Those who engage in scientific research spend much of their professional lives carrying out the principles of the scientific method in the hope that the conclusions which arise from the data and initial ideas will be a useful contribution to the literature of their field. Moreover, the use of these principles leads the scientist to develop the insight necessary to judge the quality of the work in his field as well the scientific endeavor in general.  Furthermore, by their example, many scientists hope to influence others to chose active scientific research not only to carry on the tradition of exploratory scholarship, but to also realize the satisfactions, friendships and benefits of that choice.

Edward J Van Liere did all of these things and did them well.

A measurable method of positive scientific output in the scientific field is carried out by tracking the number of times a particular researcher’s publications have been cited by other scientists.  Not only is the listing of these publications an accepted recognition among scientists as to the value of their colleague’s work, it is also an acknowledgement by the scientific community that a given work advances knowledge in a certain field. Citation analysis is done by using the Science Citation Index available in print and electronically through the Web of Science database.

As a scientist-researcher, Dr.Van Liere’s major areas of study included hypoxia and anoxemia and its effects of the physiological systems of both animal and man.

Not all papers were subject to analysis; only those which were available for analysis in both paper and electronic formats were examined.  Computerized analysis shows that thirteen of Van Liere’s two hundred twenty-nine papers were cited with greatest frequency during the years 1965-2006. The papers written between the years 1916-1961 were not analyzed because no practical method to perform retrospective bibliographic analysis was available until the advent of Scientific Citation Index in 1961. However, Science Citation Index, now part of the database Web of Science, has the capability of searching retroactively to the year 1900.  The book Hypoxia (1964) was cited a total of 264 times between 1963-2007; the book Anoxia, Its Effect On The Body (1942) was cited 27 times between 1964-2003; the book A Doctor Enjoys  Sherlock Holmes (1959), was cited five times between 1987-2006. This analysis does not take into account those scientific materials in which reference to Van Liere’s works would also appear. (An example of this would be Hornbein, Thomas F., High Altitude: An Exploration: of Human Adaptation, Lung Biology in Health and Disease, v.161 (New York, Marcel Dekker, 2001), p.955).

The number of times Dr. Van Liere’s research papers and three books were cited suggests not only that his findings contributed to the scientific literature, but it also shows an energetic and productive researcher at career mid-point who is well-respected by his fellow physiologists. Moreover, it gives rise to the assumption that those publications which were not able to be scrutinized manually or electronically also had a positive impact on his chosen field of research.

It is satisfying to think that Dr. Van Liere’s scientific efforts had and will continue to have a positive influence upon the world of scientific investigation.

 

 

Citation Analysis
Journal Articles

                                            

Article and Citation Years
Number of Citations

1965-1969

1. Some normal variations of the emptying time of the human stomach.  Am J Dig Dis, 2: 671-672.  1935.
6
2. Differences in cardiac hypertrophy in exercise and in hypoxia.  Circ Res, 16: 244-248.  1965.
6

1970-1974

3. The emptying time of the normal human stomach as influenced by acid and alkali with a review of the literature. Am J Dig Dis, 7: 118-123.  1940.  
5
4. The effect of prolonged anoxemia on the heart and spleen in the mammal.  Am J Physiol 116: 290-294.  1936.
6
5. Size of cardiac ventricles in experimental hyperthyroidism in rats. Proc Exp Biol Med 132: 663-665.    
3

1975-1979

6.

 The emptying time of the stomach of old people.  Am J Physiol 134: 719-722.  1936. 
30
7. Cardiac hypertrophy produced by exercise in albino and in hooded rats.  J Applied Phys. 11: 91-92.  1957.
9
8. Regression of cardiac hypertrophy following experimental hyperthyroidism.  Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 136: 645-648.  1971.  
6

1980-1984

9. Regression of cardiac hypertrophy following experimental hyperthyroidism in rats.  Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 136: 645-648. 1971.
4
10. The emptying time of the stomach of old people.  Am J Phys. 134: 719-722. 1941.
10
11. Differences in cardiac hypertrophy in exercise and in hypoxia. Circ Res 16: 244-248.  1965.
17

1985-1997

12. Size of cardiac ventricles in experimental hyperthyroidism in the rat.  Proc Soc Exp Biol Med,132: 663-665. 1969.
8
13. Differences in cardiac hypertrophy in exercise and in hypoxia. Circ Research, 116: 244-248.1965.
5
14. Effect of digitoxin on hypoxia-produced cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 145: 220-221. 1941.
2
15. Effect of anoxic anoxia on the propulsive motility of the small intestine. Proc Soc Exp Bio Med. 67: 331-332. 1948.
2
16.

Cardiac hypertrophy produced by exercise in albino and in hooded rats. J Applied Physiol, 11:91-92. 1957.
2
17. The emptying time of the normal human stomach of old people. Am. J. Physiol.,134: 719-722.
8
18. Size of cardiac ventricles in experimental hyper-thyroidism in the rat. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 132: 663-665. 1969.
9
19. Some normal variations in the emptying time of the human stomach. Am J Dig Diseases of Nutr, 2: 671-672. 1936.
6
20. Effect of digitoxin on hypoxia produced cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med, 145: 220-221.
2
21. Resistance to Hypoxia. Arch Intern Med, 113: 418-427. 1964.
2
22. Differences in cardiac hypertrophy in exercise and in hypoxia. Circ Res, 16: 244-248. 1965.
5

1998-2006

23. Some normal variations in the emptying time of the human stomach. Am J Dig Dis Nutr, 2671-672. 1936.
3
24. The emptying time of the stomach of old people. Am J Physiol, 134:714-722. 1941
4

 

 

Citation Analysis - Books

25. Van Liere, E.J. and J.C. Stickney.  Hypoxia.  Chicago, IL.: University of Chicago Press.  1964.
Year Number of Citations
1965-1969  96
1970-1974 77
1974-1979  0
1980-1984  11
1985   5
1986 7
1987 11
1988 10
1989 8
1990 7
1991 4
1992 3
1993 2
1994-1995 6
1996-1997 4
1998 6 
1999 2
2000-2007 5

 

26. Van Liere, E.J. Anoxia: its effects on the body.  Chicago, IL.: University of Chicago Press.  1942.
Year Number of Citations
1965-1969 15
1970-1974 5
1975-1979 4
1980-1984 2

 

27. Van Liere, E. J. A Doctor Enjoys Sherlock Holmes. NY: Vantage Press. 1959.
Year  Number of Citations
1987-2006 5