ObjectiveTo investigate the current status and hotspots in researches of gastrointestinal stromal tumor.MethodsThe literatures related to gastrointestinal stromal tumor and published from 2000 to 2019 were extracted from Web of Science Core Collection. Visualization analysis was conducted by utilizing CiteSpace and VOSviewer software based on bibliometrics methods.ResultsA total of 3 226 articles and reviews were retrieved. The number of publications increased from 2000 to 2019, from the initial 34 publications gradually increased to 241 in 2019, and the maximum number of publications was 265 in 2015. The most productive five countries in terms of publication number were: 907 in the United States, 540 in China, 522 in Japan, 219 in Germany, and 214 in Italy. Co-occurrence networks of keywords were divided into three clusters: targeted therapy, clinical management, and pathogenesis research. Co-citation analysis of literatures contained 9 clusters, and cluster #0 prognosis was the latest cluster, indicating the research frontier and tendency.ConclusionsThe United States and its domestic institutes are the pioneers. Targeted therapy, clinical management, and pathogenesis researches are the main research filed. Prognosis research may be the new research tendency, and clinical and basic researches are still hotspots in medical research.
As a complex system, the topology of human’s brain network has an important effect on further study of brain’s structural and functional mechanism. Graph theory, a kind of sophisticated analytic strategies, is widely used for analyzing complex brain networks effectively and comparing difference of topological structure alteration in normal development and pathological condition. For the purpose of using this analysis methodology efficiently, it is necessary to develop graph-based visualization software. Thus, we developed VisConnectome, which displays analysis results of the brain network friendly and intuitively. It provides an original graphical user interface (GUI) including the tool window, tool bar and innovative double slider filter, brain region bar, runs in any Windows operating system and doesn’t rely on any platform such as Matlab. When importing the user-defined script file that initializes the brain network, VisConnectome abstracts the brain network to the ball-and-stick model and render it. VisConnectome allows a series of visual operations, such as identifying nodes and connection, modifying properties of nodes and connection such as color and size with the color palette and size double slider, imaging the brain regions, filtering the brain network according to its size property in a specific domain as simplification and blending with the brain surface as a context of the brain network. Through experiment and analysis, we conclude that VisConnectome is an effective visualization software with high speed and quality, which helps researchers to visualize and compare the structural and functional brain networks flexibly.
Objective To identify patterns in information sharing between a series of Chinese evidence based medicine (EBM) journals and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, to determine key evidence dissemination areas for EBM and to provide a scientific basis for improving the dissemination of EBM research. Method Data were collected on citing and cited from the Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine (CJEBM), Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine (JEBMc), Chinese Journal of Evidence Based Pediatrics (CJEBP), and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR). Relationships between citations were visualized. High-frequency key words from these sources were identified, to build a word co-occurrence matrix and to map research subjects. Result CDSR contains a large collection of information of relevance to EBM and its contents are widely cited across many journals, suggesting a well-developed citation environment. The content and citation of the Chinese journals have been increasing in recent years. However, their citation environments are much less developed, and there is a wide variation in the breadth and strength of their knowledge communication, with the ranking from highest to lowest being CJEBM, JEBMc and CJEBP. The content of CDSR is almost exclusively Cochrane intervention reviews examining the effects of healthcare interventions, so it’s contribution to EBM is mostly in disease control and treatment. On the other hand, the Chinese journals on evidence-based medicine and practice focused more on areas such as education and research, design and quality of clinical trials, evidence based policymaking, evidence based clinical practice, tumor treatment, and pediatrics. Conclusion Knowledge and findings of EBM are widely communicated and disseminated. However, citation environments and range of knowledge communication differ greatly between the journals examined in this study. This finds that Chinese EBM has focused mainly on clinical medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, pediatrics, tumor treatment, nursing, health economic and management, and medical education. Internationally, EBM research topics have begun to shift, from drug treatment to surgery or other non-pharmacological treatments; from therapy to diagnosis, rehabilitation, and prevention; from evidence based clinical practice to evidence based management and policymaking. The philosophy and method of EBM, evidence production and translation are also shifting from well resourced settings to low- and middle-income countries, especially those in which English is not a major language.
Objective To verify the feasibility and accuracy of the "lung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks", developed by our center, in identifying intersegmental planes during pulmonary segmentectomy. MethodsWe prospectively enrolled the patients who planned to receive thoracoscopic segmentectomy in West China Hospital of Sichuan University and The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu from September 2021 to October 2021. We took a relatively objective and feasible method, intravenous injection of indocyanine green, in identifying intersegmental planes as standard control. We intraoperatively judged the consistency between "lung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks" and intravenous injection of indocyanine green in identifying intersegmental planes. We discerned main landmarks of intersegmental plane by the constant proportion segment module, which was built based on the "lung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks", as well as distinguished the planes with discrepant fluorescence by peripheral intravenous indocyanine green injection. When the distance between the landmarks determined by the "ung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks" and the segmental boundaries displayed by indocyanine green fluorescence staining was ≤1 cm, the landmarks were judged to be consistent with the planes with discrepant fluorescence. As long as one of the landmarks was judged to be consistent, the method was considered to be feasible and accurate. Results A total of 21 patients who underwent thoracoscopic segmentectomy were enrolled, with 5 male and 16 female patients. The median age was 55 years, ranging from 34 to 76 years. A total of 11 patients received left-side surgery, while 10 patients received right-side surgery. In the operations of 21 pulmonary segmentectomies, at least one intersegmental landmark determined by the "lung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks" was consistent with the intersegmental plane determined by indocyanine green fluorescence staining in each patient. ConclusionThe intersegmental landmarks determined by the "lung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks" are consistent with that determined by indocyanine green fluorescence staining. The method of "lung surface intersegmental constant proportion landmarks" is feasible and accurate in identifying intersegmental planes during pulmonary segmentectomy.
ObjectiveTo investigate current status and hot issues of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (pNEN) imaging research.MethodsThe literatures focusing on pNEN and published from 1998 to 2018 were retrieved from the core database of Web of Science. The quantitative analysis of literatures was then conducted by using the CiteSpace software based on the bibliometrics method. The research trend was then summarized systematically and the potential research fronts and focuses were explored.ResultsA total of 190 articles in the field of pNEN imaging research were retrieved, and the top three countries in the literatures were the United States, Germany, and Italy. The clustering of co-citation of pNEN included the endoscopic ultrasound, current diagnosis, prospective evaluation, cystic pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, hypervascular neuroendocrine tumor, nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, intravoxel incoherent motion, and metastastic lesion. The hot of keywords in the field of pNEN included the fine needle aspiration, CT, diagnosis, pancreas, cancer, neuroendocrine tumor, neoplasm, carcinoma, and management. The hot keywords clustering had the neuroendocrine tumor, pancreatic mass size, non-hyperfunctioning neuroendocrine tumor, CT appearance, metastatic lesion, ancillary studies, somatostatin analogues, somatostatinoma, intraoperative ultrasound, and multiple endcorine neoplasia 1.ConclusionAccurate imaging diagnosis of pNEN is still a hot issue in this field.
ObjectiveTo analyze the current development of researches on biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer and to provide reference for subsequent studies. MethodsStudies on biomarkers for predicting the efficacy of immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2017 to 2021 were searched by computer. The annual distribution, journals, authors, countries, institutions, and keywords of studies were visualized and analyzed by CiteSpace. ResultsA total of 426 studies were collected, including 298 articles and 128 reviews. The average number of published studies was about 85, and increased year by year. PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden, tumor microenvironment and liquid biopsy were hot keywords in this field. ConclusionIn the future, combination of biomarkers in the liquid biopsy and tumor microenvironment with radiomics analysis will be the research hotspot and frontier in this field for more accurate assessment with tumor-related signatures such as lymphocytic immune status and characteristics of tumor lesions in non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Objective To use visualization methods to illustrate and compare major subjects, domains, and developments in evidence-based medicine (EBM) in recent years. Methods We analyzed MeSH terms and keywords in EBM articles in the MEDLINE and CNKI databases, and developed subject charts, research field relationship charts, and strategy coordination charts using word co-occurrence, PFNET algorithms, and visualization methods. Results Rapid developments and growth are taking place in EBM in China and around the world. Studies on humans comprised 94.4% of the EBM studies that we identified, while animal studies accounted for 2.6% (three quarters of these animal studies were on primates). The six countries with the largest number of EBM articles and the eight host nations for the 108 journals with the most EBM publications were from high-income countries. In China, 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions have published EBM articles, although most of these publications come from the more highly-developed areas of the country. The investigation of word co-occurrence showed that EBM articles outside of China involve seven main fields: “Therapy”, “Methods”, “Standards”, “Research”, “Education”, ”Nursing” and “Organization and Administration”. Five of these fields (“Therapy”, “Nursing”, “Research”, “Education” and “Management”) were common to China but the top seven fields for this country included “Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)” and “Information resources”; and did not include “Methods” and “Standards”. Furthermore, studies on “Nursing” and “Research” were not as advanced in China as in other countries. Conclusion There are similarities between China and the rest of the world in several areas in the EBM literature but also some important differences. Throughout the world, the most resource-rich regions or organizations tend to have the most well-developed EBM. These regions and organizations are producing more evidence and conducting more methodology research than the less resourced regions and organizations. There is an urgent need for these regions and organizations to strengthen their use of evidence, to learn more about the philosophy that underpins EBM, and to improve accessibility to, and use of, evidence in choices about health care.
ObjectiveTo explore the application value of multidisciplinary collaborative team (MDT) model in retroperitoneal tumors involving large vessels.MethodsThree cases of retroperitoneal tumors involving great vessels admitted to Xiang’an Hospital of Xiamen University in 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. With the support of 3D visual reconstruction and virtual reality (VR) technology, we performed MDT discussion and three cases received treatment of surgery, intervention, and targeted therapy.ResultsCase 1 was discussed by MDT and concluded that, based on CT examination, 3D reconstruction, and VR virtual image results, the tumor on the right side was determined to be completely resectable. The left tumor was judged to be unresectable, and the proposed treatment plan was right metastatic tumor resection + left metastatic tumor radiofrequency ablation. After surgery case 1 had been followed up for 6 months. The symptoms of diarrhea were significantly improved. CT reexamination showed that liver lesions and left retroperitoneal lesions were the same size and the condition was stable. After discussion by MDT, radiofrequency ablation around the tumor was proposed for case 2. This case was followed up for 3 months after surgery, and CT reexamination showed no new lesion in retroperitoneum. After MDT discussion, we concluded that arteriovenous fistula of case 3 had no indications for surgery, and proposed interventional combined with targeted therapy. After treatment, the tumor was found to be smaller after reexamination in 8 months than before treatment, and the efficacy was evaluated as partial remission. The follow-up was continued.ConclusionThe future development trend of retroperitoneal tumor therapy involving great vessels is to evaluate each patient’s condition under the MDT mode by using 3D visual reconstruction and VR technology, and to formulate the individualized treatment plan of operation combined with other treatments.
Objective To analyze the research progress and current situation in the field of chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian failure by bibliometrics, so as to provide scientific and efficient research path for researchers. Methods All the literature on chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian failure from 2015 to 2024 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to conduct bibliometric analyses of authors, institutions, keywords, co-cited documents, etc., and to draw the relational graphs. Results A total of 567 papers were included. The annual research output increased slightly, and the number of papers published by Chinese researchers ranked first. The 49 selected keywords were divided into 11 clusters, and the emerging keywords showed that the research hotspots in recent years focused on more in-depth mechanism studies, such as primary ovarian insufficiency and fertility preservation in premenopausal patients, which might continue to be research hotspots. Conclusions In recent years, the research heat of chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian failure has been increasing, and Chinese scholars have made outstanding contributions, however, it is necessary to further strengthen the scientific research cooperation among researchers. Fertility preservation, hormone replacement therapy, in vitro transplantation may become the hotspots of future research, and the depth and refinement of research should be further promoted on the basis of multi-center and multi-disciplinary cross.
ObjectiveTo reveal and demonstrate the hotspots and further research directions in screening technology for early lung cancer, and provide references for the future studies. MethodsResearches related to lung cancer screening from 2011 to 2021 in the Web of Science database were included. Biblioshiny, a bibliometrics program based on R language, was used to perform content analysis and visualization of the included literature information. ResultsResearches related to lung cancer screening were increasing year by year. Six major cooperation groups were formed between countries. The current research hotspots in the field of early lung cancer screening technology mainly focused on the multi-directional fusion of radiographic imaging, liquid biopsy and artificial intelligence. ConclusionLow-dose spiral CT screening is still the most important and mainstream method for the screening of early lung cancer at present. The combination and integration of artificial intelligence with various screening methods and the innovation of novel testing and diagnostic equipment are the current research hotspots and the future research trend in this field.
