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Background: The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) complex of the elbow plays a primary role in valgus and posteromedial stability of the elbow. The anterior oblique ligament (AOL) of the UCL is believed to provide the majority of resistance to external forces on the medial elbow. The transverse ligament (TL) of the UCL is generally thought to have minimal contribution to the elbow’s overall stability. However, recent studies have suggested a more significant role for the TL. The primary aim of this study was to identify the TL’s contribution to the stability of the elbow joint in determining the joint stiffness and neutral zone variation in internal rotation. Methods: Twelve cadaveric elbows, set at a 90° flexion angle, were tested by applying an internal rotational force on the humerus to generate a medial opening torque at the level of the elbow. The specimens were preconditioned with 10 cycles of humeral internal rotation with sinusoidal torque ranging from 0 to 5 Nm. Elbow stiffness measures and joint neutral zone were first evaluated in its integrity during a final ramp loading. The test was subsequently repeated after cutting the TL at 33%, 66%, and 100% followed by the AOL in the same fashion. Results: The native UCL complex joint stiffness to internal rotation measured 1.52 ± 0.51 Nm/°. The first observable change occurred with 33% sectioning of the AOL, with further sectioning of the AOL minimizing the joint stiffness to 1.26 ± 0.32 Nm/° (P = .004). A 33% resection of the TL found an initial neutral zone variation of 0.376 ± 0.23° that increased to 0.771 ± 0.41° (P

Biofertilizers based on plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are nowadays gaining increasingly attention as a modern tool for a more sustainable agriculture due to their ability in ameliorating root nutrient acquisition. For many years, most research was focused on the screening and characterization of PGPR functioning as nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) biofertilizers. However, with the increasing demand for food using far fewer chemical inputs, new investigations have been carried out to explore the potential use of such bacteria also as potassium (K), sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), or iron (Fe) biofertilizers. In this review, we update the use of PGPR as biofertilizers for a smarter and more sustainable crop production and deliberate the prospects of using microbiome engineering-based methods as potential tools to shed new light on the improvement of plant mineral nutrition. The current era of omics revolution has enabled the design of synthetic microbial communities (named SynComs), which are emerging as a promising tool that can allow the formulation of biofertilizers based on PGPR strains displaying multifarious and synergistic traits, thus leading to an increasingly efficient root acquisition of more than a single essential nutrient at the same time. Additionally, host-mediated microbiome engineering (HMME) leverages advanced omics techniques to reintroduce alleles coding for beneficial compounds, reinforcing positive plant-microbiome interactions and creating plants capable of producing their own biofertilizers. We also discusses the current use of PGPR-based biofertilizers and point out possible avenues of research for the future development of more efficient biofertilizers for a smarter and more precise crop fertilization. Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of PGPR-based biofertilizers in real field conditions, as their success in controlled experiments often contrasts with inconsistent field results. This discrepancy highlights the need for standardized protocols to ensure consistent application and reliable outcomes.

Abstract Background The release of organic acids (OAs) is considered the main mechanism used by phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) to dissolve inorganic phosphate in soil. Nevertheless, little is known about the effect of individual OAs produced by a particular PSB in a soil–plant system. For these reasons, the present work aimed at investigating the effect of Enterobacter sp. strain 15S and the exogenous application of its OAs on (i) the solubilization of tricalcium phosphate (TCP), (ii) plant growth and (iii) P nutrition of cucumber. To this purpose two independent experiments have been performed. Results In the first experiment, carried out in vitro, the phosphate solubilizing activity of Enterobacter 15S was associated with the release of citric, fumaric, ketoglutaric, malic, and oxalic acids. In the second experiment, cucumber plants were grown in a Leonard jar system consisting of a nutrient solution supplemented with the OAs previously identified in Enterobacter 15S (jar’s base) and a substrate supplemented with the insoluble TCP where cucumber plants were grown (jar’s top). The use of Enterobacter 15S and its secreted OAs proved to be efficient in the in situ TCP solubilization. In particular, the enhancement of the morpho-physiological traits of P-starved cucumber plants was evident when treated with Enterobacter 15S, oxalate, or citrate. The highest accumulation of P in roots and shoots induced by such treatments further corroborated this hypothesis. Conclusion In our study, the results presented suggest that organic acids released by Enterobacter 15S as well as the bacterium itself can enhance the P-acquisition by cucumber plants.

Background and Aim of the Work: Fractures of the femoral stem neck are a rare complication in hip prosthetic surgery, especially in non-modular components. The authors report a case associated with massive heterotopic ossifications, with the purpose to analyze risk factors and specific characteristics., Methods: A case of femoral monobloc stem neck rupture is described. A non-systematic literature review regarding risk factors for femoral stem neck fracture was conducted in the PubMed database., Results: We report the case of a 61-year-old male who underwent surgery to remove calcifications four years after THA. Four months later the patient reported acute pain in the left hip, arising after a combined movement of external rotation and axial load while standing on the left foot, in the absence of any prodromic symptom. On radiographs, a displaced fracture of the neck of the hip prosthesis was revealed, together with massive heterotopic ossifications. After THA revision the patient's symptoms were resolved., Conclusions: Prosthetic femoral neck fractures are a rare complication. We suggest that this case represents a unique type of fatigue rupture, where neck length and the presence of massive heterotopic calcifications contributed to flexion forces, resulting in failure in the midpoint of the neck.