Unveiling optical signatures of outflows in accreting white dwarfs

Accreting white dwarfs are known to show signatures of wind-type outflows in the ultraviolet. At optical wavelengths, however, wind detections have only been reported for a few sources. We present GTC-10.4m optical spectroscopy of four accreting white dwarfs (BZ Cam, V751 Cyg, MV Lyr, and V425 Cas) observed during luminous epochs, when their optical emission is expected to be dominated by the accretion disc. We focused the analysis on four emission lines: H$\alpha$ and He I $\lambda$5876, $\lambda$6678, $\lambda$7065. Line profiles are complex and variable on short (minutes) and long (days to weeks) time scales, with transient absorption and emission components. Among them, we detect strong blue-shifted absorptions at $\gtrsim 1000$ km s$^{-1}$. These high-velocity components, present only in the blue wing of the emission lines, are observed in all four sources and could be associated with accretion disc winds. For MV Lyr and V425 Cas, these would represent the first detection of optical outflows in these objects, while in the case of BZ Cam and V751 Cyg, the presence of outflows has been previously reported. This study suggests that, in addition to ultraviolet winds, optical outflows might be also common in accreting white dwarfs. We discuss the observational properties of these winds and their possible similarity to those detected in accreting black holes and neutrons stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Urticaria : recommendations from the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology and the Italian Society of Allergological, Occupational and Environmental Dermatology

Background: Urticaria is a disorder affecting skin and mucosal tissues characterized by the occurrence of wheals, angioedema or both, the latter defining the urticaria-angioedema syndrome. It is estimated that 12-22% of the general population has suffered at least one subtype of urticaria during life, but only a small percentage (estimated at 7.6-16%) has acute urticaria, because it is usually self-limited and resolves spontaneously without requiring medical attention. This makes likely that its incidence is underestimated. The epidemiological data currently available on chronic urticaria in many cases are deeply discordant and not univocal, but a recent Italian study, based on the consultation of a national registry, reports a prevalence of chronic spontaneous urticaria of 0.02% to 0.4% and an incidence of 0.1-1.5 cases/1000 inhabitants/year. Methods: We reviewed the recent international guidelines about urticaria and we described a methodologic approach based on classification, pathophysiology, impact on quality of life, diagnosis and prognosis, differential diagnosis and management of all the types of urticaria. Conclusions: The aim of the present document from the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (SIAAIC) and the Italian Society of Allergological, Occupational and Environmental Dermatology (SIDAPA) is to provide updated information to all physicians involved in diagnosis and management of urticaria and angioedema

The impact of AGN outflows on the surface habitability of terrestrial planets in the Milky Way

It is well-known that active galactic nuclei (AGN) are accompanied by winds and outflows, some of which may reach weakly relativistic speeds of about $10$ percent the speed of light. Yet, in spite of their ubiquity, the impact of AGN outflows in modulating surface habitability of terrestrial planets on galactic scales, using the Milky Way as the basis for comparison, is poorly investigated and inadequately understood. In this work, we address this issue by focusing on two key mechanisms: AGN winds can heat atmospheres and drive atmospheric escape, as well as stimulate the formation of nitrogen oxides and thence cause ozone depletion. By developing simple models, we estimate the maximal distance up to which these deleterious effects are rendered significant for Earth-like planets in the Milky Way, and thereby demonstrate that this value may extend to $\lesssim 1$ kpc. In the case of quasars hosting larger supermassive black holes, such effects could actually influence the AGN host galaxy as a whole.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. Accepted in MNRA

Classical Kaposi’s sarcoma concurrent with ledipasvir-sofosbuvir therapy for hepatitis C infection

No abstract availabl

Mixedema pretibiale: case report

Il mixedema pretibiale rappresenta una manifestazione autoimmune del morbo di Graves e occasionalmente si può osservare anche in corso di tiroidite di Hashimoto. Di seguito descriviamo il caso di una donna di 62 anni affetta da malattia di Graves da circa venti anni che presentava dermopatia ed edema tibiale bilaterale da un anno. Le indagini radiologiche degli arti non mostravano alterazioni ossee e la biopsia cutanea documentava mixedema pretibiale

Association between autoimmune disease and cutaneous melanoma with regard to melanoma prognosis

BACKGROUND: An association between autoimmune disease and malignant melanoma (MM) has often been reported in the literature as a positive prognostic factor for MM. Consequently, we evaluated the influence of different autoimmune diseases on the prognosis of MM. AIM: To evaluate the prognosis of patients with MM who also had an autoimmune disorder, whether tumour-associated, paraneoplastic or drug-induced. METHODS: Autoimmune diseases were classified and analysed as tumour-associated, paraneoplastic or drug-induced. Patients were enrolled according to their clinicopathological features and matched with control groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), and log-rank test was used to evaluate differences between the survival curves. RESULTS: In total, 49 patients with MM and tumour-associated autoimmune disease were included in our analysis. No case of paraneoplastic autoimmune disease was detected. The survival analyses showed a range of results, from a worsening of DFS and OS to a lack of any difference. In a second analysis, we separately analysed patients who developed autoimmune disorders after starting adjuvant therapy with interferon-α; we did not find significant differences between these patients and the untreated patients. CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune disease, whether tumour-associated or drug-induced, was not associated with better prognosis in patients with MM. The results suggest that the reported relationship between autoimmunity and MM may be a result of individual variation in sensitivity to the autoimmune disease, the tumour or the treatments

Multicenter clinical trial on a permanent hair dye containing paratoluenediamine

BACKGROUND: Adverse reactions to hair dyes are frequent and usually caused by sensitization to paraphenylenediamine (PPD). The aim of the study was to evaluate the tolerability of a PPD-free permanent hair dye (Shine On, BioNike, Milan, Italy) containing paratoluenediamine (PTD) in a group of subjects sensitized to PPD. METHODS: The trial, which carried out at four dermatology centers, included subjects sensitized to PPD that turned out negative to patch testing to PTD. The subjects underwent to an open test consisting in the application of two hair dye colors of the product under examination. Finally, subjects who were negative upon the open test were offered to undergo the usage test with the dye, with dermatological evaluations carried out 48 and 96 hours after product application. RESULT S: Sixty subjects were enrolled. They underwent the open test with two shades of dyes: "color 1 - black," the dye color with the highest concentration of color intermediates, and "color 7.3 - golden blonde," the dye color with the highest number of chemically different color intermediates. No reactions occurred with "color 7.3 - golden blonde," while 3 cases (3 out of 60) showed erythema and edema reactions to color 1. The hair dye usage test was negative for all the 21 subjects that were enrolled. CONCLUSIONS: The hair dye evaluated in this study (Shine On, BioNike) can be a valid alternative for subjects sensitized to PPD

Urticaria: Recommendations from the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology and the Italian Society of Allergological, Occupational and Environmental Dermatology

Background: Urticaria is a disorder affecting skin and mucosal tissues characterized by the occurrence of wheals, angioedema or both, the latter defining the urticaria-angioedema syndrome. It is estimated that 12-22% of the general population has suffered at least one subtype of urticaria during life, but only a small percentage (estimated at 7.6-16%) has acute urticaria, because it is usually self-limited and resolves spontaneously without requiring medical attention. This makes likely that its incidence is underestimated. The epidemiological data currently available on chronic urticaria in many cases are deeply discordant and not univocal, but a recent Italian study, based on the consultation of a national registry, reports a prevalence of chronic spontaneous urticaria of 0.02% to 0.4% and an incidence of 0.1-1.5 cases/1000 inhabitants/year. Methods: We reviewed the recent international guidelines about urticaria and we described a methodologic approach based on classification, pathophysiology, impact on quality of life, diagnosis and prognosis, differential diagnosis and management of all the types of urticaria. Conclusions: The aim of the present document from the Italian Society of Allergology, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (SIAAIC) and the Italian Society of Allergological, Occupational and Environmental Dermatology (SIDAPA) is to provide updated information to all physicians involved in diagnosis and management of urticaria and angioedema