text:
- Research
- Open Access
Habitat suitability and ecological niche profile of major malaria vectors in Cameroon
© Ayala et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2009
- Received: 24 July 2009
- Accepted: 23 December 2009
- Published: 23 December 2009
Suitability of environmental conditions determines a species distribution in space and time. Understanding and modelling the ecological niche of mosquito disease vectors can, therefore, be a powerful predictor of the risk of exposure to the pathogens they transmit. In Africa, five anophelines are responsible for over 95% of total malaria transmission. However, detailed knowledge of the geographic distribution and ecological requirements of these species is to date still inadequate.
Indoor-resting mosquitoes were sampled from 386 villages covering the full range of ecological settings available in Cameroon, Central Africa. Using a predictive species distribution modeling approach based only on presence records, habitat suitability maps were constructed for the five major malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles funestus, Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles nili and Anopheles moucheti. The influence of 17 climatic, topographic, and land use variables on mosquito geographic distribution was assessed by multivariate regression and ordination techniques.
Twenty-four anopheline species were collected, of which 17 are known to transmit malaria in Africa. Ecological Niche Factor Analysis, Habitat Suitability modeling and Canonical Correspondence Analysis revealed marked differences among the five major malaria vector species, both in terms of ecological requirements and niche breadth. Eco-geographical variables (EGVs) related to human activity had the highest impact on habitat suitability for the five major malaria vectors, with areas of low population density being of marginal or unsuitable habitat quality. Sunlight exposure, rainfall, evapo-transpiration, relative humidity, and wind speed were among the most discriminative EGVs separating "forest" from "savanna" species.
The distribution of major malaria vectors in Cameroon is strongly affected by the impact of humans on the environment, with variables related to proximity to human settings being among the best predictors of habitat suitability. The ecologically more tolerant species An. gambiae and An. funestus were recorded in a wide range of eco-climatic settings. The other three major vectors, An. arabiensis, An. moucheti, and An. nili, were more specialized. Ecological niche and species distribution modelling should help improve malaria vector control interventions by targeting places and times where the impact on vector populations and disease transmission can be optimized.
- Malaria
- Canonical Correspondence Analysis
- Malaria Vector
- Mosquito Species
- Water Vapour Pressure
The interactions between a species and its environment are reflected in the distribution of its abundance in both space and time [1]. Species are expected to be non-randomly distributed across different ecological settings, as a result of their specific ecological requirements and tolerance towards deviations from their optimal conditions [2, 3]. Predictions of species geographic distributions can be based upon mathematical models relating field observations of occurrences to a set of environmental variables [4, 5]. This kind of approach has been used to explore ecological niche requirements and to predict the potential distribution of a focal species [6]. Such predictions can be used to tackle a wide range of issues such as conservation of biodiversity, the management of species of economic interest, or evaluation of the risks linked with biological invasions [7–10]. Species distribution models are also gaining interest as a tool to evaluate and/or predict the risk of exposure to infectious diseases and their vectors, such as malaria [11–14], Chagas disease [15] or dengue [16]. Risk maps have been produced by correlating geo-referenced epidemiological and environmental data to describe, explain and predict malaria risk at localities where epidemiological data are not available [11, 17, 18]. Mosquito life-history traits, such as growth rates and survival and the duration of the sporogonic cycle of Plasmodium in its vector, are strongly dependent upon temperature and moisture conditions on the ground. Thus, eco-climatic profiles inferred from remotely sensed images can be used as predictors of mosquito distribution patterns and average levels of transmission of malaria parasites by these vectors [12].
Malaria transmission dynamic is highly variable throughout Africa. These variations mirror, at least to some extent, the great heterogeneity of eco-climatic settings present across sub-Saharan Africa [19]. In this continent, about twenty out of 140 anopheline species have been incriminated in malaria transmission [20, 21]. However, only five species are responsible for more than 95% of the overall transmission, and are therefore considered the major malaria vectors in Africa: Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles arabiensis, Anopheles funestus, Anopheles moucheti, and Anopheles nili [19, 21]. The remaining 5% is due to "secondary" malaria vectors of local importance. Differences in ecological requirements, longevity and feeding behaviour (e.g. anthropophily) account for the different roles played by major and secondary vectors in malaria transmission [22]. Whereas variations in longevity and anthropophily within and between vectors species have been documented under a wide range of settings, qualitative and quantitative assessments of species' ecological requirements are still few, even for major vector species [19, 23].
This paper focuses on the determination of ecological requirements for malaria vectors in Cameroon, a country in Central Africa covering a wide range of ecological and climatic domains. This great environmental heterogeneity increases the diversity of the malaria transmission system, with as much as 48 anophelines species reported [24–26], among which 17 have been found infected with human malaria parasites [22, 27–30]. Geographical Information Systems and Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) [3] were employed to build predictive habitat suitability maps for the five major malaria vectors on a country-wide scale, and to compare their respective ecological requirements and niche parameters. In addition, the ecological habitat profiles for the 10 most common anopheline species found in Cameroon were described using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). This study improves current knowledge of malaria vector distribution in Cameroon and highlights relevant similarities and differences in ecological requirements of the different mosquito species present in this area. The relevance of these findings for malaria vector control in Africa is discussed.
Study area and mosquito sampling
Environmental data
- (i)
topographic variables [source: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission-SRTM [40], including elevation (in meters), slope (derived from elevation data), aspect (derived from slope data) and hydrographic network (computed as a quantitative raster layer, attributing to each pixel its minimum distance to a water body). Each layer was formatted in a quantitative raster format. This was achieved using the Spatial Analyst extension in ArcGIS v8.3 with a number of customized scripts and downloads for geoprocessing available from the ESRI websites [41, 42] and the software Erdas Imagine 8.0 for resampling of corrected/updated data at the appropriate resolution (i.e., 1 km2 cells).
- (ii)
climatic variables [source: LocClim database developed by the Food Agriculture Organization - FAO [43], including rainfall (in mm), temperature (in °C), evapo-transpiration (in mm), relative humidity (water vapour pressure in %), mean number of hours of sunlight per day (hours), and wind speed (in m.s-1). These data were yearly means, averaged over the past 30 years. The data from individual field weather stations were interpolated using an inverse distance weighting algorithm in the Spatial Analyst module of ArcGIS v. 8.3;
- (iii)
habitat variables [source: Global Land Cover 2000 Project [44]. This database embodied 22 land cover types, however due to computational constraints, the number of variables entered in the analysis was reduced to 5 classes of land cover: dense evergreen forest, deciduous woodland, forest/savannas mosaic, dry savannas and cropland. Each land cover type constituted a separate layer that was encoded in Boolean format;
- (iv)
variables related to human population pressure on the environment [Geonet Name Server [45], updated for Cameroon by the Dyepca Project developed by the US140 of IRD in Montpellier, France] including minimum distance to localities and minimum distance to the main road network.
The distribution of each EGV was normalized by the Box-Cox algorithm [46]. All layers were smoothed using the median index calculated over the 10 × 10 neighbouring spatial units of a focal cell [3, 47] and exported as Idrisi files [48] into the software Biomapper 4.0 [49] to perform an Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA).
Ecological niche factor analysis
The ENFA is a species distribution model based on the ecological niche concept developed by Hutchinson [2] in a multivariate statistical framework. This model has been described in detail by [3, 4] and [50]. The ENFA uses only data on the presence of the target species, and requires a raster map describing species occurrence, encoded in Boolean format. Villages where the focal species was observed were given the value of 1, while villages where the species was not found were encoded as 0; the latter are not taken into account by the ENFA. The ENFA summarizes the overall information by two indices. The first is termed 'marginality': it maximizes the multivariate distance of EGVs between the cells occupied by the species and the cells within the whole reference area (e.g. the whole of Cameroon). This index provides information about the extent to which the species niche optimum departs from the most frequent set of eco-geographical conditions in the spatial multivariate reference set. Global marginality close to one means that the species lives in a particular habitat relative to the reference area. Conversely, a value of zero indicates that the species is found everywhere [3]. The second and subsequent factors are termed 'specialization' factors: they account for the decreasing residual variance after removal of upper-ranked explanatory factors, and denote the extent of the species EGVs distribution width with respect to the overall distribution of the EGVs in the whole reference area. The inverse of specialization is therefore a measure of the species tolerance to conditions that are increasingly different from its optimum [3, 9]. A global tolerance of one indicates no specialization at all; any value below one indicates some form of specialization. Marginality and specialization are uncorrelated factors, with the bulk of the information contained within the first factors [3].
Habitat suitability maps
Habitat suitability (HS) maps represent the variation in space of the likelihood of occurrence of a focal species. HS maps are based on the calculation of a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI). The HSI was calculated using the median algorithm based on the first significant factors obtained by the ENFA [3, 4, 50]. The number of significant factors included in the analysis results form the comparison of each factors' eigenvalues to a MacArthur's broken-stick distribution [3, 9]. On one factor axis, the HSI calculation is based on a count of cells from the species distribution that lay at least as far apart from the median as the focal cell. This procedure is repeated for each factor included in the HSI calculation. The HSI varies from 0 (worst habitat) to 100 (best habitat), and indicates how the environmental conditions of a spatial unit expressed as a linear combination of the EGVs suit the requirements of the focal species. However, as noted by Hirzel [4], maps produced through the use of a continuous HSI are often spurious and misleading. Reclassified maps using only a few classes of HS are likely to be more accurate in regards to their actual informative content [9]. The number and boundaries of HS classes were defined following Hirzel et al, through a detailed inspection of the predicted-to-expected frequency curves (P/E, Boyce's area-adjusted frequencies) obtained for each mosquito species, as implemented in Biomapper 4.0 [49]. Four classes of HS were defined: unsuitable, marginal, suitable and optimal habitat, according to the best bin combinations of the Boyce Index B4 (see below). The boundaries between each class were set as follows: habitat suitability with no presence points (P/E = 0) denotes unsuitable habitat; habitat suitability values for which presences are less frequent than expected by chance alone (0<P/E<1) define marginal habitat; suitable and optimal habitat shared habitat suitability values for which presences are more frequent than expected by chance (P/E>1), the boundary being placed so as to maximize the P/E difference between them and limit overlap in P/E values.
The HS model's predictive power and accuracy was evaluated by means of a Jackknifed 10-fold cross-validation procedure [51] available in Biomapper 4.0 [49]. Briefly, the species locations are randomly partitioned into k = 10 mutually exclusive sets. k-1 partitions are be used to compute a HS model and the remaining partition is used to validate it on independent data. This process is repeated k times, each time by leaving out a different partition. This results in k more-or-less different HS maps. By comparing these maps and how they fluctuate, one can assess their predictive power. By default in Biomapper 4.0, the partitions are set so that they do not overlap geographically. This makes the cross-validation more robust to spatial auto-correlation (e.g. conspecific attraction). Three model evaluation indices were calculated for each replicate and were characterized by their mean and standard deviation across replicates. The Absolute Validation Index (0 = AVI = 1) is the proportion of presence points in the evaluation partition falling in spatial units with a HSI>50. The AVI indicates how well the model discriminates high-suitability from low-suitability areas [9, 47, 52]. The Contrast Validation Index (0 = CVI = AVI) is the difference between the AVI of a replicate and the AVI of a null model that would predict habitat suitability at random. The CVI indicates how much the model differs from a random model of habitat suitability. These two measures determine how good the model is at discriminating between suitable and unsuitable habitats for the focal species, but they depend on the choice of an arbitrary threshold (in this case, HSI = 50). The threshold-independent Boyce indices [4, 53] were used to provide a more continuous and more reliable measure of the accuracy of the model's predictions. The continuous Boyce index, calculated through the use of a 'sliding window' across the range of HSI values, measures the monotonic increase of the P/E frequency ratio with increasing habitat suitability and is computed by the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between P/E and HSI. This index varies from -1 to 1, with 0 indicating a random model [4, 53]. Similarly, the sequential Boyce index B4 was used to assess the predictive power and robustness of the reclassified maps (cf. above), and was computed as the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between P/E and mean HSI value for each of the four HSI classes defined above, averaged over 10-fold resampling.
Ecological niche differentiation across species
In order to compare the ecological requirements of different mosquito species in Cameroon, discriminant analyses were performed between pairs of species' ecological niches. While the ENFA compared the distribution of EGVs where a focal species was present to that of the whole reference area, discriminant analysis compared the distribution of EGVs of two species, with the aim to compute a factor that maximizes the difference between species while minimizing the intra-species variance. As this factor is a linear combination of the EGVs, its coefficients can be interpreted to identify which EGVs contributed the most to discriminate the ecological niche of the two species. Hence, the discriminant function indicates for which variables the two species differ most. These computations are integrated in a module of Biomapper 4.0 [49] and were carried out for each combination of species' pairs among the five major malaria vectors.
Canonical correspondence analysis
CCA was carried out to explore the relationship between mosquito species and EGVs using CANOCO v4.0 [54]. CCA assesses the main pattern of variation in community composition accounted for by the environmental variables and draws a graphical representation of the contribution of each EGV to the global species distribution. This analytical technique allows a quick appraisal of how community composition varies with the environment. As all mosquitoes were collected in human settlements, variables related to the human influence on the environment could bias the analysis. Moreover, distance to water bodies was not informative when the ENFA was performed (see Results). Thus, distances to roads, localities and to water bodies were removed from the set of EGVs fitted by CCA. Species data were encoded as presence (1) or absence (0) for each of the sampled localities. Both values were taken into account in the posterior analysis. Statistical significance of the canonical axes was tested with a Monte Carlo permutation test using 5000 permutations.
Anopheline species diversity and distribution
Anopheline species recorded in 386 villages from Cameroon
Presence Villages
% of total
An. gambiae*
An. funestus*
An. arabiensis*
An. nili*
An. moucheti*
An. paludis*
An. ziemanni*
An. coustani*
An. hancocki*
An. pharoensis*
An. marshallii*
An. wellcomei*
An. carnevalei*
An. leesoni*
An. namibiensis
An. rivulorum-like*
An. melas*
An. ovengensis*
An. rufipes
An. implexus
An. obscurus
An. pretoriensis
An. smithii
An. squamosus
The accuracy of the ENFA and HS maps depends upon the number and distribution of presence points in the data set [3, 50]. It was possible to compute the ENFA only for the five most common malaria vectors in Cameroon: An. gambiae, An. funestus, An. arabiensis, An. moucheti and An. nili, because the prevalence of other anophelines was too low.
Contribution of 17 eco-geographical variables to the Marginality and Specialization factors of the ENFA for five major malaria vectors in Cameroon.
Anopheles gambiae 22%
Anopheles funestus 23%
Anopheles arabiensis 63%
Anopheles moucheti 37%
Anophele s nili 16%
Anopheles gambiae 21%
Anopheles funestus 16%
Anopheles arabiensis 16%
Anopheles moucheti 40%
Anopheles nili 41%
Global Values
Distance to water bodies
Distance to localities
Distance to roads
Evergreen Forest
Sunlight exposure
Forest/savannas mosaic
Dry savannas
Deciduous woodland
Wind speed
Water vapor pressure
Table 2 shows the coefficients of each EGV on the marginality and first specialization factors for the five most common mosquito species. The marginality factor represents the best combination of all EGVs characterizing the ecological niche of each species at the geographical scale of the spatial reference set. Marginality was particularly important for An. arabiensis and explained 63% of the total model variance. The occurrence of all five major malaria vectors was highly positively correlated with variables related to human activity, including proximity to localities, roads, and croplands (Table 2). Further inspection of the coefficients on the marginality factor allows a clear distinction between predominantly 'savanna' species (e.g. An. gambiae, An. funestus and An. arabiensis), and predominantly 'forest' species (e.g. An. nili and An. moucheti). In the 'savanna' group, occurrences were positively correlated to increasing evapo-transpiration, sunlight exposure, temperature, and wind speed--whose values are typically higher in dry savannas--and negatively correlated to increased water vapour pressure, rainfall and the presence of rainforest. Exactly the reverse trend was observed for both 'forest' species (Table 2). It is noteworthy, however, that An. gambiae, and to a lesser extent An. funestus, revealed intermediate values of the coefficients for these EGVs, in agreement with their lower global marginality and higher tolerance indices.
Inspection of the first specialization factor provided further insights on the ecological niche breadth of the five malaria vectors (Table 2). This factor alone explained 41% and 40% of variation in An. nili and An. moucheti, respectively. Both species showed the highest level of specialization for evapo-transpiration, suggesting this EGV has a major impact in limiting habitat suitability for both species to areas of narrow variations in evapo-transpiration, as in the tropical forest. Moreover, low sunlight exposure, high rainfall and water vapour, and presence of the evergreen forest were correlated with the presence of An. nili and An. moucheti. Anopheles arabiensis showed a lower percentage of explained variation (16%) for this first specialization factor, suggesting that the effect on niche breadth for this species is largely distributed across the other specialization factors. Along this factor, the same trend as in An. nili and An. moucheti was observed for An. arabiensis, although in the opposite direction. In addition, An. arabiensis appeared to prefer areas of high wind speed with a high level of specialization for this EGV. Higher wind speed is typically observed in open habitats, which occur at greater frequency in the drier savannas of north Cameroon. Anopheles gambiae and An. funestus showed similar patterns of specialization, the first factor explaining 21% and 16% of variation in each species, respectively. Both species showed low tolerance towards deviation from their optimal rainfall and temperature conditions while showing strong avoidance for rainforest landscapes. This trend was more pronounced for An. funestus than for An. gambiae.
Habitat suitability maps
The number of ENFA factors retained after comparison with a broken-stick distribution to construct Habitat Suitability (HS) maps varied from 2 (explaining 88.5% of total information) for An. moucheti to 6 (explaining 88.1% of total information) for An. funestus. The median algorithm proposed by Hirzel et al was used to derive HS values for An. gambiae and An. funestus for each cell in the reference area. However, given the high global marginality values observed for An. arabiensis, An. moucheti and An. nili, HS values for these species were derived using the recently proposed area-adjusted median + extremum algorithm, which optimizes the continuous Boyce index for these species (Mae, see [50]). Resulting reclassified maps showing four HS classes (optimal, suitable, marginal and unsuitable) are presented in Figure 2 for each of the five most common malaria vectors in Cameroon.
The HS map of An. gambiae (Figure 2A) identifies a core favourable habitat in the dry savannas of North Cameroon. Habitat suitability decreases when moving northwards to the most arid regions, and southwards to more humid environments. Patches of favourable habitat, however, were also found in areas where the vegetation cover is degraded by human presence, such as the hilly landscapes in the Adamaoua and Western Highlands, and the densely populated area surrounding Yaounde in the forest domain. The humid Atlantic coast and the sparsely populated areas in the evergreen rainforest of the Congo basin in the East are unsuitable for this mosquito, except in close vicinity to inhabited places. A very similar pattern of HS distribution was observed for An. funestus (Figure 2B), although habitat in the rainforest domain appears of overall lower quality for this species. Anopheles arabiensis, An. nili and An. moucheti had a much more restricted distribution of favourable habitat. The reclassified HS map clearly identified the northernmost, xeric regions of Cameroon as the most suitable habitat for An. arabiensis (Figure 2C). Patches of suitable habitats were also found at the edge of the Adamaoua and Western Highlands. Further south, across the forested Central plateau and Atlantic belt, the habitat was classified as unsuitable for this species. The HS map for An. moucheti (Figure 2D) identified areas of suitable habitat that are substantially more restricted than those of the other species: optimal habitat clustered mainly around Yaoundé, with extensions westwards on the Atlantic coast, southwards and eastwards, in the evergreen rainforest of the Congo basin, along the main networks of roads. Northwards, beyond the evergreen forest distribution limit, the habitat was essentially unsuitable for An. moucheti, although patches of marginal and suitable habitat were found in areas where large water reservoirs are found (Adamaoua). Finally, as shown in Figure 2E, the core favorable habitat for An.nili was identified in the densely populated areas south and west of the country, within the rainforest and humid savanna regions, with patchy extensions into the highland areas.
Model evaluation statistics for the habitat suitability maps of five major malaria vectors in Cameroon.
Boyce's index continuous3
Boyce Index B44
0.46 ± 0.13
0.38 ± 0.13
0.67 ± 0.33
0.50 ± 0.17
0.42 ± 0.16
0.60 ± 0.29
0.43 ± 0.17
0.34 ± 0.17
0.24 ± 0.29
0.88 ± 0.10
0.59 ± 0.39
0.55 ± 0.38
0.28 ± 0.54
0.68 ± 0.54
0.53 ± 0.32
0.49 ± 0.32
0.21 ± 0.48
0.81 ± 0.24
Ecological niche comparisons among species
Canonical correspondence analysis
Species tolerance from Canonical Correspondence Analysis
Axis 1 (75.1%)
Axis 2 (6.7%)
An. gambiae
An. funestus
An. arabiensis
An. nili
An. moucheti
An. paludis
An. ziemanni
An. coustani
An. hancocki
An. pharoensis
One of the main aims of ecologists is to characterize the distribution and abundance of animal populations [57]. Knowledge of where an organism lives is a fundamental requisite for the understanding of its ecology and more detailed analyses about its biology. Nowadays, the availability of accurate environmental data over large spatial extents, together with inexpensive and powerful ways to manipulate and analyse such data, has spurred the development of analytical techniques aimed at predicting species environmental requirements, from which their geographic distribution can be inferred [58].
In tropical Africa, several studies have addressed, by different modelling approaches, the geographic distribution of malaria vectors with the objective to predict malaria transmission risk at the continental scale [12, 23, 59]. Most studies, however, have relied on collation of published entomological data gathered for purposes different from that of studying the vectors' geographic distribution [23, 59, 60]. The 'training set' of locations on which such species distribution models are based are generally a biased sample of the sites, where malaria vectors may be effectively present in nature. For example, the absence of a mosquito species in a given locality is likely to reflect the lack of medical entomologists that worked previously in that area, the nature of the collection methods, the seasonal pattern of species abundance, and other environmental or historical accidents, highlighting major limitations of distribution models relying on both accurate presence and absence data. At the continental scale, these limitations may be less compelling, but at higher spatial resolutions (e.g. at country-wide or regional scales) the accuracy of predictive maps based on such records could elude their intentions [59, 61]. To overcome some of these limitations, this study assessed habitat suitability for malaria vectors in Cameroon with a species distribution modelling technique based only on presence data gathered from a randomized sampling plan constructed to cover all major bio-geographic domains of the country. Thus, the method used in this study fills a gap in the practical application in both the fields of spatial mapping and statistics and will serve as a stepping-stone for future comparative studies. Areas of improvement in future research will include an ability to employ other presence-only models to compare habitat predicting maps and the accuracy of the predictions [14, 62].
In Cameroon, the large diversity of malaria vectors (Table 1) is non-randomly distributed across the country (Figure 2). Three different analytical approaches were employed (i.e., ENFA, discriminant analysis, and multivariate regressions) to investigate the environmental requirements and to build optimal habitat profiles of the most common malaria vectors in Cameroon [3]. One of the most significant results was the high global marginality value found for all the species concerned, indicating that these mosquitoes occupied only a specific set of environmental conditions of those available across the country. This is perhaps not surprising considering that marginality values are related to the extent of the spatial reference set, which in this case was constituted by the whole of Cameroon, a highly diversified country covering several different bio-geographic domains. Moreover, as found in other studies [32, 63], eco-geographical variables (EGVs) related to human activity (distance to localities and roads) had the most important impact on the ecological niche of anthropophilic malaria vectors. These two EGVs are variables correlated to the density of roads and populated places per unit area, because they take into account the presence of spatial units occupied by localities or roads neighbouring the sampled focal unit. As such, they identify areas where anthropogenic modifications of the environment are greater. This outcome, as well as the anopheline fauna recorded in this study, could be in part related to the collection method, which focused on mosquitoes with domestic resting habits. This is a bias inherent in the fact that the sampling plan targeted those anophelines that are mostly implicated in malaria transmission, which are also those with the most anthropophilic habits (among which the behavioural trait of resting in human dwellings) [21]. Anopheles gambiae and An. funestus are highly anthropophilic and endophilic mosquitoes [33, 64, 65]; sampling bias is, therefore, not expected to have significantly affected the outcome of habitat suitability maps for these species, as confirmed by the excellent predictive performance of the habitat suitability models for these two species (Table 3). Conversely An. arabiensis is reported to have predominantly exophilic and zoophilic habits in several parts of Africa [66, 67], An. nili and An. moucheti can also be highly exophilic [19, 68]. Similarly to results obtained by Simard and colleagues [32], species with less anthropophilic behaviour had a weaker correlation with anthropogenic EGVs (Table 2). This difference in the strength of correlation according to degree of anthropophilic behaviour, suggests that sampling bias due to the collection technique used probably did not invalidate unduly the results of the ENFA and habitat suitability maps. It should be noted, however, that model prediction performance was lower in the case of less anthropophilic species (much so in the case of An. moucheti), indicating that there is still scope for improvement of the habitat suitability maps produced with the field data available in this study. Nevertheless, similar ecological species distributions were obtained by the ENFA and canonical correspondence analysis. The latter analytical technique takes into account both species presences and absences, and no EGV related to anthropogenic modifications of the environment was introduced as an explanatory variable. Thus, it can be expected that the distribution patterns observed are likely to be of general value for the less anthropophilic species too.
Despite their high global marginality, An. gambiae and An. funestus occurred in sympatry in a wide range of ecological settings (Figure 4 and Table 4). Habitat suitability maps predicted large patches of optimal habitat for both species from northern to southern Cameroon (Figure 2A, 2B). However, An. gambiae was comparatively more associated with conditions characterized by higher rainfall and humidity (Figure 3), which are characteristics of the equatorial rainforest, explaining why the distribution of optimal habitat in this bio-geographic domain was more extensive for this mosquito compared to An. funestus. It is interesting to note that both species, which showed the lowest global marginality and highest tolerance, have in Cameroon highly structured populations at the genetic level [69–71]. Anopheles gambiae is in fact an assemblage of populations belonging to two molecular forms. Simard and colleagues [32] analysed the ecological niche requirements of these evolutionarily diverging ecotypes, showing that when considered as separate entities, the marginality and specialization indices were more extreme than those found in the present work for An. gambiae considered as a single taxonomic entity. Above and beyond the subdivision of An. gambiae in molecular forms, this malaria vector exhibits also an extraordinary degree of chromosomal polymorphism, which can be related to its high capacity to adapt to a wide range of ecological conditions [72, 73]. Similarly, An. funestus populations in Cameroon are composed of several chromosomal inversion variants with distinct geographical distributions [69]. The more 'generalist' nature of An. gambiae and An. funestus as taxonomic entities, therefore, could well result from the assemblage of natural populations of genetic variants (karyotypes) each having a specialized ecological niche [63]. Conversely, An. arabiensis, An. moucheti and An.nili had much more restricted and contrasting distributions of suitable habitat (Figure 2C, 2D, 2E). Anopheles arabiensis was mainly distributed in the most xeric habitats of northern Cameroon that are characterized by high values of evapo-transpiration and sunlight exposure (Table 2). Here, it is frequently found together with the other two major malaria vectors An. gambiae and An. funestus, contributing to high rates of parasite transmission during and soon after the rainy season in the savanna bio-geographic domain [23, 61, 74]. On the other hand, An. nili and An. moucheti are two 'forest' species, occurring in regions characterized by higher values of water vapour pressure and rainfall (Table 2), as is typically recorded in the equatorial rainforest of southern Cameroon. Both species, together with An. gambiae and, to a lower extent, An. funestus, sustain year-round malaria transmission in the forested regions of Cameroon [68]. Unfortunately, cytogenetic data are as yet not available for these two species to relate their ecological requirements with chromosomal polymorphism.
This study focused on the role that abiotic variables related to climate, topography, or land use have on malaria vector range and distribution, whereas biological processes such as inter-specific competition or predation were not included among the species distribution modelling predictors. Previous studies have revealed how biological interactions, particularly at the larval stage of development, can affect the population dynamics and distribution of anophelines [75, 76]. For example, breeding place competition between An. gambiae and An. arabiensis can displace the former in favour of the latter [75]. Contrasting responses to aquatic predators have been considered responsible for generating differences in life-history traits between the two molecular forms of An. gambiae according to the nature of the breeding site [65]. The role that these interactions play in the modulation of mosquito geographic distribution and dynamics certainly warrants further research.
Several studies have reported that human disturbance of the natural environment through the action of irrigation or deforestation can favour the spread and colonization of new areas by efficient malaria vectors, increasing the risk of transmission [29, 64, 77, 78]. In agreement with this view, large patches of optimal/suitable habitat for vectors such as An. gambiae or An. funestus occurred in densely populated areas of intensive farming and around major urban centres, whereas regions of low human population density or uninhabited areas were classified as marginal or totally unsuitable. This suggests that global environmental changes, including deforestation, urbanization, or land use conversion for agricultural purposes, as well as the ongoing demographic surge that Africa is currently experiencing are likely to impact on vector distribution and malaria epidemiology in the times to come. Future research should consider the dynamic nature of mosquito population ecology, including population genetic analyses, to understand the evolution of species ranges and current trends in malaria transmission risk.
The presence of a highly differentiated malaria vector system occurring in a given geographical area, as observed in Cameroon, can clearly have a profound impact on the nature and intensity of transmission [19, 29]. In this context, fine-grained mapping of the vectors' distribution together with the identification, characterization and ranking of their ecological requirements, as well as of the ecological determinants to which mosquitoes respond, is of great interest to assess and predict disease transmission risk. Such knowledge might allow focusing vector control efforts in areas and at times where the target vector species are most amenable to control, and improve both efficacy and cost-effectiveness of disease control through vector control interventions [62, 79].
We thank the Laboratoire de Recherche sur le Paludisme at OCEAC, Yaoundé for their excellent field assistance. Financial support was provided by the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement and a student fellowship grant from Fundacion CAJA MADRID (Madrid, Spain) to DA. Field work was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health grant R01-AI063508 to Nora J. Besansky.
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Looking Back
Hi there. This is Max, the Gladstone Intern, here with some super-great historical facts. Over the next few weeks, I will post some little bits of history related to the hotel, as well as our neighbouring neighbourhood, Parkdale.
What's in a Name?
Originally a small settlement within York County, Parkdale incorporated as a village in 1879. The question is, have you ever wondered how Parkdale got its name? Well, some former villages around Toronto were named after a particular individual. An example would be Seaton Village, which was named after a guy called John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, who was a British Field Marshall. Other areas, like Cabbagetown, were (for one reason or another) given a more colloquial name.
So, how did Parkdale get its name? Really, it was all about marketing: Rosedale was already identified as a neatly upper-class neighbourhood, and the nearby High Park was becoming popular a spot for quaint picnics and other natural pursuits. Not to mention that by 1883 Riverside had changed its name to Riverdale. With all of this in mind, it is easy to see how the name "Parkdale" was selected to specifically illustrate the vision of a calm and remote suburb, away from the noisy city-centre.
This marketing angle is further expressed through the 1881 Parkdale Register, which lays out the history of the area, as well as sketching out the current state of the neighbourhood. The Register provides lush descriptions of the area, noting that "the site is higher than that of a major portion of Toronto, and is exceedingly picturesque, being surrounded by a landscape that possess all the varying attractions afforded by the beautiful Lake Ontario, and the diversified scenery of an undulating expanse of fertile country, wooded, watered, cultivated, and adorned with attractive homes".
You can download a copy of the 1881 Parkdale Regsiter here.
Whitzman, C. (2009). Suburb, slum, urban village transformations in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood, 1875-2002. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Scott, J. G. (1881). The Parkdale register containing a history of Parkdale, from its incorporation to the present time : comprising official statistics, population, climate, municipal officers and departments, railways, churches, schools, societies, public, religious and phi. Toronto: Bengough, Moore & Bengough.

subset: commoncrawl


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Leadership, no matter what size group you lead, requires setting direction for the team and making critical decisions. It can be a lonely position because the responsibility to lead rests with you as leader. There are times when the decisions before you can be overwhelming. You will feel the weight of the work and you know many are depending on you. You can't give away your leadership role. God has put you in this place of leadership and so it is critical that you go to Him for guidance.
God's Word has been the best leadership counsel and guide for me. I am amazed at how God's Word speaks into my life with exactly what I need.
When I feel lonely:
"For I am persuaded that not even death or life, or angels or rulers, or things present or things to come, hostile powers, height, or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (Rom. 8:38–39)
When I have a critical decision to make:
"Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from The Lord. An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5–8)
When I feel proud of my own accomplishments:
"Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall." (Prov. 16:18)
When I don't know what to do:
"Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Based on the gift each on has received, use it to serve others, as good managers of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God's words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever." (1 Pet. 4:8–11)
"He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint." (Isa. 40:29–31)
No matter what the situation, God and His Word keep me anchored; not only in the role I have as leader but in the relationship I have with God.


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Join The Conversation With Mishpacha's Weekly Newsletter
Brrrrrrr! This week Jr. takes you from your doorstep to the ends of the universe, from Central Park in New York City to the light-years-distant Boomerang Nebula, to deep under the ice of Antarctica and to the summit of Mount Everest — to find out just how cold it can get. So zip up, and let's begin our journey.
These days it takes some time to bundle up for the great outdoors. But, how else could we stay safe and warm? Who invented the great winter gear that keeps us warm?
It snowed last night and Yael and I are shoveling the walk. We've been at it since 9 a.m., and my fingers feel frozen even though I'm wearing gloves. I wiggle my toes inside my hot-pink boots to be sure they're still there.


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Take Your Favorite Shows On the Go with the Revision3 iPhone App
Revision3, home to Internet TV shows and video podcasts like Diggnation, Tekzilla, AppJudgment, Hak5, and The Totally Rad Show, unveiled its new iPhone app today.
PCMag reviews products independently, but we may earn affiliate commissions from buying links on this page. Terms of use.
The launch of the app follows Revision3's redesign of its mobile site to play video in HTML5, and while the app doesn't allow you to subscribe to shows, follow your favorites, or build playlists, it does provide quick access to all of Rev3's shows and lets you watch any show you're interested in with a single tap. You can also view show summaries, segments, and comments, or view older shows that are no longer producing new episodes.


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Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Battling Dry Winter Skin
The temperatures are starting to drop and the battle against dry winter skin has begun. I don't really have to change my skincare routine up for the seasons. I seem to have perfected it for my skin type. These are some of the products and tips I have for you.
1. A good moisture rich body wash, free of any harsh chemicals. I love the Raw Shea Butter one from SheaMoisture! It is full of rich ingredients that are wonderful for your skin and smells amazing.
2. One of the best changes I made was switching from using a traditional shaving cream to using coconut oil instead. I used to get little bumps sometimes when shaving and my skin would be really dry but since making the switch no bumps and I don't even have to put on moisturizer on and my skin is perfectly hydrated.
3. Dry body brushing! I can't stress this enough! This helps exfoliate your skin and get rid of any any dry or rough skin as well as help all the products you use afterwards work better. I wrote a whole post on the benefits of dry brushing a little while ago you can check that out here. You can purchase a brush here.
4. Body oil as a moisturizer after the shower. I'm loving this one from Nuxe. It smells great and doesn't leave your body feeling oily or greasy. Better yet, it's a multi-purpose oil that can be used for your face, body, and hair.
5. The most important tip, and the one you've probably heard a thousand times. Drink your water! I know it can be hard to drink cold water when it's freezing outside. Try drinking warm water with some lemon in it! Just make sure you are fully hydrated, otherwise it will start to show in your skin.
6. Every now and then if I'm out in the cold for an extended period of time or other extenuating circumstances I do end up with dry spots. For a quick fix I apply some of this Alba Un-petroleum. It isn't made of petrochemicals like regular petroleum jelly and also won't clog your pores. I use it on my face overnight for extra hydration sometimes as well as anywhere else that needs a little moisture rescue.
Hope this helps!
10 comments:
Love this article, Lauren! I will definitely investing in one of those body brushes! I'll check out the other products, too! I really love coconut oil this time of year for my skin. <3ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks so much Brittany! Let me know how it works for you! xxDelete
Thank you for this! My skin gets horribly dry in the winter... I will be trying out some of these tips :)ReplyDelete
XX, SS || A Little Seersucker Sass
I have the worst dry skin in the winter time! Well actually I have awful dry skin all year long! Thanks for the tips and products.. I feel like some of this might actually help!!ReplyDelete
I hope it does! Thanks Nicole!Delete
Great post, I'm also a big fan of the Nuxe oil!ReplyDelete
I was just thinking about how my legs get so dry in the winter!! Thanks for all these tips!ReplyDelete
Ugg the dry skin is definitely coming back! I have never heard of dry brushing, will have to give it a try!ReplyDelete
Kristina does the Internets
These are fantastic tips! I haven't tried dry brushing before, but I definitely see the benefits you've outlined. I look forward to checking this out more!!ReplyDelete
Thanks for sharing! :)
I used to dry brush my son's arms and legs (when he was young).It was wonderful for sensory stimulation as well as dry skin. I need to get another brush!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really, truly appreciate every single comment I get and the time you put in to leave them.


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Heard The One About the Country that Elected an Overgrown Angry Duck as President?
"I ordered sausage on this pizza. Can't you see there's no sausage?"
He pulled savagely at the box, almost sending the pizza flying to the floor.
The girl made the mistake of telling him she thought she had just seen a piece of sausage.
The man pulled himself up by his narrow shoulders and let her have it with both barrels, figuratively speaking. The girl hastily told him she would order another.
The man was sighing and muttering. "And how long is that going to take?"
The girl disappeared from sight at which point the man started pulling out his receipt and muttering to a bedraggled woman by his side that he'd been ripped off and would never come to this f... place again.
The exchange reminded me of the fact America seems to be rather angry right now for no real reason. Disgruntled workers shoot up their offices, people occupy federal buildings and Uber drivers commit mass murder in between picking up fares.
The great news is we finally have something we can do about it. There's a guy with a great shot at being President who can sort out all of these problems with a few swift punches to the face. Or a great big wall. It's quite awesome really. JFK taught us it helped to be handsome to be President, Reagan to be charming and Barack Obama to be an inspirational speaker. In contrast, Donald Trump looks like an oversized duck fresh out of a nuclear reactor and isn't so subtle about wanting to up shred the Constitution.
When Trump becomes President, we won't just be able to get angry with the girl in the nameless pizza place. We'll have the right to punch her in the face, and probably get a commendation if she's Islamic or Mexican along with a luxury waterboarding break at Trump Towers. Way to go America.


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This is the simplest, most delicious salad you will ever make. I swear. It doesn't even really have a recipe it's so simple. Here it is:
- 1-2 ripe heirloom tomatoes (buy these at the farmers market or a reputable grocery store – if these don't taste good, the salad won't!
- a handful of chopped basil
- mozzarella cheese (again, the good kind that comes packed in liquid, not string cheese or pre-sliced)
- extra virgin olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- salt/pepper to taste
Slice the tomatoes in nice, thick slices, top each with a slice of mozarella cheese, sprinkle the chopped basil on top, splash some olive oil and balsamic around the whole thing and finish off with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Now dig in. Yummmmmmmmm…


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I found this hat when my Blogger BFFs Asian Cajuns Cath & Lar took me out on the town of Decatur, GA last month when we were visiting ATL for our friends' wedding. Like any proper fashion lover, I wore the hat immediately the next day while we spent the afternoon with N's best friend P, a Corporate/Executive Chef for a large regional franchise. Being the food lover that he was… he took us to some interesting grocery stores outside The Loop after being treated to a rather intensely amazing eat sesh.
I found these chocolates called "Earth Balls". Awesome. I died. And then, of course, I had to take a hipster photo with it. Cause that's what yuppies do–make fun of hipsters while hovering dangerously close to the territory.
When we got home, we found our Bear (dog) Max sitting on the couch, making himself comfy… watching Dancing With The Stars. Sometimes I swear my dog thinks he's a real boy.
I wore heels for most of the day, but then changed to flats to run across the street for dinner, and didn't even think about changing back to heels for outfit shots… idiot. These girly flats do not go with this awesome hat. And! My harness straps totally fall from my back and look like a dick. Nice.
{ Outfit Architecture }
Hat, San Diego Hat Company (Yeay, hometown!), via Squash Blossom Boutique, Decatur, GA
Graphic Style Bytes T, Danny Roberts x Forever21
Zebra burn out tank, Forever21
Wrap belt (worn as "harness"), Emami
Ballet Bow leggings, Emami
Flats, Born Concept
Giveaway Winners:
The winner of the Perricone MD giveaway is Mary.
The winner of the Reware Vintage giveaway (via RewareVintage.com) is Lauryn of Laureality.
Winners will be contacted directly by the giveaway sponsors.
Thanks for everyone who entered! I have a HUGE 1 Year Anniversary giveaway (non-sponsored) planned later this month, and it will be open worldwide. Thank you all for such an amazing year!
Follow. | Grab my RSS Feed {ish.} | Facebook {ish.} | Lookbook.nu {ish.} | Bloglovin' {ish.} | Xx.


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Delhi Police Home Guards Recruitment 2016 – 6943 Posts Application Form @ www.delhi.gov.in. Delhi Police Home Guard Vacancy 2016 Notification released to fill 6943 Posts. Delhi Police Department invites offline applications from the eligible candidates for the recruitment of 6943 Home Guard Volunteer Posts. Eligible candidates should submit applications offline on or before 16th March 2016.
Delhi Police Home Guard Jobs 2016 Recruitment Notification
Name of the Organization: Department of Delhi Home Guard
Website: www.delhi.gov.in
Total No.of Vacancies: 6943 Posts
Name of the Posts: Home Guard Volunteers
- Male: 6642 Posts
- Female: 301 Posts
Age Limits: Candidates age should be between 20 years to 47 years for Male candidates and 20 years to 42 years for Female. Age relaxations applicable to the reserved category candidates as per the norms.
Educational Qualifications: Candidates must have passed 10th Class or its equivalent qualification from the recognized board. Refer Official Notification for full details.
How to Apply: Candidates should submit duly filled applications in prescribed format at Office of DSO on or before 16th March 2016. Application Form are available at the DSO Office from 15th February 2016.
Address of the District Staff Officer DSO:
"DSO (District Staff Officer), Recruitment Cell, Nishkam Sewa Bhawan, CTI Complex, Near Shivaji College, Raja Garden, New Delhi – 110027"


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Announcing our FANGORIA Presents: SCREAM FACTORY magazine!Fango Local,Movies/TV,News Fangoria Staff
FANGORIA is pleased as putrid punch to announce the mother of all creepy collaborations: a massively cool partnership between America's favorite horror magazine and the nation's best-selling retro-horror boutique home-video imprint, Scream Factory.
Coming this summer is a glorious, limited-edition FANGORIA Presents: SCREAM FACTORY special issue (see the cover below), a complete A-Z essay compendium spotlighting every classic and cult horror film currently offered by the celebrated label, penned by FANGORIA staffers and supported by in-depth interviews and acres of rare, full-color photos. This glossy love letter will be printed on heavier paper stock and sold only via specialty newsstands and at Fangoria.com.
"The team here at Scream Factory is honored to be working on such an in-depth and fun project with FANGORIA," say Scream Factory brain trusts Cliff MacMillan and Jeff Nelson. "Since many of our releases are films we grew up on and that appeared in Fango in the past, this special edition is a surreal full-circle moment for us, and we hope for our fans as well."
Fango editor Chris Alexander concurs: "Scream Factory has created a name for itself not just for delivering beautiful releases of classic titles like DAY OF THE DEAD, THE HOWLING, NIGHT OF THE DEMONS and HALLOWEEN II, but in rolling out the red carpet for lesser-loved gems like THE ISLAND, PSYCHO III, THE HORROR SHOW and DIE, MONSTER, DIE! This magazine offers an opportunity for our staff to rhapsodize over this wealth of genre goodness while also uniting our collective fan bases. We're having a blast making this thing, and we're sure you'll have a blast reading it."
FANGORIA Presents: SCREAM FACTORY will be on sale in late August; keep checking back here for more updates as we get them.


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As an after-treat, here is a Q&A with the author of Café Dulcet, Chiquís Barrón.
1) What was the inspiration for this story?
The inspiration for Café Dulcet is somewhat multifaceted. Initially, the intention was simply to draw on the parallels between the labor-intensive processes that a coffee bean goes through (from cultivation, harvesting, processing, roasting, grinding and brewing) before it makes its way into cups throughout the world, and the similarly challenging yet necessary growth and development that people go through in order to find their unique flavor and purpose in life.
As I continued to delve into the plot and storyline, however, I realized that a lot of what I was writing was in fact coming from my own personal struggles in search of self-identity, friendship, love and self-purpose. Through both Nena and Ramona's experiences and coming of age, I think I tried to appease many of the inconsistencies and contradictions that I experienced growing up in the geographically, politically and culturally unique setting of Nogales, AZ. It became about stressing the importance of finding ourselves and embracing all the different factors that make us who we are: from our ethnic and genetic backgrounds; to our physical environments and the people around us; to our inevitable life struggles.
2) How did you come up with the title?
I wanted the title to reflect the same kind of heterogeneous and multicultural feel of the coffee beans and people that I was describing in the story. "Café Dulcet" seemed to capture that multilingual feel with hints of Spanish, English and even French. "Dulcet" also seemed particularly fitting since it describes something sweet and soothing that can be experienced through various bodily senses, just like coffee, which appeals equally to the sense of taste, smell, sight and feel.
3) Was Ximena inspired by anyone you know? What about Doña Pilar?
I can confidently say that all of the characters in Café Dulcet, including Ximena and Doña Pilar, are a fictionalized composite of several people I've come across throughout my life. And, of course, there's also a bit of me in each and everyone of them. It is interesting to hear readers tell me that they recognize or identify someone they know in real life with a particular character. Doña Lupita is a big one. I think the connection they make is really a reflection of the universality of certain character-types. Regardless of contextual differences, we all typically know someone who shares enough characteristics with a particular character.
4) What was your writing process like?
Because I have a full-time day job, my writing routine usually takes place early in the morning before I head to work and late in the evening before I go to bed. Although I did not formally write an outline for Café Dulcet, I did keep a somewhat organized set of notes with thoughts, plot ideas, coffee facts and character details. My creative process was really a blend between a loosely defined storyline in the back of my mind and unpredictable ideas, dialogues and plot twists that arise from stream-of-consciousness writing.
5) What was the publishing process like.
Very educational! Throughout my exchanges with both literary agents and publishers, I have had the opportunity to better understand the publishing business. After talking to several agents, editors and other publishing insiders, I decided to self-publish Café Dulcet because it afforded me the creative freedom that I was looking for with the project.
6) What are you doing to promote this book?
Readings, interviews, book giveaways, book festivals, art fairs, blogging and (the biggest leap for me) being more diligent about keeping up with my social network accounts.
7) What are some of your favorite books?
I enjoy reading a wide range of books from classic literature, to autobiographical and historical, to modern day chick/chica lit. I love reading books that are both enlightening and descriptive of a people and their culture while at the same time depicting and celebrating the humor and lightheartedness of life. Some of my favorite authors include Ángeles Mastretta, Isabel Allende, Caridad Bravo Adams, Benito Pérez Galdós and, of course, Esmeralda Santiago, Sandra Cisneros and Reyna Grande.
8) We feel we must ask this: What is your favorite coffee blend?
Trader Joe's has an organic coffee blend that combines spicy Peruvian beans along with mild Mexican beans for a coffee blend that has complex aroma, medium body and a delicious flavor. This blend is currently at the top of my list.
9) Are there any other books in the works?
Yes, two in fact! The first is a novel which (among other things) looks at mental health and the Latino community. The other is a collection of literary narrative, interviews and fine art photography that portrays the lives and images of the U.S.-Mexico border as experienced firsthand by its people. The goal of this second book is to counteract some of the creative deception that has traditionally been used in media and political rhetoric to paint an inaccurate or incomplete picture of our border communities.
10) Do you feel there is a message young Latinas can get from this book? If so, what?
Absolutely. After almost 12 years of working in mental and behavioral health research with Latinas, particularly substance abusing Latina women and adolescents, I know what it looks like when someone feels lost and disconnected from the people, customs and environment around them. I have seen what a broken or an incomplete sense of self can do to a person's effect and behavior and their ability to make healthy decisions about themselves, their bodies and their lives. I feel that Café Dulcet can serve as a touchstone for young Latinas who are still struggling to find themselves and their place in the world. It can help encourage them to continue discovering, appreciating and embracing all the different flavors and elements that make them unique.
Thank you! We look forward to more news and stories from you!


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VANCOUVER—This is a chance for a great leap forward.
A 40-year-old athlete dragged Canadian to the precipice of a spectacular tennis achievement on Saturday, but he sure made the country go through an excruciating experience to get there.
Daniel Nestor, playing in his 66th international match for his country in Davis Cup competition, teamed with 22-year-old Vasek Pospisil to capture an epic and extraordinary doubles contest against the Italian pair of Fabio Fognini and Daniele Bracciali on the campus of UBC that will go down as one of the most memorable matches in Canadian tennis history.
Maybe that's not a hard thing to be because, let's face it, the Great White North doesn't have a great deal of history in this sport.
Well, Nestor and Pospisil decided to change that, and now the country hopes Milos Raonic can finish the job on Sunday.
If Raonic can defeat Italy's Andreas Seppi, Canada will advance to the Final Four of Davis Cup competition for the first time ever. If Raonic can't, well, it will go down to a fifth and deciding singles match.
All of Canada will be hoping that doesn't happen. Surely Canadians sweated enough through Saturday's drama.
It took the Nestor-Pospisil tandem four hours and 37 minutes to vanquish the Italians in a match that saw the Canadians blow a two-sets-to-none lead and included an extended and tantalizing fifth set, finally won by Canada 15-13.
"There was no way I was going to lose today," said Pospisil, beaten by Seppi on Friday after leading two sets to none.
Pospisil played on that difficult memory while Nestor limped around on a bad calf, no fun on a tennis court.
"Good thing I had a partner who could cover three-quarters of the court," said Nestor when it was over.
"Vasek played unbelievably on the big points. He took over in the fifth set."
Even with Canada advancing to this quarter-final stage of the Davis Cup for the first time, Nestor had been unable to contribute his best, losing three straight doubles matches to France, South Africa and Spain.
But with a raucous tennis audience screaming its support while living and dying with every gut-wrenching point in the final set, Nestor dug down and came up with some key shots before Pospisil served it out and ended the drama.
"I thought we were the better team in the fifth set," said captain Martin Laurendeau, who squirmed and played cheerleader as Nestor and Pospisil earned eight break points in the final set and squandered them all before finally breaking the Italians.
"I died a few times in that match. But sometimes you've got to ride the wave."
Canada leads the best-of-five Davis Cup tie 2-1, with Raonic knocking off Fognini on Friday after Pospisil lost to Seppi.
Now, it's a chance for history, and it was fitting indeed that in the crowd Saturday was 24-year-old Philip Bester. If not for Bester, you see, none of this would have happened.
It was Bester, back in July of 2011, who won a decisive singles match against Ecuador to put Canada into a World Group playoff against Israel, which it won to begin the trail to Sunday's opportunity.
Incredibly, Bester did it with a stress fracture in his right hand in Guayaquil, Ecuador at a tiny country club that, at one point during the weekend, had to suspend play because gangs were exchanging gunshots outside the makeshift stadium.
"I dropped my racquet and ran like Usain Bolt to find cover," said Bester, recalling the moment.
Canada fell behind 0-2 that weekend, but fought back to tie it before Bester defeated Ivan Endara to clinch the tie.
The Vancouverite has struggled to overcome that fractured hand and an incredible series of injuries since. Even now, he's facing possible surgery with a hip injury.
"I feel like Sami Salo, hurting myself every two weeks," he laughed.
Before beating Endara, Bester could barely hold his toothbrush because of the fracture. But that victory in Ecuador might end up being Bester's career highlight.
"If I had lost it, we wouldn't be where we are today. It makes me proud to know I contributed something to this," he said.
"I played through a lot of pain, and probably set my career back a few months. But I felt I had a duty to represent my country."
Just as Nestor has 66 times, always answering the call, even when he was a Grand Slam champion and the Davis Cup requests were contested in lowly zone competition far away from the bright lights of Wimbledon, Flushing Meadows and Roland Garros.
He delivered one more shining moment on Saturday, building on the process that Bester started almost two years ago.
But getting to the verge of this tennis possibility has taken a lot longer than that for Canada. And there's still work to be done.


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Top Tickets: July 27–August 2
G-Eazy at an A's game, a waterfront festival, and a Harry Potter birthday celebration are all happening this week.
G-Eazy Bobblehead Giveaway at the Coliseum
7/28 Head to Friday night's game to watch the Oakland Athletics take on the Minnesota Twins, and take home a mini G-Eazy. Guests may even see the Oakland native in attendance. —L.B.
Benicia Waterfront Festival
7/29–30 The annual event features two full days of live music, food and drink, and local vendors on the First Street Green. The nonprofit Benicia Main Street hosts the festival and focuses on the enhancement of downtown Benicia. . —L.B.
Happy Birthday, Harry Potter and Danville Library!
7/31–8/7 The boy who lived and the Danville library are coming together to celebrate their birthdays. Keep it simple, and enter the O.W.L.-level trivia contest, or get Sirius and compete at the N.E.W.T. level. . —A.D.
Boz Scaggs
8/1 Keep it old school with the rock legend of Steve Miller Band fame at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts. Jam out to some of Scaggs' classics and some new hits from his latest album, A Fool to Care. . —A.D.
First Wednesday Street Party
8/2 Downtown Pleasanton hosts the annual Pooch Parade during this special edition of First Wednesday Street Party. Enter your pup for the march down Main Street, enjoy live music, and roam through the beer and wine garden. . —A.D.
To see even more events happening this week, or to submit an event for consideration, visit orderpizzaonlinewalledlakemi's Community Calendar. Follow orderpizzaonlinewalledlakemi on or , and the A-List e-newsletter so Top Tickets is delivered to your email inbox on Wednesdays. Questions? Comments? E-mail .


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This fast growing Philadelphia-area brewery was looking to expand their operations and create a new venue to enjoy their beer. The brewery took over two floors, 8000 sf, of an existing industrial building to integrate two types of program, brewing and dining. The new brewpub includes a three barrel, seven fermenter brewing system, 2 full bars, seating for 200 guests, and an outdoor patio area. The two story space was connected by removing a large portion of the first floor ceiling to open up the dining areas. A food truck was brought into the building to act as the restaurant's kitchen, which can be seen throughout the brewpub. Wood herringbone ceilings are used to visually connect both bars and compliment the exposed brick and painted walls. The exterior finished uses the same graphic language as the interior. The brewery's bike logo wraps the corner of the building at the front patio, serving as an icon as you come over the Schuylkill River into the community.
Bridgeport, PA
Construction Data
Cost: $400,000
Area: 8000 Sq. Ft.
Areas of Practice
Architecture & Interior Design
Construction Administration
Design Visualization
Millwork & Furniture


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It was Easter Sunday 1978, a holy day, a day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, so why my parents chose that day to announce they were getting a divorce, I'll never know. I was 16 years old and I was well aware that many of my friends had parents who were divorced. They lived in homes with a single parent, or with a parent and step-parent. It wasn't that I saw these friends as unhappy but I knew their loyalties were split between two families because of divorce. I was always thankful that my parents were still together. Life changed for my family that day and I promised myself that divorce would never be an option for me.
Broken promises
I broke that promise years later. I remember feeling such a sense of failure after the divorce. Divorce causes feelings of guilt and shame because we feel that we have failed in so many ways. Divorce is a failure to have a successful relationship. It's a failure to keep promises made to our spouse to love them for better or for worse. If there are children, it's a failure to provide stability for them. Most of all, we feel that we have failed in the eyes of God because marriage was created by God and we failed to honor the promises we made in front of Him.
Is divorce a sin?
Of course divorce is never part of God's plan. His Word clearly speaks against divorce (Matthew 5:32; Luke 16:18) but it's not an unforgiveable sin. When a Christian experiences divorce, they may feel like damaged goods and wonder if they are fit to serve in ministry any longer. The fact is others many times view divorcees the same way and some churches will not allow those who have been through divorce to serve in leadership positions. Why is divorce viewed different from any other sin? Do we think that those who are serving as pastors, teachers, or ministry leaders in our church are free from sin? Of course not, we understand that all have sinned.
Christ teaches that when someone sins that the Body of Christ should help restore them to their place of service in the body.
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted" (Galatians 6:1).
His Word also states that our sins are forgotten (Hebrews 10:17). How can we hold someone's past sins against them if God doesn't?
What therefore God joins together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6).
There is no doubt that divorce is never part of God's plan for us but many times, the marriage was not part of God's plan either. When a marriage ends in divorce, it may be because God did not put you together in the first place. I know that this was true in my case. I married for the same reason that I got involved in any relationship at that time. I needed to feel a sense of belonging. I needed to feel safe and secure. I needed to feel like I was loved. Instead of seeking God to fill these needs, I thought I could satisfy them through relationships. There are consequences for living outside the will of God. If marriage is not part of God's plan, and the couple continues to live their lives without God's blessings, their home can be a very unpleasant place to live. These situations often end in divorce.
Why do Christians divorce?
Christian marriages are not immune from divorce. It happens much too often. Marriage is an institution established and ordained by God. The marriage union between man and woman mirrors the relationship between Christ and His bride, which is the Church. (Ephesians 5)
Satan knows that he can never destroy the Church, so he makes every attempt to destroy marriages and families and by doing so, Satan causes damage to the Body of Christ.
Christians are taught that we are to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6: 11-17) because we are in a battle. However, if we fail to take measures to secure our homes, our families, and our marriage, we take the risk of allowing the enemy to find a weakness and sneak into our lives. Once the enemy has found a way in, he will attack. Once weakened further by enemy attacks, we give in to temptations and commit sins.
When sin enters into a marriage it can act like a cancer that eventually destroys all the healthy parts of the relationship Just as you would protect yourself from injury by wearing a seatbelt, or fight off infection with an antibiotic, you should guard your marriage and shield it from the attacks of Satan (read this blog about protecting your marriage). God desires that Christians make every effort to protect their marriages and to honor their promise to remain together until death.
What if I've already broken my promise of "until death do us part"?
We are all broken but through Christ we can be restored to a place of righteousness. We no longer have to feel like damaged goods.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
If you have already suffered the pains of divorce and experienced the bitterness, the guilt and the shame, I want you to know that there is life after divorce and there is Kingdom work for you to do. Allow time for the healing first and then God will help you find your place of service.
My husband and I both experienced divorce before God brought us together. Although we have been married over 9 years, we are still "divorcees". The sin is washed away but you can't erase the experience. However, God does use our past experiences to shape us and many times he uses them to minister to others. God has placed my husband and me in ministry together as missionaries serving in Central America.
I pray that God bring healing to those who have been through divorce and I pray also that He help you to find your place of service in the Body of Christ.


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Sheen's Show Doing Well
Charlie Sheen may have figured out how to turn his flameout into a decent gig. His deal for the Violent Torpedo of Truth show has him booked for 21 dates and taking home 85 percent of the profits, with Live Nation getting the remaining 15 percent. Sheen's share is projected to average between $250,000 and $275,000 per show, and with merchandising he's expected to make $7 million per month. And since the show is basically just Sheen sitting in a chair and talking, there's no overhead.


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Welcome Pack
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students
A warm welcome to ACS (International)! You are joining a great school with many opportunities and challenges extended to every student in order for them to achieve his or her potential. We are very proud of the many features which make us quite special, including our strong academic performance in the IGCSE and IB Diploma international curricula, the equal mix of local and international students and staff giving us the best of both worlds, and the all-round holistic education underpinned by our dual Christian and ACS heritage.
We regard ourselves as a family. The concept of family is important to all cultures and in this diverse and inclusive school we look forward to supporting, encouraging and challenging all students to achieve to their potential in every aspect of school life. We are confident that you too will enjoy being a part of the ACS (International) family and we wish you every success in achieving your hopes, dreams and goals. We look forward to a strong partnership between home and school and to seeing parents and guardians at the various school functions.
We believe in effective two-way communication with parents and guardians, and we have developed a number of systems to support this process. These include email contact, the school website 'Parent Portal' monthly newsletters, formal reports every term, and two parent-teacher meetings per year. We encourage parents and guardians to contact the school to share student successes, to inform us about absences, to ask questions and to make comments. We ask that parents, guardians and students inform the school office quickly if you have a change of email or phone number. The school email for general enquiries is email@example.com.
This page contains much information to assist the smooth running of the school. Please read carefully to ensure the maximum success at school.
ACS (International) graduates are confident, successful, and well prepared for the future. They will have a positive and increasingly significant impact in local, national and international contexts. We look forward to working together in "Building through Belief". The Best Is Yet To Be!
Yours sincerely,
Rob Burrough
List of Attachments
- Welcome Pack 2019
- Orientation 2019
- School Uniform
- School Fees
- Intranet & Parent Portal
- IT Equipment
- Enrolment Forms
- Academic Option Forms
- Year 1 Language Options
- Year 2 Language Options | Year 2 Language & Science Options
- Year 3 IGCSE Subject Options | Year 3 IGCSE Subject Information Booklet
- Year 3 & 4 IGCSE
- Year 4 Foundation IB / Pre-IB Science Options | Year 4 Foundation IB Programme
- Pre IB Science Option
- Year 5 IBDP Subject Options (Internal)
- Year 5 IBDP Subject Options (External)
- Pre-IGCSE Science Optionss (Fill Online)
- Booklist 2019


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The third day of the trek. Hard "reveil" indeed. We start moving and climbing the steps between busy tourists, all half asleep of course. We arrive there just on time, at 5:15 am. The sun starts rising at 5:30 am. It's freezing cold. Many people are there, adjusting their lenses and getting ready to catch "the picture" where the sun shows its face on top of the majestic mountains. Of course, on this very moment, we take at least 50 photos with every ray of sun. It is a wonderful moment. We come down slowly and take attention to our knees. Then a shower, the traditional apple pie and hop here we go for another hard day. We decide to reach Tatopani, the name meaning "Hot Water" in Nepali, named after a natural hot water source. It is a hard day with a steep descent that lasted 7 hours.
We are caught by a heavy rain and have to stop for an hour and half at a small tea place. The scenery is completely different and we walk beside cultivated lands and villages with different kinds of castes. We continue very slowly avoiding to fall on the sliding rocks and arrive to Tatopani around 4 pm. The lodge is very nice with good rooms and gardens all around. We put our swimming suits straight away and go for a relaxation session in the very hot water pool where trekkers relieve the pain of the day. All kinds of people are there: from tourists to porters to Saddus to hash smokers, etc. We take a good shower, order dinner, and sleep very early.