The state of ambient air quality in Pakistan—a review

Background and purpose: Pakistan, during the last decade, has seen an extensive escalation in population growth, urbanization, and industrialization, together with a great increase in motorization and energy use. As a result, a substantial rise has taken place in the types and number of emission sources of various air pollutants. However, due to the lack of air quality management capabilities, the country is suffering from deterioration of air quality. Evidence from various governmental organizations and international bodies has indicated that air pollution is a significant risk to the environment, quality of life, and health of the population. The Government has taken positive steps toward air quality management in the form of the Pakistan Clean Air Program and has recently established a small number of continuous monitoring stations. However, ambient air quality standards have not yet been established. This paper reviews the data being available on the criteria air pollutants: particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and lead. Methods: Air pollution studies in Pakistan published in both scientific journals and by the Government have been reviewed and the reported concentrations of PM, SO2, O3, CO, NO2, and Pb collated. A comparison of the levels of these air pollutants with the World Health Organization air quality guidelines was carried out. Results: Particulate matter was the most serious air pollutant in the country. NO2 has emerged as the second high-risk pollutant. The reported levels of PM, SO2, CO, NO2, and Pb were many times higher than the World Health Organization air quality guidelines. Only O3 concentrations were below the guidelines. Conclusions: The current state of air quality calls for immediate action to tackle the poor air quality. The establishment of ambient air quality standards, an extension of the continuous monitoring sites, and the development of emission control strategies are essential. © Springer-Verlag 2009

European and multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of atopic dermatitis highlights importance of systemic immune regulation.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin condition and prior genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 71 associated loci. In the current study we conducted the largest AD GWAS to date (discovery N = 1,086,394, replication N = 3,604,027), combining previously reported cohorts with additional available data. We identified 81 loci (29 novel) in the European-only analysis (which all replicated in a separate European analysis) and 10 additional loci in the multi-ancestry analysis (3 novel). Eight variants from the multi-ancestry analysis replicated in at least one of the populations tested (European, Latino or African), while two may be specific to individuals of Japanese ancestry. AD loci showed enrichment for DNAse I hypersensitivity and eQTL associations in blood. At each locus we prioritised candidate genes by integrating multi-omic data. The implicated genes are predominantly in immune pathways of relevance to atopic inflammation and some offer drug repurposing opportunities

neolid, a French start-up in Japan and South Korea

International audienceneolid is a start-up whose headquarters are located in Lyon, France. In 2015, the company’s turnover was 500,000 euros and its lidless isotherm boxes and mugs won several awards. The start-up’s products are distributed online and at trade fairs as well as through a network of independent sales agents. They are also sold to companies and local authorities as personalized promotional products or “goodies”. This case study focuses on the expansion of the company into Japan and South Korea. It deals with the creation and growth of the start-up, the characteristics of the Japanese and South Korean markets, the selection of entry modes and the management of cultural differences

Rapid Internationalization Emerging Markets Multinationals from Latin America: The Case of the AJE Group

This study provides an understanding of the internationalization processes of emerging markets multinationals (EMMNEs), and how they are becoming more important and relevant, as their role on the global market is taking higher importance. A very interesting phenomenon worth studying, is the rapid internationalization of some of those companies. Company's history, selection of the internationalization process method, the country and company's contexts, the political environment, the market conditions, and the industry characteristics are some of the points of discussion to identify how an accelerated internalization process affects the growth of multinationals in Latin America (Multilatinas). As a case study for EMMNEs from developing countries in emerging markets, this chapter aims to describe and analyze the Peruvian AJE Group's accelerated internationalization process