Nanomaterials for diabetic wound healing: Visualization and bibliometric analysis from 2011 to 2021

Multifaceted role of nanocomposite hydrogels in diabetic wound healing: enhanced biomedical applications and detailed molecular mechanisms

The complex microenvironment of diabetic wounds, which is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, excessive inflammatory responses, and hypoxic conditions, significantly impedes the efficacy of traditional hydrogels. Nanocomposite hydrogels, which combine the high-water content and biocompatibility of hydrogels with the unique functionalities of nanomaterials, offer a promising solution. These hydrogels exhibit enhanced antibacterial, antioxidant, and drug-release properties. Incorporating nanomaterials increases the mechanical strength and bioactivity of hydrogels, allowing for dynamic regulation of the wound microenvironment and promoting cell migration, proliferation, and angiogenesis, thereby accelerating wound healing. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advances in nanocomposite hydrogels for diabetic wound treatment and discusses their advantages and molecular mechanisms at various healing stages. The study aims to provide a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for future research and clinical applications. Furthermore, it highlights the challenges related to the mechanical durability, antimicrobial performance, resistance issues, and interactions with the cellular environments of these hydrogels. Future directions include optimizing smart drug delivery systems and personalized medical approaches to enhance the clinical applicability of nanocomposite hydrogels.

Recent advances in sodium alginate-based dressings for targeted drug delivery in the context of diabetic wound healing

Diabetic wounds pose a significant challenge in healthcare due to impaired healing and increased risk of complications. In recent years, various drug delivery systems with stimuli-responsive features have been developed to address these issues. These systems enable precise dosage control and tailored drug release, promoting comprehensive tissue repair and regeneration. This review explores targeted therapeutic agents, such as carboxymethyl chitosan-alginate hydrogel formulations, nanofiber mats, and core-shell nanostructures, for diabetic wound healing. Additionally, the integration of nanotechnology and multifunctional biomimetic scaffolds shows promise in enhancing wound healing outcomes. Future research should focus on optimizing the design, materials, and printing parameters of 3D-bio-printed wound dressings, as well as exploring combined strategies involving the simultaneous release of antibiotics and nitric oxide for improved wound healing.

Mesenchymal stem cells in wound healing: A bibliometric analysis as a powerful research tool

Bibliographic analysis is still very rarely used in experimental basic study papers. The comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific literature on research progress and challenges in stem cell therapy for diabetic chronic wounds, which was conducted in the work of Shi et al can be a case study and a source of valuable information for writing reviews and experimental papers in this field. Basic experimental studies on a role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in wound healing that are published in 2023-2024, such as Zhang et al in 2023, Hu et al in 2023, Wang et al in 2023 are certainly also subjects for applying this powerful tool to analyze current research, challenges and perspectives in this field. This is due to the fact that these studies have addressed a great variety of aspects of the application of MSCs for the treatment of chronic wounds, such as using both the cells themselves and their various products: Sponges, hydrogels, exosomes, and genetic constructions. Such a wide variety of directions in the field of study and biomedical application of MSCs requires a deep understanding of the current state of research in this area, which can be provided by bibliometric analysis. Thus, the use of such elements of bibliographic analysis as publication count by year and analysis of top-10 keywords calculated independently or cited from bibliometric analysis studies can be safely recommended for every basic study manuscripts, primarily for the "Introduction" section, and review.

Visualizing the global trends of peptides in wound healing through an in-depth bibliometric analysis

Wound healing is a complicated and multistage biological process for the repair of damaged/injured tissues, which requires intelligent designs to provide comprehensive and convenient treatment. Peptide-based wound dressings have received extensive attention for further development and application due to their excellent biocompatibility and multifunctionality. However, the current lack of intuitive analysis of the development trend and research hotspots of peptides applied in wound healing, as well as detailed elaboration of possible research hotspots, restricted obtaining a comprehensive understanding and development in this field. The present study analysed publications from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database and visualized the hotspots and current trends of peptide research in wound healing. Data between January 1st, 2003, and December 31st, 2022, were collected and subjected to a bibliometric analysis. The countries, institutions, co-authorship, co-citation reference, and co-occurrence of keywords in this subject were examined using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. We provided an intuitive, timely, and logical overview of the development prospects and challenges of peptide application in wound healing and some solutions to the major obstacles, which will help researchers gain insights into the investigation of this promising field.

Visualization of the relationship between macrophage and wound healing from the perspective of bibliometric analysis

Macrophages play a crucial role in aiding all phases of the wound-healing process and has garnered increasing attention recently. Although a substantial body of related studies has been published, there remains a lack of comprehensive bibliometric analysis. In this study, we collected 4296 papers from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Three tools including CiteSpace, VOSviewer and one online analytical platform were employed to conduct bibliometric analysis and data visualization. Our results revealed that the annual number of publications related to macrophage and wound healing has increased exponentially with the year. The United States and China stand as the primary driving forces within this field, collectively constituting 58.2% of the total publication output. The application of biomaterials was one of the most concerned research areas in this field. According to references analysis, the current research focus has shifted to diabetic wound healing and regulating macrophage polarization. Based on the keywords analysis, we identified the following research frontiers in the future: exosomes and other extracellular vesicles; bio-derived materials and drug delivery methods such as nanoparticles, scaffolds and hydrogels; immunomodulation and macrophage polarization in the M2-state; chronic wounds, particularly those associated with diabetes; antimicrobial peptides; and antioxidant. Additionally, TNF, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β1 and VEGF ranked as the five genes that have garnered the most research attention in the intersection of macrophage and wound healing. All in all, our findings offered researchers a holistic view of the ongoing progress in the field of macrophages and wound healing, serving as a valuable reference for scholars and policymakers in this domain.

Research frontiers and hotspots in bacterial biofilm wound therapy: bibliometric and visual analysis for 2012-2022

Background

Bacterial biofilms, which can protect bacteria from host immune response and drug attack, are an important factor in the difficult healing of chronic wound infection, which has become a major problem in medical development. This paper aimed to analyze literature related to bacterial biofilm wound treatment published between 2012 and 2022 using bibliometric and visual analysis.

Methods

Publications related to bacterial biofilm wound treatment from 2012 to 2022 were selected from the Web of Science Core Collection. Microsoft Excel 2021, bibliometrics, CiteSpace6.1, and VOSviewer1.6.18 were used to extract and analyze data.

Results

A total of 940 articles were published between 2012 and 2022, with the United States being the leading country (with 302 papers, 32.13%) and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark being the leading institution (with 26 published articles) in the field. Steven L Percival, a British academic, published the most articles (14). In the field of bacterial biofilm wound treatment, keywords suggested that the research gradually transitioned from lower limb venous ulcer, negative pressure-assisted healing to chronic wound, in-vitro bacterial biological model research, and then to the development of more microscopic and more advanced technologies such as antibacterial activity and nanomaterials. "Nanoparticles", "inhibition/antibacterial", "delivery", "gold nanoparticles", "hydrogel", "wound healing", etc., may become new research hotspots in this field.

Conclusion

There is a lack of specific and effective treatment methods for diagnosing and treating bacterial biofilms in wounds. Through the development of multidisciplinary cooperation, early diagnosis and treatment of bacterial biofilms in wounds can be achieved. These data may provide a useful reference for scholars studying more effective bacterial biofilm wound treatment.

Natural Polymeric Hydrogels Encapsulating Small Molecules for Diabetic Wound Healing

Diabetes is a condition correlated with a high number of diagnosed chronic wounds as a result of a complex pathophysiological mechanism. Diabetic chronic wounds are characterized by disorganized and longer stages, compared to normal wound healing. Natural polymer hydrogels can act as good wound dressings due to their versatile physicochemical properties, represented mainly by high water content and good biocompatibility. Natural bioactive hydrogels are polymers loaded with bioactive compounds providing antibacterial and antioxidant properties, modulation of inflammation and adherence to wounded tissue, compared to traditional dressings, which enables promising future applications for diabetic wound healing. Natural bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, polysaccharides and proteins have great advantages in promoting chronic wound healing in diabetes due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-allergic and wound healing properties. The present paper aims to review the wound healing mechanisms underlining the main issues of chronic wounds and those specifically occurring in diabetes. Also, the review highlights the recent state of the art related to the effect of hydrogels enriched with natural bioactive compounds developed as biocompatible functional materials for improving diabetic-related chronic wound healing and providing novel therapeutic strategies that could prevent limb amputation and increase the quality of life in diabetic patients.

Bioinspired 3D-printed scaffold embedding DDAB-nano ZnO/nanofibrous microspheres for regenerative diabetic wound healing

There is a constant demand for novel materials/biomedical devices to accelerate the healing of hard-to-heal wounds. Herein, an innovative 3D-printed bioinspired construct was developed as an antibacterial/regenerative scaffold for diabetic wound healing. Hyaluronic/chitosan (HA/CS) ink was used to fabricate a bilayer scaffold comprising a dense plain hydrogel layer topping an antibacterial/regenerative nanofibrous layer obtained by incorporating the hydrogel with polylactic acid nanofibrous microspheres (MS). These were embedded with nano ZnO (ZNP) or didecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB)-treated ZNP (D-ZNP) to generate the antibacterial/healing nano/micro hybrid biomaterials, Z-MS@scaffold and DZ-MS@scaffold. Plain and composite scaffolds incorporating blank MS (blank MS@scaffold) or MS-free ZNP@scaffold and D-ZNP@scaffold were used for comparison. 3D printed bilayer constructs with customizable porosity were obtained as verified by SEM. The DZ-MS@scaffold exhibited the largest total pore area as well as the highest water-uptake capacity andin vitroantibacterial activity. Treatment ofStaphylococcus aureus-infected full thickness diabetic wounds in rats indicated superiority of DZ-MS@scaffold as evidenced by multiple assessments. The scaffold afforded 95% wound-closure, infection suppression, effective regulation of healing-associated biomarkers as well as regeneration of skin structure in 14 d. On the other hand, healing of non-diabetic acute wounds was effectively accelerated by the simpler less porous Z-MS@scaffold. Information is provided for the first-time on the 3D printing of nanofibrous scaffolds using non-electrospun injectable bioactive nano/micro particulate constructs, an innovative ZNP-functionalized 3D-printed formulation and the distinct bioactivity of D-ZNP as a powerful antibacterial/wound healing promotor. In addition, findings underscored the crucial role of nanofibrous-MS carrier in enhancing the physicochemical, antibacterial, and wound regenerative properties of DDAB-nano ZnO. In conclusion, innovative 3D-printed DZ-MS@scaffold merging the MS-boosted multiple functionalities of ZNP and DDAB, the structural characteristics of nanofibrous MS in addition to those of the 3D-printed bilayer scaffold, provide a versatile bioactive material platform for diabetic wound healing and other biomedical applications.

Global Status and Future Trends of Fascia and Pain Research in 2013-2022: Bibliometric Analysis Based on CiteSpace and VOSviewer

Background

Fascial pathological pain is the main type of chronic pain in older adults today, and studying the relationship between fascia and pain can help in the clinical search for effective treatments. However, in the face of the vast amount of research findings, there is no systematic assessment of the relationship between fascia and pain in a bibliometric analysis. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze studies on fascia and pain using CiteSpace and VOSviewer to identify research hotspots and future directions.

Materials and Methods

A total of 744 papers related to fascia and pain from 2013 to 2022 were collected from the core collection database of Web of Science, and the authors, countries, institutions, keyword co-occurrence, keyword clustering, and keyword emergence were analyzed by CiteSpace and VOSviewer to construct a knowledge map.

Results

Literature publication has shown an overall upward trend over the past decade, but there have been some fluctuations. Carmelo Pirri, Caterina Fede, and Raffaele De Caro are the top three authors with the most articles. The United States, China, and Spain are major contributors to fascial and pain research. The University of Padua, Universidad Complutense and Harvard Medical School are leading institutions in this field. However, it is noteworthy that the collaboration between authors, countries and institutions is not active. Keyword analysis showed that hot spots and trends in research on fascia and pain focused on hot diseases, major interventions, and mechanism exploration.

Conclusion

This analysis identifies the most influential authors, institutions, and countries in the field of fascial and pain research and provides a reference for assessing their academic impact. The analysis of keywords and co-cited literature is useful for analyzing research hotspots and their evolution, as well as for predicting future trends.