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Aims: Enumeration of resistant bacteria in ultra-high temperature (UHT) treated milk; morphological characterization and phenotyping of resistant strains by traditional and nontraditional methods and their identification by molecular biology. Methods and Results: Modified standard plate count agar (PCA) and modified brain-heart infusion (BHI) agar were used for colony counts. Physiological culture traits were determined as suggested by Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology or in modified J-broth or in modified BHI agar. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for microscopic examination. Strain identification was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 125 (62AE81% of 199) samples were positive and the bacterial load was higher than 10 5 CFU ml )1 in 46 samples (28AE80% of 125). The 16S rRNA sequence of bacterial cultures obtained from UHT-treated milk was similar to that of Bacillus sporothermodurans M215 type strain (T) and different biotypes were found by analysis of colony appearance, cell morphology and physiological traits. Conclusions: Bacillus sporothermodurans was the predominant sporigenous micro-organisms in UHT milk. Significance and Impact of the Study: BHI agar is more suitable than PCA for quality control of milk after UHT treatment. Modified J-broth medium is useful to determine selected physiological traits of B. sporothermodurans. The strains characterized and identified as B. sporothermodurans were significantly different compared with the type strain.

The crystallization of 2,2′-(5,5′-(ethyne-1,2-diyl)bis-(thiophene-5,2-diyl))bis (5-hexyl-4H-thieno[2,3-c]pyrrole-4,6(5H)dione), hereafter NTA, in different solvents and/or conditions yielded the identification of five different polymorphs which are characterized by impressive differences in their photophysical behavior. Phase I, phase II, phase III, and phase IV are characterized by a yellow, green, red, and orange emission under illumination with 365 nm light. The crystal structures of phase II and III were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Phase II is characterized by the elongated molecules that lie parallel to each other in layers and hence by the presence of a long axis in the cell parameters. The two thienoimide−thiophene systems do not lie in the same plane which is consistent with the higher energy emission. In phase III, the NTA molecules pile up and form columns with strong π−π interactions. The packing is consistent with the presence of red emission and the absence of a long axis in the cell parameters. The thermal characterization revealed that phase I, II, and III converts into phase IV, which, upon melting, recrystallizes in the elusive phase V. Quantum-chemical studies were carried out to investigate optical and charge transport properties. Promising charge transport properties with a dominant n-type character were predicted; however, the role of internal conformational disorder could influence the efficiency of charge transport.

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The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how in Genoa, one of the greatest cities in which the new baroque culture rose, from the beginning and until the end of the 17 th century, the Metamorfosi's book written by Anguillara was used both as a model by literates for their baroque rhetorical composition and by painters as a more comprehensible and "modern" source of the "Antico" for their works of art. As one of the most important sources of the Pagan mythological tradition and at the centre of the interest of great erudites as Francesco Petrarca and Giovanni Boccaccio during the 14 th century, the Metamorphosis written by Ovid were one of the most read books in the Western Europe during the 15 th , 16 th and 17 th centuries. Nevertheless, the text by Ovid, read today by scholars, is probably not the text widespread in all courts, palaces, villas, and painters' workshops between the 16 th and 17 th century. In fact, as well demonstrated by Guthmuller in several papers, the original Latin text was quite often replaced since the 14 th century by different versions translating the text into the vernacular language. Especially during the 16 th century, on the long wave of the success achieved by Ludovico Ariosto's and Torquato Tasso's epic poems, the text by Ovid was rewritten by some Italian authors, such as Giovanni di Bonsignori, Giovanni Antonio Rusconi or Lodovico Dolce [5, pp. 23-56]. All of these versions, especially Rusconi's one, were reprinted in a lot of editions and sold in a large number of copies all around Europe, but the most important rewriting of the Metamorphosis by Ovid, still used during all the 18 th century and the principal source for mythological themes, is the one published in Venice in 1561 by Giovanni Andrea dell' Anguillara [5, pp. 129-147]. Anguillara's model is clearly Ariosto's poetry, not only concerning stylistic choices but, as we will see, even in respect to the narrative plot of the mythological events [5, pp. 88-98; 14, pp. 276-293]. Considering that the Anguillara's Metamorphosis fame was quite a global phenomenon, it could be very interesting to search for the consequences of this important model in a delimited area, applying some limits in time and space to the research. Coming from seventy years of wellness and growth in richness, power, arts, and culture, the Republic of Genoa represents the ideal place in which new ideas of renovation can grow freely (even due to the particular form of government) into the hand of a communitas studiorum composed by aristocrats, literates, and painters.

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RIASSUNTONel presente lavoro viene riportata la nostra casistica di 5 anni sul trattamento chirurgico delle fratture periprotesiche. Secondo la classificazione di Vancouver, più della metà dei casi era tipo B con stelo protesico mobilizzato, in cui è stato necessario procedere a reimpianto con stelo lungo e cerchiaggi. Sorprendente è stata la percentuale di rifratture, con necessità di ricorrere anche ad un terzo reimpianto. Si tratta in ogni caso di una chirurgia molto complessa, in cui bisogna tener conto, per una corretta indicazione ed un buon planning pre-operatorio, oltre che della sede della frattura anche della qualità ossea e dell'aspettativa di vita dei pazienti. INTRODUZIONELe fratture periprotesiche stanno diventando un problema di frequente riscontro nella pratica clinica del chirurgo ortopedico. L'incidenza è aumentata negli ultimi 10 anni, arrivando ad interessare l'1% dei casi nei primi impianti fino al 6% dei casi nella chirurgia di revisione [2]. Il numero delle fratture periprotesiche è in costante crescendo a causa dell'incremento del numero di pazienti protesizzati, dell'aumento dell'età media della popolazione con una maggior esposizione al rischio di frattura, e dell'aumentata attività dei pazienti stessi a causa della diminuzione dell'età media di intervento con richieste funzionali sempre maggiori [4]. Per una corretta valutazione diagnostica, prognostica e terapeutica delle fratture periprotesiche, bisogna tener conto, oltre alla sede della frattura in rapporto alla protesi, anche della stabilità dell'impianto e della qualità dell'osso periprotesico [3]. In letteratura, la classificazione universalmente impiegata, in quanto corrispondente ai requisiti più corretti, è quella di Vancouver [5], secondo Duncan A.A.O.S. 1995, che divide le fratture in tre gruppi (Fig.1): • fratture a livello trocanterico; • fratture sullo stelo protesico: 1. ancoraggio stabile; 2. mobilizzazione: 2a. osso valido; 2b. osso di scarsa qualità meccanica; • fratture distali allo stelo protesico.Gli scopi del trattamento sono: portare a guarigione la frattura, ottenere una stabilità finale dell'impianto protesico, garantire al paziente un recupero funzionale precoce. Per una corretta indicazione, chirurgica o conservativa, dobbiamo tener conto di cinque fattori che condizionano l'intervento: sede della frattura, stabilità della protesi, qualità dell'osso, età e condizioni generali del paziente, esperienza del chirurgo [2]. MATERIALI E METODIRiportiamo la nostra casistica su 5 anni (dal 2003 al 2008 presso l'Ospedale degli Infermi di Biella, Torino e l'Ospedale S. Lazzaro di Alba, Cuneo). Sono stati trattati 28 pazienti, di cui 22 donne e 6 uomini, con un totale di 45 fratture. L'età media è risultata di 76,3 anni. Tutte le fratture erano post-traumatiche post-operatorie, non si è verificata nessuna frattura intra-operatoria. Il follow up medio è stato di circa 5 anni. Secondo la classificazione di Vancouver, abbiamo avuto 6 fratture tipo A (Fig. 2), 23 tipo B, di cui 7 stabili, 16 con stelo mobilizzato (di cui 6 co...