ICT and education as determinants of environmental quality: The role of financial development in selected Asian countries

Rising environmental concerns due to extensive energy consumption and carbon emission in the process of developing information communication and technology (ICT) cannot be overshadowed by its significant contribution in economic growth. This study is an attempt to explore long run influences of ICT and education on environmental quality. By incorporating the role of financial development, energy consumption and income into the function of carbon emissions, the results obtained by the continuously updated and fully modified (Cup-FM) test indicate that economic growth, education and energy consumption stimulates carbon emissions intensity in Asian countries (1990-2018). The second-generation unit root tests and Lagrange Multiplier (LM) bootstrap cointegration method investigate stationary properties and cointegration. Our findings suggest that investment in technology and financial markets require policymakers' attention as we have empirically established long-run inverse impacts of financial development and ICT on carbon emissions. Furthermore, the study suggests a focus on clean energy policy as the rising pollution levels due to fossil fuel hampers long-run productivity. This paper contributes to the existing literature by proposing that ICT-led economic policies may help solve environmental quality and economic growth issues

Two variants of occupational asthma separable by exhaled breath nitric oxide level

ABSTRACT Exhaled nitric oxide (FE NO ) has been used as a marker of asthmatic inflammation in nonoccupational asthma, but some asthmatics have a normal FE NO . In this study we investigated whether, normal FE NO variants have less reactivity in methacholine challenge and smaller peak expiratory flow (PEF) responses than high FE NO variants in a group of occupational asthmatics. Methods: We measured FE NO and PD 20 in methacholine challenge in 60 workers currently exposed to occupational agents, who were referred consecutively to a specialist occupational lung disease clinic and whose serial PEF records confirmed occupational asthma. Bronchial responsiveness (PD 20 in methacholine challenge) and the degree of PEF change to occupational exposures, (measured by calculating diurnal variation and the area between curves score of the serial PEF record in Oasys), were compared between those with normal and raised FE NO . Potential confounding factors such as smoking, atopy and inhaled corticosteroid use, were adjusted for. Results: There was a significant correlation between FE NO and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in methacholine challenge (p=0.011), after controlling for confounders. Reactivity to methacholine was significantly lower in the normal FE NO group compared to the raised FE NO group (p=0.035). The two FE NO variants did not differ significantly according to the causal agent, the magnitude of the response in PEF to the asthmagen at work, or diurnal variation

Two variants of occupational asthma separable by exhaled breath nitric oxide level.

UNLABELLED Exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)) has been used as a marker of asthmatic inflammation in non-occupational asthma, but some asthmatics have a normal FE(NO). In this study we investigated whether, normal FE(NO) variants have less reactivity in methacholine challenge and smaller peak expiratory flow (PEF) responses than high FE(NO) variants in a group of occupational asthmatics. METHODS We measured FE(NO) and PD(20) in methacholine challenge in 60 workers currently exposed to occupational agents, who were referred consecutively to a specialist occupational lung disease clinic and whose serial PEF records confirmed occupational asthma. Bronchial responsiveness (PD(20) in methacholine challenge) and the degree of PEF change to occupational exposures, (measured by calculating diurnal variation and the area between curves score of the serial PEF record in Oasys), were compared between those with normal and raised FE(NO). Potential confounding factors such as smoking, atopy and inhaled corticosteroid use were adjusted for. RESULTS There was a significant correlation between FE(NO) and bronchial hyper-responsiveness in methacholine challenge (p = 0.011), after controlling for confounders. Reactivity to methacholine was significantly lower in the normal FE(NO) group compared to the raised FE(NO) group (p = 0.035). The two FE(NO) variants did not differ significantly according to the causal agent, the magnitude of the response in PEF to the asthmagen at work, or diurnal variation. CONCLUSIONS Occupational asthma patients present as two different variants based on FE(NO). The group with normal FE(NO) have less reactivity in methacholine challenge, while the PEF changes in relation to work are similar