activities significantly increased in woody plantations compared to arable soil. The TOC increase differed significantly also between wood species, Salix and Robina gave the greatest increase (+30 and 20 % respectively), followed by Populus (+12), microbial biomass highly correlated with TOC showing the same trend. Total fungi, Ascomycota and Basidiomycota increased significantly in three woody plantations compared to the arable soil system. Ascomycota in the woody plantations increased two to four times (average 3144 n copies µl−1 of DNA) compared to the arable soil (1419 n copies µl−1); Basidiomycota were almost absent in arable soil (av. 94n copies µl−1) and increased five to six times in woody plantations (av. 490 n copies µl−1). Total fungi and ascomycetes correlated strongly with microbial biomass and TOC, whereas basidiomycetes did not. These findings showed that Ascomycota represent the largest portion of fungi in agricultural soils even after a 20-years short rotation forest cycle and they can be taken as indicators of carbon accumulation processes. Therefore, this study suggests that joining the Ascomycetes quantity in the topsoil to the Ascomycota:Basidiomycota ratio seems a good option when setting regional strategies for improving C accrual in farmland with the short-term afforestation.

Deadwood is one of the main terrestrial carbon (C) pools and its decomposition is fundamental in biogeochemical cycles. As fungi are the main wood degraders, a study was carried out on deadwood-colonising fungal community changes as a function of host plants and wood degradation. Deadwood fungal communities were investigated in adjacent woody plantations of hybrid poplar, willow and black locust established in the early 2000 s and abandoned for fifteen years. Lying deadwood was estimated in the three plantations and wood decay (WD) visually assessed using a 3-class scale. Fungal colonization of wood samples was assessed using culture-based methods and identified with morphological and molecular features. Wood colonising fungal communities differed in composition both between host plants and WD classes (P

A 81-year-old male patient presented macroscopic hematuria. Flexible cystoscopy didn't give any diagnosis and urinary citology was negative. Total body CT showed a bladder inguinal hernia with diffuse thickening of the bladder wall, while abdomen bladder was regular.Diagnosis was difficult because flexible cystoscope could not reach the lesion, preventing diagnosis and bladder resection. We decided to reduce inguinal hernia surgically and perform a partial cystectomy removing the suspect neoplastic part of the bladder. Histologic examination showed muscle invasive squamous cell carcinoma with negative margins. After two years follow up, patient was free from bladder cancer, without any significative LUTS.

A 65-year-old male patient presented a large mass of the left kidney and a concomitant saccular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) of the infrarenal aorta. Due to the particular vascularization of the right kidney in order to allow an endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR), a hybrid staged repair was planned. Through a median laparotomy, a left radical nephrectomy and an ilio-renal bypass were performed, thus creating the anatomical feasibility for subsequent EVAR. Two days later the AAA was excluded by positioning of an abdominal straight stent graft. This original surgical strategy showed to be effective and reduced invasiveness of traditional approach.