Connected Research: The Potential of the PID Graph.

Persistent identifiers (PIDs) provide unique and long-lasting references to entities. They enable unique identification persistently over time and hence play a crucial role in supporting the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. In this paper, we describe how the benefits of PIDs can be amplified by connecting them via their metadata.

Recognizing the value of software: a software citation guide.

Software is as integral as a research paper, monograph, or dataset in terms of facilitating the full understanding and dissemination of research. This article provides broadly applicable guidance on software citation for the communities and institutions publishing academic journals and conference proceedings. We expect those communities and institutions to produce versions of this document with software examples and citation styles that are appropriate for their intended audience.

A data citation roadmap for scholarly data repositories.

This article presents a practical roadmap for scholarly data repositories to implement data citation in accordance with the Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles, a synopsis and harmonization of the recommendations of major science policy bodies. The roadmap was developed by the Repositories Expert Group, as part of the Data Citation Implementation Pilot (DCIP) project, an initiative of FORCE11.org and the NIH-funded BioCADDIE ( https://biocaddie.

Everolimus in patients with multiply relapsed or cisplatin refractory germ cell tumors: results of a phase II, single-arm, open-label multicenter trial (RADIT) of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group.

Background: Treatment options for patients (pts) with multiply relapsed or refractory metastatic germ cell cancer (GCC) are limited. The mTOR inhibitor everolimus has been approved for the treatment of different solid tumors and was assessed in refractory GCC within this phase II RADIT trial of the German Testicular Cancer Study Group.

Methods: GCC pts progressing during cisplatin-based salvage chemotherapy, or relapsing after high-dose chemotherapy, or failing at least two lines of cisplatin-based chemotherapy were eligible.

Sharing and reuse of individual participant data from clinical trials: principles and recommendations.

Objectives: We examined major issues associated with sharing of individual clinical trial data and developed a consensus document on providing access to individual participant data from clinical trials, using a broad interdisciplinary approach.

Design And Methods: This was a consensus-building process among the members of a multistakeholder task force, involving a wide range of experts (researchers, patient representatives, methodologists, information technology experts, and representatives from funders, infrastructures and standards development organisations). An independent facilitator supported the process using the nominal group technique.

What can article-level metrics do for you?

Article-level metrics (ALMs) provide a wide range of metrics about the uptake of an individual journal article by the scientific community after publication. They include citations, usage statistics, discussions in online comments and social media, social bookmarking, and recommendations. In this essay, we describe why article-level metrics are an important extension of traditional citation-based journal metrics and provide a number of example from ALM data collected for PLOS Biology.

Prospective randomized double-blind multicentre phase II study comparing gemcitabine and cisplatin plus sorafenib chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin plus placebo in locally advanced and/or metastasized urothelial cancer: SUSE (AUO-AB 31/05).

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine and cisplatin in combination with sorafenib, a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, compared with chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment in advanced urothelial cancer.

Patients And Methods: The study was a randomized phase II trial. Its primary aim was to show an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) of 4.

Imatinib-induced liver cirrhosis in a patient with advanced gastrointestinal stroma tumor (GIST).

Background: The use of imatinib mesylate is associated with a progression free survival of 41 months in first line treatment of metastatic or locally advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and other studies approved that adjuvant imatinib treatment improves the recurrence-free survival in patients with GIST. Current recommendations include 1 year adjuvant treatment in GIST patients at risk but active studies explore different durations of treatment with an interval of up to 5 years. While the most frequent adverse events (AEs) are blood count alterations, abdominal discomfort and edema, the occurrence of grade 3 or 4 increase of AST or ALT is specified with 2.

Progression free survival of first line vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapy is an important prognostic parameter in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Intrinsic resistance in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) was recently associated with poor overall survival (OS), suggesting that VEGF inhibitor sensitivity may represent a valuable prognostic marker. We explored the duration of progression free survival (PFS) in first-line treatment and other variables as prognostic markers in mRCC.

Methods: Medical records from 119 mRCC patients receiving first line treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) were retrieved retrospectively.

Efficacy of sunitinib re-exposure after failure of an mTOR inhibitor in patients with metastatic RCC.

Background: The sequential use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) followed by mTOR inhibitors (mTORi) has been recently established for the systemic treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). However, subsequent treatment in mTORi-refractory disease remains undetermined. We analyzed the efficacy of sunitinib re-challenge after failure of an mTORi at 2 German centers.

Retrospective analyses of patient characteristics having predictive impact on survival under everolimus.

Background: Everolimus is the standard second-line therapy for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). We evaluated whether the response to first-line therapy with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has predictive impact on the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) under everolimus. In addition, patient characteristics were evaluated for their predictive impact on the response under everolimus.

Carboplatin plus weekly docetaxel as salvage chemotherapy in docetaxel-resistant and castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: There is no proven, effective, standard second-line chemotherapy for castration- and docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer (DRPC). Recent data suggest that carboplatin may be effective in combination with docetaxel in this setting; however, the optimal docetaxel/carboplatin-based regimen is still unclear.

Aim Of The Study: We identified 43 consecutive patients with DRPC treated with carboplatin (AUC5 d1) and docetaxel (35 mg/m(2) d1, 8, 15 q4w i.

Erythropoietin in cancer-related anemia.

Purpose Of Review: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents reduce the transfusion requirements of anemic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Risks associated with the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in cancer patients have more recently been identified.

Recent Findings: Several recently published phase III trials and a meta-analysis have shown an increased risk of venous thromboembolism and a decreased survival in anemic cancer patients treated with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

Targeted therapies for patients with germ cell tumors.

Background: Patients with advanced germ cell tumors can be cured with cisplatin-based chemotherapy but the outcome remains unsatisfactory for patients with relapsed disease. Targeted therapies have changed the standard of care for many advanced solid tumors.

Objective: To identify clinically available drugs that have the potential as targeted therapies in germ cell tumors.

European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus group (EGCCCG): part I.

Objectives: The first consensus report presented by the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG) in the year 2004 has found widespread approval by many colleagues throughout the world. In November 2006, the group met a second time under the auspices of the Department of Urology of the Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Methods: Medical oncologists, urological surgeons, radiation oncologists as well as pathologists from several European countries reviewed and discussed the data that had emerged since the 2002 conference, and incorporated the new data into updated and revised guidelines.

European consensus conference on diagnosis and treatment of germ cell cancer: a report of the second meeting of the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG): part II.

Objectives: The first consensus report that had been presented by the European Germ Cell Cancer Consensus Group (EGCCCG) in 2004 has found widespread approval by many colleagues throughout the world. In November 2006, the group met a second time under the auspices of the Department of Urology of the Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands.

Methods: Medical oncologists, urologic surgeons, radiation oncologists as well as pathologists from several European countries reviewed and discussed the data that had emerged since the 2002 conference and incorporated the new data into updated and revised guidelines.

Growth inhibition and apoptosis in human Philadelphia chromosome-positive lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines by treatment with the dual PPARalpha/gamma ligand TZD18.

Treatment of adult Philadelphia chromosome-positive lymphocytic leukemia is rarely successful. We report here the effects of TZD18, a novel dual ligand specific for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and gamma (PPARalpha/gamma) on Ph(+) lymphocytic leukemia cell lines BV173, SD1, and SupB-15. Exposure of these cells to TZD18 resulted in growth inhibition in a dose- and time-dependent manner that was associated with G(1) cell cycle arrest.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma ligands for the treatment of breast cancer.

Pioglitazone and rosiglitazone are thiazolidinediones used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. They modulate glucose and fat metabolism, mainly by binding to the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma. PPAR-gamma signalling is involved in a number of other disease conditions including cancer.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ligands induce growth inhibition and apoptosis of human B lymphocytic leukemia.

This study examined the expression and structural intactness of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) in human acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) cells and determined the effect of PPARgamma ligands on growth and apoptosis of these cells. We noted that all lymphocytic leukemia cell lines expressed PPARgamma and no PPARgamma mutations were found in these cell lines as indicated by SSCP analysis. Effect of the PPARgamma ligands on the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of B type ALL cells was further examined.

Ligands for PPARgamma and RAR cause induction of growth inhibition and apoptosis in human glioblastomas.

High-grade gliomas are characterized by a rapid proliferation rate, invasiveness and angiogenesis. Our previous data indicated that the combination of ligands for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) and retinoic acid receptor (RAR) induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells in vitro and in a murine model. In this study, we have shown that 11 glioblastoma cell lines and nine fresh glioblastoma tissue samples from patients expressed high-levels of PPARgamma.