AN ANAL FISSURE is ai1 ulcer of t h e a n a l canal which may extend from the anal verge to the dentate line. It is usually exquisitely painful, so the best treatment is that which is the most expedient but also provides negli#ble recurrence and minimal disability of anal function. Lateral subcutaneous internal anal sphincterotomy best fulfills these criteria and we strongly recommend it as the...

BACKGROUND It is unknown which proctological position is most embarrassing to patients. METHODS Individuals consecutively referred to our outpatient clinic in order to determine the causes of anal and/or abdominal complaints were randomized to complete an unvalidated six-item questionnaire which asked for their preferred proctologic positioning either before or after a proctological examinati...

We reveal that the gel to fluid phase transition causes spherical membrane vesicles to release a finite number of molecules in several consecutive and localized events. By locally melting Giant Unilamellar lipid Vesicles (GUVs), using an optically trapped gold nanoparticle (AuNP) as a local heat source, we establish a local phase transition on the spherical GUV membrane clearly visualized using...