How to increase technology transfers to developing countries: a synthesis of the evidence

The existing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has failed to deliver the rate of low-carbon technology transfer (TT) required to curb GHG emissions in developing countries. This failure has exposed the limitations of universalism and renewed interest in bilateral approaches to TT. Gaps are identified in the UNFCCC approach to climate change TT: missing links between international institutions and the national enabling environments that encourage private investment; a non-differentiated approach for (developing) country and technology characteristics; and a lack of clear measurements of the volume and effectiveness of TTs. Evidence from econometric literature and business experience on climate change TT is reviewed, so as to address the identified pitfalls of the UNFCCC process. Strengths and weaknesses of different methodological approaches are highlighted. International policy recommendations are offered aimed at improving the level of emission reductions achieved through TT

How do cardiologists select patients for dual antiplatelet therapy continuation beyond 1 year after a myocardial infarction? Insights from the EYESHOT Post-MI Study

Background: Current guidelines suggest to consider dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) continuation for longer than 12 months in selected patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Hypothesis: We sought to assess the criteria used by cardiologists in daily practice to select patients with a history of MI eligible for DAPT continuation beyond 1 year. Methods: We analyzed data from the EYESHOT Post-MI, a prospective, observational, nationwide study aimed to evaluate the management of patients presenting to cardiologists 1 to 3 years from the last MI event. Results: Out of the 1633 post-MI patients enrolled in the study between March and December 2017, 557 (34.1%) were on DAPT at the time of enrolment, and 450 (27.6%) were prescribed DAPT after cardiologist assessment. At multivariate analyses, a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with multiple stents and the presence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) resulted as independent predictors of DAPT continuation, while atrial fibrillation was the only independent predictor of DAPT interruption for patients both at the second and the third year from MI at enrolment and the time of discharge/end of the visit. Conclusions: Risk scores recommended by current guidelines for guiding decisions on DAPT duration are underused and misused in clinical practice. A PCI with multiple stents and a history of PAD resulted as the clinical variables more frequently associated with DAPT continuation beyond 1 year from the index MI

Amidine N-C(N)-N skeleton: Its structure in isolated and hydrogen-bonded guanidines from ab initio calculations

Geometries of guanidine and eight of its N-imino derivatives (CH3, SiH3, OH, CN, F, Cl, CHO, and NO2) were calculated using ab initio molecular orbital techniques. MP2, MP4, and CISD geometries indicate that the guanidine molecule is pyramidal at amino groups and pi-conjugation through the amidine skeleton is modest. MP2 structures of the eight N-imino guanidines reveal that substituting the hydrogen atom of the imino nitrogen by a functional group leads to a concerted variation of the CN bond distances, Topological electron density analyses indicate that the structural changes calculated upon N-imino substitution are largely due to changes of conjugation onto the amidine pi-skeleton. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding involving the imino and amino groups is also found to affect the amidine geometry. Special attention has been paid in the work of 2-cyanoguanidine. The centrosymmetric dimer and a more extended hydrogen-banded complex have been proposed as simulation of the crystal environment and the respective ab initio geometries (HF/4-31G(d) and MP2/6-31G(d)) are discussed. The structural changes due to self-association have been rationalized supposing that the contribution of polar canonical forms increases upon hydrogen-bonding formation