EUGENE GARFIELDINSTITUTE FOR SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION*3501 MARKET ST, PHILADELPHIA, PA 191C4

The 1,000 Articles Most Cited in1961-1982. 10. Another 100 Citation

Classics Cap the MiBlenary

Number 16

This is the last in our lo-part senesl onthe 1,000 papers most cited in the1961-1982 Science Citation Index”(SCP ). This 10th group of Citation Clas-sics is listed at the end of this essay. (SeeBibliography.) Scanning this list willprove interesting by itself and may re-fresh one’s memory of other high-impactpapers now usually taken for granted.We often do not realize how these au-thors struggled with the creation of theseworks.

It is extremely difficult to make pithyremarks about a group of papers as di-verse as the 1,000 listed in this series.The brief discussion that follows is basedon some relatively straightforward data.For example, the 1,000 articles are just0.004 percent of over 23 million differentpublications cited in the SC1 from 1961to 1982. But these 1,000 papers haveaccumulated over 1 percent of the100,000,000 reference citations record-ed in that period.

Table 1 lists the 10 citation-frequencyranges in the series. The first list inchsd-ed 100 papers cited at least 2,044 times,while the 10th group was cited between696 and 664 times. The median numberof citations for all 1,000 papers was1,081. Keep in mind that each of thesecitation ranges was based solely on whatthe citation counts happened to be forthe 1st and 100th papers in each group.

There is no apparent qualitative sig-nificance in the differences among thesecitation frequencies. They simply indi-cate those papers that have had the high-est impact, as reflected in explicit cita-tion. However difficult it maybe to com-

ADrii 21, 1986

pare the individual papers and their im-pacts, the group itself is signtilcant.Analyses such as thk one often revealthat some of the most influential papersin the hktory of science are cited lessthan 1,000 times. Indeed, with few ex-ceptions, thk may be the upper limit forany paper that reports a major or revolu-tionary discovery since, by definition,exp[icit citation will eventually suffer ob-literation by incorporation.z

Citation ClassicsOf the 1,000 classics identified, 348

have been featured in Citation Classic%’commentaries. Most of these appearedin Current ContentsF (CC )/Life Sci-ences from 1977 to 1984. They areamong 600 included in the first two vol-umes of Contemporary Classics in Sci-ence, s recently published by 1S1 Pres@ .(See Current Book Contents” for fur-ther information. ) Thirty-three of theseClassics are included in the Bibliographyin thk essay.

Lffe- and Physical-Sciences PapersAbout 745 of the 1,000 papers discuss

topics in the life sciences. In Table 2 wesummarize the field distributions. Thelife-sciences articles are subclassifiedas biochemistry, biomedicine, clinicalmedicine, molecular biology, and biobgy. Five papers from psyctilatry and psy-chology journals are included in the clin-ical medicine totals. As expected fromprevious studies, the number of papersin the physical sciences is much smallerthan that from life sciences. This is large-ly due to the high volume of journals andpapers in life sciences and medicine.

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The physical-sciences papers are subdi-vided among physics, chemistry, mathe-matics, earth/space sciences, and engi-neering/technology categories. Amongthese, physics has 138 articles, followedby chemistry (95), mathematics (10),eartlu’space sciences (7), and engineer-ing/technology (5). Papers from theselast two categories increased slightly innumber in the 10th group. Since re-searchers in smaller disciplines publishfewer papers and therefore generally re-ceive fewer citations, we would expectto encounter more papers from thesefields as we identify papers farther downin the citation-frequency ranked list. Butthere will always be individual excep-tions. For example, while individual pa-pers in theoretical biology can turn up inthe SCI as highly cited, in general suchpapers are cited less frequently.

In fact, if we compare these catego-rized groups with those for the researchfronts identified from 1983 SCZ citingpapers, we are not surprised at the re-sults. These research fronts, incidental-ly, are fairly representative of the entireSCI file. Thirty-eight percent of themare in biochemistry and biomedicinecombined. In our list of 1,000 articles,this percentage is 52. But we expect thisnumber to be somewhat Klgher becausethe 1,000 papers are the top most-citedSC1 papers, 1961-1982. Physics consti-tutes 18 percent of the research frontscompared to 14 percent of our papers,while these numbers for chemistry are 13and 9.5 percent, respectively. Mathe-matics accounts for 6 percent of the 1983research fronts compared to 1 percent ofthe 1,000 articles; earth/space sciencesare represented by 5 percent comparedto less than 1 percent. As suspected,these figures indicate that, as this seriesis extended, papers from smaller fieldswill be better represented.

Tibor Braun, Institute of Inorganicand Analytical Chemistry, L. EotvosUniversity, Budapest, Hungary, recentlyexamined the first 500 papers in our se-ries and identified 133, or 27 percent, asanalytical chemistry, although “theoverwhelming majority.. belong to thebioanalytical subfield, That is why we

have to consider that the high percent-age [that] analytical chemistry papersrepresent in the ‘most-cited’ list is mainlymotivated by the explosive growth ofbiomedical-biochemical research duringthe last 50 years. The collateral presenceof so many analytical chemistry papersseems to be the result of a mutually influ-encing synergism between biochemistryand analytical chemistry.”d In Table 2we identified only 49 of the first 500 and46 of the second 500 papers as belongingto chemistry. Clearly we have classifiedmany biologically oriented analyticalchemistry papers as biochemistry. Itwould be far more instructive to classifythis large group by research fronts. Butthis type of analysis will follow in laterstudies,

Purists might question classifying mo-lecular biology papers in the life sci-ences. They encompass almost 7 percentof the papers. “DNA’ explicitly appearsin the titles of 49 papers. AlIan M. Max-am and W ah er Gilbert’s 1980 article, themost recent paper in the study, discusses“Sequencing end-labelled DNA withbase-specific chemical cleavages.”s Itwas cited over 1,200 times.

On the other hand, a more clinicallyoriented 1968 paper in the 10th list of pa-pers, by James E. Cleaver, University ofCaliiomia, San Francisco, describes therelationship between ultraviolet radia-tion damage to DNA and skin cancer inpatients with xeroderma pigmentosum.This is “a rare hereditary disease... inwhich the skin is extremely sensitive tosunlight or ultraviolet light. After slightexposure to sunlight the skin developssymptoms which are similar to thoseseen after chronic exposure of normalskin to X-rays and include frequent skintumours.”G Cleaver’s research suggeststhat failure of DNA repair is related tocarcinogenesis, another topic discussedfrequently in the 1,000 papers.

In fact, at least 11 articles in this seriesare concerned with carcinogens and mu-tagens. Four were coauthored by BruceN. Ames, University of California,Berkeley. They discuss the Ames bacte-rial test system for the detection andclassification of mutagens and carcino-

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gens, the most frequently used short-term test for screening chemical muta-gens. T Carcinogenesis is clearly a “hot”topic of research. In the 1985 SCZ alone,there are 853 articles whose titles con-tain variations of the term “carcinogen.”

In a 1982 CC essay on risk analysis,Ames commented on the “critical needtoday for quantitative risk analyses ofthe large number of man-made and nat-ural toxic substances in order to set pri-orities.”7 One substance now known tohave carcinogenic effects is diethylstil-bestrol (DES), a synthetic estrogen pre-scribed in the 1950s to prevent miscar-riages. Some of the daughters of thewomen who took DES are now develop-ing clear-cell adenocarcinomas of thevagina. The first paper that reported thisrelationship is included in the Bibliogra-phy in this essay. According to the firstauthor, Arthur L. Herbst, then at Massa-chusetts General Hospital, Boston, “Afew months after our publication, a con-firmatory study was published in theNew England Journal of Medicine. [Butour] initial report was the first descrip-tion of the association of a drug ingestedduring human pregnancy with the ap-pearance of carcinoma in the offspring,which is one of the reasons it has beencited so often. The study has also beenmisquoted frequently with regard to thenature of the DES link as well as themagnitude of the cancer risk. ”~

The 1,000 papers most cited in theSCI, 1961-1982, form a historical recordof many of the important discoveries ofthe twentieth century. Although I men-

Table 1: Chation ranges for the papers in each partof this series. Citatfokl Number ofPart Range Papm

1 $~ l&~72.2, @&4 Ico2 2,043-1.464 Ico3 1,462-1.188 1(KI4 1,184-1,032 1035 1,031-9% 1036 935-8bl ICO7 860-791 I(M8 790.740 989 739-697 102

10 696-664 100

● Only one paper (Lowry 0 H ef a/. J. BiofChem. 193:26 S-75, 1951) received more cita-tions—103,639.

tioned earlier that biochemical and biomedical discoveries predominate, somekey papers from other disciplines arealso included in the lists. For example,Xavier Le Pichon’s classic work on” Sea-floor spreading and continental drift,”included in thk essay, was the secondmost-cited paper in our 1982 study onearth-sciences journals. g Le Pichonranks among the 1,000 contemporaryscientists most cited from 1965 to 1978.10Also included in the Bibliography isM.L. Humason’s paper that discusses“Redshifts and magnitudes of extraga-Iactic nebulae.” Humason died over 10years ago, but we expect a commentaryfrom his coauthors, N. U. Mayan andAlan R. Sandage, in the near future.This paper, incidentally, is the most-cited paper from the Astronomical Jour-nal. [l

The classics discussed above are, ofcourse, just a few of the many citationstars that have appeared in the series. In

Table 2: Field distributions for the papers in each pari of this series.

FIELD (Part) 1

Life Sciences 85Biochemistry 38Biomedicine 17

Clinical Medicine 16Molecular Biology 12Biology 2

Physics 6Chemistcy 9Mathematics —

Earth/Space Sciences —Engineering/Technology —TOTAL 103

2345678 910

77 so 72 70 76 78 M 72 b7

30 26 26 27 33 25 24 35 2613 24 21 21 26 36 29 21 242620141710912 912

891046b3 53— 1 1 1 1 2—2211 7 Is 20 12 13 19 22 1310 IO I37I179 712

12—I 1 21 1 I—— — l—— 1—5

1 l— 1————2

ltxl :“CO “T3U I(M3 Im -100 --98 102 100

TOTAL

7452$02321456612

1389510?

l,fuc

120

Ffgure I: Publication years of the 1,@30 most-cited papers (solid line) and all SCF’ cited publications,1%1-1982 (dotted line).

Table 3: Chronologic distribution by decade of publication for the papers in each part of thts series.

(Part) 123456 789 10 TOTAL

19COS — — — — l———— 11910s — — — — — — 1 I1920s 1 1 l— l—— l—— 51930s 5313231 1 13 231940s 88139753 753 681950s 28 30 19 27 27 28 24 20 23 2’7 253196QS 41 51 46 42 47 43 48 42 50 41 451I970s 17 7 19 19 16 20 24 27 23 25 197I980s — — l—————— — I

TOTAL 103 lIX) 103 ICO l@3 ICQ ICMI 98 102 100 1,003

I

each of the preceding nine parts we dis-cussed as many of those papers as spacepermitted.

Chronologic Dfstrfbutfon and Languageof Papers

Over 45 percent of the 1,000 most-cit-ed articles were published in the 1960s.In Table 3 we show the publication-yearbreakdowns by decade for each of the 10groups in the series. There do not appearto be any significant chronological dti-ferences between groups. When we mapthe year-by-year divisions for the 10groups combined (see Figure 1), we seethat the greatest number of paperspublished in any one single year occurs

in 1%7. By contrast, for the millions ofpapers cited in the SC1 from 1961 to1982, this peak is actually a plateau from1969 to 1975. The graph shows clearlythat the 1,000 most-cited papers areolder on average than the total popula-tion of all cited works, with an age dti-ference of about four to five years.

The oldest paper in the series, byGustav Mie, Institute of Physics, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald,Germany, was published in German in1908. It was discussed previously in Part6.1 The second oldest is the 1913 paperby Leonor Michaelis and Maud L. Men-ten, Berlin Municipal Hospital. It wasalso written in German, as were 16 other

121

papers in the series. Over half of thesewere published before 1955. The vastmajority (976) of the 1,000 papers are inEnglish; 4 were written in French and 2in Russian.

Incidentally, the Michaelis-Mentenclassic on the kinetics of invertase actioncontinues to be cited quite regularly. In1985 alone, 72 years after publication inthe Biochenrische Zeitschri’t, it re-ceived 23 citations. In fact, this paperhas been consistently cited over 25 timeseach year since 1955.

The 1947 paper by Ernest B. Vemey,Department of Pharmacology, Universi-ty of Cambridge, UK, and the 1931 arti-cle by Lars Onsager, Department ofChemistry, Brown University, Provi-dence, Rhode Island, (see Bibliography)also are older but still highly cited works.Vemey’s paper, “The antidiuretic hor-mone and the factors which determineits release, ” is a review and has beencited 98 times since 1983. The PhysicalReview paper by Onsager is the first oftwo that considers “examples of coupledirreversible processes like the thermo-electric phenomena, the transferencephenomena in electrolytes and heat con-duction in an anisotropic medium . . . .“ I~

Nobei Prize RecipientsOnsager died in 1976, eight years after

he received the Nobel Prize in chemis-try. He is one of 80 Nobel Prize winnersin this study; they wrote 139 of the 1,000papers. However, these authors repre-sent only 4 percent of the 1,803 authorsin the series. Thirty-six of the 80 re-ceived the Nobel in physiology or medi-cine, 23 in physics, and 21 in chemistry.Most of the prizes (32) were awarded inthe 1970s, followed by 18 in the 1980s, 17in the 1960s, 12 in the 1950s, and 3 from1920 to 1949. (Two authors—J. Bardeenand F. Sanger—won twice. ) Fifty of theNobeiists are Americans, while 14 arefrom the UK. Three recipients each arefrom the Federal Republic of Germany(FRG), Denmark, and Sweden, whiletwo are French. Argentina, Belgium,Taiwan, prewar Germany, and Switzer-land each produced one Nobelist.

Geographic and ImtitutionaiAffiliations

Although it may be obvious to somereaders, others may not realize that theinstitutional affiliations listed in the pa-pers do not always reflect the nationali-ties of the authors. For example, someaffiliations may be the temporary ad-dresses of researchers who are studyingabroad. We always rely on the affilia-tions listed in these articles; it would be amonumental task to identify eachauthor’s actual national affiliation orcountry of birth. It is often more impor-tant to identify those countries that sup-ported the researchers’ work and the in-stitutions that trained them.

Of the 1,00U articles in this series, 704list US affiliations. Of these, only 18were coauthored with researchers at for-eign universities or institutes. The UKcontributed 149 papers from 44 universi-ties and research institutes. Sweden andCanada produced 41 and 22 papers, re-spectively, while France had 17, and theFRG and Switzerland had 16 each. Aus-tralia contributed 14 articles and Japan,11. The Japanese articles were written inthe 1950s and 1960s. Israel produced sixarticles, all from the Weizmann Instituteof Science, Rehovot. These national af-filiations are summarized in Table 4. InTable 5 we list the 61 institutions that ap-peared at least five times in the series.Many of these frequently contribute ar-ticles to our annual lists of most-citedpapers. About 30U institutions are repre-sented in the series; over half— 166—ap-pear just once.

Types oi PapersLists of Citation Ciassics usually in-

clude review articles. Many turned up inthis study. More significant is the factthat nearly half of the 1,000 papers de-scribe new or modified methods. Thefirst list of papers in this series containedthe greatest number of these works—70.Scientists have ambivalent feelingsabout the importance of these articles.Some new methods do not involve majorconceptual discoveries but are simplyclever. Others are the result of deep in-

122

sights. Collectively their importance toprogress in science is reflected in thisstudy.

An interesting example of an impor-tant methodological work is afso one ofthe most recent papers in the list. This1977 paper describes a procedure forproducing large amounts of recombi-nant DNA. Injustnine years it has beencited over 1,600 times. These citationsare graphed in Figure 2. According tothe paper’s authors, W. David Bentonand Ronald W. Davis, Department ofBiochemistry, Stanford UniversitySchool of Medicine, the method makes“it possible, in principle, to isolate largequantities of DNA corresponding to anysingle gene . . . . It allow[s] the isolation ofeukaryotic unique genes by screening allthe recombinant produced throughshotgun cloning the entire genome. ” Is Itis reasonable to expect this paper’s al-most exponential growth to continue un-abated in 1986. The field of recombinantDNA is growing quite rapidly. However,since the Benton-Davis paper is method-ological in scope, it is possible that it willbe superseded by new methodologieswithin the next few years. In fact Bentonrecently noted14 that at least onemodification to it has already been pub-Iished.ls

Prolffic Authors and Journals

Many of the authors in this series areprolific as well as highly cited. Two hun-dred fifty-one researchers contributed 2or more of the 1,000 papers. Seven ofthese wrote seven or more papers (B.N.Ames, M.J. Karnovsky, S. Moore,W.H. Stein, E.W. Sutherland, and S.Udenfriend). John A. Pople, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsyl-vania, wrote eight, six of which werepublished in the Journal of Chemica[Physics. Several of these articles are in-stallments of multipart studies.

Alf the journals that published at leastfive articles in this study are fisted in Ta-ble 6. As you can see, a smalf number ofjournals published the majority of thearticles; the top 10 account for over 40percent of the papers. Fifty-eight per-

Fkgure 2: Annual citations to the Benton-Davispaper (Science 196:180-2, 1977).

I4oo -

350-

3oo-

mZ 250-g1-

; 2oo -

150-

1oo-

50-

77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85

YEARS

cent of the articles are represented whenwe add another 10 journals; 38 journalspublished 70 percent of the 1,000 arti-cles. This breakdown is illustrative of mylaw of concentration. 1~ Nevertheless,222 periodicals turn up in the list. Ofthese, 116 published just one papereach. In an ideal Bradford distribution,about 6 journals should account for one-third of the references, 36 journals forthe next third, and 216 for the remainingone-third. 17 It will be interesting toobserve the changes as we extend the listof most-cited papers.

ConclusionThis concludes our study on the 1,000

most-cited papers from the 1961-1982SCZ. In general each list of approximate-ly 100 papers has been representative ofthe entire series; most of the 1,000 arti-cles are from the life sciences, describenew methodologies, and were publishedin the 1960s. This bias toward older pa-pers is not surprising. As we have seenfrom our annual studies of recent most-cited papers, it takes at least five yearsfor such papers to be cited over 600times, the threshold for this list.

123

Table 4: Ranked distribution of national affiliations of the institutions that pruduced the 1,tlXl articles mostcited in the SCP, 1%1-1982. A = total number of papers in wh}ch each nation’s institutions appeared.B = number of papers coauthored with scientists affiliated with institutions in other countries. C = na-tional institutional affiliations of coauthors.

AB c AB c

us 704 18 Argentina, Belgium,Canada, France,FRG, NewZealand,Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, UK

UK 149 13 Belgium, France,FRG, New Zealand,Norway, Sweden,Switzerland, US

Sweden 41 4 France, UK, USCanada 22 2 Switzerland, USFrance 17 5 FRG, Italy, Sweden,

UK, USFRG 16 3 France, The

Netherlands, NewZeafand, Switzerland,UK, US

Switzerland 16 5 Canada, FRG, NewZealand, UK, US

AustrdlaJapanThe NetherlandsBelgiumDenmarkIsrael

●GermanyUSSRAustriaNew Zealand

ItalyNorwayArgentinaFhrlandGDRTaiwan

141191636654321

2121111111

FRGUK. US

FRG, Switzerland,UK, USFranceUKus

us

● Articles pubfished before World War II.

Tabfa S: The institutional affiliations occurring at least five times in this series, in descending order of thenumber of times thev aimear. AU camuuses, branches, and other locations for each institution are includ-. . .ed in the totals of the main headings.

NIH, MDHarvard Univ., MAUniv. California, CARockefeJJer Univ. (Inst.), NYUniv. Cambridge, UKUniv. London, UKUniv. Wisconsin, WICaltech, CAComeU Univ., NYUniv. Chicago, ILMJT, MAColumbia Univ., NYUniv. Washington, WACamegie-MeUon Univ., PAMRC, UKStanford Univ., CAYale Univ., CTKarolinska Inst., SwedenUniv. Pennsylvania, PAJofma Hopkins Univ., MDWashhrgton Univ., MOUniv. Colorado, COUniv. Toronto, CanadaNYU, NYUniv. Illinois, ILUniv. Oxford, UKUppsala Univ., SwedenBeff Labs., NJBmnkhaven Nat]. Lab., NYCase Western Reserve Univ., OHGothenburg Univ., Sweden

866255443127222020191817171616161615151312111199998888

Pasteur Inst., FranceCarnegie Inst. Washington, MDDuke Univ., NCLund Univ., SwedenMcGill Univ., CanadaNorthwestern Univ., fLRoy. COU. Surgeons, UKSloan-Kettering Inst. Cancer Res., NYTufts Univ., MAVeterans Admin., DCDuPont Co., DEJBM, NYMax Planck Sot. Adv. Sci., FRGPrinceton Univ., NJUniv. Edinburgh, UKUniv. Pittsburgh, PAUniv. Ruchester, NYWeiznrann Inst. Sci., IsraelYeshh’a Univ. (Albert Einstein COU. Med.),

NYARC, UKCNRS, FranceJewish Hap. St. Louis, MOMount Sinai Hosp., NYOak Ridee Natl. Lab., TNPub. H1t~. Res. Inst. NY, NYUSDA, DCUniv. Glasgow, UKUniv. Minneauta, MNUniv. Texas, TXVanderbdt Univ., TN

87777777‘77666666666

55555555555

124

Tabfe 6: Journals that published at least 5 of the1,000 papers most cited in the SCF, 1%1- 1982.A = journal title. B = number of papem. C= 1983impact factor. [The 1‘%3impact factor is equal tothe number of 1983 citations received by the1981-1982 articles in a journal, divided by thenumber of articles published by the journal dur-ing the same pericd. )

A

J. Biol. Chem.Biochem. J.

# Phys. Rev.Proc. Nat. Acad, Sci. USNatureScience

“ J. CeJJBiol.

4

J. Chem. Phys.J. Amer. Chem. SOC.J. Mol. Biol.J. Exp. Med.Anal. Biochem.Biochim. Biophys. ActsMeth. EnzymologyAnal. Chem,Biochemistry-USAActs CrvstaJJotzr.

BC

94 5.8041 3.2541 —41 8.7239 9.2635 7,4133 9.2433 2.9631 4,4724 6.6722 11.1018 2,8618 2,4118 1,3117 3,3617 4,0514 —

Arch. B;oche;. Biophys.J. Physiol.—LondonJ. Histochem. Cytochem.J. Clin. Invest.Proc. SW. Exp. Biol. Med.Rev. Mod. Phys.Phys, Rev. Lett.Pharmacol. Rev.Exp. Cell Res.J. Immunol.J, Lab. Ctin. Med.J. Pharm. Exp. Ther,N. Engl. J. Med.Acts Physiol. Stand.

14 2,4413 3,4111 3,8610 7,CQ10 1,3$10 19.859 6.468 8.167 2.897 6.457 2.657 3.527 16.466 2.29

Biochem. Biophys, Res. Commun. 6 2.41Chem. Rev, - 6 9.15J. Lipid Res. 6 3.82Lancet 6 12.25Amer. J. Clin. Pathol. 5 0.66Eur. J. Biochem, 5 3.46

“* I%c1. Phys. 5—

# Includes articles from Phys. Rev. [Secf./ A(1964-1%5) and Phys. Rev. D-Parf. Fields( 197C-).

● Includes articles from its former title J.Biophys. l?iochem. CJJfoL (1955-1%1).

+ Includes articles from Acfa Crywaffogr.A—Crysf. Phys. (1%8-1982) and ActsCrysta/fogr. if-.$trwct. Cryst. (1968-1982).

“” Includes one article from Nucf. Phys. A ( 1967-).

As a final interesting exercise, wecompared the 10 lists to a list of 100 pa-pers that was published in the appendix

of volume 1 of our compendium of liie-sciences Classics.3 These 100 articleswere chosen by determining every 10tharticle that had not yet been featured asa Citation Classic. If the 10th paper hadalready been a Ciassic, we simply pickedthe next one that had not. The purposeof this list was primarily to provide ourreaders with examples of classic papersnot included in the two volumes pub-lished to dates Not surprisingly, the 100papers in the appendix prove to be simi-lar in chronological and other character-istics to the 10 groups in this series.

Several years have now elapsed sincewe began this lo-part series. In the fu-ture we intend to draw upon our now-30-year cumulative database of citations tosupplement the lists of papers in thisanalysis. Citation data for 1955-1960were not available when we started theproject. But we recently published the1955-1964 SCZ cumulation, and a newfive-vear cumulation for the SCZ cover-ing 1980-1984 will be published this year.The annual volume for 1985 will also ap-pear in a few months.

The citations from 1955 to 1960 maysignificantly affect the ranking of olderpapers that peaked in citations in thelate 1950s. In fact, we expect some pre-viously unlisted papers to be included inthe new 1,000 most-cited list. For exam-ple, consider the 1952 article by A.T.James and A.J.P. Martin, Nationaf Insti-tute for Medical Research, London, inthe Biochemical Journal. lfJ It ranked1,01 5th among papers most cited from1961 to 1982. In contrast it ranks 880th inthe 1955-1985 SC1. Of the next nine arti-cles published before 1955 and rankedbelow the 1,000 point for the 1961-1982file, two move up in the expanded data-base. One of these papers was publishedin 1920 by A.A. Griffith, Royal AircraftEstablishment, London. 19 It dkcusses“Phenomena of rupture and flow in sol-ids” and was cited 61 times from 1955 to1960. In 1983, 1984, and 1985 it received120 citations.

It is, of course, always frustratingwhen one has to decide at what point tocut off a most-cited papers list. But since

125

we are not constrained to end this listat the 1,000 point, it will be instructiveto observe what papers and patternsemerge as we extend it using 1955-1985SCZ citation data. However, since theworld will not wait while we “catch up, ”our new lists will inevitably blend the oldwith the new. The result will continue to

demonstrate that both deserve to bestudied.

● ****

My thanks to Abigail Griisom andGiilian Wilson for their help in thepreparation of this essay. ~19.96,S,

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Science I%: ISO-2, 1977.14 Bentm W D. Personal comm”nlcat,on 14 March 1%6,15 WOO S L C, A sensitl$e a“d rapid method for recombinant phage scrce”mg ,Me/h L-nzy”ologj M 3+9-95, IQ-9,

Ih G.rtield E. The mystery of the transposed )ournal hsts-~ herein Bredlords law of sca!fcnng is generalizedaccording to Garfield’s law of concentration Op ctr 19”7 Vol 1. p 222-3

17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bradfords law and related statistical patterns. Op at 1981. Vol. 4 p. 4“6-8.718, J@mes A T & Mmtfn A 1 P. Gas-liqwd partition chromatography lhe separamm and rmcrwesmnatio” of volatile

fatly acids from formic acid 10 dmfecamm ac!d. Bmchcm. J 50.6”9-90. 1%219 Gdfffth ,4 A, Phe”omema of rupture and flom in solids. Phtl Tmm Rob SW London A 221 163-W, 1920.

Bfhffography of Most-Cited Papers, 1%1-1982. Part 10

The Ioth group of articles most cited in the SC~ , 1961-1982, in alphabetic order by first author.A = 1961-1982 citations. The 1983 citations appear in parentheses. B = bibliographic data. An asterisk (‘ } in-dicates that the paper was the subject of a Cifafion Ckznic” commentary. The issue and year of the com-mentary follow the bibliographic reference.

A B692 (451 Ames B N. Lee F D & Dumton W E. An improk ed bacterial test system for the detection

and classification of mutagens and carcinogens. Proc. NUI. A cad. .$ci. US 70:782-6,1973.

672 ( 16) “Anfnrafu A O E & Hefne V, The screened model potential for 25 elements. F’hi/. Mag12:1249-70, 1%5. (5/83/PC&ES)

664 ( 10.I) AshweU G & Morel A G. The role of surface carbohydrates in the hepatic recognitionand transport of circulating glycoproteins. A dv Enzyme/. Re/. A mas Mol. 4 I :99-128,1974.

693 (22) ● Avrcm M. Photophosphoryla tion by swiss-chard chloroplasts. Efiochim. Biophys. A cm40:257-72, 1960. (25/78)

668 (38) Bearden J A & Burr A F. Reevaluation of x-ray atomic energy levels. Rev Mod. Phys.39:125-42, J%7,

678 (20) “Bencze W L & SchmId K. Determination of tyrosine and tryptophan in proteins. AndChem. 29:1193-6, 1957. (8/81/LS)

672 (288) Benton W D & Davfs R W. Screening kgt recombinant clones by hybridization to singleplaques in situ. Science 196:1802, 1977.

676 ( 12) Bjorken J D & PaschosE A. Inelastic electron-proton and y-proton scattering and thestructure of the nucleon. Phys. Rev. 185:1975-82, 1%9.

676 (29) “Bfumherg B S, Alter H J & VfsnfchS. A “new”antigen in leukemia sera, JAMA—J. Am.Med. Assn 191:541-6, 1965. (51/79/LS)

126

A691 (24)

685 (20)

679 (38)

681 (31)

664

680

683

691

11)

(8)

24)

12)

675 (37)

665 ( 16)

688 (26)

689 (4)

tr93 (62)

666 (77)

687 (26)

679 (53)681 (35)

685 (36)

672 (18)

685 (50)

665 (12)

693 (37)

672 (34)

687 (83)665 (39)

670 (78)

689 (28)

667 (6)

688 (33)690 (64)

B“Borfxy G G & Taylor E W. The mechanism of action of colchichre. J. Ccl/ Bio/.

34:52S-33, 1967. (22/81 /LS)Buckfngham A D. Chemical shifts in the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of molecules

containing polar groups. Can. J. Cherm 38:3tW7, 1960.Burhkfge E M, Brrrhldge G R, Fowler W A & Hoyle F. Synthesis of the elements in stars.

Rev. Mod. Phys, 29:547-650, 1957.BrrsfrrgW R & Levy H A. The effect of thermal motion on the estimation of bond lengths

from diffraction measurements. Acts Cry$/al/ogr. 17:142-6, 1964.“CafrrrR S, Jngold C K & Prelog V. The specification of asymmetric configuration in

organic chemistry, Experkntia 12:81-94, 1956. (50/82/PC&ES)Caro L G & Palade G E. Protein synthesis, storage, and discharge in the pancreatic

excaine cell. J. Cc/{ Biof. 20:473-95, 1964.Chance B & WJllfarrrsG R. Respiratory enzymes in oxidative phosphorylatiorr. 1. Kinetics

of oxygen utilization. J. Bio/. Chem. 217:383-93, 1955.Chant-ck R M, Hayflfck L & Barffe M F. Growth on artificial medium of an agent

associated with atypical pneumonia and its identification as a PPLO. Proc. Nat, A cad.Sci US 48:41-9, 1962,

“Cfeaver J E. Defective repair reification of DNA in xercderma pigmentosum. Nature218:652-6, 1968. (30/81/LS)

“CoeJcrarI W. Crystal stabifity and the theory of ferroelectricity. Advarr. Phys. 9:387-423,1960. (lS/f%/ET&AS, PC&ES)

Cobrr EJ, Strorrg J.E, Hrrghes WL. MuIforrJDJ, Ashworth JN, Meffrr M& Taylor HL.Preparation and properties of serum and plasma proteins. IV. Asystem for theseparation into fractions of the protein and lipoprotein components of biological tiaauesand fluids, J. Amer. Cfrem. Sot, 68:4 S9-75, 1946.

Diacfre Z. Ubereinige neuecharakteristische Farbreaktionen der Thymonukleinmure undeine Mikromethode zur Bestimmurrg derselben in tierischen Organen mit Hilfe dieserReaklionen (Some new characteristic color reactions bythymonucleic acid andamicromethod for its determination in animal organs using these reactions). Mikrochemie8:4-32, 1930.

Dodge HT. SmrdJerH, Baffew D W &Lord JD. The use of biplane angiocardiographyforthemeasurement ofleftventficular volume inman. Amer. Hearf J. 60:762-76, 1960.

‘Errrotb-Crrgefl C& Robsorr JG. Thecontrast sensitivity of retirml ganglion ceflsof the cat.J. Physio/.—London 187:517-52, 1966. (8/86/LS)

Fafck B. Obser\ationso nthepozsibilitiesof thecellular localization of monoamines byafhrorescence method. Acta Physio/. Stand. 56( Suppl. 197):6-25, 1962.

Fbber R. Dizperaion onasphere. Proc. Roy. Sot. London Ser. A 217:295-305, 1953.Franks F& Jves DJG. Thestructural properties of alcohol-water mixtures, Quart, Rev,

Chem. .$oc. 20:1-44, 1966.Fuoas RM. Ionic association. 111. Theequilibrium between ionpairx and free ions, L

Amer. Chem. Sot. 80:!059-61, 1958.Gershon R K. T-cell control ofantibody prduction. Contemp. Topics [mmunobiol.

3:1-40, 1974.Gflbert A& Cameron AG W. Acomposite nuclearlevel density formula with shell

corrections. Can. J. Phys. 43: f446-96, 1965.Corer PA& OGorman P. Thecytotoxic activityof isomrtibodies in mice. Tmrrspfan[.

ffld~, 3:142-3, 1956.Gmhame DC. Theeleetrical double layer and the theory ofelectrocapillarity. C/rem,

Rev. 41:441-501, 1947.Gray EG. Axc-sonratic andaxwdendritic synapses of the cerebral cortex: an electron

microscope study. J. Anal. 93:42&33, 1959.Gray WR. End-group analysia using dansylcbJoride. Meth. Errzymofogy 25:121-34, 1972.Grifffng B. Concept of genemland specific combining atility inrelation todiaUelcrmsing

systems. Aust, J. Biof. Sci. 9:463-93, 1956.Gryglewski RJ, 2hrrrtJrrgS,Moncarfa S, Flower RJ& VaneJR. Arterial walls are

protected against deposition of platelet thrombl by a substance (prostaglandin X) whichthey make from prostaglandin endoperoxides. Prostagkrndirrs 12:685-713, 1976.

Ham RG. Unimproved nutrient solution ford]pIoid Chinese hamster and human cell~mes. Exp. Ce//Re$. 29:515-26, 1963.

Hamffton W F, Moore J W, Kbrsman JM& Spurlhrg RG. Studies on the circulation. IV.Further analysis of the injection method, andofchanges inhemudynamics underphysiological andpathological conditions. Arner, L Pfry.rioL 99:53+51, 1932.

Hauser W& Feshbacb H. Theinelastic scattering ofneutrons. Phys. Rev. 87:36&73, 1952.‘Hefdelherger C. Chemical carcinogenesiz. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 44:79-121, 1975.

( 14/82/LS)

127

A667 (37)

667 (58)

679 (641

693 (9)

679 (46)

691 (53)

669 (31)

684 (38)

668 (15)

671 (3)

6+6 (10)

673 (24}

693 (32)

696 ( 13)

686 (42)671 (26)

631 (5)

692 (6)

687 (4)

686 ( 145)

678 (31)

668 (121

681 (6)

695 (43)

677 (39)683 (29)

680 (18)

682 (43)

677 (7)

670 ( 17)

B“HeJfstrom K E & Heflsrrom L Lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity and blccking serum

activity to tumor antigens. Advan. Immunol. 18:2Q9-77, 1974. (20/82/LS)“Herbst A L, Ulfelder H & Puskarszer D C. Adenc-carcinoma of the vagina. N. Eng[.

J. Med. 284:878-81, 1971. (2/85/CP; 36/85/LS)Heuser J E & Reese T S. Evidence for recycling of synaptic vesicle membrane during

transmitter release at the frog neuromuscular junction. J. Cell Biol. 57:315-44, 1973.Hoffey R W, Apgar J, Everett G A, Madfson J T, Marrprfsee M, Memfff S H,

Penawkk J R & Zamfr A. Structure of ribonucleic acid. Science 147:1462-5, 1965.HormsJield G N. Compute tied transverse axial scanning (tomography): part 1. Description

of system. Bn”t. J. Radio/. 46:1016-22, 1973.“HrmrrgC. Studies on phosphatidylchoiine vesicles. Formation and physical characteristics.

Biochernifrr~USA 8:344-51, 1%9. (6/82/LS)Hubbard 1. Electron correlations in narrow energybands. 111.An improvedsolution.

Proc. Roy. Sot. London Ser. A 281:40-19, 1964.Hukgen R. 1,3-dipolar cycloaddidons past and future. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2:565-98.

1%3.Humason M L, MayaJl N U & Sandage A R. Redshtits and magnitudes of extragalactic

nebulae. A$tron. J. 61:97-162, 1956.Hurwitz 1, Furrh J J, Mafamy M & AJexander M. The role of deoxyribonucleic acid in

ribonucleic acid synthesis, 111. The inhibition of the enzymatic synthesis of ribonucleicacid and deoxyribonucleic acid by actinomycin D and proflavin. Proc. Nat. A cad SC-Ius 48:1222-30, 1%2.

“Jnbar M & Sachs L. Interaction of tbe carbohydrate-bhrding protein concanavalin A withnormal and transformed cells. Proc. Nat. A cad Sci. US 63:1418-25, 1%9. (22 X2 ‘LS1

Jensen E V & Jacobson H J. Basic guides to the mechanism of estrogen action. Re-cenrProg, Hormone Res 18:387-408, 1962.

Jemen E V, Suzuki T, Kawashfma T, Stumpf W E, Jungbiut P W & DeSombre E R. Atwo-step mechanism for the interaction of estradiol with rat uterus. Proc. Nat. A cad.Sri. US 59:632-8, 1968.

“Johnston W G & Gffmmr J J. Dislocation velocities, d~location densities, and plastic flow,in lithium fluoride crystals. J. App/. Phys. 30:i29-44, 1959. (28/79/PC&ES)

“Jouvet M. Biogenic amines and the states of sieep. Science 163:32-41, 1969. ( 1“/83’ LSIKory R C, Callahan R, Boren H G & Syner J C. The Veterans Administration-Arm y

Cooperative study of pulmonary function. i. Ciinicai spirometry in normal men. A merJ. Med. 30:243-58, 196i

Lee S Y, Mendeckl J & Brawermrm G. A poiynucleotide segment rich in adenyfic acid inthe rapidly- labeied polyribosumal RNA component of mouse sarcoma 180 ascites cells.Proc. Not A cad. Sci US 68:1331-5, 1971.

“Lemieux R U, Kuffnig R K, Bemstebs H J & Schneider W G. Configurational effects cmthe proton magnetic resonance spectra of six-membered ring compuunds. J. Amer.Chem. Sot. 8O:6C98-105, 1958. (26/80/PC&ES)

“Le Pichon X. Sea-floor spreading and continental drift. J. Geophys. Res, 73:3661-97,1968. (4279PC&ES)

McDoneffM W, SfmonM N & Studfar F W. Anaiysis of restriction fragments of T7 DNAand determination of molecular weights by ekctrophoresis in neutral and alkaline geis.J. Mol. fJio/ 1iO:119-46, i977.

Mkbaeffs L & Menten M L. Die Kinetik der Invertinwirkung (Kinetics of invertaseaction). Iliochern. Z. 49:333-69, i913.

“MfJfer L L, Bly C G, Watson M L & Bale W F. The dominant role of the liver in plasmaprotein synthesis. J. Exp. Med. 94:43 i-53, 1951. ( 13/80/LS)

Nkokon G L. Transmembrane control of the receptors on normal and tumor cells. 1.Cytoplasmic influence over cell surface components. Biochim. Biophys. A eta457:57-fo8, 1976,

Nobie R P. Electrophoretic separation of plasma lipoproteins on agarose gel. J. L{pid Res.9:693-7tJ3, 1%8.

Onsager L. Reciprccai relations in irreversible processes. I. Phyf. Rev. 37:405-26, 193i,Oudet P, Gross. BeJlamf M & Cimmbon P. Electron microscope and biochemical evidence

that chromatin structure is a repeating unit. Celf 4:281-300, 1975.“Pm’dee A B, Jacob F & Monod J. The genetic control and cytopfasmic expression of

“inducibilit y“ in the synthesis of /3-gafactosidase by E. co/i. J. Mol. Lfiol. 1:165-78, 1959.(9/85/LS)

Parker A J. Protic-dipolar aprotic solvent effects on rates of bimolecular reactions. Chem.Rev. 69:1-32, 1969.

“Porath J & Fiodin P. Gel fitration: a methud for desaiting and group separation. Narure183:1657-9, 1959. (19/81/LS)

“Puck T T, Marcus P J & Cieciura S J. Clonal growth of mammalian cells in $Ii(ro, J Exp,Med. 103:273-83, 1956. (3/83/LS)

128

A

693 (59)

679 (36)

668 (20)

665 ( 14)

686 (19)

696 (62)

696 (54)

674 (30)

673 (189)

676 (7&i)

694 (8)

679 (76)

672 (17)

666 (29)

665 (6)

678 (6)

682 (93)

670 (62)

666 (57)

667 (3)

676 (101)

666 (41)

667 (36)

691 (32)

689 (19)

66s (58)

665 (44)

683 (61)

665 (42)

695 ( 13)

666 (38)

B

Reed P W & Lardy H A. A23187: a divalent cation ionophore. J. Bio/. Chem. 247:697@7,1972.

Roe J H. The determination of sugar in blood and spinal fluid with anthrone reagent. J.

fliol. Chem. 212:335-43, 1955.Rudenrran M A & Kittel C. Indirect exchange coupfing of nuclear magnetic moments by

conduction electrons. Phys, Rev. 96:99-102, 1954,Rupp W D & Howard-Flanders P. Discontinuities in the DNA synthesized in an excision-

defective strain of E~chen”chia coli following ultraviolet irradiation. J. Mol. Biol,31:291-2434, 1968.

%h C-T, Noyce R N & Shockley W. Carrier generation and recombination in p.njunctions and p-n junction characteristics. Proc. In$t. Radio Eng. 45:1228-43, 1957.

.%wmdeker J S, Sloneker J H & leanes A. Letter to editor. (Quantitative determination of

monosaccharides as their alditol acetates by gas liquid chromatography. ) A naf. Chem.37:1602-4, 1965.

● Scott A C, Chu F Y F & McLaughffn D W. The soliton: a new concept in applied science,Proc. IEEE 61:1443-83, 1973. [34/79 {ET&AS)

Scott T A & MeJvfn E H. Determination of dextrane with anthrone. A md. Cfzem,25:1656-61, 1953,

Shannon R D. Revisedeffectiveionic radii and systematic studies of interatomic distancesin halides and chalcogenides. Acfa Crywd/ogr. A—Cryst. Phys, 32:751-67, 1976.

“Sfgmmrd P. Theory of sputtering. I. Sputtering yield of amorphous and polycrystafhetargets. Phy.c. Rev. 184:383-416, 1969. ( 1l/E3/PC&ES)

Smfthies O. Zone electrophoresis in starch gefa and its application to studies of serumproteins. Adwm, Prof. Chem. 14:65-113, 1959.

Staeheffn L A. Structure and function of intercellular j unctions. [w. Rev. Cy/o/,39:191-283, 1974.

“Stegemarm H. Mkrobestimmung von Hydroxyprofin mit Chloramin-T undp-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyd (Mlcrodetennkration of hydroxyproline with chloramine-Tand p-dimethylaminmbenzaldehyde). Hoppe-Sey/ers Z. Physiol. Chem. 31I:41 -5, 1958,(35/85/LS)

“Stempak J G & Ward R T. An improved staining method for electron microscopy. J. CeflBioL 22:697-701, 1964. (44/84/LS)

“StemheJJ S. Long-range Hi -H1 spin-spin coupling in nuclear magnetic resonancespectroscopy, Rev. Pure Appl. Chem. 14:15-46, 1964. (28/80/PC&ES)

Stoffel W, Chu F & Ahrena E H. Analysis of long-chain fatty acids by gas-liquidchromatography. A md. Chem. 31:307-8, 1959.

Sumner A T. A simple tectilque for demonstrating centrometric heterochromatin. Exp.Cell Res, 75:304-6, 1972.

“Swan H J C, Gmrz W, Forreater J, Marcus H, D&mond G & Chonette D. Catheterizationof the heart in man with use of a flow-directed balloon-tipped catheter. N. .Eng/. J.Med. 283:447-51, 1970. ( l/82/CP)

“Szentfvanyl A. The beta adrenergic theory of tbe atopic abnormality in bronchial asthma.J. Allergy 42:203-32.1968. (20/85/LS)

Taylor A L & Trotter C D. Linkage map of E$chen”chia co/i strain K- 12. Bacten”of. Rev.36:504-24, (972.

Thoreff J J & Joharrsaon B G. Enzymatic iodination of pdypeptides with 12S1 to highspecific activity. Biochim. Biophys. A eta 251:363-9, 1971.

Vemey E B. Crounian lecture. The antidiuretic hormone and the factors which determineits refease. Proc. Roy. Sot, London Ser. B 135:25- IC6, 1947.

Vogt V M. Purification and further properties of single-strand-specific nuclease fromAspergillus oryzae. Eur. J. Biochem. 33:192-200, 1973.

Waafkes T P & Udenfrfend S. A ffuorometric method for the estimation of tyrosine inplasma and tissues. J. Lab. Clin, Med. 50:733-6, 1957,

Wasserman E & Levfne L. Quantitative micr~complement fixation and its use in the studyof antigenic structure hy spec~lc antigen-antibody inhibition. J. Immune/. 87:290-5, 1961

“Wefl C S. Tables for convenient calculation of median-effective dose (LD50 or ED$O) andinstructions in their use. Biometnti$ 8:249-63, 1952. (38/79/LS)

Wekenberg R C. Microtubrde formation in vifro in solutions containing low calciumconcentrations. Science 177:1104-5, 1972.

‘ Weksler A M, Harris W S & ScJmenfeld C D. Systolic time intervals in heart failure inman. Cirwdation 37:149-59, I%8. (20/83/CP)

‘ Wfde L, BennfchH & Johmsson S G O. Diagnosisof allergyby an in-vitro test forallergen antibocKes. Lancet 2:1105-7, 1%7. (3/85/LS)

‘ Yrrsfda K. Magnetic properties of Cu-Mn alloys. Phys Rev. 106:89M3, 1957.(45/79/PC&ES)

Zacharfmerr W H. A general theory of X-ray diffraction in crystals. At/a Cry.mz/logr.23:558-64, 1967. -

129