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Climate change is causing disruptions in Earth's weather patterns, leading to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, frost, and heatwaves. These events can impact food production and lead to challenges in meeting the food needs of a growing population. Previous research has documented the role of temperature and precipitation during the growing season in explaining crop yield variability. For example, droughts and extreme heat can reduce cereal production by 9-10%.Current crop yield models use only a few meteorological variables to represent weather conditions. However, weather patterns or weather regimes, (i.e., persistent, and recurrent flow patterns of the large-scale atmospheric circulation) can provide a more comprehensive view of weather conditions, and can be used to predict and characterise extreme weather events and explain crop yield variation.In this study, we first conducted a literature review to examine the links between extreme weather events, such as heat waves, and droughts with weather patterns and regimes. One of the main findings of that review was the need to define what extreme weather is in the context of agriculture. The new definition is based on studies that identified optimal and terminal weather conditions for winter wheat at specific phenological stages. Using this definition of extreme weather, we analyse historic yields in East Anglia, UK, forming statistically based relationships between low yield years with a set of classified weather patterns from the UK Met Office. We focused on the weather patterns frequency of occurrence and persistence with additional consideration given to potential microclimates as we compare the effects weather patterns have on a specific farm with a long-term data set to the effects of the larger region. Preliminary analyses shows that a small number of these weather patterns are associated with high impact weather events that cause yield limiting conditions or physical damage to the crop such as wind lodging.It is hoped that further research will lead to the development of a next-generation crop yield variation model taking into account the weather patterns, which can provide longer-term predictions of regional crop yield variability to help agri-businesses, crop insurers and farmers to facilitate decision making, respond effectively to regional and global crop production shocks and food price spikes, and develop adaptation strategies to reduce the potential impact of extreme weather events.

Key message Anther development and dehiscence is considered from an evolutionary perspective to identify drivers for differentiation, functional conservation and to identify key questions for future male reproduction research. Abstract Development of viable pollen and its timely release from the anther are essential for fertilisation of angiosperm flowers. The formation and subsequent dehiscence of the anther are under tight regulatory control, and these processes are remarkably conserved throughout the diverse families of the angiosperm clade. Anther development is a complex process, which requires timely formation and communication between the multiple somatic anther cell layers (the epidermis, endothecium, middle layer and tapetum) and the developing pollen. These layers go through regulated development and selective degeneration to facilitate the formation and ultimate release of the pollen grains. Insight into the evolution and divergence of anther development and dehiscence, especially between monocots and dicots, is driving greater understanding of the male reproductive process and increased, resilient crop yields. This review focuses on anther structure from an evolutionary perspective by highlighting their diversity across plant species. We summarise new findings that illustrate the complexities of anther development and evaluate how they challenge established models of anther form and function, and how they may help to deliver future sustainable crop yields.

Aim: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare blood disorder characterized by hemolytic anemia, bone marrow failure and thrombosis. We evaluated, the cost–effectiveness of pegcetacoplan, a novel proximal C3 inhibitor, versus ravulizumab in patients with PNH and hemoglobin levels Materials & methods: A Markov cohort framework model, based on the data from the pivotal trial of pegcetacoplan (PEGASUS/NCT03500549), evaluated lifetime costs and outcomes. Patients transitioned through 3 PNH hemoglobin level/red blood cell transfusion health states. Results: Pegcetacoplan provides lower lifetime costs/greater quality-adjusted life years (£6,409,166/14.694QALYs, respectively) versus ravulizumab (£6,660,676/12.942QALYs). Conclusion: Pegcetacoplan is associated with enhanced anemia control, greater QALYs and reduced healthcare costs versus ravulizumab in the UK healthcare and social services setting.

Noam Chomsky’s early linguistic research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was funded by the Pentagon. While acknowledging this funding, Chomsky has always denied that it had any effect ...

This chapter presents a Darwinian account of how humans became the symbolic species. It challenges the widely held idea that symbolic culture did not emerge until long after our African speciation. Red ochre use appears as a cumulative cultural tradition emerging prior to modern humans, becoming ubiquitous with modern Homo sapiens. One argument for the evolution of within-group cooperation has been inter-group conflict, but this is unlikely to result in sexual morality. An alternative model of “reverse dominance” or “gender” warfare is explored, generating playful, ritual contest between the sexes. As a reproductive strategy, women in coalitions resisted dominant male attempts to monopolize fertile females without providing adequate investment. Ritual bodypaint performances established symbolic culture, morality, kinship, and the sexual division of labor. Investor males drove the success of this symbolic strategy through sexual selection of ritually decorated females, linked to the plateau of encephalization in modern humans.

ObjectiveTo describe temporal changes in inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) use in English neonatal units between 2010 and 2015.DesignRetrospective analysis using data extracted from the National Neonatal Research Database.SettingAll National Health Service neonatal units in England.PatientsInfants of all gestational ages born 2010–2015 admitted to a neonatal unit and received intensive care.Main outcome measuresProportion of infants who received iNO; age at initiation and duration of iNO use.Results4.9% (6346/129 883) of infants received iNO; 31% (1959/6346) were born 34 weeks of gestation. Between epoch 1 (2010–2011) and epoch 3 (2014–2015), there was (1) an increase in the proportion of infants receiving iNO: 34 weeks (4.5% vs 5.0%), (2) increase in postnatal age at iNO initiation: ConclusionsBetween 2010 and 2015, there was an increase in the use of iNO among infants admitted to English neonatal units. This was most notable among the most premature infants with an almost fourfold increase. Given the cost of iNO therapy, limited evidence of efficacy in preterm infants and potential for harm, we suggest that exposure to iNO should be limited, ideally to infants included in research studies (either observational or randomised placebo-controlled trial) or within a protocolised pathway. Development of consensus guidelines may also help standardise practice.

Anther development and dehiscence is considered from an evolutionary perspective to identify drivers for differentiation, functional conservation and to identify key questions for future male reproduction research. Development of viable pollen and its timely release from the anther are essential for fertilisation of angiosperm flowers. The formation and subsequent dehiscence of the anther are under tight regulatory control, and these processes are remarkably conserved throughout the diverse families of the angiosperm clade. Anther development is a complex process, which requires timely formation and communication between the multiple somatic anther cell layers (the epidermis, endothecium, middle layer and tapetum) and the developing pollen. These layers go through regulated development and selective degeneration to facilitate the formation and ultimate release of the pollen grains. Insight into the evolution and divergence of anther development and dehiscence, especially between monocots and dicots, is driving greater understanding of the male reproductive process and increased, resilient crop yields. This review focuses on anther structure from an evolutionary perspective by highlighting their diversity across plant species. We summarise new findings that illustrate the complexities of anther development and evaluate how they challenge established models of anther form and function, and how they may help to deliver future sustainable crop yields.

The targeting of both the muscarinic and β-adrenergic pathways is a well validated therapeutic approach for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this communication we report our effort to incorporate two pharmacologies into a single chemical entity, whose characteristic must be suitable for a once daily inhaled administration. Contextually, we aimed at a locally acting therapy with limited systemic absorption to minimize side effects. Our lung-tailored design of bifunctional compounds that combine the muscarinic and β-adrenergic pharmacologies by the elaboration of the muscarinic inhibitor 7, successfully led to the potent, pharmacologically balanced muscarinic antagonist and β2 agonist (MABA) 13.

Why is it that, out of 220 primate species, we are the only one that talks? The relative inflexibility of primate vocal signaling reflects audience pressure for reliability. Where interests conflict, listeners’ resistance to being deceived drives signalers to limit their vocal repertoire to signals that cannot be faked. This constraint was lifted in the human case, we argue, because the original victims of our species’ first deceptive vocalizations were nonhuman animals. When our ancestors were vulnerable hominins equipped with limited weaponry, they kept predators away by increasing the range and diversity of their vocal calls. This led to choral singing, primarily by females, and deceptive mimicry of animal calls, primarily by scavenging and hunting males. A critical feature of our model is the core principle of reversal, whereby deceptive signals aimed originally by a coalition against an external target are subsequently redeployed for honest communicative purposes within the group. We argue that this ...

Language evolved in no species other than humans, suggesting a deep-going obstacle to its evolution. Could it be that language simply cannot evolve in a Darwinian world? Reviewing the insights of Noam Chomsky, Amotz Zahavi and Dan Sperber, this article shows how and why each apparently depicts language's emergence as theoretically impossible. Chomsky shuns evolutionary arguments, asserting simply that language was instantaneously installed. Zahavi argues that language entails reliance on low cost conventional signals whose evolutionary emergence would contradict basic Darwinian theory. Sperber argues that a symbolic expression is, literally, a falsehood, adding to the difficulty of explaining how – in a Darwinan world – systematic reliance on language could ever have evolved. It is concluded that language exists, but for reasons which no currently accepted theoretical paradigm can explain.

The requirement to move away from carbon based fossil fuels has led to a renewed interest in unconventional energy sources. Of interest in this article are ocean waves and current and tidal flows. This paper reviews the numerous options for ocean energy conversion systems that are currently available. A basic nomenclature for the variety of systems is utilized to classify the devices. A variety of issues including competing use, boating, fishing, commercial shipping and tourism are discussed with respect to impacts on and from ocean renewable energy.

Availability of thermal energy storage systems (TES) is a key to ensuring continuous power supply from solar thermal power plants. The application of sensible heat storage (SHS) in solid media is an attractive economic option, but is dependent on identifying suitable SHS media. Given the growing number of new materials available today, finding a suitable material is a time-consuming and difficult process. This paper demonstrates the use of a materials selection software package and identifies suitable SHS materials for high temperature (>500 °C) TES systems. The environmental performance of some selected materials was also evaluated using the package. Common materials such as alumina, silicon carbide, high temperature concrete, graphite, cast iron and steel were found to be highly suitable for SHS for the duty considered (500–750 °C). For cost comparison, a simple heat exchanger, consisting of a packed bed of the materials (in brick or block form) heated by an inert gas, was considered. On the basis of equivalent gas phase heat transfer, high alumina cement concrete blocks had the lowest cost, followed by a common refractory brick at High temperature concretes, such as the high alumina cement-based materials and alumina–silicate geoploymers, were identified as having potential for SHS media as they are cheap composite materials. Their thermo–physical properties could be optimised for SHS by a suitable choice of aggregates, binders and additives.

Development of efficient thermal energy storage (TES) technology is key to successful utilisation of solar energy for high temperature (>420 °C) applications. Phase change materials (PCMs) have been identified as having advantages over sensible heat storage media. An important component of TES development is therefore selection of PCM media. Given the huge and growing number of new materials currently available today (>160,000) finding a suitable material is a complicated and time consuming process. This paper demonstrates the use of a materials selection software based on a multi-objective optimisation methodology to identify potential PCM media for TES. In addition an environmental audit function of the software is used to evaluate the environmental credentials of PCMs—in an analyses not previously reported in the literature. Metals such as Al, Mg, Si and Zn and their eutectics 88Al–12Si and 60Al–34Mg–6Zn were found to be highly suitable as PCMs for the duty considered (steam from 400–750 °C). Their properties, heat of fusion, thermal conductivity, etc. have advantages over traditional molten salts—with 88Al–12Si showing the best environmental performance as well. The heat transfer effectiveness of this alloy was also evaluated by the e-NTU method and favourably compared to a HiTech salt using a heat exchanger geometry.

Wireless sensor networks are becoming increasingly more common as a means to sense, measure, record and transmit data for scientific and engineering evaluation, remotely and autonomously. Usually, remotely located sensor nodes are powered by batteries which are recharged by solar or wind energy harvesters. Sometimes nodes are located in areas where these forms of energy harvesting are not possible due to local conditions, such as under the canopy of a forest. This article outlines the design and testing of a device capable of harvesting energy from tree movement, and shows the device powering a wireless sensor node continuously. The device uses the force and displacement of the movement of a tree trunk (of a 6 m tall tree) to drive an electromagnetic generator that recharges a nickel metal hydride battery. The battery stores the energy from which a ~0.5 mW wireless sensor node is powered continuously. This demonstrated method of energy harvesting may allow the placement and powering of nodes in locations previously not possible.

Wireless power transmission is a method of supplying power to small electronic devices when there is no wired connection. One way to increase the range of these systems is to use a directional transmitting antenna, the problem with this approach is that power can only be transmitted through a narrow beam and directly forward, requiring the transmitter to always be aligned with the sensor node position. The work outlined in this article describes the design and testing of an autonomous radio frequency power transfer system that is capable of rotating the base transmitter to track the position of sensor nodes and transferring power to that sensor node. The system’s base station monitors the node’s energy levels and forms a charge queue to plan charging order and maintain energy levels of the nodes. Results show a radio frequency harvesting circuit with a measured S11 value of −31.5 dB and a conversion efficiency of 39.1%. Simulation and experimentation verified the level of power transfer and efficiency. The results of this work show a small network of three nodes with different storage types powered by a central base node.

There is increasing interest in the alkaline exchange membrane (AEM) fuel cells as this device, if realized, could allow the use of inexpensive metal catalysts and the oxidation of a variety of convenient liquid fuels. While there have been some dramatic early achievements, there is still a need for a fundamental study of anion transport, cation stability and the formation of robust thin films in this area. We have undertaken a comprehensive study of AEMs where theory is linked to well-defined model systems, both in solution and in the solid state, which are characterized using very careful environmental control such that the models can be validated and used predictively. We are also fabricating a number of random copolymer AEMs that can be produced readily in large quantities, allowing us to understand film formation coupled with transport and stability. Those based on perfluorinated backbones invite interesting comparisons with the analogous proton exchange membranes.