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E Bernardini

Publications and source records attributed to E Bernardini.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Limits on the high-energy gamma and neutrino fluxes from the SGR 1806-20 giant flare of 27 December 2004 with the AMANDA-II detector.

On 27 December 2004, a giant gamma flare from the Soft Gamma-Ray Repeater 1806-20 saturated many satellite gamma-ray detectors, being the brightest transient event ever observed in the Galaxy. AMANDA-II was used to search for down-going muons indicative of high-energy gammas and/or neutrinos from this object. The data revealed no significant signal, so upper limits (at 90% C.L.) on the normalization constant were set: 0.05(0.5) TeV-1 m;{-2} s;{-1} for gamma=-1.47 (-2) in the gamma flux and 0.4(6.1) TeV-1 m;{-2} s;{-1} for gamma=-1.47 (-2) in the high-energy neutrino flux.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Search for extraterrestrial point sources of neutrinos with AMANDA-II.

We present the results of a search for point sources of high-energy neutrinos in the northern hemisphere using AMANDA-II data collected in the year 2000. Included are flux limits on several active-galactic-nuclei blazars, microquasars, magnetars, and other candidate neutrino sources. A search for excesses above a random background of cosmic-ray-induced atmospheric neutrinos and misreconstructed downgoing cosmic-ray muons reveals no statistically significant neutrino point sources. We show that AMANDA-II has achieved the sensitivity required to probe known TeV gamma-ray sources such as the blazar Markarian 501 in its 1997 flaring state at a level where neutrino and gamma-ray fluxes are equal.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Limits on diffuse fluxes of high energy extraterrestrial neutrinos with the AMANDA-B10 detector.

Data from the AMANDA-B10 detector taken during the austral winter of 1997 have been searched for a diffuse flux of high energy extraterrestrial muon neutrinos. This search yielded no excess events above those expected from background atmospheric neutrinos, leading to upper limits on the extraterrestrial neutrino flux measured at the earth. For an assumed E-2 spectrum, a 90% classical confidence level upper limit has been placed at a level E2Phi(E)=8.4 x 10(-7) cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) GeV (for a predominant neutrino energy range 6-1000 TeV), which is the most restrictive bound placed by any neutrino detector. Some specific predicted model spectra are excluded. Interpreting these limits in terms of the flux from a cosmological distributions of sources requires the incorporation of neutrino oscillations, typically weakening the limits by a factor of 2.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Cellular toxicity of N-substituted 2,2'-dicarboxamidodiphenyldisulphides with high antimicrobial activity.

In the present paper we evaluate the cellular toxicity of some N-substituted 2,2'-dicarboxamidodiphenyldisulphides with high antimicrobial activities, in view of their potential application in humans or animals. The toxicological studies have been conducted in the murine cell line of 3T3 fibroblasts as eucaryotic cellular model. Our results have allowed the identification of a series of derivatives exhibiting antimicrobial activity and low cellular toxicity. Structure-cytotoxic activity relationships are also discussed.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1997

Effect of lacidipine on cholesterol esterification: in vivo and in vitro studies.

1. Cholesterol esterification and accumulation in the arterial wall is a hallmark of atherogenesis. Several preclinical studies suggest that calcium antagonists may exert antiatherosclerotic activity by directly affecting atherogenesis in the arterial wall. We investigated the effect of the second generation dihydropyridine calcium antagonist lacidipine on cholesterol metabolism in vivo in the aortic arch of cholesterol fed rabbits, and in vitro in mouse cultured peritoneal macrophages. 2. Treatment of cholesterol-fed rabbits with 1, 3 and 10 mg kg-1 day-1 of lacidipine for two months reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, cholesterol esterification in the aortic arch: 24 +/- 6, 30 +/- 12, and 41 +/- 8% inhibition, respectively (P < 0.001 vs HC control). Concomitantly, drug treatment reduced total cholesterol content of the vessel wall. Lacidipine 3 and 10 mg kg-1 day-1 reduced cholesterolaemia (approximately 20%); no effect was observed at the lowest dose used (1 mg kg-1 day-1). These results suggest that the action of lacidipine on cholesterol esterification in the arterial wall involves, at least in part, a direct effect on cellular cholesterol metabolism. Inhibition of cholesterol esterification in the arterial wall was observed also in a reference group of animals treated with the specific ACAT inhibitor CI-976. 3. To evaluate the action of lacidipine on intracellular cholesterol metabolism we performed in vitro experiments with murine macrophages, the main cell type that accumulates cholesterol in the arterial wall. Lacidipine almost completely inhibited cholesterol esterification in cholesterol loaded macrophages in culture. The effect was observed independently of esterification stimuli and in cell free homogenates. The drug modified intracellular cholesterol distribution, doubling the free- to esterified sterol ratio, but did not influence the cellular rate of cholesteryl ester hydrolysis in the cell. All together these results indicate an inhibitory effect of lacidipine on cholesterol esterification catalyzed by the enzyme ACAT in murine macrophages. 4. We concluded that lacidipine influences cellular cholesterol metabolism. This effect may contribute to the potential antiatherosclerotic activity of this drug.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4 (the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome) with reference to the neurological and electroencephalographic aspects].

We describe a case of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (partial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 4). The syndrome is characterized by mental and growth retardation and characteristic facial dysmorphism. The fetus was karyotyped for severe intrauterine growth retardation diagnosed on routine ultrasound. High resolution chromosomal analysis of infant and parents showed "de novo" deletion. Very interesting in our case are ictal phenomena and neurological development.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Lateral cervical metastases from unknown primary].

The authors report their experience about cervical metastasis of unknown primitive neoplasms. Epidemiology, histological type and topography are exposed. Primaries which are responsible, in a high incidence, of the preceding cervical localizations are described. Diagnostic iter, non-invasive/low-price clinical and instrumental procedures, advanced endoscopic and radiologic procedures are discussed. 64 patients were treated. Only in one case we could diagnose the primitive site of the neoplasm with non-invasive procedures. The other cases (63 patients) underwent the excision-biopsy of the cervical nodes. In 52 cases we have been able to define the primitive site of the neoplasm. 11 patients, in which the primary was unknown, underwent the radiotherapy of the cervical nodes and the eventual primitive "foci"; we had no survival, on the average, after six months for the diffuse dissemination of the neoplastic disease.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Tuberculous meningitis. A case with severe ocular complications].

Tuberculosis in the world is the mean cause of death from single infectious agent. It is reported increase not only in underdeveloped countries but in developed too. Tuberculosis meningitis is a very serious form of tuberculosis. Outcome in tuberculosis meningitis is associated with the stage of the disease at presentation. When the child at presentation is extremely ill with coma the completely recovery is seen only in about 20% of cases. In our case patient had severe ocular complications: optochiasmatic tuberculomas. It is difficult recognize the two forms of tuberculomas intra- and perichiasmatic even with RNM. The good response at intrathecal therapy with recovery of the visus proves the perichiamsatic localitation of tuberculomas.

Antitubercular Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus: a case report].

The authors present the case of a primitive small cell esophageal carcinoma. It is a rare and biologically aggressive neoplasm which occurs mainly in the elder male. The case observed concerns a 69 year old female treated with surgical therapy consisting in esophagectomy and intrathoracic esophagealgastrictype plasty. Diagnostic problems either histological or immunohistochemical and the choice of the following treatment are discussed. The cases of patients treated in other Surgical or Oncological centers are reported. Therapeutic orientation adopted by our group is stressed. In this case we have chosen surgical therapy because a sure diagnosis come be given only on the base of the attent histological examination of the entire specimen (endoscopic biopsies are not sufficient); survival data reported are in favour of surgical treatment where secondary metastases are not evident in the respect of antiblastic therapy and/or radiotherapy. Neoplastic recurrence occurred ten months after and a metallic endoscopic esophageal prothesis was positioned. The patient died 1 year after surgery by mediastinal syndrome.

Aged↗