Mapping the evolution and future directions of creative tourism: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis

The health and wellbeing of Australian Indigenous peoples is a nationally sanctioned priority, but despite this, few studies have comprehensively analyzed the features and characteristics of the research in the field. In this regard, a comprehensive scientometric analysis and knowledge mapping to systematically summarize and discuss the current state of research, research trends, and emerging areas of research were conducted. Original articles and reviews published between 2003 and 2022 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection. CiteSpace and VOSviewer software were used to perform scientometric analysis and knowledge mapping. An examination of document and citation trends, authors, institutions, countries/regions, journals, and keywords was untaken, while co-citation, co-occurrence, and burst analysis provide insights and future development in this area. A total of 2,468 documents in this field were retrieved. A gradual increase in the number of documents over the past two decades is observed, with the number of documents doubling every ~7.5 years. Author Thompson SC and Charles Darwin University published the most documents, and 85.6% were affiliated with only Australian-based researchers. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health is the most prominent journal publishing in the field. The most commonly co-occurring keyword was “health,” and the keyword “risk” had the longest citation burst. Five keyword clusters were identified; “cultural safety” was the largest. This study articulates the knowledge structure of the research, revealing a shift from population-level and data-driven studies to more applied research that informs Indigenous peoples health and wellbeing. Based on this review, we anticipate emergent research areas to (1) reflect a more comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional factors that shape Indigenous health and wellbeing; (2) move beyond a deficit-based perspective; (3) respect cultural protocols and protect the rights and privacy of Indigenous participants; (4) address racism and discrimination within the healthcare system; (5) foster respectful, equitable, and collaborative research practices with Indigenous peoples; (6) provide culturally appropriate and effective interventions for prevention, early intervention, and treatment; and (7) ensure equitable change in systems to enhance access, quality, and outcomes in health and wellbeing.

PurposeThis paper aims to understand the development track of skills mismatch research and discover the hidden internal connections between literature.Design/methodology/approachThe authors gathered data through scientometric quantitative analysis using CiteSpace. Specifically, this article applied basic analysis, journal cocitation analysis (JCA), author cocitation analysis (ACA) and document cocitation analysis (DCA), cluster analysis, citation burstness detection, scientific research cooperation analysis and coconcurrence analysis of keywords of 3,125 documents from Web of Science core collections for the period 2000–2020.FindingsThrough the document cocitation analysis and the keywords' co-occurrence, this article identifies influential scholars, documents, research institutions, journals and research hotspots in research on the skills mismatch phenomenon. The results showed that the publications had ballooned, and the phenomenon has become an interdisciplinary research subject. The USA and Finland remain the main contributors, which is attributed to their high-yield institutions such as the University of Helsinki, the University of Witwatersrand, the University of Washington and so on. While the African continent lacks research on skills mismatch even with the continent’s effort to overcome such a crucial issue. The paper presents an in-depth analysis of skills and educational mismatch issues to better understand the evolutionary trajectory of the collective knowledge over the past 20 years and highlight the areas of active pursuit.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors only used Web of Science core collection to collect data; however, they can added Scopus indexed database as well to extend the research trends and explore more new research hot topics to solve the skills mismatch phenomenon.Originality/valueThe scientometric analysis is of great significance for identifying the potential relationship between the literature and investigating the knowledge evolution of skills mismatch research. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the International Labor Organization and the World Health Organization are the giants who are mostly concerned of the mismatch skills phenomenon. Researchers can refer to this study to understand the status quo, gaps and research trends to deal with the skills mismatch issue.

Background: Since Lambotte and Payr first studied Mg-based alloys for orthopedics in 1900, the research of this field has finally ushered in vigorous development in the 21st century. From the perspective of quantitative analysis, this paper clearly demonstrated the global research trend from 2005 to 2021 by using bibliometrics and scientometric analysis.Methods: We obtained the publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database. The bibliometric and scientometric analysis was conducted by using R software, CiteSpace software, VOSviewer software, Pajek software and Microsoft Excel program.Results: In total, 1921 publications were retrieved. It can be found that the number of publications is gradually increasing year by year. We can find that the most prolific countrie, institution and researcher are China, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zheng Yufeng, respectively. The most influential journals in this field are Acta Biomaterialia and Biomaterials, with 16,511 and 12,314 total citations, respectively. By conducting the co-cited documents-based clustering analysis, 16 research hotspots and their representative studies have been identified. Besides, by conducting analysis of keywords, we divided the keyword citation bursts representing the development of the field into three stages.Conclusion: The number of researches on the biodegradable Mg-based alloys increased sharply all over the world in the 21st century. China has made significant progress in biodegradable Mg-based alloy research. More focus will be placed on osteogenic differentiation, fabrication, graphene oxide, antibacterial property, bioactive glass and nanocomposite, which may be the next popular topics in the field.

Background and PurposeMetabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), affecting between 20% and 30% of adults around the world, represents a growing public health burden characterized by hepatic steatosis concurrent with cardiometabolic risk factors. Despite two decades of research into its pathophysiology – spanning insulin resistance, gut-liver axis dysregulation, and genetic/epigenetic mechanisms – the vast body of literature has not yet been systematically mapped. A comprehensive bibliometric analysis mapping the field’s evolution, collaborative networks, and knowledge gaps remains lacking. Therefore, a 20-year bibliometric analysis (2005–2024) on the mechanism of MASLD was conducted.Patients and MethodsPublications on the mechanisms of MASLD were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. The search period spanned from January 1st, 2005 to December 31st, 2024. Data were analyzed with CiteSpace (v6.3.R1) and VOSviewer (v1.6.20) to assess publication trends, country/institution contributions, journal influence, author networks, keyword clusters, and reference co-citations.ResultsChina (40.75% of publications, n=4368) and the USA (21.18%, n=2270) dominate research output, with the Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Harvard University as top institutions. International collaboration is prominent, particularly between China and the USA. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Nutrients, and high-impact journals (Journal of Hepatology, IF=33.0) are key publication venues. Keyword analysis identifies five major research clusters: (1) lipid metabolism/mitochondrial dysfunction, (2) dietary factors/exercise, (3) inflammation/fibrosis, (4) metabolic comorbidities, and (5) gut-liver axis dysregulation. Temporal trends reveal a shift from insulin resistance/oxidative stress toward microbiota and molecular drivers (eg, WDR6-PPP1CB). Influential authors include Nobili Valerio (most productive) and Gerald I. Shulman (most cited; n=7703). Reference bursts highlight seminal works on disease burden (Younossi 2016) and pathogenesis (Powell 2021, Friedman 2018).ConclusionThis first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of MASLD mechanisms highlights dynamic growth, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evolving research hotspot. Persistent challenges include mechanistic heterogeneity, early diagnostic tools, and targeted therapies. In conclusion, this analysis provides a foundational roadmap for researchers and policymakers, highlighting the imperative to translate mechanistic insights into precision diagnostics and therapies to mitigate the growing global burden of MASLD.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related incidence and mortality worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes the most prevalent histological subtype of lung cancer. A notable proportion of NSCLC patients harbor mutations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene, and treatment with ALK-TKIs has demonstrated favorable therapeutic efficacy in ALK-positive patients. This study aimed to systematically analyze the body of literature on ALK-TKIs in NSCLC over the past decade from a bibliometric perspective. Relevant literature on anaplastic ALK-TKIs for the treatment of NSCLC published between 2015 and 2024 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Only English-language publications categorized as original researches and reviews were included. Additionally, clinical trial data from the past decade were collected from the ClinicalTrials.gov database. Bibliometric analysis, data processing, and visualization were conducted using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Excel, and R. Between 2015 and 2024, a total of 2,877 publications on ALK-TKIs for NSCLC were identified, with the annual output remaining consistently high, and 198 clinical trials were registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. China contributed the highest number of publications, while Massachusetts General Hospital emerged as the most prolific institution. The most influential journal in this field was Lung Cancer, and Alice T. Shaw was both the most prolific and one of the most influential authors. Keywords such as 'lorlatinib', 'resistance', 'circulating tumor DNA', and 'immunotherapy', along with keyword clustering, indicate current research hotspots and future directions in this field. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and summary of the developmental trajectory, current research landscape, and future trends in ALK-TKI therapy for NSCLC over the past decade, with individualized and precision medicine remaining the primary direction for the development of ALK-TKI therapy in NSCLC.

Despite extensive literature on therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer, a bibliometric analysis specifically focused on immunotherapy for advanced, recurrent, or metastatic (A/R/M) cervical malignancies remains unexplored. This study aims to address this gap by presenting a comprehensive overview that includes general characteristics, research focal points, the trajectory of evolution, and current emerging trends in this under-researched area. A systematic search was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) to identify articles related to A/R/M cervical cancer published between 2000 and 2022. Citespace and VOS viewer were the primary tools used to identify research focal points, intriguing future patterns, and to evaluate contributions and co-occurrences among authors, institutions, countries, and journals. A total of 1,001 original articles were identified, involving 6,387 authors from 66 countries and 1,474 institutions, and published across 366 academic journals. The United States contributed most significantly. The most productive researcher was Van der Burg SH from Leiden University Medical Center. The International Journal of Cancer and Cancer Research were identified as the most productive and influential journals, respectively. Analysis of co-citation clusters highlighted 25 clusters, primarily focusing on potential predictive biomarkers, dendritic cell-based tumor vaccines, therapeutic HPV vaccinations, peptide-based cancer vaccines, tumor immune microenvironments, and adoptive cell transfer (ACT). The latest significant trends in A/R/M cervical cancer immunotherapy research included ACT, CAR-T, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), as revealed by keyword and reference burst detection. This pioneering study provides a detailed landscape of immunotherapy research in A/R/M cervical cancer. It underscores the importance of global collaboration, enriches our understanding of the immunology of A/R/M cervical cancer, expands on potential beneficiaries of immunotherapy, and explores clinical applications of various therapies, including therapeutic vaccines, adoptive cell transfer, and ICIs, particularly in combination with established treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy.

BackgroundPsoriasis is a chronic, relapsing, immune-mediated skin disease with a complex pathogenesis and significant individual variability in treatment response. It is characterized by a high relapse rate. In recent years, the critical role of natural killer (NK) cells in the onset and relapse of psoriasis has increasingly attracted attention, and related immune intervention strategies have become a research hotspot.ObjectiveThis study aims to systematically review the research progress in the field of “NK cells and psoriasis” using bibliometric methods. It identifies research hotspots and key trends, constructs the knowledge structure of this field, and provides data support for related mechanistic studies and clinical translation.MethodsBased on the Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed databases, we retrieved relevant English-language literature from 2000 to 2025. Using tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer, we conducted keyword clustering, author and institutional collaboration analysis, journal co-citation analysis, and highly cited literature mining to create knowledge maps.ResultsA total of 432 publications were included, with a sustained increase in the number of publications over time. The United States, China, and Germany were the main contributing countries, while Rockefeller University and Karolinska Institute were core institutions. The journal Frontiers in Immunology was identified as an important publication venue. Current research focuses on three hotspots: (1) the role of tissue-resident NK cells in “trained immunity” during psoriasis relapse; (2) metabolic reprogramming of NK cells in lesions, with a close correlation between their metabolic status and pro-inflammatory functions; and (3) the development of NK cell-targeted therapeutic strategies, such as dimethyl fumarate (DMF) and IL - 23 inhibitors, which show promising prospects.ConclusionThis study constructed a comprehensive knowledge map of “NK cells–psoriasis” research, clarifying the hotspots and structural characteristics. Future research will focus on two trends: (1) exploring the pivotal role of NK cells in multi-systemic immune comorbidities and (2) developing specific intervention strategies for different stages of disease progression to advance the development of precision immunotherapy for psoriasis.

Diabetic foot (DF) has become a serious health problem in modern society, and it has been a hotspot of research for a long time. However, little scientometric analysis has been carried out on DF. In the present study, we analysed 8633 literature reports on DF in the Web of Science Core Collection from database inception until April 23, 2022. VOSviewer (Centre for Science and Technology Studies at Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands) and CiteSpace (College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University, Philadelphia, United States) were employed to address high‐impact countries and institutions, journals, references, research hotspots, and key research fields in DF research. Our analysis findings indicated that publications on DF have increased markedly since 2016 and were primarily published in the United States of America. The recent studies focus on the amniotic membrane, foot ulcers, osteomyelitis, and diabetic wound healing. The five keyword clusters, which included DF ulcer and wound healing therapies, management and guidelines, neuropathy and plantar pressure, amputation and ischemia, and DF infection and osteomyelitis, are helpful for enhancing prevention, standardising treatment, avoiding complications, and improving prognosis. These findings indicated a method for future therapies and research in DF.

Caffeine-based lifestyles have become increasingly common, reflecting its widespread consumption as a psychoactive stimulant found naturally in coffee, tea and cocoa yet synthetically in personal care products (PCPs) and pharmaceuticals. This trend has raised concerns about its potential environmental consequences as it can bioaccumulate in various species, including aquatic organisms and terrestrial insects, prompting continuous research in this field since decades ago. However, a comprehensive bibliometric and scientometric analysis in this research field appears lacking. Thus, the primary goal of this study is to analyse the scientific literature concerning the impact of caffeine-based lifestyles on the environment. A CiteSpace analysis was applied in this study to determine various aspects of research literature, including the identification of productive authors, institutions, journals, regional distribution and emerging issues in the field. The study yielded 869 relevant publications from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database. The results revealed that the United States, China, Canada, Brazil, and Spain were the top five countries out of 3345 writers from 108 countries active in this research area on the top of keywords such as PCPs, pharmaceutical and wastewater. The present study provides the existing body of knowledge on this topic by sharing a visual knowledge map, which highlights the trend, offering a valuable perspective, and opportunity for researchers.

Background: The REFLECT phase-III trial has demonstrated the efficacy of lenvatinib in improving the overall survival of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, comparable to sorafenib. The rapidly evolving landscape of hepatocellular carcinoma therapy presents new avenues for lenvatinib. This study aims to provide a scientometric analysis of publications and predict research hotspots in this field. Methods: Relevant publications were sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database up until November 2022. The bibliometrix tool in R was employed for scientometric analysis and visualization. Results: A total of 879 publications from 2014 to 2022 were obtained from WoSCC that met the established criteria. These studies involved 4,675 researchers from 40 countries, with an average annual growth rate of 102.5%. The highest number of publications was from Japan, followed by China, Italy, and the United States. The largest proportion of studies, 14.0% (n = 123), was contributed by FUDAN UNIV. The studies were published in 274 journals, with CANCERS (n = 53) being the top journal, followed by FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY (n = 51) and HEPATOLOGY RESEARCH (n = 36). The top ten journals accounted for 31.5% of the 879 studies. The most prolific authors were Kudo M (n = 51), Hiraoka A (n = 43), and Tsuji K (n = 38). A total of 1,333 keywords were analyzed, with the present research hotspots being "immune checkpoint inhibitors," "prognosis," and "pd-1." Co-occurrence clustering analysis revealed the top keywords, authors, publications, and journals. Strong collaboration was identified in the field. Conclusion: This scientometric and visual analysis provides a comprehensive summary of the published articles on lenvatinib in HCC during 2014-2022, highlighting the research hotspots, knowledge domain, and frontiers. The results can provide insights into future research directions in this field.

This study aims to provide visual knowledge maps highlighting the evolving trends and key focus areas in treating skeletal Class II malocclusion with orthognathic surgery, using a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Papers on skeletal Class II malocclusion treated with orthognathic surgery, published between January 2000 and December 2023, were retrospectively sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection. The analysis assessed and visualized the distribution of papers, journals, countries/regions, institutions, authors, and keywords using CiteSpace software. A total of 290 relevant publications were included in the analysis. The annual number of publications showed a steady increase, with a significant rise over the past few years. Concerning output and citations, the leading journal is the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. The USA and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Lille were the most prolific countries and institutions. Furthermore, orthognathic surgery, malocclusion, and stability were identified as the keywords with the most frequencies. Research interests gradually shifted from orthognathic surgery, malocclusion, and stability to quality of life, orthodontic-orthognathic therapy, and temporomandibular joint. Our results provide knowledge maps of that illustrate advancing research trends and key topics about skeletal Class II malocclusion treated with orthognathic surgery, which are anticipated to provide valuable guidance for future research.

This study aimed to provide visualized knowledge maps to show the evolving trends and key focal points of Class III malocclusion research through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Class III malocclusion research published between 2000 and 2023 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer was utilized to count the citation and publication number of authors, institutions, countries and journals. Co-occurrence, co-citation, and cluster analyses and burst detection were conducted using CiteSpace. A total of 3,682 publications on Class III malocclusion were included in the bibliometric analysis. During 2000-2023, both the annual publication count and citation frequency exhibited a gradual upward trajectory, with a noticeable surge in recent years. In terms of production and citation counts of Class III malocclusion research, the core journal is the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Furthermore, apart from the primary keyword 'Class III malocclusion', 'orthognathic surgery' was identified as keyword with the most frequency. The cluster analysis of cited references reveals that the research focal points have shifted to 'skeletal anchorage' and 'surgery-first approach'. Furthermore, the burst detection identified 'quality of life' as a potential research hotspot since it has recently gained increasing scholarly attention. The current study provides scholars with the knowledge maps of evolving trends and prominent topics of Class III malocclusion research and a summary of research progress on various priorities during different periods. These findings are expected to provide a valuable guidance to facilitate the future research on Class III malocclusion.

ABSTRACTBackground: This study aims to analyze research trends and emerging insights into gut microbiota studies from 2015 to 2024 through bibliometric analysis techniques. By examining bibliographic data from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection, it seeks to identify key research topics, evolving themes, and significant shifts in gut microbiota research. The study employs co-occurrence analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and burst detection analysis to uncover latent patterns and the development trajectory of this rapidly expanding field. Methods: This study uses a bibliometric approach to analyze 89,512 gut microbiota research articles published between 2015 and 2024 in the WoS Core Collection. Data preprocessing involved cleaning bibliographic data and identifying the 50 most frequent keywords. A co-occurrence matrix was constructed to capture keyword relationships, and a heatmap visualization illustrated these interconnections. PCA applied for dimensionality reduction, visualizing keyword distributions. Burst detection analysis using Kleinberg’s algorithm identified rapidly growing research topics. Finally, the study contextualized its findings by linking results to broader research developments and discussing future research directions and potential opportunities. Results: The bibliometric analysis of gut microbiota research from 2015 to 2024 revealed significant trends and emerging themes. The total number of publications on gut microbiota increased approximately 5.82 times during this period, indicating a rapid expansion of the field. Co-occurrence analysis identified key thematic clusters, with “diet”, “microbiome”, and “immune function” emerging as central research topics. PCA further clarified topic relationships, revealing strong associations between gut microbiota and metabolic diseases, inflammation, and neurological disorders. Burst analysis of key terms demonstrated a shift in research focus, with increasing attention on the role of gut microbiota in precision medicine, neuroinflammation, and host-microbiome interactions. These findings provide a comprehensive overview of gut microbiota research trends, offering insights into critical developments and guiding future investigations into microbiome-based therapies and disease prevention. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of gut microbiota research from 2015 to 2024, highlighting key trends and emerging directions. The findings show that gut microbiota studies have expanded to include diet, health, and disease. The strong link between “diet” and “microbiota” in this study suggests dietary interventions are central to this future research. Rapidly growing keywords like “intestinal”, “disease”, and “mice” indicate a focus on translational and experimental research. These insights reveal the shifting landscape of gut microbiota research and emphasize the need for further exploration of diet-microbiota interactions, personalized nutrition, and clinical applications.

IntroductionFLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT) represents a groundbreaking technique, characterized by its ultra-high dose rate and its remarkable ability to spare normal tissues from damage. Numerous studies on FLASH-RT have been conducted worldwide. However, to date, no comprehensive bibliometric analysis has been performed in this field. This study aims to provide an overview of the advancements in FLASH-RT and identify potential future research directions through bibliometric analysis.Method and materialsThe research team performed a literature search in the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC), covering the period from 1967 to 2024, and identified 461 publications relevant to the field of interest. Visualization tools, including VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and Bibliometrix, were employed to analyze countries, institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords, thereby uncovering research frontiers and hotspots within the field.ResultsIn recent years, a considerable number of publications on FLASH-RT have emerged. The United States has the highest number of publications (n=208). The institution with the highest publication count is “Lausanne University Hospital” (n=39). The author with the most citations is “Vozenin, M” (n=31), while the author with the most co-citations is “Montay-Gruel, P” (n=812). Medical Physics is the journal with the highest number of both publications and co-citations, whereas Radiotherapy and Oncology has the highest number of citations. The paper titled “Ultrahigh dose-rate FLASH irradiation increases the differential response between normal and tumor tissue in mice” has the highest number of both citations and co-citations. The most frequently co-occurring keywords is “FLASH radiotherapy” (n=379).ConclusionsOur bibliometric analysis of FLASH-RT explores key dimensions of the field, including publication trends, international collaborations, influential journals and authors, and keyword evolution. It assesses FLASH-RT’s historical development, current global status, and recent progress in biological mechanisms, equipment, and clinical translation, aiming to offer researchers a comprehensive overview.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that currently has an unknown cause and pathogenesis, and is associated with many complications and a high disability rate. The neutrophil extracellular trap network (NETs) is a newly discovered mechanism that allows neutrophils to capture and kill pathogens. Multiple studies in recent years have highlighted its relevance to the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the growing number of studies indicating the crucial role of NETs in RA, there has been no bibliometric review of research hotspots and trends in this area. In this study, we retrieved articles related to NETs in RA from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database from 1985 to 2023 and used visualization tools such as Citespace, VOSviewer, Tableau Public, and Microsoft Office Excel 2021 to analyze the data. After screening, we included a total of 416 publications involving 2,334 researchers from 1,357 institutions in 167 countries/regions, with relevant articles published in 219 journals. The U.S., China, and Germany are the top 3 countries/regions with 124, 57, and 37 publications respectively. Mariana J. Kaplan is the most published author, and journals such as Frontiers in Immunology and International Journal of Molecular Sciences have had a significant impact on research in this field. The clinical application of PAD enzymes and their inhibitors, and the drug development of NETs as therapeutic targets for RA is a trend for future research. Our study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and summary of NETs in RA publications, which will aid researchers in conducting further scientific research.