The road to smart airports: Bibliometric analysis of digital transformation by using R language.

BACKGROUND: The accumulated knowledge has led to a state of misunderstanding about the precise meanings of digitalization, and a precise framework to define smart airports is still missing. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to reveal the current status and future direction of smart airports and digital transformation in the academic literature and to provide a comprehensive definition for smart airports. METHODS: The identified keywords were searched in the Web of Science database covering the years 1989-2024 and a total of 372 studies were found. These studies were then analyzed using Bibliometrix (R package). RESULTS: We determined that the most influential academic source on the themes is the Journal of Air Transport Management, and the collaboration index in the literature is three. While conferences are the most productive sources in this field, academic journals are mostly cited in studies. Academic studies typically employ and evaluate "performance" and "model," "impact" and "air," and "economic development" and "location" in tandem, despite the distinction between technological and managerial issues. CONCLUSION: In the light of the findings, the definition of a smart airport can be "an airport ecosystem where personalized service is provided to users by using Industry 4.0 technologies on the basis of big data analysis and real-time sharing between objects; digitalization is turned into a holistic organizational culture starting from top management to cover all personnel; the decision-making process is carried out autonomously within the entire airport operation network; and the main goal of competitive advantage and high-level user experience is provided uninterruptedly."

Underlying lung disease and exposure to terrestrial moderate and high altitude: personalised risk assessment.

Once reserved for the fittest, worldwide altitude travel has become increasingly accessible for ageing and less fit people. As a result, more and more individuals with varying degrees of respiratory conditions wish to travel to altitude destinations. Exposure to a hypobaric hypoxic environment at altitude challenges the human body and leads to a series of physiological adaptive mechanisms. These changes, as well as general altitude related risks have been well described in healthy individuals. However, limited data are available on the risks faced by patients with pre-existing lung disease. A comprehensive literature search was conducted. First, we aimed in this review to evaluate health risks of moderate and high terrestrial altitude travel by patients with pre-existing lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea syndrome, asthma, bullous or cystic lung disease, pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease. Second, we seek to summarise for each underlying lung disease, a personalized pre-travel assessment as well as measures to prevent, monitor and mitigate worsening of underlying respiratory disease during travel.

Estimating the impact of COVID-19 on air travel in the medium and long term using neural network and Monte Carlo simulation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the airline industry. Air travel in the United States declined in 2020 with significantly lower domestic and international flights. The dynamic change and uncertainty in the trend of COVID-19 have made it difficult to predict future air travel. This paper aims at developing and testing neural network models that predict domestic and international air travel in the medium and long term based on residents' daily trips by distance, economic condition, COVID-19 severity, and travel restrictions. Data in the United States from various sources were used to train and validate the neural network models, and Monte Carlo simulations were constructed to predict air travel under uncertainty of the pandemic and economic growth. The results show that weekly economic index (WEI) is the most important predictor for air travel. Additionally, daily trips by distance play a more important role in the prediction of domestic air travel than the international one, while travel restrictions seem to have an impact on both. Sensitivity analysis results for four different scenarios indicate that air travel in the future is more sensitive to the change in WEI than the changes in COVID-19 variables. Additionally, even in the best-case scenario, when the pandemic is over and the economy is back to normal, it still takes several years for air travel to return to normal, as before the pandemic. The findings have significant contributions to the literature in COVID-19's impact on air transportation and air travel prediction.

Carbon footprint of the RSNA annual meeting.

PURPOSE: To determine the airplane travel-related carbon footprint of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, the associated health burden, and the costs to offset these greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. compensation of emissions by funding an equivalent CO2 saving elsewhere). METHODS: The RSNA's website was used to determine the reported country of origin of attendees to the 2017 meeting that took place in Chicago from November 26 to December 1. It was assumed that attendees had traveled from the airport nearest to the largest city in their country or state to Chicago's O'Hare international airport. The total amount of air travel-related CO2-equivalent emission (based on round-trip economy class travel), the imposed health burden in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in the global population, the total CO2 offsets costs, and the CO2 offsets costs per DALY were calculated. RESULTS: The calculated airplane travel-related CO2-equivalent emissions of 11,223 attendees from the United States and 10,684 attendees from other countries were 7,067,618 kg and 32,438,420 kg, totaling 39,506,038 kg. This caused an estimated 51.4-79.0 DALYs. The calculated amount of Total CO2 offset costs were calculated to be $474,072, which corresponds to $6,001-9,223 per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS: The airplane travel-related carbon footprint of the RSNA annual meeting and the associated disease burden are relevant, and potential attendees and organizers should take measures to overcome this undesired side effect. Offsetting this carbon footprint is cost-effective and this initiative should be taken by the radiological community.

Transporte aéreo e passageiros com deficiência auditiva: barreiras e facilitadores / Air transport and passengers with hearing impairments: barriers and facilitators

Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender as barreiras e facilitadores para a participação das pessoas com deficiência auditiva em viagens aéreas. Fundamentou-se na abordagem da ergonomia da atividade. Os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário, observações diretas durante as viagens e entrevistas de autoconfrontação com passageiros com deficiência auditiva. Constatou-se a existência de barreiras relacionadas a fatores sociais, como comunicação, e ambientais, como sinalização nos aeroportos. Entre os facilitadores das viagens destacaram-se a comunicação com trabalhadores que têm conhecimento da língua de sinais e legendas nos conteúdos de entretenimento a bordo. Este estudo espera dar visibilidade às experiências de viagens de passageiros com deficiência auditiva e, a partir disso, contribuir para a melhoria das condições e procedimentos do transporte aéreo e orientar a formação de pessoal visando prestar serviços adequados aos diversos passageiros

This study aims to understand the barriers and facilitators to the participation of persons with hearing disability in air travel. This study was based on the assumptions of activity-centered ergonomics. Data was collected by means of a questionnaire, direct observations during trips and self-confrontation interviews with passengers with hearing disability. The study findings include barriers related to social factors, such as communication, and environmental factors, such as airport signage. Air travel facilitators included communication in sign language with workers and closed-captioned in-flight entertainment for passengers. This study hopes to give visibility to travel experiences of passengers with hearing disability, and from that to contribute to the improvement of air transport conditions and procedures and to guide staff training aiming to provide adequate services to diverse passengers

Evolving competition between low-cost carriers and full-service carriers: The case of South Korea.

This study explores the impact of domestic low-cost carriers (LCCs) on regional tourism and aviation industries. In particular, it articulates the changing competitive dynamics between LCCs and full-service carriers (FSCs). The Lotka-Volterra (LV) model, utilising the newly proposed moving-window concept, is used for the assessment of the influence of LCCs on the South Korean and airline industry. Analysis results demonstrate that the competitive dynamics between LCCs and FSCs are not static and have evolved over time. The study proposes an efficient and effective change analysis and enables strategic planning for aviation industries.

Economy class syndrome: what is it and who are the individuals at risk?

Abstract The term 'economy class syndrome' refers to the occurrence of thrombotic events during long-haul flights that mainly occur in passengers in the economy class of the aircraft. This syndrome results from several factors related to the aircraft cabin (immobilization, hypobaric hypoxia and low humidity) and the passenger (body mass index, thrombophilia, oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, cancer), acting together to predispose to excessive blood coagulation, which can result in venous thromboembolism. Several risk factors, both genetic and acquired, are associated with venous thromboembolism. The most important genetic risk factors are natural anticoagulant deficiencies (antithrombin, protein C and protein S), factor V Leiden, prothrombin and fibrinogen gene mutations and non-O blood group individuals. Acquired risk factors include age, pregnancy, surgery, obesity, cancer, hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, antiphospholipid syndrome, infections, immobilization and smoking. People who have these risk factors are predisposed to hypercoagulability and are more susceptible to suffer venous thromboembolism during air travel. For these individuals, a suitable outfit for the trip, frequent walks, calf muscle exercises, elastic compression stockings and hydration are important preventive measures. Hence, it is essential to inform about economic class syndrome in an attempt to encourage Brazilian health and transport authorities to adopt measures, in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry, to prevent venous thromboembolism.

Economy class syndrome: what is it and who are the individuals at risk?

The term 'economy class syndrome' refers to the occurrence of thrombotic events during long-haul flights that mainly occur in passengers in the economy class of the aircraft. This syndrome results from several factors related to the aircraft cabin (immobilization, hypobaric hypoxia and low humidity) and the passenger (body mass index, thrombophilia, oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, cancer), acting together to predispose to excessive blood coagulation, which can result in venous thromboembolism. Several risk factors, both genetic and acquired, are associated with venous thromboembolism. The most important genetic risk factors are natural anticoagulant deficiencies (antithrombin, protein C and protein S), factor V Leiden, prothrombin and fibrinogen gene mutations and non-O blood group individuals. Acquired risk factors include age, pregnancy, surgery, obesity, cancer, hormonal contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, antiphospholipid syndrome, infections, immobilization and smoking. People who have these risk factors are predisposed to hypercoagulability and are more susceptible to suffer venous thromboembolism during air travel. For these individuals, a suitable outfit for the trip, frequent walks, calf muscle exercises, elastic compression stockings and hydration are important preventive measures. Hence, it is essential to inform about economic class syndrome in an attempt to encourage Brazilian health and transport authorities to adopt measures, in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry, to prevent venous thromboembolism.

Assessment of the role of international travel and unauthorized immigration on measles importation to the United States.

BACKGROUND: Concerns have been raised about unauthorized immigrants importing measles to the United States (US). This potential risk has not been rigorously evaluated nor compared with the potential risk of measles importation by US residents traveling internationally or international travellers coming to the US. We compared the potential risk of measles importation from each of these populations. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional, ecological design, we compared country-level measles vaccination and incidence data, for top (i) US resident international travel destinations, (ii) US-bound international travellers' home countries and (iii) home countries of unauthorized immigrants to the US. RESULTS: In 2014, US residents made 52.5 million trips to one of the top 10 international destinations. Five of these countries (10,958,000 US resident trips) had average first-dose measles vaccine coverage below 90%, and five (9,881,000 US resident trips) had average measles incidence over 1 case/100,000 population. Two of the 10 top US-bound international travellers' home countries (5,597,259 international visitors) had average first-dose measles vaccine coverage below 90%, whereas five (13,333,545 international visitors) had average annual measles incidence over 1 case/100,000 population). In 2012, of 11.2 million unauthorized immigrants living in the US, 8.9 million (79.0%) were born in one of the top 10 unauthorized immigrant home countries. Four of those countries had average first-dose measles vaccine coverage below 90% (1.3 million unauthorized immigrants), whereas three of these countries had average measles incidence over 1 case/100,000 population (950,000 unauthorized immigrants). Overall, there are 10 times more annual US visitors to high measles incidence countries than there are unauthorized immigrants in the US from high measles incidence countries. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to prevent reestablishment of indigenous measles transmission in the US should focus on evidence-based risk assessments, highlighting a greater potential measles importation risk of from US residents travelling internationally than unauthorized immigrants coming to the US.

Current legal framework and practical aspects of oxygen therapy during air travel.

It is unusual for pulmonologists to be familiar with the European and US regulations governing the administration of oxygen during air travel and each airline's policy in this respect. This lack of knowledge is in large part due to the scarcity of articles addressing this matter in specialized journals and the noticeably limited information provided by airlines on their websites. In this article we examine the regulations, the policies of some airlines and practical aspects that must be taken into account, so that the questions of a patient who may need to use oxygen during a flight may be answered satisfactorily.

Pre-flight assessment in patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Reduced atmospheric pressure during air travel can cause significant hypoxaemia in some patients with respiratory disease. Our aims were to investigate the degree of hypoxaemia in patients with obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) during hypoxic challenge test (HCT), and to identify any predictors of a positive HCT. METHODS: Thirteen patients underwent assessment, including HCT, lung function and incremental shuttle walk test. All had OHS well controlled with long-term nocturnal non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were excluded. A positive HCT was defined according to the British Thoracic Society (BTS) recommendation as arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) <6.6 kPa and/or oxygen saturation <85%. RESULTS: Mean age was 57 (± 11) years. Mean body mass index was 51.7 (± 12) kg/m(2) . Mean baseline PaO2 and arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) were 10.2 (9.5-11.3) kPa and 5.2 (3.7-6.8) kPa, respectively. Seven patients (54%) had a positive HCT. The correlation between baseline PaO2 and PaO2 at the end of the HCT was not statistically significant (r = 0.433, P = 0.184). A negative correlation was observed between baseline PaCO2 and PaO2 at the end of the HCT (r = -0.793, P = 0.004). A positive correlation was observed between the distance walked and the PaO2 at the end of the HCT (r = 0.608, P = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: OHS is a risk factor for severe hypoxaemia during air travel even if the ventilatory failure is well controlled. An HCT before air travel is advisable in all OHS patients. Those with positive HCT may use NIV or have oxygen on-board as per BTS recommendation.

Flight related tuberculosis contact investigations in the United States: comparative risk and economic analysis of alternate protocols.

BACKGROUND: In-flight transmission risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is not well defined, although studies suggest it is low. The impact of flight-related tuberculosis (TB) contact investigations (TBCIs) on TB prevention and control is not well established, and they compete for resources with activities with established benefits. We sought to determine the risks and cost-benefits of using more restrictive criteria in comparison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2008 protocol for TBCIs. METHODS: The risk-benefits of a modified CDC protocol were analyzed in comparison to the 2008 CDC protocol using data from flight-related TBCIs conducted in the United States from 2007 through 2009. We predicted the numbers and characteristics of case-travelers that would be identified using each protocol's criteria, and results of the associated passenger-contacts' TB screening tests. The economic analysis compared the costs of TBCIs to avoided costs of TB treatment and mortality using a Return on Investment model. RESULTS: The estimated in-flight transmission risk using a modified CDC protocol was 1.4%-19% versus 1.1%-24% for the 2008 protocol. Numbers of TBCIs and immediate costs to health departments were reduced by half. Long-term cost-benefits were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: CDC's modified protocol appears to be a feasible alternative that will conserve public health resources without jeopardizing the public's health.

Dynamic relationship between air transport demand and economic growth in the United States: A new look.

This paper examines the short- and long-run effects of economic growth and market shocks (e.g., 9/11 terrorist attacks, Iraq war, SARS epidemic, and 2008 financial crisis) on air passenger and freight services using an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to cointegration. Results show that, in the long-run, both air passenger and freight services tend to increase with economic growth. In the short-run, however, only air passenger service is responsive to economic growth. Finally, only the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the SARS have detrimental effects on air passenger demand both in the short- and long-run, and in the long-run, respectively. However, these market shocks are found to have little impact on air freight demand.