Matching excellence: Oxford Nanopore Technologies' rise to parity with Pacific Biosciences in genome reconstruction of non-model bacterium with high G+C content.

The reconstruction of complete bacterial genomes is essential for microbial research, offering insights into genetic content, ontology and regulation. While Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) provides high-quality genomes, its cost remains a limitation. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) offers long reads at a lower cost, yet its error rate raises scepticism.

The effect of altruism on COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Background: After the emergence of the first vaccines against the COVID-19, public health authorities have promoted mass vaccination in order to achieve herd immunity and reduce the effects of the disease. Vaccination rates have differed between countries, depending on supply (availability of resources) and demand (altruism and resistance to vaccination) factors.

Methods: This work considers the hypothesis that individuals' health altruism has been an important factor to explain the different levels of vaccination between countries, using the number of transplants as a proxy for altruism.

Applying the economic concept of profitability to leaves.

Economic principles can be extended to biological organisms as they optimize the use of resources, but their use in biology has been limited. We applied concepts from traditional economics to the main production unit of plants, the leaf. We quantified the profitability (profit/cost of investment) of leaves from seven biomes worldwide and compared those to the profitability of companies.

Endorectal Advancement Flap With Muscular Plication in Anovaginal and Anterior Perineal Fistulas.

Purpose: Endorectal mucosal advancement flap with muscular plication can ensure complete closure of anovaginal fistulas and preserve continence. The aim of this retrospective study was to show indications might be broadened to include anoperineal fistulas.

Methods: This retrospective study gathered all available data from patients with anovaginal or anterior perineal fistulas who underwent transanal advancement flap repair with muscular plication.

Increased Long-term Risk of Anal Fistula After Proctologic Surgery: A Case-Control Study.

Purpose: Anal fistula is a common condition in proctology, usually requiring surgical treatment. Few risk factors have been clearly identified based on solid evidence. Our research objective was to determine whether history of anal surgery was a risk factor for subsequent anal fistula.

Early Detection of Anal High-Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion: Do We Have an Impact on Progression to Invasive Anal Carcinoma?

Objective: Anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) may precede invasive cancer and can be detected clinically or during high-resolution anoscopy (HRA). The aims of this study were to compare the characteristics of HSIL discovered by HRA or in a surgical specimen without clinically visible lesion when diagnosed versus macroscopic HSIL when first diagnosed and then to compare their progression to invasive cancer.

Patients And Methods: Clinical records of all patients with at least one HSIL lesion confirmed by histology and evaluated by HRA in a single center between September 1, 2009, and April 30, 2017, were retrospectively reviewed.

[Anorectal manifestations in systemic diseases].

Numerous systemic diseases (vasculitis, connective tissue disease or sarcoidosis) can display an involvement of the perianal skin, the rectum and/or the anus. Such knowledge is important in order to treat these complications specifically when possible. Lesions of the anorectum arising from systemic diseases can sometimes cause perforations in the peritoneal cavity (if concerning the higher portion of the rectum) and/or fistulization to the anal margin.

Diagnosis and Management of a Cryptoglandular Actinomycotic Fistula-in-Ano: An Update on 7 New Cases and a Review of the Literature.

Purpose: Primary anal actinomycosis of cryptoglandular origin, a rare cause of anal suppurative disease, requires specific management to be cured. The aims of this retrospective study were to describe clinical, morphological, and microbiological features of this entity and to evaluate management practices for new cases observed since 2001.

Methods: This was a retrospective case series conducted at the Diaconesses-Croix Saint-Simon Hospital in Paris.

Sacral Nerve Stimulation for Fecal Incontinence: How Long Should the Test Phase Be?

Background: Decision-making for pulse generator implantation for sacral nerve stimulation in the management of fecal incontinence is based on the results of a test phase. Its duration is still a matter of debate.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an early positive response during the test phase could predict implantation of a permanent sacral nerve pulse generator.

A two-stage approach to genetic risk assessment in primary care.

Genetic risk prediction models such as BRCAPRO are used routinely in genetic counseling for identification of potential BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. They require extensive information on the counselee and her family history, and thus are not practical for primary care. To address this gap, we develop and test a two-stage approach to genetic risk assessment by balancing the tradeoff between the amount of information used and accuracy achieved.

Particular aspects of proctology for anoperineal lesions in Crohn's disease.

All practitioners caring for patients with Crohn's disease (CD) must know all the various aspects of anoperineal lesions in this singular entity. Suppuration in CD does not follow the classic routes and spaces of diffusion and is often associated with endolumenal lesions that can evolve on their own. Abscesses and fistulas require specific medico-surgical management where seton drainage, staged operative and sphincter-sparing procedures have a dominant place.

Which lesions should be biopsied during high-resolution anoscopy? Prospective descriptive study of simple morphological criteria.

Objective: High-resolution anoscopy (HRA) is a useful screening tool for anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN), although reputedly challenging for interpretation of suspected lesions.

Materials And Methods: All consecutive patients who underwent biopsies for at least 1 lesion suspicious for AIN during HRA from November 2010 to March 2012 were prospectively included. The characteristics (borders, staining with acetic acid and Lugol iodine solution, and patterns of epithelium and vascularization) of the lesions detected during HRA were compared with histology.

Simplifying clinical use of the genetic risk prediction model BRCAPRO.

Health care providers need simple tools to identify patients at genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Genetic risk prediction models such as BRCAPRO could fill this gap if incorporated into Electronic Medical Records or other Health Information Technology solutions. However, BRCAPRO requires potentially extensive information on the counselee and her family history.

A consistent decomposition of the redistributive, vertical, and horizontal effects of health care finance by factor components.

In studies on the redistributive, vertical, and horizontal effects of health care financing, the sum of the contributions calculated for each financial instrument does not equal the total effects. As a consequence, the final calculations tend to be overestimated or underestimated. The solution proposed here involves the adaptation of the Shapley value to achieve additive results for all the effects and reveals the relative contributions of different instruments to the change of whole-system equity.

Value of cytologic Papanicolaou smears and polymerase chain reaction screening for human papillomavirus DNA in detecting anal intraepithelial neoplasia: comparison with histology of a surgical sample.

Background: The performance of cytologic screening and its correlation with histology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA have not been evaluated in populations with a low prevalence of anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN). The objective of the current study was to analyze the significance of abnormal smears relative to the histology and PCR detection of HPV DNA.

Methods: A cytologic smear and a viral sample were taken in 300 consecutive patients undergoing surgery (Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy and/or fissurectomy) who gave their informed consent.

Horseshoe tract of anal fistula: bad luck or an avoidable extension? Lessons from 82 cases.

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of horseshoe tract formation in anal fistula.

Method: We retrospectively analysed the data from all consecutive patients who underwent surgery for an anal fistula from November 2004 to March 2011. A horseshoe tract was defined as a circumferential extension connecting both sides of the anorectum.

Evaluation of the role of the puborectal part of the levator ani muscle in anal incontinence: a prospective study of 78 female patients with anal incontinence.

Background: Anal incontinence is most often linked with sphincter rupture and/or stretching the pudendal nerves.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the involvement of the puborectal part of the levator ani muscle in anal incontinence.

Patients And Main Outcome Measures: Seventy-eight female patients were studied by anorectal manometry, 3-dimensional ultrasound examination, and concentric needle electromyography of the external anal sphincter, puborectal muscle, and bulbocavernous muscles, completing with the evaluation of the pudendal nerve terminal motor latencies.

Cryptoglandular anal fistula.

Fistula arising from the glands of the anal crypts is the most common form of anoperineal sepsis. It is characterized by a primary internal orifice in the anal canal, a fistulous tract, and an abscess and/or secondary perineal orifice with purulent discharge. Antibiotics are not curative.

Endorectal advancement flap with muscular plication: a modified technique for rectovaginal fistula repair.

Aim: Endorectal advancement flap is the most used treatment for acquired rectovaginal fistula but is liable to failure. We describe our experience with a modified technique.

Method: Patients were included who had an acquired rectovaginal fistula.