Rectal examination was guaiac-negative, and a complete blood coun

Rectal examination was guaiac-negative, and a complete blood count indicated leukocytosis with left shift. CT scan of abdomen showed a gastric dilatation, marked thickening of the anterior

wall and necrotic areas within. An exploratory upper laparotomy confirmed acute gastric dilatation and necrosis of the anterior surface of the stomach. A “sleeve” gastrectomy to ablate the necrotic area was selleck kinase inhibitor performed and a feeding jejunostomy. The gastric wall appeared very thin and totally necrotic upon macroscopic examination by the pathologist. No layers or structures were identifiable on histological examination, but numerous fungal yeasts were identified inside the necrotic areas with PAS and Gomori Silvermthenamina stains (Figure 1). Figure 1 Histological section. A) Very thin and totally necrotic gastric wall. B, C) Numerous fungal yeasts were present. PAS stain (A) ×100; (B) ×200; (C) BMN 673 datasheet ×400. Culture of the intra-operative surgical

specimen confirmed the presence of Candida albicans. Yeast isolates were identified to the species level by conventional morphological and biochemical methods, as previously reported [3, 7, 8]. The yeast isolate was susceptible to fluconazole and echinocandin, according to CLSI cut off values [9, 10]. It is noteworthy that blood cultures were negative. Echinocandin LEE011 molecular weight (70 mg on the first day, i.e., day 103, followed by 50 mg/day) was administered parenterally for a total of 14 days, followed by maintenance therapy with 400 mg of oral fluconazole per day. The patient was discharged in stable condition and antifungal therapy was continued in an outpatient setting. She has been doing well since then. Second case In January 2013, a 62 year-old woman of Italian origin and nationality with BMI of 35 kg/m2, presented to the general surgery and emergency unit of the “P. Giaccone” Teaching Hospital in Palermo, Italy, with complicated dipyridamole midline incisional hernia,

nausea, vomiting and abdominal distension. Her initial vital signs were notable for a temperature of 38°C, respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute, heart rate of 110 beats per minute and blood pressure of 90/60 mmHg. She was suffering from severe abdominal pain and breathing difficulties. On clinical examination, she presented a tender abdomen, ulcerated skin with associated necrosis and dry skin. Her past medical history showed three caesarean sections, treatment for arterial hypertension, COPD and a diagnosis of type II diabetes mellitus (DM) about 15 years previously, treated with insulin. Emergency surgery was required, and surgical exploration showed a congested, edematous and necrotic strangulated intestinal tract. The section of necrotic intestine was removed and ileo-ileostomy was performed. The surgery was successful, without additional complications, and an abdominal subcutaneous drain was inserted. The surgical specimen was sent to the Pathology Laboratory for histological examination.

The primary objective of the initial management of multiply injur

The primary objective of the initial management of multiply injured patients is survival. Selleck Stattic The acute management by “damage control” procedures will limit the extent of the operative and interventional

burden, and allow early patient transfer to the SICU, for full resuscitation [14]. The pathophysiological disturbances of the immune and clotting systems render multiply injured patients vulnerable to “2nd hit” insults related to inadequate timing and modality of surgical procedures [27]. The ideal timing for definitive fracture fixation lies in a limited physiological “time-window of opportunity”, somewhere around day 4 to 10 after trauma [11, 14]. From a biomechanical perspective, the surgeon must take into consideration the “four-column model” of SHP099 concentration thoracic stability [18, 28, 29] provided by the rib-cage and the thoracic spine, in conjunction with the shoulder balance provided by clavicular strut integrity [16, 17, 22, 30, 31]. The present case report outlines the biomechanical importance of the integrity of the “upper transthoracic cage” [4], based on the functional interaction between

the shoulder girdle, the rib cage, and the thoracic spine. Notably, sternal fractures are frequently missed in the trauma bay, since check details dedicated sternum radiographs are not part of the standard trauma work-up. Based on the important biomechanical aspects related to thoracic cage integrity outlined above,

missed sternal fractures in conjunction with upper thoracic spine injuries can have significant adverse effects, including respiratory distress and pulmonary complications, next neurological compromise to the spinal cord, chronic pain, malunion, and progressive kyphotic deformity [4, 8, 23, 26, 32, 33]. Multiple technical modalities for sternal fixation have been described in the literature [34], including wiring, conventional plating, threaded pin fixation, flexible intramedullary nailing [33]. Locked plating of sternal fractures and sternal nonunions has been previously described, by the use of designated sternal locking plates, anterior cervical locking plates, and mandibular locking plates [35–37]. However, the technique of using two parallel stainless-steel tubular locking plates applied in the present case has not been previously described in the literature, to our knowledge [34]. We believe that this represents a feasible, safe, and cost-effective strategy which results in excellent outcome, as reflected by this case report. In conclusion, we present a safe and successful strategy for managing a highly unstable and potentially life-threatening disruption of the chest wall, associated with a “four-column” hyperextension injury of the thoracic spine in conjunction with a displaced transverse sternal fracture.

The comparison between the results of the second VAS score and th

The comparison between the results of the second VAS score and the results in the FCE report and the first VAS score, showed that the second VAS scores were in majority in accordance with the results of the FCE assessment. In 186 out of the

total 297 times (63%) the IPs scored in line with the FCE result. Of these 186 consistent scores, the IP’s LXH254 mouse judgment and the FCE result were the same for 93 activities and therefore no change took place. For 56 activities, the IPs lowered their judgment of work ability in line with the FCE result that showed that the patient performed lower than the IP had judged at the first assessment. For 37 activities, the IPs raised their judgment of work ability in line with the FCE result that showed higher results than rated selleckchem at the first judgment. The judgment about walking, moving above shoulder height and dynamic moving

of the trunk was most frequently MEK162 datasheet lowered in line with the FCE results. For 111 activities (37%), the IPs did not follow the outcome of the FCE assessment. They maintained their judgment in 73 cases despite the result of the FCE assessment. In 23 cases the IP lowered, and in 15 cases the IP raised the work ability for that activity in contrast to the outcome of the FCE assessment. The activity pinch/grip strength showed the largest difference between expected second VAS scores and FCE results. Reaching and kneeling were the activities for which the IPs most often lowered their judgment in contrast to the FCE result. The two researchers agreed for 98% on the scoring and analysis of the comparison between the results of the second VAS score to the results in the FCE report and the first VAS score. Differences seemed random and consensus was reached regarding these differences. Discussion This study, based on a pre–post experimental design within subjects, evaluated the effect of FCE information on IPs’ judgment of the physical work ability of disability benefit claimants with MSDs. For the totality of activities, the FCE information leads to Decitabine supplier a significant shift in the assessment of the physical

work ability. Besides, for 11 out of the 12 activities the judgment of the IPs is for 62% of the activities in line with the FCE report. The first aspect to consider is whether the VAS is a suitable means of recording physical work-ability assessments made by IPs. Many studies have shown that VAS scales are indeed a reliable means of representing judgments (Zanoli et al. 2001; Anagnostis et al. 2003). VAS scales are not only used in pain studies but also in other studies, such as assessing about the ability to perform activities or the level of disability where requested (Scott and Huskisson 1977; Durüoz 1996; Knop et al. 2001; Kwa et al. 1996; Post et al. 2006; Krief and Huguet 2005; Matheson et al. 2006).

Hence, the general applicability of the computed OHBIA remains un

Hence, the general applicability of the computed OHBIA remains uncertain. We see a particular strength of BIA in the direct estimation of ICW that defines body cell mass and cannot be reliably assessed by other routine techniques. Malnutrition, a commonly undiagnosed condition

in dialysis patients, leads to loss of lean body substance [7]. Implementation of serial ICW measurements in individual patients would be able to unmask a clinically inapparent decline in body mass, prevent an increase of OH, and uncover an underlying process possibly requiring RGFP966 mw further medical intervention. This interpretation is supported by our models, which selected ICW as the most significant BIA parameter in OH assessment. Our analyses make evident that only combinations of several methods and parameters provide an acceptable this website prediction precision. The integrative function of clinical judgment is reflected by the better accuracy of models with implementation of OHCLI and also by the highest predictive importance of OHCLI. Despite similar hydration characteristics, our patients had lower BP than the study subjects reported by Chazot [8]. However, many studies do not report selleckchem antihypertensive drugs prescribed only for cardioprotection, which creates inconsistency. We think that this different

indication does not eliminate the antihypertensive effect, and included them in our analysis. Investigators from Tassin in France described patients who remain normotensive despite being above calculated DW, and explain this by better clearance of vasoactive substances during the long HD practiced in the Tassin dialysis center [9]. Our patients presented a normal average BP that correlated with OH. This emphasizes that BP changes rather than absolute values in individual patients, even within normal limits, may be indicative of OH. Undetected overhydration, silent hypervolemia, may result in hypertension as late as 12 h after leaving HD [10]. For this reason, we believe that regularly performed 24-h BP monitoring should be a standard component

of hydration evaluation in HD patients. The calf has a relatively uniform Osimertinib structure with better hydration, and recent evidence has suggested that calf BIA may be more sensitive than the whole-body method [11]. We could prove a strong link between calf circumference and OH parameters, and provide further support for this emerging technique. The conventional indicators of volume overload in the non-HD population, chest X-ray or echocardiography, might not be that reliable in HD patients. Fluid oscillations associated with HD can induce organ remodeling (atrial dilatation, ventricular hypertrophy, increased pulmonary vascular resistance), and decrease the specificity and sensitivity of these techniques for fluid overload.

Relative growth (% Survival) was determined compared to cultures

Relative www.selleckchem.com/products/dibutyryl-camp-bucladesine.html growth (% Survival) was determined compared to cultures without antibiotic (Untreated). (n = 9) (B) To titrate OMV-mediated protection for ETEC, ETEC OMVs (final concentrations indicated) were Acadesine ic50 added simultaneously with polymyxin B (5 μg/mL, final concentration)

to a mid-log phase ETEC culture and co-incubated 2 h at 37°C. Relative growth (% Survival) was determined compared to cultures without antibiotic. (n = 6) OMV yield was quantitated for mid-log phase cultures of ETEC (C) or ETEC-R (D) treated for 14 h with 3 μg/ml polymyxin B. (n = 6 for both C and D) OMV production was normalized to the CFU/mL of each culture at the time of vesicle harvest, and relative fold-differences compared to untreated cultures are shown. In addition, although ETEC already produces a higher basal level of OMVs than K12 strains, ETEC OMV production

was significantly induced after polymyxin B treatment (nearly 7-fold) as compared to untreated cultures (Figure 3C). Control experiments confirmed that the treatment did not cause significant cell lysis (< 5% reduction of CFU and no significant change in periplasmic AP in the OMV-free culture supernatant, Table 1). Thus, upon Caspase Inhibitor VI research buy AMP challenge, both K12 and pathogenic E. coli strains are induced to produce protective OMVs. OMV-mediated protection and induction of OMVs depend on the antibiotic sensitivity of the strain We next considered the likelihood that OMVs adsorb polymyxin B by the interaction between OMV lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the antibiotic. Based on the fact that polymyxin

resistant strains produce modified LPS that cannot bind polymyxin B [27, 33], we predicted that OMVs produced by a resistant strain would not interact with polymyxin B and, consequently, would not confer protection to a sensitive strain. To test this, we derived a polymyxin-resistant strain of ETEC (ETEC-R) by treating mid-log phase ETEC cultures with a high concentration of polymyxin B. LPS isolated from ETEC-R was analyzed by mass spectroscopy and was ADP ribosylation factor confirmed as having a modified lipid A consistent with a phosphoethanolamine attached to the phosphate in the 1 position (Additional File 1, Figure S1E). This is consistent with previously seen lipid A modifications that alter the charge of the outer membrane [34]. OMVs purified from ETEC-R (R-OMVs) were simultaneously added with polymyxin B to a non-resistant ETEC culture. The ETEC-R-OMVs offered no protection at a concentration where ETEC-OMVs were previously seen to be maximally protective (Figure 3A). These data demonstrated that polymyxin B adsorption by the LPS of the OMV is the likely mechanistic basis for OMV-mediated resistance. Interestingly, when we investigated polymyxin-induced vesiculation for ETEC-R, we found that vesicle production by ETEC-R did not significantly increase upon treatment with 10 μg/mL polymyxin B (Figure 3D).

BMC Genomics 2009, 10:567 PubMedCrossRef

50 Omann MR, Le

BMC Genomics 2009, 10:567.PubMedCrossRef

50. Omann MR, Lehner S, Escobar Rodríguez C, Brunner K, Zeilinger S: The seven-transmembrane Batimastat receptor Gpr1 governs processes relevant for the antagonistic interaction of Trichoderma atroviride with its host. Microbiology 2012, 158:107–118.PubMedCrossRef 51. Chen JG, Willard FS, Huang J, Liang J, Chasse SA, Jones AM, Siderovski DP: A seven-transmembrane RGS protein that modulates plant cell proliferation. Science 2003, 301:1728.PubMedCrossRef 52. Tang YT, Hu T, Arterburn M, Boyle B, Bright JM, Emtage PC, Funk WD: PAQR proteins: check details a novel membrane receptor family defined by an ancient 7 – transmembrane pass motif . J Mol Evol 2005,61(3):372–380.PubMedCrossRef 53. Karpichev IV, Cornivelli L, Small GM: Multiple regulatory roles of a novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein,

encoded by YOL002c, in lipid and phosphate metabolism. J Biol Chem 2002, 277:19609.PubMedCrossRef 54. Lyons TJ, Villa NY, Regalla LM, Kupchak BR, Vagstad A, Eide DJ: Metalloregulation of yeast membrane steroid receptor homologs. Proc Nat Acad learn more Sc USA 2004, 101:5506.CrossRef 55. Narasimhan ML, Coca MA, Jin J, Yamauchi T, Ito Y, Kadowaki T, Kim KK, Pardo JM, Damsz B, Hasegawa PM, Yun DJ, Bressan RA: Osmotin is a homolog of mammalian adiponectin and controls apoptosis in yeast through a homolog of mammalian adiponectin receptor. Mol Cell 2005, 17:171–180.PubMedCrossRef 56. Castresana J: Selection of conserved blocks from multiple alignments for their use in phylogenetic analysis. Mol Biol Evol 2000, 17:540.PubMedCrossRef 57. The Trichoderma atroviride genome database http://​genome.​jgi-psf.​org/​Triat2/​Triat2.​home.​html 58. The Trichoderma virens genome database http://​genome.​jgi-psf.​org/​TriviGv29_​8_​2/​TriviGv29_​8_​2.​home.​html

59. The Aspergillus comparative database http://​www.​broadinstitute.​org/​annotation/​genome/​aspergillus_​group/​MultiHome.​html 60. The Trichoderma reesei genome database http://​genome.​jgi-psf.​org/​Trire2/​Trire2.​home.​html 61. Gookin TE, Kim J, Assmann SM: Whole proteome before identification of plant candidate G protein-coupled receptors in Arabidopsis, rice, and poplar: computational prediction and in-vivo coupling. Genome Biol 2008,9(7):R120.PubMedCrossRef 62. Gonzalez-Velazquez W, Gonzalez-Mendez R, Rodriguez-DelValle N: Characterization and ligand identification of a membrane progesterone receptor in fungi: existence of a novel PAQR in Sporothrix schenkii . BMC Microbiol 2012, 12:194.PubMedCrossRef 63. The Neurospora crassa genome database http://​www.​broad.​mit.​edu/​annotation/​genome/​neurospora/​Home.​html 64. The Magnaporthe grisea genome database http://​www.​broad.​mit.​edu/​annotation/​fungi/​magnaporthe 65. The Podospora anserina genome database http://​podospora.​igmors.​u-psud.​fr 66.

0%

ethidium bromide-stained agarose gel and visualized wi

0%

ethidium bromide-stained learn more agarose gel and visualized with ultraviolet light. Gels were photographed and the bands were scanned as digital peaks. Areas of the peaks were then calculated in arbitrary units with a digital imaging system (Photo-documentation system, Model IS-1000; Alpha Innotech Co., San Leandro, CA, USA). To evaluate the relative expression levels of target genes in the RT-PCR, the expression value of the normal pooled liver tissues was used as Blasticidin S molecular weight a normalizing factor and a relative value was calculated for each target gene amplified in the reaction. Non-expression in any of the studied genes was considered if there was a complete absence, or more than a 75% decrease in the intensity of the desired band in comparison to the band of normal pooled liver tissue [24, 25]. Samples were assayed in batches that included both cases and controls. The absence of bands was confirmed by repeating the RT-PCR twice at different days and by consistent presence of β-actin gene amplification

[32]. Immunohistochemistry Protein expression of the studied proteins was assessed using the following monoclonal antibodies Fas (C236), FasL (sc-56103), Bcl-2 (sc-56016), and Bcl-xL (sc-8392) (all from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Tozasertib research buy inc. Germany). Briefly, from each tumor block, a hematoxylin and eosin-stained slide was microscopically examined to confirm the diagnosis and select representative tumor areas. Tissue cores with a diameter of 1.5 mm were punched from the original block and arrayed in triplicate on 2 recipient paraffin blocks. Five μm sections of these tissue array blocks were cut and placed on positive charged slides to be used for IHC analysis. Sections from tissue microarrays were deparaffinized, re-hydrated through a series of graded alcohols, and processed using the

avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase methods. Diamino-benzidine was used as a chromogen and Mayer hematoxylin as a nuclear counterstain. triclocarban A case of follicular lymphoma was used as a positive control for Bcl-2, Fas and FasL whereas a case of colon cancer was used as a control for Bcl-xL. Results were scored by estimating the percentage of tumor cells showing characteristic cytoplasmic immunostaining for all examined markers [33]. Protein expression was classified compared to normal hepatic tissue samples. Positive expression was further classified according to the level of expression into mild: ≥ 10%- < 25%, moderate: ≥ 25%- < 50% and high expression: ≥ 50% but during statistical analysis they were broadly classified into negative or positive expression.

J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2014, 33:37 PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef 31

J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2014, 33:37.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef 31. Supino R, Petrangolini G, Pratesi G, Tortoreto selleck chemicals M, Favini E, Bo LD, Casalini P, Radaelli E, Croce AC, Bottiroli G,

Misiano P, Farina C, Zunino F: Antimetastatic effect of a small-molecule vacuolar H + −ATPase inhibitor in in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2008, 324:15–22.PubMedCrossRef 32. Chen M, Zou X, Luo H, Cao J, Zhang X, Zhang B, Liu W: Effects and mechanisms of proton pump inhibitors as a novel chemosensitizer on human gastric adenocarcinoma (SGC7901) cells. Cell Biol Int 2009, 33:1008–1019.PubMedCrossRef 33. Ouar Z, Bens M, Vignes C, Paulais M, Pringel C, Fleury J, Cluzeaud F, Lacave R, Vandewalle A: Inhibitors of vacuolar H + −ATPase impair the preferential

accumulation of daunomycin in lysosomes and reverse the resistance to anthracyclines in drug-resistant renal epithelial cells. Biochem J 2003, 370:185–193.PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef 34. Sasazawa Y, Futamura Y, Tashiro E, Imoto M: Vacuolar H + −ATPase inhibitors overcome Bcl-xL-mediated chemoresistance through restoration of a caspase-independent apoptotic pathway. Cancer Sci 2009, 100:1460–1467.PubMedCrossRef 35. Calorini L, Peppicelli S, Bianchini F: Extracellular acidity as favouring factor of tumor progression and metastatic dissemination. Exp Oncol 2012, 34:79–84.PubMed 36. Nishi T, Forgac M: The vacuolar (H+)-ATPases–nature’s GS-4997 chemical structure most versatile proton pumps.

Nat Rev Mol Mephenoxalone Cell Biol 2002, 3:94–103.PubMedCrossRef 37. Walenta S, Wetterling M, Lehrke M, Schwickert G, Sundfør K, Rofstad EK, Mueller-Klieser W: High lactate levels predict likelihood of metastases, tumor recurrence, and restricted patient survival in human cervical cancers. Cancer Res 2000, 60:916–921.PubMed 38. Morita T, Nagaki T, Fukuda I, Okumura K: Clastogenicity of low pH to various cultured mammalian cells. Mutat Res 1992, 268:297–305.PubMedCrossRef 39. Imanaka Y, Tsuchiya S, Sato F, Shimada Y, Shimizu K, Tsujimoto G: MicroRNA-141 confers resistance to cisplatin-induced apoptosis by targeting YAP1 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. J Hum Genet 2011, 56:270–276.PubMedCrossRef 40. van Jaarsveld MT, Helleman J, Boersma AW, van Kuijk PF, van Ijcken WF, Despierre E, PHA-848125 manufacturer Vergote I, Mathijssen RH, Berns EM, Verweij J, Pothof J, Wiemer EA: miR-141 regulates KEAP1 and modulates cisplatin sensitivity in ovarian cancer cells. Oncogene 2013, 32:4284–4293.PubMedCrossRef 41. Kurashige J, Kamohara H, Watanabe M, Hiyoshi Y, Iwatsuki M, Tanaka Y, Kinoshita K, Saito S, Baba Y, Baba H: MicroRNA-200b regulates cell proliferation, invasion, and migration by directly targeting ZEB2 in gastric carcinoma. Ann Surg Oncol 2012, 19:S656–S664.PubMedCrossRef 42.

0 (Table 4) The PCR cycling #

0 (Table 4). The PCR cycling DNA Damage inhibitor conditions for amplifying EV71 vp1s, EV71 vp4s and CA16 vp4s consisted of 4 min at 94°C, followed by 35 CHIR-99021 ic50 cycles of 94°C 30 s, 52°C 30 s, 72°C 1 min, and then 72°C for 7 min. The steps for amplifying EV71 vp4s were the same as those for amplifying the other 3 protein genes except for annealing temperatures at 55°C for 30 s. Agarose gel electrophoresis and EasyPure Quick Gel Extraction Kit (Trans Gen Biotech, China) were used to purify those amplified products.

The purified products were ligated to pGEM-T cloning vector (Promega, USA) for transformation into competent DH5α cells. Positive clones were identified by White-Blue colony selection and sequencing (Invitrogen Co). Table CYT387 manufacturer 4 Primers used for cloning and sequencing primers sequences fragments (bp) EV71-VP1-1F 5′-TGAAGTTRTGYAAGGATGC-3′   EV71-VP1-1R 5′-CCACTCTAAAATTRCCCAC-3′ 993 EV71-VP4-1F 5′-CTACTTTGGGTGTCCGTGTT-3′   EV71-VP4-1R 5′-GGGAACTTCCAGTACCATCC-3′ 655 CA16-VP1-1F 5′-ACTATGCAAGGACACWGAG -3′   CA16-VP1-1R 5′- CAGTGGTGGAAGAGACTAAA-3′ 1076

CA16-VP4-1F 5′- GGCTGCTTATGGTGACAA-3′   CA16-VP4-1R 5′- CATGGGAGCTATGGTGAC-3′ 1090 F referred as forward primer and R referred as reverse primer. RG7420 cost Expression and Purification of VP1s and VP4s The pET-30a vector with an N-terminal His·Tag/thrombin/S·Tag™/-enterokinase configuration plus an optional C-terminal His·Tag sequence with endonuclease sites of BamH׀and Xho׀and the pGEX-4T-1 vector with an N-terminal GST (glutathione S-transferase) ·Tag/thrombin configuration with endonuclease sites of EcoR׀

and Xho׀were used for expressing VP1s and VP4s, respectively. The virus isolates selected for expression were s67 (for VP4 of EV71), s108 (for VP1 of EV71), s390 (for VP1 of CA16) and s401 (for VP4 of CA16). The genes were purified with agarose gel electrophoresis and EasyPure Quick Gel Extraction Kit after being amplified by PCR with corresponding primers (Table 5). The cycling condition for amplifying VP1s of EV71 and CA16 consists of 95°C for 4 min, followed by 35 cycles of 95°C 30 s, 55°C 30 s, 72°C 1 min, and then 72°C for 7 min. The steps for amplifying VP4 of EV71 and CA16 were the same as those for amplifying the VP1s, except that the annealing temperatures were 50°C and 57°C respectively.

A paradigm shift: the implications of the open access publishing

A paradigm shift: the implications of the open access publishing model In the framework of the publishing process as a whole, is this organizing model still acceptable? In the Internet buy Pritelivir era the dissemination of scientific contents is mainly based on the use of online platforms superseding the strategy of commercial publishing used in the past

to produce print journals and circulate them GSK458 concentration within the research community worldwide. At present, the innovative technologies of production and transmission of information in the net have generated models of scientific communication founded on the concept of free access to knowledge within a global context. In this regard, libraries, academies, learning societies and research institutions are increasingly committed to promote advocacy actions intended to gain free access to research findings – especially if resulted from publicly funded studies – beyond all types of barriers (technological, economic and legal ones). This is the scenery in which the principles of open access publishing movement flourished. The scientific communication system starts to contrast the hegemony of commercial publishing

and moves forward direct transmission selleck inhibitor of research results to the users (readers) by claiming free access to scientific knowledge, thus opening to a mechanism Tyrosine-protein kinase BLK of disintermediation [4]. Briefly, open access literature is commonly recognized as synonym of free and unrestricted online availability of contents. A concise, but effective definition of open access is given by Peter Suber in “”A very brief introduction to open access”": Open-access (OA) literature is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. What makes it possible is the internet and the consent of the author or copyright-holder [5]. The OA movement started in 1991 thanks to the set up of ArXiv, the first repository of pre-prints in the field of physics. In 2001 the Open Archives Initiative

Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH) was created in order to define a standard procedure for unambiguously identifying metadata encoded in multiple formats, thus making repositories interoperable. There exist two complementary strategies to achieve open access to scholarly journal literature: self-archiving which refers to the deposit of journal articles by the same scholars in digital archives compliant to OA standards (OA green route); publishing on open access journals which are freely accessible online but usually charge publication fees to authors wishing to publish on them (OA golden route). Both routes are stated in the Budapest Open Access Initiative (BOAI) launched in 2002 which represents a milestone of the open access movement.