Air Transport Performance and Global Decision Analysis

Since the beginning of aviation, airports have played a pivotal role in Aeronautical Engineering. The airport concept has changed a lot over the past century from small airfields to international hubs. These airport infrastructures have played a significant role in the economic development of the regions they operate. The emergence of the airport city concept as a new successful organisational model suggests that any infrastructure of this kind to be competitive should adopt it. With all its inputs and outputs, the airport industry significantly influences the global economy. The balance between the public interest in general, shareholders, and airport operators must seek to be reconciled. I was investigated how it would be possible to determine whether an airport would have the expected impact on the economy at different scales. Those scales could be that of a continent, a country, a region, or even a city and establish the decision criteria for building (or not) new airport infrastructures and making improvements (or not) in them. Searching for tools that would allow an appropriate evaluation of the management processes of an airport, the measurement of the position of the airport compared to its counterparts (benchmarking) is essential. However, the complexity of the models used makes this tool unfriendly for airport administration. Apart from that, the essential focus of this type of study is the land side of the airport. Nevertheless, there are other types of studies for evaluating the performance of airport processes. Still, these are also complex and do not involve all operational, financial and agent components near the airport. The studies review reinforces the idea that a global analytical tool is essential to find the global perspective (airside, landside, and agents) of any airport's performance beyond the challenges that will be put to them soon and a complete benchmark of direct competitors. The construction of a new methodology requires that airport, land, and airside infrastructures be considered, and agents near the airport, customers, shareholders and airport operators. Thus, a well-founded analysis for a Global Decision Analysis (GDA) incorporates all the infrastructure stakeholders' interconnections in a single tool. GDA is, therefore, friendlier to stakeholders given the management and optimization of decisions based on an analysis system based on the MACBETH multi-criteria methodology, the PESA-AGB. This tool was built and applied to an airport with dimensions identical to Lisbon airport, demonstrating and comparing the evolution of performance and efficiency over 11 years from 2003 to 2013 by six key performance areas of the airport and the respective key performance indicators. The development of an airport efficiency tag for each year of assessment was implemented. An APE-Label implementation, applied to any airport, is presented, and discussed in this study regardless of its size and location. The main obstacle to implementing this APE-Label is the heterogeneity of the airport infrastructure since it differs in the number of runways for public, private or even public-private property, among others. However, with the PESA-AGB methodology, it was possible to mitigate this factor. The main proposal is to provide a graphical APE-Label that informs all interested parties which infrastructure assessment is analysed across the six key performance areas each year that will help to maximize performance and efficiency standards. For the airport case study, a self-benchmarking analysis was carried out for the airport's study with distinctive characteristics representing the central Portuguese air infrastructure. The airport in study is considered the largest in terms of passengers, movements and cargo and is associated with Lisbon airport. Finally, the results of PESA-AGB and GDA have been presented in two visual analysis panels. The dashboards and the GDA report and recommendation are prepared.Desde o início da aviação que os aeroportos detêm um papel fulcral na Engenharia Aeronáutica. O conceito de aeroporto modificou-se muito durante o último século passando de pequenos aeródromos para “hubs” internacionais. Assim estas infraestruturas aeroportuárias têm vindo a assumir um papel muito importante no que diz respeito ao desenvolvimento económico das regiões em que se inserem. O surgimento do conceito de cidade aeroporto, como um novo modelo organizacional de sucesso, sugere que para qualquer infraestrutura do género ser competitiva o deve adotar. A indústria aeroportuária, com todos os seus “inputs” e “outputs”, tem uma grande influência na economia global e os equilíbrios entre o interesse público em geral, os acionistas em particular, os operadores aeroportuários devem procurar ser conciliados. Esta investigação procurou determinar se um aeroporto teria o impacto esperado na economia em diferentes escalas, nomeadamente à de um continente, um país, uma região ou mesmo uma cidade, para poder estabelecer quais os critérios de decisão para a construção de novas infraestruturas aeroportuárias assim como para efetuar melhorias nas mesmas. Na procura de ferramentas que permitissem uma avaliação apropriada dos processos de gestão de um aeroporto, a aferição da posição do aeroporto comparativamente aos seus congéneres (benchmarking) surgiu como essencial. No entanto, a complexidade dos modelos conhecidos em utilização torna as ferramentas pouco amigáveis para a administração aeroportuária, para além de que, o foco essencial deste tipo de estudos é o lado terra do aeroporto. Existem outros tipos de estudos para a avaliação do desempenho dos processos aeroportuários, mas, também estes são complexos e não envolvem todas as componentes operacionais, financeiras e dos agentes na vizinhança do aeroporto. A construção de uma nova metodologia impõe que se tenha em consideração as infraestruturas aeroportuárias, lado terra e lado ar, os clientes, os acionistas e os operadores aeroportuários. Assim, uma análise bem fundamentada para uma decisão a nível global - o Global Decision Analysis (GDA), incorpora numa só ferramenta todas as interligações entre todos os intervenientes da infraestrutura. O GDA é, pois, mais amigável para os stakeholders tendo em vista a gestão e otimização das decisões baseado em um sistema de análise com base na metodologia multicritério MACBETH - o Performance and Efficiency Support Analysis for Airport Global Benchmarking (PESA-AGB), que foi construído e aplicado a um aeroporto com dimensões idênticas às do aeroporto de Lisboa, demonstrando e comparando a evolução do desempenho e eficiência ao longo de 11 anos pelo período de 2003 a 2013 por 6 áreas chave de desempenho do aeroporto e os respetivos indicadores chave de desempenho. Neste estudo, é apresentada e discutida uma implementação da Etiqueta Airport Performance and Efficiency Label (APE-Label), aplicada a qualquer aeroporto, independentemente de seu tamanho e localização. O principal obstáculo à implementação deste APE-Label é a heterogeneidade da infraestrutura aeroportuária, uma vez que esta difere no número de pistas para a propriedade publica, privada ou mesmo público-privada, entre outros. A principal proposta é fornecer uma APE-Label gráfica que informe a todos as partes interessadas qual é a avaliação da infraestrutura analisada através das seis áreas-chave de desempenho em cada ano que ajudarão a maximizar os padrões de desempenho e eficiência. Para o caso de estudo, foi realizada uma análise de self-benchmarking para o aeroporto 1 com características especificas e um aeroporto internacional com as valências de carga e Low Cost Carriers (LCC), representando a principal infraestrutura aérea portuguesa. O aeroporto 1 é considerado o maior em termos de número de passageiros, movimentos e carga e está associado ao aeroporto de Lisboa. Por fim, são apresentados em dois painéis de análise visual os resultados do PESA-AGB e do GDA

Applying Airport Centrality as an Operational Continuity Indicator

Purpose: The research aims to propose a methodology to estimate the reliability of the Brazilian airport network (domestic passenger traffic), based on the centrality of airports (Network Theory). Design/methodology: The applied methodologies are related to Network Theory, a branch of Graph Theory, and reliability. Reliability is associated with the good functioning of a product or system, the absence of breaks or failures in each period and the environmental conditions of use of the item. The data used refer to the period 2000-2018 and were obtained from the sector's regulatory body in Brazil. The study allows to estimate the reliability of the airport network, based on the centrality of airports (Network Theory). Findings: The results allow airports to be classified into three groups: adequate context, worrying context and critical context, thus signalling airports that may stop operating regular domestic traffic. Research limitations/implications: The study does not aim to overlap or replace conventional analyses, recognized by the results, and applied over time. However, to present a new tool that allows the monitoring and preliminary analysis of airport networks, mainly domestic and regional networks, signalling to airport operators, regulators, and airlines the need for intervention (measures to reverse the trend) in the network, thus allowing, economic development and equitable access to all regions. Originality/value: The proposal of a complementary methodology based on the centrality of airports to analyze operational continuity.Peer Reviewe

GDNF modulates HO-1 expression in substantia nigra postnatal cell cultures

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been strongly highlighted because of its induction in many cell types by toxic stimuli, including oxidative stress. The intense HO-1 immunostaining in the substantia nigra of Parkinson disease (PD) patients suggests its involvement in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease. In this work we investigated HO-1 expression in rat substantia nigra postnatal cell cultures under conditions mimicking dopamine toxicity and its modulation by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a potent neuroprotective factor for dopaminergic neurons. In neuron-glia cultures, we found that H2O2, a product of dopamine metabolism, or l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA), the dopamine precursor used in the therapy of PD, induced a fast up-regulation of HO-1 mRNA and protein levels, followed by a secondary down-regulation. H2O2 and l-DOPA also increased HO-1 expression in astrocyte cultures, but with a delayed time course in H2O2-treated cultures. HO-1 expression was decreased in neuron-glia cultures under conditions under which GDNF up-regulation was observed. Because exogenously applied GDNF prevented HO-1 up-regulation in cultures treated with H2O2 or l-DOPA, and antibody neutralization of GDNF prevented the secondary HO-1 down-regulation observed in neuron-glia cultures, we propose that GDNF negatively modulates HO-1 expression induced by oxidative stress. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the modulation of HO-1 expression by GDNF.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T38-4GY83GS-1/1/db5c1961511769a30a115fcbfcd902c

Dynamic processes of an airport's system. A value network analysis

The performance of an airport and its efficiency has been measured generally from its operational and financial data, and on that basis, classified its relative position in the set of airports. But this methodology, by itself, is insufficient to determine relationships between a given position in the ranking of an airport and the generated value associated with that position, either within the entire business system of the airport or along the inter-relationships that it establishes with the surrounding community. We argue that networks are fundamental instruments for the development of the business system of airport’s landside areas. Applying the Value Network Analysis (VNA) to the Air Cargo we concluded that this approach provided a network ecosystem perspective into how processes and people create value within the Cargo Network

INSEF-ExpoQuim: assessing the exposure of the Portuguese population to chemicals

Introduction: Exposure to hazardous chemicals may endanger human health and pollute the environment. To assess and minimize the risks associated with the use of chemicals it is essential to know whether and to what extent these substances are present in the human body. We report preliminary results of the recruitment phase in the study of Exposure of the Portuguese Population to Environmental Chemicals: a study nested in INSEF 2015 (INSEF-ExpoQuim). Methods: INSEF-ExpoQuim is an epidemiologic study nested in INSEF 2015 targeting 300 non-institutionalized individuals aged 28-39 years, living in Portugal for more than 12 months, able to follow an interview in Portuguese. Fieldwork started in June 2019 and is ongoing. Procedures are according to the guidelines of the HBM4EU project. Selected individuals receive an invitation letter and are later contacted by phone to schedule sample collection and the telephone interview. Urine samples for determination of heavy metals, bisphenols and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons are collected, as well as data on socio-demographic characteristics, living conditions and residential history, habits/lifestyle, nutrition, health, occupation and substance specific information covering nearly all exposure pathways. Results: Up to date 384 of the 848 eligible individuals were successfully contacted (45,3%), of which 172 accepted to participate in INSEF-ExpoQuim corresponding to a participation rate of 20%. Conclusions: Results from INSEF-ExpoQuim will contribute to reduce the health impact that could result from the exposure of the population residing in Portugal to environmental chemicals, by producing high quality data on the actual exposure of the Portuguese population to hazardous chemicals, in order to support the development and implementation of policy measures aimed at minimizing exposure to those chemicals.HBM4EU has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 733032.N/

O FARMACÊUTICO E AS ALTERNATIVAS FARMACOLÓGICAS PARA O TRATAMENTO DA COVID-19

Objetivo: Instigar a importância do acompanhamento farmacêutico aos pacientes diante das alternativas de tratamento para a covid-19 Método: O estudo trata-se de uma revisão de literatura, as bases de dados utilizadas para a pesquisa foram: Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), PUBMED, Science Direct, Web of Science e Scopus Resultados e Discussões: Os artigos estudados demostraram o valioso papel que o farmacêutico pode desenvolver perante aos pacientes, as praticas ja conhecidas e incorporadas na assistencia farmaceutica partindo do cuidado e acompanhamento da famacoterapia. Todos buscaram avaliar, descrever e/ou disseminar esse papel em forma de serviço prestado, analisando isso como propostas e medidas praticas diante das perspectivas atuais e futuras. Conclusão: Portando, fica claro a contribuição indispensável que a prática clínica por meio da assistência farmacêutica pode ser capaz de solucionar problemas, educar sobre questões de saúde e/ou progredir em cuidados

design, planning and implementation

Background: In Health Examination Surveys interview information is complemented with objective information, providing more accurate indicators than self-reported data. We report the study design, planning and implementation of the first Portuguese Health Examination Survey (INSEF). Methods: INSEF was a cross-sectional population-based study representative at regional and national level. Individuals aged between 25 and 74 years old, residing in Portugal were selected from the national health users' registry through multi-stage stratified probabilistic sampling. Sample size was set at 4200 individuals. Data was collected in primary care units and included blood pressure, height, weight, hip and waist measurements, blood collection for lipid profile, HbA1c and blood count and a general health questionnaire. European HES procedures were followed. Results: A total of 4911 individuals agreed to participate (43.9% participation rate). Participation rate varied by region, sex and age group, being lower in Lisbon and Tagus Valley (32.8%), for men (41.8%) and for those aged 25-34 years old (36%). Conclusions: INSEF has set up an experienced national and regional structure for HES implementation. Nationally representative quality epidemiological data is now available for public health monitoring, planning and research.publishe

Driving GDNF expression: The green and the red traffic lights

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T0R-4TCYCK1-4/2/6ab005aaac74c472a6f5d27aaa50508

Differential Expression of Syntaxin 1A and 1B by Noradrenergic and Adrenergic Chromaffin Cells

The expression and localization of syntaxin isoforms 1A and 1B in adrenergic and noradrenergic chromaffin cells were examined by both immunoblot analysis and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy. Syntaxin 1A was found in higher levels in noradrenergic cells, whereas syntaxin 1B was similarly expressed in most noradrenergic and adrenergic cells. However, some heterogeneity was observed within each catecholaminergic phenotype. Although the majority of adrenergic cells appeared to express low levels of syntaxin 1A, about 7% was strongly stained for syntaxin 1A. A subpopulation of noradrenergic cells, about 17%, expressed greater levels of syntaxin 1B. Syntaxin 1B labeling showed a punctate appearance in the cytoplasm, whereas syntaxin 1A appeared predominantly localized to the plasma membrane. These data show differences in the exocytotic machinery of the two subtypes of chromaffin cells that may underlie some of the distinct characteristics of adrenaline and noradrenaline secretion

GDNF modulates HO-1 expression in substantia nigra postnatal cell cultures

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been strongly highlighted because of its induction in many cell types by toxic stimuli, including oxidative stress. The intense HO-1 immunostaining in the substantia nigra of Parkinson disease (PD) patients suggests its involvement in the pathogenesis of this neurodegenerative disease. In this work we investigated HO-1 expression in rat substantia nigra postnatal cell cultures under conditions mimicking dopamine toxicity and its modulation by glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a potent neuroprotective factor for dopaminergic neurons. In neuron-glia cultures, we found that H2O2, a product of dopamine metabolism, or l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA), the dopamine precursor used in the therapy of PD, induced a fast up-regulation of HO-1 mRNA and protein levels, followed by a secondary down-regulation. H2O2 and l-DOPA also increased HO-1 expression in astrocyte cultures, but with a delayed time course in H2O2-treated cultures. HO-1 expression was decreased in neuron-glia cultures under conditions under which GDNF up-regulation was observed. Because exogenously applied GDNF prevented HO-1 up-regulation in cultures treated with H2O2 or l-DOPA, and antibody neutralization of GDNF prevented the secondary HO-1 down-regulation observed in neuron-glia cultures, we propose that GDNF negatively modulates HO-1 expression induced by oxidative stress. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the modulation of HO-1 expression by GDNF.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6T38-4GY83GS-1/1/db5c1961511769a30a115fcbfcd902c