Publications

Publications

Society Celebrates 100+ Years of Historical Physiological Research with Its “Classic Articles Series”

APS recently embarked on a mission to share more than 100 years of physiological research through its Legacy Project. The arduous project that included scanning hundreds of original journal volumes—the equivalent of more than 200 linear feet of shelf space—dating back to 1898 has “truly been a labor of love.”

To celebrate the recent completion of the Legacy Project, APS identified 46 articles published in the APS journals that have proven vital to the discipline of physiology and the evolution of modern-day medicine.

The selection process for these articles proved to be nearly as arduous and time consuming as the Legacy Project itself, but was well worth the effort. “We assembled a Task Force of eminent physiologists with a historical interest,” said APS Publications Committee member Hershel Raff, who spearheaded the selection of the classic articles.

“We polled certain APS members and committees for nominations of papers. Other databases, historical books, and review articles were also researched. Once a list of over 200 citations was gathered, the Task Force narrowed the group down to about 80. We then separated the citations into areas of interest (heart, lung, kidney, hormones, etc.) and had them reviewed again by experts in each area. These experts further narrowed the choices down and even substituted others. Finally, the experts wrote essays about each citation or group of citations - these essays now appear on-line,” Raff added. Original authors of the classic papers, where possible, were also invited to provide additional commentary about the work and times.

“The articles epitomize the ever-evolving thirst for knowledge and the pioneering spirit of invention that are the signature of physiology’s best and brightest,” said APS Publications Committee Chair Dale Benos. “Science owes many advances in technology, equipment, and insight into perplexing physiological processes to this early research.”

These 46 seminal articles represent advances of undisputed importance. For example, there is the 1945 paper authored by Seymour Kety and Carl Schmidt that introduced a revolutionary new way to measure cerebral blood flow. The manuscript, still a landmark in its field, sparked the development of new cerebral blood flow methodologies and revolutionized research on the human brain. (Article: “The determination of cerebral blood flow in man by the use of nitrous oxide in low concentrations.”)

Or the Arthur Guyton, Arthur Lindsey and Berwind Kaufmann 1955 article, which through its pioneering use of systems analysis, placed an emphasis on venous return as a determinant of cardiac output and became an important tool for research and teaching. (Article: “Effect of mean circulatory filling pressure and other peripheral circulatory factors on cardiac output.”)

Also included was the development of the first three-function blood-gas analyzer—an essential tool in surgery, anesthesia, intensive care, and emergency medicine—detailed in the 1958 article by John Severinghaus and A. Freeman Bradley. This invention, which measures arterial blood for oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH, has proved to be one of the most important laboratory tests for physicians. (Article: “Electrodes for blood Po2 and Pco2 determination.”)

The authors of the classic articles are not only prestigious within the field of physiology, but are respected in the scientific community as a whole.
“It was remarkable that several Nobel Prize winners were among the authors highlighted, like Andre Frederic Cournand and Bernardo Alberto Houssay,” Raff said. “Also remarkable was the importance of these studies in translational science - the application of basic discoveries to clinical medicine. For instance, the use of creatinine clearance in the assessment of renal failure; the evaluation of ventilation-perfusion relationships in patients with lung disease; and the diagnosis of pituitary tumors producing prolactin, are all examples. This application of physiology to clinical medicine is consistent with the long history of the APS as an interface between very basic researchers and clinicians,” he continued.

Though this first group of papers has been selected, the “Classic Articles” series is not yet complete. Several outstanding articles and essays, including papers from the Journal of Neurophysiology, will be added to the website shortly. And certainly, readers may identify other articles that seem appropriate for the collection. Additional articles can be submitted to the Task Force for review.

“The beauty of this project is that it’s online and can be expanded,” says APS Director of Publications Margaret Reich.

The aim of sharing these classic articles and essays is to stimulate and inspire physiologists of all ages to appreciate the beauty and the greatness of science published in APS research journals in the last century. Additionally, APS recognizes the need to make all of its archived literature accessible, to both serve as a testament to the dedicated scientists involved in physiological research and to provide a deeper understanding of the cultural heritage of modern day science.

The “Classic” articles, introductory essays, and complete first editions of each journal are freely available on the APS Journals web site (http://www.the-aps.org/publications/classics/).

[Index] [Arthur C. Guyton Physiology Educator of the Year] [APS News] [APS News2] [Chapter News] [Membership] [Education] [Public Affairs] [IUPS Congress] [ APS Awards] [Positions Available] [Senior Physiologists' News] [People & Places] [Books Received] [Announcements] [Scientific Meetings and Congresses] [APS Membership Application]