Definition

Noun: 1. A computerized bibliographic database: Medline is a comprehensive online database, maintained by the United States National Library of Medicine (NLM), which indexes millions of references to biomedical and life sciences journal articles. 2. A component of a larger system: Specifically, Medline is the publicly accessible online search system that provides rapid electronic linkage to and retrieval from the larger MEDLARS (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System) database.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Researchers often begin their literature review by searching Medline for relevant studies.
  • The abstract for that clinical trial is available through Medline.
  • Access to the full Medline database is provided free via the PubMed interface.

Advanced Usage

• "Searching Medline": This is the standard phrase for conducting a literature search within the database. It implies using specific keywords, MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms, or other filters to find scientific articles.
  • Systematically searching Medline is a crucial step in conducting a meta-analysis.
• "Indexed in Medline": A phrase used to indicate that a particular scientific journal or article is included in the Medline database, which is often a marker of credibility and reach in the biomedical field.
  • The journal's acceptance into Medline significantly increased its readership.

Variants and Related Words

• PubMed (n): A free search engine and interface, also maintained by the NLM, that provides primary access to the Medline database. While often used interchangeably, PubMed includes some additional content not in Medline (like citations ahead of print).
• MEDLARS (n): The overarching computerized system developed by the NLM, of which Medline is a major component. MEDLARS stands for Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System.
• MeSH (n): Medical Subject Headings; the controlled vocabulary thesaurus used for indexing articles in Medline.

Synonyms

• Bibliographic database: A collection of references to published literature.
• Literature index: A systematic guide to the contents of publications in a specific field.

Related Phrases

• Medline search: The act or process of querying the Medline database.
  • A comprehensive Medline search yielded over 200 potentially relevant papers.
• Medline record: The individual entry for a single article within the database, containing details like title, authors, abstract, and MeSH terms.
  • Each Medline record includes a unique PubMed Identifier (PMID).

Noun

1. the computer-based telephone system of the United States National Library of Medicine that provides rapid linkage to MEDLARS