The birth and evolution of a discipline devoted to information in biomedicine and health care. As reflected in its longest running journal.

BACKGROUND: The journal Methods of Information in Medicine, founded in 1962, has now completed its 50th volume. Its publications during the last five decades reflect the formation of a discipline that deals with information in biomedicine and health care. OBJECTIVES: To report about 1) the journal's origin, 2) the individuals who have significantly contributed to it, 3) trends in the journal's aims and scope, 4) influential papers and 5) major topics published in Methods over the years. METHODS: Methods included analysing the correspondence and journal issues in the archives of the editorial office and of the publisher, citation analysis using the ISI and Scopus databases, and analysing the articles' Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) in MEDLINE. RESULTS: In the journal's first 50 years 208 editorial board members and/or editors contributed to the journal's development, with most individuals coming from Europe and North America. The median time of service was 11 years. At the time of analysis 2,456 articles had been indexed with MeSH. Topics included computerized systems of various types, informatics methodologies, and topics related to a specific medical domain. Some MeSH topic entries were heavily and regularly represented in each of the journal's five decades (e.g. information systems and medical records), while others were important in a particular decade, but not in other decades (e.g. punched-card systems and systems integration). Seven papers were cited more than 100 times and these also covered a broad range of themes such as knowledge representation, analysis of biomedical data and knowledge, clinical decision support and electronic patient records. CONCLUSIONS: Methods of Information in Medicine is the oldest international journal in biomedical informatics. The journal's development over the last 50 years correlates with the formation of this new discipline. It has and continues to stress the basic methodology and scientific fundamentals of organizing, representing and analysing data, information and knowledge in biomedicine and health care. It has and continues to stimulate multidisciplinary communication on research that is devoted to high-quality, efficient health care, to quality of life and to the progress of biomedicine and the health sciences.

Triangulation applied to Jan H. van Bemmel.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the person of Jan H. van Bemmel from different points of view. METHOD: Triangulation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Jan H. van Bemmel successfully contributed to research and education in medical informatics. He inspired a lot of people in The Netherlands and internationally.

Determination of lysergic acid diethylamide in body fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection--a more sensitive method suitable for routine use.

A new method for determination of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in body fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection was developed based on previously published methods. The new method is suitable for confirmation of samples tested positive by immunoassay, avoiding loss of LSD by absorption to surfaces. The reduced loss of LSD results in improved sensitivity. This is achieved by adding ethylene glycol to the samples, which cover glass surfaces. This principle can similarly be used to improve analysis of other drugs. Body fluids for analysis included urine and whole blood. An internal standard was applied for quantification of LSD. The new method offers satisfying precision data and has a detection limit of less than 0.05 ng/nL.

Evaluation of a solid-phase extraction procedure for the simultaneous determination of morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, codeine and dihydrocodeine in plasma and whole blood by GC/MS.

Different procedures of solid-phase extraction were re-examined and a new solid-phase extraction procedure was developed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, codeine and dihydrocodeine in plasma and whole blood. The effects of different types of sorbent and buffer solutions on the recoveries and purity of the extracts were also studied. Some preparation techniques on whole blood samples were also investigated. The method developed using Chromabond C18 (100) with spiked plasma samples had good recoveries for all opiates of interest: morphine 93.1% +/- 7.4%, 6-monoacetylmorphine 68.0% +/- 6.7%, codeine 77.0% +/- 8.3% and dihydrocodeine 67.9% +/- 8.4%. The detection limit of all compounds was less than 5 micrograms/L. The blank plasma showed no interfering peaks in the GC/MS-analysis.

[Experiences in the field of general surgery in a developing country under the special conditions of a conventional war]. / Erfahrungen auf dem Gebiet der Allgemeinchirurgie in einem Entwicklungsland unter den besonderen Bedingungen eines konventionellen Krieges.

The report deals with the demands set for a general surgeon in a developing country, which is in a state of conventional war. The pecularities concerning logistics and treatment at the base are dealt with. Conclusions for postgraduate surgical qualification are drawn.