Artículos

Objective: The practice of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is widely used for maximizing the clinical efficacy of antimicrobials. However, a systematic bibliometric analysis providing an overview of this field is lacking at present. The aim of the current study was to identify hotspots and trends in antimicrobial TDM, highlight collaborations and influences among countries, institutions, and journals, and assess the knowledge base for further development of clinical research. Research Design and Methods: Articles and reviews related to TDM of antimicrobials from the Web of Science Core Collection were collected. CiteSpace and VOSviewer, two visualization tools, were utilized to graphically assess the key elements within this domain, including mapping of countries and regions, institutions, keywords, and references associated with the field of antimicrobial TDM. Through this approach, we were able to successfully provide a comprehensive visual overview of the research landscape, highlighting the significant players and thematic trends in the literature. Results: From 2000 to 2023, a total of 17,236 authors from 4,112 institutions in 112 countries/regions published 3,710 papers in 819 academic journals. The United States had the highest number of publications, with University of Queensland identified as the most active institution. The journal with the greatest number of publications was Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, whereas Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy was the most co-cited journal. Current research focuses on pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, vancomycin, posaconazole, invasive fungal infection and critically ill patients. Promising hotspots for future research include vancomycin, voriconazole, meropenem, isavuconazole, posaconazole, and teicoplanin. Moreover, vancomycin and critically ill patients remain a hot topic of future research. Conclusion: Using bibliometric and visualization methods, the research hotspots of antimicrobial drugs in TDM were analyzed. The continued increase in the number of annual publications demonstrates the vital significance of TDM for antimicrobials. Data from this study provide a valuable reference for future research trends in TDM of antimicrobial agents.

Introduction: Spinal tuberculosis (TB), or Pott’s disease, remains a significant global health issue, particularly in regions with high TB prevalence. Despite antitubercular drug therapy being the primary treatment, surgical intervention is often required in cases of spinal instability or neurological complications. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of worldwide publications related to the surgical management of spinal TB and to compare contributions from orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery in this field. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed using data from the Scopus database, covering publications from 1896 to 2024. The search strategy focused on terms related to spinal TB and surgical interventions. The analysis included 1,857 publications, which were examined for trends, key contributors, and the evolution of surgical techniques. Metrics such as the number of publications, leading authors, affiliations, countries, and funding sponsors were compared between orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery. Results: This study identified a steady increase in the number of publications over time. Key topics evolved from basic surgical methods, including early spinal procedures, to integrating pharmacological approaches alongside surgical techniques, such as antitubercular drugs, advancing into imaging research and procedure research involving refined surgical methods like spinal fusion. The recent phase reflects a shift towards technology-driven approaches, including minimally invasive techniques, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. China emerged as the leading country with the most contributions based on author, affiliations, funding sponsors, and countries. Last, orthopaedic surgery had more publications (274) than neurosurgery (96). Discussion: In conclusion, spinal TB surgery has evolved significantly, with a notable shift towards advanced, technology-driven approaches. Orthopaedic surgery leads in research output compared to neurosurgery. This bibliometric analysis provides valuable insights into the global research landscape, guiding future studies in the management of spinal TB.

Introduction: Parasitic diseases pose a significant global public health challenge, affecting billions of people and causing substantial economic losses in livestock and poultry. In the fight against these infections, neutrophils play a crucial role, employing various strategies, including the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Recent studies have made significant progress in understanding NETs triggered by protozoa and helminths. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis that compiles these findings and identifies research hotspots and trends in this field is still lacking. Methods: We utilized the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus databases to retrieve original articles on NETs induced by protozoa and helminths. After screening, the data was transferred to the visualization tools VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, and CiteSpace for analysis. Results: Our study included 159 original articles published in 69 journals, involving 909 authors from 270 institutions across 41 countries. Germany and Brazil have made the most significant contributions to the research on NETs and parasites, accounting for 45 and 32 publications, and 1,495 and 1,342 citations, respectively. Carlos Hermosilla and Anja Taubert (Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany), and Elvira Saraiva (Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), are leaders in the field, both in terms of publication output and citations. Frontiers in Immunology has consistently and significantly impacted the field, and an article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America providing the first direct evidence of NETs release in response to a parasite is by far the most cited. Current research focuses on malaria, Toxoplasma gondii, Besnoitia besnoiti, nematodes, and the mechanisms of NETs production and their effects on parasites and host cells. Emerging trends include therapeutic targeting of NETs and comparative studies across different host and parasite species. Conclusion: This study offers a comprehensive overview and visual analysis of NETs and parasites, highlighting key areas for future research.

BACKGROUND: Liposarcomas are mesenchymal malignant tumors characterized by varying degrees of adipocytic differentiation that comprises approximately 20% of soft tissue sarcomas. Despite advancements in this field, there remains a need for a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of liposarcomas. Currently, there is a lack of bibliometric surveys on the development trajectory of liposarcomas treatment, research hotspots, and author and team collaboration. METHODS: In this study, we obtained publications from the Web of Science database from 2004 to 2023, with a specific focus on the treatment of liposarcomas. By utilizing bibliometric methods, the data were processed to facilitate visual analysis of various aspects, including authors, countries, institutions, cocitations, keywords, references, and gene characteristics. RESULTS: The number of publications on liposarcomas treatment has increased over the past two decades, from 39 in 2004 to 232 in 2023, with the United States of America contributing the most publications. Among the institutions, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center had the highest volume of 87 publications. Notably, Alessandro Gronchi published 63 articles on the treatment of liposarcomas in the last 20 years. Cancers is the journal with the highest number of 57 publications. High-frequency keywords in these publications included “soft tissue sarcoma”, “liposarcoma”, “retroperitoneal sarcoma”, “surgery”, “dedifferentiated liposarcoma”, “trabectedin” and “radiotherapy”. Recent trends, identified through strong citation bursts from 2020 to 2023, include next-generation sequencing, radiotherapy, and patient-derived cell lines. High-frequency genes in the liposarcomas treatment field include TP53, MDM2, CDK4, DDIT3, and CD274. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment of liposarcomas has garnered increasing attention worldwide in the last 20 years. The treatment approach has shifted from surgical resection to multidisciplinary therapy. The molecular and biological characteristics of different tumor subtypes have attracted more research attention, providing an important reference for the choice of treatment. The findings of this study contribute to providing a comprehensive understanding of liposarcomas treatment among researchers. Moreover, they offer valuable perspectives that can guide future research.

Background: The global incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising due to changes in modern lifestyle and dietary habits, making it one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease. NAFLD can progress to more severe liver conditions, imposing significant economic burdens. Currently, no FDA-approved drugs are available for its treatment. However, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has gained attention for its unique theoretical framework and therapeutic strategies, particularly its potential to improve liver health by modulating liver function. Recent studies have also highlighted TCM’s ability to regulate gut microbiota, offering a promising avenue for NAFLD management. To better understand the evolving role of TCM in treating NAFLD, a comprehensive analysis of existing research is necessary. Methods: In this study, the Web of Science database was chosen as the primary data source to investigate the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Specifically, the search focused on English articles and review articles indexed in the SCI-E and SSCI databases, spanning from January 1, 2012, to October 30, 2024. The search strategy employed the following formula: TS = (“non-alcoholic fatty liver disease” OR “Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease” OR “NAFLD”) AND TS = (“TCM” OR “Herbal medicines”). The analysis encompassed various aspects such as authors, keywords, journals, countries, institutions, and references. For this purpose, analytical tools including VOSviewer, Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace were utilized to systematically evaluate the gathered data. Results: A total of 306 documents were retrieved, indicating a rising trend in the number of publications, which is expected to accelerate in the future. China is at the forefront in terms of both the quantity of publications and total citations, demonstrating strong international collaboration. Within China, Shanghai University of TCM and Chengdu University of TCM are leading institutions, having established a stable group of collaborating authors. The top 10 key journals account for 49.02 % of the publications, with Frontiers in Pharmacology being the most prolific, while the World Journal of Gastroenterology boasts the highest average number of citations. The most frequently cited journals are Hepatology, Journal of Hepatology, and Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Keyword analysis reveals that high-frequency terms such as steatohepatitis are prevalent, addressing topics like pathogenesis, indirect therapeutic effects, and molecular biological mechanisms. Recent outbreak word analysis highlights ‘cell’ and ‘steatohepatitis’ as current hotspots, with ‘NASH’ anticipated to be a focal point in 2024. Discussion: The number of publications on TCM treatments for NAFLD has steadily increased, with TCM exhibiting therapeutic effects through various mechanisms, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, lipid metabolism modulation, and gut microbiota regulation. The anti-inflammatory effects primarily result from the inhibition of inflammatory signaling pathways. Antioxidant properties arise from bioactive compounds in TCM and their modulation of related pathways. Lipid metabolism improvement occurs through the regulation of spleen and stomach functions, promoting lipolysis. Furthermore, TCM regulates intestinal microbiota, restoring microbial balance and enhancing intestinal barrier function. Future research should focus on the synergistic mechanisms underlying these multiple pathways to develop more comprehensive therapeutic strategies. Additionally, expanding the data sources for further analysis is crucial. However, this study has limitations, including reliance on a limited selection of databases and keywords from Web of Science, which may not capture all relevant literature, and the potential bias in the bibliometric analysis.

This study explores the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on structural health monitoring (SHM), a critical aspect of infrastructure maintenance and safety. This study begins with a bibliometric analysis to identify current research trends, key contributing countries, and emerging topics in AI-integrated SHM. We examine seven core areas where AI significantly advances SHM capabilities: (1) data acquisition and sensor networks, highlighting improvements in sensor technology and data collection; (2) data processing and signal analysis, where AI techniques enhance feature extraction and noise reduction; (3) anomaly detection and damage identification using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) for precise diagnostics; (4) predictive maintenance, using AI to optimize maintenance scheduling and prevent failures; (5) reliability and risk assessment, integrating diverse datasets for real-time risk analysis; (6) visual inspection and remote monitoring, showcasing the role of AI-powered drones and imaging systems; and (7) resilient and adaptive infrastructure, where AI enables systems to respond dynamically to changing conditions. This review also addresses the ethical considerations and societal impacts of AI in SHM, such as data privacy, equity, and transparency. We conclude by discussing future research directions and challenges, emphasizing the potential of AI to enhance the efficiency, safety, and sustainability of infrastructure systems.

Objective: This paper aims to evaluate the quality of scientific production in family medicine in Mexico and identify gaps in the development of research in this medical discipline. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed original articles, reviews, case reports, and editorials published from Mexico, from the year 2014 to 2023, in the three family medicine journals edited in the country. Several bibliometric indicators were evaluated. Attributes that confer validity in original articles were analyzed, and through random sampling, 10% were selected to determine their quality using checklists. Results: A total of 627 articles were analyzed; among these, 57.89% were original, 19.61% reviews, 17.06% editorials, and 5.42% case reports. Our analysis revealed significant disparities in research activity across regions in Mexico. Productivity, transience, and isolation indices were 2.79, 78.58%, and 54.05%, respectively, while the Price index was 42.74%. A small percentage of articles received funding and followed guidelines for medical research reporting (0.47% and 0.63%, respectively). The analysis of validity attributes in original articles revealed that 92.83% were observational, 88.98% were unicentric, in 47.38%, no sample size calculation was performed or specified, while in 12.12%, sampling was probabilistic. In the evaluation of the original articles, more than 60% showed limitations that compromised their quality. Conclusions: The number of published articles, along with their bibliometric, validity, and quality attributes, reflect significant gaps in the generation and dissemination of knowledge in family medicine in Mexico. This shows a transgenerational problem, identified in many countries, where the advancement of family medicine as a specialty is limited by low research productivity and methodological weaknesses in reporting.

The valuation of neuroblastoma research heterogeneity at African country level is unspecified. Therefore, the study assesses the heterogeneity of neuroblastoma research in 54 African countries and develops recommendations for national cancer-control plans. Metadata of peer-reviewed scientific publications allied to African neuroblastoma research were retrieved from the Web of Science™ Core Collection Database for bibliometric analysis. Comprehensive science mapping analysis and statistical analyses were performed with bibliometric online platform2 and GraphPad Prism v. 10.2.3. This study revealed that African countries focused the neuroblastoma research publications mainly on the sustainable development goal of good health and well-being. The dominating research area in Africa is oncology followed by pharmacology. Only 26 of 54 African countries were accountable for total neuroblastoma research in Africa, with South Africa and Egypt contributing 61% of the whole continent’s neuroblastoma research. Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, and Nigeria are the five most active African countries, and they are funded by different funding agencies internationally and domestically. The collected analysed data of this study draws special attention to heterogeneity and enduring upward correlating trajectory of Africa’s neuroblastoma publication numbers, their citations, acquired funds, and countries’ cooperation. Furthermore, this heterogeneity finding flags the necessity of developing a comprehensive strategic plan and implementation to cultivate neuroblastoma research as a fundamental part of each African country’s national cancer control plans.

Objectives: To characterize the bibliometric characteristics of the global scientific production of original research on gasless laparoscopy in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) platform. Materials and methods: A bibliometric study of original articles published up to the year 2023 was carried out. Articles were included following the selection criteria in the Rayyan web application, indexed in the Scopus database. The bibliometric analysis was performed using the Bibliometrix program in the R programming language and VOSviewer. The bibliometric characteristics evaluated were articles, journals, citations, publications, ten most mentioned articles, journals with the highest number of publications, authors and institutional affiliations; and cooccurrence of terms. Results: A total of 223 publications were included, with the highest number of articles being published in the years 1999 and 2014. The publication with the most citations was found to be a randomized trial by Galizia G in 2001 with 132 citations. We identified 846 authors involved in the production of articles on gasless laparoscopy, with Nakamura H being the most productive author with 15 articles between the years 2007 and 2020, followed by Takeda A and Imoto S, all three affiliated with “Gifu Prefectural Tajimi Hospital”. The country with the highest production was Japan with 64 publications, followed by China and Italy with 46 and 18 publications, respectively. In the top 10 journals with the highest number of publications, “Surgical Endoscopy—Ultrasound and Interventional Techniques” is in first place with 20 articles published on gasless laparoscopy; in addition, most of these are located in Q1 and Q2. Regarding the terms or keywords, it was found that the initial studies had terms related to the disadvantages of pneumoperitoneum and later focused on more specific topics of the application of gasless laparoscopy. Conclusions: Production on gasless laparoscopy has stagnated, with the topics of interest currently being its application in new, less invasive techniques. The most productive countries are found in the Asian and European continents, with little information collected in Latin America. This fact makes it necessary to increase the production of studies to promote this technique and its possible advantages.

Recent years have seen the publication of numerous papers on the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing in plastic surgery. Despite this growing interest, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the field has yet to be conducted. To address this gap, we undertook a bibliometric study to map out the knowledge structure and identify research hotspots related to 3D printing in plastic surgery. We analyzed publications from 1995 to 2024, found in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC), utilizing tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the R package “bibliometrix”. Our analysis included 1,057 documents contributed by 5,545 authors from 1,620 organizations across 71 regions, and these were published in 400 journals. We observed a steady growth in annual publications, with Europe, Asia, North America, and Oceania leading in research output. Notably, Shanghai Jiao Tong University emerged as a primary research institution in this domain. The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery and Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery have made significant contributions to the field, with Thieringer, Florian M being the most prolific and frequently cited author. Key areas of focus include medical education and surgical procedures, with “3D printing”, “virtual surgical planning” and “reconstructive/orthognathic surgery” highlighted as future research hotspots. Our study provides a detailed bibliometric analysis, revealing the evolution and progress of 3D printing technologies in plastic surgery. As these technologies continue to advance, their impact on clinical practice and patient lives is expected to be profound.