area Martyrs Pamphilius and those with him, at Caesarea in Palestine (308) - February 16th By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2023-02-17T06:04:40+00:00 These twelve holy Martyrs suffered in the reign of Diocletian. "The first of these, Pamphilius, was priest in the church at Caesarea in Palestine; a learned and devout man, he corrected the mistakes of various copiers in the text of the New Testament. He himself copied this saving Book and gave it to any who desired it. The second was a deacon, Valentine, old in years and white with wisdom. He was a great expert in the Holy Scriptures, knowing them by heart. The third was Paul, a respected and eminent man, who had on a previous occasion been cast into the fire for the sake of Christ. With them were five Egyptians, brothers both in blood and soul, who were returning to their native land from serving a sentence in the mines of Cilicia. As they reached the gate of the town of Caesarea they said that they were Christians, and were therefore brought to trial. When asked their names, they replied: 'We have cast away the pagan names given us by our mother, and are called Elias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel.' when asked where they were from, they replied: 'From Jerusalem that is above.' They were all beheaded, and a young man called Porphyrius, who had searched for their bodies to give them burial, suffered soon afterwards. Him they burned. An officer, Seleucus, who had come up to the martyrs and embraced them before the sword descended on their heads, was also burned, and an old man, Theodulus, a servant of the Roman judge, who had embraced one of the martyrs while they were under escort. Lastly Julian, who had kissed the dead bodies of the martyrs and honoured them, followed them in death. So they exchanged the small for the greater, the tawdry for the precious and death for immortality, and went to the Lord in 308." (Prologue) The Synaxarion concludes, "After the martyrdom of Pamphilius, the leader of the glorious cohort, the impious governor gave orders that his body and those of his companions should be left where they lay as food for carnivorous animals. However by God's Providence, no animal came near their holy relics, which the Christians were able to lay to rest with due honour." The account of these Martyrs was written by Eusebius of Caeserea, Pamphilius' disciple. Full Article
area Martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea in Cappadocia (362) - April 9th By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2023-04-09T16:40:56+00:00 Full Article
area Martyr Mamas of Caesarea in Cappadocia (275), and his parents, Martyrs Theodotus and Rufina By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2023-09-02T05:00:00+00:00 He began his life in the cruelest of circumstances: both of his parents were imprisoned for their faith in Christ. First his father, Theodotus, died in prison, then his mother, Rufina, died shortly after his birth, so the infant was left alone in prison beside the bodies of his parents. But an angel appeared to the widow Ammia, telling her to go to the prison and rescue the child. Ammia obtained the city governor's permission to bury the parents and bring the child home. He was called Mamas because he was mute until the age of five and his first word was `Mama'. Despite his late beginning, he showed unusual intelligence and, having been brought up in piety, soon openly proclaimed his Christian faith. When he was only fifteen years old he was arrested and brought before the Emperor Aurelian. The Emperor, perhaps seeking to spare the boy, told him to deny Christ only with his lips, and the State would not concern itself with his heart. Mamas replied `I shall not deny my God and King Jesus Christ either in my heart or with my lips.' He was sent to be tortured, but miraculously escaped and lived in the mountains near Caesarea. There he lived in solitude and prayer and befriended many wild beasts. In time, he was discovered by the persecutors and stabbed to death with a trident by a pagan priest. Full Article
area Holy Martyr Gordius of Caesarea (4th c.) By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-01-03T06:00:01+00:00 "The Martyr Gordius, who was from Caesarea of Cappadocia, was a centurion by rank. Unable to bear the impiety of the heathen, he withdrew to the wilderness to purify himself through prayer and fasting. After he perceived that his ascetical training had prepared him sufficiently, he came down from the mountains when a certain pagan festival was held in Caesarea, attended by all, and presented himself to the multitude. Although the spectacles of the festival continued, no one paid them any heed, but all eyes were turned upon him. From his sojourn in the mountains, his look was wild, his beard was long, his raiment squalid, his body like a skeleton; yet a certain grace shone round about him. He was recognized, and a loud shout and tumult was made, as his fellow Christians rejoiced, and the enemies of the truth cried out for his death. He boldly professed his faith before the Governor, and after torments was beheaded, in the reign of Licinius in the year 314. Saint Basil the Great delivered a homily on Saint Gordius, mentioning that some of those in his audience had been present at the Saint's martyrdom." (Great Horologion) Full Article
area St Martinian, monk, of Caesarea in Palestine (422) - February 13th By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-02-13T06:01:00+00:00 "The life of this saint is wonderful beyond measure and is worth reading in full. What did he not endure to fulfil the Law of God? At the age of eighteen, he went off into a mountain in Cappadocia called the Ark and spent 25 years in fasting, vigils and prayer, and struggling with manifold temptations. When a woman came to tempt him and he saw that he would fall into sin with her, he leapt barefoot into the fire and stood in it until the pain brought forth tears from his eyes and he had killed all lust within himself. When other temptations arose, he fled to a lonely rock in the sea and lived there. When, though, in a shipwreck, a woman swam to the rock, he leapt into the sea intending to drown himself. But a dolphin took him upon its back and brought him, by God's providence, to the shore. He then decided to make nowhere his permanent home but to travel incessantly. Thus he passed through 164 towns in two years, exhorting and advising the people. He finally arrived in Athens, where he died in 422." (Prologue) Full Article
area Martyrs Pamphilius and those with him, at Caesarea in Palestine (308) - February 16th By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-02-16T06:01:00+00:00 These twelve holy Martyrs suffered in the reign of Diocletian. "The first of these, Pamphilius, was priest in the church at Caesarea in Palestine; a learned and devout man, he corrected the mistakes of various copiers in the text of the New Testament. He himself copied this saving Book and gave it to any who desired it. The second was a deacon, Valentine, old in years and white with wisdom. He was a great expert in the Holy Scriptures, knowing them by heart. The third was Paul, a respected and eminent man, who had on a previous occasion been cast into the fire for the sake of Christ. With them were five Egyptians, brothers both in blood and soul, who were returning to their native land from serving a sentence in the mines of Cilicia. As they reached the gate of the town of Caesarea they said that they were Christians, and were therefore brought to trial. When asked their names, they replied: 'We have cast away the pagan names given us by our mother, and are called Elias, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Samuel and Daniel.' when asked where they were from, they replied: 'From Jerusalem that is above.' They were all beheaded, and a young man called Porphyrius, who had searched for their bodies to give them burial, suffered soon afterwards. Him they burned. An officer, Seleucus, who had come up to the martyrs and embraced them before the sword descended on their heads, was also burned, and an old man, Theodulus, a servant of the Roman judge, who had embraced one of the martyrs while they were under escort. Lastly Julian, who had kissed the dead bodies of the martyrs and honoured them, followed them in death. So they exchanged the small for the greater, the tawdry for the precious and death for immortality, and went to the Lord in 308." (Prologue) The Synaxarion concludes, "After the martyrdom of Pamphilius, the leader of the glorious cohort, the impious governor gave orders that his body and those of his companions should be left where they lay as food for carnivorous animals. However by God's Providence, no animal came near their holy relics, which the Christians were able to lay to rest with due honour." The account of these Martyrs was written by Eusebius of Caeserea, Pamphilius' disciple. Full Article
area Martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea in Cappadocia (362) - April 9th By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-04-09T05:01:00+00:00 This holy martyr was a married man, living in Cappadocia. During the reign of Julian the Apostate he, along with some other Christians, destroyed the pagan temple to the goddess Fortuna. (The Prologue says that it was his wedding day). For this he and his companions were cruelly tortured, then beheaded. At that time St Basil the Great governed the Church in that part of Cappadocia. When the apostate Emperor, going to fight the Persians, came to the town in which Eupsychius was martyred, St Basil went to meet him, bringing three barley loaves as a sign of honor and welcome. The Emperor, ever hostile to Christians, ordered that the bishop be given a fistful of hay in return. Saint Basil said to the Emperor 'You ridicule us now, O King; we bring you bread, by which we are fed, and you give us miserable food that you, with all your power, are unable to turn into nourishment for men.' The Emperor perished in the Persian campaign. Full Article
area Martyr Mamas of Caesarea in Cappadocia (275), and his parents, Martyrs Theodotus and Rufina By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2024-09-02T05:01:00+00:00 He began his life in the cruelest of circumstances: both of his parents were imprisoned for their faith in Christ. First his father, Theodotus, died in prison, then his mother, Rufina, died shortly after his birth, so the infant was left alone in prison beside the bodies of his parents. But an angel appeared to the widow Ammia, telling her to go to the prison and rescue the child. Ammia obtained the city governor's permission to bury the parents and bring the child home. He was called Mamas because he was mute until the age of five and his first word was `Mama'. Despite his late beginning, he showed unusual intelligence and, having been brought up in piety, soon openly proclaimed his Christian faith. When he was only fifteen years old he was arrested and brought before the Emperor Aurelian. The Emperor, perhaps seeking to spare the boy, told him to deny Christ only with his lips, and the State would not concern itself with his heart. Mamas replied `I shall not deny my God and King Jesus Christ either in my heart or with my lips.' He was sent to be tortured, but miraculously escaped and lived in the mountains near Caesarea. There he lived in solitude and prayer and befriended many wild beasts. In time, he was discovered by the persecutors and stabbed to death with a trident by a pagan priest. Full Article
area A Letter from Caesarea By www.ancientfaith.com Published On :: 2023-01-18T20:24:18+00:00 Paul transforms his prison cell into a hub of missions work. The text is Colossians 3:4-11. Full Article
area New £400k play area officially opens in town By www.bbc.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 06:03:02 GMT The new space includes a junior zone with bridges, slides and a nine-metre-high twisting tube. Full Article
area How to build an investor relations area for your website with HubSpot By www.articulatemarketing.com Published On :: 2024-06-22T12:17:08Z “Investors, both individual and professional, want more than just the data that independent services can provide. They want the company’s own story and investment vision. What they don’t want is to wade through complex or irrelevant information.” Investor Relations on Corporate Websites, Nielsen Norman Group Understand investor jobs-to-be-done Primary users of investor relations areas on a website include, obviously, investors themselves but also analysts and financial journalists. There is an important secondary audience of potential customers and employees too. But the core audience is generally looking for: Company background and overview Press releases Stock exchange filings One-page financial overview Annual reports Quarterly reports Historical financial information Executive biographies Share price information Press and IR contact details Corporate governance information Of course, each company will go beyond statutory reporting to add content and user journeys specific to their needs. For example, if they are dealing with specific events in their company history, such as acquisitions, crises or if they are approaching an IPO. Interestingly, according to NN/Group, some of the fancier functionality that you often see on an IR site, such as webcasts, slides and investment calculators, were less important to real users. “People research company financials are more interested in getting facts quickly than in the technology used to deliver them.” Best practice examples GE Aerospace does well with very clear navigation on a fast-loading site that is designed to get people to the information they are looking for quickly. Microsoft’s IR site clearly surfaces stock price information with a tidy design and recent company news, but we are not fans of carousels as a user interface solution. In contrast, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) has the leanest, text-only IR page, which, like GE’s, aims to get visitors to key information as quickly as possible. Notably, they offer HTML and PDF versions of key reports, and we think this is good practice. PDFs are not great for usability but have an important role in communicating statutory information in a compliant way, so it’s important to find a user-friendly, SEO-friendly parallel structure to sit alongside them. Michelmersh combines Microsoft’s visual approach with direct access to the most important information. Core and optional functionality We use a tool called Octopus to collaborate with clients to design a website’s information architecture and the high-level structure of individual pages. For investor relations areas, the following site map templates from NN/Group are good starting points for high, medium and low-priority content. But each client is different and so understanding client needs and their users’ needs is always a project in itself. Don’t forget basic website usability For more information about how Articulate tackles the website design and development process, including information architecture and user journeys, see How we build websites at Articulate. For the end results, take a look at our Portfolio. We think all sites - and all visitors - deserve a well-designed, easy-to-use website that helps them find the information they want. In particular, this means that IR areas need to be: Mobile-friendly. The widespread use of PDFs makes many IR sites difficult to use on mobile devices, representing an opportunity for forward-thinking companies to improve the user experience by offering HMTL options. Searchability. IR information should be searchable alongside other site content, either with a domain-specific search box (i.e. just the IR section) or as part of an integrated site-wide search. Accessibility is a basic requirement for a modern website, yet 97 percent of websites have fundamental accessibility issues. Designing for accessibility is good for every visitor. For example, our blog’s speed reading mode and audio player help people engage with our content whether they have specific needs or not. See our article about why accessibility is crucial for website design. Loading speed. Google and GE prioritise loading speed and ‘time to find’ for visitors over fancy imagery and functionality. This is in line with NN/Group’s user study findings. Some clients prefer more fizz and ginger on their IR sites as part of their investor brand, but this should never come at the expense of loading speed. For more on improving Core Web Vitals (as Google calls them) see: Don't lose traffic because of Google’s Core Web Vitals. SEO. Investors, journalists and advisors, like most of us, use Google to find information. IR areas should get the same SEO attention as the rest of the site. For more on our approach to SEO see: The ultimate SEO guide for B2B technology companies. PDFs vs. web pages. IR pages are loaded with PDFs for annual reports, statutory filings, and other important documents. It may be the case that these files have to be in PDF format—we’re not lawyers, so we can’t say for certain—but we think it would be valuable, as with Google, not to also make them available as web pages, even if it is a high-level summary page with a link to the downloadable PDF. There are strong usability reasons to avoid PDF files if at all possible. Carousels. We strongly recommend against Carousels. Buy us a pint, and we’ll bore for England about why. Use of videos, webcasts and podcasts. IR pages often feature investor briefings and other content in video format. This should never be a substitute for clear, scannable, searchable text. Where possible, provide transcripts or summaries. Where possible, provide short (<4 minutes) highlight reels as well as longer content. Videos should have captions and chapter headings so that people can find what they need quickly. Never autoplay videos. Examples of investor-specific functionality Company overview “Offer a brief company overview that highlights a few significant facts, along with a link to more detailed corporate information.” For example, Causeway’s website has this succinct summary right on its homepage as well as more detailed information in a ‘Why us’ section. Biographies “Provide information about the company’s high-level managers, including each person’s name and job title, a recent picture, and a link to a full biography,” advises The Nielsen Norman Group. For example, HealthHero has a really easy-to-use, highly visual, and on-brand biographies section on its About Us page. Press information Journalists don’t just need press information, they need relevant, high-resolution images, logos, PR contacts and company information. Press releases Your news page should look like high-end news site or blog with all the support infrastructure such as the ability to sign up for alerts, search for specific information, filter and sort the information, as on this example from TCN. ESG reports. Your investor brand goes beyond statutory reporting. Increasingly, environmental, social and governance information influences investment decisions and build investor confidence. HPE does a great job of communicating its progress in this area, and, ahem, we think our own Impact Report is pretty good, too. (Related to this, see our guide to establishing a strong ESG tone of voice.) Security, availability, access controls and approvals Security and access control. IR areas often include market-sensitive information such as earnings announcements or new product introductions. For this reason (and others), it is important that any content management system (CMS) used for IR pages should have robust security and access controls, meaning that only authorised users can add or modify IR pages. We recommend HubSpot Content Hub which has granular user permissions, access control to specific assets (e.g. individual web pages) and (with an Enterprise tier) SSO integration and role-based permissions. Content approvals. HubSpot also has the option to require approvals before website changes are published. This may be valuable to ensure that legally responsible people, e.g. directors, have a final review and approval of statutory updates to the site, even if they delegate the content creation to others. Scheduling for publication. With time-sensitive and embargoed information, it is important to be able to set a specific publication time and date for content so that you can prepare the pages in advance but make sure they are published at the right time. With HubSpot, this is possible for pages and blog/new posts. How Articulate can help We design and code signature websites using our proprietary Nucleus technology, which are hosted on HubSpot Content Hub (CMS). See our website services page for more information. Brochure websites are old-school. Instead, our team will build you a marketing engine that drives traffic, leads and customers, all while telling your brand story. If you’d like an SEO, usability, or content review of your investor relations website or if you’d like us to help build a new one, please get in touch. Full Article Websites
area Uniting Idaho: A Small Newspaper Serves Hispanic Populations in Distributed Rural Areas By Published On :: Full Article
area Economic Upliftment and Social Development through the Development of Digital Astuteness in Rural Areas By Published On :: 2016-05-16 One of the key attempts towards a collective African vision is the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). Barnard and Vonk (2003) report that “53 countries have been urged to implement ICTs in three crucial development arenas: education, health and trade”. While NEPAD and other initiatives have contributed to the provision of ICT infrastructure with positive results as seen in the growth of Internet uses, the disparities in development across Africa are enormous. The challenge to Higher Education Institutions in Africa has been summarised by Colle (2005): “central to creating digital resources and academic infrastructure is the question of universities’ relevance to the world around them, and especially to the challenge of being an active player – ‘an anchor of a broad-based poverty alleviation strategy’ in an increasingly knowledge-based economy”. It can be inferred from Colle that the activities of HEIs in Africa ought to be geared towards contributing to the realisation of the Millennium development goals. Full Article
area Predicting Suitable Areas for Growing Cassava Using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Techniques: A Study in Nakhon-Phanom Thailand By Published On :: 2018-05-18 Aim/Purpose: Although cassava is one of the crops that can be grown during the dry season in Northeastern Thailand, most farmers in the region do not know whether the crop can grow in their specific areas because the available agriculture planning guideline provides only a generic list of dry-season crops that can be grown in the whole region. The purpose of this research is to develop a predictive model that can be used to predict suitable areas for growing cassava in Northeastern Thailand during the dry season. Background: This paper develops a decision support system that can be used by farmers to assist them determine if cassava can be successfully grown in their specific areas. Methodology: This study uses satellite imagery and data on land characteristics to develop a machine learning model for predicting suitable areas for growing cassava in Thailand’s Nakhon-Phanom province. Contribution: This research contributes to the body of knowledge by developing a novel model for predicting suitable areas for growing cassava. Findings: This study identified elevation and Ferric Acrisols (Af) soil as the two most important features for predicting the best-suited areas for growing cassava in Nakhon-Phanom province, Thailand. The two-class boosted decision tree algorithm performs best when compared with other algorithms. The model achieved an accuracy of .886, and .746 F1-score. Recommendations for Practitioners: Farmers and agricultural extension agents will use the decision support system developed in this study to identify specific areas that are suitable for growing cassava in Nakhon-Phanom province, Thailand Recommendation for Researchers: To improve the predictive accuracy of the model developed in this study, more land and crop characteristics data should be incorporated during model development. The ground truth data for areas growing cassava should also be collected for a longer period to provide a more accurate sample of the areas that are suitable for cassava growing. Impact on Society: The use of machine learning for the development of new farming systems will enable farmers to produce more food throughout the year to feed the world’s growing population. Future Research: Further studies should be carried out to map other suitable areas for growing dry-season crops and to develop decision support systems for those crops. Full Article
area Organizing Information Obtained From Literature Reviews – A Framework for Information System Area Researchers By Published On :: 2022-01-12 Aim/Purpose: A literature review is often criticized for the absence of coherent construction, synthesis of topics, and well-reasoned analysis. A framework is needed for novice researchers to organize and present information obtained from the literature review. Background: Information and communication technologies advancement have yielded overwhelming information. The massive availability of information poses several challenges, including storage, processing, meaningful organization, and presentation for future consumption. Information System Researchers have developed frameworks, guidelines, and tools for gathering, filtering, processing, storing, and organizing information. Interestingly, information system researchers have vast information that needs meaningful organization and presentation to the research fraternity while conducting a literature review on a research topic. Methodology: This paper describes a framework called LACTiC (Location, Author, Continuum, Time, and Category) that we adapted from another framework called LATCH (Location, Alphabetical, Time, Category, and Hierarchy). LATCH was used to organize and present information on e-commerce websites for seamless navigation. We evaluated the LACTiC framework. Contribution: Information System Researchers can use the LACTiC framework to organize information obtained from literature review. Findings: The evaluation reveals that most researchers from information systems organize information obtained from the literature review category-wise, followed by continuum, author, time, and location. Recommendation for Researchers: Overall, the framework works well and can be helpful for researchers for an initial idea for organizing information obtained from the literature review. Future Research: To conceptualize the framework, the study was carried out using Information Systems related literature. To generalize the proposed framework, we may suggest that the study can be extended to other areas of business management, such as marketing, finance, operation, decision sciences, accounting, and economics. Full Article
area The Transition from the Soviet Higher Education System to the European Higher Education Area: The Case of Estonia By amle.aom.org Published On :: Tue, 16 Jun 2015 22:47:52 +0000 The interview questions deal with the means by which Estonia and other republics of the former Soviet Union managed to transform their educational systems and the impact of the Soviet heritage on this transformation. An interview was conducted with Professor Olav Aarna. In 1991 Professor Olav Aarna became the rector of TUT. From 2000 to 2003 he held the position of rector of the first private university in Estonia - Estonian Business School (EBS). From 2003 to 2007 Olav Aarna was member of the Estonian Parliament, serving also as Chairman of the Committee for Cultural Affairs responsible for education, research, culture and sports affairs. From 1998-2000 he was Vice Chairman of Estonian National Council for Research and Development. His experience in the field of educational legislation stems from his advisory position to the Minister of Education of Estonia from 1990 to1992. His competence in the field of the Bologna process results from the development of higher education legislation in Estonia (2002-...) and the development of a higher education quality assurance system for Estonia (2008-...). Olav Aarna has consulted third countries in the national qualifications framework (NQF) development as a European Training Foundation (ETF) expert. Full Article
area Signal No. 2 raised in more areas as ‘Ofel’ barrels toward Northern Luzon By www.philstar.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 19:16:00 +0800 The state weather bureau has placed several areas under Signal No. 2 as Typhoon Ofel makes its way to Northern Luzon. Full Article
area Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) consultation: opportunity to contribute to a new IUCN standard By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:59:00 +0200 IUCN invites you to review the "Consultation Document on an IUCN Standard for the Identification of Key Biodiversity Areas", and to provide comments through the comment form. This document will form the basis of the IUCN KBA Standard that is submitted to IUCN Council for adoption The consultation will run from the 7th of October to the 30th of November 2014. Comments received before the 31st of October 2014 will be, as much as possible, presented with the first results of this project during the IUCN World Parks Congress taking place in Sydney, Australia, 12-19 November 2014. Contributors are not required to comment on the entire Consultation Document – any input will welcomed. More information available here. Full Article News
area Article Alert: New TEAM network paper looks at standardized assessment of biodiversity trends in tropical forest protected areas By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 26 Jan 2016 17:42:00 +0200 The Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) network has the aim to measure and compare plants, terrestrial mammals, ground-dwelling birds and climate using a standard methodology in a range of tropical forests, from relatively pristine places to those most affected by people. TEAM currently operates in sixteen tropical forest sites across Africa, Asia and Latin America supporting a network of scientists committed to standardized methods of data collection to quantify how plants and animals respond to pressures such as climate change and human encroachment. A recent TEAM network paper published in PLOS Biology deals with the standartization of methods in assessing biodiversity trends in tropical forest protected areas. Abstract: Extinction rates in the Anthropocene are three orders of magnitude higher than background and disproportionately occur in the tropics, home of half the world’s species. Despite global efforts to combat tropical species extinctions, lack of high-quality, objective information on tropical biodiversity has hampered quantitative evaluation of conservation strategies. In particular, the scarcity of population-level monitoring in tropical forests has stymied assessment of biodiversity outcomes, such as the status and trends of animal populations in protected areas. Here, we evaluate occupancy trends for 511 populations of terrestrial mammals and birds, representing 244 species from 15 tropical forest protected areas on three continents. For the first time to our knowledge, we use annual surveys from tropicalforests worldwide that employ a standardized camera trapping protocol, and we compute data analytics that correct for imperfect detection. We found that occupancy declined in 22%, increased in 17%, and exhibited no change in 22% of populations during the last 3–8 years, while 39% of populations were detected too infrequently to assess occupancy changes. Despite extensive variability in occupancy trends, these 15 tropical protected areas have not exhibited systematic declines in biodiversity (i.e., occupancy, richness, or evenness) at the community level. Our results differ from reports of widespread biodiversity declines based on aggregated secondary data and expert opinion and suggest less extreme deterioration in tropical forest protected areas. We simultaneously fill an important conservation data gap and demonstrate the value of large-scale monitoring infrastructure and powerful analytics, which can be scaled to incorporate additional sites, ecosystems, and monitoring methods. In an era of catastrophic biodiversity loss, robust indicators produced from standardized monitoring infrastructure are critical to accurately assess population outcomes and identify conservation strategies that can avert biodiversity collapse. Original Source: Beaudrot L, Ahumada JA, O'Brien T, Alvarez-Loayza P, Boekee K, Campos-Arceiz A, et al. (2016) Standardized Assessment of Biodiversity Trends in Tropical Forest Protected Areas: The End Is Not in Sight. PLoS Biol 14(1): e1002357. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002357 You can also read more in the paper's commentary. Full Article News
area Article alert: Local biodiversity is higher inside than outside terrestrial protected areas worldwide By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 15 Aug 2016 17:52:00 +0300 Are protected areas working when it comes to promoting biodivesity? A new study, published in Nature Communications, shows that local biodiversity is actually higher within, rather than outside protected areas. Abstract: Protected areas are widely considered essential for biodiversity conservation. However, few global studies have demonstrated that protection benefits a broad range of species. Here, using a new global biodiversity database with unprecedented geographic and taxonomic coverage, we compare four biodiversity measures at sites sampled in multiple land uses inside and outside protected areas. Globally, species richness is 10.6% higher and abundance 14.5% higher in samples taken inside protected areas compared with samples taken outside, but neither rarefaction-based richness nor endemicity differ significantly. Importantly, we show that the positive effects of protection are mostly attributable to differences in land use between protected and unprotected sites. Nonetheless, even within some human-dominated land uses, species richness and abundance are higher in protected sites. Our results reinforce the global importance of protected areas but suggest that protection does not consistently benefit species with small ranges or increase the variety of ecological niches. Original Source: The original article is openly accessible at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12306 Full Article News
area Article Alert: Biophysical Characterization of Protected Areas Globally through Optimized Image Segmentation and Classification By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 26 Sep 2016 17:27:00 +0300 A new EU BON derived paper, publsihed recently in the journal Remote Sensing, introduces eHabitat+, a habitat modelling service supporting the European Commission’s Digital Observatory for Protected Areas. Abstract: Protected areas (PAs) need to be assessed systematically according to biodiversity values and threats in order to support decision-making processes. For this, PAs can be characterized according to their species, ecosystems and threats, but such information is often difficult to access and usually not comparable across regions. There are currently over 200,000 PAs in the world, and assessing these systematically according to their ecological values remains a huge challenge. However, linking remote sensing with ecological modelling can help to overcome some limitations of conservation studies, such as the sampling bias of biodiversity inventories. The aim of this paper is to introduce eHabitat+, a habitat modelling service supporting the European Commission’s Digital Observatory for Protected Areas, and specifically to discuss a component that systematically stratifies PAs into different habitat functional types based on remote sensing data. eHabitat+ uses an optimized procedure of automatic image segmentation based on several environmental variables to identify the main biophysical gradients in each PA. This allows a systematic production of key indicators on PAs that can be compared globally. Results from a few case studies are illustrated to show the benefits and limitations of this open-source tool. Original Source: Martínez-López, J.; Bertzky, B.; Bonet-García, F.J.; Bastin, L.; Dubois, G. Biophysical Characterization of Protected Areas Globally through Optimized Image Segmentation and Classification. Remote Sens. 2016, 8, 780. DOI: 0.3390/rs8090780 Full Article News
area Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change in Urban Areas and their Rural Surroundings: Linkages between science, policy and practice By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Wed, 01 Jul 2015 11:46:00 +0300 The Europena Conference "Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change in Urban Areas and their Rural Surroundings: Linkages between science, policy and practice" will take place from 17 to 19 November 2015 in Bonn, Germany. The event is a joint European Conference held by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) and the European Network of Heads of Nature Conservation Agencies (ENCA) in co-operation with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) / German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). Climate change has significant impact on society and biodiversity in Europe. Urban inhabitants are most likely to experience climate change effects directly because currently 73 per cent of Europeans live in urban areas. Here, management of urban ecosystems offer sustainable and cost-effective solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation while contributing to human well-being. This European conference will bring together experts from science, policy and practice to highlight and debate the importance of nature-based solutions to climate change in urban areas and their rural surroundings. Emphasize is given to the potential of nature-based approaches to create multiple-benefits. The conference is divided into three main areas (day 1: science, day 2: practice and implementation, day 3: policy and business), each of which will be opened by keynote speakers including: Hans Bruyninckx (Executive Director European Environmental Agency, EEA) Wilhelm Krull (Chair of the H2020 expert group on nature-based solutions and re-naturing cities, Secretary General Volkswagen Foundation) Georgina Mace (University College London – UCL, Director of Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research) Christine Wamsler (Lund University, Centre for Sustainability Studies) Nataša Jazbinšek (Head of Department for Environmental Protection City of Ljubljana and Head of working group for European Green Capital programme 2016) Wolfgang Teubner (ICLEI Regional Director for Europe) Kurt Vandenberghe (Director for Climate action and resource efficiency at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Research and Innovation) Chantal van Ham (IUCN – EU Programme Manager Nature Based Solutions) Dirk Sijmons (Delft University of Technology) Keynote speeches are complemented by plenary presentations given by leading experts in the fields of urban biodiversity, climate change, and socio-economic effects of nature-based solutions, interactive sessions and a poster exhibition. Deadline for abstract submission is 24 July 2015 (abstract submission guidelines) Registration: Early bird registration deadline: 18 September 2015 Final registration deadline: 30 October 2015 For more information and to register please visit: http://www.ecbcc2015.com/ Full Article Events
area Conservation planning to zone protected areas under optimal landscape management for bird conservation By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 12:01:25 +0200 Full Article Events
area Predicting the future effectiveness of protected areas for bird conservation in Mediterranean ecosystems under climate change and novel fire regime scenarios By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Wed, 18 Nov 2015 09:37:50 +0200 Full Article Events
area Standardized Assessment of Biodiversity Trends in Tropical Forest Protected Areas: The End Is Not in Sight By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 26 Jan 2016 10:22:04 +0200 Full Article Events
area Local biodiversity is higher inside than outside terrestrial protected areas worldwide By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Mon, 15 Aug 2016 15:38:36 +0300 Full Article Events
area Biophysical Characterization of Protected Areas Globally through Optimized Image Segmentation and Classification By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Tue, 27 Sep 2016 10:33:03 +0300 Full Article Events
area Systematically designating conservation areas for protecting multiple ecosystem services By www.eubon.eu Published On :: Fri, 21 Apr 2017 15:52:54 +0300 Full Article Events
area Maine asks hunters to avoid eating deer, turkey in some areas because of PFAS contamination By www.boston.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2024 12:52:57 +0000 The presence of the “forever chemicals” in wildlife and fish has been increasing as a focus for public health regulators in recent years. The post Maine asks hunters to avoid eating deer, turkey in some areas because of PFAS contamination appeared first on Boston.com. Full Article News Animals Environment Health Local News
area Boston-area libraries are employing social workers. Here’s why. By www.boston.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:38:20 +0000 More social workers are working in libraries in recent years. The post Boston-area libraries are employing social workers. Here’s why. appeared first on Boston.com. Full Article News Books Cambridge Local News Somerville
area A New Hampshire ski area is offering $4 lift tickets in December By www.boston.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:51:12 +0000 What's more, guests who book an overnight stay can score lift tickets for free. The post A New Hampshire ski area is offering $4 lift tickets in December appeared first on Boston.com. Full Article Travel Hotels New England Travel New Hampshire Outdoors Skiing Travel Sale Winter Winter Fun
area Gypsum Area Separation Firewalls By www.wconline.com Published On :: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 00:00:00 -0500 Passive fire protection is an essential aspect of gypsum construction. Gypsum firewalls of various types (shaft walls, simple partitions, etc.) prevent fire from spreading without relying on mechanical means of control, such as sprinkling. Full Article
area EDI the 'weakest governance area', report finds By www.thirdsector.co.uk Published On :: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 11:30:12 +0100 Research by the Directory of Social Change analyses governance reviews carried out by more than 1,100 users of its app Full Article Governance
area FMCSA final rule expands area where safety tech can be mounted on truck, bus windshields By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 08 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0500 Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is increasing the area safety technology may be mounted inside commercial motor vehicles and expanding the definition of “vehicle safety technology.” Full Article
area LVT Brings Satellite Coverage to Low or No Cellular Network Areas By www.sdmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 18 Oct 2024 16:00:00 -0400 Businesses and organizations leveraging LVT Units can access satellite connectivity for both primary connectivity and secondary connectivity. Full Article
area Pye-Barker Acquires Pasco Fire & Safety Equipment in Tampa Metro Area By www.sdmmag.com Published On :: Fri, 04 Oct 2024 09:45:35 -0400 Pasco has been a trusted name in central Florida since 1992, having earned the confidence of area businesses by providing reliable service and caring for customers with integrity, according to an announcement. Full Article
area OSHA memo: Area offices must use four-part test when citing respiratory hazards without PELs By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Wed, 12 Dec 2018 00:00:00 -0500 Washington — OSHA area offices must apply a four-part test before issuing General Duty Clause citations for respiratory hazards that do not have a permissible exposure limit, the agency states in a memorandum sent to regional administrators. Full Article
area Area lighting By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Pelican 9480 (left) and 9490 (right) Remote Area Lighting Systems are self-contained with a quick-release rechargeable and swappable power supply. Full Article
area Rechargeable area light By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Fri, 20 Dec 2019 00:00:00 -0500 The Strion Switchblade is a compact and powerful 500-lumen area light with a double-sided light bar that rotates 180 degrees to offer three lighting modes: area lighting, color matching and ultraviolet lighting. Full Article
area Explosion-proof area light By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Sun, 28 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0400 The Air-Light EX explosion-proof DC-powered LED area light comes equipped with two light heads, which can move independently in any direction. Full Article
area Study links fatigue-related CMV crashes to distance from rest areas By www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com Published On :: Tue, 26 Jun 2018 00:00:00 -0400 Lexington, KY — Fatigue-related crashes among commercial motor vehicle drivers increase the farther the crash site is located from truck stops, rest areas and weigh stations with rest havens, according to a recent study from the University of Kentucky. Full Article
area Retailers: Carpet/Area Rug Sales Improving as Profit Margins Erode By www.floortrendsmag.com Published On :: Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:01:00 -0500 Product quality (97%) continues to be the most influential factor in deciding to sell/promote a particular brand/manufacturer of residential carpet, according to the just-completed Carpet and Area Rug Market Study conducted by BNP Media Market Research for National Floor Trends. Full Article
area NAR Reports 87% of Metro Areas' Home Prices Increased for Q3 2024 By www.floortrendsmag.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 10:00:00 -0500 Approximately 90% of metro markets (196 out of 226, or 87%) registered home price gains in the third quarter of 2024, as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate ranged from 6.08% to 6.95%, according to the National Association of Realtors’ latest quarterly report. Full Article
area Sherwin-Williams High-Performance Flooring Decorative Epoxy Coatings for Moderate to High-Use Areas By www.floortrendsmag.com Published On :: Sun, 22 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400 Sherwin-Williams High-Performance Flooring seamless flooring systems offers up durable, chemical resistant systems that cover a range of commercial applications, ranging from moderate to heavy use. Full Article
area Maximizing Productivity in the Food & Beverage Industry: The Power of Area Scan Cameras By www.foodengineeringmag.com Published On :: Wed, 21 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0400 Machine vision technology is emerging as a transformative force in driving productivity, enhancing quality control and revolutionizing packaging inspection processes. Full Article
area Ōnami Area Rug by Meredith Heron By www.floortrendsmag.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400 Ōnami rugs are on hand-knotted on the Meredith Heron Collection looms in India and is suitable for low & medium-traffic areas. Full Article
area DKNY Partners with Nourison Home for New Area Rug Collections By www.floortrendsmag.com Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:00:00 -0400 Constructed of premium materials, the collections will combine modern design and timeless appeal with innovative weaves, rich textures, and refined patterns, according to Steven Peykar, co-CEO and co-founder of Nourison Home. Full Article
area Modelling geographic access and school catchment areas across public primary schools to support subnational planning in Kenya. By ezproxy.scu.edu.au Published On :: Sun, 01 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400 Children's Geographies; 10/01/2023(AN 173035616); ISSN: 14733285Academic Search Premier Full Article KENYA SUSTAINABLE Development Goals (United Nations) TRAVEL time (Traffic engineering) PRIMARY schools PUBLIC spaces PUBLIC schools COST allocation
area Green versus grey break: children's place experience of recess-time in primary schools' natural and built area. By ezproxy.scu.edu.au Published On :: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 Children's Geographies; 02/01/2024(AN 175911758); ISSN: 14733285Academic Search Premier Full Article SCHOOL children PRIMARY schools NATURE reserves CHILDREN'S drawings CHILD behavior CURIOSITY
area Changes in children's rhythms of everyday life during the COVID-19 pandemic in a small town in the Prague metropolitan area. By ezproxy.scu.edu.au Published On :: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 Children's Geographies; 02/01/2024(AN 175911757); ISSN: 14733285Academic Search Premier Full Article PRAGUE (Czech Republic) COVID-19 pandemic SMALL cities METROPOLITAN areas EVERYDAY life RHYTHM ONLINE education