Prevention of pathogen colonization of medical implants is a major medical and financial issue since infection by microorganisms constitutes one of the most serious complications after surgery or critical care. Immobilization of antimicrobial molecules on biomaterials surfaces is an efficient approach to prevent biofilm formation. To the best of our knowledge, we developed herein the first self-defensive coating against both bacteria and yeasts where the release of the antimicrobial peptide is triggered by enzymatic degradation of the film due to the pathogens themselves. Biocompatible and biodegradable polysaccharide multilayer films based on functionalized hyaluronic acid by cateslytin (CTL), an endogenous host-defensive antimicrobial peptide, and chitosan (HA-CTL-C/CHI) were deposited on a planar surface with the aim of designing both antibacterial and antifungal coating. After 24 h of incubation, HA-CTL-C/CHI films fully inhibit the development of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and Candida albicans yeasts, which are common and virulent pathogens agents encountered in care-associated diseases. Hyaluronidase, secreted by the pathogens, leads to the film degradation and the antimicrobial action of the peptide. Furthermore, the limited fibroblasts adhesion on HA-CTL-C/CHI films, without cytotoxicity, highlights a medically relevant application to prevent infections on catheters or tracheal tubes where fibrous tissue encapsulation is undesirable.

If not properly recognized, the normal postoperative appearance of the pelvis following colorectal surgery can be misinterpreted as disease, including infection or recurrent tumor. However, multidetector computed tomography (CT) with the supplemental use of multiplanar reformation clearly demonstrates the expected postoperative anatomic changes in this setting. The high-resolution images achievable with multidetector CT enable the radiologist to play an important role in the postoperative assessment of patients following colon surgery. Whenever possible, the radiologist should be aware of the specific indication for the study, the type of surgery that was performed (ranging from segmental bowel excision to more extensive radical resection), and what anastomoses were created. This knowledge, as well as familiarity with the normal multidetector CT appearances of various postoperative complications, is critical for prompt diagnosis and appropriate management of these complications and for better differentiation of complications from normal findings.

Background Heterotopic Ossification (HO) is a common condition referring to ectopic bone formation in soft tissues. It has two major etiologies, acquired (more common) and genetic. The acquired form is closely related to tissue trauma. The exact pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear; however, there is ongoing research in prophylactic and therapeutic treatments that is promising. Conclusions Due to HO potential to cause disability, it is so important to differentiate it from other causes in order to establish the best possible management.

New endogenous antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from chromogranin A (CgA) are secreted by nervous, endocrine and immune cells during stress. They display antimicrobial activities by lytic effects at micromolar range using a pore-forming mechanism against Gram-positive bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts. These AMPs can also penetrate quickly into neutrophils (without lytic effects), where, similarly to "cell penetrating peptides", they interact with cytoplasmic calmodulin, and induce calcium influx via Store Operated Channels therefore triggering neutrophils activation. Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteritis are bacteria responsible for severe infections. We investigated here the effects of S. aureus and S. enteritis bacterial proteases on CgA-derived peptides and evaluated their antimicrobial activities. We showed that the Glu-C protease produced by S. aureus V8 induces the loss of the AMPs antibacterial activities and produces new antifungal peptides. In addition, four antimicrobial CGA-derived peptides (chromofungin, procatestatin, human/bovine catestatin) are degraded when treated with bacterial supernatants from S. aureus and S. enteritis, whereas, cateslytin, the short active form of catestatin, resists to this degradation. Finally, we demonstrate that several antimicrobial CgA-derived peptides are able to act synergistically with antibiotics against bacteria and fungi indicating their roles in innate defense.