Databases: MEDLINE Reload 2012

Please note that initial standing order deliveries may work out more extensive than usual, because no more new completely indexed documents have been incorporated since 16th November 2011.

MeSH 2012

The MeSH 2012 contains 454 new descriptors for concepts from various different fields (above all Diseases; Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment; Biological Sciences). 57 headings were modified or deleted. 

Selected changes to MeSH

Some combinations of MeSH headings with qualifiers (subheadings) will be substituted by pre-coordinated descriptors from 2012.

Below are the combinations new for 2012:

More changes to MeSH can be found on the webpages of National Library of Medicine (NLM), see link.

Adjust your standing orders and search strategies

New descriptors will not be assigned retrospectively meaning that they can only be used for retrieving documents from 2012. The substitution of mainheading/qualifier combinations by new pre-coordinated descriptors (see Table) may lead to a loss of information in standing orders, because no documents can be identified with the original combinations. Therefore you should always supplement standing orders with a maturity over the turn of the year with current MeSH terms.

Searching MEDLINE, however, you should note details of the launch date of MeSH terms and MeSH terms previously used. Otherwise relevant documents that existed before the introduction of new MeSH terms could be lost.

Changed MeSH-terms will be retrospectively implemented for the entire stock. These changes may also require adjustments in your standing orders. As in previous years we are going to inform you which of your standing orders will have to be changed because of the MeSH conversion.

More details on this can be found along with a list of the new descriptors on the webpages of NLM (see link).