It's not all black and white: Investigating colour polymorphism in manta rays across Indo-Pacific populations

Intraspecific colour polymorphisms have been the focus of numerous studies, yet processes affecting melanism in the marine environment remain poorly understood. Arguably, the most prominent example of melanism in marine species occurs in manta rays (Mobula birostris and Mobula alfredi). Here, we use long-term photo identification catalogues to document the frequency variation of melanism across Indo-Pacific manta ray populations and test for evidence of selection by predation acting on colour morph variants. We use mark–recapture modelling to compare survivorship of typical and melanistic colour morphs in three M. alfredi populations and assess the relationship between frequency variation and geographical distance. While there were large differences in melanism frequencies among populations of both species (0–40.70%), apparent survival estimates revealed no difference in survivorship between colour morphs. We found a significant association between phenotypic and geographical distance in M. birostris, but not in M. alfredi. Our results suggest that melanism is not under selection by predation in the tested M. alfredi populations, and that frequency differences across populations of both species are a consequence of neutral genetic processes. As genetic colour polymorphisms are often subjected to complex selection mechanisms, our findings only begin to elucidate the underlying evolutionary processes responsible for the maintenance and frequency variation of melanism in manta ray populations

Research priorities to support effective manta and devil ray conservation

Manta and devil rays are filter-feeding elasmobranchs that are found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical waters. Although relatively understudied for most of the Twentieth century, public awareness and scientific research on these species has increased dramatically in recent years. Much of this attention has been in response to targeted fisheries, international trade in mobulid products, and a growing concern over the fate of exploited populations. Despite progress in mobulid research, major knowledge gaps still exist, hindering the development of effective management and conservation strategies. We assembled 30 leaders and emerging experts in the fields of mobulid biology, ecology, and conservation to identify pressing knowledge gaps that must be filled to facilitate improved science-based management of these vulnerable species. We highlight focal research topics in the subject areas of taxonomy and diversity, life history, reproduction and nursery areas, population trends, bycatch and fisheries, spatial dynamics and movements, foraging and diving, pollution and contaminants, and sub-lethal impacts. Mobulid rays remain a poorly studied group, and therefore our list of important knowledge gaps is extensive. However, we hope that this identification of high priority knowledge gaps will stimulate and focus future mobulid research

Voice Games: Investigation Into the Use of Non-speech Voice Input for Making Computer Games More Accessible

Part 2: Long and Short PapersInternational audienceWe conducted a quantitative experiment to determine the performance characteristics of non-speech vocalization for discrete input generation in comparison to existing speech and keyboard input methods. The results from the study validated our hypothesis that non-speech voice input can offer significantly faster discrete input compared to a speech-based input method by as much as 50%. Based on this and other promising results from the study, we built a prototype system called the Voice Game Controller that augments traditional speech-based input methods with non-speech voice input methods to make computer games originally designed for the keyboard and mouse playable using voice only. Our preliminary evaluation of the prototype indicates that the Voice Game Controller greatly expands the scope of computer games that can be played hands-free using just voice, to include games that were difficult or impractical to play using previous speech-based methods

Stress-induced martensitic transformation and impact toughness of cast irons and high-carbon Fe-Ni-C steel

The relationship between the impact toughness and stress-induced martensitic transformation, which occurs during the impact process, has been studied in white cast irons and an Fe-Ni-C alloy at different temperatures. The experimental results have shown that in the brittle white cast irons, the stress-induced martensitic transformation makes a positive contribution to the impact toughness, and lowering the stability of austenite increases the toughness. In contrast, the transformation makes a negative contribution to the toughness of high-carbon austenitic steels, and lowering the stability of austenite decreases the toughness. The present work supports the early theory([1]) that the magnitude of the toughness change depends on the fracture properties of the new phase and the energy being dissipated during the transformation process. Using the crystallographic model for the stress-induced martensitic transformation, which was originally developed in ceramics and was then refined and extended to irons and steels, the effect of the stress-induced martensitic transformation on the impact toughness can be predicted

Increase in non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness as an early marker of bronchial response to occupational agents during specific inhalation challenges.

BACKGROUND: Specific bronchial reactivity to occupational agents may decline after exposure in the workplace ceases leading to falsely negative specific inhalation challenges. A study was carried out to assess prospectively whether increases in nonspecific bronchial hyperresponsiveness could be useful in detecting the bronchial response to occupational agents during specific inhalation challenges. METHODS: Specific inhalation challenges were performed in 66 subjects with possible occupational asthma due to various agents. After a control day the subjects were challenged with the suspected agent for up to two hours on the first test day. Those subjects who did not show an asthmatic reaction were rechallenged on the next day for 2-3 hours. The provocative concentration of histamine causing a 20% fall (PC20) in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was assessed at the end of the control day as well as six hours after each challenge that did not cause a > or = 20% fall in FEV1. The subjects who had a significant (> or = 3.1-fold) reduction in PC20 value at the end of the second challenge day were requested to perform additional specific inhalation challenges. RESULTS: The first test day elicited an asthmatic reaction in 25 subjects. Of the other 41 subjects five (12%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4% to 26%) exhibited a > or = 3.1-fold fall in the PC20 value after the inhalation challenge and developed an asthmatic reaction during the second (n = 3) or third (n = 2) challenge exposure. The offending agents included persulphate (n = 1), wood dust (n = 2), isocyanate (n = 1), or amoxycillin (n = 1). These five subjects had left their workplace for a longer period (mean (SD) 21 (14) months) than those who reacted after the first specific inhalation challenge (8 (11) months). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness after a specific inhalation challenge can be an early and sensitive marker of bronchial response to occupational agents, especially in subjects removed from workplace exposure for a long time. Non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness should be systematically assessed after specific inhalation challenges in the absence of changes in airway calibre