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In the ‘70s, the topic of nutrition started to have a prominent role in sociology as a new subject of study. Our meals have unattended consequences on all aspects of human and non-human life: it will be enough to think about the implications of the choice of a meal instead of another affecting the everyday lives of people and the environment. In this frame, the diffusion of veganism in the last two decades has drawn attention to the need for an analysis of its roots and to test the consequences on people’s everyday lives. Differently from what happens in developing countries, where a vast part of the population is vegetarian because of poverty, in industrial societies veganism has been voluntarily adopted also because of material conditions: industrialized and intensive agriculture, global market, capitalism. With the advent of modernity, the pluralisation of eating styles and diets multiplies this, allowing for the exploration and birth of alternative identities and lifestyles. For most people, to become vegan is a real “way of life”. The connection between veganism and its repercussions on the values and habits of the individuals appears evident: activism, political participation, critical consumption, self-production, the preference for organic agriculture are all practical tools by means of which social actors make themselves aware and responsible. Through their decisions, they can actively condition the internal dynamics of society and become drivers of change. Exploring a minority eating practice from a sociological point of view is necessary to reflect on the role human beings have taken in this world, but also to reason on the environmental, ethical and political dimensions. This new lifestyle integrates modernity but it also aims at re-founding it on different principles. A rethinking process of the relation between society and the natural environment and between humans and non-humans seems to be in progress.

OBJECTIVE: To study success and failure in the treatment of uncomplicated rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs). DESIGN: Nonrandomized, multicenter retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seventy-six surgeons from 48 countries spanning 5 continents provided information on the primary procedures for 7678 cases of RRDs including 4179 patients with uncomplicated RRDs. METHODS: Reported data included specific clinical findings, the method of repair, and the outcome after intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Final failure of retinal detachment repair (level 1 failure rate), remaining silicone oil at the study's conclusion (level 2 failure rate), and need for additional procedures to repair the detachment (level 3 failure rate). RESULTS: Four thousand one hundred seventy-nine uncomplicated cases of RRD were included. Combining phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic groups, those treated with scleral buckle alone (n = 1341) had a significantly lower final failure rate than those treated with vitrectomy, with or without a supplemental buckle (n = 2723; P = 0.04). In phakic patients, final failure rate was lower in the scleral buckle group compared with those who had vitrectomy, with or without a supplemental buckle (P = 0.028). In pseudophakic patients, the failure rate of the initial procedure was lower in the vitrectomy group compared with the scleral buckle group (P = 3×10(-8)). There was no statistically significant difference in failure rate between segmental (n = 721) and encircling (n = 351) buckles (P = 0.5). Those who underwent vitrectomy with a supplemental scleral buckle (n = 488) had an increased failure rate compared with those who underwent vitrectomy alone (n = 2235; P = 0.048). Pneumatic retinopexy was found to be comparable with scleral buckle when a retinal hole was present (P = 0.65), but not in cases with a flap tear (P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of uncomplicated phakic retinal detachments, repair using scleral buckle may be a good option. There was no significant difference between segmental versus 360-degree buckle. For pseudophakic uncomplicated retinal detachments, the surgeon should balance the risks and benefits of vitrectomy versus scleral buckle and keep in mind that the single-surgery reattachment rate may be higher with vitrectomy. However, if a vitrectomy is to be performed, these data suggest that a supplemental buckle is not helpful.

OBJECTIVE: To study the outcome of the treatment of complex rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRDs). DESIGN: Nonrandomized, multicenter, retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred seventy-six surgeons from 48 countries spanning 5 continents reported primary procedures for 7678 RRDs. METHODS: Reported data included clinical manifestations, the method of repair, and the outcome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Failure of retinal detachment repair (level 1 failure rate), remaining silicone oil at the study's conclusion (level 2 failure rate), and need for additional procedures to repair the detachments (level 3 failure rate). RESULTS: The main categories of complex retinal detachments evaluated in this investigation were: (1) grade B proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR; n = 917), (2) grade C-1 PVR (n = 637), (3) choroidal detachment or significant hypotony (n = 578), (4) large or giant retinal tears (n = 1167), and (5) macular holes (n = 153). In grade B PVR, the level 1 failure rate was higher when treated with a scleral buckle alone versus vitrectomy (P = 0.0017). In grade C-1 PVR, there was no statistically significant difference in the level 1 failure rate between those treated with vitrectomy, with or without scleral buckle, and those treated with scleral buckle alone (P = 0.7). Vitrectomy with a supplemental buckle had an increased failure rate compared with those who did not receive a buckle (P = 0.007). There was no statistically significant difference in level 1 failure rate between tamponade with gas versus silicone oil in patients with grade B or C-1 PVR. Cases with choroidal detachment or hypotony treated with vitrectomy had a significantly lower failure rate versus treatment with scleral buckle alone (P = 0.0015). Large or giant retinal tears treated with vitrectomy also had a significantly lower failure rate versus treatment with scleral buckle (P = 7×10(-8)). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with retinal detachment, when choroidal detachment, hypotony, a large tear, or a giant tear is present, vitrectomy is the procedure of choice. In retinal detachments with PVR, tamponade with either gas or silicone oil can be considered. If a vitrectomy is to be performed, these data suggest that a supplemental buckle may not be helpful. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Congenital or acquired hearing loss in infanthood has been associated with lifelong deficits in speech and language acquisition, poor school performances and emotional and social maladjustments. The identification of hearing loss through neonatal and infant life can prevent or reduce many of these adverse consequences, permitting early intervention.We performed the screening of hearing loss with a technical device, echo-screen Madsen, based on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE). The screening was carried out in 50 newborns during the 1st day of life and in 80 newborns during the 2nd day of life.The 2nd day of life showed a significant better stability of the test and a better symmetry (P0.001), and less incidence of artefacts (P0.001).The results obtained confirm that the 2nd day of life is the most appropriate time for the neonatal hearing assessment with TEOAE.

A case of mucosal leishmaniasis in a 60-year old hemodialysis patient who had never lived outside Italy is described. The patient complained of fever, epistaxis and nasal obstruction. An anterior rhinoscopy disclosed a mass of two centimetres in diameter in the right nasal fossa. Histological examination revealed Leishmania amastigotes. Serology for Leishmania was positive with antibody titer of 1/320. A culture yielded a very slow growth of Leishmania infantum MON-24. In spite of a two-month treatment with oral itraconazole, the lesions progressively worsened. Treatment with topical paromomycin sulfate determined the complete resolution of the lesions within four months, with a residual perforation of the septum. This case demonstrates that localization of Leishmania spp must be considered in the differential diagnosis of mucosal lesions in hemodialyzed patients, even in countries not at risk for this parasite. Moreover, this case indicates the important role of the immune system in the evolution of the disease.

A partire dalla fine degli anni Settanta del ‘900, il tema dell'alimentazione comincia a ricoprire un ruolo di preminenza nel panorama delle discipline sociologiche come nuova ed inesplorata materia di studio. Basti pensare ai risvolti che la scelta di una pietanza piuttosto che un'altra determina sull'esperienza quotidiana dei soggetti, sull'ambiente, sulla natura. Ogni qualvolta una persona decida di nutrirsi di una mela, ad esempio, si trova immersa in una rete di azioni “ecologiche” che hanno permesso la realizzazione del suo atto. Compiendo una simile scelta, l'attore sociale si vede partecipe di realtà geografiche, percorsi storici, economie e contesti culturali differenti. La società edifica le proprie strutture interne e il suo universo simbolico anche per mezzo della dimensione culinaria: il cibo crea le comunità, le plasma, ne consolida i confini o li rende labili, dando origine a punti di contatto o di separazione mediante la pratica di rituali, l'adozione di tabù o in conseguenza dell'evoluzione di gusti e preferenze definiti dalla comunità. A tavola è riproposta la struttura della società: ogni pasto e i modi del suo consumo sono simbolo di precisi rapporti sociali e funzionano come sistema di classificazione o discriminazione in base al ceto, all’etnia, al genere, alle possibilità economiche. Inoltre, la qualità del cibo possiede un valore comunicativo: avere la possibilità di nutrirsi di un certo genere alimentare non solo manifesta l'appartenenza a un gruppo, ma denota un'identità sociale alla quale è associato un determinato status. È interessante notare che, sebbene in presenza di un’ampia scelta di cibi commestibili, ogni cultura definisce uno specifico sottoinsieme di alimenti atto ad essere consumato. Quando in un gruppo si opera la distinzione tra ciò che è commestibile e ciò che non lo è, l’alimento viene investito di un valore simbolico che trascende i gusti soggettivi. La necessità biologica di mangiare si trova così a fare i conti con il sistema di valori entro cui è inserita. Appare a questo punto ragionevole affermare che mangiare costituisce un (f)atto sociale: quando si impugnano le posate, si comunica da che parte si sta rispetto agli altri esseri umani, agli animali, alla natura e, non da ultimo, all’economia. Biografia, cultura, cibo, pratiche e società sono dunque aspetti interdipendenti di una fitta rete di relazioni che esige di essere sottoposta ad un'analisi critica. In questa cornice è possibile volgere lo sguardo verso lo sviluppo e la diffusione di un fenomeno nuovo: il veganismo e lo stile di vita ad esso associato. La veloce espansione della cultura vegan degli ultimi due decenni, ha portato all’attenzione la necessità di analizzare le radici su cui essa pone le proprie fondamenta e quella di verificare quali sono le conseguenze di una simile condotta sulla vita quotidiana degli individui. Gli attori sociali si trovano sempre più spesso a confrontarsi su un tema così controverso perché esso assume importanza dal punto di vista politico, economico oltre che sociale. Lo stile di vita vegan costituisce una parte integrante della modernità ma opera per rifondarla su altri principi. Esso mira a diventare lo strumento concreto attraverso cui operare una diffusa riflessione e problematizzazione del rapporto che lega l’essere umano alla natura, agli animali e al suo prossimo. Poste queste premesse, nel corso della ricerca si intende esaminare e comprendere in che modo le prassi, le attività, gli usi e le concezioni che accompagnano gli individui lungo il corso della loro esistenza ne vengano condizionati e come il cambiamento di abitudini eventualmente esercitato sia percepito ed esperito dagli individui stessi. Si vaglieranno le motivazioni che conducono ad effettuare una simile scelta di vita e come questa possa influire su valori, identità e sulle consuetudini degli attori sociali durante la loro vita quotidiana. In the ‘70s, the topic of nutrition started to have a prominent role in Sociology as a new subject of study. Our meals have unattended consequences on all aspects of human and non-human life: it will be enough to think about the implications of the choice of a meal instead of another affecting the lives of people and the environment. In this frame, the diffusion of veganism in the last two decades has drawn attention to the need for an analysis. Exploring a minority eating practice is necessary to reflect on the role human beings have taken in this world, but also to reason on the ethical and political dimensions. The foundation of this article is the reflection on the relationship we have with animal otherness. What directs our focus is the perspective of the adoption of veganism as a driving force that leads social actors to question what is “taken for granted” and the capability of individuals to build their new identity and networks. Food strongly affects social relations: it will suffice to think about the tension rising when we find someone who eats in a different way from ours, or how a particular eating style can condition the choice of friends, partners and, sometimes, job. Vegans literally embody the resistance to the assertiveness of meatist culture. Vegans also lead to a reflection on the consumption of animals: they promote new meanings of food and of the relationship between humans and animals, making man closer to compassion and empathy. Boycotting the production of “capitalistic misery” by means of micro-political actions vegans implement, means to found a new order. The meaning of vegan ethics is associated with the rejection of the speciesist privilege and the construction of new habits, to collaboration and participation, to the shaping of new, empathy-based society.